The Lancashire & Northwest magazine | June 2020

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Our Great Outdoors Revealed

Fabulous Febland Interiors Meet Councillor Don Clapham William Wordsworth in a new light Lord Tom McNally talks social economic change The latest product creation from Davenport Original The adventures of the Fylde Ramblers Cheshire steamship project Cover image by Febland Group Ltd • www.febland.co.uk

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June 2020

FUNKY FEMININE & VERSATILE Collections include: Marc Cain D.Exterior Temperley London Hale Bob Ramy Brook Melissa Odabash Forever Unique Elie Tahari Tory Burch Kobi Halperin Roland Mouret Fabiana Filippi Le Tricot Perugia Bella Dahl and many more

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CONTENTS 110

92

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PLACES 24 Levens 66 Ribchester 102 Nelson

FEATURES

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8 12 16 20 22 30 36 40 42 48 52 56 58 60 65 74 76 92 98 110 116 118 126 130 132 140 142 152 165 180 186 192 198 202

Fylde Ramblers Fit, Fun & Forty Macclesfield man fighting to save species Cosy home office Woman of the year Cheshire Steamship project Lancashire’s recovery New kids on the heath Support the NHS without sky lanterns Latest product from Davenport Original Royal Maunday Money William Wordsworth Wray Castle Blackpool Corona Kindness Blackpool music run Preserving our water The band ‘Queen’ Bewildwerwood Cheshire Huntsman John Peel Penny Farm horses ELR at risk after theft Capturing Carbon Lord McNally on social change How to stay safe online Manchester’s colour run Self isolation survival guide British pie awards Keeping entertained during lockdown Councillor Don Clapham Funeral Punks 7 tips for pregnant women during lockdown Healthy eating during lockdown Stephen Roberts, author & historian Midge bites are worth it Letting tradesmen in during lockdown

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66 ISSUE

June 2020 Volume 43 Number 6

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CONTENTS continued...

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REGULARS 64 71 72 138 145 160 166 176 179 180 198 206 210

Books Peter Rutt Short Story Winner Professionals Aiming Higher Around the Region Colour Me Beautiful Moo Style The Life Of Di Nelly’s Blog Wildlife Horoscope Business Index

COMPETITIONS&PROMOTIONS 121 Show Us Your Pets Email in your photos of your beloved animals.

Last months winners

Crossword - Mr. J. Hammond, Ashton-U-Lyne Wordsearch - C. Norris, Coppull, Lancashire.

Short Story - John Milligan

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June 2020

Our Great Outdoors Revealed

Fabulous Febland Interiors Meet Councillor Don Clapham William Wordsworth in a new light Lord Tom McNally talks social economic change The latest product creation from Davenport Original The adventures of the Fylde Ramblers Cheshire steamship project

COVER: Febland Interiors

Cover image by Febland Group Ltd • www.febland.co.uk

£2.45

Lancashire & North West Magazine is published monthly by: The Lancashire Magazine Ltd., Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 6NZ Tel: 01253 336588

Managing Director Natalie Oyston natalie@lancashiremagazine.co.uk Editorial 01253 336588 editorial@lancashiremagazine.co.uk Sales enquiries Tel: 07918 685673 Design Manager • Hugh Dairy Designers • Maralette Wenham • Roger Poole Accounts Tel: 01253 336582 General Enquiries/subscriptions Sharon Henry 01253 336588 sharon@countymags.co.uk The Lancashire & North West Magazine Ltd, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 6NZ Writers Jessica Gregson • Stephen Roberts • Andrew Harris Duncan Hodgson • Bevan Ridehalgh • Carl Lee Karen Pennington • Bernard Bale • Tony Burdon Pam Graham • Mairead Mahon • Stephanie Monk Design and origination by The Lancashire Magazine Ltd., Blackpool, Lancashire. Printing and binding by Buxton Press Ltd., Derbyshire.

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In this issue...

Above: Levens Hall, the Elizabethan mansion and family home of the Bagots (author – Dave Green, source – www.geograph.org.uk ).

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s we go to press coronavirus is dominating the world and the news as we all seek certainties which don’t exist – at least for now. We don’t speculate about Covid 19 but aim to help you, in the words of the song, to ‘Keep smiling through.’ Our June edition enables you to read about people, places and stories and stay safe while you can’t get out to do the real thing.

Our stories include the life story of William Wordsworth who was born in what was Cumberland in 1770 and became one of England greatest romantic poets. John Peel was also born in Cumberland but six years later and became a legend for very different reasons: he lived his life of 78 years to the full. He is remembered to this day and the music to his song – D’ye ken John Peel – is the regimental quick march of our very own Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. Queen Elizabeth

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II was born 150 years after John Peel which makes Her Majesty 94 so that was the number of coins presented as Maundy Money before Easter to people over 70 who have given outstanding Christian service including many from dioceses in the north west. Read about how the ceremony changed this year because of Covid 19 but was not defeated by it.

We include things historical as well as people. Wray Castle on the shores of Lake Windermere was built in 1840 but epitomises the middle ages and has fulfilled many roles since. It is a fascinating story. The East Lancashire Railway was built by the company of that name and opened in 1846 but closed in 1980. After sterling work by volunteers it re-opened as a 12½ mile long heritage steam railway in 1987 but has suffered great misfortune recently. Read about how you could help. Another heritage project is the

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preservation of the steamship Daniel Adamson which was built in 1903. It brings the Weaver Navigation to life but we relay the old, old story: use it or lose it.

Andrew Harris brings the great outdoors indoors for all our readers ‘confined to barracks.’ He reports on arguably the top ten diverse and accessible locations from around our region and the Isle of Man with spectacular pictures backed up by a brief story about each of them.

Stephen Roberts takes us on guided tours of Ribchester, Nelson and – unusually - a village. Read about Levens near Kendal which combines history, an Elizabethan Hall and beautiful gardens.

Keep well and stay safe. We’ll bring you more next month. www.lancmag.com

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Fylde Ramblers 1980 - 2020 Celebrating being fit, fun and forty

TOP LEFT: Committee members, Jeanette & Jim Carr, are central in planning Fylde Ramblers 40th anniversary programme (whenever that might be!) This was a moderate walk from Belmont & Anglezarke, October 2013 TOP RIGHT: September 2005.

Friends Past and Present. A typical Wednesday morning gathering, to walk a leisurely five miles or so, then enjoy a pub lunch

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H

ow many plans have been thwarted as the reality of global infection has bitten?

Indoors, outdoors, travel, socialising and ordinary life as we knew it is now so different.

This summer is the fortieth birthday of Fylde Ramblers, who have organised rambling activities regularly for four decades, ironically never before having had to suspend operations, apart from the occasional cancellation of a walk due to bad weather. In the twelve months preceding this closure, the club completed 154 walks covering 1,200 miles.

Worth celebrating!

Beginnings: “I think we’re going to need a Steering Committee” The parent organisation, the Ramblers Association, was officially created on January 1. 1935 with its head office in Liverpool (1938) later

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with offices in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

July 1980 saw the inaugural meeting of Fylde Ramblers, previously a joint venture with Preston group, and at this time boundaries were being reshaped and more local groups being formed.

As a whole, Britain was undergoing unprecedented political and social change, the 1980’s becoming known as ‘the Greed Decade’ with Thatcherism, privatisation of British Aerospace, yuppies, New Wave and punk music scenes.

“Who’s going to start this thing off?”

But beyond the flash and fashions of ‘the Greed Decade’, on Lancashire’s Fylde Coast a group of keen walkers was more interested in organising a public meeting in Wesham Council Chambers to sound out public opinion of Ramblers Association members living on the Fylde about the formation www.lancmag.com

of a local group. Enthusiasm was sufficient to move forward with the appointment of a committee and officers, many of whom served for years and who remain legends in the history of the group.

Garry Alderson still joins the ‘strenuous’ band of walkers and is proud to be the last founding member still active within the club. Garry held the role of Chair from 1985 to 2015, when Robb Radford took over the Chair, not only its rich history but also a shining future with a comprehensive programme of weekly walks. Offering up to four fitness levels, usually on Wednesday and Sunday and in addition, members enjoy the friendship and social aspects, access to a network of clubs and connection to the wider objectives of the Ramblers Association (ramblers.org.uk) “I’ll do it if no one else will”, he said reluctantly www.lancmag.com

Credited with shaping Fylde Ramblers (fylderamblers.org.uk) into the club we know today, Alan and Joan Roy held office for many years. They were universally liked and respected and Alan was the very first secretary from 1980, a ‘people person’, drawing out the best in those around him and, with Joan, they were superb administrators, managing a workload which is currently shared by a committee of a dozen. They held joint presidency from 1995 to 2001.

“Wet, mud, wetter, muddier. You’ve got to laugh”.

Alan was the innovator of a series of ‘prizes’, some of which remain. The wettest/muddiest/endless stiles prize was not an intentional aim, but to the leader, an achievement! There was also a ‘wooden compass’ award - a comment on navigational skills, maybe?

Knowledge of our area, and the surrounding districts, of course, is

imperative, and through the years experienced walkers and new leaders have the opportunity to guide groups, planning the route and all that entails.

Local footpaths, stiles, signposting are observed and reported to the local authority to keep thoroughfares clear.

Leading embraces random duties such as clearing brambles, providing a spur of the moment detour to avoid blocked terrain, administer first aid and think on your feet, as well as being the one at the front to lead the way.

Members have said that they joined the Ramblers Association ‘to have a nice walk’, never expecting to discover a lifelong passion, new challenges and worthwhile achievements. First you walk, then you walk some more, then suddenly you’re hooked and planning bigger and better adventures. A local member of significant age told me, “There’s always a bit of the day when you grumble to yourself and

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November 2016. The strenuous group above Buckden, Yorkshire Dales.

Left, Garry Alderson, founding member and previous Chair of Fylde Ramblers. Second from right, current Chair, Robb Radford and extreme right, Treasurer, John Leyland

the weather or the distance make you wonder why you do this, but there’s never a day when you regret it. By the evening, your sense of wellbeing is enormous.”

“Come on lads, this will take more than me to get him back on his feet” From the start of Fylde Ramblers, friendships were consolidated, encouragement and advice given and the social side of walking blossomed. It’s not just about distance and altitude but a desirable way to health and fitness.

Rambling weekends in the Lake District, Wales and beyond, were very well-attended and, as ‘off the peg’ walking holidays and long distance footpaths became increasingly popular, members moved away from club events towards their own preferences and new horizons.

“A paper map and bit of string isn’t technology. Let’s get real” 10

‘Walking for Health’ schemes increasingly demand good, clear thoroughfares, easy passage for the novice walker and clear signage on mapped routes. Smart phones, global positioning systems (GPS) and digital mapping have put the good old ‘map and piece of string’ out of business and technology enables us to record routes and statistics accurately and simply.

Dawn of a new century In June 2005, the club website journey began with a basic site to provide information and record photos of every walk organised by the club, and it is still accessible from our current website. A generous bequest from member Ron Lowe provided a new comprehensive website which developed to more than 1,500 pages of photos and information to 2019. This valuable resource is managed by Kath Atherfold, who has developed and tended the site from its inception, guiding towards the

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present position whereby Ramblers Webs fund our ongoing site. This is working well and a change of web wizard is lined up later in 2020.

Put simply, it’s just one foot in front of the other You may observe that ‘going for a walk’ is easy for most people, so why would you get involved with special gear, upkeep of footpaths, committees, website development? The answer is about quality of life, health and friendship, achieving the sense of wellbeing brought by a good day in a beautiful place. Supported by folks with similar plans, Fylde Ramblers use car shares to reach the start of the walk, some local, others further afield, maybe East Lancashire or the Lake District, the Yorkshire or Derbyshire Dales and travelling together is all part of the fun.

“Hot pot supper or a game of ‘find the meat and potato in the gravy?’ “ www.lancmag.com

March 2017. The strenuous group descend from Great Dodd, having begun the day from St John’s in The Vale, Lake District

Through the years, social events like slide shows, talks, aspects of nature such as plant life and birding, local history, hotpot suppers (with a cautionary note of ‘varying quality’) coach outings and meals have all added to the Fylde Ramblers programme.

The fortieth celebrations have been in the planning for twelve months, headed by committee members, Jeanette & Jim Carr and assisted by the club committee.

FIT, FUN & FORTY – give or take a year or so The plan is that monthly from April 2020, a series of ‘Legacy Walks’ will take place; re-creation of original routes enjoyed by members through the years.

Original leaders have recommended favourites, and, if necessary, new leaders found. A Midsummer Medley of walks is a one day event for all walkers with a variety of distances, all completing at Longridge Golf Course, a favourite www.lancmag.com

Christmas Party venue, with a meal for all. Other ideas are in the pipeline and the original horror that all this could be cancelled would now simply mean deferring the plans for twelve months and celebrating getting through our fortieth year rather than heralding it.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and this current state of concern nevertheless gives time to reflect, relax and plan for our next forty years.

Footnote. Facts are distorted by the passage of time and referencing data may not always be absolutely factual.

If there are errors, my apologies, and also my congratulations to all who have contributed to the success of Fylde Ramblers 1980 – 2020

Kath Atherfold. September 2019 with Luna at Lower Black Moss Reservoir near Barley.

Kath has guided the club towards website success since 2005

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From Supercars to Saving Sudan’s Northern White Rhino Financial industry millionaire Paul Naden who has given up his lavish lifestyle to save endangered animals will star in a new BBC documentary ‘The Last Unicorn’

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financial industry millionaire who has swapped luxury supercars to save Sudan’s northern white rhino, will feature in a forthcoming BBC Two documentary.

Paul Naden, 50, originally from Macclesfield, has dedicated the last decade of his life to helping fight for the survival of some of the world’s most endangered species though the charity Saving the Survivors.

And recently he embarked on his most ambitious project yet as he flew to war-torn South Sudan, in the hope of discovering a previously unknown population of northern white rhinos, a species officially declared extinct in 2018 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The exhibition, which is being partfunded by the self-made millionaire, will be followed by the BBC who will capture the search for the rhino on camera for a new one-hour documentary called ‘The Last Unicorn’.

Paul Naden said: “In 2018 the last

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male northern was declared functionally extinct. The world was left with only two old females, unable to reproduce but have been possibly been given a second chance to save this species.

Rumours and whisperings from South Sudan of sightings of the animal in the wild and reports of rhino tracks have re-ignited the hope for the future of the northern white rhino. I’m going to Sudan with an expert team to try to track it down.

There has been no survey or study of South Sudan’s wildlife in over a decade and no comprehensive search has ever taken place until now.

This is one final and comprehensive search for any remaining northern white rhino in the wild. I am incredibly excited to be involved in the search for this beautiful species and if we succeed, it gives us fresh hope of saving it.”

A team of experts led by Paul Naden, accompanied by wildlife cameraman Vianet Djenguet, vet Johan Marais and high security expert Aldo www.lancmag.com

Kane are heading into this vast and unknown South Sudan. Using the latest technology and local knowledge to leave no stone unturned, they will do whatever it takes, to answer the question once and for all – do we have a second chance?

Doug Hope, Executive Producer for BBC Studios Natural History Unit said: “It is a long shot, there is no denying that, but there are rumours of them out there, and in a place that is so remote, so unexplored. Yet, from what our sources are telling us, it remains prime rhino habitat, so surely there is still a chance? And until this search is carried out we can’t close the book on the northern white rhino.”

South Sudan is the youngest country in the world. Declared independent in 2013, it has seen conflict and civil war for the past 20 years. With a death toll in the millions, it was at one time the bloodiest and most dangerous place on Earth and is still, according to the UN, a high-risk country. No film crew has www.lancmag.com

been allowed access for nearly ten years.

It is a country with no infrastructure, no permanent roads, no electricity, no power grid, no phone networks and no internet.

Larger in area than France, it has a population of no more than seven million. It is also home to what is thought to be the second largest mammal migration in Africa (second

only to the wildebeest of the Serengeti).

Speaking as he departed for the African exhibition, Paul Naden, added: “I might be swapping a life in St. Tropez for the great unknown in South Sudan but this could all be worth it.

It would be incredible to find the last surviving male northern white rhino and preserve the species for future generations.”

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Jennie Johnson MBE, Business Woman of the Year 2019 (pictured centre) with Anita Robinson, Emma Elston MBE, Mark Smith and Anthea Fosti (L-R)

Applications now open for Women of the Year Awards 2020 The search is on for the most inspirational women across the North, as applications open for one of the UK’s longest running annual awards.

N

ow in its 38th year, the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards celebrates the achievements of exceptional women, highlighting individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to their business, chosen sector or the wider community.

Taking place at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole on Friday 16 October, the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards has two exclusive categories open for applications, Business Woman of the Year and Woman with Edge.

Colleagues, family and friends can nominate entrepreneurs or business leaders from across the private and public sectors, or applicants can simply nominate themselves.

The Business Woman of the Year award is designed to celebrate the success of an individual making transformational changes within their organisation or sector, while the Woman with Edge award, this year sponsored by Freeths Solicitors, shines a spotlight on someone who challenges the status quo, and who understands that the road to success is not always straight.

An additional award for Woman 20

of Achievement is presented to an individual or group of women from across the country who have strived to achieve the remarkable, often for the benefit of others and in some cases against the odds. The winner of this category is selected by the board of directors of Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards.

Creating an extensive network of women who are ambitious and driven, 2019 winners of the Women of the Year Awards were: Business Woman of the Year - Jennie Johnson MBE (CEO, Kids Allowed Ltd), Woman with Edge - Debbie Francis, (Managing Director, Direct Rail Services) and Women of Achievement - The Women of Grenfell.

Over the last four decades, winners have included Baroness Karren Brady CBE, Katie Piper, Dame Asha Khemka DBE (Principal and CEO of West Nottinghamshire College) and British Paralympian, Claire Lomas MBE. All proceeds from the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards go directly to charity, with over £500,000 raised to date. For 2020, the event will support The Prince’s Trust: Women Supporting Women Initiative, a passionate group

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of supporters who are committed to changing the lives of young women, and Elle for Elle, a charitable foundation that connects a wellbeing programme to refugees in the UK. Applications and nominations for the 2020 awards are now open and Zalena Vandrewala, chair of Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards, commented: “For 38 years, these awards have been dedicated to profiling and recognising the most inspiring women across the UK. We are excited for this year’s applications, as we encourage successful and strong women to showcase their talents and celebrate their achievements with us.”

