The Lancashire & North West Magazine | February 2023

February 2023

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COMPOSED WITH PASSION

Discover The Cayenne Platinum Edition At Porsche Centre Preston

WENNINGDALE ESCAPES Luxury Lodges And Glamping In The Dales

PROFESORA IRVINE Georgina Irvine: Spanish Language Consultant

P.S. I LOVE CATS

We Talk To Ryan Strange At The Lancashire Based Cattery Group

CRAVE MARINADES The Amazing Journey To Become An Award-Winning Marinade Brand

MOWBRECK PARK

The Perfect Spot To Escape The Hustle And Bustle

PREMIER TAXIS

John Cutler Of Blackpool Based Taxi Firm Tells Us About His Fleet Of Electric Vehicles

MOTHER’S DAY GIFT VOUCHERS THE PERFECT GIFT OF TIME Buy yours online - thewoodlandspa.com GOOD SPA GUIDE AWARD 2022 WINNER - BEST UK SPA HOTEL

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CONTENTS...

Features 100 Audio trail tells an oral history of Old Trafford

50

Orphanage Girls Reunited

38

Balance Counselling Award

52

Park Transformed Into Magical Tv Drama Set

74

Becoming Ted: Matt Cain Q&A

42

Best UK Winter Woodland Walks

150 Pop-up art gallery helps raise hundreds for unpaid Carers

186 Blackpool Sea Cadets

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72

Blackpool’s Dazzling New Destination Guide

126 Premier Taxis

78

Bowland Inns & Hotels secures The Assheton Arms

88

Profesora Irvine

22

Hedgehogs

96

Clearview Cattery

26

34

Crave Marinades

Daresbury residents’ group honour Sir Wildred Greenall

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Create Homes Supply Chain

136 Cumbria Tourism President scoops ‘Lifetime Achievement’ Award

Rising from the Ashes: Reframing Your Past

122 Entries and Nominations now open for the North West Family Business Awards 2023

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Rozanne Kay

68

RSC bring Julius Caesar to Blackpool Grand Theatre

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SAD CAFE to play Spring UK Dates

Flourish Therapies

142 Funding helps Father Christmas head to streets of Halewood

160 Second date now available to see Jon Richardson at Blackpool Grand

Gallery in a Ginnel

202 Smaller homes pack lots of punch

84

Grand Photograhic Sessions

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Grand Theatre

180 Social Supermarket Bags Funding From Redrow

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Chain Gang - Baths and Mayors

184 Hedgerow Luxury Glamping 62

HS2 celebrates five years of tree planting and habitat creation

174 Southport - Artist of the Month 132 St Annes Christmas Market 24

Staycations Feature

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Stonyhurst Headmaster Named One of UK’s Most Influential Catholic Leaders

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Stonyhurst IBCP

196 Ladies That Dig

178 Taste Lancashire Conference

138 Leah Williamson celebrates Mancunian Helen Hardy with tribute portrait unveiling at Wembley Stadium

176 Therapy House Award

112 Elizabeth Barret Browning 152 John Of Gaunt

196

156 Santas Turn City Red And Blue

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192 Grand Theatre Employee Dances in to Spotlight

140

190 Warrington Pupils’ trip of a lifetime 76

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168 Family ties sees Pauline ‘up sticks’ to new Barrow home

120 DaDaFest 2022 Hailed Huge Success For International Reach

124 Exciting Spectacular 2023 Vegan Event Announced for Manchester

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Porsche Centre Preston

108 Mark Lomas: Elgra 40

Morecambe RNLI celebrate 20 years of its inshore rescue hovercraft

144 Mowbreck Caravan Park 140 National Vegatarian Week 148 Neil makes Lakeland Motor Museum a shining example!

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Odyssey Brings a Space-Age Look to the Golden Mile

204 Totally Local Lancaster 162 Ormskirk 18

Ribchester

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Wenningdale Estates

102 Wildlife Trust - Cotton Flower 172 Wildlife Trust - Vital funding secured for North West’s peatland 182 Wildlife Trust Otters 170 Winter preservation work for historic Windermere vessels 200 World horse Welfare 208 Zodiac Predictions by Manish

...CONTENTS

Regulars 116

Colour Me Beautiful

106,188

Denise Mullen

200

Haymax Column

80

Life of Di

64

Rozanne Kay

208

Zodiac Predictions by Manish

February 2023 • Volume 46 Number 2

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188

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February 2023

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COMPOSED WITH PASSION Discover The Cayenne Platinum Edition At Porsche Centre Preston

Managing Director: Natalie Christopher natalie@lancashiremagazine.co.uk

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WENNINGDALE ESCAPES

CRAVE MARINADES

Luxury Lodges And Glamping In The Dales

The Amazing Journey To Become An Award-Winning Marinade Brand

PROFESORA IRVINE

MOWBRECK PARK

Georgina Irvine: Spanish Language Consultant

P.S. I LOVE CATS

We Talk To Ryan Strange At The Lancashire Based Cattery Group

The Perfect Spot To Escape The Hustle And Bustle

PREMIER TAXIS

John Cutler Of Blackpool Based Taxi Firm Tells Us About His Fleet Of Electric Vehicles

COVER: ROZANNE KAY

Writers: • Denise Mullen

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IN THIS ISSUE...

T

his month, as we look forward to booking our holidays, we look at a number of reasons you might want to consider a staycation this year.

If you do decide to stay in the UK instead of jetting off on vacation, we explore a few options for you, including Wenningdale Escapes, nested in the foothills of the Three Peaks is on the doorstep of two contrasting National Parks and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

There’s also Mowbreck Park, a peaceful haven and the perfect spot to escape the hustle and bustle, yet situated just 2 minutes from the M55.

Then there’s the luxury pods of Hedgerow Luxury Glamping, which sits on a family run dairy farm covering 200 acres of breathtaking land with views over the Ribble Valley and Pendle Hill.

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Sarah Harris of Colour me Beautiful shows us that February is a great time for sorting through the wardrobe!

Wearing clothes which suit both your Colouring and Style Personality gives an instant boost that will brighten up the dullest of days!

John Cutler of Blackpool’s Premier Taxis tells us about his fleet of Electric and Hybrid cars and his plans for going all electric with zero emissions in the coming years.

Our featured areas this month are The peaceful village of Ribchester, which sits within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, with a population of under one thousand, and Ormskirk, a market town which sits in the West Lancashire countryside between the cities of Liverpool and Preston.

If you’re out and about in the Lake District this winter, why not make yourself at home at Tweedies Bar and Lodge in Grasmere.

Harold Cunliffe shares with us some vivid memories from the early 1960’s, and the occasion that the Mayor and Mayoress of his town paid a visit to the primary school he attended.

Margaret Brecknell also takes a look at the lives of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, A Victorian Love Poet with Much More to Say, and John of Gaunt, The Influential Duke of Lancaster.

And of course, as always, we have features on homes, health, wildlife and more - all in our February issue.

For Mother’s Day inspiration look no further that Crow Wood Resort and Spa in Burnley.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

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For all things Porsche.

Breathtaking design, innovative engineering and a virtually limitless number of options to choose from. Contact us about the Porsche range, our Porsche Approved Pre-Owned cars, servicing, parts and Porsche Classic.

Prepare to be inspired.

Porsche Centre Preston Centenary House Watery Lane, Preston Lancashire PR2 1QJ 01772 911 911 info@porschepreston.co.uk /PorscheCentrePreston @Porsche_Preston

Composed with Passion: The Cayenne Platinum Edition at Porsche Centre Preston

The Cayenne is an SUV with the Porsche DNA. The Cayenne and Cayenne Coupé both boast a striking appearance and impressive performance, with versatile practicality.

W

hether you prefer embarking upon your next adventure in the Cayenne together with friends or fall for the iconic lines of the Coupé is a matter of personal preference. But one thing is shared by both models: authentic sports car DNA, as expected of every single Porsche.

The Cayenne offers seven model variants: Cayenne: A sports car for the whole family, with uncompromising everyday usability. E- Hybrid: The mix of sustainability and driving dynamics brings a smile to any sports car enthusiast. Hybrid technology developed on the racetrack, impressive fuel efficiency, and space for the whole family. Cayenne S: Whether on the daily journey, or an iconic road trip, at the wheel of the dynamic Porsche Cayenne S, every 8

drive is rewarding and memorable.

GTS: Three letters are all it takes to summarise the ultimate driving enjoyment. The Cayenne GTS models bring motorsport thrills to the road.

Turbo: An intense adrenaline rush and unmissable soundtrack provided by the powerful eight-cylinder engine. Uncompromising dynamics and relentless acceleration give the Cayenne Turbo an incredible breadth of ability. Turbo S E-Hybrid: This model will make your pulse race. Combining the most powerful twin-turbo V8 engine with electric power delivers unprecedented levels of dynamic ability, without compromising practicality or efficiency. Turbo GT: The Cayenne Turbo GT not only effortlessly masters the excitement of challenging cornering and final sprints. It also handles longitudinal and lateral dynamics like no other vehicle in the range.

And now the Cayenne, Cayenne E-Hybrid and Cayenne S as well as the respective coupé derivatives, have all been offered the Platinum Edition treatment with even more features as standard.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

This special edition variant brings together selected design features, including a unique satin platinum finish, combined with a rich specification of some of the most popular comfort options, to deliver an excellent all-round package.

The refined and exclusive appearance of the Cayenne Platinum Edition is characterised by numerous model-specific details in satin-finish Platinum. The inlays in the slats of the air intakes at the front, the Porsche lettering integrated in the LED rear light strip, the model designation at the rear and the standard 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels (which are reserved exclusively for the Platinum Edition) are all painted in this colour.

Sport tailpipes and side window trims www.lancmag.com

in black further emphasise the sporty, elegant look of the special series.

Matching solid colours in white and black, metallic paint finishes in Jet Black, Carrara White, Mahogany, Moonlight Blue and the special colour Crayon are available.

The impressive appearance is also reflected in the interior. Take the seats – sporty and stylish without any compromise on comfort. Choose between four driving modes, all are punchy and responsive, but stand by for proper engine bite should you opt for SPORT PLUS! Additional features include seat belts in Crayon and door sill guards in brushed aluminium with model logo ‘Platinum Edition’ convey an added sense of exclusivity when getting in. In addition, the www.lancmag.com

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

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smartphone integration now supports Android Auto™ Wireless, allowing Android devices to connect wirelessly. Those who do not wish to use the smartphone integration can now access direct integration of the Spotify streaming service in Porsche Communication Management in addition to Apple Music®.

The new Cayenne Platinum Edition offers a complete package of sporty, elegant design and extended equipment options at an attractive price.

textured aluminium interior package and all-round, silver-coloured accent strips give the interior a special look.

The Cayenne Platinum Edition also has extended standard equipment including, the LED Main Headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), panoramic roof system, Bose® Surround Sound System, Ambient Lighting, Porsche Crest on the headrests, analogue clock, heated 10

windscreen, tyre sealant, black roof rails (SUV) and head up display (Coupé).

The Cayenne Platinum Edition models also feature a software update for Porsche Communication Management.

It includes comprehensive quality improvements, a significantly accelerated start-up and new functions. For example,

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur also offers a variety of refinement options for the interior and exterior. From a single alteration to extensive modification.

With Exclusive Manufaktur, you have the freedom to design your Cayenne to your personal specifications. A car that wholly reflects you. Full of personality and character. Not just a Porsche, your Porsche.

As a continuation of this personalisation, you can also explore Porsche Tequipment Genuine Accessories for the Cayenne. Porsche Tequipment Genuine Accessories has always stood for one thing: Porschelevel quality. The high-quality products www.lancmag.com

Experience the Cayenne range today by booking a test drive* at Porsche Centre Preston.

For more information, please contact us on 01772 911911 or email: info@porschepreston.co.uk Porsche Centre Preston is part of the Bowker Motor Group. Our team pride themselves in representing the Porsche brand in Lancashire through the state-of-the-art Centre located on Preston Docklands. We present the full Porsche model range with new models, test drive demonstrators and Approved Pre-Owned cars. With Porsche E-Performance, discover the future with new electric vehicles now available from our Centre.

Owning a Porsche is an experience like no other and our team is dedicated to making the purchase and ownership of your Porsche a fulfilling and exciting experience.

Discover more at:

www.porschepreston.co.uk Porsche Centre Preston, Centenary House, Watery Lane, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 1QJ N 01772 911911 E info@porschepreston.co.uk D www.porschepreston.co.uk Follow us on social media: I porsche_preston T @porsche_preston F Porsche Centre Preston Y Porsche Centre Preston *Test drive subject to applicant status and availability.

allow you to continue your dream, with accessories designed specifically to suit your vehicle. The products are developed with the whole vehicle in mind and are specifically tailored to your model. With exterior and interior accessories, wheel accessories and performance parts, you can make your Porsche your own.

www.lancmag.com

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 11

Did you know The Grand Theatre is a charity?

Last year, a long-standing lover and supporter of the Grand Theatre remembered us in his will. His generous gift helped to fulfil his dream to continue the great work The Grand does.

As a registered charity and a not-for-profit organisation, the Grand Theatre couldn’t survive without the help and support of passionate people who love to support local arts. A legacy can help secure the future of this beautiful gem of a Frank Matcham theatre for the younger generations to come.

The Grand Theatre’s mission is to be the theatre of choice for the people of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre and to offer opportunities to enjoy, participate and learn through the arts.

So, we don’t just put shows on our stage, we work in schools, community centres and even parks across the Fylde Coast to introduce young people to the power and pleasure of making theatre part of their lives.

Last year more than 10,000 school children visited The Grand to see a show and a further 3,000 participated in other activities – workshops, classes, talks and tours.

If you’d like to make a charitable gift to the Grand Theatre in your will, the Charities Aid Foundation offers free help and advice.

Visit cafonline.org or, if you’d like to make a donation now, visit our website on: blackpoolgrand.co.uk/donations.

Help us to continue our great work!

Ready to take Centre Stage?

The Blackpool Grand Theatre 1894 Club - a loyalty club like no other!

Access exclusive offers and savings, special invites, priority booking, enjoy our new 1894 Club Private Box and receive exciting news before anyone else.

Never miss out on tickets again! We will let you know about new shows going on sale, offer you exclusive priority booking periods for most shows – book your favourite seats before anyone else.

Add to that free postage on ticket, free car parking tickets, and access to the 1894 Club Private Box on higher packages.

Enjoy exclusive experiences and events, priority seats, competitions, discounts at the theatre bar, and at major Blackpool attractions (Pleasure Beach Resort, Blackpool Tower and Circus, Madame Tussauds Blackpool, Sea Life

Blackpool plus many more), restaurants, Blackpool Transport, Starbucks (Houndshill Blackpool) and much more. Unlock the incredible benefits of the 1894 Club all year round. Want to buy a membership as a gift for friends or family?

No problem, give our Sales Team a call on 01253 290 190.

Per Member Per Year Packages: 1894 Club | SILVER Price: £29 1894 Club | GOLD Price: £49 1894 Club | DIAMOND Price: £99

Join for as little as £29 per year, per member!

Oh Boy! The Buddy Holly Story is back at The Grand Shout out for tickets for Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story! The most successful Rock ‘n’ Roll Musical of all time is back at Blackpool Grand Theatre in April 2023.

Rave On back to the fabulous 1950s once again with the rocking return of the smash-hit musical sensation Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story.

It’s a real rock ‘n’ roll spectacle at Blackpool Grand Theatre from Tuesday 25 to Saturday 29 April 2023! Don’t miss out on the best seats. Book Now! Forget feel good, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is FEEL GREAT! Loved by critics and audiences alike, Buddy tells the unforgettable story of the music icon’s meteoric rise from his Southern rockabilly beginnings to international stardom and his legendary final performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, before his tragic and untimely death at the age of just 22. In 18 short months the bespectacled boy from Lubbock, Texas, revolutionised the face of contemporary music, and would influence everyone from The Beatles to Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones.

This magnificent multi award-winning West End show features two terrific hours of the greatest songs ever written, with over 20 of Buddy Holly’s biggest hits - including the timeless classics That’ll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Everyday and Rave On. Add to that the Big Bopper’s Chantilly Lace, Ritchie Valens’ La Bamba, and rip-roaring versions of Shout, Johnny B. Goode and many, many more performed by a multi-talented cast of actor-musicians and this show is just Peggy Sue-perb!

• Buddy – The Bud dy Holly Story first opened in 1989 • It has been thrilling audiences ever since, having played 5,822 performances over an incredible 728 weeks in London’s West End • Plus, a record-breaking 4,668 performances over 580 weeks on tour in the UK and Ireland • That’s a hot rockin’ total of 10,490 performances in the UK alone!

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story at

Matinee and evening performances.

Blackpool Grand Theatre from

Book now by visiting blackpoolgrand.co.uk

Tuesday 25 to Saturday 29 April 2023.

or call the box office on 01253 290 190.

'THE SHOW YOU WILL

NEVER FORGET' DAILY MAIL

THE WORLD’S LONGEST-RUNNING PLAY

DON’T JUST SEE IT. SOLVE IT. MON 19 TO SAT 24 JUN 2023 Book online blackpoolgrand.co.uk Box office 01253 290 190 Groups/Schools 01253 743232

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Ribchester

By Sarah Ridgway

The peaceful village of Ribchester sits within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, with a population of under a thousand.

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t lies on the banks of the river Ribble and is twelve miles east of Preston and six miles northwest of Blackburn; the village does not have a train station but is served by several bus routes. The charming village has a

good choice of pubs and restaurants to eat, including the award-winning Potter’s Bar cafe and the historic White Bull pub, built in 1707.

Ribchester is most well-known for its significant Roman history and was the location of a Roman Cavalry fort called Bremetenacum Veteranorum, which was also the Roman name for Ribchester. The Romans appeared to have liked Ribchester very much, and a letter written by one of them,

A view of the River Ribble close to Ribchester

on returning home, proclaimed that the village was the richest town in Christendom. Throughout the years, artefacts and ruins discovered in Ribchester led to the founding of Ribchester Roman Museum in 1915 to display them. In 1994, Channel Four’s Time Team arrived to film an episode titled On the Edge of an Empire, after retired teacher Jim Ridge wrote to them upon discovering a stone corner watchtower in his back garden. Tony Robinson and his team headed to

Number two Church Street to dig the site. The excavation confirmed Ridge’s findings and discovered that an earlier wooden watchtower and rampart had stood in the same location. Jim was a well-known character in the village and was the honorary curator of the Roman Museum. Jim had a gallery named in his honour after his death in 2003.

Very little is known about the history of the village during the seven hundred years after the Romans departed in the early 5th Century. It is thought that the local civilian population used the fort for defence, as evidence uncovered showed the fort was incorporated into later buildings. In the 17th and 18th centuries, like so many towns and villages in East Lancashire, Ribchester was a cotton-weaving hub. The industry began in the weaver’s home

St Wilfrids Church, Ribchester

before production expanded to two local mills, Bee Mill and Corporation Mill, built on Preston Road; neither of

the mills still stands today. Today, the original row of weavers’ cottages sit opposite the White Bull Hotel. They were originally built for handloom weavers with three levels that include a single window at the top level. The cottage’s windows are known for their distinctive configuration. The cotton and textile industry continued in the village up to the 1980s, when Bee Mill, the last weaving mill, closed its doors for the last time.

Ribchester’s Dutton Hall is a grade II listed building set in beautiful gardens offering stunning views over the Ribble Valley and well worth a visit. The 17th-century house built by the Towneley family has only had four previous owners, which is probably why many of the original features remain intact. In 1987 horticulturist Catherine Perry, also known as the ‘Queen of Roses’, bought the historic Dutton Hall. At that time, the hall was a dairy farm with little garden, but over the years, Catherine worked her magic and transformed them into a much-loved visitor attraction, and open to the public on specified days. Visitors can marvel at the wide variety of roses in the lovingly tended grounds, and the gardens host events throughout the year.

St Wilfrid’s Church A trip to Ribchester would not be complete without a look at the Medieval Parish church of St Wilfrid’s.

The church dates to at least the eleventh century, although it is believed earlier churches may have been on the site beforehand. The Anglican church is an active parish church in the Diocese

Ribchester Roman Museum The museum is the only dedicated Roman antiquities museum in Lancashire and is a popular resource for school children to learn about this period. The museum runs activities throughout the year; including a Roman Activity Day for children aged 5-10, where they offer an opportunity to dress up as a Roman soldier.

of Blackburn and a designated Grade I listed building. By the 6th century, the town’s population had grown and became known as Riblecastre, and it is likely to have had a small wooden church on the site of the old Roman Principium. The namesake of the church likely derived from Wilfrid, the 7th century Bishop of Ripon and of York, who campaigned to build more churches throughout northern England on the Catholic plan. The church was built near the site of the Roman fort and dates from the 13th

century. In the 14th century a chapel and porch were added, and a tower to the west was built in the late 15th century. In the 16th century, the church underwent an extension, and the roofs removed to increase the height of the chancel walls, and new windows added to the aisle wall. The north chapel known as the Dutton Choir, started as a chantry chapel.

According to local tradition, over three hundred Ribchester inhabitants who died of the Black Death lie buried beneath the Dutton Choir.

The concept of a museum in Ribchester was devised by Margaret Greenhall, who came from the famous brewing family in the early twentieth century. Margaret was originally from Warrington and established the museum in 1915, as she was concerned for the safety and preservation of important artefacts discovered in Ribchester. One of the main aims was to stop the artefacts from leaving the area, which had been happening since Ribchester was first recognised as a site of special historic interest. The original building consisted of one room and was extended in the 1960s with a temporary prefabricated extension.

This allowed the museum to expand its displays and increase its storage areas; by the 1980s the museum’s

A group of archaeology students and tutors work with trowels on excavating a roman fort and village as part of the project ‘Ribchester Revisted’

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condition had seriously deteriorated, so a plan was put in place to preserve it. By 1990 a new two-storey extension to the rear of the original building was completed, which connected the adjoining cottage to the museum. The cottage was previously used as accommodation for the curator was also incorporated into the building. In 2001 after a Heritage Lottery grant and funding from other organisations, the museum underwent further extension to include the adjacent vacant building and a new wing constructed opposite the original museum. The permanent exhibition was updated with modern displays, and objects excavated from St Wilfrid’s Graveyard went on display. The extensive excavation of St Wilfrid’s took place between 1989 and 1990, and its findings led to a more detailed understanding of the settlement and its activity.

A Place of Important Roman History The Roman fort of Bremetennacum Veteranorum was built using timber in AD 72/73 by the 20th legion. In the late 1st Century AD, the fort was renovated and rebuilt using stone in the early 2nd century. During the period the fort was active, a village steadily grew around it.

The fort remained at Ribchester until the 4th Century AD, and its remains can still be seen around the present village. The site guarded a crossing point of the river Ribble, and the fort accommodated a garrison of troops whose role was to patrol the surrounding area and keep any trouble at bay. The settlement gained veteran status, which attached a high level of importance to the site. An extensive civilian population grew outside the fort, and excavations uncovered rectangular wooden buildings used as workshops and dwellings.

The remains of the Roman baths built around AD 100 can be seen off Greenside. The Roman bathhouse was first discovered in 1837, and the remains unearthed in the garden of the village doctor, Dr Patchett. It took until 1963 for the site to be excavated over a four-year period and fully preserved for the public to visit. The site is administered by Lancashire County Council, and there is no admission fee.

The Granaries are the largest standing structures left from the fort and are behind the village hall, next to St Wilfrid’s church. The Granaries would have been extremely important structures at the time and would have stored a year’s worth of grain. The Romans called their granaries ‘horrea’’, and the two at Ribchester stood at over 100 feet long, and the north structure was 28 feet wide, while the one at its south was 22 feet wide. Their walls were two and a half feet thick and supported with a buttress, and both had loading platforms at their east ends that allowed the grain to be transferred from a cart.

In 1908 an excavation uncovered a large amount of burnt spelt wheat; part of this haul is on display at the Roman Museum next door. Further findings from the dig also revealed charred timbers and roofing tiles on top of the burnt grain, which suggests the Romans deliberately burnt the granaries down before they moved onto another posting in another part of the county. The Roman army always ensured their fort and buildings could not be used by any other opposing force when they departed a site.

Those left behind are believed to have made a living from www.lancmag.com

Stone carving at the Ribchester Playing Fields

farming, until a raid by the Scots under Robert the Bruce destroyed the village. The Normans later rebuilt the village, and the Parish church of St Wilfrid’s was built on the site of the Roman fort.

The most famous artefact discovered in Ribchester, was found by 13-year-old John Walton in the summer of 1976, a cavalry helmet known as ‘the Ribchester Helmet’. The helmet was discovered in “the wasteland at the side of the road leading to the church, near the bed of the river.”

John, a clog maker’s son, came across the hoard around 10 feet below the surface and included dishes, pieces of vase, plates, a bust of Minerva, and various other items believed to hold religious meaning. The pieces were covered in sand and therefore were well preserved. Despite the dry conditions, the corrosive effects of the sand on the copper resulted in items being defaced. The helmet’s original use was not for combat but for either; a sporting or ceremonial purpose, and its discovery was unique, as only two other examples have been found in the UK so far. The Ribchester Helmet has been on display at the British Museum since 1814, although it was loaned to the Ribchester Museum for four months in its centenary year in 2014. The ancient artefact was temporarily returned to its original home for the first time in over 200 years. The museum applied for a grant from Ribble Valley Borough Council to assist with the cost of housing the artefact, a replica helmet is housed at the museum, but visitors were delighted to see the real thing.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 21

Preparing Gardens for Hedgehogs as They Emerge From Hibernation Grace Johnson, Hedgehog Officer for Hedgehog Street (a joint campaign between People’s Trust for Endangered Species and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society) As the planet faces a biodiversity crisis and we see documentary footage of iconic wildlife on the African plains, it’s easy to forget about the struggles of our own native species right here in the UK. Many species on our doorsteps, including in Lancashire, are sadly in decline, not least the humble hedgehog.

But as well as the ‘cute factor’ hedgehogs offer us an opportunity for a conservation success story – if we play our cards right. The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2022 report found that urban hedgehogs are faring better than their rural counterparts.

After ongoing declines in recent decades, data shows that populations may be stabilising. Good news?

Potentially, but only if we seize the opportunity to continue to slow the decline. Here we have a species that can thrive in gardens, and therefore one that we can directly observe and help. A species that, with a few small changes to a garden and with community support, can thrive in our unsuspecting suburbs.

During winter, hedgehogs are tucked away in hibernation. While the weather is cold and their insect prey is in short supply, hibernation allows hedgehogs to hit the pause button until conditions improve. Biological processes such as metabolism, as 22

well as breathing and heart rate, reduce significantly, allowing them to conserve energy. When spring arrives, hedgehogs rouse having lost as much as a third of their body weight. To be ready for the impending breeding season, it’s vital that hedgehogs feed up in order to replenish their energy stores.

With this in mind there are myriad ways to help hungry hedgehogs in spring. The news that the tide may be turning for urban hedgehogs goes to show how important our gardens can be as habitats. First things first, it’s important to provide access and share your space with our prickly pals. ‘Hedgehog Highways’ are small 13cm x 13cm square gaps in or under garden fences and boundaries.

Aiming to join as many gardens together as possible, as well as linking front to back gardens where possible, will open up habitat for hedgehogs.

Recent research from the University of Reading found that 54% of people who created a hedgehog highway reported an increase in hedgehog activity, so it’s a win-win!

Once hedgehogs have access to your garden, you can think about helping with that post-hibernation hunger. The hedgehog’s natural diet consists largely of macroinvertebrates; think creepy crawlies like beetles, caterpillars, earthworms and earwigs.

Garden features like log piles, leaf piles, wildlife ponds and compost heaps will encourage this natural

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food and again increase your chances of a hedgehog sighting. The previously mentioned University of Reading research, led by Dr Abi Gazzard, also found that hedgehogs spent more time in gardens with a compost heap. Another easy way to help is designating a ‘wild patch’ in the form of a corner or strip of garden left unmowed and undisturbed - a haven for wildlife. Long grass and wildflowers in your wild patch will provide not only insect food, but also nesting materials for local ‘hogs.

You can also add to the hedgehog insect buffet with some extra food.

Avoid bread, milk and other human food, and instead offer meaty cat or dog food, along with shallow dishes of clean, fresh water. Dr Gazzard’s research found that offering supplementary was another factor that caused hedgehogs to remain in certain gardens for longer, as they tuck into a veritable feast. You can keep nosy cats away from the food by creating www.lancmag.com

a feeding station; an upturned storage box with a hog-sized gap carefully cut out. Alternatively you can put the food out at dusk, allowing you to marvel at any hedgehogs from a safe distance but gently shoo away greedy felines.

Spring can bring danger for hedgehogs as we ready our gardens for summer BBQs and games. It’s vital to carefully check all areas before strimming or mowing, to avoid any hedgehog casualties. Garden chemicals can also affect hedgehogs and their insect prey, so organic gardening is best to keep them and other wildlife safe. Sport and garden netting should also be tied up or replaced with a taut structure to avoid hedgehog entanglement (the spikes don’t help!).

Hedgehogs are a beloved species and a welcome visitor to our gardens, and although we believe populations in urban areas are starting to recover, more help is always needed. www.lancmag.com

Top: Photo by Paul Genge for Hedgehog Street Above: Photo by Brian Austin for Hedgehog Street We hope you feel inspired to help hedgehogs this spring, and if you want further advice, visit: www.hedgehogstreet.org LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 23

STAYCATION GUIDE

People take a vacation for many reasons. You may want a break from work, spend some family time, or give yourself a much-needed metime. Whatever the reason, a vacation requires extensive planning and a long journey.

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rom deciding on the destination to locating and pre-booking hotels, a vacation demands meticulous planning at every step.

Last but not least, there is the need to travel. If you have chosen a remote spot, then you may need to use different transportation methods to reach your destination.

As fun and exciting as a vacation can be, it can sometimes turn overwhelming!

If you are looking for a new experience that is different from a vacation, then welcome to a staycation!

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What Is A Staycation?

A staycation involves enjoying a vacation at one’s own country without making a trip to a foreign country. A typical staycation involves staying at home and visiting local attractions.

Some people may also choose to stay at a local hotel and enjoy all the fun and relaxation indoors without stepping out.

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Many hotels are now including staycation in their vacation themes to cater to an increasing demography that is choosing a staycation over a vacation.

There are multiple benefits to a staycation. Here are the top 10 reasons that attract people to a staycation experience:  www.lancmag.com

1. UK is amazing! Hidden gems, new facilities and ideas popping up all the time, friendly and comfortable places to travel and be safe alone or with family.

2. Pet Friendly Include your pet on your adventure 3. Low Cost Save on airfare and other expenses 4. Environmentally Friendly Better for your footprint 5. Convenient No passport, currency, language to worry about 6. Spontaneous Can travel around unconstrained at short notice 7. Educational Learn more about your country’s history 8. Economy Help UK growth by keeping the money within your country 9. Tasty The UK is home to great fresh food no matter where you are 10. Comfortable There are numerous unrivalled hotels throughout the UK offering breaks of varying length for all ages and abilities.

Redrow Helps Daresbury Residents’ Group Honour Sir Wildred Greenall A VILLAGE hall will have a new commemorative bench and has been kitted out with new equipment thanks to Redrow’s Community fund.

left: Sarah Weaver of Redrow with Daresbury resident Eleanor Brittain and Debbie Healey from the Daresbury Residents Group

The homebuilder has just moved into Daresbury Garden Village and, to celebrate, shared a community fund of £10,000 between eight local good causes.

One successful applicant was the Daresbury Residents Group, which requested funding for a bench to commemorate Sir Wilfred Greenall for his gift of the Parish Rooms, now known as the Daresbury Village Hall, to the residents of Daresbury back in 1902. Born in Parkgate in 1865, Sir Wilfred Greenall was a medical missionary and author.

The group also received funding for new equipment to enhance the usage of the village hall including a projector, coffee machine and room dividers.

“The village hall is used by a number of groups in the community. The projector and screen have already been used for a film presentation by the Lewis Carroll Society,” said Debbie Healey, Parish Councillor for Daresbury Village and volunteer caretaker of Daresbury Village Hall.

“The room dividers and coffee machine were very useful at our recent Macmillan coffee morning and craft fair event. They will continue to be used by other groups who rent the hall.

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“A big thank you to Redrow for supporting the Daresbury Residents Group.”

Sarah Weaver, marketing manager at Redrow NW said: “The residents group do a lot of wonderful work in Daresbury, so we were happy to help with funding to purchase these facilities and the commemorative bench.”

“I hope they are enjoyed by the community for many years to come.”

With the addition of this latest fund, Redrow’s North West business has voluntarily gifted more than £160,000 to the neighbourhoods in which it builds. This is over and above the statutory investment from Redrow linked to planning consents, such as contributions to education, healthcare, public transport and affordable housing.

To find out more about Daresbury Garden Village visit: www.redrow.co.uk/daresbury

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Own it!

– staycations are here to stay Wenningdale Escapes and Riverside Caravan Park

There is no doubt that the world has changed significantly in the past three years, and with it, our views on how to holiday. What began as enforced lockdown has gradually morphed into a new outlook influenced by several factors which have culminated in holidaying closer to home becoming the new norm. For many, the next logical step is the concept of holiday home ownership.

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he months in lockdown provided an opportunity for many who had previously felt stressed by the pace of life and thought ‘stop the world, I want to get off’, to actually do so for a while.

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The quiet skies, no longer crisscrossed with aeroplane vapour trails, were a startling yet welcome relief.

With time to reflect, smell the roses, hear the birdsong and enjoy the amazing return of wildlife in some urban areas, many came to realise that actually the jet-setting holiday norm was not necessarily ideal, given its impact on the planet.

Climate change is now very much at the forefront of everyone’s minds, from global leaders to kids at school, so the foreign holiday has now become viewed more as a naughty extravagance than a must-have routine on the calendar. Holidays with a lower carbon footprint have become an attractive option.

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Our gradual release from lockdown, with the hour’s drive limit, saw many people explore delights on their doorstep they’d never previously had reason to explore. ‘Who knew?’ that for most of the population, within an hour of home there were stunning National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

As soon as permitted, the brave booked self-catering accommodation and hotels, grateful for the change of scene and found they were as happy in the hills of northern England as the beaches of the Costa Brava. And so the staycation was born.

A couple of years on and its popularity shows no sign of waning.

The bother of Brexit and COVID www.lancmag.com

There has been a huge increase in caravan and motorhome ownership since lockdown, but the horrific increase in fuel prices is now putting a dampener on touring as a budget holiday option at least. And again, there’s the eco consideration.

So, back to contemplating ownership as the answer for anyone with a modest income and a penchant for holidays. The benefits certainly seem to be manifold.

impacting on foreign travel meant many brave souls experienced hideous delays and difficulties when attempting to venture out of Blighty, and the quick city break abroad has lost its appeal as a result. Holidays at home still tick all the boxes while also helping the UK economy, so it’s a win-win.

With rising costs naturally passed on to the public, the cost of hotel rooms and AirBnBs have increased significantly, which means even a UK staycation can come at a hefty price. www.lancmag.com

The savvy spenders have come to realise that investing in holiday home ownership in a favourite location makes a lot of sense as an alternative.

While there are issues in tourist hotspot villages and towns with many small properties being turned into second homes at the expense of potential homes for local young people, the advantages of purposebuilt holiday parks means that particular ethical obstacle is removed from consideration.

For the ‘home birds’, holiday home ownership is perfect. You get to fill your little haven with all your own stuff; far more than you could ever cram in a suitcase. Let’s face it; who goes down to breakfast in their slippers and dressing gown in a hotel?

Having to get dressed for breakfast is no fun wherever you are. In your own pad, you can lounge on your holiday home sofa with your cereal while the other half is sizzling the bacon. Then you get to have a shower with your own preferred brand of shampoo, not some silly sachet. When you head off to bed, it’s one with your own pillows and duvets and a thermostat set to your liking.

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As for dog lovers, you don’t have to leave your best friend behind, there’s no kennel costs to pay, or friends or family to sweet talk into dog-sitting; your holiday simply becomes your pooch’s holiday too. He or she becomes as comfortable in your holiday home-from-home as you are.

Holiday park homes offer all the community you need. Whether you want to keep yourselves to yourselves or make friends with your neighbours, holiday home ownership soon lends a rewarding feeling of familiarity and ‘belonging’ to the area that you simply don’t experience with travelling holidays.

Holiday homes in the form of static caravans or lodges on professionally run parks also offer a host of support services and security over and above individual holiday home ownership in towns and villages, with CCTV and on-site wardens.

These environments make perfect holiday home investment opportunities for growing young families to enjoy safe holidays with plenty of activities on hand. At the other end of the scale, they appeal to the newly retired as a fabulous base for holidaying with the grandkids and spending time with friends. A suitably sized static caravan or lodge provides scope for the whole extended family to enjoy in all seasons, used regularly together or in smaller family groups.

The Marshall family have been in the holiday park business since 1970 and as Chairman of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, patriarch Thomas is an acknowledged expert. Their parks provide the facility for potential holiday home owners to effectively ‘try before you buy’ with a small number of luxury lodges or static caravans for hire on their two sites in Bentham; Wenningdale Escapes and Riverside Caravan Park.

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Thomas explains, “Many of our owners have purchased holiday homes here after visiting with their tourers over the years and some have owned owned statics elsewhere. Our small number of rental lodges and statics gives people the chance to experience the quality first-hand. These types of holiday home have improved in quality massively in recent years and the standard never fails to impress.”

The location of both Wenningdale Escapes and Riverside Caravan Park takes some beating when it comes to choosing a holiday home. With an impressive backdrop of Ingleborough, Bentham is nested in the foothills of the Three Peaks and is on the doorstep of two contrasting National Parks and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Visitors here are spoilt for choice every day; whether to explore the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District or The Forest of Bowland. It’s no wonder many choose to buy as there is simply far too much to do in the area to explore in a single holiday; from hiking to cycling, caving to climbing. Or shopping and browsing market town galleries if that’s all too strenuous!