We would also like to thank our business community, sponsors and associated charities, for their continued support.”

To nominate or submit an application, please visit www. womenoftheyear.org.uk/nominationform/. To purchase tickets to the Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards 2020, please visit www. womenoftheyear.org.uk/tickets-sales/.

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 21

Ambitious Maritime volunteer led project needs your support The Daniel Adamson is a 1903 Steamship with a crew of over 75 dedicated volunteers who are from areas all over Cheshire and Merseyside. The hardworking team of volunteers keep ‘The Danny’, as she is affectionately known, maintained and operational for passengers to enjoy the picturesque cruises along The Weaver Navigation giving unique views of the stunning waterway.

T

he Danny was heroically saved from being scrapped more than 15 years ago by maverick volunteers who then gathered more power, more volunteers and the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund who recognising her historic status (No 15 on the National Historic Fleet) awarded the project £3.8 Million to be fully restored at Cammell Lairds in 2015.

Since then the Danny has had a new lease of life, undertaking a variety of cruises, but the most successful and popular of these have been on The Weaver Navigation, cruising from Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge to the magnificent Anderton Boat Lift.

Operating and preserving this remarkable survivor from the steam age is no mean feat, with operating costs such as coal, dry docking, maintenance, licences, insurance, advertising and training means every year the Society face a huge task to raise the £250k to continue their much loved project, you can help to keep the Danny operational 22

for years to come by supporting her and booking a cruise in 2020.

Some volunteers, with an average age over 60, give up to 30 hours a week on The Danny and turn up come rain or shine, determined to keep her in steam and cruising, but obviously that amount of time commitment is not possible for everyone, and our team of volunteers give as much of their time as works for them. During the summer months The Danny will be crewed every day by the team in their roles of Skippers, Deckhands, Engineers, Trimmers, Firemen, Stewards and Galley crew.

During the recent floods the volunteers have been manning a 24hour watch on their beloved Danny.

Behind the scenes a Fundraising Team work tirelessly, visiting societies such as Probus, WI, U3A and Historical Societies to give their highly praised Talks on the Danny¹s history and restoration to raise awareness and, importantly, donations for the project.

Happily, many groups then come and enjoy a cruise on The Danny or hire

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her for private celebrations whilst she is moored at Sutton Weaver, but there will always be a need to continually seek out supporters, volunteers, passengers, visitors and donations to keep their project alive for future generations.

The volunteers also give back to the Cheshire communities and schools.

They offer workshops and cruises for local primary schools and placement opportunities for young engineers from Riverside College.

The team will be celebrating local heritage at a showcase event for local history groups as well as working with Cheshire Autism Practical Support (CHAPS), offering structured activities for families of children with autism in school holidays. Also working with Canal and River Trust to offer wellbeing and music events for all ages, and with scout, guide, cadet and youth groups to introduce more young people to the Danny¹s story.

The Danny is always looking for more volunteers to join her, with or without relevant skills as there is a role www.lancmag.com

for everyone and training is given to all new recruits. We even manage a couple of social events each year, so it¹s not all work!

Chairman, Keith Levin, who is himself a volunteer after a career as a solicitor, said: ³The Danny is a social project with high aspirations. It does much more than offer a service to the public, it provides a community for the people involved which gives people confidence, friendship and is important to the people who choose to volunteer.

‘Cheshire is lucky to have such a unique project (voted Attraction of the Year in 2019 by Frodsham) which offers a hobby for many people who may have found it difficult to find something so enriching after their careers have finished, or for people who are younger and want to learn new skills, the project offers a lot for many people.’

Throughout 2020 the Danny will also be open for visitors whilst she is moored at Sutton Weaver, Acton Bridge or Anderton Boat Lift, where in return for a small donation the volunteer crew www.lancmag.com

will happily give you guided tours, sharing their passion in their telling of her history and restoration.

The 2020 timetable for cruises along The Weaver Navigation - May to October - is now published with cruises starting from just £22 per person.

Bookings and further information can be found online at www.thedanny.co.uk.

In addition to the hugely popular Gin Cruises, 2020 will include for the first

time a selection of evening Vodka & Rum cruises perfect as celebration events for friends and families. Groups can also reserve places by filling in a booking form and paying a deposit, for more information on booking a group or hiring the Danny for your special event please email enquiries@ danieladamson.co.uk

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Levens Village Words: Stephen Roberts All the best things come in small packages recommends my diminutive wife, Mrs Steve, who measures up at around five foot, but packs a punch.

I’ve never felt the need to disagree with her.

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he might have been talking about Levens, in South Lakeland, Cumbria, of course, a village of around 450 homes and just over 1,000 souls, although first appearances can often be deceptive. It lies around four miles south of Kendal and has the hefty Levens Hall within its patch: that would be like my beloved having a big mate. There’s also an electoral ward of ‘Levens’, that stretches from Helsington (which includes Sizergh Castle), south to Heversham, which was visited by both William Wordsworth and Sir Winston Churchill, by all accounts.

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Early history includes evidence of settlement from the Bronze Age through to the Vikings, a mention in William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book, as ‘Lefuenes’, and it was also known as ‘Beathwaite Green’ prior to the parish being created in 1836, the year before Victoria came to the throne.

Situated between two rivers, the Kent and Gilpin, the parish is renowned for its damson trees, as well as its pasture farming, low fells and woodland. It’s won ‘Best Kept Village’ awards more than once.

Levens Hall is a splendid Elizabethan pile, at Levens Bridge on the River Kent. Inside there are plasterwork ceilings, oak chimney-pieces and Spanish leather panelling, whilst outside is the famous topiary, with an agricultural estate extending to 9,500 acres. The topiary gardens were originally designed by Monsieur

Far Left: Levens village, viewed from the west (author – Penny Johnson, source – Own work).

Above: Levens Hall, which is Grade I Listed (author – ‘Jhsteel’, source – Own work).

Levens Hall Gardens.

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Above: Levens Hall, the Elizabethan mansion and family home of the Bagots (author – Dave Green, source – www.geograph.org.uk ).

Beaumont, who also redesigned Hampton Court’s gardens for King James II. The Levens Hall topiary gardens retain their original plan of 1689 (actually the year after James’ deposition by William and Mary in the Glorious Revolution) and are the oldest topiary gardens in the world.

The Levens Hall estate was the property of the Redmans (1188), Bellinghams (1489), Grahames and Howards (1688-1885), and Bagots (from 1885). The late-13th to early-14th century (c.1250-1300) saw the Redmans build a peel-tower, parts of it being incorporated into today’s house, which is mostly Elizabethan, c.1585. Peel (or Pele) Towers were small, fortified keeps or tower houses that were built along the English/Scottish border, mainly between the mid-14th and early-15th centuries. Levens’ Peel Tower was therefore on the early side. They were built with defensibility in mind but were also utilised as watch towers in this notoriously lawless region. There’s also a well-wooded park up the river, whilst downstream is Nether Levens Hall, another peel-tower, later developed into a 16th century farm house.

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There’s pleasing walks, ‘unusual’ goats and deer, and rare plants.

As you may have gathered from other features, I do appreciate my Listed buildings and Levens Hall is, unsurprisingly, Grade I Listed. It’s the most notable of 21 Listed structures in Levens, several of which are associated with the hall, including the old stables, cottages and gate piers, probably dating to the mid-16th century and all Grade II* Listed. The former stables have been converted into dwellings. There’s also a Grade II Listed garden feature, also referred to as the ‘Smoke House’, which dates to before 1720, but has a 19th century frontage. A smoke house (or smokery) was used to cure (preserve and

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flavour) meat and/or fish with smoke, with the finished product possibly stored in the building for a year or more.

Grade II Listed St John’s Church (1826-28), which overlooks the Lyth Valley, is also worth an explore. The late-Georgian style limestone church was expanded in 1873 when a vestry and porch were added. Apparently, it was the Howards of Levens Hall who funded the building of the church following a spat with the vicar at Heversham. The tower has an octagonal belfry and spire, which draws you into the village from a distance away, and there is an attractive lych gate. The war memorial of 1921, which is in the churchyard, is similarly Grade www.lancmag.com

Above: The attractive lych gate at St John’s Church, Levens (author – Alexander P. Kapp, source – www.geograph.org.uk ).

Left: Levens Bridge over the River Kent which is Grade II Listed and c.17 th century (author – Matthew Hatton / Levens Bridge on the River Kent, source – www.geograph.org.uk ).

II Listed, and commemorates the fallen of two world wars.

Twin-arch Levens Bridge meanwhile (c.17th century), a limestone crossing, carries the A6 over the River Kent.

There are also several Listed farm buildings, telling us of the agricultural nature of this area (everything from barns, stores, farmhouses, stables, granaries and haylofts to dovecotes and pigsties), plus the Heaves Hotel of c.1818, which was designed in ‘Greek Revival’ style, and a lime kiln of c.mid19th century, which was used to create quicklime (calcium oxide) via the calcination of limestone (or calcium carbonate). www.lancmag.com

Above: The garden feature, or ‘Smoke House’, in the grounds of Levens Hall, which dates to before 1720 and has a frontage dating from the 19 th century (author – Barbara Carr / SmokeHouse, Levens Hall, source – www.geograph.org.uk).

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I like to research whether anyone of notoriety hailed from a particular place, including anyone notorious, and unsurprisingly, given its size, its not exactly besieged by prominent personages. Henry Grahame, of Levens Hall (c.1676-1706/7) was the local landowner and MP and eldest son of the James Grahame, who’d purchased the estate for £24,000 in 1688/9. Henry had a colourful life, first standing for Parliament in 1700 (and being elected in 1701), although his campaigning was almost derailed by accusations that he was a Roman Catholic, a strict no-no for anyone wanting to hold public office at the time. He should have inherited Levens Hall but predeceased his father. He also married an illegitimate daughter of Charles II (there were a few), but less than a week after the bride had been widowed and amid rumours that the pair had been cohabiting while her first husband was still alive. The fallout damaged Grahame who lost a position in the royal household: he’d held an office in the household of Queen Anne’s husband, Prince George of Denmark.

Of far more recent vintage is James Knox (1995-), a 24-year-old road racing cyclist, who was born in Levens. Places may have history but there’s always new stories coming along (and more history to be made). I guess you probably won’t see James cycling Levens’ roads today, but you will find a village store and the Hare and Hounds pub, a 16th century coaching inn, which has accommodation. There’s a couple of other pubs in the parish, plus there’s the primary school, church, a late18th century Methodist chapel (now housing), the Village Institute Hall (once a hay barn, then a men’s reading room), hairdresser, Post Office (three afternoons) and fish n’ chips (takeaway van) on a Wednesday evening.

It really sounds quite lively and vibrant, doesn’t it?

Road-racing cyclist James Knox, who was born in Levens (author – JeremyGuntherHeinz Jahnick, source – Own work).

Old stables in grounds of Levens Hall, which are Grade II* Listed and possibly date back to the mid-16 th century (author – Brian Clift / Levens Hall near Kendal, source – www.geograph.org.uk ).

For a place of its size Levens clearly punches above its weight in terms of beauty, interest and just being ‘the best’ – much like Mrs Steve really.

References

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The Shell Guide to England (Ed. J. Hadfield, 1973) Levens Village ( www.levens.org.uk ) Visit Cumbria ( www.visitcumbria.com )

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Hare & Hounds ( www.hareandhoundslevens.co.uk ) Levens Hall ( www.levenshall.co.uk ) The Cumbria Directory ( www.thecumbriadirectory.com ) www.lancmag.com

Rescued horse gives birth to bouncing baby boy…

A much awaited and welcome surprise met the staff of HAPPA (Horses and Ponies Protection Association) on Mothering Sunday, 22nd March.

Amid the world chaos and uncertainty a ray of hope and delight has been born, within the safety of the Charity, a gorgeous foal by the name of HAPPA Kevan.

In June 2019 HAPPA rescued three horses, who were in desperate need of veterinary attention. Completely unhandled, suffering from a severe lice infestation and extremely underweight, an orphaned yearling and a mare and daughter received specialised care at HAPPA’s Centre, Shores Hey Farm based in Burnley.

Named after characters from the TV series, Game of Thornes; HAPPA Khaleesi, Sansa and Arya embarked on a difficult journey to become both mentally and physically well again, and to trust human-kind.

Khalessi’s journey was the most challenging of all, as she was expecting yet another foal.

Months of specialist care and attention ensured that the three ponies are well on the road to recovery, and ensured the safe arrival of HAPPA Kevan on Mothering Sunday.

Kevan has now joined his mum on the Charity’s Sponsorship Scheme, which allows the public to support his care as he grows.

Give a Second Chance to the vulnerable, neglected and unwanted.

Help a HAPPA horse or pony on their Rehabilitation Journey.

Sponsor TODAY for as little as £1 per week.

01282 455992 WWW.HAPPA.ORG.UK/SPONSOR

Let Kevan’s antics put a smile on your face and support him today…. www.lancmag.com

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 29

Lancashire’s Recovery Steve Roberts on the recent Coronavirus Epidemic

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s an historian born in March 1957, 11½ years after the end of WW2, and less than three years after the end of wartime rationing, I’ve often reflected on how lucky I’ve been to have emerged into an era of relative peace, prosperity and plenty.

It’s not always been plain-sailing of course. We remember the Cold War and the threat of nuclear oblivion that came too close for comfort on one or two occasions, and attacks on the UK mainland have occurred, although in a guise that perhaps wasn’t anticipated when that rather more conventional war ended in 1945. Nevertheless, it’s true what Harold Macmillan said, that we’d ‘never had it so good’ (Macmillan moved into No. 10 just two months before I was born and was PM until October ’63).

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Photo: Return to nature. Cattle grazing on the saltmarshes of the Ribble Estuary, near Banks, Lancashire (author – Paul Banks, source – Own work).

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ABOVE: The Granada Studios Coronation Street set that was in use between 1982 and 2013. If you look carefully you can see the corner shop, trading under the name D & S Alahan’s.

There’s plenty of other real corner shops in Lancashire you can support (author – ‘Jordan 1972’, source – Own work).

RIGHT: Lord Street, the main shopping street in Southport.

Let’s support our High Streets and local stores when we can get out again (author – ‘Smalltown hero’, source – Own work).

BELOW RIGHT: Supporting our elderly and vulnerable during a dark hour. Hopefully the community spirit engendered by the Coronavirus epidemic will continue long after the crisis is over (author – ‘Philafrenzy’, source – Own work).

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Perhaps we became a little complacent in the land of milk and honey, thinking that this is how it would always be. Then, along came the Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

First identified a few short months ago, in December 2019, at the time of writing (2nd/3rd April) over a million people had been infected worldwide in over 200 countries, with over 50,000 deaths. If you weren’t aware ‘COVID-19’ is short for ‘Coronavirus disease 2019’, the year of its identification.

It didn’t take long to reach the UK, the first cases here reported in January 2020, with transmission within the country confirmed the following month. By 5th March the number of confirmed cases had reached 115 and sadly the first fatality within the UK had occurred. That all seems light years away now. By mid-March with confirmed cases well over 1,300 and deaths already reaching 35, the first Government moves towards selfisolating and social-distancing were made. With too many people massing to enjoy the fine spring weather over the 21st/22nd March weekend, a lockdown of the UK population inevitably www.lancmag.com

The M6 Motorway near Preston, just south of Junction 29, looking south. We’ll look forward to getting on the open road again (author – ‘Beejaypii’, source – Own work).

followed, which was announced on the evening of Monday 23rd March, the same day sadly that Lancashire’s first confirmed Coronavirus death was officially announced.

That lockdown had far-reaching consequences for the country, of course, and for Lancashire, as it was the most dramatic curtailing of our freedoms since WW2. In fact, with the exception of enemy bombs and threat of invasion, it felt worse. During the war many things carried on as normal. Schools remained open (albeit sometimes evacuated), cafés, pubs and restaurants were open, businesses continued trading, occasionally from bombed out premises, and the transport system operated, although the priority for the railways was moving men and materiel around for the war. In March 2020, it felt very different. It was as though someone flicked a massive switch, and everything shut down, pretty much instantly.

At a time of great worry and uncertainty, however, I want this to be a feature full of hope. This crisis, for crisis it is, will draw to a close at some point.

We will emerge with a new perspective on the roles that really matter in our www.lancmag.com

community: our wonderful NHS staff, care home workers, GPs, pharmacies, the other emergency services, vets, delivery drivers, postal workers and binmen, and the shop staff who kept us fed. These were the people who were in the front line during the epidemic who kept coming into work because we needed them (and I apologise to any other groups I should have mentioned and unintentionally didn’t). Let’s not forget who all those front-line workers were when it’s finally over. I’ve already said a sincere thank to a few of them when I’ve had the chance (obviously from a safe distance of more than six feet away).

I’ve used some of my local shops

during the crisis because I found I could get things in them (even the elusive loo roll) that I couldn’t get in the larger outlets that were being targeted by the hungry hoarders. I won’t forget that either when things return to normal (or, the new ‘normal’) and will continue to frequent those little corner shops that supported me in my hour or two of need. There’s lots of corner shops in Lancashire to hug. There’s even one in ‘Corrie’, which as everyone knows is in an unreal bit of Manchester called ‘Weatherfield’. Just to show the corner shop’s longevity, it’s been with us since the very first episode in 1960. O.k. it may have passed through a few hands since then but it’s still trading and that’s the important thing. We will mourn

Morecambe Bay, viewed from Ulverston (author – ‘Yohan euan 04’, source – Own work).

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View across the Yarrow Reservoir, near Rivington, Lancs.

Breath it in folks. Breath it in (author – ‘PopUpPirate at English Wikipedia’, source – transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by R Haworth using CommonsHelper).

some businesses that will sadly not make it. We should embrace and nurture those that battle through and are still there to serve us in times to come. They were a part of our past and will be a part of our future.

So many of the things we took for granted have been snatched from us, hopefully only temporarily. Mrs Steve and I loved a visit to our local High Street. While I browsed my two bookshops, ‘Mrs S’ disappeared into her favourite clothing store, usually emerging with that tell-tale bag (another top for the multi-coloured collection).

We joined one another for the favourite pastime of all, a visit to one of our many cafés for coffee and cake. As I write this, I’m enjoying an afternoon cuppa and a slice of my wife’s lemon drizzle that she recently made; suddenly I’m transported back into one of those coffee shops. My wife’s lemon drizzle is almost as legend as Dolly’s upside down cake (Dolly was Godfrey’s spinster sister in ‘Dad’s Army’). Returning to my theme of the High Street, that I digressed away from, I will speak more of it presently I promise.

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Another thing we lost, of course, was that suddenly intangible thing called friends and family, although new fangled tech. and that old-fangled thing called the telephone enabled us to keep in touch. Mothering Sunday was an odd one with most people heeding the warnings and either bellowing through windows or conjuring up a four-way video call as happened in our household. One of our number decided to call in from his local seafront with the wind blowing a hooley, which meant we couldn’t really hear anyone. It was nice to see everyone’s mugs though. When this is all over, we’ll hopefully appreciate everyone just a tad more, revel in their company, and savour every moment of that conversation. I don’t think I shall unkindly think anyone boring or tedious ever again. My birthday was another strange occasion (17th March folks if you want to get your cards ready for 2021). We could still have gone to a café that day but chose not to as we could see the way the wind was blowing. Next year we’ll be ‘on it’. Watch out coffee shops, we’re coming.

Of course, the landscape could look very different when Britain and

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Lancashire re-opens for business. The so-called ‘Death of the High Street’ has been on the cards according to the naysayers for years, a victim of online shopping, changing habits, out of town shopping centres with free car parking and a lack of interest in the current High Street offering. My own High Street (admittedly not in Lancashire) was just about bucking the trend, with most units occupied, albeit with a proliferation of coffee shops (highlighted in the national press), a number of charity and discount shops, and few of the independent retailers that the shopping centre was noted for in the not so distant past. Sometimes you have to look beyond the shop fronts though. We have an art deco cinema dating to the 1930s. There are gyms and fitness studios, ceramic cafés, bars and pubs, galleries, a library, and just off the High Street, a museum. There are things to do in other words if you but seek them out. This is where the future of the High Street might lie, a multipurpose space combining retail, activity and housing too. Whatever it looks like in the future, value your High Street shops and your other local stores, for www.lancmag.com

ABOVE: Greylag geese at Leighton Moss nature reserve (author – ‘Gidzy from England’, source – Greylag geese, Leighton Moss, Lancashire).

BELOW: St James’s Street, Burnley. Formerly the main road through the town centre, this area was pedestrianised in the 1990s and refurbished in 2017, making it a pleasant place to shop and browse (author – ‘Trappedinburnley’, source – Own work).

post-COVID-19, it might be our final chance to use them or lose them.

Another thing that changed was our freedom to enjoy the great outdoors.

Urged to ‘stay at home’, and to exercise close to home, trips to beauty spots will largely have become a memory. One of the few plus points to come out of the crisis was fewer car journeys and more people walking. Let’s keep that regular exercise up in future but head further afield (because we’ll be allowed to) and sample everything that this wonderful county has to offer. When we can venture forth again, it will be time to reacquaint ourselves with all of the glorious parks, gardens, open spaces, coastline and natural wonders that Lancashire has in abundance. You can climb over 2,000 feet above sea level (higher if you venture into the Lakes).

There’s rivers and estuaries, coastal plains, bays, resorts, AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), nature reserves, country parks, forests, valleys, moorlands, and upland areas including the mighty Pennines. Breath it in folks, breath it in.

I want to end on a truly uplifting note. Of course, there were people www.lancmag.com

who thought only of themselves during the epidemic. We all saw those scenes on the TV and shook our collective heads. It will always be sadly. I have to say that’s certainly not behaviour that I’d normally associate with Lancashire folk who I think are as good as any at looking out for their neighbour.

During this crisis that was never more important. Selfish actions were trumped many times over by the unstinting efforts of so many, sometimes at personal risk to themselves, as they got help and assistance out to those who most needed it. Suddenly there was a sense of community, a feeling that the vast majority of us were in it together and that there were people at far greater risk than ourselves that we had to try and help. When this is over let’s retain that community spirit and selfless desire to help: the need for it will continue long beyond the end of COVID-19.

When the portcullis goes up and the drawbridge comes down, let’s get out there and make a difference, or for those who’re already doing it, continue to make that difference. Well done everyone. Well done Lancashire.

STEVE’S RECOVERY BUCKET LIST • Visit your local High Street, use the shops, have a coffee & enjoy yourself once again.

• Go back to the corner shop that sold you loo roll, kitchen roll, soap & paracetamol.

• Visit one of Lancashire’s resorts, Blackpool, Lytham St Annes or Southport maybe.

• Enjoy a stroll in the Forest of Bowland, once dubbed the ‘Switzerland of England’.

• Take in some of Lancashire’s coastline, such as Morecambe Bay, or a river, like the Irwell.

• Climb up to Lancashire’s highest point, Gragareth, which is 2,057 feet above sea level.

• Explore an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – maybe Arnside and Silverdale AONB. • Say thank you with a charity fund raise for your local NHS hospital or care home.

• Enjoy more bird song by visiting a nature reserve, such as the Leighton Moss nature reserve.

• Take in beautiful moorland (e.g. the West Pennine Moors) or maybe the Rossendale Valley.

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RIGHT: The newest members of the conservation grazing team, Golden Guernsey kids. Photo by Molly Toal FAR RIGHT: Hebridean sheep are hardy and well suited to life on the nature reserves.

Photo by Helen Earnshaw

New kids on the heath The Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) have welcomed new additions to their conservation team with the birth of several Golden Guernsey goat kids at Freshfield Dune Heath Nature Reserve in Merseyside.

RIGHT: The grazing animals help maintain and improve conditions needed for some of our most loved and threatened species to survive, such as Lapwing. Photo by Darin Smith FAR RIGHT: Sheep, cows and goats all graze differently but for now the kids are on mum’s milk.

Photo by Molly Toal

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he kids were born under the watchful eyes of the Trust’s conservation grazing project staff and will join the ranks of goats, sheep, ponies and cows that munch their way through scrub on nature reserves across our region, helping to provide homes for rare wildlife.

Thousands of years ago, large herbivores like aurochs and elk that would have roamed Britain. These ancient animals were like living lawnmowers, eating scrub, tough grasses and tree saplings so other plant and wildflower species could flourish. This in turn helped specialist invertebrates, birds and mammals to thrive in the differing habitats. Without grazing animals, these open habitats would have eventually been dominated by trees and the wildlife living there would have been replaced by woodland species.

Conservation grazing animals replicate the effects of wild herbivores on the land.

Merseyside Reserves Officer, Mike Cunningham, says, “Our grazing animals make an invaluable contribution to maintaining and

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improving a broad range of rare and threatened habitat types right across the LWT area.

“Where mechanical land management practices such as mowing would result in a uniform and indiscriminate removal of plant species, grazing animals can be utilised to achieve a more diverse structure to the vegetation within a given area and can access areas that may not be possible with machinery.”

The Trust’s animals help to maintain many habitats including grassland, heathland and costal marshes. The animals are currently used on nine of LWT’s reserves, including Lunt Meadows, Cutacre and Freshfield Dune Heath. Mike and his colleagues also work with private landowners and partner organisations to manage land for conservation value. Each site has different habitat management needs, influencing which grazers you’ll find there and when, since sheep, goats, cattle and ponies all graze the land differently.

Mike explains, “At Freshfield, grazing animals help to restore wet meadow www.lancmag.com

habitat, reducing more competitive grass and rush species, and allowing more specialist plant species such as ragged-robin, bird’s-foot trefoil and marsh marigold to flourish. Where breeding waders are present, such as at Lunt Meadows, cattle and sheep are used to create more short grazed areas favoured by lapwing and tussocky areas for species such as snipe.”

Grazing forms the main management tool at Freshfield Dune Heath where, without management, natural processes would cause this internationally rare habitat type to be lost. The goats and other grazing animals play a vital role in keeping scrub species such as gorse, birch and Molinia grass at bay. By tweaking stocking densities and timings of grazing, a mosaic of differing vegetation

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Fiona Whitfield, Senior Conservation Officer, feeds the flock. Photo by Mike Cunningham

structures is achieved creating a dynamic environment that is home to nearly 2000 species, including sand lizard, common lizard, spring sedge, and annual knawel.

The breeds used are very important to the team and are selected for their ability to thrive on the nature reserves all year round. Mike adds, “Our Bagots and Golden Guernsey goats are a fairly recent addition. For our sheep we have mostly Hebrideans and a small number of Norfolk Horn, both of these native rare breeds are well adapted to living in more natural settings, have the ability to cover a good range whilst maintaining condition, and to thrive in often nutrient-poor environments with varied vegetation. Cattle-wise have a small herd of Longhorn cattle, a few Highland cattle and we work with a local farmer who boosts our numbers with around thirty Red Poll cattle. We also work with a local Exmoor pony breeder and have several mares each year.”

The animals operate as a part of a system. Once they’ve finished grazing on one site, they are moved to another available site that would benefit from grazing. With so many animals at 38

Freshfield Dune Heath is an internationally rare habitat and would be lost without conservation grazing. Photo by Alan Wright

different sites to keep an eye on, it is certainly a full-time job and one that requires a lot of input from a wide range of people. Mike adds, “We are incredibly lucky to have so many fabulous volunteers at all of our sites that help with daily checks, as well as key volunteers who play a vital role at more labour-intensive times such as, lambing, shearing and routine testing and treatments.”

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On top of the new kids, staff will be kept busy as April marks the start of lambing season.

To keep up to date with the grazing animals and discover the many other conservation projects carried out by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, search for them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter @lancswildlife or visit their website at: www.lancswt.org.uk. www.lancmag.com

A FAMILY BUSINESS WITH FAMILY PRINCIPLES

Now in the fourth generation of the Box family we at Box Bros. Ltd. are widely known and respected for the unstinting dedication and commitment we offer the local community through our services in Blackpool Poulton le Fylde and the Fylde Coast.

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Poulton-Le-Flyde 48-50 Station Road FY6 7JQ 01253 885858 LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 39

Support NHS without sky lanterns call Sky lanterns are posing a risk to creatures and the countryside according to the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

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rust officers are concerned that lanterns, being flown as a show of support for NHS workers during the Coronavirus lockdown, could cause serious problems for wildlife.

Sky lanterns are paper-covered wire or bamboo which are powered by a flame inside. They can frighten and kill birds, if they get tangled up in the wire or string attachments. There is also a choking hazard if wildlife sees the material as food.

Director of Conservation Tim Mitcham said: “Apart from the littering and wildlife scaring aspects, having driven over the West Pennine Moors yesterday, surely one of the risks of sky lanterns is moorland fires - it is a tinderbox up there still. Streams are running dry and reservoirs are low. So to send a burning lantern up there is a great risk.”

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Campaigns Manager Alan Wright added: “Our staff and members will be on the doorsteps tonight clapping and banging tins in support of the courageous and outstanding job being done by our NHS workers and other care staff.

“However, we would encourage people not to use sky lanterns because of the damage they can cause. We don’t want our support for the health workers meaning more work for other emergency workers like the fire service.”

As an alternative, Tim said: “It would be wonderful to ask people to make stationary, decorated lanterns that can be used on the street during the clapping in support of the NHS - photos could record their beautiful designs and could be displayed on our website and on TV.”

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The RSPCA reports that 200,000 lanterns are flown each year, which do untold damage to the countryside.

The Wildlife Trust supports calls by the RSPCA – #EndSkyLitter - and the fire service to ask people to stop using sky lanterns.

Moorland fires devastated many square miles, killing hundreds of thousands of creatures, during the hot summer of 2018. #ClapforNHS #Lovewildlife #EndSkyLitter www.lancmag.com

RIGHT: Fire on Darwen Moor by Alan Wright

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

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

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Davenport Original Ltd Now, I like things to be bespoke (made to order) and I’m always a fan of family run businesses too, so Davenport Original Ltd sounds right up my street.

Words: Stephen Roberts

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t’s a father and son collaboration, specialising in the design and manufacture of contemporary furniture, lighting and household goods. My beloved (Mrs Steve) will often decline to part with her hard-earned cash on a frock because she fears she may see a dozen other ladies similarly attired. Well, surely the same can apply to furniture and fittings: why can’t we have something that’s totally unique?

Davenport Original comprises dad Roger (58) and son Rob (26).

Their workshop is based at ‘Larkrigg’, a farm on the edge of Natland village, which is just over four miles from Kendal, on the edge of the Lakes, and often described as the gateway to the Lake District. I know there are stables nearby and the ‘Two Rs’ are based in a former farm building, which at 20 metres square provides a large and adaptable space for all kinds of ‘goings on’.

It all sounds very rural and idyllic and the perfect place to be conjuring the bespoke.

The access to the workshop is down a gravel track through fields that lead away from the main road past the sheep and newly born lambs down to this creative hideaway.

The two generations come at it from quite different backgrounds. Roger forged a career in ceramic design and spent time in the world-famous Potteries in Staffordshire, but also had a stint in the building trade where he created bespoke architectural pieces. There’s that ‘b’ word again. Rob’s speciality 42

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was more product and furniture design, and manufacture.

Fusing the two has created a melting pot of ideas and creativity with everything thrown in (potentially) and nothing discarded.

As the two gentlemen said, they really wouldn’t want to rule anything out. Well, why would you? The spark that ignited Davenport Original was the failure of Roger’s business to take off again after the last recession, so it was decided to wind that down and start again. The new venture took wing in early-2017 with Rob coming in after he’d finished at Northumbria Uni. Rob had been working with Roger for two years before they decided to start their new business. This is partly what helped them, knowing already that they could work together in what has never been a traditional father-son business.

It’s never been a case of one working for the other: this is very much an equal partnership.

Any new business has to put itself out there and this one was effectively launched at The London Design Fair in London in that same year of 2017 (they have subsequently exhibited in London for the last three years at two different design shows.)

The guys are clearly doing things right as they’ve got through their first three years with a lot of their work coming from re

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commendations, word of mouth, repeat business etc.

I always think it’s those things that tell you that a business is healthy and being properly run. I’m sure there are bespoke items popping up around the Lake District, Cumbria and Lancashire, but this is not just a local concern as Davenport Original has customers all over the UK. 44

World domination may take a tad longer, but the author is confident that the company will be making its name beyond these shores before long.

I really got the essence of the business when the lads told me that they will have a go at anything, in fact, they ‘specialise in not specialising’.

I told them I’d use that quote

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as it’s better than anything this jobbing writer could have come up with, and, well, it just sums it up really.

The pair of them bring such varied skills and experience to the party that the end result could be almost anything and bespoke really does mean bespoke. Having acquired some ex-RAF aircraft parts at auction, the Davenport

Original workshop began considering some innovative re-uses. What about a set of contemporary-look barstools made from the tail rotor blades of a Merlin Helicopter and surely something can be done with some onetime Sea King helicopter driver seats or Rolls Royce jet engine cases?

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A new departure will be utilising the wool of Herdwick sheep.

Now, coming from a farming family, I do know my sheep, so I can tell you that the Herdwick is a breed of domestic hefting sheep native to the Lakes (the name actually derives from an old Viking word meaning ‘sheep pasture’). Roger and Rob are forever dabbling with different materials to try and produce new textures or finishes, and this is no exception. Trials have been underway in the workshop (although it sounds like ‘laboratory’ might be an equally appropriate word). Apparently, the Herdwick wool is particularly durable, so it sounds like a banker.

So, what sort of finish could we expect if Herdwick became an ingredient of an epoxy resin table? Watch this space, as we’ll be finding out fairly soon.

One step that Davenport Original would like to take is to complement its bespoke work with a signature product, something else that the business can be known for, and which can provide regular sales. Whilst it’s always good to receive another commission for that one-off design, it would be fantastic to augment this with a line that keeps on going. Perhaps this is where the Herdwick brand will come in: an end product with a different look and feel, a totally new ‘visual texture’, which will behave a bit like fibreglass in its properties but with the beautiful visual quality of Herdwick wool which helps to hold and bind everything together. Oh, that durability. Other fabrics could be incorporated too, so, in the same way that a gin distillery will start with its juniper berries, then add in other ingredients, so will the duo at Davenport Original with its Herdwick creations.

I am warming to my subject.

parent-child and they admitted having a ‘connected brain’.

They do have disagreements, something they readily admitted, but these are few and far between and creative people are meant to have disagreements anyway. When they see the same piece, but perhaps on different occasions, a subsequent discussion will reveal that they have exactly the same thoughts about it, as to whether it works or not. Conversation and cross-fertilisation work well between the two and streamline the process rather than making it more long-winded.

I was interested in some of the family background and what had brought it to the Lakes. It transpired that Roger was originally from Manchester, so a Lancashire lad, who had moved to the area (i.e. the Lakes) when he was four, so a fondness for this, most beautiful part of the world, went back to formative years.

Rob was actually born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, a market town in Staffordshire, so back in Roger’s Potteries sojourn.

Roger and his wife (mum to Rob) were already gearing up for a move back to the Lakes, however, so Rob’s exposure to earthenware, stoneware and porcelain was rather short-lived, instead replaced with time spent growing up and exploring the Lakes and the North Lancashire coast.

Home for the Davenports is around a ten minute drive away.

Yes, they currently live under the same roof, then spend their working day under the same (albeit different) roof. It’s just as well that they get on, well, like father like son. When I spoke to Rob and Roger on the telephone, I did have great difficulty telling them apart. They sounded just as much like twins as

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Herdwick Wool & wool resin.

Today, the business has a very close relationship with interior designers who come for that bespoke piece or project that they have in mind. This is where word of mouth comes into it.