As well as the surrounding area for inspiration, both the Marshall family’s www.lancmag.com

parks have something extra to offer on site. Wenningdale Escapes is a perfect location for golf enthusiasts, set among the fairways of the challenging Bentham Golf Course, while fisherman fall for Riverside Caravan Park, with its own fishing rights on the River Wenning and a well-stocked lake.

Naturally, there’s no shortage of dining out options in the Bentham area for the days when owners don’t want to cook; from gastro pubs to everyday fayre, tea rooms to farm shops, but the kitchens in the statics and lodges are well equipped with all the usual mod-cons for preparing all your own favourites using local produce.

individual requirements in terms of number of rooms, fittings and fixtures options as new lodges and statics can be made to order, but as a rough guide a static caravan at Riverside Caravan Park can be purchased for as little as £25,000 (yes, that’s less than a new car) while a luxury lodge at Wenningdale Escapes would be nearer £200k; think hot tub on the decking and a small price for living the dream.

For more details on holiday home ownership or staycation holidays, visit: www.riversidecaravanpark.co.uk/ and www.wenningdale.co.uk/

For anyone living in the urban conurbations of the M62 corridor, or the North West and North East, the parks at Bentham are accessible in 90 minutes or less. Holiday home owners still working can knock off a bit early on a Friday and have their feet up on the sofa and drink in hand in a different world by 6pm, with a whole weekend ahead or a week if it can be wangled.

And retirees, well they can please themselves when to come and go.

So, how much are we talking?

Naturally it all comes down to LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 31

Odyssey Brings a Space-Age Look to the Golden Mile The biggest standalone light installation ever created for Blackpool Illuminations has brought a futuristic feel to the famous Golden Mile.

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tanding at 11 metres high, Odyssey is a spectacular interactive display that has been co-created by international designer Jack Irving in collaboration with a highly-talented team of computer scientists from Lancaster University.

The outdoor installation comprises six large-scale towers that are combined with state-of-the-art technology to create an immersive projection show themed on undiscovered creatures lurking in the depths of the deep sea.

Odyssey, which has been manufactured at the Blackpool Illuminations Lightworks factory, has taken more than two years to design and build.

The design of the three towers is based on sea gods from Greek mythology: Poseidon, Aphrodite, and

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Amphitrite. Aphrodite, the tallest of the three towers, is an impressive 7 metres wide, and 11 metres high!

The installation provides an extraordinary interactive experience for visitors as they discover alien sea creatures swimming and swirling around their feet.

Through advanced technology, no two experiences are the same as the projector maps individual movements and reflects back a customised projection, creating a unique and dynamic encounter for each person.

The Odyssey towers incorporate 60 powerful lasers and a dramatic sound and light show.

The creation of Odyssey has been assisted by the investment that Blackpool Council has received from the Towns Fund, which is aimed at rejuvenating the Illuminations and developing new concepts that will attract new generations of visitors.

Situated on the Tower Festival Headland, alongside this year’s Christmas By The Sea village, the free attraction will remain in place throughout the extended Illuminations season which ends on January 2, 2023.

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “The introduction of Odyssey on to the Promenade has created yet another wow factor and we were thrilled to see it get a starring role in one of the fabulous dance routines in the Blackpool edition of Strictly.

“The installation is the result of a brilliant collaboration with our partners and adds a completely new dimension to the Golden Mile.”

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Jack Irving, Artist, said “It’s amazing to showcase Odyssey to Blackpool - We’ve spent over 2 and half years developing the project and created a totally immersive world. All inspired by my greatest inspiration which is deep sea life. I really want to take the viewers of Blackpool into the deep and immerse them in the alien world we’ve created. There are so many magical elements to the piece and it’s a futuristic story of the deep sea creatures told through the power of light” Joe Finney, Professor of Computer Science at Lancaster University, said “It is wonderful to see the installation now in place and looking fantastic on Blackpool’s Promenade.

“We are thrilled to have worked with the Blackpool Illuminations team and Jack Irving in creating Odyssey. Lancaster University is committed to engaging actively with our partners as a force for societal good at regional, national and international levels. Through Odyssey, the most technologically advanced art installation ever deployed by Blackpool Illuminations, we aim to instil a new paradigm of interactivity into the illuminations, allowing visitors to not only see the lights, but to feel a part of it.” www.lancmag.com

Healthy, plant based, award winning marinades perfect as a coating & amazing within recipes too!

All our marinades are plant based and perfect for all meat, fish, seafood, chicken & vegetables, simply add your usual yoghurt or alternative Our marinades are available to purchase direct from our growing list of stockists or on our website: cravemarinades.com

cr av e m a rina de s.c o m

Karen Riley of Crave Marinades

By Sarah Ridgway which included my recipe… thankfully this secret recipe was printed incorrectly! I was asked to make it so much that I started to receive orders & it was getting a little crazy!

Karen Riley spoke to Lancashire Magazine about her amazing journey that began making her wellloved spicy chicken for family and friends to founding an award-winning marinade brand.

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rave Marinades produces three varieties of an Indianinspired plant based marinade: Classic, Classic No Added Sugar & Mild. Upon purchasing a marinade, customers can head over to the delicious recipes on the website or they can create their own! Since its humble beginnings in Karen’s home kitchen, Crave Marinades has grown tremendously and are now transferring into a brand new manufacturing unit to keep up with the demand.

Tell us about Crave Marinade’s Journey It began over twenty years ago with a dish called spicy chicken I used to cook using a marinade my next-door neighbour and friend made. I enjoyed it so much that I started to create my own recipes with it & made it so often it became known as Karen’s Spicy Chicken! In 2009 my sister Gillian encouraged me to apply for a competition called Britain’s Best Dish, a leaflet she found in the canteen of Morrisons at Riversway advertised this, BBD was a mainstream television programme on ITV that pitted regions against regions. I was accepted for the show and was crowned Regional Finalist for the North West with Karen’s Spicy Chicken! The TV show brought a book out

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In 2010 after fourteen years at Lancashire Police, I decided to follow my heart & took the leap and opened my own sandwich shop in Kirkham & called it Crave.

There was a lot of interest in the marinade, so I started to make dishes & fillings & included them in the shop menu and created other recipes too … pizza, seafood, kebabs & many other brand new fillings. Outside catering was an additional aspect of the shop, which of course grew and grew. Ultimately, I couldn’t manage the shop alongside the catering as it was getting too much every single day so after seven years, because everything I made with the marinade outsold everything else, I decided to market it & sold the business in Kirkham. I then began the process of getting my marinade retail ready which was very time consuming.

Shelf life, nutritional information, and getting all the legal stuff completed & the first pot of marinade hit the shelves 17th of May 2019, coincidentally it was the same date that I opened the sandwich shop back in 2010! My very first stockist was my local Premier on Wellington Road in Ashton-on-Ribble and is still doing really well today. I’ve had quite a few people who were happy to support me right from the very beginning too, including Kevin Hunt, the managing director of Lawrence Hunt Spar shops. Kevin is a Lancashire lad who champions Lancashire produce and has been super supportive with stocking the marinades & I now hold many Taste Events at Spar Lawrence Hunt stores. My customers can visit my website to find their nearest stockist.

At the start, the marinade was a ready-made pot with the yoghurt and vinegar but when the pandemic hit, I had to think of a way to still supply people who couldn’t get to the shops so I set to work and created a dry recipe which enabled you to add the yoghurt and vinegar to make the same marinade in your own home. The dry pouches launched in November last year, have a 12-month shelf life and can be sent through the post worldwide! The marinade’s popularity has continued to grow, and we now have around 50 stockists which is fantastic! At the start, it was just me, and now it’s me and my husband, & we are looking at employing more staff in the future. The increase in demand has meant we needed somewhere bigger to work from, so we have moved to a brand new manufacturing unit on Preston Docks. We also supply to the catering industry including restaurants, cafes & butchers.

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What was the outcome of the British best dish?

Britain’s Best Dish was filmed at Elwood Studios in London, with three judges who judge your dish.

The TV show gave me more confidence about the marinade & being crowned Regional Finalist for the North West made me more confident about showcasing it. One www.lancmag.com

of the judges John BurtonRace said of the marinade that it reminded him of his time in India. Moving from my office job to the sandwich shop was a huge change as I had never had my own business before, had no experience, and have learned everything from scratch. This put me in good stead to have the confidence to market the marinade & ultimately proved to be the right decision as people began asking to buy it for their own parties and get togethers!

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I am also delighted to have been chosen as one of Jacqueline Gold’s CBE #WOW winners recently which celebrates female entrepreneurs!

In the beginning, I did approach a company to recreate my marinade for a sachet, and I tried many different versions & they were all dreadful, I refuse to compromise on taste, so decided to carry on with the way I have always made it.

How versatile are the marinades?

The marinades are so versatile, especially for those who are very busy & haven’t time to make a nutritious meal because often when you are in a rush, processed food is a quicker alternative but not always as healthy as you would like. You can use them as a coating for meat, fish, seafood, vegetables & quorn & you can use it as an ingredient within recipes too! There are over 70 recipes

What makes Crave Marinades unique?

The marinade spice blend is an authentic secret Indian recipe that has taken over 20 years to perfect, along with many setbacks which happens with running your own business, there have been many changes too & I have altered the recipe to make it my own. The plant based marinades do not contain any additives or preservatives just fresh, natural ingredients & are low in sugar & fat.

The classic and no added sugar marinades have won Great Taste Awards and Great British Food Awards, and recently Karen’s Spicy Marinade Mild variety received an award for the Best New Product category in the Great British Food Awards, this I am super proud of!

I have received an accolade from Vivek Singh, the chef owner of The Cinnamon Club, an Indian restaurant group in London. I also received a wonderful testimonial from celebrity chef Ken Hom, who made a chicken curry with it, took a photo & tweeted about it! He has also included this on his very own website supporting Crave Marinades! The No Added Sugar variety has received accolades from the Healthy Eating Bloggers of Pinch of Nom too.

on the website & these give you inspiration to create your own dishes in the kitchen! People often tell me how they use the marinade now & actually inspire me! Great for batch cooking, for foodies who really like to experiment in the kitchen. You can literally make something out of nothing; simply add some stock, a tin of coconut milk or tomatoes into a slow cooker with veggies or meat, and you’ve got a meal which is very economical with zero waste. The no added sugar marinade is used by many Slimming World members, I love to hear how they are using the marinade in their own kitchen! Our recipes include soups, stews, snacks, party food & so much more & really adds depth of flavour to all of your savoury food.

I do many taste events at Barton Grange Garden Centre, a wonderful farm shop in Brock. Their staff have been very supportive and hold taste events on my behalf. I will take a hot dish, a cold dish and a dip, and people can’t believe the marinade has made three completely different tasting dishes, and the pouches will sell out at these events! Holme Farm Dairies on Bee Lane too have been lovely, even printing my recipes to give to their customers, the local support has been fantastic.

There are a lot of ingredients in the pouches that are beneficial to your health, such as turmeric, garlic and fresh ginger. The marinade is just as tasty with meat, chicken, and fish dishes as it is with vegan and vegetarian ingredients.

It’s brilliant for summer and barbecues, alfresco dining, and picnics because of the gutsy flavours, but it’s equally as good for all other seasons, in Autumn, I make an amazing pumpkin soup which is included on the website. There are some cracking winter dishes too, as the marinades give a real warmth to food. Of course, everybody can control how much marinade they want to use. If a recipe asks for four tablespoons you could start with two then taste & add more if desired!

How important is it being a Lancashire company?

It is very important, Lancashire is extremely proud of its diversity in food… we have some amazing chefs & food producers & it’s fantastic how people have embraced the marinade. Also, it is widely known Crave Marinades is a Lancashire-based company. I have lived in Preston all my life, and the community here is very important to me.

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During the pandemic, when everything grounded to a halt, we helped a charity called Preston, Here For Humanity & made many meals using the marinade then delivered it to people who were elderly, vulnerable, or disabled.

Small businesses from Lancashire often approach Crave Marinades for donations for their hampers or charity balls for instance & I find this a wonderful thing to be able to do. I love to prepare 3 course dinners using the marinade & often these are donated as vouchers too!

What’s next for 2023 and beyond?

In 2023 we will be concentrating on Brand Awareness, acquiring more stockists, growing the business, and developing more marinades for everyone to enjoy! www.lancmag.com

What are you most proud of in the company’s journey?

I’m most proud of its continuous growth, and this is down to the people who buy the marinade, tell their friends about it, and promote it on social media. I send the marinade to many food bloggers who have absolutely loved it and shared it on their social media too!

When I’ve come across stumbling blocks, and there have been many over the years, I have never given up! I’ve been passionate about this product from the start knowing it will bring something different & wonderful to people’s lives.

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Northwest Business Owner Shortlisted For Lifetime Commitment to Wellbeing at National Awards

North West -based Kathryn Taylor from Balance Counselling and Coaching Ltd has been named a finalist for the 2023 Great British Workplace Wellbeing Awards ahead of the national final in March.

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he Great British Workplace Wellbeing Awards were founded last year by the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in partnership with industry expert Wellity

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Global to bring conversations around workplace standards to the fore, and give leaders in the wellbeing space a platform to inspire others.

Britain’s ambassadors for better wellbeing and satisfaction in the workplace are being highlighted for the second year after the first ever Grand Final was held in 2022.

The inaugural awards saw trailblazing individuals and businesses big and small including Student Beans, Pets at Home Group PLC, KFC and Yorkshire Building www.lancmag.com

Society recognised for their policies surrounding work-life balance, diversity and inclusion, and mental and physical health.

With over 500 applications, the 2023 shortlist has proven to be equally distinguished and diverse, spanning numerous industries and corners of the UK. KATHRYN TAYLOR Owner of Balance Counselling and Coaching Ltd said: “I am delighted and proud to have been selected as a finalist in this category. Throughout my career I have always been focused on supporting my team with regards to their mental wellbeing.

Being nominated and selected as a finalist for the second year running amongst such great companies and strong competition is quite overwhelming but confirms to me how I have been able to achieve my desire to help people when they are struggling to manage and improve their situations.”

The Grand Final will be hosted for the second year by Wynne Evans, who can be seen regularly singing to millions for the TV advertising campaign that has made him a household name as the spoof opera star Gio Compario.

The nominees will be whittled down to winners by a panel of expert judges from the wellbeing space across 16 categories including Wellbeing Team of the Year, Best Mental Wellbeing Initiative and Most Inspiring Employee of the Year.

Industry leaders from Gymshark, TikTok and Wagamama are among many other members of the 2023 judging panel.

Founder of the awards Francesca James said that a happier and healthier workforce is needed going forward: “In recent years, a growing ‘hustle culture’ has made people believe that they need to work long, unsociable hours, miss out on social occasions and put their job above everything else to be successful. This has since been countered by the rise of ‘quiet

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quitting’, which has seen exhausted and dissatisfied employees working-to-rule and putting in minimal effort.

“This dichotomy is evidence that, on both sides of the coin, the support from employers and colleagues is lacking and the relationship between people and their work life still needs to be addressed.

The finalists for this year’s awards have been selected as they are at the very forefront of the drive for improvement and demonstrate huge dedication to building a workforce that feels both respected and motivated to achieve.

“The judges now have some tough decisions on their hands in crowning the winners for each category - I look forward to finding out who they will be on awards night and wish all of the finalists the very best!”

Simon Scott-Nelson, co-founder of Wellity Global and the Great British Workplace Wellbeing Awards, said how impressed he was by the applicants after the first round of judging: “It’s fantastic to have received so many inspiring applications from passionate wellbeing champions for a second year. The standard of entries was incredible, so the finalists should be very proud to have made it to the shortlist.

“The growing appetite for change within the workplace is clear from the sheer volume of dedicated entrants committed to making working lives better in their respective industries. Changing working cultures is something nobody can do alone, and it is only through the collaborative efforts of so many hard-working people that working lives can be transformed.”

The final of the Great British Workplace Wellbeing Awards will be held at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London in March 2023.

To view the full shortlist or to purchase tickets, visit: freshbusinessthinking.com/ great-british-workplace-wellbeing-series

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Morecambe RNLI Celebrate 20 Years of its Inshore Rescue Hovercraft The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) introduced its inshore rescue hovercraft (IRH) in 2002 with Morecambe Lifeboat Station being the first ever station to operate the lifesaving craft.

Officer at Morecambe RNLI, Amy Roberts, shared: ‘The hovercraft has had a huge lifesaving impact at Morecambe. My father always said that the hovercraft is “invaluable” to the community, as a lot of our rescues would be very difficult to execute in any other craft.

The amphibious inshore rescue hovercraft has enabled the RNLI to carry out its lifesaving work in areas inaccessible to conventional lifeboats since 2002. Designed for search and rescue purposes, the hovercraft can tackle incidents on tidal mudflats or sand where the surface is too soft to support land vehicles and where the water is too shallow for boats.

‘I saw the first prototype of the Griffon hovercraft in Poole with my father when I was just 10 years old.

It was still in the very early stages of development, but it was then that my father started to push for the hovercraft to be at Morecambe because he knew it would help save more lives around Morecambe Bay.’

The IRH has extended Morecambe RNLI’s lifesaving capability around Morecambe Bay having aided over 200 people and saved 24 lives* over the two decades. The hovercraft has been an invaluable asset for its volunteer crews in saving lives at sea.

Harry was commander of the hovercraft the night of the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy, which saw him flying the hovercraft for 22 hours. He was awarded an MBE in 2008 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his services to maritime safety.

Hurley Flyer, the first of the hovercraft fleet to become a station asset, was donated by Mrs Hurley from Oxfordshire and has been on service at Morecambe Lifeboat Station for 20 years.

Steve Wilson, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Morecambe, has been part of the RNLI for 27 years. He said:

The late Mr Harry Roberts MBE paved the way for the hovercraft to go to Morecambe RNLI, as he was heavily involved in the initial building of the Griffon hovercraft and the trials within Morecambe Bay. He went on to become the first volunteer Hovercraft Commander for the RNLI then Senior Hovercraft Commander at the station for several years.

Harry’s daughter and Lifeboat Press 40

‘Harry was the driving force in Morecambe RNLI. He invested a huge amount of time on the development of the hovercraft to what’s on station today. Over his 34 years at the RNLI, Harry inspired and trained many volunteers and to this day, his work continues to inspire the current crew at the station. His legacy lives on through the hovercraft.’

With large areas of mud, sand and shallow water, Morecambe RNLI requires the craft for its unique capabilities in reaching inaccessible

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areas, shoreline searches, and tackling dangerous terrain.

Steve said: ‘Having been part of the RNLI for almost three decades now, I have seen Morecambe Lifeboat Station with and without the hovercraft and I can safely say it has had a positive impact on the community.

‘Having the hovercraft and lifeboat on station brings many benefits to our lifesaving work for example, if we’re looking for a missing person and we don’t know exactly where they are, we have both assets doing parallel searches – so the hovercraft can go along the shoreline and the lifeboat can be a mile further out searching the water. It expands our search capabilities a huge amount.’ www.lancmag.com

Morecambe RNLI have launched over 450 times with the hovercraft since it went on service in 2002, with 20 of these launches involving animal rescues, including dogs, sheep and cattle.

Ross Simpson, Senior Hovercraft Commander and Mechanic at Morecambe RNLI, said: ‘The hovercraft is a big part of Morecambe’s community, there’s even a pub named after it! There’s only four RNLI stations with a hovercraft and we’re lucky enough to be one of them. It’s always been a privilege to be part of the hovercraft crew.

effectiveness of our 24/7 search and rescue service, enabling us to save even more lives around the coast.’

Ross will be involved in the future development of the hovercraft with the RNLI, following in the foot steps of Harry Roberts.

Ross continues: ‘It feels fantastic to be involved in the future plans of the hovercraft. Morecambe RNLI has had a long history with the hovercraft and it is a honour to be able to continue it.’

To find out more about the RNLI’s hovercraft, visit: RNLI.org/hovercraft

The RNLI urges those on or near coastal waters to: • Check the weather forecast and tide times before visiting the coast.

• If you find yourself unexpectedly in the water, remember to FLOAT – fight the urge to thrash around, lean back, and extend your arms and legs.

• If you find yourself in an emergency or spot someone else in trouble, you should call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

‘The craft itself has made a huge difference to the efficiency and www.lancmag.com

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Save Money And Go Green with The Woodland Trust’s Guide to Free Winter Walks

The Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, has come up with a guide to its best woods for a glorious – and completely free - winter walk for all the family to enjoy.

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he Woodland Trust has more than 1,000 woods which are free to visit and open every day

– so you’re spoilt for choice. Even Santa and his reindeer would struggle to get round them all!

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The new year is a perfect time to embrace the simpler things in life, whether that’s time spent with friends and loved ones, enjoying nature’s magnificent scenery or just getting outdoors and enjoying some fresh air.

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is a real oasis for nature. Wander among majestic oak and field maple trees and watch carefully for a shy fox or deer in the distance.

Londonthorpe Wood Lincolnshire

Just a stone’s throw from historic Belton House and neighbouring a wild deer sanctuary, Londonthorpe is perfect for a winter stroll. There are new all-weather paths and there’s a mix of old and new woodland to explore.

Tring Park - Hertfordshire

Woodland Trust site manager James Jesson said: “If you’d rather not spend the entire festive season overindulging, head out for a woodland adventure. Our woods are real winter wonderlands – so whether it’s a crisp, frosty morning or a damp soggy afternoon, it’s great to pull on your boots and thermals or waterproofs and head out for an invigorating stroll.

“Winter woods take on a whole new character. Spectacular, frosty landscapes and bare branches expose elusive wildlife and hidden history.

The fact they are all free to visit is just the icing on the Christmas cake!”.

Woodland Trust sites are open all year round so come prepared for nature in its natural state, unmissable views, clean air and birdsong. And by following the woodland paths, you won’t disturb the winter wildlife and will allow nature to thrive in its woodland surroundings.

You can locate your nearest free woodland escape easily - just enter your postcode at woodlandtrust.org. uk/findawood or take a look at the Trust’s pick of the best winter walks from around the UK.

NORTH Low Burnhall - Durham

An important haven for people and wildlife on the outskirts of Durham, Low Burnhall is a real beauty.

Look out for signs of otters in the rivers which border the site and you might also spy owls, kestrels and sparrowhawks. Waymarked trails lead you past some interesting features – including a sculpture of a miner in a nod to the wood’s historic coal mine.

Hackfall – Grewelthorpe, North Yorkshire

CENTRAL Archers Wood – Cambridgeshire

An ancient woodland haven nestling in an agricultural landscape, Archers

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A 10-minute stroll from Tring’s famous Natural History Museum, there are lots of hidden treasures to find at Tring Park. Climb the hill for amazing views of Hertfordshire and the Chilterns.

Set in a 350ft gorge along the River Ure on the edge of the village of

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Home Farm - Hampshire

Eight miles of pathway through this mosaic of old and new woodland habitats will tire out the most energetic Boxing Day walker. Look up and see if you can spot a red kite or a kestrel wheeling overhead.

Hucking Estate – Kent

Perfect for wintry family adventures, Hucking serves up breathtaking views of the Kent Downs, ancient woodland to explore and swathes of open grassland where the kids can run off steam. It’s a must-visit in the South East – with a handy pub nearby for warming chilly toes.

Grewelthorpe this fragile ancient woodland habitat has been restored since the Woodland Trust took over.

Stroll along footpaths and woodland walks and spot grottos and glades, temples and waterfalls as well as kingfisher, dipper and grey wagtail.

Smithills Estate – Bolton, Lancashire

The Woodland Trust’s largest site is steeped in history and shadowed by the famous Winter Hill TV mast, with panoramic views across to Bolton and Manchester. You’ll really be able 44

to stretch your legs here in its vast expanses of moorland, patches of woodland and peat bog. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive brown hare on the horizon.

SOUTH EAST Hainault Forest – London

Herds of majestic red deer roam this ancient hunting forest, which once provided venison for the King’s table, and it’s just 15 miles from central London. With 158 species of bird recorded, it’s a bird-lover’s dream.

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SOUTH WEST Avon Valley Woods, Devon

A hidden treasure in the rolling hills of South Hams, the Avon Valley Woods cluster along the valley side.

Winter is a great time to spot a whole range of finches, blue tits and long tailed and great tits that tend to flock in large groups at this time of year.

While the riverside walk can be muddy, the extensive path network at the top of the site offers grassy tracks and views across Devon.

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The walk to the top, where you can revel in views to Wales, is well worth it and when trees are bare, you’re more likely to spot woodpeckers tapping the trees.

Lineover Wood - Gloucestershire

A patchwork of ancient woodland, recent planting and limestone grassland creates a diverse haven for wildlife where rare plants and fungi flourish. The wood lies within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and offers breathtaking views across Cheltenham and the Malvern Hills.

Credenhill Park Credenhill, Herefordshire

Credenhill Park Wood is a local landmark on an imposing wooded hill, topped by one of the largest Iron Age Hill forts in England and thought to have once been an Iron Age tribal capital.

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SCOTLAND Crinan Wood, Argyll and Bute, Scotland

With sweeping vistas across Loch Crinan to Duntrune Castle and the Argyll coastline, there are few woods with a more breathtaking outlook than Crinan Wood. This ancient Atlantic oakwood is a wonderful example of Scotland’s rare and special rainforest and is brimming with wildlife, including the iconic red squirrel. It’s definitely one of our must-see gems.

WALES

NORTHERN IRELAND

Wentwood Forest

Carnmoney Hill

Once part of the hunting grounds of Chepstow Castle, Wentwood offers walks with breathtaking views over the Severn Estuary. Its diversity of habitats means it is home to some wonderful wildlife. Make sure to visit the ancient Curley Oak while you’re there!.

With awe-inspiring views of Belfast and the coast, Carnmoney Hill is a must visit. Steeped in history and folklore with a mix of ancient woodland, grassland and wetland, it is home to a wealth of wildlife and has a wide range of walks to suit all abilities. With easy access from the city and plenty of interest for history buffs, Carnmoney Hill is a great destination for a day out.

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A gallery in a ginnel?

Only in Old Trafford

Above: Back Gallery

Many art galleries lay claim to quirky credentials, with exhibitions in subterranean vaults and tunnels, old toilet blocks and disused police stations. But one Manchester gallery is bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘street art’ – with an exhibition in the back street alleys of Old Trafford.

“We wanted to make the alleyways of Old Trafford a welcome space where the community can come together to view great artwork,” she says.

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“And artwork, unlike plants, needs less ongoing care and looks great in winter too!”

he Back Gallery is a collection of art works displayed in the alleys between Stamford Street and Albion Street, and Albion Street and Premier Street, both behind Ayres Road.

The brainchild of OT Creative Space, the gallery currently displays 125 works of art submitted by 80 artists - a mix of professional artists and local residents of all ages - curated into 13 different collections across the alleys.

Lynda Sterling is the founder of OT Creative Space. She came up with the idea for the Back Gallery to combat fly tipping and anti-social behaviour.

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“Feedback from residents is overwhelmingly positive.

The gallery really brightens up the area, makes it look cared for and makes it interesting to wander down the back alleys to see what people have created. It’s very inspiring.

Matthew Smith is one of the local residents whose artwork is on display. “It relaxes people when they can see all the photos of everyone’s work in the gallery,” he says of the exhibition.

Stacey Newman, a professional artist whose work was chosen for the unusual gallery space, agrees. “It’s been a fun-filled opportunity to be part of a community exhibition and I love seeing everyone’s creative minds at work,” she says. www.lancmag.com

Above: Back Gallery Left: Artist Matthew Smith Bottom: Artist Stacey Newman

The works on display in the Back Gallery have been printed onto vinyl and mounted on the brick walls of the back alleys. The original artworks – some of which are on display in the window of OT Creative Space on Ayres Road - feature a wide range of styles and mediums, including watercolours, prints, acrylic on canvas, digital art, photography, embroidery and even cardboard sculptures. And, for gallery viewers who are inspired to get creative, there are free, family friendly art workshops held in the Back Gallery on the first Saturday of every month, with the chance of the art created during the sessions displayed in the gallery. “We started with just three artboards and we’ll keep adding more,” says Linda.

“The workshops are a great place for people to come together to create all sorts of different art, often using recycled and donated materials,” she adds. “Everyone is welcome, regardless of ability. Just be sure to dress for the weather!”

All artworks on display in the Back Gallery are available to view at: www.otcreativespace.co.uk. www.lancmag.com

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 47

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ONLY 3 PLOTS REMAIN

A Christmas Letter Home

By Mary Wood

They’d been through a lot together, her and Ruth. From the days when they first met in the Orphanage in Bethnal, in the east end of London – two young girls, cruelly treated, abused in a horrible way by the night porter, then after being separated for years, reuniting, and joining the Red Cross, to now finding themselves in the thick of war about to take up their posts nursing the wounded.

Ruth, broken-hearted after the sudden death of her fiancé, herself, recovering from the black hole of the mental illness she’d been plunged into and saved from by the woman who inspired her to take up nursing.

At first, Ruth had come along to the Red Cross training to keep her company, but she too had found a vocation. Both volunteered for duty abroad as soon as they heard nurses were needed.

It had all been an exciting adventure to look forward to, but now, the reality was suddenly terrifying.

Olive broke the silence that felt like a heavy blanket had descended over them, ‘What’s happening, Sergeant?’

‘There’s a hand waving a white handkerchief. A sign of surrender. Keep down, me and Corporal Jones will check it out.’

The next few minutes felt like hours until Corporal Jones returned.

‘There’s three Germans, but four of our lads, I reckon they’d been taken prisoners. They’re all injured, so hurry, nurses, as one of our lot don’t look like he’ll last long.’

1914...

‘Snuggle up to me, Ruth. We can keep each other warm.’

‘Oh, Ellen, this isn’t how I saw us spending Christmas Day!’ The truck taking them to a hospital in Bellestraat, Ypres, jolted violently as its wheels dropped into yet another deep rut, this time sending them and the other four nurses travelling with them off the bench to land on their bums.

Instead of cries of pain the air filled with laughter as a wellrounded girl, who’d introduced herself as Olive, piped up, ‘Well, that’s when a large posterior comes in handy! I bet I’m the only one who had a soft landing.’

A shout from their driver – one of two soldiers escorting them, quietened them. ‘Keep down, girls, there’s a German truck ahead. . . Wait a minute, it’s on its side!’

The second soldier reiterated the command to remain on the floor.

‘It could be an ambush and they may not have seen the Red Cross on our wagon. I’ll wave our flag out of the window.’

Ellen’s heart thudded in her chest. Ruth’s hand found hers and held it tightly. The gesture gave her strength.

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Ellen’s fear left her and though not senior to the others, she took charge.

‘Corporal, open the boot box where the supplies we brought with us are stored. Olive, you, and Ruth get what you can by way of bandages, and iodine. The rest of you, grab blankets from the side boxes and follow me.’

The wind bit her cheeks as Ellen made her way over to the stricken truck, but the cold was forgotten as they worked tirelessly doing what they could.

Their efforts didn’t save the driver and Ellen worried about the condition of one of their own, a lad called Alf. It was Bert, one of the not so badly injured who told them, ‘We’ve been taken prisoner. But it ain’t so bad. The German lads wished us a Happy Christmas and gave us a fag each, and then we sang carols. It was the driver’s fault. He was swigging from a bottle the whole time. He was going too fast and suddenly we were turning over.’

Ellen held Alf’s hand as she looked towards the flames of the crackling bonfire, built, and lit by the Sarge and the Corporal. A Billy can hung over it; steam lifting its lid.

‘We’ll soon have a brew for you all.’

Ellen saw Ruth smile at the Corporal. ‘That’d be welcome, and I think we should remember it’s Christmas Day, and www.lancmag.com

sing carols like Bert said they had been doing.’

As they broke into ‘Silent Night’ the two Germans joined them, singing loudly in their own language.

Ellen felt the pity of these young boys being their enemies.

They’d been so afraid when they’d first approached, putting their hands in the air, and asking for mercy. They found it, as well as loving care – to Ellen, the epitome of Christmas.

Alf stirred and tried to speak.

You’re all right, Alf, love, we’re here for you.’

‘L – letter.’

Bert took hold of Alf’s other hand. ‘You mean the one you were writing as we came along, mate? I’ve got it. It’s to your mum, ain’t it? We’ll see she gets it, lad, don’t you worry.’

‘R. . .Read . . .it.’

Bert handed it to Ellen.

Unfolding the crisp paper, Ellen read to a now silent group: ‘Dearest Mam, It’s Christmas day and I can imagine you all around the fire, munching mince pies, and having a singsong.

Well, I want you to know that my Christmas is good too.

Last night the chaplain said Midnight Mass in the trench, and we sang carols, and in the distance, German voices joined ours. Then we saw lights waving as they had lit matches and used them as a signal to us.

‘He’s smiling, Ellen.’

Ellen looked up from the peace in Alf’s face into Ruth’s tear soaked one.

‘He is. He had a good last Christmas, Ruth.’

Olive, who stood holding Margaret, the youngest of the group, in her arms, started to sing, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd.’

They all joined in. For Ellen, shocked at her first death and of one so young, the singing eased her heart.

As the hymn came to an end, one of the Germans spoke in English.

‘It is my first Christmas away from my family. Alf made it feel that we were a family. I’m sorry for his loss and will never forget his words. I don’t want to fight you. I want to be home with my wife and little son. But we all have our duty to do for our country. I hope you can forgive us.’

At that moment, in the spirit of the Christmas letter home, and for Alf, having had the best Christmas Day possible under the circumstances – given to him by the men they were fighting for their freedom, Ellen knew that she could forgive.

We did the same. It was a wonderful sight.

This morning, some of the lads played football with German lads and they gave us some tobacco. They’re just like us, Mam. Young, and scared.

This afternoon, our Sarge took three of us to check out something. He didn’t tell us what until we’d marched a little way, but then told us he’d had an order to check out a convoy of Germans moving behind our lines. He said they thought the kindnesses shown were a decoy.

We were ambushed, Mam. Our Sarge was killed, but us three squaddies are all right. The Germans who have captured us are looking after us. They were the same as them we met this morning, giving us a fag and singing with us.

I won’t be killed, Mam. I’ll be a prisoner of war now for the duration. They say they work their prisoners to the bone, but I don’t mind hard work. And you’ll be told where I am so you can write to me and send me stuff. I’m beginning to feel sorry for them who haven’t been captured.

So, you’re not to worry anymore about me, and tell Dad, that when called upon, I fought bravely.

Happy New Year, Mam. Give our Jilly a hug for me and tell her that her big brother will be home one day.

I love you, Mam. Enjoy Christmas and every Christmas till we meet again. And forgive the German soldiers whatever you hear about them. They’re only following orders as we are. They truly are just like us.

Your loving son, Alf’ As she finished reading, tears streamed down her face. Alf had closed his eyes for the last time. www.lancmag.com

Based on The Orphanage Girls Reunited by bestselling author Mary Wood.

Published by Pan, £7.99 LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 51

Park Transformed Into Magical TV Drama Set

Sharp-eyed fans of the popular CBBC children’s show Princess Mirror-Belle may have spotted a familiar backdrop when the new series aired on TV.

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he first episode was filmed in and around Southport Pleasureland, and included some of the park’s most popular attractions like the Ghost Train.

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Filming took place this summer and featured the show’s young stars Tallulah Conabeare as Ellen and her alter ego Princess Mirror-Belle and Jordan Cramond as Luke.

This week’s episode ‘Wobblesday’ was about Mirror-Belle wobbling out of a Hall of Mirrors, where her wobbliness helped her win lots of prizes and teach Luke a lesson on the Ghost Train.

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Norman Wallis, Southport Pleasureland’s CEO, said: “Filming took place in June when the park grounds were filled with cameras, microphones, cast, crew and an all-round fantastic atmosphere. We absolutely loved having the CBeebies gang at the park.”

The episode is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

www.lancmag.com

TUE 16 TO SAT 20 MAY 2023 Book online blackpoolgrand.co.uk Box office 01253 290 190 Groups/Schools 01253 743232

Stonyhurst Headmaster Named One of UK’s Most Influential Catholic Leaders Stonyhurst is proud to see its Headmaster, John Browne, alongside several of its community, listed in the Catholic Herald as ‘the UK’s most influential Catholic leaders’.

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r Browne is the inspirational energy behind the formation of young people’s lives to be the best versions of themselves at the highly regarded private school in Lancashire. As one of the leading Catholic schools in the educational sector, Stonyhurst strives to develop the full human potential of its young people in all that they do.

Other notable people mentioned in this year’s list with an association with Stonyhurst are former pupils, Sir Bill Cash MP and Professor Michael Hurley, now Professor of Literature and Theology at University of Cambridge and Chair of Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst, Dr Caroline Hull, Director of Aid to the Church in Need, member of Stonyhurst Libraries and Collections Committee and Lord Alton of Liverpool, former Vice Chair of Governors and founder of the Christian Heritage Centre.

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www.lancmag.com

Extending the adventure of childhood

Owing to increasing demand we are expanding capacity for Year 5 entry

Year 5

Assessment Day Saturday 4th February 2023 www.stonyhurst.ac.uk

The Chain Gang

By Harold Cunliffe

Vivid memories from the early 1960’s are in my mind of the occasion that the Mayor and Mayoress of our town paid a visit to the primary school I attended. On that day all the pupils were given strict instructions on the procedure associated with the visit.

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e all had to behave ourselves and were given instructions on how to address the Mayor and were given practice on the shaking of hands.

At the mid-morning visit by the mayoral party, the class I was attending were inspected to ensure that our hands, should they participate in a ‘mayoral shake’ were clean, then all the pupils were given a sheet of paper in which we were to copy text from the chalk board at the front of the class, “In our very best handwriting.”