Some items are sold through a shop in Kendal and trade shows are always useful for publicising the business’s unique wares (including one held recently in this part of the world at Rheged in Penrith). The Davenports would like to be able to sell their own range of pieces in the future, perhaps via its own shop, or its website (www.davenportoriginal.co.uk).

something and see where it takes you. The connected brain has a catalogue up there, which it refers to. It shows just what the human mind can accomplish when it’s set a conundrum.

These two minds (sometimes operating as one) will collaborate on anything from the size of a miniscule pin to a rather larger, grander log cabin. I may have something bespoke in mind for ‘Roberts Towers’ that falls neatly in between those two.

The materials that might be used are limitless really. This is very much the creative studio (or the ‘lab’) where experimental things are afoot. Furniture, lighting and homeware – hardwood, metalwork, even concrete. Their creativity really isn’t limited.

Anyone fancy a half-ton coffee table produced from pure white concrete?

Then there’s the finishes these two work with, creating many visual and textural delights. They have experience and talents in metal work and patinating, wood work and traditional furniture making through to mould making and casting of resins and concrete. Their adaptable, custom-built workshop, with its machine shop and metal working areas, will be busy not only on those bespoke pieces but also on larger production runs.

And let’s not forget that aviation salvage. Oh, and there’s the Herdwick composite coming along too. If you hear strange noises coming from the workshop it’s pure creativity in progress.

Roger and Rob see themselves as design-led creators, but they are also problem solvers in the best tradition of the experimental scientist. Sometimes you just have to start off with a notion, try 46

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‘Why Herdwick wool?’ I hear you ask. Well, not only does the wool create an interesting visual effect, there’s a story behind this material too. As mentioned, the Herdwick is native to the Lake District. It is now predominantly bred for meat as this is where its value lies. Its fleece, however, no longer holds a higher value as in years past, as it’s often considered too wiry and coarse today for the production of clothes, unlike the wools of many other sheep. As a result, sheep farmers are often charged more to clip the sheep than they receive for the fleeces once they are sold. This seems a rough deal to the pair at Davenport Original, so, in an effort to help local farmers in the Lakes, they are exploring the use of this wool in order to give it a value that increases the price for the farmer who’s spent many long hard months caring for their flock only to get pennies for these beautiful fleeces.

Roger and Rob are looking to build relationships and direct links with the Herdwick farmers to buy their wool directly and offer a higher price for this great raw commodity.

Davenport Original Ltd Larkrigg Workshop, Natland, Kendall, LA9 7QS. Web: www.davenportoriginal.co.uk Instagram: @davenportoriginal • Pinterest: davenportoriginal E-mail: info@davenportoriginal.co.uk • Tel: 01539 560630

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Her Majesty at the reception at Ewood Stadium after the Maundy Service in 2014 - Picture Sara Cuff

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Celebrating Lancashire’s Royal Maundy Money Recipients Six older men and women from across Lancashire have received Royal Maundy Money from Her Majesty The Queen.

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very year, on Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday) Her Majesty usually distributes the special Maundy coins to men and women aged 70 and over in an ancient ceremony to mark their Christian service. They are nominated by their local Church of England Dioceses and can include nominees from other Christian denominations.

Due to the coronavirus lockdown, Her Majesty’s usual practice of handing out Maundy Money was sadly cancelled this year. The number of nominees nationally were 94 men and 94 women (the number of each gender always equals Her Majesty’s current age).

Six of the nominations were from our Diocese and they have now received their Maundy Money in a special parcel, along with a letter signed personally by Her Majesty.

The parcel contained The Queen’s letter (sharing her regret not to be able to distribute the money personally); a letter from the Lord High Almoner; a history of Royal Maundy service; a white pouch which contained the Maundy money – 94p in newly minted coins, a number which also corresponds to the Sovereign’s age and a red pouch which had two coins in it - a £5 coin commemorating birth of Wordsworth and a commemorative 50p coin.

In the letter Her Majesty says: “This ancient Christian ceremony, which reflects Jesus’s instruction to his disciples to love one another, is a call to the service of others; something that has been at the centre of my life. I believe it is a call to service for all of us.

“It is one of my most rewarding duties as Sovereign to observe this highly significant ceremony at such an important point in the Christian calendar.

“I know that you, as a recipient of this year’s Maundy Gift, will be as deeply disappointed as I am that it is not going ahead, while understanding the necessary decision in the current circumstances. However, this should not mean your invaluable contribution within the community goes unnoticed and I am sending this Maundy Gift to thank you for your Christian service. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your families at this difficult time.”

Speaking today Diocesan Bishop, Rt Rev. Julian Henderson said: “I congratulate all the recipients of Maundy Money this year who were nominated from our Diocese.

“While it is, of course, sad they were unable to be presented with their Maundy Money in person by The Queen, I am delighted Her Majesty was able to send this wonderful Maundy package including her letter.

“The Queen has always conducted her Maundy responsibilities with great devotion and this is a bit of good news during these difficult times as the coronavirus lockdown continues. I warmly congratulate all the recipients and thank them for their service.”

Left: Judith Fitton’s Maunday Money www.lancmag.com

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Judith Fitton All Saints, Anchorsholme

David Harrison St John’s, Preston

Two decades ago Judith stood in as a ‘one off’ when the local outreach to the elderly needed a member of kitchen staff. She has barely missed a week since and has led the programme for the last 10 years. Judith stood down from this role this summer. However, she still runs the kitchen for Messy Church and the summer and Christmas fairs. She also runs a monthly meet up for single people (many of whom are widows/ widowers) and has helped at a local foodbank, library and much more. She has tireless energy and serves others as if serving Christ Himself. A godly and passionate woman.

David has been churchwarden at Preston Minister for a number of years and has overseen the biggest transformation in its long and distinguished history.

The church has gone through a long time of negotiation, reordering and upheaval. This has become a time of rejoicing for many but it has not always been easy. Dave has worked hard in the background, giving more than full time working hours at times and has not put himself forwards for thanks or praise; but he certainly deserves it. He has worked tirelessly in bringing about something which will benefit generations to come.

Hilary Murphy Trinity Community Church, Accrington Hilary has spent a life serving others. She did this first for many years as a nurse, and then took her considerable skill set into priestly ministry in The Church of England. After serving her curacy in what is officially the most deprived parish in the UK, Hilary spent a number of years in South Africa. Here she served the poorest people who lived in informal settlements and used her two professions in bringing about healing wherever she could. Hilary has come back to the UK now and it is no surprise that she again finds herself in a place which has its fair share of hardship and also no surprise that she is active in the community there.

Left: The Queen’s letter to Judith Fitton

THE ROYAL MAUNDY FACTS • The Royal Maundy is an ancient ceremony which can be traced back to the fourth century and has its origin in the commandment Christ gave after washing the feet of his disciples on the day before Good Friday.

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• It seems to have been the custom as early as the 13th century for members of the Royal Family to take part in Maundy ceremonies, to distribute money and gifts, and to recall Christ’s simple act of humility by washing the feet of the poor.

• Henry IV began the practice of relating the number of recipients of gifts to the sovereign’s age and, as it became the custom of the sovereign to perform the

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John Crewdson Priory of St Mary, Lancaster

Barbara Pendlebury St James, Lower Darwen.

Since retiring as a professor of economics, Professor Crewdson has held directorships in a number of educational and charitable institutions. Until this summer John was the Chair of the Board of Governors at Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy, the largest CofE school in the Diocese, and he is now Director of the Bay Learning Trust. John also supports a number of charitable organisations and has served his church through singing in the choir for as long as anyone can remember.

quietly cares for everyone behind the scenes; be that lonely and elderly in the community or the church family.

She is someone who does people’s shopping, takes them on trips out, delivers a homemade cake, visits those who are ill. At church Barbara is always on hand to help with a smile, from cooking and cleaning up for community family meals and children’s holidays clubs, to raising money for charities and being a welcome, caring face, often with a dish cloth in hand.

She probably doesn’t realise the impact that her presence and her actions have on those around her. Barbara would never expect to be thanked for her service with something like this, which makes her the perfect candidate.

ceremony, the event became known as the Royal Maundy.

• In the 18th century the act of washing the feet of the poor was discontinued and in the 19th century money allowances were substituted for the various gifts of food and clothing.

• Maundy money as such started in the reign of Charles II with an undated issue of hammered coins in 1662.

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Barbara is someone who

• Today’s recipients of Royal Maundy, as many men and women over 70 as there are years in the sovereign’s age, are chosen because of the Christian service they have given to the Church and community.

• At the ceremony, which usually takes place annually on Maundy Thursday, the sovereign hands to each recipient two small leather string purses. A red purse contains – in ordinary coinage – money in lieu of food and

Graham Stamford Ecumenical nomination – Carnforth Free Methodist Church Graham set up ’Sportsreach’ in 1997 as an interdenominational approach to working with disengaged young people through sport. It has been hugely successful and now not only has sports camps every school holiday but even has international reach with Christian sports camps around Europe, Africa and Asia. The results have been as clear as Graham’s passion, with hundreds of young people each year getting to know themselves, their chosen sports and God a lot more. Graham has continued to coach, speak in schools and even play football well into his 80s, and his clear desire to reach young people with the Gospel has by no means tired. clothing; the other, a white purse, contains silver Maundy coins consisting of the same number of pence as the years of the sovereign’s age.

• The effigy of The Queen on ordinary circulating coinage has undergone three changes, but Maundy coins still bear the same portrait of Her Majesty prepared by Mary Gillick for the first coins issued in the year of her coronation in 1953.

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William Wordsworth William Wordsworth was born on the 7th April 1770 and along with Robert Southey and Samuel Taylor Coleridge is seen as one of the founding fathers of the ‘Romantic Age’ in English literature and culture in general.

ABOVE: Information on the graveyard in Grasmere about the Wordsworth graves. Cumbria, Lake District.

Photo by Pit24 RIGHT: William Wordsworth at 28

by William Shuter

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ordsworth was the second of five children born to John Wordsworth and Ann Cookson in what is now known as ‘Wordsworth House’ in Cockermouth Cumbria.

His sister Dorothy was born the following year and they remained close all through their lives. In fact, they were to spend most of their lives living together even after Wordsworth was married. Dorothy was a keen writer and diarist herself and she influenced much of Wordsworth’s work over the years.

Their Father John was often absent on legal business, but he encouraged William to explore his library and to memorise passages of verse by Milton, Shakespeare and Spenser.

William attended school initially in Cockermouth and then Penrith. When his mother died in 1778 his Father sent him to Hawkshead Grammar School – originally in Lancashire, now part of Cumbria.

He was a keen scholar and all that study in his Father’s library must have paid off. In 1787 his debut as a published writer was a sonnet published in ‘The European Magazine’ a London

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published high- brow magazine focusing on culture, the arts and politics. Also, in 1787 he began to attend Cambridge University.

In 1791 he visited revolutionary France and fell in love with Annette Vallon who gave birth to their daughter Caroline the following year. However, the perils of the revolution plus a war between France and England forced him to return home. He was not to see either of them again for ten years.

Wordsworth was writing feverishly and in 1793 he published his first collections of poems, ‘An Evening Walk’ and ‘Descriptive sketches’. Although he was pleased with them, they were not critically or commercially successful.

However, some good luck occurred in 1795 when he received a legacy of £900 from a Raisley Calvert and was then able to focus on a full – time career as a poet.

Seeking a change of area in 1795 Dorothy and William moved to Racedown House in Dorset where he met the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

The two became firm, life- long friends and were a great influence on each other’s writing. www.lancmag.com

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ABOVE: Grasmere Dove Cottage TOP RIGHT: Daffodils BOTTOM RIGHT: Rydal Mount

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Then in 1979 they moved to Alfroxton House in Somerset near to Coleridge. In 1798 Coleridge and Wordsworth wrote the ‘Lyrical Ballads’ together which is seen as one of the formative texts of the Romantic Movement. The ‘Romantic Movement’ which was at its peak from 1800 -1850 was a movement which placed emphasis on heightened emotions, aesthetics (beauty and taste) and a glorification of nature. The movement was believed to be a reaction to the grimness and blackened soot of the industrial revolution.

The ‘Lyrical Ballads’ included Wordsworth’s famous, ‘Tintern Abbey’ and Coleridge’s ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’. In the preface to the book Wordsworth spoke of striving for a new kind of language that was less traditionally poetic and based more on the actual language of the ordinary man.

Wordsworth also tried his hand at play writing and between 1795-7 wrote his only play ‘The Borderers’ a tragedy

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set during the reign of Henry III. Unfortunately, it was not well received, and the Covent Garden Theatre refused to put it on. In fact, the play was not performed until 1842.

To get over this disappointment, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Dorothy toured Germany and then headed into France. Here in 1802, he met his daughter Caroline for the first time and informed his old love Annette that he was to be married to his childhood friend Mary Hutchinson.

On their return from France, Wordsworth, Mary and Dorothy settled at Dove Cottage in Grasmere. Coleridge settled nearby. Another prominent poet – Robert Southey also lived in the area.

The trio became known as ‘The Lake poets’.

It was here that Wordsworth wrote some of his best-known poems and in 1807 he published ‘Poems in two volumes’. These included many of his much- loved poems including the odes (‘Ode to duty’ and ‘Ode; Imitations of immortality) as well as ‘My Heart leaps www.lancmag.com

up’ and of course his most well-known poem, ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud.’

The couple quickly had 4 children: John, Dora, Catherine and William.

Sadly, Catherine only lived to the age of 4 and Thomas to the age of 6. It is perhaps not surprising that a lot of Wordsworth’s verse during this time focused on, death, endurance, separation and grief.

Seeking more space for their young family they all moved to larger lodgings in 1808. Then In 1810 Coleridge and Wordsworth fell out over Coleridge’s continued opium use. This hit Wordsworth hard and is likely to have contributed to a low mood.

In 1813 the family moved to what would be Wordsworth’s final home – Rydal Mount near Ambleside. This was a time of continued productivity for him and in 1814 he published ‘The Excursion’ as part of an unfinished three-part work titled, ‘The Recluse’.

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and able to relax a little. He was also reconciled with Coleridge in 1828 and they toured the Rhineland together.

The ultimate recognition of his work came in 1843 when he (somewhat reluctantly became the poet laureate.

Although, unusually for a laureate, during his tenure he didn’t write any new verse.

The poor family was not done with tragedy though and in 1847 his beloved daughter Dora died unexpectedly at the

age of 42. Wordsworth took her death very hard and he is believed to have ceased all writing.

In 1850, after a highly productive career, William Wordsworth one of the greatest English poets ever died of an advanced case of pleurisy. He was laid to rest at St Oswald’s Church in Grasmere the village that he loved so much amongst the glorious rolling hills of the lakes amongst the daffodils.

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Wray Castle Wray castle is a grade II listed building built in 1840.

Words: Mark Bateman

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lthough it looks like a castle from the time of Ladies and Knights it is in fact a house. It stands in impressive grounds on the shores of Lake Windermere and has been owned by the National Trust since 1929.

The house (and Wray Church) were built by retired Liverpool surgeon James Dawson as a retirement home for himself and his wife Margaret.

Margaret was independently wealthy as she had a large inheritance from her Father who had been a highly successful wine merchant and gin distiller.

There is some debate over whether the inheritance passed to James on their marriage (as was customary), or, in a highly progressive move by her Father, that the money was left directly to Margaret and James only had access to it with her consent.

Whichever is the truth it was Margaret’s money that built Wray Castle. The house was designed by John Jackson Lightfoot a trained accountant with an interest in architecture.

Unfortunately, he died of alcoholism before he could complete the plans so architect H.P. Horner took over to finish the design.

Between them they envisaged a flamboyant Victorian building in the Neo- gothic revival style which was popular at the time. What they came up with as a highly elaborate building with turrets, towers, a portcullis and even mock ruins in the garden. However, it is said Mrs Dawson took one look at the building and refused to ever live there!

Dawson died in 1875 and the estate was inherited by his 15- year old nephew Edward Preston Rawnsley who is said to have treated the place like a Victorian B&B renting rooms out to tourists.

Then in 1877 Edward’s cousin Hardwicke Rawnsley became the vicar of Wray Church. As well as being involved in the community life of the Church Hardwicke was passionate about protecting beautiful Cumbrian spaces from the increasing encroachment of industrialisation.

Hardwicke was not the only one thinking along these lines. John Ruskin the prominent Cumbrian artist, social thinker and philanthropist had come up with the idea of a trust to protect historical buildings and natural beauty across the whole country.

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Hardwicke along with two other people was largely responsible for the formation of what became the National Trust established in 1895.

The second person Octavia Hill was a prominent social reformer. Although largely concerned with the poverty of those living in cities (particularly London) she was also keen to preserve, ‘open, green spaces’ for people to enjoy.

The third person was Sir Robert Hunter a prominent solicitor and civil servant who was also keen on conserving natural spaces.

There was, of course, another person instrumental in the early days of the National Trust, and that was Lakes author Beatrix Pottter. In 1822, when she was 16, Potter’s family rented the castle for a summer break. At a dinner party they held Hardwicke Rawnsley was one of the guests. This was the start of a great friendship between them. He became a mentor to her and helped her publish. ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’.

Potter was also deeply passionate about preserving green open spaces, especially in the Lake District.

After the formation of the National Trust, in 1929 Wray Castle and 64 acres of land were given to the National Trust by the owners Sir Noton and Lady Barclay. Noton was an English export shipping merchant, banker and Liberal party politician.

Despite now belonging to the National Trust it was a long time before the house was opened to the public. Over the years it has had a variety of uses including a short spell as a Youth Hostel.

Then from 1931- 51 it housed the offices of the ‘Fresh Water Biological Association. Changing use again from 1958-1998 it was used as a training college for Merchant Navy Radio Officers and became known as RMS Wray Castle. Up to 150 cadets lived and studied at the Castle at any one time.

However, due to automation and increasing technological developments, Radio Officers were no longer needed at sea by 1995 and the last cadet left the castle.

In 2011 the National Trust proposed letting the Castle as a hotel. While the plans were being examined it was decided to open the property to visitors that year. The Castle proved a highly popular and child – friendly (little or no furniture or historical artefacts) attraction, and in 2014 the Trust applied for a change of use at the venue to open it as a visitor attraction.

Wray Castle has been a consistently popular visitor attraction over the years. It differs from a lot of the Trust’s other properties in that it is not full of period furniture or artefacts, instead it is a building of open spaces. That’s not to say there’s no exploring to be done.

Inside are large opulent rooms linked by narrow winding servants corridors, rooms with towers, turrets and arrow slots. Photos by Beatrix Potter’s father help visitors see life as it was at the Castle in Victorian times.

There’s plenty for children do as well including Beatrix Potter exhibitions, dressing up as a King, a Queen or Knight (available for adults too!) as well as building your own castle from foam blocks.

No visit would be complete without a tour of the extensive opulent grounds.

The grounds are famous for their collection of wonderful trees including: Wellingtonia, Redwood, Ginkgo Bilboa, Weeping Lime and Beech. There is even a Mulberry Tree planted by poet William Wordsworth in 1845. In 2018 20,000 spring bulbs including, daffodils and tulips were planted in the grounds creating a spectacular display.

Nestled between the Castle and the lake shore is Watbarrow wood through which there are pathways down to the Lake offering fantastic lake views. And from March – October Windermere Cruises (normally) operates a passenger service from Ambleside via Brockhole Visitor centre to Wray Castle.

When the Lake District is back open for business it’s definitely worth putting on your list of great day’s out.

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Blackpool Council committed to delivering ‘Corona Kindness’ help through 12 community hubs Blackpool Council is well underway in setting up 12 community hubs across Blackpool to help those in need and shield our most vulnerable residents from the impact of coronavirus.

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ecently, 1.5m letters have been sent out nationally by the NHS with advice to vulnerable people about how to keep safe from coronavirus. Vulnerable people have been identified as at risk of severe illness if they have an underlying disease or health condition that means if they catch the virus, they are more likely to be admitted to hospital than others.

They have been advised to stay at home and avoid all face to face contact for at least twelve weeks, except with carers and health workers.

Lots of people in the shielded group or who are otherwise vulnerable during the pandemic will have really strong arrangements in place with family, friends and local shops providing their essential support and reducing their isolation. The new community hubs help will not replace that. They will be safety nets for those without others to help them out or if those arrangements break down for whatever reason, including if the person helping them becomes unwell themselves.

How Blackpool’s 12 Community Hubs Can Help Helping vulnerable people in need and requiring assistance is vital.

At a local level we already announced over a week ago details of our new ‘Corona Kindness’ service and helpline to add to the community spirit already being displayed in Blackpool for those that need help and those that want to help.

In addition, people including council workers, local ward councillors, volunteers and an amazing range of organisations have been working hard to set up local hubs to provide additional support across Blackpool for

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vulnerable people.

Twelve hubs are in the process of being established in Blackpool across a broad geographical spread to meet vulnerable people’s needs.

Each hub will have a dedicated person to co-ordinate support to the vulnerable people known to us and requests for support from other vulnerable people.

Each co-ordinator working with a growing network of council workers, volunteers and support partners will be looking to see how we can help in any way by matching the need for support with those that than offer it. It may be that if someone is unable to get out shopping we can organise someone to deliver food to their home, or it may be that someone is feeling isolated and just wants to chat to someone.

In addition, the hubs will also act as ‘buddies’ to each other offering assistance if another hub needs support with a vulnerable person’s specific needs.

Cllr Simon Blackburn, Blackpool Council Leader, said: “In the last few weeks, people have been working hard to set up local hubs of support for vulnerable people across Blackpool.

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The Corona Kindness helplines and the hubs being developed will help to ensure that no one in Blackpool goes short of the help they need. We want to hear from vulnerable people who need help and we will do our best to deliver it.

“Right throughout Blackpool and across the Fylde we are seeing people display an inspiring amount of spirit and unbelievable kindness towards each other. We would also love to hear from the people of Blackpool who can volunteer with this vitally important work to ensure that we can maximise the support that is available.

“There is no doubt that these are extremely difficult times but we need to focus on what we can and will do to protect all our residents, particularly the vulnerable.”

A telephone line is now operational for people needing help. It is 0808 1963 080. The line is open 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday.

Or if you need help email: helpneeded@blackpool.gov.uk or if feel you can help helpoffered@blackpool. gov.uk. www.blackpool.gov.uk/ coronakindness #spreadthekindnessnotthevirus #coronakindness Government advice on support for vulnerable people can be found at www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremelyvulnerable. This includes advice about any displayed symptoms, guidance on social distancing, delivery of prescriptions, planned GP practice and hospital appointments, support with daily living.

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Born to run Blackpool Music Run is back for the third instalment of Blackpool’s most entertaining Fun Run with a new postponed date of Sunday 18th October

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lackpool music run is Blackpool’s most entertaining 10k and 5k fun run, with stages along the promenade playing host to some of the north west’s finest acts and artists. over the past two events there have been over 1500 participants and 40 performers.

The promenade route, which is closed to traffic, will be fully marshalled with water and plenty of encouragement along the route. You can Run, Jog, Walk or Even Dance along either the 10K or 5K distances and at the end you will get to claim on of the Music Run’s famous bespoke designed medals, which are unique to each event.

There will also be an opportunity to raise money for charity with over £5,000’s raised across the previous two events. This year’s event will be offering special packages for any charities that want to get in touch. There will also be packages for multiple purchases for businesses and running groups or, if entrants want to enter for fun they can.

Its their race, Run, Jog, Walk or Dance for Charity of for Fun! The event is now in its third year and promises to be the best one to date.

All entrants will have access to some great offers with our Run Rewards

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Club, rewards last year included a free pint, £1 travel on Blackpool Transport, kids go free at Merlin attractions and much more. This year’s rewards will be announced soon very soon.

They are also pleased to announce the first round of acts who will be performing at the third event which includes, last year’s main stage performers The Rattlers, new to Blackpool Music Run, Kallugo and last years favourites Old Rope. More acts will be announced soon along with stage locations and our new Run Rewards.

Luke Taylor, Event Organiser said: “I am really excited about our third event, which grows every year.

We look forward to improving every aspect of the event whether it’s the route, the medal, entertainment or our involvement with local businesses, I am sure every one that enters will not be disappointed” The event was due to take place on Sun 18th July but has now been postponed to Sunday 18th Ocotber For further information and to enter, please check out the Facebook and Twitter pages @bpoolmusicrun or visit the website: www.blackpoolmusicrun.co.uk

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Outdoor Living

Cora Rope Dining Chairs & Cora 120cm Round Dining Table.

Comes with Kettler 3 Year Wood Warranty

Plant Nursery, Garden Centre, Cafe & Food Shop Open 7 days a week 9.00-5.00 & Sunday 10.30-4.30 We’re on the A6 one mile south of Milnthorpe, Cumbria Tel:www.lancmag.com 015395 63630 | www.beethamnurseries.co.uk

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Lancashire Photographer Offers Couple the Chance of £30K Dream Wedding to Raise Funds for NHS

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fter seeing the impact of Coronavirus, photographer Andy Griffiths, along with a group of friends in the wedding industry decided to team up to give one lucky couple something to look forward to – a dream wedding – whilst raising much needed funds for the NHS. Working with a large number of suppliers from across the North-West, Andy has launched a competition for one lucky couple to win an all-expenses paid wedding which will take place at the prestigious Cheshire wedding venue, Mottram Hall on Saturday 23rd January 2021. The prize, which has been valued at £30,000, also includes food and drink for the day, rings, outfits for the bridal party, entertainment for the whole day, a mini-moon and a whole lot more.

The campaign #TieTheKnot4NHS simply asks couples to make a £25 donation for the NHS via a JustGiving page and then complete a form via a website. All the money raised will be donated to the NHS. Any couple that are front line workers within the NHS such as doctors and nurses, and wish to enter are exempt from making the donation and can enter for free.

Other suppliers include: Butter Cup Cakes, Champneys, Your Ceremony, Rockside Holidays, Lasting Memories by

Alison, James Tracey Wedding Films, Salon Maghull, Hayley Mcgaroty, Emma Rose Wedding Stationery, Liz Hendry Piano, Sam Fitton Magic, The Distance, The Midnight Cats, DJ Gary Mills, The Word is Love, Smileomatic Photobooths, Isabelita Bakes, Lottie’s Bridal Boutique, Whitefield and Ward, Diddibox Flowers, Ainsworth Jewletters, Rachel Simpson Shoes, Laurellime and Moments Candle.

Andy Griffiths, photographer and owner of Andy Griffiths Photography said: “The impact that Coronavirus has had on everyone has been overwhelming and I really wanted to do something to help by putting a smile on people’s faces and giving them something to look forward to.

“As a result of the health crisis, all my wedding work was cancelled so I had time on my hands to plan something really special – a fundraiser for the NHS. I came up with the idea and then contacted all the amazing suppliers I work with and between us have been able to put together this offer of a dream wedding.”

The nomination and donation have to be received by 30th May and the winner will be announced 31st May.

For further details please visit https://www.andygriffithsphotography.co.uk/win-your-dream-wedding 62

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BOOKS

Our roundup of the best Lancashire literary delights

Gracie Fairshaw and the Mysterious Guest

by Susan Brownrigg Check in for a mystery beside the seaside!

Gracie Fairshaw and her family have barely moved into ‘The Majestic’, a Blackpool boarding house when Ma’ mysteriously vanishes.

Gracie teams up with her younger brother George, and befriends siblings Violet and Tom, and maid Phyllis.

They must work out why one of the guests - a conman conjurer - has made Ma’ disappear!

The inspiration for the book was discovering that in 1935 the Illuminations Switch-on was performed by 15-year-old Railway Queen, Audrey Mosson!

Author Susan also wanted to write a children’s book with a working-class class Northern heroine. Gracie has upper limb difference but this doesn’t stop her from doing every day things and being a detective. Susan’s mum is disabled and her great grandfather had part of his left arm amputated after an injury sustained in WW1.

Susan did lots of research for Gracie Fairshaw and the Mysterious Guest including visiting all the Blackpool places Gracie goes to while solving the mystery. She has also been keeping a blog about my research trips on her website. www.susanbrownrigg.com Available from 20th July from www.uclanpublishing.com and available for pre-order on Amazon and other booksellers.

Lost Lanes North

by Jack Thurston A beautifully photographed guide to some of England’s most iconic cycling country.

Jack Thurston, best-selling author of the Lost Lanes series (50,000 sold), takes you on a freewheeling tour of the lost lanes and forgotten byways of Northern England - Yorkshire, Lake District, Pennines and Northumberland.

• Ride sections of the legendary Tour de Yorkshire, discovering castles and forts.

• Ride traffic free paths along the River Wharfe and Swale stopping for river swims and picnics in sun-dappled woodlands.

• Climb to the windswept heights of the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines.

• Discover car-free routes through the grand forests of Northumberland and Bowland.

This is the perfect gift for the armchair traveller and cycling adventurer. With downloadable GPX and route guides, and detailed maps. Rides graded from easy to challenging, with best pubs and tea stops, wild swims, finest viewpoints and accommodation too.

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Jack has spent most of his life exploring the British countryside by bike. As presenter of The Bike Show on Resonance FM, he has brought his affable, infectious velophilia to London’s airwaves, attracting an enthusiastic worldwide audience via the popular podcast edition - now celebrating its one millionth download. His articles about cycling have appeared in the Guardian, Cycling Plus, the Sunday Times and Cycle.

Available from 4th May, for more info visit wildthingspublishing.com

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he Environment Agency has launched a long-term plan for meeting the challenges our water supplies are likely to face as a result of climate change and population growth.

The National Framework for Water Resources, launched today, brings together industry, regulators and government to transform the way we use and look after our water supplies.

The framework will help reduce demand, halve leakage rates, develop new supplies, move water to where it’s needed and reduce the need for drought measures that can harm the environment.

The latest predictions estimate that if further action is not taken, between 2025 and 2050 we’ll need more than 3.4 billion additional litres of water per day to meet future demand for public water supply.

The framework looks to ease the pressure on our future water supplies by: • ·Reducing demand to an average of 110 litres per person per day by 2050 • Improving water efficiency across all sectors • Working with water companies to halve leakage rates by 2050 • Developing new supplies such as reservoirs, water re-use schemes and desalination plants • Making it easier to move water to where it’s needed through regional water transfers • Reducing the use of drought measures that can impact the environment The framework introduces an ambitious aim for water companies to help consumers cut wastage and to use water more wisely in order to reduce our average water use from 143 to 110 litres per day.

Five regional groups across the country will work up plans tailored to the specific needs of their individual area, bringing together the 17 English water companies, industry regulators, government and other water users. The framework will guide these groups and deliver a national blueprint for future water resources planning from 2025 to 2050 and beyond.

The framework also sets out the challenges that water-intensive industries such as agriculture and power generation are likely to face across www.lancmag.com

Preserving our water resources in a changing climate Industry and government tackle threat to future water supplies different parts of the country as a result of climate change, and how we can overcome them.

It also sets a greater level of ambition for restoring, protecting and improving the environment that is the source of all our supplies.

Rebecca Pow, Environment Minister, said: “I am pleased to see the Environment Agency challenging water companies to work more collaboratively to increase water efficiency.

“This framework is a significant step in the right direction, bringing together consumers, businesses and industry to reduce our water demand, and to put in place the infrastructure we need while preserving our water environment for

decades to come.”

Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: (cleared) “If we don’t take action many areas of England will face water shortages by 2050. The National Framework for Water Resources is the step change required to ensure the needs of all water users are brought together to better manage and share resources.

Collaboration is key if we are going to deliver the resilience and environmental enhancement we need.”

You can access the full framework document and summary on www.gov.uk

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Ribchester Words: Stephen Roberts

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e’re only very temporary custodians of this place, of course, which means that it’s incumbent on us to try and leave it in good nick for those that follow. I’m not sure that we always do the best of jobs as custodians, but that’s another article for another day. Ribchester is one of those places that reminds us just how long we’ve been around and therefore how transitory our stay will be. This quaint village has been on the tourist trail for, well, a long time and it has a history that is positively ancient with origins perhaps as far back as the Bronze Age.

St. Wilfrid’s parish church, which is Grade I Listed and dates back to the 13th century (author – Immanuel Giel, source – Self photographed).

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When I find a place in a ‘Book of British Villages’ I know I’m on to a winner. Ribchester, about five miles north of Blackburn, and ten east of Preston, is a village built on the site of a 5½ acre Roman fort (‘Bremetennacum’), which was constructed around 70-80 AD to house a cavalry contingent of around 500.

That Roman name, Bremetennacum, was cited in the ‘Ravenna Cosmography’ of the 7th century AD, which listed all the place names known in the world at the time. That’s quite impressive. It seems Roman Ribchester

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was both well-known and long-lasting.

It was also wealthy at that time, in fact considered ‘as rich as any town in Christendom’ (a quote attributed to William Camden – see below).

The fort was apparently founded by the Roman governor, Agricola, who was intent on subduing these islands and Ribchester was a handy staging post for the route north, with roads fanning out not only north, but in other directions.

It was originally a timber fort, rebuilt in stone in the early-2nd century AD. I understand that Sarmatian cavalry (Danube valley) were based here in the

3rd century AD and that many of them stayed on here to marry local ladies, becoming farmers and horse-breeders.

This might be an interesting place to do a bit of genealogy, provided you could trace your family back far enough. The fort itself was abandoned around 370 AD when the Romans concentrated their strength in this area on Lancaster. After the Romans departed the Anglo-Saxons moved in and then the Normans after 1066.

There was a listing in William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book.

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Above: Roman ruins in Ribchester, or ‘Bremetennacum’ (author – Immanuel Giel, source – Self photographed).

Right: The White Bull, one of two Bull pubs and three hostelries in total in the village, (author – Immanuel Giel, source – Self photographed).

What did the Romans ever do for us eh?! Well, one thing they did was undoubtedly put Ribchester on the visitors’ maps, as folk were attracted here by those remains. William Camden (1551-1623), the antiquarian, visited ‘Ribblechester’ (fort on the Ribble), for example, in 1582. The antiquarians bless ‘em have kept on returning, although they might have been advised to avoid the English Civil War period (1642-51), when Ribchester was a Royalist outpost and was fought over.

It was in the late-18th century (1797) that a schoolboy, the son of a clog-maker, somehow unearthed a splendid Roman hoard, including a bronze ceremonial helmet, which now resides in the British Museum. There’s a small museum, recently extended, just outside the churchyard of St Wilfrid’s, the parish church (of which more later), which houses a replica among other discoveries. There’s not that much of the onceimpressive fort that’s still visible today, with even the river having eroded some of it away (some of the bits you’ll find in the museum were actually rescued from the river bed: it might seem that the Roman fort was not on the river today, but that’s because the Ribble has changed course over two millennia).

The foundations of the granaries can be seen behind the church, whose churchyard might well have been on the site of the Roman fort’s temple: a good example of religious re-use and suggestive that the old Roman site was still considered the focal point of the settlement. Remains of the old Roman baths lie behind the White Bull. The parade ground site is now rather quaintly occupied by a children’s playground.

Youngsters could pretend to be Romans if they fancy it.

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Below: Grade II Listed Sundial in the churchyard of St. Wilfrid’s, which dates to the 18th century, (author – Immanuel Giel, source – Self photographed).

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Above: Church Street, Ribchester (author – ‘Dudesleeper’ at English Wikipedia, source – Own work).

The Roman Museum was the inspiration of Margaret Greenall, a scion of the famous Greenall brewing family, early in the 20th century. She was concerned about the number of artefacts that had disappeared out of Ribchester since it had been first recognised as a site of special historic interest. Her solution was to establish a museum in the village that could display some of its own treasures and this duly opened its doors in 1915. The museum has been extended and enhanced on more than one occasion, including when it reopened in 2001 following its most ambitious redevelopment to date, a worthy Millennium project.