Mr Mayor in inspecting the large class made his way along the rows of Victorian iron desks, and in doing so having a glimpse of the work that we were producing. The pen used was the old fashioned ‘dip pen’ which had to be treated with respect. As all sixty or so pupils sat at their desks in complete silence I could see Mr Mayor approaching from behind. My nerves did get the better of me and I accidently made a few ink ‘blotches’ on my sheet of paper, caused by the ink prematurely leaving the pen knib, instigated by my nerves causing pen shake. Even with the use of blotting paper my literary effort looked dreadful. Our important visitor observed my efforts whilst my young eyes became transfixed upon the Mayoral Chain of office. This was the first time I had witnessed this beautiful work of art, and constructed from solid gold. “It is worth £800” commented Mr Mayor. The central badge depicted the coat of arms of our borough and was made from 18 ct gold. Dotted about were links which contained images, 56

Above: Cllr Frank Whitworth and Mrs Whitworth

some were initials, some were images of items, for which I had no idea what they represented. My knowledge of the chain was enriched when I became the foreman of the Parks and Cemeteries Dept. Alan Dawson, a family friend was the Mayors secretary, who was also responsible for the mayoral chain.

The town became a Borough in 1886, and then in 1887 a chain consisting of 23 links of 18 ct gold was presented to the Borough in honour of the Jubilee reign of Queen Victoria. Each member of the Finance Committee subscribed a link to the Mayoral chain of office. The chain was adapted in the passage of time. We find that former Mayors could add a badge to the chain showing their initials or image relating to their time in office. This practice ceased in 1936 because it was not possible to add more links. The chain was first worn by Mr Harvey Heywood, the towns first Mayor. On the 22 January 1887, it was listed in the council minutes, “That the Mayor’s offer to give a pendant for the Mayor’s chain be accepted, and that a subscription be opened by the Council towards the cost of completion of the chain and robes.” The total cost of each link was estimated to be £5. 5s. It is interesting to unearth an item relating to a former Labour Mayor during my

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research. Councillor Frank Whitworth, Mayor 1964-65, was a licensee by trade. I found it amusing when the position of Steward for the Conservative Club became vacant. Events relating to this party will go down in the history of 2022, and locally when the club employed Mr Whitworth as Steward, him being a “Labour Councillor.”

New Place of Recreation.

In the January issue of this magazine we featured the Victorian baths, which had unheated, unfiltered water in the swimming pool, and sported poor changing facilities and cramped conditions. In the November remembrance coverage I made mention to Mrs Edith Simpson. In one of our conversations Edith related the conditions at the old baths from when she was a child at school and would visit the baths. Her home at the “British Queen,” public house was just a short distance away from the bath building.

Edith Boardman as she was then known related that the water in the pool soon became polluted and it took on a soapy consistency. Edith would attend the pool on the days it was drained and refilled with clean water from a mill reservoir, an overnight procedure. The need for a new bath www.lancmag.com

Interior drawing of the new baths

and recreational facilities was long overdue. There had been many setbacks in the provision of a new bath building. A building was located in the centre of town in which the site would be suitable for the construction of the much needed facility, then the town suffered a devastating flood when the canal embankment burst throwing the council finances into the red. A hero of mine from the town’s past is Mr John Pollard, architect. Some of his work is still standing in town today. John in his attempt to provide a modern up to date bath building decided to acquire and convert the then disused tram shed which was located a mile or so out of town, in the direction of Oldham. Initially the elected members of the council backed this idea and commissioned three designs to be drawn up as a frontage to the tram shed.

For many years it was only the chosen

design out of the three drawings which was available, this design having been published in the local newspaper, the Middleton Guardian. Then, amazingly around twelve years ago, during my time producing the Bygone days, a memories of yesteryear feature for the local newspaper, a message arrived from a man named as Phil who lived in Cambridgeshire. He wrote to inform me that he had bought three architectural drawings from auction.

He had no information relating to the content, but a clue to the location was that the “Borough of Middleton” was found in the form of an introduction in the ephemera envelope. It transpired that at his local auction house they had acquired them from the widow of a local businessman who dealt in unusual and antique prints for framing and mounting etc. The man died thirty years prior, but his widow could not bear to part with his collected prints, papers, engravings and the like. Then for some reason the collection came on to the market. Phil in spotting the drawings, and having read the Bygone column placed a bid and being the only bidder was successful in acquiring the set of architectural drawings, plus other printed matter. This artwork is a real slice of history relating to the town.

Phil was keen to repatriate the material and in exchange for a relatively small amount of money the drawings were soon back in town.

Upon arrival you could see how the drawings were once a large piece of architectural artwork, displayed in front of the council for their consideration, but since having been cut into individual pictures, no doubt for

framing. You could imagine the elected members in council, former mayors, aldermen of the period observing the sketches and having to choose the most appropriate. For the first time since 1926, all three designs have been scanned, using a large scanner, and are reproduced. The top design was the one chosen by the committee.

But this work was all in vain. With the passage of time and Lancashire’s damp climate it was found during a survey that the old glass roofed tram shed was suffering decay. The steel supports were showing signs of being over stressed due to corrosion. This situation would accelerate with the constant exposure to condensation should a swimming pool be constructed below.

A site used as a bowling green was purchased from a local businessman, mill owner, Mr Thomas Broadbent Wood, also a former Mayor of Middleton; 1890-1892. The council acquired the site for the sum of £1,650.

It was estimated that the new public baths cost £25,000 to construct, which would provide the town with bathing, slipper baths, and café. During winter a public hall would be available in which dances, flower shows and the Mayors Ball could take place.

There was great excitement in town on Thursday 27 October 1938 at the opening of the new and up to date Public Baths. Being late in the season I would assume not much swimming took place, and the out of season preparations would have been carried out which was to transform the ground floor level by covering the pools with a sprung maple floor. Rubber cones

Tram shed front elevation

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were used on the supports to provide the cushion to prevent the bath from damage. It was envisaged that a few hundred dancers doing the ‘Hokey Cokey’ could cause damage to the tiled base of the bath, especially when you “Shake it all about.”

Slice of History The general contractors were Messrs.

R. Partngton and Sons, Ltd. During the opening ceremony Mr Edmund Partington presented the Mayor, Councillor Albert Wolstencroft with a gilded key, surmounted by the Borough of Middleton coat of arms. The Chairman of the Watch Committee, Councillor Joseph Cockshott was presented with a solid silver salver, which was engraved with an image of the new bath building. Some years ago I met a man who informed me that his late grandad was a former mayor. This certainly made my ears stand on end.

Mr Cook related that his grandad was Joseph Cockshott. I have archived all the former mayors so had documented this person, who was very well known having owned a newsagents shop in the village of Rhodes. Plus I had unearthed stories of how he offered advice and help to the community from his shop.

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He was a well-liked and respected pillar of the community. Indeed when he became Mayor of Middleton, on the Sunday he was ‘Churched’ almost every resident in the village turned out to witness him walk along the Manchester Old Road to the church.

Residents of the village were upset that the official churching took place at the Parish Church in the centre of town, he was a Rhodes mayor so should be churched in Rhodes was the argument.

Tradition has it that the churching took place at the higher church, but in a compromise it was decided a second churching and blessing would take place in the village of Rhodes. Just prior to the nation going into lockdown I had a visitor to my home. Upon opening the door I was over the moon to see that it was Mr Cook. Entering my home, sporting a smile and a carrier bag, he commented, “I have something here which will interest you.” Next he produced the silver salver which was presented to his grandad back in 1938. It was due to bereavement that the amazing item relating to the towns history had come into his possession.

Then lockdown struck so the salver was in my care for six months. A booklet was produced at the time the Public Baths were opened. Printed by the Middleton Guardian, few copies come onto the market. One of the copies I own was found in a box of mayoral artefacts in a loft at Todmorden. Then earlier this year I received a telephone call from a book dealer I know. Frank Lamb lives near Radcliffe, but on this day, a Sunday, he was attending a book fair at Pudsey, Yorkshire. The reason for making the telephone call was that while he was standing at the fair, he noticed that a fellow dealer had a booklet which related to Middleton Baths, and he wanted to know more about the item of ephemera, plus being a supporter of what I do he wondered if I had a copy, a kind thought. I have

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two copies in fact, but suggested that Frank purchase the booklet because I had a feeling that Mr Cook would want to own this item which features his late grandad, inside is a picture of Councillor Cockshott and members of the Watch Committee, a forward written by the Chairman in which he comments, “The opening of the new Public Baths in Fountain Street, will mark another stage in the progress of the Borough. Middleton has, for many years been very backward in this particular branch of municipal service, but a great amount of time and thought has been given to this scheme, both by the members of the committee, and the staff, to ensure that the building will be of a first class standard, for a large number of years. The cost of the scheme has been very high; the future maintenance will be costly, but I sincerely hope the general public will derive full benefit from the healthy and pleasurable recreation to be obtained.

As a Public Hall in wintertime, the building will, I am sure, be a decided asset to the town, and the Members of the Watch Committee and myself hope that the public will avail themselves to the full of the facilities to be offered in this building.” Signed by Councillor Joseph Cockshott, J.P. This booklet was purchased and is now with Mr Cook. Each beautifully illustrated booklet contained a coloured loose leaf drawing; this artwork which we have reproduced, looks to be Art Deco in design and was to give a glimpse of the interior of the swimming pool, a modern pool, unlike the Victorian ‘empty and fill’ pool of the former public baths, the new facility had heated and filtered water.

Our Frank Searching the council reports we find that the first Baths Superintendent of the was Mr Carter. His contract was signed in April 1938, showing that his salary would be £275 p.a. which would increase via increments of £10, then £15 to reach the top of the pay scale of £330 a year, this is around £6:35p today. Mr Frank Watson was at one period of time the most wellknown man in town. Mr Watson lived at Manchester Old Road, not far from the old bath building, and found employment as an attendant. When the new bath opened at Fountain St he was transferred. It was when Mr Carter left that Frank became manager and Superintendent. Over the course of www.lancmag.com

his employment he taught hundreds if not thousands of children to swim.

During the winter months when the bath became a hall he would be seen on duty when events took place. One of the main functions was the Mayors Ball. One year he was standing at the entrance to the hall when the Mayor and Mayoress were due to make their grand entrance. All the eyes of the awaiting audience were focussed on the entrance, then as the doors were opened Frank noticed that the Mayoress had her dress caught in her knickers, no doubt a result of visiting the ladies room. To save her ladyship any embarrassment he quickly grabbed hold of the dress and gave it a tug.

Feeling movement in her rear end gave the Mayoress a start, but all was forgiven when the facts were related. It was when Mr Watson retired that he was given a new title, that of “Mr Arndale.”

He would enjoy strolling around the new shopping centre chatting to people he knew. I would chat to him from time

to time, being an equal grade officer of the council. During the war Frank was stationed in Germany and was one of the first to witness the horrors of the concentration camps. At the time I was promoted to Parks Foreman Frank was one of the first to congratulate me upon my appointment, giving a comment in German. I thanked him for his kind words. Some month later a friend of mine translated the comments, which were not that complimentary at all.

This was Frank’s sense of humour, one of the reasons he was so well liked.

The site which once provided so much happiness to so many is now a car park for Tesco Express. A new Arena was built by the supermarket a few hundred yards away. The contractors for the Tesco build were keen to save anything of historical importance in the demolition of the old baths. I was contacted as advisor. On a personal note and in my mind the street sign, ‘Fountain St’ should be saved. The Royal visit of the Queen Mother, all the American servicemen who visited the dance hall during the war would have seen this sign, directing them to the bath building. The sign was saved and is in my garden, next to the water feature.

Link to Rail Accident William Bellhouse Scott was the Mayor of Middleton, 1920 -22. The link commemorating his time in office depicts a failed bridge. In the death notice published in August 1933 we read that Councillor Scott had A.M.I.C.E., J.P. qualification after his name, with this we realise that he was a Justice of the Peace, and also an Associate Member Institution of Civil Engineers. It was in 1919 that he was elected on to the town council as a Conservative representative for the Parkfield Ward, and was also a

dedicated churchman at the local church of the same name. Parkfield church is in the parish of the town’s only Victoria Cross holder, Mr Joel Halliwell attended; there is no doubt that these two gentlemen knew each other. I live in hope that one day Rochdale Council will immortalise this V.C. holders name in some way other than the short length of road devoid of dwellings which we have at present. William Scott’s greatest interest was with the work of the Hospitals Committee, a movement which was highly regarded in the Manchester and Salford Hospital movement. Mr Scott, the son of Mr and Mrs Benjamin Blackburn Scott was born in Manchester, then after leaving an ordinary day school gained further education at Owen’s College. Once gaining his qualifications he secured a position with the engineering staff of the old Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, a company he remained with until he retired in 1919. During his career we find that Mr Scott built many railway stations. Bolton and Rochdale being the most notable. An appalling railway accident occurred near the Bullhouse Colliery, which was two and a half miles away from Penistone, and around 15 miles from Sheffield.

In the obituary columns it states that “William Scott had an association with the terrible accident at Pennistone, near Sheffield.” This incident coincides with Mr Scott’s association. My old mate, boiler specialist Alan McEwen has related many accidents which were caused by poor grade metal produced in the Victorian period.

Boiler explosions and failure of engine parts causing loss of life were due to metal fatigue. It was this phenomenon which caused the loss of life to twenty four persons, including children, with around forty more being badly injured

Tram shed front elevation alternate view

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Above: Barlow link

which we find the foundations were once undermined by flood water. But on this occasion the accident had no fatalities. The report states that an engine slowly rolled off the railway line due to subsidence, the staff had time to walk away to safety from the engine, which rested on its side in the soft earth and was scrapped due to recovery being impossible. Mr Scott was entrusted with the job of rebuilding the Penistone Bridge, in which it is noted that in his opinion it was the best piece of work he ever did. No doubt he was very proud of the work he carried out and had it immortalised with a link in the chain.

Botanical Link

Top: Cllr Sam Barlow Above: Demolition of the 1938 building in 2009

when the crank axle bar of the engine failed, which spread the railway lines and caused the engine and carriages to be hurled a distance of forty feet below. At the time of the accident the 60

train was travelling at 55miles per hour, the driver had no control of the engine once the axle failed. The image on the Mayoral chain shows the stone bridge leading from Thurlstone to Hazlehead

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There are people living in town today who remember a shop which specialised in home décor. This was owned by Alderman Albert Hilton, he was known as the “Painter and decorator Mayor.” Within the link documenting his time in office are three implements used in his trade.

Another link shows a double headed large bird like an eagle or hawk, and was subscribed by Mr Samuel Barlow.

Maybe this was the emblem associated to the works he owned. It was during the 1970’s that I had a conversation with the Director of the Parks Dept, Mr Eric Barton. He was a man of vision, and commented that as a department providing a service to the community, maintaining roadside verges, Cemeteries, Bowling Green’s etc, we should think about expanding our services to include more recreational facilities. Promote sport, gardening and with the population having more money in their pockets and having spare time on their hands with working a shorter week. Mr Barton was correct.

It was his idea to construct the Golf Driving Range at Bowlee, on part www.lancmag.com

Interior of the bath and ballroom area at closure in 2007.

of the ex-R.A.F. site. This I managed as part of my daily list of tasks and practising driving skills proved a hit with the golfers, also popular with the characters that appeared on Coronation Street, who visited mainly on Monday’s. One unforeseen aspect was the children on the overspill estate next to the range acquired a goodly selection of (composite) golf balls. One hard working attendant requested that we purchase a dog, which could be tethered on the outfield to deter the children from stealing the golf balls, which had little value. My concern was that the poor animal would suffer strikes by golf balls, but my attendant was under the opinion that the dog would only be hit once, after that it would be watching out. Even one strike is totally unacceptable so we increased security.

Lancashire did not have many flood lit Driving Ranges and Bowlee became an instant hit, people travelled long distances to visit the range. Looking back to the Victorian period another part of Lancashire became well known throughout the nation. This being the gardens owned by Sam Barlow, Mayor of Middleton 9th November 1892 to 20th May 1893. Barlow was born close to my place of birth, Newton Heath, and attended school at Woodhouses which is near Daisy Nook, once famous for the Easter Fair. When Sam was seven years of age his father gave www.lancmag.com

him and his brother a shillings worth of mixed seeds and allotted them a bed in which to sow them. These plants were the first to be grown by Barlow, which was the start of a lifetime in horticulture. From Medlock Vale the family moved to Stakehill, an area on the boundary with Rochdale and Middleton. His father was the manager of the bleach works, Sam Barlow eventually became the proprietor.

The gardens which were created next to the works became famous with horticulturalists. It was reported, “The name of Samuel Barlow is one held in great esteem and reverence by Lancashire florists. He is their trusted leader and representative. If any floricultural enterprise is undertaken the aid of Samuel Barlow is invoked.”

Barlow won many prizes for his fruit and flowers. In one report it states that at the South Kensington Show, prizes for five species of apples were won

by Sam Barlow, the best being “Cox’s Orange Pippin” a favourite of mine too. Memories of working in a field in late summer, lowering the tractors front bucket to use as a seat with a ‘Russet’ and lump of cheese was so pleasurable. At Stakehill we find that the gardens and greenhouses became an interesting and popular place, and were visited by many parties of people.

The Education Department of the Failsworth Industrial Society arranged a

visit to the gardens during May of 1882.

The party numbers were increased to 100 by the addition of members from Crompton Co-op, who met up at Middleton Junction and made their way to the gardens by walking along the canal towpath. Upon entering the gardens the members were attracted to the number of alpine plants under propagation. Sam Barlow had spent £300 in cultivating beds containing tulips, when it was stated that a number of the specimen plants were to be shown the following week at the show at Old Trafford. The demise of Mr Barlow came about quite unexpectedly.

He was leaving the Manchester office on the 2 May 1893, and making his way down the set of sixteen steps he stopped to hand his umbrella to his assistant, then he collapsed and fell down a flight of four steps. Being a man of ample proportions he suffered serious injuries to his arm and other parts of his body, he was attended to at the Infirmary. His death was attributed to the shock of his fall. It was stated during the funeral service, “The name of Samuel Barlow was known to almost every horticulturalist in the kingdom.”

Special thanks to Stephen (Cookie) Cook and the dedicated staff at the Regalia section at Rochdale Town Hall.

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HS2 Celebrates Five Years of Tree Planting and Habitat Creation in National Tree Week During National Tree Week, and as HS2 starts its next season of tree planting, the project is celebrating the first five years of habitat creation on Phase One.

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ver 845,000 trees have now been planted and maintained including native species such as hazel, hawthorn, oak, blackthorn and silver birch. Ecology companies along the Phase One route have created 119 new wildlife sites which are already thriving homes for wildlife, ensuring HS2 protects the country’s precious biodiversity and leaves a lasting legacy for local communities.

Many acres of new wetland, heathland and meadow have been created and HS2 has also built homes for wildlife including 2,000 bat boxes either within HS2’s wildlife sites or in existing nearby woodlands.

Around 150 hibernacula and 65 reptile banks have been created which provide new homes for reptiles and amphibians, helping local wildlife thrive and support delicately balanced local ecosystems. Over 160 barn owl boxes and 29 artificial badger setts have also been created and thousands of newts have been successfully rehomed.

David Prys-Jones, Biodiversity Lead at HS2 Ltd said “We’re now five years into our extensive environment programme to create more than 33 square kilometres of new wildlife habitats along the HS2 route, the equivalent of 23 new Hyde Parks lining the spine of the country.

“In this year’s National Tree Week, it’s fantastic to see our wildlife habitats thriving, but this is really just 62

the beginning. Over the coming years, our ecology contractors will continue to create more habitats to sustain healthy populations of UK flora and fauna, providing a network of bigger, better-connected, climate resilient habitats and new green spaces for wildlife and people to enjoy.”

As one of Britain’s biggest environment projects, HS2 is creating many jobs and skills opportunities for ecologists right across the country.

Numerous ecology companies have worked on HS2’s environment programme so far, including Kenilworth-based SME Thomson Environmental who joined the project in 2017. The company employs local people, with around 30 people working on HS2, and has seen a 20 per cent increase in its workforce since 2017.

One of the wildlife sites delivered

by Thomson Environmental is near the River Thame in Buckinghamshire, where 14 ponds have been created, fringed by 5,000 aquatic plants carefully selected to support the local wildlife. Around 7,500 trees and

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nearly 700 metres of hedgerow have been planted, with newly planted trees in the woodland area created on site now up to 10 feet tall. There is a new rich tapestry of grasses and wildflowers in the meadows created on site, and a wide range of wildlife has already been recorded passing through and foraging amongst the new woodland areas.

Since working on HS2, Thomson Environmental have introduced a new apprenticeship programme to promote opportunities for people to work on the project. The team has also worked closely with the community, including offering work experience for students at Buckinghamshire Technical College and organising site tours of habitats sites for local councillors and community groups.

Simon Mackrell, Director of Thomson Environmental Consultants said: “Working on the HS2 environment programme, which in unprecedented in its size and ambitions, has been extremely rewarding for our team of ecologists.

Seeing a bare field transformed into a www.lancmag.com

around South Cubbington Wood, where 60,000 trees have been planted, and 17 hectares of habitat created.

This includes over six hectares of new broadleaved woodland linking the habitats of South Cubbington Wood and the River Leam Corridor, and around two hectares of translocated ancient woodland soils and associated planting to join up South Cubbington Wood and Weston Wood.

new diverse habitat is quite dramatic.

At the River Thame site for example, within weeks of creating the ponds, we saw pond skaters, dragonflies and damsel flies starting to use them. Importantly, these new wildlife sites are creating and improving connectivity with existing habitats, as part of HS2’s Green Corridor, improving local biodiversity.”

with trees in the newly created woodland areas already up to 10 feet tall. Planting has also been tailored to help bolster the population of the rare Black Hairstreak butterfly which is present in the local area.

Ecologists working for HS2’s main works contractor EKFB (a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall) have undertaken significant planting projects in Buckinghamshire. For example, a 20-hectare conservation area has been created at Sheephouse Wood, providing habitat for the endangered Bechstein’s bat.

EKFB are currently working with the Great British Bee Project to install 14 hives for the British Black Bee (Britain’s only native honeybee species) and encourage native colony growth, with the first hives installed on one of the wildlife sites created in Northamptonshire. The reintroduction of this threatened species on a project the scale of HS2 has never been done before, providing a real opportunity to enable the expansion of this threatened species across the UK.

Over 2,000 ‘bat flightline trees’ and 40,000 saplings have been planted,

In Warwickshire, ecologists have created new wildlife sites including

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Seven new ponds are attracting swallows and swifts and providing homes for newts, frogs and insects around South Cubbington Wood too.

There are also refuges and basking banks for reptiles, bat boxes and fruit trees for bats, and in the Spring this year, a blanket of bluebells and campions grew from the soil that was translocated in 2020.

Looking ahead, HS2’s construction partner in Warwickshire and the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) and their environmental partners will plant almost 1,000 hectares of woodland, hedgerow, wildflower grassland and wetland across the region - about the area of 1,300 football pitches – as part of HS2’s Green Corridor.

Amy Middlemist, Landscape Lead at Balfour Beatty VINCI said “We’re proud to play our part in helping HS2 reach this major milestone. The planting activity we’ve carried out so far is already having a positive impact on our sites across the Midlands. We’re looking to build on this, by continuing to deliver on an ambitious landscape and habitat creation programme in the months and years ahead.”.

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What is Love? (Baby don’t hurt me)

By Rozanne Kay Astrologer & Life Coach Aside from the 1993 Haddaway single, the title of this article is a genuine question asked by many people starting out on a spiritual journey of selfdiscovery.

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he inward journey to developing in love and wisdom often begins through heartbreak and pain. As the 13th Century Persian poet Rumi (and subsequently Leonard Cohen) said, “the wound is where the light enters”. The desire to seek wisdom, understanding and self-knowledge is born out of painful emotions. When we suffer heartbreak – a huge question we ask is “why?” Our pain is eased when the deeper meaning behind our experience is understood..

Many clients first come to me for Astrological Coaching following heartbreak of some kind. When our heart is broken our soul shatters and becomes fragmented. Society barely gives us time to mourn the death of a loved one; relationship breakdown is expected to be brushed under the carpet and for us to ‘get on with it’.

Perhaps we’ll be given some pills to pop to help us to get on with it – but that doesn’t solve the problem or answer the questions we’re left with. Hence people turn to spiritual wisdom in an endeavour to obtain deeper understanding of what they have been through.

In truth, many of the painful experiences we have in adulthood can teach us something powerful about ourselves; they can help us to grow, to heal long held deep emotional injuries and transform our lives for the better. But we must heal from those experiences. They say time heals all wounds – in my experience, it’s not true. Time helps us to forget the wounds but, in the future, we are reminded of them and risk repeating circumstances until we integrate the wisdom; unless of course, we actively heal them.

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H’oponopono is a traditional Hawaiian method of healing and is an excellent way to begin healing from relationship breakdown. It is a very simple mantra; the words “I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you” are repeated over. Bear with me if you are thinking “they hurt me, why should I apologise?” Although simple, the effect of this mantra is very deep.

Some religious institutions ideas of repentance can feel like absorbing guilt and becoming smaller. Whereas H’oponopono feels more like transforming pain into love. It helps to release the burden rather than carrying it – although paradoxically the burden is released by consciously choosing to take it on. Rather than a submissive energy of guilt it is highly empowering.

H’oponopono takes a situation from an unhealed state to a state of love. “Love” not to be confused with propriety, ownership, need or indebtedness. Especially if you are innocent in the situation, the mind

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tends to begin to ask questions such as “why should I be sorry?” – questions eventually lead to answers.

Ending on “I love you” lets the light of healing in. It takes practice to really grasp H’oponopono’s power, but if you are suffering through relationship breakdown of any kind it is worth experimenting with to see what thoughts and emotions pop up when repeated.

I used this method after having several years of abuse from someone who simply wanted me to cease to exist; if I closed the metaphorical door to them, they came in through the window to attack me. They all but destroyed my life and very nearly got their way in their desire for me to cease to exist. Of course, it’s not easing repeating the words “I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you” about someone who had created so much harm. However, it is my firm belief that my practice of H’oponopono was what finally created the energetic shift within me www.lancmag.com

that I needed to be free of the abuse.

My repeated repentance led to my true forgiveness – I gained a deep appreciation of how much pain they were in for them to behave the way they did. Subsequently my forgiveness meant that they no longer had any influence over me; there was nothing in my energy that they could hook in to and so they went away. I took my power back.

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What was I sorry for? I’m still not entirely sure but some of the things that came to mind as I repeated it were being unable to forgive them when I know that they are like they are because of the childhood abuse they suffered; for playing the role of victim in their warped script of life; for casting them as the villain in my distorted script; for absorbing their emotional injuries so that they didn’t have to deal with them and therefore keeping them in a less than healed state. I don’t know, it doesn’t really matter – the liberating shift in energy within me is what mattered. Not only have I truly forgiven them, but I’m also genuinely thankful for the experience 66

that they gave me and the person I have become as a result of it – the life I’m living now, which I love, is as a direct result of those experiences. I’ve grown in love and wisdom and really learned how to “love thine enemy”. I have become more at one with God as a result of my being sorry for their actions. That’s powerful.

The Astrology informing this article In early February the cosmic lovers, Mars and Venus, are in an aspect of tension to one another. Mars in Gemini is having a conversation fraught with friction with Venus in

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Pisces; On a collective level we’re called to consider the struggle between the romantic desire of the heart and the conflicting will of the mind and the potential confusion and internal misinformation this may create. We are being asked to look at our romantic illusions, or delusions, and the mind games we may play with ourselves or others when it comes to love – a tension which is designed to deepen our understanding of the answer to the question - what is Love? 

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Hail, Caesar!

The RSC will bring Julius Caesar to Blackpool Grand in 2023 The Royal Shakespeare Company is back in Blackpool with a powerful new production that’s NOT TO BE MISSED! Join Julius Caesar as he rules over The Grand Theatre in May 2023…

F

riends, Romans, countrymen! Lend me your ears. The Royal Shakespeare Company will march back into Blackpool Grand Theatre from Tuesday 16 to Saturday 20 May 2023 with William Shakespeare’s fast-paced political thriller, JULIUS CAESAR, directed by the renowned Atri Banerjee.

recruited from the local community, with a particular

Julius Caesar. A divisive leader who holds awesome

leadership and other transferable skills and explore in

power. Concerned that Caesar poses a threat to

greater depth the nature of what makes a good leader

democracy, revolutionaries take the violent decision to

today.

murder him. They have no plan for what comes next.

Celebrated director Atri Banerjee makes his RSC debut

As the world spins out of control, chaos, horror and superstition rush in to fill the void. Civil war erupts and a new leader must rise: but at what cost?

focus on female ‘Community Leaders’ such as teachers, support workers, campaigners, church leaders, volunteers and other women of influence.

A local Musical Director will also be recruited to work with the group who will also work closely with professional RSC practitioners to develop their own

with this visceral new production of Julius Caesar.

Atri was listed in The Stage 25 as one to watch in 2022 and previously won Best Director at The Stage Debut

This exciting UK tour of Julius Caesar is part of a

Awards in 2019.

thrilling new season from the Royal Shakespeare

Atri’s fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s timeless

Company in the year which marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio.

story forces us all to consider how far we would go for our political principles and exposes the ambiguity in trying to shift power. As we rage against the crises

RSC Acting Artistic Director, Erica Whyman, said: “As

surrounding us, how far will we each go for our political

the RSC embarks on a new chapter, with a fresh and

principles?

fearless determination to look at ourselves and our

“Men at some time are masters of their fates”

world through the lens of Shakespeare’s plays, all of our creative activity in 2023 will address questions of power.

Who has it, who doesn’t, how does it change a human being, when does it corrupt, and how might it disrupt and liberate?

‘We are also making our work in new ways, collaborating with local and national communities to inform our

- Julius Caesar Be a master of yours and book your seats now for this unmissable RSC production!

The RSC’s Julius Caesar is at Blackpool Grand Theatre from Tuesday 16 May to Saturday 20 May 2023. Matinee performances available.

thinking and creative impulses, and opening doors to

Tickets from £15.50. Concessions and School Group rates

new collaborators and new talent.”

available

Julius Caesar at Blackpool Grand will feature a

Quick March! Book the very best seats now before it

Community Leaders Chorus made up of six women

storms into Blackpool Grand!

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Please call the Box Office on 01253 290190 or visit: www.BlackpoolGrand.co.uk for full listings, bookings and further information.

LISTINGS The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Julius Caesar

M Grand Theatre, 33 Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT N Box Office 01253 290 190 D blackpoolgrand.co.uk F @blackpoolgrand

Tue 16 May to Sat 20 May 2023 at 7.30pm

T @Grand_Theatre

Thu & Sat matinees at 2pm

I grandtheatrebpl

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SAD CAFÉ – February 2023 UK Tour Comes To Whitby, Louth, London & Harpenden!

Tickets for the SAD CAFÉ – February 2023 shows are available from: Friday 3rd February 2023 WHITBY Pavilion Theatre (with support from Sunbirds) Saturday 4th February 2023 LOUTH Riverhead Theatre (with support from Sunbirds) Regarded by many as one of the best live bands of the 80s, Sad Café are back.

Original members Ian Wilson and bassist Des Tong are joined by long-time associate, singer/songwriter Sue Quin, the exciting vocal talent of Barry James Thomas and lead guitarist Dave Day along with multi-instrumentalist Neil Shaw-Hulme, keyboard player Matt Steele and drummer Bryan Hargreaves to once again perform their catalogue of great songs including the unforgettable Every Day Hurts, My Oh My, Strange Little Girl and many more.

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Friday 10th February 2023 LONDON Putney Half Moon Saturday 11th February 2023 HARPENDEN Eric Morecambe Centre Tickets available from: www.solidentertainments.com/ presents.htm#SAD-CAFE-TOUR Box Office No: 01472 349 222 (Open Monday to Friday between 9.00am-4.00pm)

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Make yourself at home with Tweedies Bar & Lodge

Relax. Enjoy. Treat yourself.

Grab your tweed slippers and let the outside world pause while you sip on your first G&T and soak up the breathtakinq siqhts of the Lake District.

Our 2022/2023 Winter Offer is here!!!

Come and cosy up in front of our loq burners this Winter and enjoy explorinq the Lake district out of season...

Two niqhts in either a Mews or Tweed Suite to include Lake’s Distillery G&T’s and home made chocolates in your room on arrival, daily breakfast and 3 courses in our restaurant on one niqht.

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Tweedies Bar & Lodge Grasmere, The Lake District, Cumbria, LA22 9SW Telephone: 015394 35300 | Email: hello@tweediesgrasmere.com

Blackpool’s Flying High with a Dazzling New Guide For 2023 Blackpool has unveiled a brand new guide for 2023 showcasing a spectacular programme of events, shows and attractions for the year ahead..

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he resort’s 2023 Destination Guide is fronted by resort ambassador, Nigel C. Gull, the seagull puppet that featured in a £1m TV advertising campaign during 2022.

Nigel gets pride of place on the cover of the new 88-page glossy guide, which also includes a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight into how he was created by award-winning puppeteer, Andy Heath.

The guide, illustrated with stunning photography, celebrates a very special milestone - the 160th anniversary of Blackpool’s majestic North Pier, charting its history from its opening day in 1863 when more than 20,000 people turned up to stroll along its wooden boardwalk.

Other highlights include: New for 2023: A taste of things to come with the completion of a £1.5m, state-of-the-art big cat facility at Blackpool Zoo, giving outstanding indoor and outdoor views of the resident lions and tigers. 2023 also sees the opening of a new four-star Holiday Inn, a multi-screen cinema incorporating one of the UK’s biggest IMAX screens, a new family entertainment centre on the Golden Mile, and the much-anticipated unveiling of Showtown, a museum celebrating Blackpool’s glorious entertainment history.

World Class Events: A sneak peek at the resort’s multi-million pound events programme including some firm favourites such as Pride, Air Show Weekend, Rebellion Punk Festival, Ride The Lights, World Fireworks Championship Blackpool, Lightpool Festival, Illuminations Switch-On 72

weekend and Christmas By The Sea. Many of the events are free and 2022 saw Air Show weekend attract 250,000 visitors!

The Best Seat In Town: A chance to book ahead for a brilliant line-up of shows at a multitude of venues including the Winter Gardens, Grand Theatre and Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Just some of the shows already announced include Mamma Mia!, Six The Musical, The SpongeBob Musical, Greatest Days (the official Take That musical), Annie, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Shrek The Musical, The Rocky Horror Show, The Mousetrap, Titanic The Musical, a new musical stage adaptation of Winnie The Pooh

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and the return of a dazzling new Hot Ice production, Amore, Amor, Amour.

2023 will also see the legendary Peter Pan of pop, Sir Cliff Richard, performing in Blackpool, one of only three locations on his Blue Sapphire tour. He will appear at the Opera House on Tuesday 14 November, marking 60 years since he performed a summer season in the resort with The Shadows.

The Best Things In Life Are Free: Proof that some of the best things in life really are free! Blackpool specialises in offering visitors the chance to enjoy the time of their life without parting with a penny. Glorious beaches and www.lancmag.com

promenade, the annual Illuminations, world-class events, Stanley Park (again voted England’s favourite), and attractions such as the Comedy Carpet, a side-splitting celebration of fun and laughter.

Amazing Attractions: A visitors’ guide to some of the UK’s best family attractions including The Blackpool Tower & Circus, Tower Ballroom, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE Blackpool, The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, Sandcastle Waterpark, Winter Gardens, three piers and the famous Blackpool Pleasure Beach, billed as the most ride-intensive theme park on the planet!

Taste The Good Life: Whether it’s award-winning restaurants, lavish tasting menus, afternoon high tea, traditional ice cream or good oldfashioned fish and chips eaten al fresco, the guide gives an at-a-glance look at the best places to eat and drink both on the Promenade and off the beaten track.

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Only In Blackpool: A guide to some of the things that make Blackpool such a special place with unique attractions such as the world’s biggest mirror ball, illuminated vintage trams, a cocktail bar almost 400 feet in the sky, two breath-taking ballrooms, wonderful Victorian architecture, and some of the best selfie spots imaginable!

Access All Areas: A visitor guide to how Blackpool rolls out the welcome mat to make the resort accessible for everyone whether people have physical, sensory, mental health or learning difficulties.

Check Out, Then Check In: A must-have guide to Blackpool’s diverse accommodation ranging from traditional guest house to luxury hotel, from budget bolthole to boutique chic – there is something to suit all tastes and pockets and all carrying the Blackpool seal of approval.

The 2023 guide also provides a wealth of information on how to get around the resort as well as highlighting some of the many

initiatives that are already in place to create an eco-friendly environment.

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “It is particularly pleasing to be able to launch the new guide at a time when Blackpool is attracting large volumes of visitors on the back of the return of the Christmas By The Sea village and the two-month extension to the Illuminations season.

“Over the past year, Blackpool has once again heavily invested in marketing and events, and recorded record visitor numbers on the back of that.

“We pride ourselves on being the UK’s most popular resort and the new guide gives a taste of what is already lined up for next year, with a vast selection of shows, attractions and free events.”

To view a copy of the guide online, or to order your copy, please go to visitblackpool. com/guide.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 73

Becoming Ted Matt Cain: Q&A

Matt Cain is an author and former journalist who was born in Bury and bought up in Bolton. He was Channel 4’s first Culture Editor, Editor-in-Chief of Attitude magazine and has presented flagship discussion and interview shows on Virgin Radio Pride. He’s also an ambassador for Manchester Pride, the Albert Kennedy Trust and LGBT+ History Month. Becoming Ted, published on 19th January, is his fifth novel.

Can you tell us a little bit about Becoming Ted? It opens with 43 year-old Ted Ainsworth finding out that his husband is leaving him for another man. He’s devastated but over time his best friend Denise encourages him to see this as an opportunity. Gradually, Ted realises that his husband was domineering and stopped him from fulfilling his potential and pursuing his dream of being a drag queen. As he sets about making his dream a reality, he’s led to re-evaluate his commitment to the family business, an ice-cream shop in a small Lancashire seaside town. He also meets a Polish man who’s on the run from a secret trauma in his past and is offered the chance of new love. But Ted receives a series of anonymous letters that threatens to disrupt his happiness before it has properly taken hold.

Becoming Ted is set in the fictional Lancashire town of St Luke’s-on-Sea – why did you choose this setting?