St Wilfrid’s, the parish church, is Early English, Grade I Listed, and dates back to the 13th century, with a Perpendicular tower of the 14th century. Its churchyard is sited smack over the top of one corner of the Roman fort’s treasury building, and includes a Grade II Listed sundial, dating to the 18th century, which carries an inscription, ‘I am a shadow. So art Thou. I mark time. Dost Thou?’ Sort that one out. The church itself benefited from those Roman ruins, as much of the stone contributed to the building of the original church.

The church also has Tuscan pillars supporting a gallery, those pillars quite possibly garnered from a former Roman building.

There’s a Jacobean pulpit (so, from the reign of James I, 1603-25), with fine woodwork, 18th century pews, and a somewhat faded mural to St. Christopher, who is of course, the patron saint of … come on folks … travellers. Well done. www.lancmag.com

2 Church Street, Ribchester, a cottage featured in a ‘Time Team’ dig of 1993, when the team stayed at the White Bull. (author – ‘NewTestLeper79’, source – Own work).

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Apparently, St. C. was often on the lips of those about to cross the River Ribble back in the day. This was certainly a seriously dodgy manoeuvre in olden days as the river was/is notoriously fast-flowing. Back in the 13th century one of the unlucky travellers/forders was the village’s first rector, Drogo, who was sadly drowned. Thankfully for today’s travellers there is a fine three-arched bridge dating to 1774, which occupies the site of a onetime Roman ford.

The village is not just about its ancient history. It was also affected by the Industrial Revolution with cotton weaving moving in, which bestowed a couple of mills on the place, both in Preston Road, on the northern outskirts of the village.

There are old weavers’ cottages in Church Street. Apparently, the remains of that weaving continued until quite recently (the 1980s). Corporation Mill was demolished, but Bee Mill is still extant and is now a home to several small businesses, another good example of re-use. Today, Ribchester mainly serves as a dormitory village for the likes of Manchester, Blackburn and Preston.

The village is surrounded by green hills and if location, location matters, then this place has it, as it nestles in a gentle curve of the Ribble, within, of course, the Ribble Valley. The river has steep banks where it is permissible to loiter and even partake of a picnic, assuming that you’ve grown tired of the village’s narrow streets and alleyways (it’s the only village that sits directly on the Ribble). As for the village itself, think an assemblage of multi-coloured stone cottages, long meandering terraces, and a couple of notable pubs, the Grade II Listed

White Bull (1707) and the complementary Black Bull. The former has an entrance porch, replete with canopy held up by four columns, also said to have been rescued from those former Roman ruins and a three-step mounting stone by the front entrance to help you get on and off your equine, or possibly in/out of your carriage.

Although it has a museum, Ribchester is certainly not a museum, as it exhibits plenty of life. On the third weekend in June the village celebrates its annual Field Day (or Gala Day) with various competitions and a centrepiece procession.

There’s also a May Day Market arranged for the Spring Bank Holiday (last Monday in May) when stalls take over the Bee Mill site in Preston Road. Notwithstanding all that, Ribchester is one of the most popular villages in this part of the world, with its cosy pubs, award-winning accommodation, local shops and amenities. The Romans did a pretty good job I reckon setting up here.

Sculpture modelled on Trajan’s Column, depicting scenes from Ribchester’s history, (author – Immanuel Giel, source – Self photographed).

References Book of British Villages (Reader’s Digest, 1980) The Shell Book of English Villages (Ed. J. Hadfield, 1980) The Shell Guide to England (Ed. J. Hadfield,1973) Visit Lancashire (www.visitlancashire.com) Ribchester Roman Museum (www.ribchesterromanmuseum.org) Lancashire Telegraph (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk) Cheshire Now (www.cheshirenow.co.uk) Ribchester Bridge, which makes it somewhat easier and safer to cross the Ribble than in olden times (author – David Dixon / Ribchester Bridge, source – www.geograph.org.uk).

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A catch up with A catch up with Peter Rutt Peter Rutt Our monthly coloumn Peter Rutt.

Our monthly coloumn

by Peterby Rutt.

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art 2 of 3. Last month I talked of a street in Liverpool called Bold Street. Certain people claimed they had time slipped for a short period while in or near this shopping area, back to the 1950’s or 1960’s.

Yes your first thought runs to Urban Tales or myths that people copy or embellish but I wonder if the next two stories convince you otherwise.

Imogen was glad a new Mothercare store had opened on the corner of Lord Street and Whitechapel. She visited the store and after walking round for a while she was pleased at the low prices of some of the items although she didn’t know what‘d’ meant on the prices but surmised it was meant to say pounds. Looking around her she noticed the store was old fashioned which Imogen thought was quaint.

After collecting cardigans and other bits and pieces she walked to the lady tending the till. Imogen proffered her credit card to the old fashioned dressed lady who looked at her suspiciously. She went to find the manager who came back and said they did not accept any kind of card, only money. As Imogen sky became lighter and the book store driver tooted his horn at Frank who did not have money on her she put the had stopped in the road. He noticed returned to modern day. Akin to a blink items back and walked out of the store the sign on the side of the van that read and it was gone. The woman stated that disappointed. Imogen relayed the story Cardins. He looked around and noticed their shared experience was strange. to her mum who said the store she people were driving cars that dated post Historically, Cripps was a women’s visited was knocked down years ago. It war and the fashion of clothes people not the actual photograph clothes store and Cardins was equally was a Bank now and the very one her wore were from the same era. Women well known in Liverpool. So what are mum used. Not believing her she took wore head scarves, full long dresses we to make of this? Tales, myths or her mumart into3town to prove with hair shaped likeThere those typical I could glean something. Guess what, was ofthe story who of 3.

Thisthis is to theher.final part didof justFrank one person experience this Sure enough only the bank was there. the late 1940’s or very early 50’s.

Men of the Bold Street investigation walked across Bold Street viewing and allto thebe other stories are madethere up? is an unseen pulsing something, in wore old fashioned hats and long Mac’s.

The next story concern two people There is with one more possibility. Certain in Liverpool.

Some people both places but they do differ. It actually an era from the late 1940’s another As Frank approached the store he was that allege they both experienced a frequencies have a knack of scrambling displaywho window time slipthey at thehave same time. and backgreeted hurt my ears when I concentrated on claim timeFrank slipped to with a front woman he didn’ttheknow.

I was brain, so to make sense the brain containing handbags, shoes and Carol had decided to go to town as it.

But these audible sounds could not an earlier era when the street was very tries to compensate and may turn to wondering if any of the other people umbrellas, all styles of the era. Another Carol wanted to visit Waterstones book historical data toFrank right the imbalance. be heard out of meditation but did different modern from that scene intrepid woman approached where Frank was saw our store. Carol to headed into theday. shop ahead OK, but why would it use places it has standing dressedand in modern clothing of Frank who had stopped to talk to a make me feel like I had been punched thought he and the woman ofwere no knowledge and why does this not I spoke of a woman and could not hide her confused look. friend.

After finishing their chatwho Frank alleged in the head. The best way to describe occur elsewhere?

What was or is in or dressed bizarrely compared to them.

She smiled at Frank though clearly not headed into Bold in Street but as he took to be she shopped what she around Bold Street that is different to it was as a low hum but pulses through understanding what she saw. Frank up, the name above the entrance I am reminded of other Jim Templeton alooked Mothercare store but it turned out areas? entered the strange store followed by door read Cripps, not Waterstones. An your whole body much like a loud whoSuddenly took some the interiorvanwas a close place the puzzled woman. the photos of his daughter old fashioned came andthat the had been

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knocked down years ago and today there is a bank in its old position. If she had removed the items of clothing from the store she wanted to buy would they have travelled with her into modern day? This is where making changes to historical facts can be checked. If she was able to carry physical items from the old store to the here and now then history has changed. The people who wore or gave these clothes to others never got them because this lady had retrieved them in whatever date she visited the store in the supposed 1950s.

But despite this being the past it can’t change what has already occurred in our reality. www.lancmag.com

on Burgh Marsh that overlooks the Solway Firth in Cumbria in 1964.

When he developed the film all was well apart from one picture. It clearly showed his daughter but in the background there is what clearly looks like a spaceman in a silver suit walking in their direction. Jim does not recall seeing this at the time. So armed with this information the question I asked in April’s edition can be answered as a yes, you can photograph these anomalous time slips, if this indeed was one. I also wonder if the spaceman remembers seeing Jim and his daughter.

I decided to travel to Bold Street and the Solway Firth to meditate and see if

concert speaker bass hitting you square on. It was barely discernible and I felt fatigued afterwards like it sucked energy from me. Even certain places in the Lake District contain this barely audible humming as well.

I know it is weird but there are many things in this world we don’t know about and this is another one. I dare say someone may come up with an excellent theory in the future to explain these odd experiences. Although some tales are possibly contrived and somebody wants their five minutes of fame. Perhaps the very first tale was real. As real as Bigfoot? As real as ghosts? As real as UFO’s? The truth is out there but it is as elusive as ever.

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The Pendle Pilgrim John Milligan is the second of our short story winners

The theme for our next short story is ‘Greed’. send your entries into - info@lancashiremagazine.co.uk by the 20th May.

‘How many times, George, do I have to say it? There are no such things as ghosts.’ Hilda’s, exasperation overwhelmed her. ‘Your surname may be Device, but that’s not evidence that you are a descendant of the Pendle witches.’

George’s head bowed, his spirit desolate. How could he make her understand? His proof was in his heart, not some dusty archive. ‘United Utilities can dig up a whole village, Hilda, and I still wouldn’t go to look. Every time I get close to that hill, I feel their presence, their sorrow drowns me in misery.’

‘Well, even if they do haunt Pendle Hill it’s because they were evil people and richly deserved their fate.’ Hilda grabbed her car keys She was keen to see the ancient house where the mummified cat was found in the wall.

That such superstitious nonsense still lingered in people like her husband annoyed her intensely. It was history, not mystery.

When Hilda arrived, the house was deserted. A plastic tape surrounded it with “Do not cross” warning. She crossed. The ruins weren’t large but had an eerie atmosphere. She felt tired now.

Arguing with George always exhausted her. She sat on a large stone in the centre of the floor wondering why the sky had darkened so suddenly.

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‘Welcome to my house missus.’

Startled, Hilda looked up. The woman was barely discernible against the grey stones. She was ugly, one of her eyes was lower than the other, giving her face a malevolent look. Hilda’s soul froze, and she felt the day turn icy cold.

‘Who….who are you?’

‘My name is, or was, Elizabeth Device, Hilda, an ancestor of your George, one of the spirits you say deserved to die so unjustly.’

Hilda’s voice quavered ‘I…I don’t believe in you.’ she squeezed her eyes tightly shut hoping the apparition would disappear.

‘Don’t care what you believe lady, I’ll show you my truth. You shall come upon a pilgrimage of pain with me.’

Hilda’s head spun, she felt she was in a dream but yet was not. Her whole being trembled, ‘OK,’ she said, ‘I’m leaving now.’

‘That you are missus. You’re coming with me to Lancaster gaol. You’ll see what I saw, feel what I felt, then tell me if I deserved such a cruel fate.’

Hilda found herself being drawn into the woman’s body. She screamed in horror, helpless as her soul was absorbed.

‘Scream as loud as yer like Missus, none will hear you.’

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Then she was laying in the back of a cart bumping painfully over a rough track. The creak of harness and the smell of horses was strong. There were others in the cart, too, including a young child. ‘That’s my daughter Jennet she’s but nine years old.’

They stopped for the night near Whalley, they were thrown into a barn and men stood guard over them.

One of the guards came over, Hilda could smell his unwashed body and foul breath. ‘Give me that ring, witch.’ He tugged at her little finger until it almost broke but the ring didn’t move.

‘That ring has been on my finger since girlhood, good sir. It doesn’t come off.’

The guard drew his knife. ‘Oh, don’t it, witch?’ he scoffed.

Hilda felt a wave of terror flood her Oh, please God, no, she thought as she felt the man grip her finger spreading it.

‘Don’t you be cutting off her damned finger or she’ll be wailing all night and we’ll never sleep. She’ll be hung soon enough, do it then.’ The head guard had intervened.

Reluctantly, the man released her and went away muttering.

After another long day’s travel, they arrived at Lancaster gaol and the cart trundled in. Hilda found herself www.lancmag.com

thrown into a dark damp cell. Jennet was taken away, crying for her mother.

There was a little damp straw on the floor to offer scant comfort and a bucket in the corner. The night was long, cold and sleepless. When Dawn came, they were given stale bread and water.

Later, Hilda was dragged in chains into the courtroom where the magistrate glowered balefully.

‘This is wrong’ Hilda screamed.

‘Elizabeth, please.’

‘Elizabeth Device you are charged with murdering John and James Robinson by witchcraft and consulting with the devil. How plead ye?’

‘Not guilty, sir.’

‘Not guilty? But we have a witness, woman.’

‘I have killed no one, sir.’

‘Bring forth the witness.’

Jennet was brought in looking around her fearfully. They stood her on a chair in the centre of the room., all eyes boring into her.

‘Do you bear witness against this woman?’ the magistrate rasped. Jennet looked down and nodded.

‘Speak, girl, lest thou share her fate.’

‘Yes, sire.’

‘No,’ screamed Elizabeth ‘this cannot be allowed, my daughter is but a child.’ www.lancmag.com

Jennet was made to tell a tale of how she’d seen her mother consulting her familiar, a dog. Of how she saw her make clay images and cursed them, causing the men Robinson to die.

Elizabeth screamed at her daughter ‘Tell the truth Jennet.’ Hilda felt every stab of her pain and despair. She was dragged from the court in hysterics, they proceeded without her.

Hilda felt Elizabeth slowly becoming calm, resigned now to her fate. She was dragged back into court and the verdict of guilty announced. She was sentenced to death by hanging.

‘After you have murdered me, sir, she told the magistrate, I shall return to my beloved house in the Pendle. Lay my bones where you will.’

Hilda felt terrified; she didn’t want to share Elizabeth’s fate the injustice was soul shattering. She screamed in her terror. ‘Be calm my lady, death is naught to fear.’ Elizabeth told her.

The day of execution arrived and Elizabeth was led to the scaffold, she walked calmly looking the sneering hangman in the eye. ‘For your sins, shall you die screaming’ she told him and derived great satisfaction from seeing the fear in his eyes.

Hilda felt rough hands lift her onto a stool. Below her was a mob baying for blood. Some were laughing and

joking others hurling insults. A few looked on fearfully. The coarse rope scratched her neck as it tightened, ‘No, please, Elizabeth, let me go, please’ she screamed.

‘Death will release us both, Hilda.’\ The stool was kicked away without ceremony and the rope jerked tight.

Hilda felt herself being strangled, her feet kicking wildly. Then, as the rope closed more tightly, the blood supply to her head was cut off and she rapidly lost consciousness.

Hilda woke with a start and let out a yelp of fear and surprise to find herself back in the ruined house. She sat up totally confused, trying to recover her wits. It was twenty minutes before she could drive home.

She related to her dream to George ‘I tell you, George, it was so real, so terrifying.’

‘It was no dream’ said George sombrely ‘it was a visitation.’

‘A visitation?’ she said ‘you know, George, I could almost believe you.’

George pointed to her little finger ‘Tell me, then, Hilda, where did you get that ring?’

Hilda looked down at her hand aghast, then she fainted.

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Happy 50th, Queen!

2020 marks Queen’s 50th birthday; allow this article to explain why this monumentally glorious band deserves more recognition than they presently receive.

Certainly, the collective Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon receive no shortage of praise today but this was not always the case. 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody (which Broan May helped to direct) shone a light on the journey of a young Farrokh Bulsara on his quest to rise to the top and sing his way into the history books, joining Brian and Roger in their existing band Smile after their lead singer Tim Staffell left in 1970, encouraging young Farrokh to pursue his passion of singing. Contrary to the fol however, Freddie and all members of Smile (May, Taylor and Staffell) were actually good friends before they decided to join forces; the group were part of a social circle full of musicians who constantly experimented with different combinations of artists to form bands and the members eventually stuck as Freddie, May and Taylor and eventually recruited John Deacon later in 1971 after considering three other bassists.

Norman Sheffield, co-owner of Trident studios was the band’s first manager. The contract they signed was later revealed to ensure that Tridant obtained the vast majority of and profit from Queens music so they wrote Death on Two Legs about Sheffield and found themselves in a lawsuit.

Paul Prenter was Freddie’s manager from 1977 to 1986 as well as his lover for a period, which ended after the release of the album Hot Space where the other members of Queen made their dislike of Prenter clear to Freddie. Prenter sold a very one sided story of his breakup with Freddie to a national newspaper, dragging his name through the mud, claiming he took many partners as well as having a substance use problem. This along with other factors lead Freddie to withdraw from his hectic and wild lifestyle and concentrate more on his career with Queen. Freddie also did not speak to Prenter for the rest of his life.

The group officially formed in 1970, sporting a progressive rock genre, and released their first album (self-titled) in 1973. This sold poorly in the US but here in the UK the album was met with appreciation from the public. However, Queen II, released in 1974, was much more popular and helped pave the way to the release and huge success of Sheer Heart Attack also in ‘74. This album consisted of more radioappropriate songs such as Killer Queen and as their music was listened to more and Queen became a household name.

With 1975 came A night at the opera, arguably Queen’s best album, which achieved global recognition as it included the infamous Bohemian Rhapsody (often considered the first music video made for promotional purposes) as well as the widely known You’re My Best Friend and Love Of My www.lancmag.com

Words: Annie Atherton

Life. The now enormously well known group’s popularity only grew with A Day At The Races, News Of The World, Jazz and Live Killers between ‘76 and ‘79. In 1980 Queen wrote and recorded the theme song to Flash Gordon as well as an album to accompany. 1980 also brought us The Game which reached best-selling albums in the US with Another One Bites The Dust and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. The following year, the group made history by releasing Queen’s Greatest Hits, making them the first band in history to do so.

The track saw the return of favourites such as Don’t Stop Me Now, Another One Bites The Dust, Killer Queen and of course Bohemian Rhapsody.