The idea for the book actually came from my agent, who had visited Morelli’s ice cream parlour in the Kent seaside town of Broadstairs. I was already developing a novel that I thought of as a gay reworking of the film Shirley Valentine, about a man who breaks free from a marriage that was holding him back to finally put himself first. So I combined this with the setting of a family-run ice-cream business as it gave me the opportunity to explore the theme of duty and the feeling several gay men have of being a disappointment to their parents and trying somehow to make up for this in life. But I didn’t want to set the book on the south coast because I’m from Lancashire and – now that I live in London – my home county always calls me back when I’m writing.

And I think themes of community and the need for human connection are much easier to explore in a setting known for its warm, down-to-earth people. Also, I’m a storyteller, and Lancashire is a county of brilliant storytellers. So I moved my ice-cream parlour up north! But then I didn’t know where exactly to set it… I’ve spent a lot of time in both Lytham-StAnne’s, which I thought was a bit too small for my novel, and Southport, which is in Merseyside, so not quite right for a writer who wants to celebrate his Lancashire roots and what makes his home county so special. So I invented a new town that combines elements of the two. This also meant that I wouldn’t be limited to giving accurate descriptions of a reallife place, something that would have been difficult when I started writing the book as there were still Covid restrictions so travel was limited.

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Why is it important to you to represent the North West in your writing?

Because it’s what I know, it’s part of my spirit, it helped shape me as a human being and a writer. And my work is known for its heart and humour, both of which are qualities I very much associate with Lancashire. I’m not sure I could write the same kind of books set anywhere else. I also explore gay themes and like to explore how much more accepting our society has become of gay men in particular. I think it’s easy when having these discussions to focus on big cities but I think the social progress made in small towns in workingclass Lancashire can be much more interesting – and often gets overlooked. That’s why this book isn’t just set in the fictional town of St Luke’s-on-Sea but also has key scenes set in Blackpool, as did my last novel, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle. And, as ever, there’s plenty of Manchester in there as well!

The novel is a story of love, friendship and learning to be true to yourself – why did you want to focus on these themes?

They always come up in my writing so I can only assume it’s because they’ve had so much impact in my life. The struggle to be true to yourself is something all gay men can appreciate but I think also resonates with anyone who’s been forced to fit into a box or behave in a certain way to conform to expectations – but feels like this diminishes their individuality or what makes them unique. Friendship is important to me as it was my friends who saved me when I was embroiled in this struggle, when society was telling me I was wrong or disgusting or just not good enough, simply for being who I was. And love is probably important as it’s something I lived without for a long time, only meeting my partner at the age of 44, way after most of my friends and siblings had got married. For a long time I thought it wasn’t going to happen for me and I yearned for it. That’s why I never take it for granted now. I still can’t believe I’ve met my other half and that the two of us are getting married in December. And to me it feels magical as Harry’s from Cape Town and I never imagined when I was growing up in Bolton that I’d ever fall in love with someone from Africa. And he’d never even heard of Bolton – or Lancashire either!

www.lancmag.com

The genre of ‘uplit’ – fiction which tackles serious issues in an uplifting and joyful way – has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Why do you think these types of book resonate so well with readers?

I think the last few years have been tough for so many of us so it can be comforting to read about characters experiencing their own struggles but overcoming obstacles and conquering challenges to go on to experience true and lasting happiness. It’s what we all want for ourselves and why should we settle for anything less? But often, real life can have other ideas and the challenges it puts in our way can be quite overwhelming… And if we are having a tough time the last thing we want to read about is someone who’s been defeated by life. I think also we’re all becoming much better at exploring and expressing our feelings and anyone who’s trying to grow in this area in order to improve their life can draw encouragement from books that celebrate the transformative power of self-knowledge and self-expression.

While the book starts with the breakdown of Ted’s relationship with his husband, perhaps the most important relationship in the book is between Ted and his best friend Denise. How did Denise’s character come about and how did you go about constructing their friendship?

As I mentioned earlier, friends have been very important in my life but if I want to be more specific, it’s my female friends who’ve given me the most love and support. It’s the girls who stuck up for me when I was being bullied in the playground at school, the girls who’ve been my strongest cheerleaders in life, and the girls with whom I’ve been able to discuss and dissect my feelings when it comes to relationships and the search for love. In turn, I’ve always been intrigued by the appeal of gay friends to straight women, many of whom have told me they feel less threatened around gay men, more able to talk openly about their desires without fear of moral judgement, and less expected to conform to traditional gendered behaviour, that a woman will behave ‘properly’ or not be too forthright or loud for example, that she won’t be a leader but will do as she’s told. And, if they’re often made to feel like they’re in competition against other women, they don’t feel this around their gay friends. So there’s a very special bond there that works both ways and I really like to celebrate this in my writing. Partly to pay tribute and say thanks to my own girlfriends!

Your main character, Ted, uses the opportunity presented by his divorce to embrace his lifelong dream of being a drag queen. Why was this storyline such a good metaphor for Ted’s journey of self-acceptance?

To me, drag is about so much more than female impersonation. It’s about overturning gender norms, shaking up traditional understandings of how a man or a woman should behave. It can be radical and anarchic and really make people think about the status quo and lots of things they take for granted. This can be very freeing, particularly for a character who’s locked in a cycle of pleasing his parents by leading the life they want for him, behaving a certain way, working for the family business and planning to one day take over. To some extent, my character is motivated by the gratitude he feels towards his parents for accepting him as a gay man. But as the novel progresses and he’s transformed and empowered by his experience of drag, he comes to see that he shouldn’t feel www.lancmag.com

grateful for anything. So yes, drag is a metaphor in that it takes him away from the person he’s become to please others and leads him back to his true self.

Drag has certainly become a huge part of popular culture over the past decade or so – why do you think it resonates so well with people, and why did you want to build it into Ted’s journey?

I think the idea of adopting an exaggerated and often outrageous alter-ego to help access parts of yourself that you may have been keeping hidden or suppressed can be very powerful – whether this is confidence or strength or just a sassy sense of humour. And its central message of not dimming your light or suppressing your sparkle but allowing yourself to shine as brightly as possible really packs a punch with people who maybe feel downtrodden or unappreciated or thrust into a quiet, unexciting life in the shadows. I think RuPaul’s Drag Race and the various drag-inspired TV shows that have followed it have galvanized thousands of people to live their best lives and allowed them to feel like sexy, sensational superstars. I really hope this cultural phenomenon goes on for a long time!

What’s the one key message you’d love readers of Becoming Ted to take away with them?

That it’s never too late to put yourself first, to access your inner warrior queen and make your dreams come true.

Because we all deserve it!

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 75

Rising From The Ashes: Reframing Your Past

By Kim Antrobus This year, I decided I wanted to challenge myself. My business (Kim Antrobus – Family Law Assistance) is doing well and I feel like now is the time to share more of my story and how I came to do what I do.

I

help people to capably and effectively represent themselves through the Family Courts so that they can leave unhealthy relationships, sever financial and emotional ties with their ex, and look out for the best interests of their children. I offer an affordable alternative to Solicitors for people who either cannot afford to use Solicitors or simply wish to represent themselves and have their say their way. My goal is to help warring families find peace and a way forward by centring the needs of their children and acting in their best interests.

Challenge Kim-eka I have already shared some snippets of my past in some of my many online blogs on my website. I have also shared stories about my life as the “singing lawyer“, but in order for people to truly connect with me, I have decided to write a book as part of a collaboration of like-minded women who, like me, have overcome adversities to reach their own successes (in various guises!)

to follow in her path. It has been a genuinely rewarding and empowering acquaintance, which I am glad to say has grown into a friendship.

Summer Swarm In June 2021, I was fortunate to meet a fun, fiery and feisty woman From the Ashes called Louisa Herridge at a business mastermind with Dani Wallace (I Am Louisa released a collection of stories the Queen Bee) in Manchester. We hit from other women who, like her, had it off from the get-go! Louisa told me truly inspirational and compelling all about her business Mamas Ignited stories to tell – From the Ashes; She is – and her plans and aspirations. She Ignited: Volume One. A collection of also told me she had recently authored stories by resilient women who had a micro book – I gladly purchased a overcome adversities and grown into copy and connected with Louisa on their own power. It was a best seller my socials. Since then, I have watched in a number of categories on Amazon, as Louisa has really harnessed her notably knocking Wim Hoff off the top power and reframed her past trauma spot (off you hoff, Hoff!) positively, shining a light for others 76 LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

Intrigued, I booked in for a “spark” meeting with Louisa over Summer 2022 as I was interested in joining her second cohort (for Volume Two).

My Story Through networking and as a means of getting my own story out there, I have been giving some insights into my own journey and how I came to be running my own Family Law business, assisting and advising clients as a professional McKenzie Friend but I genuinely think I have a story that is not only interesting, but one which many people will be able to see aspects of themselves in. www.lancmag.com

Louisa With Best Selling Collaboration

Kim And Siblings As Children

From The Ashes Collaborators

I want to share my journey with people, the hardships and responses which have carved me into the person I am today, the lessons I have learned. I too want to hold a light of positivity to help people to continue to push forward and continue to fight for themselves. I want to help other people to positively reframe their pasts and their presents, and to trust their own voices.

My Chapter Through my chapter, I take the reader on a journey through the chaos of my childhood and the arguing that shrouded my family life, through the relationship mishaps and mental ill health that plagued my teens and twenties, through the recovery of myself and others around me, to the epiphanies and growth that came from adapting, learning and reaching out for help. www.lancmag.com

I want readers to find solace in their own darkness and hope to help them move towards light, positivity and success (however that looks for them).

I know how it feels to be alone and unwell. I know the pain and I can now look back at myself in my younger days and forgive me and have a little empathy for myself and a lot others.

And I want readers to share this, too.

Thank you all for your ongoing support.

Book Launch I completed the final draft of my chapter in November 2022 for From the Ashes: Volume Two. This collaborative book is due to be launched on 25th January 2023 – please reach out to me if you would like me to put your name down for a pre-order copy!

L linkedin.com/in/kimantrobus/

D www.familylawassistance.co.uk /kim-antrobus/ E kim@familylawassistance.co.uk F @kimfamilylawassistance I @kim_familylawassistance T @kim_familylaw

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Bowland Inns & Hotels Secures The Assheton Arms Bowland Inns & Hotels, the parent company behind Bowland Brewery & the James’ Places collection of hotels, inns and restaurants is pleased to announce that it has successfully reached a lease agreement with the Trustees of the Downham Estate.

This iconic Lancashire country inn is set to re-open its doors under new ownership in February 2023.

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ames Warburton, the Bowland Inns & Hotels Owner and Chairman, explains: “We are absolutely delighted to announce that we have secured the Assheton Arms and will be bringing it into our family of local hotels and Iinns. As a big admirer and customer of this wonderful pub, and past resident of Downham itself I know just how fond of the pub people are.”

“Thanks to the way Downham Estate manages its properties, the eighteen months closure has been kind to The Assheton Arms. We just need a few weeks to warm the building through, refresh one or two things and we will be on our way. February 2023 can’t come soon enough.”

Said the Hon Ralph Assheton: “The business lease of the Assheton Arms came back into the ownership of Downham Estate at the beginning of this year. Since then, we have taken the opportunity to carry out a number of essential repairs to the main building and its 12 letting rooms, as well as redecorating the exterior and sprucing up the garden areas.”

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“Our search to find the best way forward for the Assheton Arms as a business, a sustainable part of Downham Estate and a valued village and wider community hub has resulted in the lease being awarded to Bowland Inns & Hotels. We couldn’t be more delighted and are confident that, with this local company’s excellent reputation and track record, the Assheton Arms will become, once again, a bit of a draw and one of the Ribble Valley’s major tourism assets.”

Bookings are now being from February 2023 onwards. To enquire or make a booking, please email: reservations@jamesplaces.co.uk or call: 01200 407 150

www.lancmag.com

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 79

The life of Di

A monthly column by Di Wade, the author of ‘A Year In Verse’

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS what happens? He doesn’t get let in, and stands huffing and puffing through the letterbox about it - while I privately fume at being dragged away from my ukulele practice, and the electricity company is no better off. So what use was that to anyone? Except for all the notice taken of my numerous phone calls explaining matters, I might as well’ve said that any unexpectedly appearing meter-reader could expect tea, scones, and dancing girls – while the sender would receive a Fortnum and Mason hamper.

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keep New Year’s resolutions like I keep unicorns in the back yard. When enough of them had bitten the dust faster than a pantomime audience could scream: “It’s behind you!”, I changed tack completely, and such self-instructions as “eat more greens”, “ditch the chips”, and “Sort yourself out woman” became things like “reach for the stars”, “don’t worry, be happy” and “always look on the bright side of life”: And that went well too – like a dream – the kind wherein, pursued by all the hounds of hell, you’re up to your neck in quicksand, and can’t move a muscle.

It’s a shame – the unfortunate reliance on cheesy pop songs notwithstanding. I mean, whether I’m struggling like mad to get my hearing-aids in of a morning, or combing every inch of my street to see where the dustbin men might have left my bin this week, it’d be lovely to be unworried and happy about it - rather than as mad as a wounded bull shown an extra red rag for good measure.

At the same time, we do seem to live in an increasingly silly world – at best, and at worst, one which’d baffle Einstein,

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and try the patience of any saint. Take the time at which I’m writing. It’s the middle of December, so what are we also in the middle of? Strikes guaranteed to ensure that half the Christmas cards don’t get there, while anyone not driving home for Christmas probably won’t either - and god forbid anyone should actually be ill over the “festivities”. Nice one: Lovely – charming – classy – especially in the season of goodwill.

Against all that however, whether I’m immersed in the latest Scott Mariani novel, (accompanied by a strong pot of builders’ Yorkshire tea), gazing in rapt delight at harmonizing singing yeti at Barton, Grange, or on the edge of my seat watching a world cup final entirely fitting for the end of a fantastic year of sport, I’m bound to admit that life has moments as lovely as the snowdrops at Lytham Hall, and which bring Christmas whatever the season.

So perhaps I WILL make a resolution this coming New Year – to cherish these moments like a cross between a gift from Santa, and an unexpected valentine.

Happy New Year.

Meanwhile, on a more personal level, 2022 will stand out for me as the year when people with the power to make my life easier chose instead to do the complete opposite – despite its costing them nowt, and only benefiting them – in spades. Sensible. Then people frequently don’t listen. If I’ve explained once, I’ve explained ad nauseum to my electricity company that there’s just no point in sending me meter-readers – generous though they might think themselves.

Why? Because with my eyesight, a strange bloke on my doorstep could be anyone from Father Christmas to a mad axe murderer, and I’m hardly going to give him the benefit of the doubt in hopes he’s bearing a sackful of goodies. So

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Obesity, or Eating Disorder?

Flourish Therapy Clinic Obesity. Eating Disorders. Both on the rise. Concerns discussed by public figures, paraded in the media: haunting parents, schools, and health professionals. In many people’s eyes, these are diametrically opposed conditions. But are they really?

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besity is the physical condition of having a significantly higher weight and proportion of body-fat than the recommended healthy range. It is associated with increased likelihood of many medical problems, and some psychological. Eating Disorders are a form of mental illness, involving a disordered relationship to food and eating. They are a psychiatric disorder, resulting in many possible medical complications, and include amongst various possible symptoms extremely low body weight or – obesity!

Our society is an Obesogenic one (the proportion of seriously overweight people is steadily increasing). A combination of factors in modern life contribute to this: We have constant easy access to energy-dense, preprepared, addictive food, often quicker and cheaper than healthier options.

Our economic structure means most adults work, in sedentary jobs, leaving less time for food preparation, or physical activity. We use time-andlabour-saving devices for routine tasks,

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burning fewer calories in daily life, and spend much of our leisure time sitting in front of screens. Enjoying food is a good and natural part of life and social giving - but within this framework, it can become problematic.

Not everyone in contemporary society is overweight though, and studies have shown there is much more to it than environmental practicalities.

Genetics contribute susceptibility to storing energy this way, just as they influence the likelihood of serious addiction, or eating disorder. But we must go further to find why individuals actually develop these conditions…

Brendan Fraser, who recently portrayed an obese person with great sensitivity in The Whale, when researching his character was powerfully struck by what he heard from those who told him their stories.

‘Each [obese] person who told me their story had one thing in common: There was someone in their youth who was very cruel to them by the way they spoke to them, and it set in motion the rest of their life.’ Ondina Nadine Hatvany MFT who has extensively researched eating disorders, has observed ‘I have yet to meet someone suffering from an eating disorder who does not also suffer from a relational trauma.’ Perhaps here we have a key to the connection between Obesity and Eating Disorder: the relationship of emotion, trauma, and food.

Most of us have done ‘emotional

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eating’ at some point, and experienced the lack of appetite imposed by stressful feelings. Eating disorders usually begin by someone trying to cope with overwhelmingly difficult emotions and situations, without a healthy means of adequately processing what they are going through. They may try to stay in control by focussing on a perfect figure, or seek the comfort and release they cannot find in food. Limiting calories suppresses emotional response and pain, whilst eating for pleasure gives a temporary high to medicate depression.

Even the physical manifestation: shrinking away or growing larger than average, can be a way of keeping the unwanted and feared attention of others away. Needless to say these desperate measures do not have positive outcomes, instead the negative patterns of thought and habit come to control the person who uses them, becoming all-consuming, even life-threatening. Once you have an Eating Disorder, knowing that you are unhealthy or still unhappy does not mean you can just make it go away. It can take years of therapy and hard work to fully overcome the psychological damage and relearn a healthy way of relating to food and one’s own feelings. The sooner that journey is begun, the better.

The National Centre for Eating Disorders estimates that 50% of people who struggle with being overweight, suffer from compulsive eating, consuming a large number of unwanted calories without being able to stop themselves. Whilst we are, as a population, growing larger, it is far from true that most of those who overeat do not know or do not care.

Looking around, it is clear that body image and health issues dominate popular attention and interest. People are very aware of what they ‘could’ or ‘should’ look like, and that it can be dangerous to be too heavy. Some of them may choose to ignore these expectations, but whilst an estimated 64% of UK adults are overweight, 70% say they are uncomfortable with www.lancmag.com

their weight, and searches for how to lose weight top Google’s statistics.

If you do that search, you will come up with a host of fashionable food limiting plans. If you are given medical warning to lose weight, you may be advised on a restrictive diet. But the most comprehensive study of these (BMJ Macronutrient Diets study 2020) showed that whilst 6 months gave some good results in terms of weight loss and reduced blood-pressure, at a year’s follow up, all candidates had regained what they lost, and medical benefits had disappeared. By cutting calories you can certainly decrease your body mass, but if the pattern is not a sustainable one, whether for physiological or psychological reasons - it will not be successful in the longterm. Encouraging restrictive eating tends to lead to yo-yo dieting, or in the vulnerable, lead to eating disorders.

To sustain a healthy weight, changes need to be gradual and welcomed by your body, and you need to overcome any emotional dependency which will lead eventually to self-sabotage. www.lancmag.com

Whilst 6% of the UK population may have an Eating Disorder – only about 2% are underweight. Binge Eating Disorder, Bulimia, and Night Eating Disorder have all been associated with Obesity. All involve compulsive eating, alternating with periods of restriction. Binge Eating which has the highest correlation involves eating large amounts in a short time, usually in secret, and being unable to stop even when you feel full. It is not regulated by physical appetite, and usually involves immense emotional pain and feelings of guilt and shame.

Until recently it has not been widely recognised in public, or treated by medical professionals, and those who have it are often embarrassed to get help, or cannot find it. They are more likely to seek treatment for Obesity per se, but unless the eating disorder is addressed, weight reduction is often unsuccessful, and their psychological condition may be worsened.

The most successful outcomes for sustained weight loss after obesity, have been found to be combining

forms of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) designed and delivered

by Eating Disorder specialists, along with specialist dietary advice tailored to the individual’s needs and temperament, supported by other psychotherapy as required to treat underlying trauma.

If you need help, do not hesitate to ask for it. There are supportive groups, such as Obesity Action Coalition, and Support and Education for Eating Disorders – ‘SEED Lancashire’ provides free group sessions - and you should go and see your GP. Flourish Therapy Clinic is a Lancashire company which can provide all the aspects of support and specialist treatment for Obesity or Eating Disorder in one place, delivered by experienced professionals.

If you would like to find out more you can contact them on 01772915735 or through the website: flourishtherapyclinic.co.uk

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 83

Snap up Photo Sessions at Blackpool’s Grand for the perfect Christmas gift!

New Photographic Sessions at Blackpool’s beautiful Grand Theatre with renowned photographer Sean Conboy have been released for 2023.

What a fabulous festive gift!

23 January and Monday 10 July will cover insider tips on how to improve your interior photography by using light to the best advantage; how to look for and find pictures in an indoor space and how to use the manual settings on your camera to help improve your pictures.

Lucky participants will also get time to roam the amazing auditorium of The Grand and photograph its stunning interior.

L

ooking for a Christmas present with a difference? Blackpool Grand Theatre has just the ticket with new dates announced for our popular Photography Sessions with Sean Conboy.

Snap up places now for Sean’s Basic Photographic Sessions on Monday 23 January and Monday 10 July or his Advanced Photographic Session on Monday 13 March. But hurry! They will be gone in a flash!

Whether they are a serious student of the camera, an amateur snapper, or are looking to develop an exciting new interest; The Grand Theatre’s sell-out Photographic Sessions with top photographer Sean Conboy are the ideal master class for all levels - offering the opportunity to learn specialist skills from a true professional in the field, while gaining exclusive access to the Grand’s Grade II* listed building in all its glory.

They are not to be missed!

Sean Conboy’s illustrious career in photography spans over 30 years and includes working for Hasselblad - the prestigious Swedish camera manufacturers. Sean has won numerous awards for his architectural images, is celebrated for his use of space and light, and is best known for creating majestic images of large-scale interiors, as well as drawing the viewer into more intimate spaces with perfectly crafted composition and lighting.

Sean’s famous photo sessions are just under 5 hours in length and provide a variety of skills needed to photograph beautiful structures and interiors. The day begins with an introductory presentation, where Sean uses his extensive technical experience to advise how to best capture the perfect shot. Lucky participants will then have the opportunity to take pictures of the interior using Sean’s top tips with their own camera.

Sean Conboy’s Basic Photographic Sessions on Monday 84

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

Sean Conboy’s Advanced Photographic Session on Monday 13 March will cover a full explanation of tilt and shift camera movements; how to use flash and LED lighting to help light interiors; a practical demo of an interior shoot; the chance to use professional flash lighting and tech camera with a Hasselblad 100mp digital back; how to achieve the best viewpoints and how to use the different focal lengths of a lens to make the most of your subject. Only eight places are available for this much sought-after course to allow more seasoned photographers the opportunity to talk one to one with a leading photographer in his field in a more focused gathering.

When asked what he enjoys so much about photographing The Grand, Sean said: “The Grand Theatre has one of the finest interiors in the country and the beauty about photographing this beautiful building is that there is so much detail - you can always find something new to photograph. These unique photographic sessions at The Grand offer people the opportunity to choose which part they wish to photograph…they may even capture something that has never been photographed before!”

Don’t miss these fantastic opportunities to be given unrivalled photographic access to this beautiful Frank Matcham Theatre and learn photographic skills directly from internationally renowned photographer Sean Conboy. What a glorious gift!

Book now. These sought-after sessions will be gone in a flash…

Sean Conboy’s Basic Photographic Sessions are at Blackpool Grand Theatre on Monday 23 January and Monday 10 July 2023 from 10am to 3pm.

Tickets £49 (Maximum 20 participants) Sean Conboy’s Advanced Photographic Session is at Blackpool Grand Theatre on Monday 13 March 2023 from 10am to 3pm Tickets £129 (maximum 8 participants) Lunch is not included, but morning and afternoon refreshments are provided. Please head to our Stage Door on the day of your event. Please call the Box Office on 01253 290190 or visit www.BlackpoolGrand.co.uk for bookings and further information.

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Georgina Irvine

MA (Oxon), PGCE

Spanish Language Consultant

Profesora Irvine

Spanish Online Revision Workshops Speaking

Speaking

GCSE Spanish

Saturday 1st April

£60

9.30am - 12.30pm

A Level Spanish £60 Sunday 2nd April 9.30am - 12.30pm

Listening, Reading & Writing

GCSE Spanish

Saturday 15th April

£85

Language Learning Provider of the Year

All Boards Bespoke exam practice and revision notes

Full Day 9.30am - 2.30pm Best Online Language Tuition

Listening, Reading & Writing

Book & Pay

A Level Spanish £85 Sunday 16th April

Full Day 9.30am - 2.30pm

m e w

Direct here

07767 627275

georgina@profesorairvine.co.uk profesorairvine.co.uk

Georgina Irvine at Profesora Irvine

By Sarah Ridgway

Award winning Profesora Irvine is a Spanish language consultancy run

by Bolton resident Georgina Irvine.

Georgina is a highly accomplished linguist, with over 25 years of teaching experience, including 10 years at one of the country’s most academically successful girls’ independent day schools (Bolton School Girls’ Division).

G

eorgina creates tailor-made exam revision courses and webinars for schools, colleges, and teachers throughout the UK and abroad. Profesora Irvine accommodates all academic levels from total beginners, GCSE, and A Level to Oxbridge prep and tuition.

Georgina has helped students achieve top GCSE and A Level results and promises “every single person who comes to me will see significant improvement”.

Teaching students from age seven to eighty, Georgina has a long list of glowing testimonials and in 2022 she won two national awards for online language teaching.

Tell us about your own language learning experience My interest in language began with French when I was five years old, as my family used to host French students at our home in Southport. I was delighted to learn a little French from them but had no opportunity for formal language training until I won a place at Bolton School; I was so excited when my first lesson there was French with Miss Kelly.

Inspiring me to learn Spanish as well, she later became my colleague and friend when I went back to work

there as a teacher. I also studied German and ended up taking three languages at O Level! Languages became my passport to travelling abroad and I went on to sign up for the Anglo-Austrian Exchange in Year 9, an A Level French home-study trip in Year 12 and a whole summer in Madrid arranged independently with my Spanish pen pal. Originally opting to take French, German, and English Literature at A Level, at the last minute I swapped German for Spanish. Thirteen years after learning a little French in Southport, I won a place to study for an MA in Modern Languages (French and Spanish) at St Anne’s College, Oxford university.

This meant I was lucky enough to spend a year abroad as a language assistant in the south of France.

On top of this I also worked for a whole summer in a shipping office in Tarragona, which allowed me to visit Barcelona during the Olympic Games - exciting times I will never forget!

What inspired you to start your consultancy?

After twenty years of teaching at excellent schools in the North West of England and internationally in The Bahamas, I was ready for a new challenge. I wanted to have more professional independence and variety so I decided to take the plunge and start my own tuition business. I was soon offered more examining work, and now run student and teacher conferences across the country. In addition, I created and delivered workshops for GCSE and A Level students in their own schools and major regional conference centres as well as professional development courses for teachers in the UK and in international schools. I am now in my fifth year of operation and demand for Spanish tuition is soaring to such an extent that new clients are recommended to enquire well in advance.

What makes Profesora unique?

There are several reasons why this consultancy is unique. After living, working, and travelling throughout Spain and Latin America, I am able to inspire new students to learn, not just the language, but also about the food, music, literature, and travel. In fact, one of my areas of expertise is Spanish literature and film and I have written course and exam materials for many of the set works at A Level, including the wonderful film “Las Trece Rosas” by Emilio MartínezLázaro. Another unique feature of Profesora Irvine is my versatility in serving the needs of a very diverse client base. Younger students need help to boost their grades, more 1-21 speaking practice, for example, or help with their grammar or essaywriting skills. In order to reach and help more students, I have created my bespoke group online revision workshops that parents can book www.lancmag.com

for their children. All the courses are delivered online, on a Saturday or Sunday, using original, fun and challenging sample examination materials and activities. My adult learners are just as much of a joy to teach and I now have several professional footballers learning Spanish with me, one of whom travels regularly to South America scouting for football talent. He started Spanish from scratch during lockdown, and now negotiates contracts in Spanish as well as managing transfers to the UK. Several of my adult learners are the parents of my younger students so languages really are all about family and communication.

How did the pandemic change the structure of the business?

My business was flourishing and then Lockdown put a stop to everything.

Before the lockdown, I was very

much restricted to my local area and could only accommodate two or three students a night. As soon as the lockdown happened everyone cancelled their lessons, as there were no public examinations that year and I had to rebuild my client base from scratch. I knew I had to adapt so that’s when I moved online.

This proved to be challenging and rewarding in equal measure. I had enquiries from parents who wanted their children to keep up with their schoolwork, and then from adult learners who took the chance to learn a new language in lockdown.

I switched to Zoom and built up my online resources and subscriptions in order to deliver sleek and interesting lessons. More requests for tuition and conferences came from abroad and I was able to accept offers of work from international clients as far afield as Hong Kong, Taiwan and The United States. Now I am able to teach my students and schools in the Far East in the mornings, my UK

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 89

students in the afternoons and evenings and my US clients at night! In other words, the pandemic gave me the incentive to go global! The sun never sets on Profesora Irvine…

What do you think of people’s misconceptions on learning a new language from scratch?

Many people will tell you they disliked languages at school, or that they were not very good at them, and I think it’s such a shame they feel that way. I believe anyone at any age can start a language: I have taught a woman in her eighties, my brother-in-law in his seventies and the youngest I have is a seven-year-old girl. They are all doing so well; it’s just a matter of having the right kind of teaching and motivation!

What is next for 2023 and beyond?

I am excited to be offering my new GCSE and A Level online revision conferences this spring, which will help students focus their revision in order to boost their grades and confidence ready for exams in June. These courses are being offered to parents to book and pay directly from my website or via the QR code on the advert. Parents and students can see the course content before they commit to booking on the link. There are two courses each for GCSE and A Level, the first focusing purely on the Speaking exam which is usually around Easter time and the second is for the written papers which are later in the summer term.

2023 will also see me back in Spain for a month working on my course materials and delivering all my lessons online. This time, I will be in Valencia which is a stunning city full of history, culture and modern science!

Language learning for me is a lifetime commitment, and part of that is continuing my own professional development by taking every opportunity to live and enjoy Spanish life and culture!

Title

Supply Chain C R E A T E

H O M E S

N E W S L E T T E R

By

Text.

T

ext.

Text.

DEAR SUPPLY CHAIN,

D

espite the doom and gloom in the news, the housing market remains buoyant, which our

site in Pilling is now completely sold out and we have only a handful of

We are also experiencing a record number of reservations at our new site in Elswick and have two more prestigious projects in the pipeline for

Myself and the team would like to wish you a Happy Christmas and prosperous your valuable support and contribution to working with you again in 2023!

Paul Mathison CEO, Create Homes

NEW DEVELOPMENT

Work starts AT OUR NEW site in Elswick Work is well underway on our new £14M Chapel Mill development in Elswick. The scheme offers buyers a rare opportunity to purchase a stunning new home in a very sought after and award-winning village. The selection of 50 new homes at Chapel Mill are being built under our premium housing brand – the Create Homes ‘Prestige Collection’ - which has already proved extremely popular at our Longridge development, The Sandpipers. The scheme includes some of our most popular house types, plus a number of exciting new designs, as well as a number of Affordable homes. All homes throughout. We have already secured a record number of reservations.

CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS

PRESTIGOUS LONGRIDGE DEVELOPMENT 95% SOLD Prestige COLLECTION

The Sandpipers £14M development in Longridge has proved exceptionally popular, having provided 34 new homes, most of which are now sold. We have included a number of design & quality improvements to our private sale units, which we have delivered under our new ‘Prestige Collection’ brand. We have also built a number of Shared Ownership and Affordable homes to provide accommodation for local people and we forecast all sales to be completed by January 2023. The show home will service our Elswick site until the marketing suite/ show home opens there in March 2023.

In the pipeline. . .

PLANNING AGREED AT BISPHAM, BLACKPOOL

Plans have just been approved for ‘The Groves’, our new development between Bispham and Poulton-leFylde. The agreed £15M project will deliver 51 new homes, including 16 Affordable units, which will provide much needed quality housing opportunities for the area.

Work at ‘The Groves’ will commence Q1 2023.

NEW GARDEN VILLAGE PROJECT SECURED IN CHESHIRE

PILLING DEVELOPMENT IS NOW SOLD

OUT

Our fourth successful development stages of completion, with all homes now sold. The £9.6M project has delivered 37 quality homes, including a number of much needed Affordable & Starter homes for this coastal community.

Our 115 acre site in Winsford, Cheshire, is an allocated housing site within the local area and economic plan. There is outline permission for 488 houses, with various options for further alternative uses.

Create Homes & Create Developments have decided to develop a large proportion of the site in a phased approach, which will provide a uses on parts of the site. Work on the site will commence 2024.

Pupils at Stonyhurst College Can Develop Important Life Skills and Gain a Qualification Employers and Universities Value What is the IBCP? The IBCP, or the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme, is a vocational level 3 qualification with international recognition and is an alternative route of study to A levels for pupils aged 16-19. At Stonyhurst, IBCP pupils can choose to specialise in either sport or business career-related studies, and engage with a rigorous study programme that genuinely interests them while gaining transferable and lifelong skills in applied knowledge, critical thinking, communication and cross-cultural engagement.

Who is the programme suited to?

The IBCP is designed for those who are interested in pursuing a more hands-on, career-related approach to education in Sixth Form and who already know they would like to pursue a business or sport-related career. The IBCP benefits pupils who prefer a structured way of learning with timetabled support and in-person teaching. Stonyhurst attracts talented sportsmen and women competing at a national or regional level who find the flexibility of the IBCP timetable suited to their intense schedules for training and match days.

What are the benefits of the IBCP for pupils?

The vocational aspect of the course offers much more flexibility to A levels, and fewer exams are required to be taken. Exams are assessed over two years so there is no need for an intense period of revision cramming at the end of the course, as is the case with A levels. During the two-year course, IBCP pupils at Stonyhurst foster attitudes and habits of mind that allow them to become lifelong learners willing to consider new perspectives. They become involved in learning that develops their capacity and will to make a positive difference whilst the vocational aspect of the 94

course prepares them for effective participation in the changing world of work. Pupils develop a range of broad work-related competencies and deepen their understanding in specific areas of knowledge.

What does an IBCP class look like?

IBCP pupils are taught in small class sizes with a wealth of opportunities for face to face lessons which leads to enhanced pupil confidence and further opportunities for pupils to participate.

Can pupils progress to university having studied the IBCP? Yes, studying the IBCP opens up the option for studying business and sport related subjects at universities across the world. Universities and employers alike recognise the benefits of the hands-on vocational approach to learning. Many of Stonyhurst’s IBCP pupils have progressed on to Higher Education.

What subjects are IBCP pupils able to study at Stonyhurst?

British Sign Language, and partake in 50 hours of Service Learning in order to teach pupils how to plan their time effectively, commit to a cause and manage other people. This can be in the form of sports coaching at local clubs, volunteering at a shelter or recycling initiatives to name but a few. Pupils also take part in a Personal and Professional Skills module, teaching them skills such as interview techniques and CV writing.

Do IBCP pupils get to mix with pupils taking other courses at Stonyhurst?

Yes, there are many opportunities to mix with other pupils within the exciting and extensive co-curricular programme, in the boarding house, during lunch time and in the newly renovated Sixth Form hub at Stonyhurst. IBCP learners also have lessons with those who take the IBDP – another course offered at Stonyhurst’s Sixth Form.

To learn more about routes of study at Stonyhurst, register for the Stonyhurst College Open Doors event Saturday 11th March 2023.

Pupils can choose two subjects, in addition to their CTECH in either sport or business. Subjects typically include psychology, economics, business and management, history, biology, English, music, visual arts, and geography.

Pupils at Stonyhurst also benefit from Language Development, learning

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

www.lancmag.com

L ANCAS HI RE BOAR DING CATTERIES W HE RE CATS G IVE A 5 PAW RATING!

TEL: 01282 772750 MOB: 07762 161887 langholmecattery.co.uk

TEL: 01254 397338 MOB: 07412 062428 clearviewcattery.co.uk

book@stableviewcattery.co.uk

W W W. P S I L O V E C AT S . C O . U K

MOB: 07935 166639 stableviewcattery.co.uk

P.S I Love Cats with Ryan Strange

By Sarah Ridgway P.S I Love Cats has three friendly family run catteries set in the open Lancashire countryside. Langholme Cattery set up by cat lover Pat over thirty years ago at her Hapton home is the original.

Who or what is P.S. I Love Cats?

It all started with cat lover Pat Strange rescuing cats whilst also running pet food stores in Accrington & Burnley and this gave her the idea to open a cattery. In 1987, Husband Mick built Langholme Cattery at their home in Burnley, Lancashire. It took off from there and later became her full-time job. As Pat had run the pet shops in the area, it meant many people knew her already and trusted her to look after their cats when they went away.

Visitors then began recommending us to their family and friends, and this is how the business grew, and how Pat is now affectionately known as Auntie Pat at the cattery.

Pat’s son Ryan, also born in 1987 was brought up working in and around the cattery and later becoming the Director of the family business. In

July 2020, he and his fiancée Emily purchased Clearview Cattery just down the road and now Emily’s Mum, Nadine, has converted one her stable blocks to create Stable View Cattery in Charnock Richard, Chorley.

Fast forward to 2023 and with three Lancashire catteries now in the family it was decided to create an identity and link them all together, this is where ‘P.S. I Love Cats’ was formed.

The catteries now all come under the one brand of P.S. I Love Cats. The love for Cats was started over thirty years ago by Ryan’s Mum, Pat, who’s initials are also P S, so it is a nice additional touch.

What to expect at one of our catteries Family run, fun, loving service which boards cats whilst their owners, holiday, visit family or friends, move house or even whilst their houses are being renovated. You name it! We can offer a fantastic feline vacation for your furbaby.

All three catteries are licensed by their local authority and each chalet has individually heated, spacious accommodation, including exercise areas, beds, toys and scratching posts.