A later hit worth mentioning for a number of reasons is I Want To Break Free. The US did not appreciate the music video that came with this track due to the full band appearing in some scenes dressed in drag in addition to what has been described as ‘provocative’ movements which were deemed inappropriate. The ill opinions of the music video were blamed on Freddie despite the song being written by John and the idea to dress in drag being Roger Taylor. Freddie was rumoured to be gay or bisexual so it was easy for the uneducated public to associate the concept of Freddie being queer with the concept of drag. The song’s popularity today makes up for the past stigma surrounding it. Queen’s performance at 1985’s Live Aid was and often still is referred to as the best live show in history, ironic as the band were not originally going to take their offered slot at all. Future generations can always be grateful for the band’s last minute decision to support the plea for funds to go towards the current Ethiopian famine as the set is as frequently referenced today as it has ever been.

In 1991 Freddie Mercury passed away too soon, bringing an excruciatingly sorrowful end to the career of the original Queen, but not Queen altogether. Queen continued to make music with and without stand in artists such as Adam Lambert and Paul Rogers. No One But You was written and recorded in 2000 in honour of Freddie. This thoughtful ballad was included in the hit 2002 musical We Will Rock You, a jukebox musical showcasing some of the glorious bands greatest masterpieces in an adventure story.

Deacon retired from Queen in 1998 but May and Taylor remain active members and continue to tour occasionally in addition to having planned and played their bands 40th anniversary for 2011 with Lambart.

Happy Birthday, Queen!

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 75

BeWILDerwood Cheshire open their wonky wooden gates The fabulous family day out opens for the first time on 18th July 2020

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arents, grandparents and children of all ages can get their half term off to a soopa start at BeWILDerwood Cheshire, opening for the first time on Saturday 18th July 2020. BeWILDerwood is a fabulous family day out full of fun, imagination and adventure and unlike other attractions, there are no noisy rides, no technology and no junk food.

BeWILDerwood Cheshire has been in development for three years as the travelling Twiggles and Boggle builders created their Curious Treehouses, Wobbly Wires (also known as zip wires!), Slippery Slopes and a variety of giant wooden play structures, such as the Broken Bridge, in the 70-acre woodland adventure park in South Cheshire.

Based on the BeWILDerwood book series by Tom Blofeld, the first site was opened in Norfolk over 13 years ago. Since then the cast of captivating characters has expanded, the Norfolk park has won a host of awards, and the concept of a second park in Cheshire has been brought to life!

The magical adventure park allows visitors to run WILD in a beautiful forest setting. The whole family can spend hours running, whizzing and

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clambering on the sustainable wooden structures, from aerial ropewalks to climbing walls, balancing logs and muddled mazes. The full day attraction is home to over 10 giant structures, including the magnificent Sky Maze, reaching 8 metres into the treetops.

There is also a selection of yummy grub available at the Cosy Cabin and Munch Bar for anyone who doesn’t wish to bring their own Boggle Banquet!

With fantabulous face painting and amazing activities such as the interactive storytelling shows and crafting sessions incloooded in the ticket price, there are no pesky hidden costs and even parking is free. So, parents can breathe a sigh of relief and focus on making memories.

From the teeniest Twiggle to the most senior swamp Boggle, BeWILDerwood Cheshire is a wonderful world where the whole family can play and run WILD. BeWILDerwood is based on the adventures of magical characters from the children’s books, written by author and creator of BeWILDerwood, Tom Blofeld.

A Boggle at BeWILDerwood (2007) The inspiration for the original BeWILDerwood Norfolk site, the first tale of the enchanting world of

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BeWILDerwood written in 2007, ‘A Boggle at BeWILDerwood’ follows Swampy, the young Marsh Boggle, as he and his friends go exploring, meet dancing Wood Twiggles, befriend a witch, try to find shoes for the Thornyclod Spider, and has a host of other adventures.

The BeWILDerbats (2008) ‘The BeWILDerbats’ is the second tale about the enchanting world of BeWILDerwood. Swampy and the gang must come to the rescue of tiny Twiggle Sticklenose who is stuck up a tree. Little do they know they will need the help of a terrible gang of very fierce and greedy BeWILDerbats.

A BeWILDermuddle (2010) ‘A BeWILDermuddle’ is the third tale about the enchanting world of BeWILDerwood. The wandering Grubbles have come to BeWILDerwood and the Boggles are very excited. But why does everyone want to bring them their socks? Join Swampy and his gang as they journey deep into the desert and beyond, in search of the Hippopotamuddle, and all kinds of exciting new characters.

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 77

“What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.”

Our Great Outdoors Revealed

By Andrew Harris

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here is something in the human spirit that craves the great outdoors. It is liberating and refreshing - and the views are uplifting. For good reasons we are denied the freedom to visit them for a while but a selection of the top ten varied, dramatic and – when circumstances permit - accessible locations is offered in this article. They are drawn from all five counties in the north west and our neighbour the Isle of Man. We are reminded of the wonderful sights in our region from the Cumbrian mountains and lakes in the north to the gentle countryside in Cheshire; from the Pennines in the east to our varied coastline in the west. We can visit them again one day but in the meantime enjoy these uplifting views from your living room where you can sit and stare.

The Trent and Mersey Canal is tenth in our list. It is probably the most accessible as it cuts across the 78

From the 1911 poem ‘Leisure’ by W.H. Davies.

Picture by Michael Heffernan

relatively flat expanse of lowland known as the Cheshire Plain which is almost entirely within the county of Cheshire.

Although the 93-mile canal also runs through Derbyshire and Staffordshire the Cheshire section is the most scenic, accessible and interesting. It was opened in 1777 to link the rivers Trent and Mersey thereby creating an inland route between Hull and Liverpool. It remains the tranquil canal equivalent of the M62. It offers wonderful countryside and the ability to enjoy this by walking or boating along the Cheshire section.

Of special interest is the Anderton Boat Lift which was built in 1875. It remains a marvel of engineering and is one of only two working boat lifts in the UK – the other is the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland.

Ninth in our list is Crosby Beach in Merseyside. For anyone wanting the ‘great outdoors’ it is spectacular rather than beautiful as it extends over 2.5 miles without being commercialised like so many resorts. Its main claim to fame is the ‘Another Place’ cast iron statues of men by Anthony Gormley.

They are all 6 feet 2 inches tall, weigh 650 kilogrames, are modelled on the sculptor’s own body and are spread along the beach between Waterloo and Blundellsands. As the tide ebbs and flows they are revealed and submerged.

The figures were controversial because they are naked but they attracted many more tourists. Gormley paid Crosby

Crosby Beach and ‘Another Place’

Beach a very back-handed compliment when he explained that he chose the site because he thought the beach “the opposite of pretty. It is terrific and brutal and is a working beach”. If you

visit don’t stray too far towards the sea; people have been caught out by the incoming tide and soft sand.

The Trent and Mersey Canal in Cheshire

Beacon Fell is part of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and comes in at number eight in our list. It is a Country Park created by Lancashire County Council in 1970. Whilst only 873 feet above sea level on a clear day the views extend to Blackpool Tower, Morecambe Bay, Longridge Fell, Preston and the rest of the Forest of Bowland.

From the year 1002 the peak was an ideal location for a beacon hence the name. In 1588 it formed part of a chain of beacons warning of the approach of the Spanish Armada.

Between 1795 and 1815 it was part of a chain created to warn of the possible approach of French forces. In recent times it has featured in chains of beacons lit to celebrate coronations and jubilees. Nowadays it is a popular with visitors who are well catered for with good roads to access the site and a oneway single-track circular road within it. There is a network of footpaths through woodland and the on-site Bowland Visitor Centre provides information and refreshments.

From a height of 873 feet and views across Lancashire we go to 2,037 feet above sea level from where Manx folklore tells us that the seven ‘kingdoms’ of the Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Manannan (the sea) and Heaven can be seen. This is the Snaefell Mountain on the Isle of Man which is our number seven. It can be climbed on foot using a rough track which reaches the summit but it’s heavy going with steep inclines, gravel, slate stones, grass and rock to traverse. Special climbing equipment is not needed but beware the weather – Snaefell is Manx for ‘snow mountain’. The alternative in the electric Snaefell Mountain Railway which crawls up from Laxey Village to the summit which offers a café and bar as your reward. The summit also has a weather station which recorded a gust of 150 mph in 1970 which was one of the highest wind speeds ever recorded in the British Isles. The views and the weather can both take your breath away!

Beauty takes many forms and the Eskdale Valley in the western – less well known – part of the Lake District is one

Beacon Fell in Lancashire

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of the best. It ranks number six in our list. The valley is unusual in the Lake District for having no lake although the River Esk runs through the valley to the sea at Ravenglass and there are several tarns – small mountain lakes - perched high in the valley sides. The main access to the valley is from the western end but from the east the visitor must negotiate

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the steep Hardknott Pass. The road over Birker Fell to the village of Ulpha offers beautiful views. The Eskdale Valley is less accessible than the eastern parts of the Lake District but the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway runs through the valley and is a tremendous experience.

Above: Snaefell on the Isle of Man

Below: Autumn near Boot in Eskdale

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The view from Pendle Hill in the Trough of Bowland

Pendle Hill is number five. It is an isolated Pennine Hill which is part of the Forest of Bowland AONB albeit the detached southern part. It is also a majestic landmark of great significance to the Quaker movement, witchcraft and Lancashire history. In 1652 the Quaker George Fox had a vision on Pendle Hill. He wrote “As we travelled, we came to a very great hill, called Pendle Hill, and I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it; which I did with difficulty, it was so very steep and high. When I was come to the top, I saw the sea bordering upon Lancashire. From the top of this hill the Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered”. Pendle Hill continues to be linked to the Quakers who use the name for the Pendle Hill Quaker Centre for Study and Contemplation near Philadelphia in the USA. Following the story of the Pendle Witches the hill continues to be associated with witchcraft. Large numbers of visitors climb it at Halloween despite being discouraged by the authorities. It is number five because of the amazing view from the summit which is 1,827 feet above sea level.

Number four in our list is the A686 which runs from Haydon Bridge near Hexham in the north to Penrith. The AA named the A686 “One of the Greatest Drives in Britain” because of the dramatic scenery of the Pennine hills which can be seen along this route. For probably different reasons the BBC programme Top Gear voted it the 9th best drive in the country. For your columnist there are two stunning features of the road which make it the fourth best example of the great outdoors. Heading south from Alston the road twists and turns amidst beautiful scenery and driving reverts to what it used to be years ago. Winding the windows down, playing Glen Miller loudly and negotiating endless ‘S’ bends is the antidote to motorway driving in a straight line. Excessive speed is not needed but beware of motor bikers who think it is. The second stunning feature is the panoramic view of the Lake District and Cumbrian Mountains as you lose height on that magical road. Stop at the lay-bys and soak up this experience.

Man and nature can occasionally work together to create something amazing. So it is with Dovestone Reservoir – our

The Lake District from the A686 south of Alston

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number 3. It is the largest and newest of three reservoirs in the Greenfield Valley to the east of Saddleworth which is part of the Oldham Metropolitan Borough – an urban borough where two-thirds of its area is pennine landscape. The dam at Dovestone is 38 metres high and 550 metres long. It is thought to be the largest dam in Britain to be built with a conventional puddle clay core. But the most striking features of Dovestone is its grand setting as it nestles beneath the hills and Saddleworth Moor above. The A635 to Holmfirth skirts the reservoir high above and to the south. The surrounding moorland attracts walker and hikers and the reservoir is used by the Dovestone Sailing Club. There is a “Life for a Life” memorial plantation and the RSPB help to manage the environment by providing a habitat for birds. It is a spectacular achievement by all involved and a lovely place to visit.

Lake Windermere is 5.63 square miles in size, 11 miles long and nearly 1 mile wide at its widest point. It is the largest natural lake in England and our second best attraction. It has been one of the country’s most popular places for leisure and Dovestone Reservoir and Pennines at Saddleworth

holidays since the new railways made it accessible in 1847.

It is fed by rainfall and the rivers Brathay, Rothay, Trout, Beck and Cunsey Beck and lesser streams. It is drained by the River Leven to the south. Its appeal is complemented by the walks and attractions in the surrounding foothills of the Lake District. With marinas, ferries, passenger steamers, five large boating clubs, shops, holiday chalets, hotels, restaurants and pubs it has huge appeal for tourists and this is reflected in traffic congestion. Since 2005 the Lake District National Park Authority has enforced an absolute speed limit of 10 knots – and 6 knots on the middle, upper and lower sections of the lake - with mixed success. It is difficult to manage this level of demand but Lake Windermere remains hugely successful.

LEISURE “What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.” …………………………………………………

By the Welsh poet WH Davies in 1911.

Lake Windermere representing all the lakes

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Our number one example of the great outdoors is Helvellyn – a Cumbrian Mountain with a flat summit 3,120 feet above sea level. On a clear day the whole of the Lake District, the Solway Firth, the hills of south-west Scotland, the Cheviot and Pennine Hills to the north-east, Blackpool, Morecambe Bay, the coast of North Wales and the Irish Sea can be seen.

Scafell and Scafell Pike – at 3,162 and 3,209 respectively - are slightly higher but less accessible. The summit of Helvellyn is unique: it takes the form of a broad plateau which slopes gently. Amazingly, a small plane landed on the summit plateau of Helvellyn in 1926. A ground party had cleared and marked a landing strip. On his third attempt Bert Hinkler – an

A.V.Roe test pilot based at Woodford – successfully landed his 2-seater Avro 585 Gosport biplane. His take off was precarious and he narrowly missed Striding Edge – see our picture – but he returned safely to Woodford. Striding Edge is a route to the summit for walkers. It involves some scrambling to reach the summit along a sharp arête but it is an accident black spot and can be dangerous in winter conditions. Several hikers and scramblers have died as recently as 2017. Routes from Glenridding and Patterdale are longer but easier and safer. Whether climbers want a challenge or just to get there, Helvellyn is challenging but accessible for many and hugely rewarding. It is our winner.

We hope you enjoy this article while you Stay Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives.

The Striding Edge route up Helvellyn

Walkers on the summit of Helvellyn in summer

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Andrew E. Harris invites readers to nominate other ‘great outdoor’ attractions for a later article by visiting www. andreweharris.co.uk and going to ‘Contact’.

Illustrations have been procured via Shutterstock. The ‘Leisure’ panel is by Bridge Graphics of Southport.

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 87

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fter a 27 year absence, Michael Waring, who is now a Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Newcastle University, returned to Bolton School to inspire the next generation of scientists. He offered a masterclass to Sixth Form boys before delivering a lunchtime seminar to Chemistry students and pupils interested in Medical Sciences from Y10-13 of both Divisions, in which he focused on his career and work at the Newcastle University Centre for Cancer.

Professor Waring told students that Bolton School is a great place to learn chemistry and that it will give them a superb grounding in the subject. He recalled how his own teachers had inspired him and said that it is only later in life that you fully appreciate their worth. As a precursor to his lesson, he highlighted the key contribution that chemistry makes to the discovery of new medicines. His own field of work, he explained, is in the treatment of cancer. He described cancer as being ‘uncontrolled cell growth’, which whilst sounding simple is actually very complicated. No two cancers are alike and each has its own drivers. His presentation focused on the chemistry behind lung cancer and he spoke about how cancer treatments must be targeted to their genetic drivers. He focused on Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (EGFRTK) signalling and inhibitors that he worked on. He reminded students that discovering new medicines is expensive, time-consuming and difficult but that there is great promise for the future in being able to tackle cancer treatment more effectively.

In his lunchtime seminar, Professor Waring offered an overview and history of cancer. He considered the earliest known written mention of cancer, a breast tumour in ancient Egypt noted by Imhotep, and the modern view and explained that there won’t be just one ‘cure for cancer’ that will work on all cancers. In a fascinating presentation, he told how evolution requires mutation, which therefore makes it impossible to prevent cancer completely. If you live long enough, you will develop cancer at some point he told the audience - but he also advised on ways to reduce the risk such as not smoking and reducing exposure to hot sun. He explained how chemical drugs work by displacing the molecules that bind to receptors in the body.

Whilst explaining the process of drug

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Chemistry Professor’s Masterclass and Career Advice discovery, he talked about the BRCA1 gene, which is responsible for repairing double-stranded breaks in DNA, and how the team at Newcastle has developed a treatment for cancer called Rubraca which exploits this defect to kill cancer in patients who have defects in the BRCA1 gene.

In a questions and answers session, Professor Waring explained that Medicinal Chemistry is concerned with the interface between chemistry and biology but that he personally only studied Biology to GCSE, his last lesson was at Bolton School, and went on to do a straight chemistry degree. He said he picked up the biology he needed through his work at AstraZeneca and his time in academia. However, he advised, that increasingly there are more opportunities to become proficient in both areas through undergraduate or postgraduate training. He also made the point that biology is really just chemistry taking place in living things and it’s possible, if you have a good grasp of chemistry, to pick up biology by applying that knowledge.

When asked “Where do you see medicine going in your lifetime”, he

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told how antibodies and small molecule drugs are the only two successful treatments we have at the moment, yet 70-80% of the genome cannot be tackled with these two modalities. He therefore thought that new molecular approaches to drug “undruggable” targets may be a way forward. He said that in the last five years, we’ve seen new approaches to things that previously seemed impossible. He also spoke about the importance of tackling drug resistance, and the need to be successful in developing multiple rounds of treatments and drugs to tackle drugresistant cancers.

Professor Mike Waring is Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at Newcastle University, Head of Chemistry at the Cancer Research UK Newcastle Drug Discovery Centre and Director of the Molecular Sciences for Medicine Centre for Doctoral Training. He teaches in the Drug Metabolism and Toxicology modules of the Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry (BSc and MChem) and Drug Chemistry (MSc) degree programmes.

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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

www.lancmag.com

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Abbeyfields home is a dream come true RETIRED couple Graham and Val Jones were delighted to move into a brand-new home at Redrow¹s Abbeyfields in Sandbach, Cheshire.

Graham and Val Jones inside their new home at Abbeyfields.

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or not only did it allow them to be closer to their two grown-up sons Rob and Alan, it meant they could offer a place to stay for friends and family when they visit.