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Our feline guests also receive 1-to1 engagement with ourselves to suit their individual needs and plenty of treats (if allowed of course). We are very active on our socials (Facebook and Instagram) and we often publish pictures and videos of our guests living their best lives (with their owners permission) providing owners with peace of mind. Each cattery is safe, secure, and comfortable. We are committed to the highest standards of hygiene and care for your cats throughout their stay with us.

What makes your catteries stand out?

Cats Only – No Dogs allowed. All three of our catteries do not have kennels on site and this is often favourable with many people choosing us for that reason. We also receive great reviews from our customers, which is massively important to us, as we do our very best to treat their animals like our own. We have over 40 years’ experience in taking care of animals and successfully run a cattery for over 35 years, so as a family we know the business inside and out. We learn about each cat to understand their individual personalities, likes and dislikes during their stay with www.lancmag.com

us. If they are a little bit nervous to start with, we will find ways to help them become settled as quickly as possible. This is one of the main reasons we have repeat visitors year on year, because we learn about each individual cat to understand their likes and dislikes. We have lots of cats that have been coming to us every year of their life from being a kitten right up to becoming an elderly cat and this is something that is very special to us.

Stable View Cattery Stable View Cattery in Chorley, is the newest edition and recently converted from a stable block, has 16 luxury, spacious chalets for cats to enjoy the finer things in life. Each chalet has underfloor heating, cat scratchers, climbing frames and outdoor catios so that your furbabies can sit out watching the horses in the field and local wildlife. Booking early for 2023 is advised to avoid disappointment.

Clearview Cattery There is also exciting news at Clearview Cattery for 2023 as plans to build a brand-new state of the art cattery have been passed by Burnley www.lancmag.com

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 97

council and work is expected to start early this year. The existing cattery will remain in place until the new cattery is up and running so rest assured the cattery will be open throughout the year as normal.

How important is being a Lancashire company?

It’s very important to us and as we expanded, we have chosen to keep the business in Lancashire as we have all lived here, all our lives.

Cat Charity?

Next year with P.S. I Love Cats, we want to try and raise money and set up a charity where people can donate to help cats in the Lancashire area. We currently work with a local charity called ‘Cat Friends of Hyndburn’, which rescues injured, stray, and abandoned cats. The charity will collect the cat, arrange a vet appointment if needed and then find a foster home until the puurrfectt home can be found and the cat is ready to be homed. We help by raising money and also housing cats in emergency cases.

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www.lancmag.com

Ryan and Emily have their own rescue cat called Clive, who found them just a few days after buying Clearview, when somebody knocked on the door to say a kitten was in the middle of the road. Speaking with Ryan he said they went out to try and catch him and saw he was only about four or five weeks old and was tiny. He wasn’t easy to catch and was the wildest little thing, I didn’t know kittens could swim but he jumped into our pond and swam across to the other side, where we couldn’t get anywhere near him. It took two nights of setting a cat trap at all hours of the night until we finally managed to get him in the house.

We are strong believers in everything happens for a reason and decided to keep him straight away. He now follows me into every single room and is the friendliest thing you will ever see and is affectionately known by our customers as Clearview Clive. 

www.lancmag.com

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New Audio Trail Tells an Oral History on the Streets of Old Trafford From coveting the only house on the street that still had windows after a WWII bombing raid, to an annual Eid bouncy castle and the 1980s youth club that brought the Irish and Asian kids together, the OT Audio Trail brings together the forgotten stories of daily life in Old Trafford

T

he OT Audio Trail is a collection of spoken memories shared by residents past and present. Each of the stories is linked to the building or street where a listening point is displayed, creating a vivid oral history of the area told by the people who’ve played, worked and lived in Old Trafford over the last seven decades.

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Created by community art collective OT Creative Space, the audio trail features 44 recordings across 33 locations including Ayres Road, Seymour Park and Chorlton Road.

QR codes displayed in each of the locations can be scanned by listeners to hear tales of Old Trafford and longgone landmarks.

Lifelong resident Jeanette McLaughlin, 77, shared her memories of growing up in post-war Old Trafford after being approached by Lynda Sterling, owner of OT Creative Space.

“I already knew Lynda quite well because she does a lot of community art projects in the area, so it was lovely to be invited to take part in one of them and share my memories of growing up,” says Jeanette.

www.lancmag.com

In one of the stories she shared, Jeanette describes how her mum scoured bombed-out, war-torn streets for a house with windows intact.

explained what he wanted to do with the audio trail and asked us if we had any stories about growing up here that we’d like to share.

“Their house had a hole in the roof, like most of them did just after the war,” she explains. “My mum hated it, so she went out one day and traipsed up and down the streets looking for a better house with no holes and one that still had windows in it.

“Saleha and I have lived in Old Trafford our whole lives and have such happy memories. One of my favourites is all the girls in the street, seven or eight of us, coming together to play cricket on Stamford Street for hours every evening.

It’s so amazing to think that these memories are now being shared as part of Old Trafford history.”

“She found one in Firswood and went straight to the owner to arrange to pay the rent. Then she went back to the old house, packed up all our stuff, paid a rag and bone man to move everything with his horse and cart and then went to pick my brothers up from school – all in a day!

“Unfortunately, she forgot to tell my dad, so when he finished work and went home he had no idea where everyone had gone!”

Sisters Sunera and Saleha Bhana shared their memories of growing up in Old Trafford after being approached by OT Creative Space artist David Nguyen.

“David used to live near us and loved the fact that every Eid we had a bouncy castle on the street where everyone came together to celebrate,” says Sunera, who is 29. “He

Artist David explains the idea behind the audio trail: “We want to engage with older residents and mix in stories and experiences from the people who’ve made their home here more recently and build connections throughout the area,” He says. “We collected a range of memories and experiences that uncover layers of play, work and bonds to buildings within Old Trafford. Places like the former Horner’s bike shop on Ayres Road, which is long gone but lots of people remember buying their first bikes there. Or the Old Imperial Picture Theatre, now the Imperial Timber Warehouse, where lots of happy family memories were made.”

OT Creative Space has created an interactive map showing each location where stories can be found. For those who no longer live in Old Trafford but are keen to reminisce, all of the stories are available to listen to online. Both the map and the stories can be found at www. otcreativespace.co.uk/ot-audio-trail. The project has been created with funding from Arts Council England.

The stories available are: Bill’s Stories Bill has deep roots in the community – he’s the third generation in his family to own the butcher on Ayres Road, which is the last surviving independent butcher in the area.

Ibrahim’s Stories Ibrahim talks of the many adventures he’s had growing up in the community, including playing rounders in the street and exploring the ‘haunted’ clinic on Ayres Road.

Jeanette’s Stories Born in Stretford Memorial Hospital and a lifelong resident, Jeanette has fond memories of her life in Old Trafford.

Norma’s Stories Norma shares her memories of family outings to the Old Imperial Picture Theatre.

Paulette’s Stories (And Music) A violinist for the Hallé Orchestra, listeners to Paulette’s audio can hear her practising her instrument just as they would if they were passing her house.

Stacey’s Stories Stacey has wonderful memories of the parks of Old Trafford, and remembers playing in Seymour Park when it was all just hills.

The Bhana Sisters’ Stories The Bhana sisters have very fond memories of community celebrations and street parties.

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Welcome Back the White and Woolly Peatlands The peatlands of Manchester and Lancashire are vitally important for the environment and they are truly beautiful. The Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Alan Wright gets all fluffy about these wildernesses.

As winter becomes spring, our peatland nature reserves change from gold to green and then take on a fleecy, white texture as the cottongrass begins to flower.

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ittle Woolden Moss, Astley Moss, Cadishead Moss, and Highfield Moss in Greater Manchester and Winmarleigh Moss in Lancashire, do not get a lot of visitors, because they are isolated, but when people do pop in they are amazed at their size.

In early spring, those vast carpets of greenery are tipped with white, “cotton buds” blowing in the wind.

Common cottongrass at Moston Fairway, one of the few places that Manchester’s County Flower grows in the city by Alan Wright

Common cottongrass is the official flower of Manchester but not a lot of people know that. It is also the logo of our Great Manchester Wetlands project and the former Carbon Lancscape project. The logo looks like a flag blowing in the wind, so it was perfect for two pioneering projects.

Common cottongrass looks as if a big bag of cotton wool balls has been thrown onto the bog, according to our more poetic reserve officers. These are the white seed heads of the plant, which is a sedge. It has green leaves and its head droops, making it easy for the wind to provide some movement.

You will also see cottongrass on the moors and at Mossland Fairway, our “secret” nature reserve close to the centre of Manchester.

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Species such as hare’s-tail cotton-grass have been planted to help restore Little Woolden Moss

by Andy Hankinson

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Cottongrass in flower by Helen Earnshaw

Over the past few years, the Wildlife Trust has also reintroduced hare’s tail cottongrass to many of its reserves in the North West. This is a source of food for caterpillars of the rare large heath butterfly. In Manchester this butterfly is better known as the Manchester Argus.

Hare’s tail cotton grass is so named because its fluffy tufts resemble the tails of hares and rabbits.

For more than 150 years hare’s tail cottongrass and the Manchester Argus were missing from the mosses around Manchester as much of the

The large heath or Manchester Argus butterfly by Alan Wright

The Wildlife Trusts 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 30,000 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

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land was dried out for agriculture and housing, but the return of cottongrass and cross-leaved heath have changed that.

I recall a TV film crew wandering from agricultural Astley, through bushes and onto the moss – “It’s like entering Narnia.” It certainly looks and feels different.

This is a true wilderness, but, if you keep to the paths, it is not frightening or threatening, rather astonishing because of the sheer scale. In a couple of weeks there will be carpets of green sphagnum moss and a whoosh of fleecy cottongrass.

It makes you want to jump in the middle of it and sink into the woolly flowers, but don’t do it. You will end up getting very wet.

Below: Common Cottongrass on Astley Moss by Alan Wright Main: Astley Moss by Alan Wright Top Right: The first Manchester argus butterfly on Manchester’s peatlands by Andy Hankinson

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The Wildlife Trusts 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 30,000 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

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Denise Mullen is a journalist, columnist, writer and entrepreneur.

Techno Tracie

By Denise Mullen

A

friend of mine has just started a new job in Big Fancy London.

Not only is this Lancashire lass incredibly excited to be working there; she remains baffled as to quite how the day of her interview panned out so well.

You see, she’s excellent at her job.

Professional, smart, knowledgeable and knows her way around officebased technologies that are relevant to what she does (HR, human resources or, in days of yore ‘personnel’).

Outside of her professional life, and the technology she has to understand for work, she’s so old school she’s practically Stone Age. Example. She bought a new-ish car. Big Fancy Car. She knows how to do these things with it. Drive it, park it, open the boot remotely with the key, open the sunroof and the windows/doors and lock it.

The car is internet enabled to within an inch of NASA and boasts an owner’s manual about the width of an average adult’s out-stretched thumb. She hasn’t read it.

Her phone isn’t linked to the hands free, she can’t work the sat nav, you can change the colours of the lighting strips inside (if you knew how) or use the onboard ‘Alexa’ apparently.

Once, on a long road trip, her partner leant on a mysterious button in the central console (she later found out) putting the car into ‘sport’ mode. 120 miles later she had burned through twice as much diesel and was still mystified as to how it had all happened.

So on the day of her interview in Big Fancy London, she spent an hour straightening her hair, 40 minutes changing her mind about what to wear and all the time on the train working out how to get to her final destination via tube.

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She arrived at a vast hall of marble, steel and glass.

Hair thankfully well-behaved and clothing still looking spiffy, she was ushered through the electronic barriers by the reception security chap, after he’d issued her with a lanyard, and invited to take one of the lifts to the 12th floor before he sauntered back around the corner to his desk.

So she walked over to the lifts. Now Big Fancy London has changed a bit.

As in any big city, working patterns have changed as a result of Covid. With more people working at home, this huge atrium, with its bank of gleaming lift doors, was completely empty.

She looked for the lift call buttons. Zip. There was something round shaped, so she pressed that. Debating this later, we think it was probably a light or something. Nothing happened.

barrier so she asked him did he know how to use the lift. A quizzically-raised eyebrow demonstrated eloquently that he suspected she was taking the Michael.

Then he caught a whiff of her desperation and asked, what floor.

‘Twelve’, she trilled hopefully.

He walked up to a blank bit of wall that had a frame around it. Touched it and it lit up. An announcement boomed. ‘Lift 9 will be with you shortly!’

Relieved, she thanked techno builder and moved to lift 9. The doors oozed open and she slunk in. There were no buttons. The doors closed. OMG – trapped.

No! The lift booms, ‘Taking you to floor twelve!’ Relief floods over her. She’s greeted at the lift by a stunning assistant to the interviewer who politely asks if there is anything she can get her?

Then, she thought she’d try waving in front of it. As you do in fancier powder rooms when encouraging the techno tap to co-operate. Nope.

‘Oh, no, thank you. Could I just use the powder room please?’

Looking around one more time she thought, oh stuff it, I’ll give it a go.

So she leant down (to what we now think was a light) and hissed ‘Lift’, then ‘Alexa, Lift’.

‘Thank you so much.’

We were drinking tea as she was sharing this and I nearly choked.

‘What happened?’

‘Nothing’ she said.

I

spluttered.

Things were getting critical. She trotted back to the barriers which she couldn’t get through, nor could she see the security man from that angle.

‘Of course, it’s just there.’

Shoulders back she marches confidently into the Ladies.

She opens the first stall. It’s pitch black.

She does waving. The hisses ‘Lights’, then tries ‘Alexa, Lights’. She backs out and opens the next stall which is fully lit.

Turns out the bulb had gone in the first cubicle.

‘Why didn’t you use the card on the lanyard?’

She said: ‘Oh, would that have done something?’

Anyway, as luck would have it, a chap in a hard hat appeared from behind a

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Mark Lomas: Elgra Furniture & Interior Consultants Interview By Sarah Ridgway

Mark Lomas, the founder of Elgra Furniture & Interior Consultants, spoke to Lancashire Magazine about his company and everything it offers. Blackburn resident Mark has over thirty years of experience after entering the industry straight after leaving school.

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n 2018 he decided to utilise his knowledge and expertise by launching his company, Elgra Furniture & Interior Consultants and has been busy ever since. “No project is too big or small”, and the company’s ethos is about customer service and doing whatever the customer wants.

Elgra prides itself on providing exceptional service, whether the client wants a total office fit-out or just a few chairs and a desk they will accommodate..

Tell us about you and your experience I have been in the industry since I left school and started in the second-

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hand office furniture business.

People began asking us to find more specific desks and chairs for their offices, so we started sourcing those through new manufacturers rather than second-hand, and the business grew through word of mouth after that. Soon, people were requesting carpets and assistance with interiors, and I never said no. I carried this through to the present with Elgra, and I offer pretty much any service to a commercial business. I stick to the ethos of never saying “no” to clients, as you never know where it might lead. For example, I was approached by existing client Blackburn Rovers about an exciting project constructing German-style market stalls. We took the job, which will be ready for the World Cup in November, alongside TV screens. So, I firmly believe “the great evolution of a company is to just not to say no.”

Tell us about the services you offer Elgra’s services include design, fit-out project management and furniture supply, but we pretty much offer any service to do with commercial

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property and its environment. I source quality office furniture for our clients, that takes the headache out of the process. I also source furniture from the local area and Lancashire as much as possible, as it is important to me.

I also have trusted suppliers that I use for the more bespoke requests.

Elgra offers clients a personalised experience to create outstanding workspaces, and I take on as much or as little of the project as the client wants to create a smooth stress-free process.

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Pictured below and opposite: German-style market stalls installed by Elgra at Blackburn Rovers in time for the world cup alongside TV screens to watch the matches

What makes the company unique and sets it apart?

Definitely customer service, and the majority of our clients are referrals and word of mouth, and I have never had to rely on external marketing or cold calling. We don’t need to get involved in pricing jobs against competitors because our clients understand that our prices represent the value for service, and that we take away the stress of doing things the customer doesn’t have the time for.

How important is it being a Lancashire company?

I am Lancashire born and bred and am a big believer that if you can buy in Lancashire then do, or for me Blackburn which offers such a wide diverse choice of options. I am a massive advocate that people should try and invest in their local area as much as possible. I also work with Blackburn Youth Zone regularly, which is a youth hub for young people aged 5-21 years old.

Tell us about your signature style The industry has been fast moving, so how people want their office to look is very different to how it looked ten years ago.

Elgra meets the client’s requirements, but our signature style is our high-quality furniture, materials, and customer service.

How important is quality furniture and an office layout The industry has changed a lot, and companies now want more innovative layouts with breakout areas, soft seating, and hot desks. Also, the working environment impacts the employees’ mindset, and a well-designed office layout helps attract new employees, retains them, and boost productivity.

So, companies debating over an overdue office refurb should definitely consider the benefits. 

What are you most proud of over the company’s five-year journey?

Despite the current climate and the pandemic, we have continued to grow every year for five years, and we’ve done that without any sort of email marketing or advertising. We have got to where we are today because we’re good at what we do.

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ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING - A Victorian Love Poet with Much More to Say

By Margaret Brecknell

As well as her marriage to fellow poet, Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett Browning is best remembered today for her love poetry. As 14th February approaches, true romantics may already be rooting out their copy of her most famous sonnet, How Do I Love Thee?, in time for St Valentine’s Day. Yet there is much more to this exceptional 19th-century woman than a talent for composing sentimental verse.

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he eldest of twelve children, Elizabeth Barrett was born in March 1806 at Coxhoe Hall, then regarded as one of the finest houses in County Durham but since demolished.

The Barrett family had accumulated a significant fortune through their sugar plantations in Jamaica and, like so many plantation owners, profited from the use of slave labour. Elizabeth later wrote memorably in support of the abolition of slavery in The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point..

In 1809, the family moved to Hope End in Herefordshire, an extensive estate of almost 500 acres. Educated at home, Elizabeth was a precocious

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child, who, by the age of 10, was studying Ancient Greek and was well versed in the works of Shakespeare and Milton. She was also already writing her own poetry. In 1820, her wealthy father arranged for her epic poem about the Greek battle of Marathon (inspired by her love of Homer) to be privately published – an extraordinary achievement for someone not yet 12 years old.

By her teenage years Elizabeth was suffering from the mystery illness which would plague her for the rest of her life. Her symptoms included chronic fatigue, severe headaches and back pain (possibly exacerbated by a www.lancmag.com

fall from a horse as a teenager). In line with common medical practice of the time, she was prescribed extremely powerful opiates for the pain and as a result developed an addiction to morphine. She would remain dependent on the drug for much of her adult life.

Her health issues did not hinder her studies, nor her development as a writer, and in 1826, An Essay on Mind, with Other Poems was published anonymously. However, the first complete poetry collection to be published under her own name did not appear for another twelve years.

The intervening period proved to be a tumultuous time for the Barrett family.

Elizabeth’s mother, Mary, passed away in 1828 and care of the younger children passed to an aunt, with whom Elizabeth had a difficult relationship.

Then her father was compelled to sell the family’s grand Herefordshire home because of financial difficulties. The family moved from one rental property to another on the south coast before Hope End was finally sold at auction and, in 1835, they were able to settle permanently in London.

With the publication of The Seraphim and Other Poems in 1838, Elizabeth’s writing reached a wider audience for the first time. It was also critically well received. “The spirit of true poesy is everywhere visible in Miss Barrett’s writing; evincing itself in sweetness and tenderness, in beauty, pathos and power”, declared one newspaper reviewer enthusiastically.

Unfortunately, just as it appeared her career was about to take off in earnest, she fell ill with a serious lung condition and was advised to recuperate on the south coast. Tragedy struck when her favourite brother, Thomas, came to visit her in Torquay. One day he set off with friends for a sailing trip and was drowned when the pleasure yacht in which they were travelling capsized about four miles off the Devon coast.

Elizabeth was distraught and returned to London soon afterwards.

Still in poor health, she led a largely isolated existence, rarely venturing far from her own room at the family home in Wimpole Street and having little social contact with anyone outside her immediate family circle. Instead, she focused on her writing and honing her considerable literary talent. www.lancmag.com

50 Wimpole Street, the London home of the Barrett family.

Photo: Wikipedia/Philafrenzy/CC BY-SA 4.0

In August 1843, Elizabeth’s poem, The Cry of the Children, was published in the popular Blackwood’s Magazine. Written in protest at the widespread exploitation of children in the workplace, it was subsequently included in Poems, her 1844 two-

volume anthology. A remark in Elizabeth’s preface to the book gives a clue as to her then state of mind.

“Poetry has been as serious a thing to me as life itself, and life has been a very serious thing; there has been no playing at skittles for me in either”, she wrote.

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The1844 poetry collection catapulted Elizabeth to literary stardom. In another of her poems, Lady Geraldine’s Courtship, she referred to four of her favourite contemporary poets in glowing terms. One, Robert Browning, wrote to her soon afterwards, “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett – and this is no off-hand complimentary letter that I shall write”.

She replied to him the following day, “I am your debtor, not only for this cordial letter and for all the pleasure which came with it, but in other ways. While I live to follow this divine art of poetry…I must be a devout admirer and student of your works”.

The two had never met, but this was the start of a correspondence which continued for nearly two years, by which time they had exchanged well over five hundred letters. In May 1845, Robert visited Elizabeth at home for the first time, although the social proprietaries of the time dictated that he was accompanied by a mutual family friend of the couple, John Kenyon.

Thereafter they met most weeks, as well as continuing to write to each other.

Elizabeth was careful to keep their courtship hidden from her domineering father. “My father is a very peculiar person”, she wrote to Robert. “For him – he would rather see me dead at his foot than yield the point”. When, in late summer 1845, Elizabeth’s doctors advised her to winter abroad in Italy for health reasons, her father was predictably opposed to the idea. She was by then nearly 40 years of age, but she was compelled to do as her father demanded and abandon the trip, regardless of the serious implications for her health.

Fortunately, the following winter was relatively mild, but Elizabeth remained largely confined to her room during this period, which makes what happened next even more astonishing.

Certain that her father would never consent to their marriage, the couple hatched a plan to marry in secret before the end of the summer so that Elizabeth could spend that winter in Italy, as her doctors had advised. On 12th September 1846, Elizabeth and Robert were married at Marylebone Church in London with only two witnesses present. As soon as the ceremony was over, Elizabeth was compelled to hurry back alone to the family home in Wimpole Street before she was missed.

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She wrote to Robert the following day, “I did so hate to take off the ring! You will have to take the trouble of putting it on again some day”.

Fortunately, the happy couple did not have to wait long before they were reunited. Just a week later, Elizabeth was able to sneak out of the house for good, accompanied by her faithful maid, Elizabeth Wilson, and beloved pet spaniel, Flush. They immediately left the country, sailing to Le Havre and from then on to Paris for a week before departing for Italy. They were helped by their mutual friend, Anna Jameson, who wrote to an acquaintance from Paris, “I have here a poet and poetess – two celebrities who have run away and married under circumstances peculiarly interesting, and as such to render imprudence the height of prudence”.

The couple eventually settled in Florence. Predictably, Elizabeth’s father was furious and immediately disowned her, but she wrote frequently to friends of her happiness and her improved health, helped by living in the milder Italian climate. Along with her husband, the previously reclusive Elizabeth enjoyed socialising with the sizeable artistic community of English-speaking expatriates who had made the Italian city their home. After suffering a series of miscarriages, the couple’s happiness was made complete when their beloved only child, a son affectionately known as “Pen”, was born in 1849.

Elizabeth produced some of her most famous work during her time in Italy. Published in 1850, Sonnets from the Portuguese features many of the romantic poems, for which she is now best remembered. These include the famous Sonnet 43, which begins, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

Initially, she is believed to have been reluctant to publish them, fearing that they were too personal. It was her husband who persuaded her to do so, thus ensuring that one of the greatest collections of love poetry of all time was not lost to posterity.

The unusual title, Sonnets from the Portuguese, was intended to spare Elizabeth embarrassment, as it gave the impression that they were translations of Portuguese originals. Such was the public nature of the couple’s relationship that it seems very few people were fooled by this attempt to cover up the true author of the poems.

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In 1856, Elizabeth published what is probably her most ambitious work, Aurora Leigh, which she described as a novel in verse form. Loosely based on Elizabeth’s own experiences, this nine-book epic tale of a female writer’s trials and tribulations dealt with many of the real-life issues facing women in Victorian society. Inevitably it was treated harshly by certain sections of the press. Whilst acknowledging its “high poetical merit”, one critic dismissed Elizabeth as being of “too subjective a temperament to impart much individual life and warmth to the creatures of her imagination…This must of course spoil the incidents of the fiction.” The work was, however, hugely popular with the general public and turned out to be her biggest commercial success during her lifetime. It is now regarded as a highly influential early feminist literary work.

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Marylebone Church, London, where the Brownings were married

Elizabeth and Robert lived happily in Italy until 1860 when her health began to decline again. She died in June of the following year, aged 55, in their adopted home of Florence.

Elizabeth may be best remembered today as the wife of Robert Browning, but she deserves to be celebrated for much more than her love life. Not only was her love poetry exceptional, but her skill in tackling the most controversial social issues of the day through her writing made her a role model for such later literary luminaries as Emily Dickinson, John Ruskin, Oscar Wilde and Virginia Woolf.

Right: Grave of Elizabeth Barrett Browning in Florence’s English Cemetery

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Colour and Style

www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

OUR SECTION ON COLOUR AND STYLE WITH S A R A H H A R R I S F R O M ‘ CO LO U R M E B E AU T I F U L’

Colour Your February and Beyond

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.

E sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk D www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk 116

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February is a good month to spend time in your wardrobe creating that capsule wardrobe that you’ve always dreamed of !! With the colder weather keeping us in, this month is a great time for sorting through the wardrobe! Wearing clothes which suit both your Colouring and Style Personality gives an instant boost that will brighten up the dullest of days!

Red is a great colour to wear in February and with ‘Viva Magenta’ as Pantones colour of 2023 it is the perfect reason to pull it out of your wardrobe and wear it! Red is the colour of passion, excitement and is a winning colour! (apparently more sports teams win whilst wearing red than any other colour!!)

You may think that you can’t wear Red, but you can! It’s about finding the right shade. An Orangey-Red is more suited to a warmer skin tone whilst Raspberry and Strawberry are better for cooler tones. Your Style Personality will dictate how you wear it; if you have a Dramatic Style Personality then you probably won’t mind an eye catching red dress or coat, whereas, someone with a Classic Style Personality may prefer a subtle hint of Red maybe in a Bretton stripe or a hint of red in a lipstick!

Let’s look at how to achieve a look that you will feel comfortable in without compromising on style and how to build that wardrobe of your dreams that will give you effortless Style that will add interest to your wardrobe and bring the Joy back into it!

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Effortless Style Secrets Everyone knows of someone who always looks stylish whatever the weather they always seem to ‘get it right’. Well I’m going to tell you how...

a confidence that is truly inspiring.

The Art of Layering

It happened to me when I had my colours done! The feeling that I had when I could see the colour under my chin naturally lifting and lightening my complexion was transformational!!

Wearing the right colour has the effect of a face lift without the surgery!! There is nothing negative about looking the very best that you can naturally! And when you put the right colour under your chin you will know what I mean!

Step 2 – Style Personality “Style is a way of saying who you are , without having to speak” Rachel Zoe One of the main reasons we get stuck in a style rut is because our style doesn’t reflect our personality.

Understanding your Style personality and how to reflect this in your outfit choices will give your wardrobe a whole new lease of life and inspiration.

Take a look at the clothes in your wardrobe which ones do you love and why do you love them - Is it the detail, the quality, the fabric, the colour, is there some sentimental value. Are there items in your wardrobe that you don’t wear - ask yourself why?

Red Wool Mix Coat, Bright Red High Neck Rib Jumper www.sosandar.com

The Three Things You Need To Know There are three areas you need to understand in order to look and feel stylish, whatever the occasion, weather, budget, lifestyle, age or body shape you’re working with. If you follow the steps listed below you too will be the one looking utterly amazing…

Step 1 – Colour Knowing the colours that work for you is key in helping you look the best that you can. Wearing colours that work in harmony with you will take years off your age. Take a good look at colours some are very vibrant whilst others are softer and more muted, there are deeper and much darker shades and those that are light and delicate. And then there are colours with warmer yellow bases and ones with cooler bluer tones. The shade that will suit you depends on your Hair Colour, Eye Colour and Skin tone.

I have seen how the right colour can transform a person making them appear more radiant, which gives them

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Taking a good look at your feelings around clothes is a really good way of finding what is right for you. Think about each item - does it fit in with your Personality and Lifestyle, whilst also suiting your complexion and body shape.

Aurelia Long Cardi in Carmine Red by www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

A pair of Jeans with vest top and longer cardigan is not only comfortable but very stylish especially when detail is added in a belt, necklace, boots and Lipstick. The detail is in the accessories.

If you take them out of the picture you change the look and the Personality.

Step 3 – Shape Whatever your shape or size, there are particular fabrics and fits of clothing that will make the most of your figure and flatter you in the right places.

Your shape and stature also determine which patterns will work best for you and how to colour block effectively.

The impact of knowing which fabrics and cuts of clothing work for your shape is huge, not only does it mean you feel fabulous in your clothes, it also boosts your body confidence and makes shopping so much less stressful too.

Style Yourself Beautiful Once You have looked at the key elements of creating a wardrobe that fits your Colouring, Style Personality, Body Shape and Lifestyle you are ready to have some fun in putting everything together! Layering is essential in the colder months and creating the correct Image through understanding your Style Personality is key to knowing what will work for you! Let’s have some fun…

Elle Cardigan in Geranium Red, Juliette Beret in Royal Blue, Print Infinity Scarf in True Diamond Blue by www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

A Cardigan worn with jeans, belt and scarf and topped with a beret will not only give warmth but looks very Chic!

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Chelsea Blazer in Cherry worn with Alice skirt, roll neck top & Classic Metallic belt.

Cassis Blazer worn with Stripey Pima Tee in a Hot Pink Stripe with jeans. www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

Same Blazer, different colours worn in different ways, showing the difference it can make by changing the colours, styles and accessories, which creates different Style Personalities!

Chelsea Blazer in Violet worn with Gillie Ponte Skirt and Silky Scoop neck top

Chelsea Blazer worn with Lace camisole and Long sleeve Faux Wrap in Parakeet. www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

The above Chelsea Blazer again worn in different ways, creating a different look. The Gillie Ponte Skirt with a plain belt and silver necklace creates a different feel to the look with the jeans, gold belt and brighter green top!

Belts can be worn on the waist or hips depending on body shape and proportions, and when worn under coats and jackets can give the impression of having a waist if the body is more angular!

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Kelly Stone Cable Knit Scarf, hat and gloves by www.sosandar.com

Layering can be the perfect way to give balance to any body shape, so it works at not only keeping you warm but helps you look in proportion.

Adding Layers and Detail to a simple pair of Jeans and jumper can create a whole different look whilst giving extra coverage and warmth.

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Red-ish

Love Is In The Air As it’s Valentine’s Day on 14th February why not treat yourself or your loved one to a Colour or Style Consultation – it is the gift that keeps on giving and it will certainly save you time and money!

Red is for life not just Valentine’s Day! Question is, do you know your best red lipstick? Get it right and You’ll look amazing!! Make-up as with clothing will look different on each person some will suit bluer reds whereas others are better in warmer orange tones.

Your lipstick is probably the biggest game changer in your make-up bag! Wearing the right shade can elevate your whole look! You’ll look put together even if you’re not!

Always start with a primer that will control ‘feathering’ and help keep the lipstick in place. Colour Me Beautiful do a great eye and lip base!

After the primer apply a Lip pencil, if you use a deeper lip pencil it will add intensity to your Lipstick. Remember to choose a lipstick that compliments your colouring and at Colour Me Beautiful you will be prescribed your best lipstick based on your dominant characteristic!

If you need any help please get in touch: sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

Have fun creating your wardrobe and whatever you are doing add some Red !

Happy Valentine Day! Look after yourselves and each other!

Sarah x E sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk D www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

Style

Six-Week Hybrid Dadafest Hailed Huge Success For ‘International Reach’

DaDaFest International Festival 2022 – which celebrates the talents of disabled, Deaf, and neurodivergent artists and performers – has been hailed a huge success.

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he six-week inspiring Hybrid themed programme was officially launched in late October at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre, with a diverse mix of live in-person and online events which took place through to early December.

DaDaFest International Festival 2022 dates were specifically chosen to coincide with UK Disability History Month 2022 and International Day Of People With Disabilities – two key milestones to celebrate the lives of people with disability, both nationally and internationally.

The Hybrid theme ensured the festival was inclusive and fully accessible for all to participate and enjoy wherever they may be based, with online events and events recorded live to be streamed.

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This now continues with the entire programme now being available online to access via in demand until 18 December.

Organisers DaDaFest have hailed the festival a huge success due to the “international reach” of this year’s event with approximately a third of audiences being overseas. While online audiences have engaged in the full programme – meaning that instead of favouring particular shows or events, digital festivalgoers have experienced a full and varied programme.

DaDaFest International Festival Executive Producers Joe Strickland and Rachel Rogers commented: “It’s important for arts organisations like DaDa, who started offering more remote and online versions of creative output during lockdown, to continue doing this moving forward. It’s such a shame to see large organisations renege on their promises to do this, but at DaDa we won’t do that. The Hybrid festival theme is very appropriate because this is the way we want to make work available now and in the future.

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“We are incredibly proud that all 15 performances or exhibitions are available online with access included to audiences located anywhere in the world, engaging with them at any time they choose. It’s hugely encouraging that almost a third of audience numbers online are located overseas – engaging a truly international reach.

“The entire past six weeks of events are still available online until 18 December for people to watch or rewatch – and hopefully spread the word. All events are either free or pay what you decide – so it’s the perfect time to take the plunge and experience what DaDa has to offer.”

Festival highlights have included Trash Salad; We Ask These Questions Of Everybody; Flight Paths, Past Life, and the Edward Rushton Lecture.

The festival programme features national collaborations including joint commissions, programme sharing and organisational development covering both disabled and non-disabled artists, and local partnerships working collaboratively to increase artistic

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excellence, support local established and emerging artists.

Venues which have supported DaDaFest International Festival 2022 include Bluecoat, Museum Of Liverpool, and St Helens Library.

Founded in 1984, DaDa develops and presents excellent disability and Deaf arts through a multi-art form artistic programme that includes high quality festivals, interventions and events, fed into by a year-round programme of engagement work with developing and established artists, young disabled, Deaf and neurodivergent people, their families, and the wider community.

The first DaDaFest International was presented by DaDa in 2001 as a platform to showcase the work of disabled, Deaf, and neurodivergent artists.

FOLLOW DADAFEST D www.dadafest.co.uk/ F @DaDaFest T @DaDaFest

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Entries and Nominations Now Open for The North West Family Business Awards 2023 The North West Family Business Awards are back under the wings of Concorde in Manchester for 2023, and applications are NOW OPEN!!

You can also nominate a family business that you think deserves to win a Family Business award!

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he awards will recognise the achievements of family businesses from the North West region, and will be held on Friday 19th May 2023 at The Hangar, Concorde Conference Centre.

Family businesses across Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester are now invited to apply for the 2023 Awards.

Co-Founder, Sue Howorth explains the origins of the awards, saying “Since 2014 our community of family businesses has grown and grown and the appetite for bringing family businesses together to celebrate the sector has never been greater.

Our awards are anything but a run-of-the-mill business awards. They really are an inspiring, inclusive, and uplifting celebratory experience to be a part of. Our categories are designed

to appeal to family businesses of all shapes and sizes, from across all industries”.

In total there are fifteen categories to choose from, including a new category for this year that recognises Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Applicants have until 3rd February 2023 to enter their family business within one or more categories.

Should you know a family business that deserves recognition, you can also nominate them via the website.

Finalists will be chosen through a rigorous two-stage judging process ahead of the ceremony, with the

Winners celebrate at the 2022 North West Family Business Awards

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Food Writer and Broadcaster Nigel Barden Co Host of North West Family Business Awards

winners eventually crowned on the night. Presenting the awards will be food writer and broadcaster, Nigel Barden along with Co-Directors Sue Howorth and Dave Clarkson. Nigel is a huge champion of the family business sector and has worked closely with The Family Business Community for a number of years.

The Hangar at Concorde Conference Centre will be the venue for the 2023 North West Family Business Awards

Dave Clarkson of The Family Business Community added, “I’m particularly excited to bring back our well-loved family business awards to the venue at Concorde. There is a huge wealth of talent, entrepreneurialism and passion that exists within the North West, and the awards will help to profile and champion that.

We believe that our family business awards are not only a great way for companies and those working within them to shine, but they are also an opportunity to become more immersed within the safe and supportive peer to peer environment that is The Family Business Community.” www.lancmag.com

The North West Family Business Awards offer a number of sponsorship opportunities for those that support the sector. Information on the various packages is available via the website:

For more information about the North West Family Business Awards, to nominate a family business or to apply, visit: northwestfamilybusinessawards.co.uk/

northwestfamilybusinessawards.co.uk/ sponsorship-2/

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Exciting Spectacular 2023 Vegan Event Announced for Manchester Vegan Events UK has just released the details of its first series of vegan extravaganzas for 2023. These festivals are some of the best places you can go to find out more about the vegan lifestyle, try some new food and meet with other vegans. And they include the Manchester Vegan Festival on Sunday 12th March 2023.

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hese Vegan Festivals are for everyone, whether you’re flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan, looking to reduce your meat intake or increase the amount of plant-based food you consume. There is lots to inspire, with talks, recipe ideas and information on going vegan.

You’ll be spoilt for choice at these exciting events, with world food caterers or if you prefer something more traditional, there’ll be UK staples like vfish and chips, burgers and hotdogs. You’ll also find foods that you won’t see in the shops, making it a totally unique gastronomic experience.

And it doesn’t just stop at food – there’ll be lots of stalls selling fashion, gifts, bathroom goodies, pet treats, jewellery and handbags. There will also be charities and not-for-profit organisations attending including animal welfare charity Miracle’s Mission.

Manchester Vegan Festival features over 80 fantastic stalls, world food caterers running throughout the day at Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

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Vegan Events UK’s Vegan Festivals help raise valuable funds for animal welfare charity Miracle’s Mission.

100% of any proceeds will go directly to the charity as the festival is volunteer run.

Vegan Events UK founder, Victoria Bryceson comments, “I’m really excited about next year’s festivals.

We’ve had such amazing feedback from everyone, I’m expecting them to be sell-out events. The events will raise valuable funds for my charity, Miracle’s Mission, helping us fund our rescuing of disabled dogs, their care and their adoption.”

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Manchester Vegan Festival takes place at Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Longbridge Rd, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester, M17 1SN on Sunday 12th March 2023 from 10:30am to 4:30pm. Entry is £5 payable per day on the door (under 16s free) or £15 for VIP tickets in advance from Eventbrite to include fast track entry and a goody bag full of vegan products, samples, discounts and offers.

To find out more information please visit: www.veganeventsuk.co.uk or the Facebook Event page. www.lancmag.com

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John Cutler of Premier Taxis

By Sarah Ridgway

Award-winning Premier Taxis began in 1990 with just five cars and has since become the number one choice for the Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre areas

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he company won the prestigious Private Hire/ Taxi Company of the year at the Green Fleet Awards in 2019 and won an International Green Apple Environment Award in 2021, where they were up against 500 nominations. There seems to be no stopping Premier, as they just scooped the ‘Green Award’ that acknowledges fleets who have delivered ‘an innovative and sustainable transport programme’ and was presented to them at the Taxi Summit UK & Ireland Awards in 2022.

With three national awards under their belt, Managing Director John Cutler said, “It’s an honour for the company to have been recognised at a national level again. I believe by demonstrating a viable business model for taxi companies to operate electric vehicles, many other fleets will follow soon”.

Shaun ‘Barry from Estenders’ Williamson: Host of the Taxi Summit Awards

Premier is committed to being the greenest taxi company in the area, and in 2015 introduced the area’s first 100% electric taxis. In September 2018, they removed all diesel vehicles from their fleet, and now operate solely using 100% electric and hybrid electric taxis. In the coming years all Premier’s vehicles will be 100% electric and zero emissions.

Customers can book 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the phone or via their quick and easy booking app, and a few taps will have a taxi at your doorstep in minutes. Customers can choose to pay by in-car card payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or with good old-fashioned cash.

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Award presentation to managers Kym Yates (L) and Sabrina Webster (R)

that offers value for money while protecting the environment at the same time. Customer service is at the forefront, and managing director John says, “the feedback of our customers is really important”, and he still reads every single Google review and feedback.

quick second-class place. I made a deal with Nissan and installed the first few rapid charging points. It expanded quite quickly as the local population supported what we were trying to do. I have since implemented an infrastructure of fourteen charging points across the area for our drivers.

Tell us about the inspiration, and what led you to founding the company?

How important it is to be an environmentally friendly company, and how do you implement this?

Premier Taxis was founded in 1990 after I saw a niche market for local people who were not being served by the taxi trade, especially during the holiday period and the illuminations.

I realised there was an opportunity for a taxi company to service the local market, and that was the driving force behind it. Premier Taxis started in South Shore because there were no other taxi companies, and I knew its location would give it a head start in the business. In the beginning it was a struggle, as I was sleeping in the office with a portable heater. I would get up in the early hours to do a job, then get in a sleeping bag and go back to sleep. That was the first six to nine months until slowly but surely, we got some drivers.

Premier believes that we all have a responsibility to do what we can for the environment, no matter how small. We are proud to say that the electricity we use to charge our 100% electric taxi fleet comes from renewable energy sources, including Hydro, Wind and Solar.

How important is it being a Lancashire company?

I think it’s very important that local people can get involved in business and the money stays in the area. We have a large fleet of vehicles, which provides employment opportunities and substantially supports the local economy. We recently sponsored the Blackpool Sea Cadets and are involved in other local projects, such as fayres, where we will donate raffle prizes.

What is next for 2023 and beyond?

We will be expanding across the Fylde coast and therefore recruiting more drivers. Premier offers our drivers flexible working hours, no fuel costs as we supply the electricity,

Why did you decide to switch to electric cars in 2015?

I was semi retired, living in the Dolomites, when electric vehicles came on the market and got my attention. After studying their viability as taxis I decided to bring the idea back to Blackpool and put the town on the map for something special. I wanted Blackpool to be number one in the UK for something instead of being known as a rundown kiss-mewww.lancmag.com

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and earnings of up to £1000 a week. We will continue to spread our message to the public that they can make substantial savings in running costs by adopting electric vehicles.

What makes Premier taxis different from other taxi firms in the area?

internal combustion engine vehicles. Customer service is paramount at Premier, and we have excellent customer feedback and a great team answering the phones, although the quickest way is to use our app. Whichever way you order your taxi it is often the case that it is on its way to you within seconds! 

We have the most modern fleet of vehicles in the area, so they carry more safety devices and are emission-free. Our hybrid taxis are also much better for the environment than 128

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Louisa has overcome many adversities including narcissistic relationships, domestic abuse, debt, and chronic pain leading to depression and major back surgery. In the last three years, due to a violent assault at the hands of her expartner, she experienced burnout and a breakdown, before finding and creating a new path in life, helping others and helping herself and her young daughter too. Healing from trauma and living with PTSD, Louisa is now on a mission to encourage all women to believe in themselves, to ignite their spark to Be more, do more and have more.

Warrington-based author, solo mum and entrepreneur, Louisa Herridge, who has been inspiring and empowering other women to ‘turn their ironing boards into surf boards’ since leaving teaching during the pandemic, is celebrating this week after beating thousands of other applicants to be awarded ‘Orange Champion - as a voice for ending violence against women,’ at the finals of the prestigious She Inspires Awards 2022.

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ouisa, 43 from Warrington is a speaker, author & leader of the Mamas Ignited movement. As a Mindset and Positive Psychology coach, she works with passion-led women in business who are ready to create more impact; this could be by igniting their message and mission, becoming more visible or taking that first step to reinvent their lives and business.

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In its eighth year, the She Inspires Awards celebrates inspirational women from all areas of life and from all parts of the UK and the world.

The She Inspires Awards not only recognise the achievements of women in the community, but also enables award winners to grow and share their experiences with other members of the community.

Gulnaz Brennan, founder of She Inspires Group, said; “It’s a night of celebration and achievements of women from all walks of life in our diverse and thriving community, showcasing extraordinary examples of courage, triumph, kindness, compassion, transformation, skill and success.”

campaign and is delighted to be involved.

The leader of the Mamas Ignited movement, Louisa Herridge said; “I was so proud to be a finalist and winning an award has just made my year, not because I have a certificate in my hand but because of the kind of award I’ve won. I was honoured with a special contribution award for my work speaking out on violence against women. This accolade has made me realise how much impact I have made in just the short time since quitting my career as a teacher and I hope to support and empower even more women.”

The pandemic of violence against women and young girls started before we knew of Covid-19, and the virus has just made it worse. One in three women around the world have faced physical or sexual violence. In the UK, 57% of female victims were abused by someone they knew, commonly a partner or ex-partner. And there were over 840,000 domestic abuse related crimes in England and Wales in the last recorded year.

Louisa was a finalist in two categories ‘Fitness & Wellbeing’ and ‘Culture Champion’ which honours women with local, national and global recognition. Her special award came at the end of the proceedings, with twelve women out of the 500 present being recognised as ‘Orange Champion.’

The She Inspires Foundation CIC is running a year-long campaign ‘We are Orange 365’ whereby the 25th of each month will be recognized as Orange Day by the ‘UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign.’

Louisa will now be supporting this

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Ray Hinks She Inspires Foundation Founder said, “Powered by a vibrant women’s rights movement around the world, the ‘We are Orange Campaign’ has reached every part of the world. In grassroots communities, activists lead awareness raising sessions in school, highlight the voices of young women and girls against online abuse and violence against women.”

Mamas Ignited has been growing rapidly since 2020. Louisa has inspired hundreds of women through her Positive Psychology courses, motivational speaking, and publishing her debut novel sharing her story and mentoring other women who have overcome adversity and trauma to share their stories in an empowering way. Her first collaboration, From the Ashes, She is Ignited, hit ten Number ones on the Amazon charts in May 2022, knocking Whim Hof off the coveted top spot in a battle of fire v ice and the second volume is due to www.lancmag.com

be published in January 2023, with a further ten women sharing stories of overcoming sexual abuse, kidnap, anxiety, breakdowns and childhood trauma.

Louisa has published three books, including her debut Mamas Ignited: Stop Ironing, Start Living’, mentors women, speaks at events about abuse, resilience and rising from the ashes and works with women as a Positive Psychology coach with her signature SPARKS – Mindset for Success System.

Louisa is a role model and inspiration reframing her experience to prove you can “change your story” and reframe it and get that happy ending.

Louisa explains; “I pivoted from teaching and took on TONS of selfdevelopment so that I could not just be a storyteller but a voice for change with the support and skills to help out her women. Now as a qualified Positive Psychology Coach I work with

women to support their mindset for success and I’ve mentored 18 women to publish their own chapters in a book and share their stories of overcoming adversity and rising from the ashes.

I have sold nearly 500 copies of my book and feel privileged and proud every time someone tells me they have read it. I have reached hundreds more and women through speaking at events about abuse, resilience and rising from the ashes. I have changed my story and I know that by sharing it I have empowered others to change theirs.”

Gulnaz Brennan, Founder said; “Now the next generation of inspirational women is about to step forward. A reminder that the march of women leaders continues. We should all feel comforted by the knowledge that more great women step forward each year.”

For more information about Mamas Ignited: https://mamasignited.co.uk/

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St Annes Christmas Market The St Annes Christmas Market was opened by Yvonne Ball with a heart warming and funny speech as she referenced her late husband Bobby and how he would have said she was going to the market not to support the town but because she loves shopping.

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he ribbon was cut and the festivities began with a happy and exciting atmosphere as the many beautiful lights shone round the park and friends old and new chatted over a hot drink.

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Veli Kirk and the step group have pulled it off again, only bigger and better with more businesses and people than last year. The park was lit up with Christmas cheer like nowhere else on the fylde Coast. Santas Grotto created by Michelle Cuffe was a treat for big and small children and Santa occasionally popped out, parading round the park to wish shoppers a merry Christmas.

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The stalls gave out samples for all to try and the art of connecting people together was in full flow. The Christmas shopping offering was unique and there was food and treats for people and their furry friends alike. A huge treat and more great memories to share, shaping the town for years to come.

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Cumbria Tourism President Scoops

‘Lifetime Achievement’ Award

The county’s business leaders have been congratulating Cumbria Tourism President Jim Walker, after he was given a special ‘Lifetime Contribution’ award at last night’s inCumbria Business Awards.

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e was presented with the special accolade during an awards ceremony at The Halston in Carlisle, as Cumbria’s business community came together to mark stand out achievements across a range of industry sectors.

Jim’s name now joins an esteemed list of previous recipients including last year’s winners: the Rayner Brothers, who are renowned for online and high street retailer Lakeland.

Jim Walker has built his reputation in travel and tourism over more than 40 years, with a series of wide-ranging Chief Executive, Managing Director and Chief Officer roles in both the public and private sector.

He was a leading light in bringing significant overseas tourism to Cumbria - spearheading early missions to Japan alongside public and trade exhibition presences in the UK and beyond - and is widely acknowledged for championing major developments to the county’s infrastructure and is the Founder Chair of the Eden Tourism Network.

Jim comments, “Receiving this award is a huge privilege for me. I’ve been helped by a lot of people along the way and am so grateful for their encouragement and guidance. To me this award is as much about them as me – and the great opportunity it presents to highlight the incredible rewarding career paths that are available in our tourism industry.”

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Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, Gill Haigh, says, “In a county where tourism is so crucial for supporting jobs and communities, Jim is easily one of the most familiar and respected figureheads and everyone you speak to has only praise and admiration for his experience, skills, wisdom and dedication.

“Earlier this year he stepped down from our Executive Board after 12 sterling years of service and he did so leaving the organisation in a great place. As Chairman, he used his influence to help raise the organisation’s profile, regularly meeting high-profile businesses and

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politicians, and representing the sector in the national media. He went on to lead the Board and support staff through the pandemic. At every hurdle Jim stepped up and willingly gave his time, influence and expertise.

“Most recently, Jim agreed to become Cumbria Tourism’s Honorary President and we know he will continue to champion the industry with all the passion and enthusiasm he has shown over the past four decades. We are thrilled he has been recognised once again with this special Lifetime Contribution Award.”

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Lionesses’ Captain Leah Williamson Marks Fantastic Female Sporting Success

by Honouring National Lottery Coaching Champion With Wembley Way Artwork The National Lottery is celebrating those supporting women in sport by unveiling an impactful piece of artwork depicting Helen Hardy, founder of Manchester Laces - the first inclusive women’s and non-binary football club in Manchester.

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eah Williamson, captain of the England Women’s football team, unveiled the striking artwork today at Wembley Stadium to raise awareness of Helen’s incredible achievements, made possible through funding from The National Lottery, and to encourage others to get involved in coaching women’s sport.

The mural, created on the Spanish Steps of Wembley Stadium by artist Charlotte Archer, features a portrait of Helen which can be seen when approaching the iconic stairway.

LONDON, 24th November 2022: The inspirational founder of an inclusive women’s football team has been honoured at Wembley Stadium with an art installation unveiled by England Lionesses captain, Leah Williamson.

The unique tribute to Manchester Laces’ Helen Hardy forms part of a National Lottery campaign supporting women in sport and celebrating female coaches making their mark, encouraging others to find out how they can do the same.

With the help of National Lottery funding, Helen set up Manchester Laces in March 2021, the city’s first inclusive women’s and non-binary football team.

It now boasts 5 teams with more than 110 players and coaches.

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Now her commitment to progressing women’s football has been recognised in an innovative piece of art created by artist Charlotte Archer and painted onto the Spanish Steps at the home of English football, Wembley Stadium.

It comes following a remarkable year of sporting success for female sports stars including victory for the England Women’s football team at the European Championships, and England’s Red Roses who reached the final of the Women’s Rugby Union World Cup last weekend.

Leah Williamson, who today unveiled the artwork, said: “I’m so proud to be a part of a project that champions women in football, something incredibly close to my heart and central to my life. Projects like Manchester Laces are so important in encouraging women to pursue their passion for football, and the funding from the National Lottery is integral to making these passions a reality; it enables everyone to have the opportunity to get involved and find the sport that they can love, whilst

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Leah Williamson, Helen Hardy and artist Charlotte Archer unveiling the artwork (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for The National Lottery)

bringing them together with others.”

Helen Hardy said: “I’m delighted to be involved in this important project and honoured to be featured on the steps of such an iconic venue for football, ahead of the World Cup. The Women’s Euros this year showed how far football has come in its support of women’s role in the sport, and the support of The National Lottery is vital in helping projects like Manchester Laces come to fruition.”

Viveen Taylor, Director of Equality Diversity & Inclusion at Sport England, said: “Everyone should have the chance to take part in sport and be active - regardless of background, bank balance, gender or where they live. But our research shows us that stubborn barriers for women getting active persist, such as fear or judgement, not being good enough or safety concerns. That’s www.lancmag.com

why celebrating women like Helen Hardy, who have broken down these barriers and created inclusive spaces for women and non-binary people to take part in sport and be active, is so important.

“We thank the National Lottery players, who raise £30 million for good causes every week, boosting opportunities for people to get active www.lancmag.com

and a find a sport they can love.”

Alongside this installation, three additional digital portraits in The National Lottery’s Peoples’ Portraits series have been created by digital artist, Yoniest Chun, which capture the stories of other individuals and projects who have achieved incredible things for women in sport in their communities. These include

Tirion Thomas, a rugby coach at Bala RFC in Wales, Fiona McIntyre, managing director of the Scottish Women’s Premier League and Elaine Junk, chair of Mid-Ulster Ladies FC in Northern Ireland.

For more information on National Lottery funding visit: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/ funding

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National Vegetarian Week 15-21 May 2023

National Vegetarian Week 15–21 May 2023 will be bigger and better than ever with a very clear focus on the climate crisis. The week will highlight how switching to veggie meals can reduce your carbon footprint and help the planet. Making your meals better by miles!

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ichard McIlwain, Chief Executive of the Vegetarian Society, said: “The very first National Vegetarian Week ran in 1992, the same year as the Rio Earth Summit which saw the creation of the first ever UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Thirty years later, we are still battling to reduce emissions and yet every single one of us can take meaningful action by simply reducing or cutting out meat from our diets.

“In 2022’s campaign, we inspired people to switch over 70,000 meat-based meals for veggie and plant-based dishes, saving over 100 tons of carbon, equivalent to the emissions released by driving a car around the earth’s equator over 16 times!

“For 2023 we want to reach out to even more people encouraging a greater number of businesses, schools, local authorities, supermarkets and individuals taking part in the week. People often don’t think their own actions can make much of a difference. But by joining the

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many thousands of people signing up for the week, we aim to demonstrate how, together, individual efforts can lead to real and meaningful change.”

National Vegetarian Week 2022 saw record-breaking attempts, celebrity supporters and fantastic planet-friendly recipes. It also had a range of businesses across the UK getting involved and, for the first time, was supported by local authorities, many of which have declared climate emergencies.

The National Food Strategy says the UK should eat 30% less meat by 2030. For people who eat meat every day, this can be achieved by going meat-free on just two days a week.

The Vegetarian Society is a campaigning charity bringing the benefits of plantbased eating to all! It campaigns to make the changes happen that need to happen.

Changes to help people. To help the planet, and to help animals.

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Funding Helps Father Christmas Head To Streets Of Halewood FATHER Christmas visited the streets of Halewood to spread some Christmas cheer.

Above: LtoR Paul Burke, Paul Melvin, Redrow’s Eve Melvin, Vicky Williams and Mike Williams For the past nine years Santa’s Christmas Crusade, made up of volunteers from Halewood Community Spirit, including Father Christmas and Melv the Elf; have visited every estate in Halewood, over a seven-night period.

Sian Pitt, sales director at Redrow Lancashire, added: “Our funds are all about supporting the great work that is carried out by groups in our communities, and Halewood Community Spirit is a wonderful example of that.

And thanks to a donation from housebuilder Redrow, the group will be got Father Christmas and his helpers ‘back on the road’ again this year.

“I hope this funding will now help the group to keep spreading festive cheer to Halewood for many years to come.”

Halewood Community Spirit applied for Redrow’s Halewood Community Fund earlier this year, requesting money to purchase a new generator.

Redrow launched the community fund after starting work on two new developments in the town - The Finches at Hilton Grange, off Lower Road, and Grace Fields at Hilton Grange, off Greensbridge Lane.

“Our project has over the years, and even more so in last two years, brought a much-needed boost to our community in the run up to Christmas,” said Vicky Williams, treasurer at Halewood Community Spirit.

“We drive slowly through as many roads as possible and stop to let the children speak to Father Christmas and take pictures. All our community, young and old look, forward to our annual visit.

We wanted to say a huge thanks to Redrow for this funding.”

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This voluntary gift to the community is over and above the statutory investment from Redrow linked to the Halewood planning consents.

As well as new homes, the developments will include green open spaces and wildlife habitats, providing places for future homeowners to enjoy nature on their doorstep.

To support the growth of the neighbourhood Redrow has agreed to significant investment to improve local facilities, from healthcare and schools to highways, bus services and even equipment for the local leisure centre.

For further information about The Finches visit www.redrow.co.uk/thefinches or call 0151 391 7310.

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IDYLLIC HOMES IN THE HEART OF LANCASHIRE

Mowbreck Park nestles in the grounds of the Earl of Derby’s former estate, sheltered by mature woodland and dotted with well-maintained gardens. The park is a haven from busy urban life whilst being just 15 minutes away from Blackpool and Lytham St. Annes, and 5 minutes from Wrea Green.

There is a lovely community of like-minded, socially active people at Mowbreck Park. Dogs are welcome, and they will love the variety of walks that surround the park.

There is a launderette and hi-speed WIFI. The personal touch, quality holiday homes and competitive prices. No wonder Visit England awarded this family-run park a 5 Star rating year on year for the last 20 years.

GET IN TOUCH TODAY FOR: HOLIDAY HOMES

RESIDENTIAL HOMES

HOLIDAY BOOKINGS

01772 682494 • mowbreckpark.co.uk Mowbreck Park • Mowbreck Lane, Wesham, Preston, Lancashire PR4 3JR

Steve Boardman of Mowbreck Park

By Sarah Ridgway

Mowbreck Park is a peaceful haven and the perfect spot to escape the hustle and bustle.

Mowbreck’s spacious and luxurious holiday homes sit in delightful rural surroundings, where the choice to kick back and relax or explore the local attractions are up to you.

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ll their holiday homes are equipped with everything you need for your stay and are pet-friendly and are finalists for DogFriendly Business of the Year at the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2023.

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Mowbreck Park can be enjoyed all year round, and all caravans are double-glazed with central heating, Smart TVs, and super-fast Wi-Fi, also offering fully accessible wheelchairfriendly holiday caravans. The old mill town of Kirkham and Wesham is a mile from the park offering a choice of pubs, restaurants, supermarkets, shops, and amenities to use throughout your stay. For those wanting to get out and about, the Forest of Bowland is half an hour away, and the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is ideal for walkers and cyclists. Beach lovers can enjoy the picturesque Lytham St Annes or the livelier resort of Blackpool, which is close by. The choice to purchase a residential home

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at Mowbreck Park is also an option, allowing residents to feel like they are on a full-time holiday. Park manager Steve Boardman spoke to Lancashire Magazine about the award-winning Mowbreck Park.

Tell us about the park’s location It is a beautiful semi-rural location but two minutes from the M55, which takes everyone to Blackpool and St Annes. It’s like being amid the countryside, but with the bonus of jumping in your car to go to Blackpool.

This is perfect for holidaymakers who like Blackpool and St Annes but don’t want to be there all day and can return here to the peace.

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What makes a break at Mowbreck Park different from other options in the area?

Firstly, the accommodation is of an exceptionally high standard, and when I started here two years ago, I was very impressed by a caravan and blown away when told it was bronze standard. All our caravans are top-quality models, equipped with central heating, Smart TVs,

Wi-Fi, and decking to relax on. Our woodland walking park takes you to the periphery of Kirkham and Wesham, which you can walk to in ten to fifteen minutes, and that has a choice of pubs, restaurants, and shops. Walking the dog brings people together for a chat, and people look out for each other here. Our reviews often praise our staff, who are a small team, and most have been with us for

many years. The park is surrounded by farmland, so can’t be expanded, which is great for people wanting a smaller location and getting away from the crowds.

Tell us what people can expect from your caravans Potential owners and current owners can order whatever they want and have a tailor-made caravan to suit them regarding size and additional features and we always have a range of new and used holiday homes available. We are a pet-friendly site, but we have allocated pet-free caravans of ,silver, gold and platinum standard for people who prefer that or are allergic. It’s an ideal choice for families and like stepping back in time, people here don’t lock their doors.

We maintain the park to the highest standards, and we will never have a caravan more than 3 years old on our hire fleet.

How do you offer value for money?

We don’t offer the facilities that the more commercial parks do, so we factor that into our price. Families who stay here can take their kids to enjoy the bright lights of Blackpool and come back and sit on the deck enjoying the peaceful surroundings. We have an on-site launderette and an office, and that’s it, so people can choose what attractions to visit and where to eat. People come back year after year to enjoy the quiet location in luxurious accommodation.

Local competitors can charge up to £2000 per week in high season with full access to facilities, and we charge nowhere near that, so what you save and the experience you get is amazing.

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Tell us about your awards and nominations The park had been going for over twenty years but have only recently got social media and started entering the park for awards. We have been a Visit England five-star park for twenty-five years. We are happy to be finalists again for the Lancashire Tourism Awards for Dog-Friendly Business Award, and we just won Silver for a David Bellamy Conservation Award.

Why should people choose Lancashire for their holiday?

I was born and raised in Blackpool and have lived all over the world, so I am probably slightly biased, when I say Lancashire is great. It is so diverse, as you have the bright lights of Blackpool and Lytham is gorgeous with fantastic restaurants and facilities. You also have Beacon Fell twenty minutes up the road, which offers incredible views and great for walkers, and the Lake District, one of the country’s most visited places, is not far away. In the last few years, the Lancashire restaurant scene has changed tremendously, and more and more businesses are using local produce because of the exceptional quality.

How important is it being a Lancashire company?

Very important, there is so much culture here, and Lowther Pavilion in Lytham puts on some great shows and plays, and lots of famous faces have performed there, such as two members of The Jam who recently did a concert.

It’s great to see investment put into the area, as there is so much more to Lancashire than donkey rides and candy floss. 

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Neil Makes Lakeland Motor Museum a Shining Example If you find it hard work keeping your own car bright and clean – spare a thought for Neil Wood who has hundreds to buff and polish!

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t’s Neil’s job to make sure all the classic and vintage vehicles at the Lakeland Motor Museum look their best for visitors.

But, while many motorists find it a chore keeping one car clean, Neil relishes the huge task he faces: “I love it!” he says: “Absolutely love it!”.

“I don’t really even mind when visitors come and accidentally put a handprint on a shiny new car – it gives me a job to do!” he laughs.

It’s been Neil’s job to prepare and valet the Museum’s collection of vehicles since 2017.

But his connection with the Lakeland Motor Museum goes back many years. “I’ve always had a real 148

affection for the place. I used to go and wander around the exhibits when I was a teenager and it was in its original home at Holker Hall,” he says.

“It’s a special place. I’ve been to lots of other museums and they are just not the same. You go to some places and its obvious things haven’t been dusted for weeks!”

Neil’s job involves far more than simply keeping things shining and clean. He’s a professional detailer and valeter. The Lakeland Motor Museum prides itself on preserving originality and not over restoring the classic vehicles it displays.

“A vehicle’s age, style and signs of use are what makes it special,” he says. “On top of the usual day to day valeting I will also pick an individual vehicle and spend some extra time making sure it is looking nice.

“It can be a car or one of the many motorbikes we have here – they are

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all special and deserve to be well looked after.”

That can mean anything from removing rust from chrome work, tackling scratches to cleaning upholstery or waxing body panels.

“My favourite vehicle here is the 1937 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine which was used on the streets of Knightsbridge in London.

“If it could talk it would be able to tell so many tales of all the people who have ridden in it. It’s an incredible piece of motoring history.”

The Fleetwood takes a lot of looking after. It’s the biggest car on show at the Backbarrow attraction. It was once the family car of the daughter of Sir John Betjeman – the former Poet Laureate. She was friends with royalty so who knows who may have enjoyed a trip in it. www.lancmag.com

Making the classic cars fit for presentation can involve painstaking work. “The Humber Hawk estate took 16 days to prepare,” explains Neil.

“It’s interior was covered with orange mould and I had to use a toothbrush to make sure we got rid of it to stop it from deteriorating over time.”

He has spent two days a week over the last 5 years cleaning, waxing and polishing the many classic vehicles on display at the museum – making sure you can see your face reflected in the chrome finishings.

“I never get sick of the sight of them! They are wonderful vehicles and its great to be able to talk to visitors about them and show them all the incredible detailing.”

When he’s not at the museum Neil runs his own mobile detailing and valeting business covering North Lancashire and South Lakeland. So it’s hard to say just how many cars he’s waxed and polished in that time. “It must be in the thousands!” he says.

“Working on the historic vehicles at the Lakeland Museum gives me a great sense of satisfaction. It’s great to know that I’m keeping a little bit of history in the best condition possible.”

He adds: “Don’t tell anyone but if I could afford to do it as a volunteer – I probably would!” 

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Pop-Up Art Gallery Helps Raise Hundreds for Unpaid Carers

Paintings by local amateur and professional artists have helped raise hundreds of pounds after a charity turned its office into a pop-up art gallery.

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arer Support South Lakes staged its first ever art exhibition and sale at its headquarters in Kendal to help raise funds to support the work it does to help unpaid Carers across South Cumbria.

A total of 189 works of art were donated by 125 local artists and the exhibition, held over the weekend of Nov 18/19, has so far raised a total of £1,223.50.

Caz Graham, the Charity’s Patron, says: “We were amazed by how many artists donated works to us. Their support has been overwhelming. We want to thank them for their support and also the many members of the public who came into our makeshift gallery to view and buy the paintings.”

All the money raised will go to the charity’s “Give Carers A Break” Appeal.

It hopes to raise £20,000 by the end of 2022.

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says the economic struggle facing families it supports is the worst it has seen in its history.

The Give Carers a Break Appeal helps provide respite breaks for Carers – many of whom struggle to get any free time away from their Caring responsibilities.

It could be a one-night stay at a hotel, an afternoon tea, or a day out in the Lakes. Anything that offers a chance to recharge their batteries.

The charity stages its biggest fundraising event of the year – the 30th Anniversary Carers Ball - on November www.lancmag.com

25 and says fund raising this year is all the more important as unpaid Carers and their families cope with the crippling effects of the cost-of-living crisis. www.lancmag.com

The charity is calling on local businesses and the public to do all they can to support the Carers Ball and its other fund-raising events.

The 30th Anniversary Carers Ball takes place at the Castle Green Hotel in Kendal on Friday, November 25.

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JOHN OF GAUNT

- The Influential Duke of Lancaster

By Margaret Brecknell

Upon the death of his mother last September, King Charles III not only became monarch, but also inherited the title of Duke of Lancaster from the late Queen. The Duchy of Lancaster has been a Crown Estate title for much of its long history.

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et, one of the most famous historical figures to hold the role – John of Gaunt - never ruled as sovereign.

He was, however, a hugely influential figure, whose actions irrevocably shaped the future direction of the English monarchy.

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John was born, in March 1340, into a position of immense privilege and power, as the third eldest son of the then English monarch, Edward III. It is still possible to visit the ruins of the abbey where he was born in the city of Ghent, now part of modern-day Belgium. “Ghent” was often anglicized as “Gaunt” in medieval England, which goes to explain the name by which he is known today. Evidence suggests, though, that he was rarely called “John of Gaunt” during his lifetime and it was, in fact, Shakespeare who popularised the name over two centuries later when John appeared as a character in one of his history plays. www.lancmag.com

Kenilworth Castle, a massive fortress extensively modernised and given a new Great Hall by John of Gaunt after 1350

At the age of ten, John entered the household of his eldest brother, Edward the Black Prince, and, like all good aristocratic sons of the era, began training as a knight. It wasn’t long before he was given his first taste of military action.

In 1350, contemporary accounts reveal that John was on board one of the royal vessels that was involved in the Battle of Winchelsea with the Castilian fleet just off the Sussex coast. On that occasion John was too young to take an active part in proceedings, but by the age of 15 he was deemed old enough to join his father and brother on military campaigns in Normandy. Throughout John’s life, England was in the throes of a bitter war with France, which we know today as the Hundred Years’ War. In May 1359, the 19-year-old John married his third cousin, Blanche of Lancaster, who was then just 14 years of age. The wedding at Reading Abbey was a lavish affair, attended by many of the great and the good of the time including the King. The celebrations made today’s royal weddings seem low-key by comparison. Revelries at Reading lasted for three days, including a spectacular jousting tournament, before the festivities moved on to London where they continued in similar vein.

It was by no means unusual for girls from prominent families, like Blanche, to be married at such a young age.

Along with John of Gaunt, she was a great-great-grandchild of King Henry III, but, in addition to her royal ancestry, she was deemed highly eligible in the marriage market because of the wealth and social standing of her father, Henry of Grosmont. A close ally of the King, Grosmont had inherited the title Earl of Lancaster, and the considerable estates that www.lancmag.com

Marriage of John of Gaunt to Blanche of Lancaster at Reading Abbey in 1359: a painting by Horace Wright (1914)

went with the Earldom, in 1345. As a token of his gratitude for Grosmont’s support in his military campaigns, Edward III subsequently upgraded the title and created him Duke of Lancaster.

Henry of Grosmont died less than two years after his daughter’s marriage to John of Gaunt. Following the death of her only sibling the following year, Blanche and her husband inherited the entirety of her father’s considerable estates. Blanche was not entitled to inherit her father’s titles in her own right, so, at the express wish of the King, John of Gaunt was created Duke of Lancaster in November 1362. As well as being the King’s son, John of Gaunt now held an extremely prestigious title and, through his wife’s inheritance, effectively owned extensive estates across the whole country, but particularly here in the North where he was by some considerable distance the largest landowner.

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In early 1377, the English people had been rocked by the introduction of a new poll tax, which proved especially punitive for the poorer members of society. Intended to finance the considerable expense involved in the war against France, a universal tax of one groat (or four pence) was taken from the goods of every man and woman in the country over the age of 14. With the Black Prince already dead and Edward III extremely ill, John had been blamed for the unpopular new tax.

Ruins of Tutbury Castle and gardens, Tutbury, Staffordshire

John, therefore, missed his chance to become sovereign, but continued to wield considerable power behind the scenes. To all intents and purposes, he became England’s de facto ruler, acting as Richard II’s Regent until the young King reached maturity, but he was never officially appointed to the role because of concerns regarding his unpopularity.

In September 1368, Blanche died at Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire – one of the thirty castles then held by her husband. She was still only in her early twenties, but had borne John seven children, four of whom did not survive infancy.

Three years later, John married Constance of Castile, the only surviving child of the unpromisingly named King Pedro the Cruel (so-called because of his murderous tendencies).

Pedro was eventually killed by his own half-brother who succeeded to the Castilian throne, but John regarded his marriage to Constance as another opportunity to further his ambitions.

He actively pursued a claim to the kingdom of Castile through his marriage to Constance for well over a decade.

The marriage produced two children, but their relationship never appears to have been particularly close. John openly conducted an affair for most of their marriage with a minor member of the royal household, Katherine Swynford, who bore him four children out of wedlock.

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John of Gaunt continued to play an active part in the long running conflict with the French, joining in several campaigns with his brother, Edward the Black Prince, who was the commander of the English army. By the early 1370s, Edward was far from well, suffering from repeated bouts of what is now believed to have been dysentery, and he eventually died in June 1376. King Edward III died a year later, in June 1377, after a 50year reign, at which point the Black Prince’s 10-year-old son, Richard, succeeded to the throne.

This combination of events presented John of Gaunt with the opportunity to extend his already considerable influence and power.

Following Edward III’s death, there was even talk that he would usurp the young Richard’s rightful position as heir to the throne and make a play for becoming monarch himself. However, John faced a significant hurdle in his ambitions to become King; he had become deeply unpopular.

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Matters came to a head in spring 1381 when there was a popular uprising on a scale never witnessed before. The Peasants’ Revolt occurred whilst John was away fighting on the Scottish Borders. Discontent regarding a further poll tax culminated in widespread disorder across the country, but the main protest was centred on London. Led by Wat Tyler, a large group of peasants and labourers from across the South-East stormed the capital city. In his absence, John of Gaunt’s grand London residence, the Savoy Palace, was burned to the ground. The 14-year-old King Richard II was compelled to seek refuge with his advisors in the Tower of London, before bravely negotiating with the rebels face-to-face.

The rebellion was soon quashed and its leaders punished in typically medieval draconian fashion. The young King’s confidence was buoyed by his role in suppressing the revolt and he began to establish his own group of advisors at court.

As the 1380s progressed, John spent less and less time in the capital. Instead, his focus shifted to Castille and his longstanding ambition to claim the throne there, ostensibly on behalf of his wife. In 1386, he left England with a sizeable army and waged a military campaign on the Iberian Peninsula for over two years, but, as his resources became ever more depleted, he was www.lancmag.com

eventually compelled to give up his mission. In the end, the matter was settled by diplomatic means. John and Constance’s young daughter, Catherine, was betrothed to the King of Castille and, in return, the couple agreed to surrender their claim to the Castilian throne.

Statue of John O’Gaunt Duke of Lancaster (1340–1399) at Lancaster Castle,

In late 1389, John of Gaunt returned to an England which once more was bitterly divided, with the young Richard II in bitter conflict, not only with Parliament, but also with a group of the country’s most influential noblemen. The Lords Appellant, as they became known, were headed by another of the King’s uncles, the Duke of Gloucester, and included John of Gaunt’s own son and heir, Henry Bolingbroke. They had waged a successful campaign to remove most of the King’s favourites from court, as a result of which Richard II was becoming increasingly isolated.

Ever the opportunist, John took the chance to restore his reputation by acting as mediator between the different factions. He probably also saw this as an opportunity to protect his son from retaliatory action by the King. A period of relative stability followed John’s intervention, which did no harm at all to his political standing at home.

Richard II rewarded him by presenting him with the Duchy of Aquitaine. This was a clever move on the part of the King. In so doing, he fulfilled John’s ambition for an overseas territory of his own, but it also meant that his uncle’s attention was diverted elsewhere. In the autumn of 1394, John set off for France to exert his authority as Duke of Aquitaine in person and did not return home for over a year.

Constance had died two years previously and when John of Gaunt arrived back in England, one of his first acts – to the scandal of many was to marry his long-time mistress, Katherine Swynford. Their four children, who had been given the surname “Beaufort” in honour of one of their father’s numerous estates, were now legitimised by the King and the Church, but were specifically barred from inheriting the throne.

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had gained influence at court.

Emboldened by their support, Richard II eventually decided to act against his former enemies, the Lords Appellant.

This included John’s son, Bolingbroke, who was commanded by the King, on a somewhat flimsy pretext, to fight a duel with another of the Lords Appellant, Thomas de Mowbray, at Coventry in September 1398. John arrived just in time to witness the duel and persuaded the King to call it off at the last minute. Instead, Bolingbroke was sentenced to ten years in exile.

By this stage John’s health was already failing and he died at Leicester Castle less than six months later, just before his 59th birthday. Never short of ambition, John of Gaunt is generally regarded as a political mastermind, who orchestrated grand affairs of state to suit his own ends. However, he also played a vital role in maintaining stability and ensuring peace between the different factions of his era.

Following his death in February 1399, the fragile peace that he had negotiated quickly collapsed. John’s son, Bolingbroke, returned from exile and, with significant military force behind him, quickly claimed the throne, becoming King Henry IV by October of the same year. This is the point at which the Duchy of Lancaster became linked to the Crown, a tradition which has continued to this day.

As for the former King Richard II, he was imprisoned and soon after came to an unfortunate end. This was only the very beginning of the bloodshed.

During the following century, the bloody conflict known as the War of the Roses between the Houses of Lancaster and York lasted for over three decades. Finally, in 1485, Henry VII united the two factions and began the Tudor dynasty. Descended from the Beaufort line (John’s children with Katherine Swynford), he, in so doing, also assured his ancestor, John of Gaunt’s, place in history.

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Christmas Arrived in Liverpool Thanks to 5,500 Dashing Santas Spectacular return of UK’s biggest festive 5K fun run The Santa Dash was officially started by a group of special guests including eight-month-old Alder Hey patient Frankie and Mum Jess from Wirral.

Frankie is also part of this year’s Alder Hey Christmas pyjama campaign.

Frankie was born in March 2022 at Wirral’s Arrowe Park Hospital.

Prior to birth he was diagnosed with gastroschisis and would need an operation within hours of birth.

Gastroschisis is a rare condition affecting only one in 3,000 babies, and means the bowels are on the outside of the stomach.

Organisers of festive spectacular BTR Liverpool Santa Dash – sponsored by Park Christmas Savings – have expressed a 5,500-strong vote of thanks to everyone who took part in this year’s event.

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he 19th BTR Liverpool Santa Dash recently transformed the city into a sea of red, blue and mini Santas (Sunday 4 December) – and organisers BTR Liverpool hailed it as one of the best yet.

Often described by Santas as their “kick-start to Christmas”, the event is the UK’s biggest festive 5K fun run.

Santas crossed the start line at Pier Head Liverpool before making their way round the city centre, taking in the sights of The Strand, Grade I Listed Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, and the business district.

Katumba Drumming Band spurred Santas on along Dale Street to the grandstand finish line at Liverpool

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Town Hall, where they were greeted by stilt-walking festive characters and ‘real’ snow.

The main event was followed by the 1K Mini Dash for youngsters aged 12 and under. They set off from Castle Street, following a similar but shorter route, before also finishing in Dale Street.

The BTR Liverpool Santa Dash 2022 was sponsored by Park Christmas Savings, part of Liverpool-based Appreciate Group; official event charity Alder Hey Children’s Charity Surgical Neonatal Appeal; and official media partner In Demand Radio.

All returning as event partners for a second consecutive year.

Plans are already underway for the milestone 20th staging of the event on Sunday 3 December 2023. Entries are already open.

Santas have been signing up and collecting their festive attire from the pop-up shop at St Johns Shopping Centre in Liverpool city centre, which was open seven days a week for five weeks.

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The operation could only be done in a specialised children’s hospital with full paediatric surgery facilities – so Frankie had to be separated from Mum Jess and was transferred to Alder Hey. The operation went well and they were reunited the next day.

Frankie continues to recover and has exceeded all expectations.

Frankie and Jess were joined by Everton Football Club legend Duncan Ferguson; Liverpool’s very own Craig Phillips who won the first series of TV reality show Big Brother; and regular charity runner ‘fancy dress Jess’ Miss England Jessica Gagen. Craig and Jess both also took part following their appearances on stage.

Alder Hey mascot Oli the elephant; and Park Christmas Savings’ Earl E. Bird – the turkey who stars in Parks’ latest TV advert campaign encouraging people to start saving for Christmas 2023 – both helped Santas to warm-up on the start line and joined in all the fun.

Frankie’s Mum Jess commented: “I couldn’t be more grateful for every single staff member at Alder Hey. We were thrilled to be part of this year’s www.lancmag.com

Support on the day also came from Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, which is now part of the 5K course since the demolition of the Churchill Flyover.

BTR Liverpool Santa Dash – cheering on the Santas while raising the profile of the new appeal. The new unit will make a huge difference to so many people.”

Santas fundraising for Alder Hey Children’s Charity Surgical Neonatal Appeal have already raised £11,000 through this year’s event – online donations can still be made at https:// www.justgiving.com/campaign/ santadashah2022

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Guests also included four-yearold Alder Hey fundraiser Riley from Wirral, Mum Hannah, and Dad Conor. The youngster cycled five miles raising £400, and the family were part of this year’s Santa Dash launch aboard the Mersey Ferry. Riley appeared on stage, and later took part in the 1K Mini Dash.

The start and finish lines were hosted by BTR run host Graeme White, who was joined by In Demand Radio presenters Lee Butler and Josef Hollywood.

Arriva North West – supporting the event for the fifth time – offered free travel across the Merseyside bus network into the city centre for Santas dressed in full attire on the morning.

And also post event travel for those displaying their medal afterwards when travelling home.

Volunteers teams on the day were from 4 Coy Merseyside Army Cadet Force; Everton in the Community; and Hoylake Road Runners.

The BTR Liverpool Santa Dash is accessible and open to everyone, from those taking part purely for fun to groups of fundraisers. The event acts as a platform for community groups, businesses, and charities to fundraise

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“On behalf of the BTR team, we’d like to say a 5,500-strong thank you to every Santa who took part, our supportive sponsors and partners, and fantastic volunteers. It’s very special for everyone involved. We feel it was one of the best yet, the atmosphere was electric.

“From a wild idea in 2004, the Liverpool Santa Dash has grown into a must-do event to experience firsthand. Plans are already underway for next year’s 20th milestone BTR Liverpool Santa Dash on 3 December.

Entries are open and we’re counting down the days – see you there.”

Park Christmas Savings has been the UK’s most popular and trusted festive savings company for over 50 years, having helped over three million families budget for a happy, stress-free Christmas.

independently while taking part – in addition to the official charity partner.

Each year the event attracts Santas who walk, jog or run, alongside wheelchair participants, families, groups of friends, and colleagues. And not forgetting baby Santas in prams and even four-legged furry Santas.

Liverpool Santa Dash was created

by BTR Liverpool Race Director Alan Rothwell and was first staged in 2004.

The 1K Mini Dash for youngsters aged 12 and under was added in 2007, blue Santa suits were introduced in 2010.

It has continued each year including a virtual format in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic when mass participation events were not 158

permitted. This ensured participants could still get their Santa Dash fix wherever they were located – with everyone still receiving a medal to mark their achievement.

The festive spectacular celebrates its 20th milestone in 2023 – making it one of the longest established highlights in the Liverpool event calendar. And plans are already underway to make it the best yet.

BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell explained: “What an incredible day.

The Liverpool Santa Dash never fails to make people smile. Red or blue; young or old; babies in decorated prams; dressed up dogs – we even had Elf, The Grinch, Krampus, festive dinosaurs, and The Village People. It’s Santa Dash Day – anything goes!

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Director of Marketing Katherine Scott commented: “Park Christmas Savings is incredibly proud to support the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash 2022.

More than 50 years ago we started in Merseyside – and after all that time we’re still here. Today, we’re a national company, helping more than three million families save for Christmas over the years.

“This year’s event is supporting the amazing Alder Hey Children’s Charity. We see the vital work they do to support children and families, and seeing so many early birds turning out to raise money for the charity is just fantastic – our turkey mascot also had plenty of fun dashing with Santas on the day.”

Alder Hey Children’s Charity is raising funds towards the specialist hospital’s new £3million Surgical Neonatal Appeal to help develop a state-of-the-art unit for newborn babies and their families. The unique unit will be the first of its kind in the UK. www.lancmag.com

The unit is a joint project between Alder Hey and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust as the Liverpool Neonatal Partnership. It will offer 22 neonatal cots, including 18 individual family rooms where parents can remain alongside their poorly newborn 24 hours a day, whilst their baby receives expert care.

The Santa Dash entry fee covers all costs to organise and deliver the event including road closures, safety measures, Santa suits, medals, goody bags, and entertainment.

Entries for the 20th BTR Liverpool Santa Dash are open. For full details visit: www.btrliverpool.com/santadash-event D www.btrliverpool.com F BTR Liverpool F BTRLiverpoolSantaDash T @BTRLiverpool I @btrliverpool #BTRRaces #LiverpoolSantaDash #SantaDashDay

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 159

Ormskirk

By Sarah Ridgway

The market town of Ormskirk sits in the West Lancashire countryside between the cities of Liverpool and Preston. The name has old Nordic origins and derives from Ormres kirkja, Ormr is a male name that means serpent or dragon, while kirkja means church.

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he Scandinavian name suggests the Vikings might have settled there, as they arrived on the coast in the 9th century and could have made use of the disused Roman road to make their way to Ormskirk.

There is no mention of Ormskirk in the Domesday survey of 1086, but it was the administrative centre of the West Derby Hundred, which consisted of the six subdivisions of the historic country of Lancashire. The outdoor market is known for being one of the oldest in the UK and was granted a charter by King Edward I in 1286.

Today, the outdoor market operates every Thursday and Saturday with over 100 stalls on the pedestrianised streets around the town’s famous Clock Tower. The well-loved market offers a host of delicious local produce with fresh artisan bread, homemade pies, fish, meat, and vegetables. There are also vendors selling clothes, plants, flowers, and household goods. The town’s railway station was opened by the East Lancashire Railway Company in 1849 on the line that links Liverpool with Preston. In 1913 the line from Liverpool was electrified, but the line from Preston was not, so passengers wanting to go between the two cities will have to change trains to complete their trip. Ormskirk is a university town and home to Edge Hill University, which began as a college in 1885, and became a university in 2006.

The university has won many awards and was named Modern University of 160

2022 in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.

History of Ormskirk In the heart of the town centre stands the Clock Tower erected in 1876 on the site where the old market cross stood. Church Street leads to the parish church, and was where the original town hall, built in 1779 was located above a shop. Ormskirk’s church of St Peter and St Paul holds significant importance and is the oldest building in the town. The exact date it was built is not clear, but the oldest parts of the church date back to the 12th century and believed to have been a place of worship for over 1000 years. Over the last 800 years the church has been restored and expanded, and most of the church dates from the Victorian era. It is one of the only three in the country to have both a spire and a tower, and the only church in the country to have them both at the same end. During the Medieval period, the church had only had a spire; after the dissolution of the monastery at nearby Burscough Priory by Henry VIII, it was decided the priory’s bells should ring from the top of the parish church, and in 1540 a tower was added to house the new bells.

Many historic buildings dating back centuries are dotted throughout the town, including The Styles, an old stone house dating to 1609, and likely to be the oldest building after the church. Today The Styles operates as a licensed bar. Narrow alleyways and cobbled lanes add plenty of character, and the town’s historic lanes are full of shops and businesses.

The Church Walks Shopping Arcade is a stunning hidden shopping hub elegantly restored with a beautiful glass ceiling to let the light stream through. Burscough Street is one of

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the oldest streets, and is a narrow row lined with shops and was originally the main route through Ormskirk and the most direct route between Preston and Liverpool. This meant a lot of passing trade, so many locals set up businesses along this street. These popular travelling routes prompted the opening of a slew of coaching inns to accommodate travellers and provide them with a hot meal, The Buck i’th’ Vine Inn, built in the late 17th century, is still in operation today and has been lovingly restored as a pub.

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The Clock Tower in the centre of Ormskirk

A mural dedicated to Local clockmaker Thomas Barry can be seen on a Burscough Street building. Barry manufactured luxury Grandfather clocks, but in the mid-18th century, he designed a ground-breaking astronomical clock which tracked the path of the moon and was able to predict when Easter Sunday would fall each year. Many of Barry’s clocks were auctioned off but an Astronomical Clock from 1787 can be found on display at the Walker Gallery in Liverpool and is one of two surviving from only six produced by Thomas Barry. 

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The Church of St Peter and St Paul

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Liverpool Echo in 1952 after her very wealthy employer Ada Webster Barnes died, leaving Mary £100 in her will, which is the equivalent of almost £3000 today.

Gingerbread man in Ormskirk

On Saturday, May 5, around 6.45 pm, Mary walked home from the shop with the weekly takings of around £150 in a case, which today would be over £3,700. Mary usually walked home accompanied by Mrs Whitehouse, who lived above their sweetshop and looked out for the sisters but had gone to Southport that day.

Throughout the town, you will come across a variety of gingerbread statues, which pays tribute to Ormskirk’s wellrenowned gingerbread history, which began over 300 years ago and was a favourite treat of the King of England.

It is not clear how this Lancashire town became associated with gingerbread, though it’s believed to be by a traveller from France. In 1732 one of Ormskirk’s earliest gingerbread companies the well-loved Fyles Gingerbread was founded, and they and all the other gingerbread companies were run by women who would bake it at home.

Over the years, these entrepreneurial women became known around the country, and word spread in the late 18th century after they started selling their wares to passing people on Orton Street. When the railway station opened, the gingerbread ladies of the town took their delicious treats there, and in 1855 five women paid the East Lancashire Railway Company a sum of £20 per year to allow them to sell their gingerbread to the train passengers. One of the most wellknown gingerbread makers was Sarah Fyles, who took over the business that her great great grandmother had established. In the late 19th century, Sarah secured one of her most notable customers, Edward Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward VII. This member of the Royal family loved Sarah’s gingerbread so much that he would make regular orders, and sometimes when his train was enroute to Balmoral in Scotland, he 164

would request a stop at Ormskirk to get his gingerbread treat. The tradition has faded away but left a lasting effect and can still be purchased in shops throughout the town.

The Unsolved Murders of the Ormesher Sisters On May 6, 1956, the people of Ormskirk learned the shocking news of the brutal murder of elderly sisters.

Margaret and Mary Ormesher. The sisters had resided in the town all their lives and lived together in a 10room house called ‘IvyDene, on 8 Asmall Lane, with their black spaniel dog Trixie. Their two younger sisters, May, and Emily were married, and after their mother died in 1951, Mary and Margaret took over the family tobacconist and sweetshop. The unmarried sisters were in their late 60s and were the only surviving family members at the time of their deaths.

The sisters were said to go out of their way to help others, and Mary was affectionately known as Aunt Polly by customers. However, the sisters were frail and barely five feet tall living alone in a 10-bedroom house. They were also making a substantial amount of money, and rumours in the town suggested the pair had £3000 hidden away, which was a large fortune. At some point, the sisters had worked as servants, and the 1911 census showed Margaret worked for the Kelsall family.

Mary’s name gets mentioned in the

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Labourer John Wright, who lived on the same street as the sisters, remembered seeing Mary enter Ivydene at 6.45 pm but did not recall if she was carrying anything. Another neighbour, Mary Jane Sephton, said she saw Mary walk past her bedroom window between 10.10 pm and 10.25 pm carrying a brown case that had the shop’s takings inside. At 10.18 pm, a neighbour spotted a man across the road from the Ormersher house, and other neighbours heard noises, including raised male and female voices and breaking glass from IvyDeane. The following morning Mrs Whitehouse took a cup of tea to Mary at her shop on Church Street as she usually did but found it locked.

By 11 am, she had grown worried and made her way to Ivydene but received no answer after knocking on the door. With the help of neighbour Patrick Cummins, they walked to the back door and noticed a trail of blood.

Mr Cummins entered the property alone and found the sisters died on the kitchen floor. Their battered bodies lay in pools of blood, and they had been beaten to death with poker and candlesticks in an attack so violent, it left the items bent out of shape. Mary’s brown case was open, and the money with a ring and a watch were missing.

Only one solitary bloody fingerprint was found on a shard of broken glass.

A wide-scale manhunt was launched by the police but found nothing. The double murder brought mass media attention to Ormskirk, and every man over 18 in the town had their fingerprints taken. www.lancmag.com

The Ormskirk Comrades Cenotaph was unveiled by the 17th Earl of Derby on May 27, 1921

An 11-year-old boy called Barry Houghton, who lived opposite Ivydene, remembered seeing a man leaning against a blue bicycle for three nights in a row but noted he was not there on Saturday. This information made the front pages of local newspapers, and posters matching the description the boy had given were put up around the town. By May 11, police discovered that the sisters were running a moneylending business from their home after finding loan slips, which possibly gave a new motive. By September 1956, the police had taken 10,000 fingerprints with no matches. It was common knowledge that the thrifty sisters hoarded money and didn’t use a bank, and they had been robbed and killed for their fortune. The case remains open, but the brutal murders of Mary and Margaret Ormesher remains unsolved. 

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Rufford Old Hall, near Ormskirk

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Have a second date with Top TV Comic Jon Richardson!

Famous TV funny man Jon Richardson has announced an EXTRA DATE at Blackpool Grand as part of his latest sell-out tour due to popular demand!

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ook your seats now to chuckle and chortle to all the witty wisecracks from the magnificently mild-mannered comic in his knockout new stand-up show The Knitwit!

Will the recycling be put out on the right day? Who is going to smooth over the top of the margarine?

Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, as well as the host of his critically acclaimed solo show Ultimate Worrier, which sees Jon address anything and everything that worries him. Jon also starred in the hilarious sitcom Meet The Richardsons, written by Lucy Beaumont and Tim Reid.

How many lights are on upstairs when everybody is

Call the Box Office on 01253 290 190 or book online at

downstairs? Watch Jon Richardson pretend that these

BlackpoolGrand.co.uk

aren’t his foremost concerns as he leaves home on his first tour since the last one.

One of the most individual, accomplished and hilarious

Age Restriction: 14yrs+ (no one under this age will be permitted into the show, even with parental supervision).

stand-ups, Jon is best known as the team captain on 166

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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.

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.

Discover more about the new homes in Lancashire

Visit: redrow.co.uk/lancashire

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Family ties sees Pauline ‘up sticks’ to new Barrow home ‘HAPPILY RETIRED’ Pauline Whittle had lived in Rochdale for 52 years, but there was something missing… her family.

left: Pauline Whittle, who moved from Rochdale to Barrow to be closer to family

“I made the move from Rochdale to Barrow to be closer to my family,” said Pauline, who has recently moved into a new home at Redrow’s Oak Leigh Gardens development in the Lancashire village.

“So, I started to think about a new build as there would be nothing to worry about at my stage in life. All the appliances in the kitchen would be new, as would the boiler and the roof and everything else.”

“My daughter Jane, her husband and two boys moved to Clitheroe in 2021 as they had always loved the area.

On her search for a new build, Pauline visited Redrow’s Oak Leigh Gardens development in Barrow and viewed a bungalow as well as a three-bedroom semi-detached property called The Pine.

“Jane kept asking why didn’t I move nearer to them, so I decided to make the move. The benefits of lovely villages and places to eat in a rural setting was also hard to resist!”

Pauline, who had lived in a small, detached house for the past 15 years, started her search for a new home initially looking for a single-storey property.

“I looked at a bungalow on my daughter’s estate, but it was snapped up for cash,” she said.

“Then I looked at another bungalow which would have been a money pit, as it needed a lot of work doing to it.

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Oak Leigh Gardens, off Whalley Road, enjoys a ‘best of both worlds’ location. The village of Barrow is nestled between Pendle Hill and the Forest of Bowland. Its rural location has attracted commuters and young families, who want to be close to the countryside but also well connected.

“I had viewed a number of other housebuilder’s developments in the area, but I much preferred the Redrow style of house, and it was within my price bracket,” said Pauline.

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“People talk about ‘the feeling’ when they view a house and I definitely got that from The Pine.

“I loved every part of the property, but it was the size and layout of the kitchen/diner which really won me over. Plus, the good size garden area.

“I enjoy gardening so that was also another tick in the box,” she added.

The Pine boasts an open plan kitchen / dining area, separate lounge and cloakroom. While the Pine has now sold out, Redrow has three homes remaining for sale at Oak Leigh Gardens – a Stratford, a Cambridge and a Harrogate. Starting from £394,995 the Stratford boasts an open-plan kitchen / dining / family room to the rear with a separate lounge featuring a beautiful bay window to the front. Upstairs are four generous bedrooms, including main bedroom with ensuite and a family bathroom.

“The team at Redrow were fantastic from start to finish,” said Pauline.

“Dawn Morters in the sales office wasn’t pushy in any way and gave me confidence that Redrow would be right for me.

She supported me through a nightmare sale in Rochdale and liaised with solicitors on all sides.

“The site team are exceptional, there were a few snags which were soon attended to, and all the team are polite and respectful.

“You hear horror stories about not being able to resolve faults on new build estates but not with Redrow. The tradespeople have been excellent, and Martin and his team are a credit to Redrow.”

Since moving into her new home in August, Pauline has happily played host to a number of friends from Rochdale as well as her two grandsons Finley, 11 and Reuben, 4.

“My daughter is a nurse, so I am able to help her with childcare now,” said Pauline.

“The boys have their own rooms. Reuben in the smallest room but there is still plenty of room, I even have room in there for my own desk!

“I have had lots of visitors. I am very happy to show off my new house and garden, which I’ve spent a lot of time on.”

Situated just off the main A59 Preston Road, the homes are within easy reach of the M6 and M65; Clitheroe is less than three miles away and places like Blackburn, Burnley, Preston and even Manchester are all easily reached. Trains from nearby Whalley station connect to Blackburn in 15 minutes and direct to Manchester in just over an hour.

The sales centre at Oak Leigh Gardens is open from Thursday to Monday from 10am-5.30pm. Visit www.redrow.co.uk/oakleigh for more information or call 01254 865167

“Nothing has been too much trouble and the standard of the build is second to none, with finishing touches over and above expectations. www.lancmag.com

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Winter Care Regime for Windermere’s Historic Wooden Wonders Muriel II is lifted out of the water at Lakeside

Four historic wooden launches which have carried passengers on Windermere for over 70 years are undergoing essential work to preserve them for future generations.

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he vessels, the oldest of which dates back to 1936, have been lifted from the waters of England’s longest lake, for experts to carry out essential maintenance and treatment to protect them.

Without treatment, the historic vessels - Princess of the Lake, Queen of the Lake, Muriel II and Sunflower, would deteriorate. But the annual winter care programme keeps them in top condition for future visitors and tourists.

“If we did not do this extensive work there is a danger these old boats would, over time, just rot away,” explains Alex Williamson, a boat builder and maintenance manager

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with Windermere Lake Cruises.

The oldest of the traditional launches is Muriel II which was built in 1936.

The other three vessels all started service between 1949 and 1950.

Alex has been with the company and looked after its many historic vessels for 38 years.

“The first thing we do before they are taken out of the water is strip them down and remove everything that can be removed like seats and safety equipment.

“It’s a delicate job to crane them out of the water onto a trailer and then lift them onto cradles without causing any twisting or damage,” he says. “The Princess and Queen weigh 9 tonnes each and the smaller vessels weigh 6 tonnes each. They are put on a special trolley to support them.”

Bungs are removed from the bottom of the boats and they are meticulously cleaned. Propeller shafts are disconnected and removed.

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“When all the preparation is complete, we put a temporary building over them,” explains Alex.

“When they are all under cover we can put in heating and lighting and start the process of drying them out. That process will go on until Christmas.”

Once dried out, the vessels will undergo any repairs required and they will be painted to make sure they look perfect for next season’s influx of tourists and visitors.

“It’s hard work but essential,” says Alex. “The final thing we do is put on an oil-based wood preserver to make sure they are fully protected.”

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At the beginning of next year, the wooden vessels undergo an out of water inspection by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to check they are safe to return to the water and resume passenger cruises.

“It was an incredible operation and an honour to be involved in such an historic event,” he says. “Queen of the Lake was one of 670 boats in the flotilla and it’s something I will never forget.”

Alex says: “I get a great deal of satisfaction from looking after the boats and keeping them preserved and looking their best. We work in a wonderful part of the country with some of the best scenery you could wish for. When you see a group like a wedding party heading out onto Windermere in one of the boats it is a wonderful feeling.”

One of the highlights of Alex’s career with Windermere Lake Cruises came in June 2012, when he oversaw the plan to enable Queen of the Lake to take part in the historic Diamond Jubilee flotilla in London.

The 50ft vessel was transported by low-loader all the way from Windermere to the Thames and back. www.lancmag.com

Alex Williamson, Boat Builder and Maintenance Manager with Windermere Lake Cruises

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Vital Funding Secured for the ‘Discovery’ of North West’s Peatland Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Above: Black Moss credit - Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Peatlands across Lancashire, Cumbria and Greater Manchester will be identified and investigated thanks to thousands of pounds of ‘discovery’ funding from the Government’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme. This is the vital first stage in eventual restoration of these precious peatlands, bringing benefits to people, wildlife and helping to fight our climate emergency.

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owland peatlands only make up 14 per cent of the UK’s peat soils, however they account for 56 per cent of carbon emissions from peatlands - a staggering 9 million tonnes of CO2e per year. That’s equivalent to the emissions from over 1 million homes, or 2.4 coal fired power stations. However, many of our lowland peatlands are under private ownership, converted to agriculture, isolated, degraded and fragmented. This makes assessing these sites for potential restoration or alternative climatefriendly land management methods complex and time consuming.

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The Northern Lowland Peatland Coalition, made up of organisations including the Lancashire and Cumbria Peat Partnerships, the Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership and the National Trust, has secured £180,000 funding to identify and assess 600 hectares of lowland peatlands across the North West. The aim being to eventually restoring these rare habitats’ ability to help fight climate change and boost biodiversity.

Northern Lowland Peatland Coalition Co-ordinator, Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Sarah Johnson, said: “So many times, we are aware of peatland sites that could be restored or managed in a more climate-positive manner, but we simply don’t have the resources to put into identifying and assessing them to work up future restoration plans.

Whether these areas are surviving, but heavily degraded peatland, or intensively drained agricultural land, we know that they could be managed to benefit both nature and our climate – and this Discovery Grant funding will allow us to take the first steps towards this.” www.lancmag.com

their natural states, as they’ve been cut-over, converted to intensive agriculture, or afforested. By identifying and laying the groundwork for future restoration at these sites, we’ll be taking steps to rebuild more, better connected, precious peatland habitat throughout Cumbria and securing stores of carbon that are currently at risk.”

The aim of the ‘Discovery’ grant funding is to allow some, or all, of these sites to be put forward for future ‘Restoration’ funding, also provided through the Government’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme.

Planting 85,000 celery plugs on a re-wet peatland as part of a wetter farming trial Credit - Jenny Bennion,Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Digger working to re-wet an area of farmland Credit Jenny Bennion, Lancashire Wildlife Trust

In total 26 sites will be investigated, with the final reports produced in March 2023. The funding will support: • Landowner engagement Identifying and working with private landowners to explore the potential for future restoration of their peatlands.

• Feasibility studies undertaking ecological surveying of these sites to identify exactly how restoration could be achieved, including undertaking baseline monitoring to provide vital ‘before’ data.

• Whole farm assessments a number of farms which are sited on peat soils will take part in assessments to identify alternative land management methods, such as wetter farming practices which can protect the existing carbon in the peat, but still provide an income for farmers.

Red Moss, near Bolton, will benefit from ecological surveys Credit Jenny Bennion, Lancashire Wildlife Trust

• Contractor training peatland restoration is specialised work and currently there is a shortage of the skilled contractors required to undertake it, so training will be provided to upskill existing workers and provide future employment.

Sean Prokopiw, Peatland Officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “The award of the Discovery Grant funding allows us the exciting opportunity to assess the fragmented and relic lowland raised bog sites in Cumbria – these sites would otherwise go unassessed. They often still contain deep stores of peat, but are barely recognizable from www.lancmag.com

Restored lowland peatlands, such as Little Woolden Moss in Greater Manchester, can help fight climate change Credit Jenny Bennion Lancashire Wildlife Trust

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Southport Contemporary Arts ArtHouse, 65 Eastbank Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 1EJ

Neil works from photographs either supplied by the dog owner or offers photographic sessions of the dog with a view to obtaining a quality image of the subject for reference purpose.

Self-taught professional artist, Neil Prior from Ainsdale, who needs no introduction to the region, is making a welcome return to The ArtHouse in Southport as Artist of the Month (4th Feb – 4th March).

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lthough Neil’s output is all encompassing he is still probably best known locally for his realistic dog portraiture having now completed over 25 private commissions since arriving in the North West.

Unbelievably, Neil only began painting in 2008, after attending a one day workshop on how to paint in the Bob Ross Wet-on-Wet Oil Painting technique facilitated by Jayne Good which he quickly followed up with a further weekend course with professional Fine Artist, Mike Skidmore.

During the next decade, Neil developed his own personal style and techniques with oils, resulting in two solo exhibitions in 2017 and 2018 back in Hinckley, Leicestershire. His life-like portrait of ‘Kinta the Tiger’, which is currently on display at The Barrel House in Birkdale Village, admirably shows his impressive skill in articulating the animal form in oils.

Originally from Christchurch in Dorset, Neil recently moved into the area with his wife, Martha and their two Bedlington Terriers, Bruce and Herbert, who equally stepped into the limelight by making local news in 2019 due to eating palm oil that had washed up on Ainsdale Beach from the Maltese ship, Kimya, that capsized nearly 30 years ago after storms dislodged its toxic cargo.

Having retired from full service as a police officer with the Leicestershire constabulary in 2018, Neil has now finally swapped his truncheon for his paintbrush, and switched his life-long love of oil painting into a professional business as a full-time Dog Portrait artist.

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Artist of the Month - Neil Prior 4th Feb – 4th March 2023

“During my first solo exhibition in June 2017, I completed the portrait of the Malaysian Tiger and entitled it KINTA, which was an anagram of the exhibition venue (ATKIN’S BUILDING) and just happened to be the name of the river that runs through Malaysia where these beautiful animals are from.”

Over the years, Neil’s gregarious attitude to art has seen him expand his repertoire across a diverse range of subjects: “I started using oils in 2012 and offered bespoke commissions over a variety of subjects from landscapes, seascapes, portraiture, still life, wildlife and nature and lately, abstract works. I registered as a self employed business in November 2019 continuing to paint commissions and exhibit in local galleries. Since moving to Southport I have found an increase in the demand for Dog Portraiture and have been concentrating on this in my new home studio.”

Neil always enjoys pushing his painting skills to the limit to achieve as realistic an interpretation as possible.

He invariably breathes life into his paintings by first painting the eyes of each sitter believing that this then aids him building up and completing

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a more realistic representation: “I believe painting the eyes early on gives me a better understanding and feeling of the subject, almost an empathy with the animal.“ Future plans include taking exhibitions of his work further afield across the North West.

Always willing to share his talent, as part of this year’s Arts Trail in Southport, Neil ran an Open Studio/Exhibition in addition to facilitating an oil painting class for Art Students at Southport College.

As well as the original oils, Neil’s paintings will also be available as ink-jet printed giclée prints in various dimensions, both framed and unframed.

More of Neil’s work is available to view on Facebook via Neil Prior Artist and he can be contacted for commissions@neilprior.com Certainly not one to be missed, this latest showing by Neil will be on display at the ArtHouse, Eastbank Street, Southport from 4th Feb – 4th March 2023 The gallery is open Tuesday – Friday 10.00-15.00. Saturday 11.0016.00

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Therapy House and Dawn Attewell Aesthetics

- The Safety and Beauty Diamond Awards

Therapy House and Dawn Attewell Aesthetics had an amazing time attending The Safety and Beauty Diamond Awards in London to support Dawn Attewell with her nomination for Aesthetic Nurse of the Year.

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e were delighted as Dawn won Highly Commended Aesthetic Nurse of the Year, which is a great honour to celebrate all Dawns hard work and dedication to providing aesthetic excellence.

Dawn prides herself on delivering fantastic results however patient safety is her number one priority so to be recognised by the Safety and Beauty organisation is an amazing achievement.

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N 01253 725777 E info@therapyhouse.co.uk D www.therapyhouse.co.uk M 300 Clifton Drive South, St. Annes, FY8 1LH www.lancmag.com

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Hospitality & Tourism Representatives ‘Celebrated and Debated’ the Challenges and Opportunities Ahead Marketing Lancashire gathered over 100 representatives from Lancashire’s food, hospitality and tourism industry gathered at Holmes Mill, Clitheroe this week to talk about the challenges facing businesses and to inspire debate about the future.

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he conference was a follow-up to the hugely successful events held in 2017 and 2019. It sets out to celebrate, inform and inspire healthy debate amongst the county’s successful and growing food and drink sector; with particular emphasis on boosting the county’s millions of visitors with more gourmet travellers and food lovers.

Hairy Biker, Si King whose Lancashire tour in 2021 for “Hairy Bikers Go North’ catapulted to fame several Lancashire food producers, sat on one of the expert panels which were chaired by BBC Radio 4’s Caz Graham also included Oli Martin, Chef, and figures from Goosnargh Gin, the Cartford Inn and Bowland & Bay. Paul Hargreaves, CEO of wholesaler Cotswold Fayre and renowned business author delivered the keynote speech, with speakers from VisitBritain/VisitEngland sharing insights into world perceptions of British food & drink and best practice when hosting international visitors.

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The event, which was funded by the Lancashire County Council Rural Recovery Fund showcased some of the county’s finest producers so that delegates could taste and learn more about their products, with a view to establishing new relationships and encouraging new contracts and supplier agreements.

Rachel McQueen, chief executive of Marketing Lancashire, said: “This was a packed event illustrating some of our amazing producer’s food, creativity and innovation which makes the county so special and puts us firmly on the gastronomic map.

“The speakers debated the challenges, what support is out there for producers, upcoming food trends and offered practical advice and inspiration to guests.”

Above: Hairy Biker Si King joins expert panel at inspirational TASTE Lancashire conference

and expectations of consumers, being a better business and how, in these uncertain times, we can market more Lancashire produce overseas.

Celia Gaze, Founder & CEO of the Wellbeing Farm, a panellist at the event, said: “I was so proud to be a panellist and to call Lancashire home at such an important showcase for the food and drink and hospitality industry.

“The event was full of inspiration, great speakers, opportunities and optimism! The networking, collaboration, ideas, future trends and the amazing food and drink provided at Holmes Mill made for a truly brilliant event.”.

Experts from the Department for International Trade, Lancaster University, National Farmers’ Union and Booths also contributed to a wide-ranging discussion on hot topics related to food & drink; from farm to fork production, the changing tastes

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

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SOCIAL SUPERMARKET BAGS FUNDING FROM REDROW A CONGLETON charity that ensures everyone in the community has access to food has received funding for a months’ supply from Redrow

left and Above: Sean Thomson from The Green Treehouse and Redrow’s Gabriella Agnello The Green Treehouse Charity aims to support local community members to eat well on a very tight budget. They received £615 from the housebuilder that has been used to purchase a pallet of food from His Church and a large food shop from a high street supermarket.

The charity, set up in 2014, provides members with a wide variety of nutritious foods including milk, bread, cheese and eggs. They purchase food from Fareshare each week as well as local supermarkets.

Sean Thomson, treasurer at The Green Treehouse Charity, said: “The social supermarket is an essential project in the community, people rely on us. Over the last few months, the cost of living crisis has meant we have had a 48% increase in people coming through our doors so the donation will mean we can continue to support our families for another month and in the run up to Christmas.”

The food pallet alone will support around 50-60 families a week for a whole month.

The charity was originally set up as a support group prior to the pandemic and, in 2020, the supermarket was established to support families struggling with food poverty. Members can choose ten items of food, essential household goods and toiletries for £5.

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Sean continues: “Not only does the charity provide food, but it also motivates members to gain the skills needed to change their situations, with the long term aim of stopping them needing third party support.”

This is done through projects such as cooking classes, teaching members nutritional information and how to eat well on a budget.

Amanda Hollins, area sales manager for Redrow NW, said: “The Green Treehouse is a wonderful charity that helps those most in need in the Congleton community. The fact that more and more families are struggling to buy food due to the cost of living crisis, means the work the charity does is crucial and I’m really pleased we could support them through our community fund.”

The community fund is linked to Redrow’s Round Hill Gardens development, off Manchester Road.

The development is split into two phases – Blossoms and Woodlands.

For more information about The Green Treehouse call 01782 852131 or email tgthfoodclub@gmail.com www.lancmag.com

Otter Spotting On The Rise Otter sightings are on the increase on Lancashire’s rivers. Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Alan Wright heads out spotting these characters of the mammal world – sometimes quite far from home.

I have recently holidayed in Devon, close to a busy flowing river, where otters flourish, according to the local tourist bumf.

heavily protected against hunting and other barbaric practices.

W

Fishermen aren’t keen on otters, but anglers are never really keen on birds and beasts who are actually better at fishing than they are. Otters are experts in finding fish, eels, amphibians and crustaceans.

In fact, last spring I was out with friends looking for the rare belted kingfisher that paid us a visit for some months. We paid a visit to Roach Bridge on a popular spotting area overlooking the Ribble.

They need to be powerful to manoeuvre so superbly in the water.

They have grey-brown fur, with a pale chest and throat and a broad snout, a much larger face than mink. They have warm, dense coats and webbed feet.

hile I did see dippers, I saw no otters so I returned to Lancashire confident I would see these lithe and skilled mammals here.

As we looked through our binoculars for the elusive bird, an otter appeared in the river. I was totally overwhelmed with excitement. I whispered: “Look an otter!”

Their reply was: “We have come to see the kingfisher?” How can anyone not be delighted to see an otter?

I spent one summer searching secret parts of a local park, after my colleague found droppings or “spraints” on a river bank. Spraints are scented messages to attract mates or warn others to stay out. They contain visible fish bones and have a distinctive, pleasant smell, reminiscent of jasmine tea.

It was the first time I have seen an otter in England. I did once spot one on the side of a loch in Scotland, but this was a real moment for me. I watched this swimming champion of the animal Olympics, splashing around in the Ribble for ages. What a thrill.

We also saw one five-toed footprint and set up motion-sensitive cameras, but to no avail. No movement here.

Otters have also been regularly spotted at our Brockholes Nature Reserve. In fact, two years ago a family moved in for a while, which was lovely.

Otters are large mammals and can reach up to a metre in length and weigh around 8kg, the weight of a terrier. They live up to 10 years and are

Otters actually have their cubs in underground burrows, known as holts. The young are in the water by 10 weeks of age.

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While we have had these great characters in rivers like the Lune and Ribble over the years, they are starting to move downstream and spread their territories. They require clean rivers, with an abundant source of food and plenty of vegetation as cover.

My otter experience was thrilling and I do hope to have more, perhaps at Brockholes. The increase in sightings can only be good news.

www.lancmag.com

Photo: Otter on the River Lune by LWT

Photo: Otter family at Brockholes by Helen Earnshaw

Photo: Brockholes nature reserve by Alan Wright

The Wildlife Trusts 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 30,000 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

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Hedgerow Luxury Glamping: A Family Affair

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edgerow Luxury Glamping sits on a family run dairy farm, covering 200 acres of breathtaking land with views over the Ribble Valley and Pendle Hill.

With 130 Holstein cows to milk twice a day, and various ages of calves and young cows, Hilary, Mark and their sons are kept busy!

The farm has been in the family since 1952, and was rented from a local cement company with the intention of being a quarry.

In 2017 the cement company deemed quarrying not cost-efficient, and the family took the opportunity to buy the farm.

We first put forward the Glamping idea in 2014 to our landlord who approved the idea. But due to a busy family life and work on the farm, the idea never started but the dream stopped with us.

After buying the farm on Christmas Eve 2017, we knew that diversification was the only way to support the farm financially. Our Glamping dream started to become a reality. In late 2018 planning permission went in and was passed early 2019.

We quickly started the process of getting the land ready for the luxury glamping pods to be installed, with water, electricity, WiFi etc. going in to the site.

We opened Hedgerow Luxury Glamping in late 2019 and had an amazing first few months, but after 28 weeks the Covid-19 pandemic hit us. We were open and closed throughout 2020 and early 2021 in line with government lockdowns and we reopened in April 2021 to a fully-booked Summer!

When you visit us at Hedgerow we want you to feel truly relaxed, surrounded by nature and able to get away from the rest of the world.

Our glamping five star gold AA credited site is surrounded by lush fields and meadows, hedgerows (of course!) and idyllic country lanes.

We are off grid with solar and wind turbines and work with the green tourism.

Onsite we are always innovating, adding new features to the glamping site to make sure your stay is as special as possible.

We’ve created a glamping site that allows you to get back to nature without sacrificing your home comforts. Our pods are surrounded by lush fields, and the wildflowers will be blooming this year! We are also an adults ony site with no pets allowed.

From your bedroom window, you might spot our alpacas in the next field, and you can pick your own eggs from the hens onsite. If you’ve forgotten any essentials, pop into the honesty-box store.

No one will bat an eyelid if you pop over in your PJs!

D hedgerowluxuryglamping.com | N 07828311422

Blackpool Sea Cadets T.S. Penelope, Bispham

By Don Clapham

Blackpool Councillor Don Clapham was contacted by Mr Lee Burrell representing Blackpool Sea Cadets in Bispham, Blackpool, who said that there was a large tree growing at the end of Cavendish Road’s back alley, which had demolished the boundary wall.

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he obvious solution was to fell the tree, so Councillor Paul Wilshaw, spoke to neighbours, who agreed that the tree must go.

Nick Homer, Operations Coordinator from Enveco, organised a team to do the work, and a favourable price was agreed, so Don and Paul applied for funding from the Bispham Ward Fund.

A three-man team removed the tree on the 2nd December 2022, and a local builder will re-build the wall.

A successful job well done, supporting the Bispham Community.

Many thanks to Enveco and their excellent team.

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Denise Mullen is a journalist, columnist, writer and entrepreneur.

M&S or S&M

By Denise Mullen

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any of us enjoy ‘a posh do’. Me too, it’s just that I loathe shopping. However, I did make an effort.

Spangly frock – check. Hair and makeup – check.

Unfathomable undergarment recommended by a friend (a sort of fabric restraining order for your wobbly bits) – check.

Ladies of a certain age will know all about this sort of thing I’m sure. Many of us have no doubt ventured forth in these little numbers. For me it was a journey of discovery. I’ve discovered that, well, I’m just not cut out for this level of dedication nor, frankly, husbandly derision.

The idea is that this aggressive elastic ‘slip’ irons out everything lumpy beneath it offering a smooth silhouette. I was the offending item beneath and, in fairness, it did.

I wouldn’t call it a ‘slip’ though. It reminded me of being really little and trying to dress myself, mistakenly getting lost up a very hot and very woolly sleeve I thought was the neck hole and having a panic attack when I couldn’t find my way out.

However.

The slip. I got it on, slipped the dress on over my head and wandered over to the stairs for my fabulous entrance (ok only to our hallway, but still).

Trouble is that the elasticity was of monumental pingy-ness.

Fair play, it had a lot to contain, but actual leg movement, I hadn’t considered, might be one of them.

See, the thing came down to my knees. So, trying to negotiate the stairs was in no way elegant. In fact, I nearly didn’t make it. Every time I stretched a leg out, it was whipped back smartly into place. Basically I was walking like a Penguin.

Having traversed across the staircase, grunting as I went, I was on terra firma and taking my small Penguin steps on the flat, that all seemed ok. Until we got to my husband’s vehicle.

He had gallantly offered to drive and dutifully told me I looked ‘very nice’.

He has a 4x4. It’s very high up. Basically, I couldn’t raise my elastically-challenged leg high enough to get it over the threshold of the passenger side’s door.

I gave it another two or three goes – by which time husband’s shoulders are shaking suspiciously and there are a series of snorts coming from his direction.

‘Would you like my mum’s hop up?’ he asks.

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His mum is 94. She goes to the shops on a mobility scooter and still has a Honda Jazz. The Honda is 16 years old and has done 12,000 miles. Johnny had to replace the tyres recently – the tread was great, but the rubber had perished. She is also around 4ft 11 tall.

Johnny has a little folding step he’s kept in his truck to enable access for said elderly lady.

‘No!’ I roar, ‘I can do this’. Just an aside, all those Hollywood ladies wear this stuff, how come they can get in and out of limos and look elegant. Must be some sort of designers-only vent arrangement.

If M&S did S&M… actually I think they do, and this is it.

I still can’t decide where this fresh hell has its roots, but it won’t be earning a place back in any drawer of mine post posh do. True my stomach looks flatter and my backside is behaving, but my eventual heaving and sweating ‘plonking’ onto the seat hasn’t done my ‘look’ any favours.

On arrival I slither out, legs stretched straight. Getting out is a synch. I sort of ‘surfed’ out.

Having had a couple of scoops I shimmied my way over to the powder room where I would experience yet another challenge. The thing shot up my thighs, wrapping most of the skirt of the dress with it, in a sort of roller-blind manoeuvre.

Fifteen minutes later, having sorted everything including dragging the demonic elastic back down over my knees, I arrived to a perplexed husband.

I could see him thinking – but not daring to offer – ‘I thought you’d gone to freshen up.’

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YEARS 19 8 7 - 2

Redrow Helps To Fund Warrington Pupils’ Trip Of A Lifetime FIVE friends will be travelling over 4,000 miles on a charity expedition to Tanzania.

Above: Pictured with Redrow’s Rob McCann LtoR Jake Cooke, George Coulter, Jonathan Povey and Tom O’Mahoney.

The Sandymoor High School pupils will be travelling to Tanzania next summer on a community service expedition with Camps International.

Jake Cooke, Jonathan Povey, Tom O’Mahoney, George Coulter and Jacob Ahern, all aged 14, will spend four weeks helping to support communities with infrastructure, sustainable living and wildlife management.

The year ten pupils needed to raise £4,000 each to take part in the ‘trip of a lifetime’ and have been fundraising for months.

Redrow donated £2,100 towards the trip, as part of its Daresbury Community Fund, which shared £10,000 between groups, charities and schools in the area, linked to its latest development Daresbury Garden Village.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to Redrow for this donation towards our trip,” said Tom O’Mahoney. “We are extremely enthusiastic about this experience and are looking forward to 190

challenging ourselves.

Not only will this be a trip of a lifetime for the boys and give them a huge opportunity to make a difference, but it also teaches them how to raise funds, organise fundraising events and sharing their fundraising stories with members of the public.”

“We are also aware that we will see and experience a different culture that could at sometimes be enlightening and we will be pushed out of our comfort zone.

Hopefully, we will have a positive impact on a small portion of this incredible country as well as it having a lifechanging influence on us.”

Anna Evans-Kerr, sales director at Redrow NW said: “Our community fund was set up to offer support to groups within the Daresbury area and we couldn’t be happier to be helping towards this trip of a lifetime. We wish them every success for the challenge ahead.”

Whilst on their trip the friends will also be learning to establish ethical animal deterrents, as well as hiking up Mount Meru in the Kilimanjaro National Park.

The first phase of Daresbury Garden Village has been named Gleaves View, a reference to the grade II listed George Gleaves Bridge, one of several bridges that cross the Bridgewater Canal nearby.

“Since accepting this challenge we have been very busy working together to raise funds for the tip,” said Tom. “We’ve been selling homemade fudge at events, dog sitting, and helping out at a local sports club and providing leaflet drops to local businesses. We also completed a static-cycleathon in the town centre along with monthly carwash mornings.”

Richard O’Mahoney, Tom’s father added: “We are all very proud parents.

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The homes featured in this first phase are all detached and offer a mix of three, four and five-bedroom accommodation.

To find out more about Daresbury Garden Village visit www.redrow. co.uk/daresbury To donate or follow the group’s Tanzania trip visit https://www. facebook.com/people/Five-Lads-toTanzania/100086502187618/ www.lancmag.com

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Grand Theatre Employee Dances Into the Panto Spotlight Christmas came early for one Blackpool Grand Theatre staff member as he stepped up to join the famous Sleeping Beauty pantomime cast!

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enny Ryan, aged 18, is a member of the Grand Theatre’s busy front of house team and was more than happy to swap his usher’s torch for the spotlight and dance onto the famous stage for the performances on Thursday 22 December when there was a sudden cast opening!

The smash-hit pantomime’s Prince Philip, Josh Belward, was taken ill with a nasty winter bug and it was

all hands on deck from the Grand Theatre team! Accomplished actor Tomas Alsop stepped up from the talented dancers’ troupe to star as the dashing Prince, while trained dancer Lenny happily slipped into Tom’s dancing shoes! After all, the show must go on…

Local resident Lenny learned his craft at the renowned Barbara Jackson School of Dance and has been watching the smash-hit family show every day since it opened in December to rave reviews. Lenny said: “I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and so pleased to be performing in my hometown - my favourite place!”

Adam Knight, Grand Theatre Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted for Lenny and the opportunity that has presented itself. To have such talent waiting in our own wings shows the aspiring talent of our team members.”

Visit BlackpoolGrand.co.uk or call 01253 290190 for bookings and further information.

Below: Lenny Ryan at Blackpool Grand Theatre stage door Right: Tomas Alsop as Prince Philip along with Sleeping Beauty

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Where There’s Muck, There’s Bras:

Ladies That Dig 2023 Northern Theatre Tour About how the Ladies That… team decided to turn their attention this time to digging, Director Kirstie Davis says “We were on Zoom during the pandemic and realised that everyone was finding the outside spaces in their lives more and more important – this sudden focus on being in nature and gardening made us want to explore the topic more” About her own relationship with gardening, actor Lisa Howard says: “Gardening and being outdoors are two of my favourite things. I find the act of sowing, tending and nurturing plants calming and full of hope (except when they die or some pest eats them all!). There’s nothing quite like eating the produce of your own hard work and care.”

Ladies That Dig is a new comedy drama with original music about the great outdoors and the people who enjoy it. It’s about friendship and green fingers, isolation and community, nature, nurture and ultimately what it means to ‘grow’…

A

fertile blend of live music and inter-twining tales from women who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Collected from interviews, the play is based on true life stories from Allotmenteers, Metal Detectorists, Archaeologists, Grave Diggers, Forensic Anthropologists and people who just love to garden. Ladies That Dig uncovers stories where budding love blossoms, hidden roots are unearthed, buried secrets revealed and golden treasures discovered.

Ladies That Dig is the creation of the “Ladies That…”

Company. Their previous production, Ladies That Bus, toured to sold out venues in 2020. The company includes actor and composer Helen Longworth (Hannah Riley in Radio 4’s The Archers); director Kirstie Davis (Robin Hood, The Dukes, Lancaster); writer and actor Joyce Branagh (Boomtown Gals – winner Best Performance at Manchester Theatre awards); actor Lisa Howard (House With Chicken Legs, Les Enfants Terribles and HOME Mcr); and actor Riana Duce (Dracula: The Untold Story, imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse). The play will tour to The Dukes, Lancaster (9-11 Feb); Cast in Doncaster (14 Feb); Hull Truck (15 Feb); The Edge, Chorlton (16-18 Feb); Theatre by the Lake, Keswick (21 Feb); Oldham Coliseum Theatre (2223 Feb); Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield (24 Feb); York Theatre Royal (25 Feb); Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven (28 Feb) and Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal (8-9 March), with other rural touring dates to be announced.

As with Ladies That Bus, the team interviewed 280 people who “digged”. Kirstie continues “Originally we met with allotmenteers and gardeners and then it expanded to include archaeologists and metal detectorists. In fact, since we first met them, one of the detectorists we interviewed has since made a huge find of international significance, which will now be in the play!”

Actor Riana Duce says: “What started as a conversation about how the great outdoors has saved us all these past couple of years, turned into a much deeper look at legacy and what we leave behind via the many ways a person can “dig.” I’m so excited to share the thoughts of all the brilliant people we met with our audiences!”

Writer Joyce Branagh says that “the process of writing the play has been about gathering all the interviews, mashing it all together and telling a fictional story which, although it starts with literal ‘digging,’ is about all the other things these wonderful people told us – love and loss and family, and friendship – and (I hope), all that has come together into this funny, moving, life-affirming piece of theatre.”

Composer Helen Longworth has been tasked with creating the music for the piece. She says: “From the stories we heard, some everyday and some extraordinary, we have created an interwoven piece which moves through time and finds commonality between women of really varied types and backgrounds. As composer I have been so excited to create music out of these real stories and had no idea until we had gathered the stories, what the style of the music would be. The style has been completely dictated by real people and my response to what they have shared with us. I am especially excited to work with a hugely talented team of creatives to bring this play to life and then tour it back to the people who helped us create it.”

For more information about the show, or to book tickets audiences can go to any of the tour venues listed above or ladiesthatdig.co.uk

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“Our aim, through the creativity of our kitchen designers and their ability to bring out the best in our client’s ideas is to create the most imaginative and workable kitchens from the canvas supplied.”

When Does Use Become Abuse With Horses?

Complex question tackled by world-class gathering World Horse Welfare around the world. Mark Wentein, Chair of the European Horse Network, began with an exploration of the roles of the more than seven million equids in Europe. He highlighted the Bruges horse cab service as an example where welfare of the horses has been central to the industry’s development. “Horses have a long tradition in working, but there hasn’t always been a good reputation on welfare, however, much has changed with new regulations and new ways of operating” he said. “Today there is a professional cab service for Bruges tourists. These are supervised by city and official vets and are advised by animal welfare groups.”

Society’s values are changing, animal welfare is becoming an ever-higher priority and some aspects of the horse/human relationship have recently come under the spotlight.

Trying to identify and defining where use of horses becomes abuse were just some of the themes explored at World Horse Welfare’s 25th conference held at the Royal Geographical Society in London recently and broadcast virtually worldwide..

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oly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare introduced a thought-provoking and fascinating series of talks by international speakers: “Society is increasingly suspicious of traditional uses of animals and, thanks to science, 198

we know more especially about what horses need and how what we do impacts on them.” he said.

“Today our focus is on leading the debate on what can be done to establish an even stronger horse/ human relationship, and a fairer partnership. This applies to all the horses we help – be they horses in need, sport and leisure horses or horses used in work and production.”

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, World Horse Welfare President and participant at all 25 of the charity’s conferences, summed up the event by highlighting the complexity of the topic, but also reminded the audience that horses and humans had been together for thousands of years, and horses have been bred during that time to exist with us, working together.

The first session illustrated the diverse range of uses that horses have

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Tamara Tadich, Associate Professor at Universidad Austral de Chile examined working horses and their relationship with the many millions of people globally who rely on them.

Despite many peoples’ assumptions, Tamara said: “Most working equid caretakers are aware of their equid’s needs. They try their best to keep their working animals in the best condition that they can. If they don’t have a horse, they cannot work. Most owners understand that they need an equid in good welfare to work and maintain their livelihood. And most consider their horses as part of the family so they don’t want their animals in bad condition and that is also something that we need to acknowledge.” She also pointed out that the welfare of working equids and their caretakers are interlinked and animal welfare cannot be considered on its own or from a single point of view. Tamara also pointed out that, despite not being explicitly identified in any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, working horses are integral to at least six of them. www.lancmag.com

about what are cats’ needs and what are human needs” A discussion panel consisting of Dr Sarah Coombs, Vet and World Horse Welfare Trustee; Dr Amber Batson, Vet; Professor Christine Middlemiss MRCVS, Chief Veterinary Officer; Bluebell Brown, Royal Veterinary College and Lee Mottershead, Senior Writer, Racing Post and chaired by Nick Powell, Sports Editor, Sky News considered a number of questions with wide-ranging discussions touching on all the topics raised during the morning’s talks. Bluebell Brown brought the discussions together by saying: “We need to come together and collaborate as an industry, but also listen to outside views as well and take these onboard and keep doing the research” Summing up the conference, Roly Owers acknowledged that this is a complex topic and that there are no clearcut answers: less black and white but more shades of grey. Traditional equestrian practices had been mentioned several times and Roly cautioned: “We shouldn’t always think that tradition is bad and new fads are good, it is not that simple…but we need to invest in the research and we do need to be open-minded, to challenge the status quo and where change needs to be made, we make it.”

World Horse Welfare would like to thank the headline sponsor of the Conference, The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust, and the event’s other supporters, the Horseracing Betting Levy Board and Equine Register for their pivotal involvement in helping make the Conference possible.

Matt Brown, US five-star eventer, tackled an area that may be more familiar to many in the audience: training and riding horses for sport and leisure. He likened the current social licence movement in horse sport to the #MeToo movement: “Things that used to be common practice and done in a not-so-secret way, maybe behind closed doors or behind the barn are not acceptable anymore. Instead of trying to defend some of those common practices, we need to do better for the horses. We need to be willing to call out that behaviour when we see it”

The conference was also broadcast with Spanish and French subtitles and the entire conference will be available online to watch at any time at: www.worldhorsewelfare.org/about-us/our-organisation/ our-conference

After the morning break, two talks from outside the equestrian world gave a different perspective and proved food for thought. Lee Cain, Founder of Charlesbye Strategy and previously Director of Communications at No. 10 Downing Street for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, emphasised the importance of understanding what the wider public believes: “If you are going to change public opinion you need to understand other things to begin with.

You need to use research, where are they on your particular issue and think critically, why do they think that?” Referring to social licence and equestrianism he said: “You can either shy away from these issues or turn these risks into opportunities.”

Claire Bessant, former CEO of International Cat Care then explored use versus abuse in a different species. With some species-specific differences there was a significant overlap in issues and perception and Claire pointed at the tendency to anthropomorphise animals: “People want to cuddle with their pets, even if their pets don’t want it. It’s not the cat’s choice to be a pet, it’s our choice. We need to be honest www.lancmag.com

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HOW DUST CAN MAKE US ILL

By Airborne Allergens Expert, Max Wiseberg

www.haymax.biz • Damp dust surfaces and vacuum regularly, including fabrics and upholstery. It may also be beneficial to install ‘Allergy Friendly’ flooring.

• Consider using an air filter/purifier with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Arresting) filter to capture the dust particles and circulate the air.

• Use allergy friendly mattress covers and bedding. Keep cuddly toys and blankets in a cupboard to prevent the build-up of allergens on them.

• Don’t dry clothes inside over a radiator as this increases the humidity in your home and can result in mould, which releases tiny spores into the air that you breathe. Mould and dust mites thrive in moist environments. Keep the humidity in your house between 40% and 20% to control allergens.

Many people may be unaware that their autumn sneezes may be down to a dust mite allergy. This allergy is in fact a reaction to proteins in the excretion of the dust mites. Yes, that’s right, you’re allergic to dust mite poo!

A

ll homes in the UK have dust mites, but due to their tiny size, around 0.25mm, and translucent bodies, they are almost invisible to the naked eye.

But don’t worry – unless you have a dust mite allergy, they are harmless. When the allergenic proteins are breathed in or make contact with the skin of an allergic person, their body reacts with symptoms – wheezing, sneezing, runny nose and soreness and redness of the skin and eyes.

minimise the allergens around you and getting in your body. Here are some simple, easy to implement tips: • Use an organic, drug-free allergen barrier balm such as HayMax, applied to the nostrils and bones of the eyes in the morning and throughout the day.

HayMax is proven to trap dust allergens (as well as pet allergens and over a third of pollen particles) before they enter the body, where they can cause symptoms[1]. Less pollen, less reaction!

• Keep pets off sofas and beds (and out of the bedroom altogether if possible).

• Be careful when using harsh chemicals for cleaning. The fumes can exacerbate breathing problems (a common trigger for asthma) and cause skin irritation.

• You could also try using a saline nasal rinse, antihistamines which are available over the counter as well as on prescription, a steroid nasal spray or eye drops.

And if this is not enough try combining products and create your own dust allergy first aid kit. One or more natural product, such as an allergen barrier balm, one antihistamine, one nasal spray and eye drops.

Dust mites thrive in warm humid environments, our beds being one of their favourite spots. We spend about a third of our day in bed, shedding skin cells and creating moisture with our breath and bodies which the microscopic mites need to live on.

So what can we do to help? Well if there’s less allergen, there’s less reaction. What this means is that prevention is key with allergies. No home is 100% allergen free, but there are some simple ways to REFERENCE: [1] Chief Investigator: Professor Roy Kennedy, Principal Investigator: Louise Robertson, Researcher: Dr Mary Lewis, National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit, 1st February 2012.

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For a wide selection of plant based dishes in beautiful surroundings, visit us at Whins Green Kitchen, Wheelton, Chorley, Lancashire.

Tel 01254 958311 for reservations or book online at

www.whinsgreenkitchen.co.uk

Smaller Homes Pack Lots of Punch FOR those that don’t want a house that comes with a whole lot of space, Redrow has just the solution in Leyland.

left: The Ledbury Not everyone wants or needs a home with numerous bedrooms or areas to relax in. Wanting to cut down on rooms to keep clean or not using a house to its full potential could be the reason behind wanting a smaller home.

If that sounds familiar, there is a selection of homes at Worden Gardens in Leyland that are just the fit.

Depending on whether two bedrooms suit or three, Worden Gardens is home to The Ledbury and The Alton.

The Ledbury comes as either a two or three-bedroom mews home that starts from £189,995. It revolutionizes the traditional two up, two down and even though it is a smaller property, rooms are still spacious and come with modern essentials.

Downstairs there is a handy cloakroom, good-sized lounge and a separate kitchen and dining area that open out onto a private garden. Upstairs, the two-bed style gives owners two double bedrooms that each come with their own en-suite.

The three-bed version still offers an en-suite to the main bedroom while the other bedrooms share a family bathroom.

Sian Pitt, sales director at Redrow Lancashire said: “They say the best things come in small packages and this is certainly 202

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true for the Ledbury. This property is ideal for friends who share a home, or someone that lives alone but likes to offer guests their own room and bathroom when they stay.”

The two-bedroom Alton starts from £149,995. The apartments offer ample space, two double bedrooms and from the outside, they offer all the usual charm that Redrow’s Heritage Collection homes are renowned for; with four apartments arranged in what could easily be mistaken from the outside for a semi-detached house.

“The interior layouts of the apartments are cleverly designed to maximise space and flexibility and the high specification design gives them a premium lifestyle feel,” adds Sian. “With an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area there’s plenty of space for single homeowners, couples or friends sharing and the ground floor apartments come with their own private rear garden so buyers will have their own space to relax in outside too.”

What’s more is these homes are available to move in to as soon as February.

To find out more, visit www.redrow.co.uk/wordengardens or speak to the sales team on 01257 581698. www.lancmag.com

New For Spring ‘23 Tailoring By...

Baldessarini & Remus Uomo

By Paul Cusimano

The rivalry between Lancaster and Morecambe is akin to that of a football derby. Yet, the reality is, they do not compete with each other, rather they complement each other.

Modern day Lancaster is a compact Georgian City, whose heritage dates back to the Roman times.

Morecambe grew as a seaside resort during the Victorian era. Four miles separate the contrasting towns that all fall under the jurisdiction of Lancaster City Council.

M

orecambe was a bustling town that, like many British seaside resorts, hit hard times in the nineteen eighties. Cheap foreign package holidays offered guaranteed sun and new cultural experiences for the masses. Was this ‘good night’ for Morecambe.

For a couple of decades, it would be fair to say that, the town struggled to reinvent itself. However, one thing the economic down turn could not take away was its stunning views; Morecambe Bay’s sunset ranks in the top 3 in Europe !

By the mid noughties, private sector individuals and businesses seized

Miles Of Beautiful Beaches

on the opportunity to invest in bargain priced properties boasting incredible views. Meanwhile, the Local Authority’s ‘Regeneration Department’ got to work securing tens of millions of pounds for the regeneration of areas of the town that had seen better days.

The Art Deco ‘Midland Hotel’ 2022

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European funding contributed to the extensive promenade and flood defence works which has further enhanced the seafront. The promenade meanders for four miles through to Heysham village, and whatever the weather, the vista is quite breathtaking.

Midway along the promenade is the iconic art deco hotel, The Midland.

It was purchased in 2006 and underwent two years of renovation works and now stands as a proud example of a classic, with a subtle

The Midlands Stunning Staircase

www.lancmag.com

twist of contemporary, overlooking the bay.

landmark

Another seafront hotel to undergo huge investment is the Lothersdale Hotel, perfect for romantic getaways or big celebrations. Its bar, the ‘Aspect Bar & Bistro’, is a local favourite Eden Escapes Serviced Apartments

with its three-sided glass balustrade balcony occupied most of the year round.

Right next door to the Lothersdale Hotel is the fabulous ‘Eden Escapes’.

A former small hotel that has been converted into four beautiful serviced apartments, each designed to take full advantage of the Bay views.

Further along the front is one of its sister businesses, ‘Eden Retreats’.

Chatwin said Morecambe Bay was “a uniquely beautiful location” and the new buildings had been designed “to complement and enhance that”.

Morecambe was considered by many as the discerning persons Blackpool; more compact and less ‘party’. The revered views are the foundations, and set the standards, for everything that is emerging. Morecambe already has well established annual events, such as the ‘Vintage by the Sea’ festival, but new for 2023 is the ‘Baylight’ festival.

Before I go head on into this great new event, I feel that it is important to understand where this has come from.

The ‘Morecambe Illuminations’ went out some years ago. Over recent years there has been a call for their return.

Some wanting the nostalgic look of years gone by, whilst others arguing that a modern take was the way forward. This resulted in a number of interested parties coming together, and things have most definitely happened.

For Christmas 2021, and for the first time in two decades, there were stunning light ‘cones’ along the coast road of central Morecambe with overhead illuminations on selected roads running off the promenade.

If you approach the Promenade from either the north (Hest Bank) or

For those wanting cosy and quaint, there’s the Morecambe Hotel, one hundred metres off the Promenade.

Characterful rooms to sleep in, dine in and a fabulous enclosed rear garden area just perfect for young and old to while away the hours.

The ‘Bay Gateway’, a link road from the M6 Motorway through to Heysham (and its Port), has made access to Morecambe both quick and easy. They say “success breeds success” and that is certainly the case here. The investment coming into the town is massive.

These are just a few examples of the many fine places to stay in the resort.

In a previous edition I wrote a piece about the wonderful Winter Gardens theatre. The specialist restoration works have continued and tours are regularly held, but for Christmas 2022, the family favourite ‘Cinderella’ was performed live on stage.

Morecambe Bay - Over The Sands To The South Lakes

‘Eden North’ is a £125 million project that has been over four years in the planning. An application for £50 million funding was submitted to the Government, from its ‘Levelling Up’ fund, last year, and the whole project depends on the success of this application (still awaiting a decision at the time of writing).

If successful, it is expected that the attraction will open in 2024/25, that it will create 500 jobs, attract 8,000 visitors per day and generate over £200 million for the local economy.

Eden Project chief executive Rob www.lancmag.com

Reflections Across The Town Beach (by John O’Neil)

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 205

Morecambe’s New Promotion Theme

Neighbours - Eden Escapes & Lothersdale Hotel

councils, grants, and different lottery funds.”

Aspect Bar & Bistro

south the south (Heysham) the visual experience of these multicoloured, elongated cones is simply enchanting; stylishly, yet subtly, Christmas.

Using light with art can create some pretty spectacular exhibitions. This is the idea behind ‘Baylight 23’. This will be an open air, free to view, Event with installations at six different locations along the seafront.

Siân Johnson, Director of Morecambe 206

Sparkle CIC, explained “One of the fastest growing activities in the events business is that of walking round on a winter’s night looking at stunning light sculptures.

By 2021, many of Britain’s stately homes, parks and gardens were offering light events at fairly steep admission prices. But by the same year, around 30 towns and cities had begun to do the same with free admission shows, paid for by town

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

I asked about the use of the seafront for the exhibits, Siân explained “What a wonderful setting to inspire this new generation of light artists.

The curving shape of Morecambe Bay offers gleaming reflections of the exhibits, either from the sandbanks, or in the sea as the tide comes in. Many of the artworks are interactive too, so there’s fun for the kids as well.”

Although we cannot share too much of the detail, or indeed images of the artworks, so as not to spoil the wow factor, the sheer cost of this exhibition will give you an insight into how special it will be.

Siân continued “All this is made possible with a grant of £500,000 dispensed by Lancashire County www.lancmag.com

Welcome To ‘The Morecambe Hotel’

The Winter Gardens By Night (Johnny Bean)

The ‘Winter Gardens’ During Restoration

For nearly fifty years, Morecambe has been regularly used as the back drop in films and television series, such as ‘All Day On The Sands’ (1975), ‘Turn Back Time’ (2012), ‘Poirot’ (1989) and more recently ‘The Bay’, which has recently just filmed its fourth series.

The Stunning Morecambe Bay

plans are being made to raise the funds for future show from 2025 onwards.

Meanwhile, for the first two years Morecambe Sparkle CIC is supported with match funding from Morecambe Town Council and Morecambe BID (Business Improvement District).”

The Cones

Council Economic Recovery and Growth Fund to a new company, Morecambe Sparkle CIC, formed to create the new exhibition by the sea.

This will be the first of two funded years for Morecambe Sparkle and www.lancmag.com

It’s a huge well done to Siân Johnson and the highly qualified team she has put together to create Baylight’23 – not to mention County Councillor Charlie Edwards whose idea it was in the first place - for the work they have put in to bring the latest inspirational attraction to Morecambe; make sure you have it in your diaries - 16th-18th February, during half term.

One of my sons, his partner and children, came to visit and stayed at the ‘Eden Escapes’ for three nights, late August. They were blown away with the accommodation, the stunning views and the children loved the beautiful golden beaches.

I asked the children, aged eight and three, if they had enjoyed their visit, they said that they didn’t want to go home, and I believe they meant it.

When people come together to work for greater good, incredible things can happen. Morecambe BID, a business led and funded organisation, has been a real force that has worked closely with Lancaster City Council and other stakeholders – two heads better than one; four better than two.

So, that’s it. Morecambe. The resort that has reinvented itself …

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 207

MANISH’S ZODIAC PREDICTIONS

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 21 Mar - 19 Apr You are creating your own sense of success or failure. If you want more than you have received prove it and create a new path for yourself. Rewards are due, make your last minute adjustments to ensure profit. The tools for transformation are in your hands. You are responsible for your life, and your determination and stamina will keep your life and business fruitful. You’ve sown your seeds, now you can rest and see what begins to sprout from all of your effort. You shall reap what you have sown Favourable Dates: Feb 4, 7, 13, 16, 22, 25 Favourable Colours: White & Yellow

LEO 23 Jul - 22 Aug You would be mapping out a new location, becoming open minded and seeing a new perspective You would be creating a business from a hobby or talent.. A new idea, plan, or introduction that was hatched earlier appears to be showing signs of growth. Circumstances will change in your favor. It is not necessary to force things or pressure people. You have found the groove. The goddess of love brings complements, small gifts, romance, or other pleasures. This is a good time to discuss issues within a relationship because you are steady of mind and likely to be realistic.

Favourable Dates: Feb 1, 3, 10, 12, 19, 21 Favourable Colours: White & Red

TAURUS 20 Apr - 20 May A relationship or partnership is not fulfilling it’s potential. Turn to self for the love and sympathy that you are searching for. Look for the positive in what you are experiencing now. Love the one you are with. Release the negativity, so that new trust may be found. Holding on to what isn’t working anymore will not work. Detach from the unsolved issues and look for new inspiration. Creative problem-solving with sharp thinking will bring you a practical solution or insight to an ongoing problem. Hypothetical concepts and analyzation will allow you to strategize your proposal and game plan.

Favourable Dates: Feb 2, 4, 11, 13, 20, 22 Favourable Colours: White & Red

CAPRICORN 22 Dec - 19 Jan

Your activities will be intensified in the life sector related to travels, politics, communications, education, your neighborhood, and siblings. Aspects particularly favor career and work life. You are in an effective position. A project begun near the New Year is showing signs of promise now. Others are noticing your performance, so make it great. You may be standing in the limelight. Your leadership gifts come to the foreground at this time. You have a grasp of the big picture and could use this energy to promote your projects.

Favourable Dates: Feb 4, 5, 13, 14, 22, 23 Favourable Colours: Blue & Yellow

Favourable Dates: Feb 4, 8, 13, 17, 22, 26 Favourable Colours: Red & Blue

VIRGO 23 Aug - 22 Sept

LIBRA 23 Sept - 22 Oct It will be easier for you to attend to jobs that you may have been putting off for quite some time. Engage yourself in some creative work to gain something. If looking for job, conflict in your mind will hamper your thinking power. It will make you unable to decide which career you should opt for. Business people may be able to obtain valuable information that will put them in a stronger position. This is a sensitive month as far as the personal matters are concerned. Giving way to tenderness in relationship would prove beneficial.

Favourable Dates: Feb 3, 8, 12, 17, 21, 26 Favourable Colours: White & Blue

Favourable Dates: Feb 5, 6, 14, 15, 23, 24 Favourable Colours: Green & Purple

CANCER 21 Jun - 22 Jul

Favourable Dates: Feb 1, 3, 10, 12, 19, 21 Favourable Colours: White & Red

Favourable Dates: Feb 3, 6, 12, 15, 21, 24 Favourable Colours: Black & Purple Your determination and effort are the steps to your success.

Commitment and loyalty allows you to progress into great growth. Communicating keeps you mentally active and quick, allowing you to become clever, confident and brave in your presentation. Good news and positive changes in finances and education are indicated. If in business, Negotiating with a calm approach is encouraged. With intelligence and truth, triumph over opposition is yours. This is a good time to take relationships to the next level as you’re ready for commitments that previously you would not have thought twice about accepting.

GEMINI 21 May - 20 Jun You will prefer to spend time in solitude. Fair warning to those in committed relationships: You will be prone to regress into old patterns of relating that you know are not productive.

Avoid this if you possibly can or you will have apologies to make later. It is generally unwise to take initiatives for first two weeks even though your impulse calls you to rebel. Your intentions may be misunderstood or you may be dealing with deceptive people. Avoid pointing fingers at yourself or anyone else.

It’s a challenge for you to see yourself into the future with accuracy at this time.

Transformation lands right on your doorstep and demands that you step up to the best. Be brave and have confidence in yourself at this time. Old issues may surface concerning your relationships to children and romantic partners. This is a good time to make amends, if that is needed. This month there are resources and friends who will help you find your way. Identify what, who or where you find solace and deliberately connect with the person, place or thing that will offer reassurance. Concentrate on remaining conscious so that you won’t fall into manipulative games.

SAGITTARIUS 22 Nov - 21 Dec What have you been hoping and praying for, manifests this month. Happiness is in bloom, and you beam with love and joy. You will have the advantage that creates satisfaction and success. Energy is harmonized with inner peace, confidence, and security. You should spend some happy times so that you could cherish all these moments with the rest of your life. If in job, complete all your pending jobs to impress your boss.

Your sense of dedication and commitment would be rewarded with an increment.

AQUARIUS 20 Jan - 18 Feb Your worldly acclaim and ambition would be prominent.

No matter how high you want to climb, you can know that there are possibilities available to you if you set your sights on pursuing them. Hard work, perseverance and determination are all required: Nothing will come to you through sheer luck or wishful thinking. It’s all about stepping up and taking control of a situation that requires a firm hand and authoritative presence. It encourages you to say yes to life rather than letting your troubles hold you back. It tells you to turn your face to the Sun rather rather than looking back over your shoulder.

Favourable Dates: Feb 5, 6, 14, 15, 23, 24 Favourable Colours: Red & Purple

SCORPIO 23 Oct - 21 Nov You are learning much now, and this information is worth great value. Wisdom and knowledge is priceless, stay focused on your goal. Invest all that you learned and experienced, to guide you toward a rewarding future. Shrewdness with grace charms those that surround you. Your friendly demeanor will allow you to be well-liked. Unprocessed information or interesting news comes your way that helps steer your direction. You are outgoing and step up to the plate with strong ideals and victory is yours. You are so close to blossoming.

Favourable Dates: Feb 1, 6, 14, 18, 23, 28 Favourable Colours: Green & Red

PISCES 19 Feb - 20 Mar It is important to not focus on finances to the exclusion of all else – it is now time to find some balance between affording a lovely lifestyle and living one.

Spiritual guidance, one way or another may be needed this month, so make sure you have access to information or people that you may need to speak to. You should pour more emotion and love into the relationships around you in the coming month. There may be something to celebrate such as a pregnancy, birth or engagement, which will be very pleasing.

Favourable Dates: Feb 2, 5, 11, 14, 20, 23, 29 Favourable Colours: Green & Yellow

Manish Kumar Arora, 91-9871062000 | K.P. Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Card Reader & Vastu Consultant F www.facebook.com/manishastroconsultant | E manish@manishastrologer.com 208

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