We absolutely love our new home, says Graham, 72. We¹ve never had an en-suite and now we have a master bedroom with an en-suite and a dressing room. It’s what we really fell in love with when we saw the house.

Graham, a retired insurance broker, and Val, 72, a former pensions administrator, chose an Oxford Lifestyle home at the Middlewich Road development. A three-bedroom home built on the footprint of what would normally be a four-bedroom property, it offered everything they were looking for, including some much-welcomed luxury.

While downstairs is similar to its four-bedroom counterpart, with a spacious kitchen and dining area at the rear of the property, a cloakroom

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and utility and a separate lounge; upstairs is totally transformed. There are three double bedrooms, the master resembling a beautiful hotel suite; and both further bedrooms each have their own en-suite.

Graham continues: “We didn¹t need four bedrooms, so the Oxford Lifestyle was perfect for us.”

But the decision to move was based on being closer to family: “Our eldest son moved to Cheshire about 20 years ago and our youngest son in 2018, so it made sense to move here to be near them”.

We had a three-bedroomed 60s’ semi in Buckinghamshire that was showing its age and needed constant maintenance. It was going to need re-wiring which would have been a big job, in terms of cost and the disruption it would cause, and so that was a big influence too.

A new home is virtually maintenance-free which is ideal at our age; the garden is smaller than our old one, which we wanted; and by moving

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here we got a beautiful home that, if we’d bought it where we used to live, would have cost upwards of £200,000 more!

Graham, a grandfather of four, adds: “We loved Abbeyfields because the quality of the Redrow homes was so much better than other new homes we’d seen, and Sandbach itself is pretty market town that we can walk into easily. There¹s a decent supermarket, a doctor¹s surgery and some really nice restaurants within easy reach on foot”.

Buying their home has even enabled them to give one of their granddaughters a helping hand after she recommended Redrow to them after she bought a home at Colindale Gardens in North West London and got a £500 thank you from the builder under their ‘recommend a friend’ initiative.

Only three properties are left at Abbeyfields, including the Oxford Lifestyle show home and two Oxford style four-bedroom detached houses, with prices starting from £340,995.

Redrow also has other developments close by with an even greater selection of homes: Cranberry Gardens in Congleton offers two, three and four-bedroom homes from £239,995, and Kingsbourne in Nantwich has three and four-bedroom homes from £282,995. The Oxford Lifestyle that Graham and Val love so much features at both of those developments too.

The Oxford Lifestyle show home and the Abbeyfields sales centre are open Thursday to Monday usually from 10am to 5.30pm.

Alternatively, for more information, call 01270 748692 or go to www.redrow.co.uk/abbeyfields. www.lancmag.com

Bereaved children’s support group receives funding boost from Redrow

A SUPPORT group for bereaved children from Middleton and Oldham has been awarded £1,200 by home builder Redrow to cover its venue costs for a whole year.

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un by the charity Once Upon a Smile, the group of children and their families meets once a month at Snakes & Slides, in Middleton.

There are crafts and games and children can laugh, cry and celebrate their loved ones, while interacting with other youngsters to learn that they are not alone in their grief.

The donation from Redrow was provided though the company’s Oldham Community Fund, which has shared a total of £5,000 between good causes that help people and communities in the Oldham area.

Kelly Willison, bereavement development manager at Once Upon a Smile, said: “We are thrilled to be awarded £1,200 from Redrow’s Oldham Community Fund. This grant will enable us to fund the venue hire at our monthly Middleton group for a whole year. Our Middleton support group was set up in 2018 after we identified a severe lack of support in the area.

“Many of the children have attended one-to-one sessions at Once Upon a Smile, however, the need for continued monthly support is required as grief never goes away and www.lancmag.com

there will be times during the year that they will be faced with overwhelming feelings of grief, such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and more”.

Lesley Myers, sales manager for Redrow Homes (Lancashire), said: “Having visited Once upon a Smile at their headquarters, and been moved by the amazing work they are doing, we are so pleased to be able to provide this funding.

“This local group means children don¹t have to travel far for vital support and can meet others nearby who are also experiencing the overwhelming emotions of grief, so they don¹t feel isolated”.

Redrow’s Oldham Community Fund was launched following the opening of the Saddleworth View development, in the Moorside area of Oldham. To find out more visit www.redrow.co.uk/saddleworthview.

To find out more about the support and services offered

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‘D’ye ken John Peel?’

John Peel was a huntsman, tall storyteller and drinker of renown in 18th Century Cumberland.

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is exploits were immortalised in the popular ballad, D’ye ken John Peel?’ which means do you know John Peel?

Peel was born in 1776 at Park End in Caldbeck. Shortly after his birth the family moved to a small farm at Greenrigg. Peel was one of 13 children and was introduced to the equestrian life at a young age. Even as a small boy he kept several hounds and helped on his Father’s land. It is said that even as a young man he was 6 foot tall and broad.

His farming prowess and physical stature helped him to court Mary White and in 1797 the young lovers eloped to Gretna Green and got married. Mary was from a relatively wealthy family and on their marriage some of her

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property, at Ruthwaite, passed into his hands (as was the custom) securing him a comfortable rental income.

Mary bore him 13 children, 7 daughters and 6 sons. Peel made a living farming the land and became one of the best local horse dealers around.

It is said his horses were so canny that he could roll legless out of the pub, mount his horse, and it would carry him snoozing all the way home.

As with all folk stories, accounts of Peel’s day to day life vary widely. Some say he was a dissolute gambler and drinker who neglected his duties as a landowner and farm owner. However, it seems unlikely that a man who had 13 children to feed, did not work hard to run a successful farm.

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What is in no doubt is that, inspired by his early life, Peel was a very keen huntsman. It is said that he hunted at least twice a week for over 50 years.

He hunted all over Lancashire and Cumberland- which is now part of Cumbria. He kept a pack of hounds, named them all individually and also hunted pine martens and hares.

His favourite horse was a 14 hand (a hand is about 4 inches) dun coloured gelding named ‘Dunny’. Dunny’s intelligence was another testament to Peel’s skill with horses. When the Cumberland fells became too lumpy to ride Dunny was often left behind and would wander back to the origin of the hunt and patiently await his master’s return. www.lancmag.com

Huntsman John Peel

Caldbeck cottage by Paul Taylor

Peel often chased the quarry on foot behind his hounds. In Cumberland this was known as ‘chasing the ace’.

The quarry was usually the ‘greyhound fox’. This animal was smaller than the red fox we know today. It had longer legs and a smaller brush (tail) and was grey in colour. The greyhound fox was known for its speed, strength and cunning. They were hunted due to the devastation they could bring to local poultry flocks and new-born lambs; but even Peel would sometimes give a fox its freedom if it had provided himself and his hounds with a good day’s sport.

So far, we know that although a great farmer and huntsman there was nothing to mark Peel out as someone who would be immortalised in local www.lancmag.com

folk- history. However, this all changed with the writing of the song, ‘D’ye ken John Peel?’

Legend has it that after one particularly strenuous hunt Peel was relaxing by the fire at the home of his good friend and fellow huntsman John Woodcock Graves enjoying a few tankards of foaming ale. Graves’ daughter came in humming the tune to a well know borders folk song ‘Bonnie Annie’. Graves then began to compose some verses to the tune using the exploits of Peel as his subject matter.

On hearing the rough composition tears sprang up in Peel’s eyes and Graves was said to have remarked, ‘By Jove Peel you’ll be sung about when we’ve both been run to ground.’

The song follows John Peel on a morning hunt around the ‘Denton Holme’ area in Carlisle. Depending on which version you use there are up to 5 verses and a chorus. It mentions ‘Ranter’, ‘Royal’ and ‘Bellman’ who were 3 of his favourite hounds.

The first line has been variously recorded firstly with ‘coat so gay’ and also as, ‘D’ye ken John Peel’ with his coat so grey?’

This suggest Peel wore a dark jacket probably made of the grey wool of the local Herdwick sheep.

This would have been in stark contrast to the bright (usually red) jackets of his fellow huntsmen.

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Wedgwood Etruria Green and White Hunt Scene

Over the years the song has had a couple of re-writes.

Firstly, George Coward a Carlisle book seller re- wrote some of the lyrics (with Graves’ approval) and translated them from Cumbrian to Anglican. In 1866 they were published in the book ‘Songs and Ballads of Cumberland’.

Then in 1869, a new version was musically adapted by William Metcalfe, the choir master and organist of Carlisle cathedral.

Even though counties do not officially have their own anthems the song became the unofficial anthem of Cumberland.

Peel himself died in 1854 and was buried at St Kentigern’s Church in Caldbeck. But his legend lives on. It is believed three Inns were named after his favourite hounds, ‘Hark to Towler’ at Heywood, ‘Hark to Bounty’ at Slaidburn and ‘Hark to Bellman’ at Clitheroe where he often hunted.

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The tune has adapted and survived too. The regimental march ‘D’ye ken…’ was a quick march of the King’s own Royal border regiment and it is the regimental march of the Lorne Scots and the Ontario regiment of the Canadian forces.

Peel was even immortalised in a pottery tankard by Wedgewood in 1912. The tankard portrays hunting scenes in a pattern known as ‘D’ye ken…’ and it’s handle is a leaping hound.

The legend of Peel lives on, so the next time some one asks you ‘D’ye ken John Peel?’ you’ll now be able to reply ‘Aye.’

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WILSONS PIE SHOP Award Winning Family Pie Shop, trading for over 80 years Three generations of Pie making quality

434 Bolton Road, Kearsley, Bolton, BL4 8NJ | Tel: 01204 573663 www.lancmag.com

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LEFT TO RIGHT: Anna Meredith (Photo Gem Harris), Roisin Murphy (Photo Fraser Taylor), Metronomy FAR RIGHT: New Order at bluedot 2019.

Photo: Jody Hartley

Björk, Groove Armada and Metronomy to Headline Bluedot 2020 Festival reveals first wave of music and culture line-up, featuring a UK Festival Exclusive from Björk

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luedot has released the first wave of artists for this year with Björk, Groove Armada and Metronomy headlining the fifth instalment of the award-winning music, science and culture event at Cheshire’s iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory taking place 23–26 July 2020.

One of the most influential and ground-breaking musicians of all time, Björk’s festival exclusive set will close bluedot with a uniquely commissioned performance alongside Manchester’s famed Halle Orchestra featuring incredible bespoke projections on the Lovell Telescope.

Also topping the bill are indie-electro giants, Metronomy. Following rave reviews for their latest studio album “Metronomy Forever” the electropop pioneers will take to the main stage on Saturday to deliver a wonky nu-disco set chock full of dancefloor masterpieces and stone-cold crowd pleasers.

Confirmed for Friday night is one of the planet’s best-loved dance acts, Groove Armada. With a career spanning more than 20 years featuring chart-topping hits such as “Superstylin” and “I See You Baby” it’s safe to say their live show will open bluedot 2020 with a party!

Other confirmed acts include psychedelic space rockers Spiritualized, disco diva Roisin Murphy, techno fusionist Squarepusher, electronic/

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ambient originals Tangerine Dream, reborn indie experimentalists Ride, Daniel Avery, EOB (the new solo project of Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien), Seth Troxler’s new Lost Souls of Saturn project, HAAI, BC Camplight , Anna Meredith, Henge, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Pussy Riot, BCUC, Sinkane, Chk Chk Chk, Tourist, Pongo, Tim Burgess, The Lovely Eggs, Fatoumata Diawara, A Certain Ratio, Onipa, Lanterns On The Lake, Rosie Lowe, Homoelectric Nihiloxica, All We Are, Melt Yourself Down and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.

Elsewhere on the line-up is electronic legends 808 State, deep house specialists Crazy P, A Guy Called Gerald, AIF Award nominated Oh My God! It’s The Church, Liz Lawrence, Dry Cleaning, Los Bitchos, Just Mustard, Julia Bardo, Black Futures, Mark Radcliffe’s UNE, Porridge Radio, Intergalactic republic of Kongo, Plastic Mermaids, Lazarus Kane, Holodrum, Sinead O’Brien, Ttrruuces, The Goa Express, Otis Mensah, Robin Richards, The Starlight Magic Hour and Indian Queens.

Back by popular demand are the late night parties with DJ Yoda presents Stranger Things leading the bill. Stranger Things fans can expect favourites from 1983 laced with samples from the Netflix original series from Dolly Parton and Toto to The Clash and Joy Division. Also announced today is Manchester based four-piece Henge www.lancmag.com

[DJ set], Too Many Man, DJ Acid Rephlux, Regal Disco, DJ Riv, Princess Leia & Han Solo’s Wedding Disco, Discolypso, Good Afternoon DJ’s and DJ Fallback bringing some deep space disco to the festival.

Also announced is a small taste of things to come with bluedot’s culture and science programme, with the Dot Talk themes set to explore futurology, consciousness, artificial intelligence and the depths of space via astrophysics and astronomy (full details announced in Spring).

Beyond Dot Talks, highlights among the arts and culture offering include Celebrating 42: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Live, a stage show featuring series performers and producers, written especially for bluedot; Is David Bowie a God? a comedic, musical exploration of the legend’s messianic status; the Pankhurst Sessions, a programme of talks, panels and screening curated by the activist and great granddaughter of Suffragettes leader, Helen Pankhurst. Also announced today include performances by Phil Jupitus as the festivals artist-in-residence and www.lancmag.com

British comedian, actor and director Adam Buxton who is known for his appearances in films such as ‘Hot Fuzz’, ‘Stardust’ and ‘Son of Rambow’ and most recently his podcast, the ‘Adam Buxton Podcast’.

For kids and family, a raft of entertainment is yet to be announced, but so far includes the Intergalactic Planetary kids rave with Big Fish Little Fish, Jedi Training, the Luminarium, a dedicated Big Bang Stage for kids, alongside an enormous range of science-focused activities, workshops and live experiments across the Star Fields.

For relaxing after dark, take a stroll to the Outer Space area, featuring an expanded fire garden and a host of Groove Armada

sonic sculptures, or wander into the Star Fields while spectacular projections illuminate the towering Lovell Telescope. bluedot 2020 is the fifth chapter of the ground-breaking event which has seen headline performances from the likes of Kraftwerk 3-D, New Order, The Chemical Brothers, Pixies, The Flaming Lips, Underworld and Jean-Michel Jarre, plus high-profile talks from Brian Cox, Helen Sharman, Alice Roberts and Richard Dawkins.

The full science, arts and culture and family programmes will be announced in the coming weeks. For tickets and information visit: discoverthebluedot.com

An on-going horse crisis Charity World Horse Welfare reports highest number of horses in its four rescue and rehoming centres as rehoming suspended due to coronavirus restrictions.

Arrival of a group of rescue horses

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ritain’s largest horse rescue and rehoming charity has announced that at 406, the number of horses in its care at its four Rescue and Rehoming Centres is the highest on record.

The horses, many rescued in groups over the past 12 months, are being shared between the centres in Norfolk, Somerset, Lancashire and Aberdeenshire whose normal stocking level is usually around only 330 combined.

Caring for such a large number of animals is putting extra demands on staff, in addition to complying with the rules on social distancing and the suspension of rehoming activities in light of movement restrictions to prevent Coronavirus.

restrictions, we can’t undertake home checks or invite applicants to meet our horses. So, we will continue to care for all of them, while finding space where we can to take in emergency cases.”

All horses are receiving maintenance care by the teams, but rehabilitation activities such as physiotherapy, lunging, backing and riding have been temporarily suspended to enable the grooms to self-isolate if needed or adjust to staff members falling ill in the coming weeks. Avoiding any potentially higher-risk activities with horses – such as riding – was also a decision taken to reduce the chance of putting extra pressure on the emergency services and NHS at this challenging time.

Tony Tyler, Director of UK Welfare at World Horse Welfare says: “While the welfare of these horses is assured, providing the care they need is stretching the resources and efforts of the staff and, as many of these animals are from large unhandled groups and so are unused to human contact, it makes handling them even more of a challenge. We had expected that with the arrival of spring, we would be able to rehome a good bunch of them who were ready to leave us but, with the government

The large number of horses currently at the charity is the result of a rising tide of large, complex welfare cases across the country and the laws around animals seized as part of welfare prosecutions.

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“In the first three months of 2020, we took in 107 horses, of which 53 were involved in prosecution cases. World Horse Welfare works with other welfare organisations to rescue horses www.lancmag.com

and, where large group rescues are made, animals are shared around between the different organisations wherever space is available.” says Tony.

Usually, horses coming into us will be signed over to the charity, and can begin their journey of rehabilitation as soon as they have been checked over by a team of specialists including a vet and farrier, with an ultimate goal of rehoming them, whilst remaining the property of the charity for the rest of their lives.

However, when the welfare case is the subject of a prosecution, the horses are often not signed over and by law these can only be given maintenance care - so they cannot be backed or even castrated – and, if the prosecution case is not successful, the animals must be returned to their owner. These cases can take a very long time to come to court – sometimes two or more years and during that time the horses are effectively ‘bed-blocking’ the limited space at the centres.

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“Now a combination of a large number of prosecution cases and a striking increase in sheer number of horses involved is leading to additional challenges, as well as reducing the numbers of horses who can be offered for rehoming, thus reducing spaces for further horses in need.” says Tony.

For instance, World Horse Welfare’s Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Norfolk currently has 142 horses and over a third of these are associated with prosecution cases. Some of these animals have been in the care of the farm for more than a year.

The charity’s Glenda Spooner Farm in Somerset currently has 96 horses, with 33 of these part of active prosecution cases.

The situation in Scotland is slightly different due, in part, to variations in the way the law works, enabling a case to be built during the time World Horse Welfare and others are working with the owners to try to improve the welfare of the horses. If improvements are not made and the horses have to be removed, if a prosecution case is brought, it is a much quicker process.

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Above: Penny Farm, Lancashire Left: Some of the current rescue horses Right: Horses in field at farm Below: Horses in the centre Because of this, Belwade Farm in Aberdeenshire has 92 horses in at the moment, of which just five are part of on-going prosecutions.

Penny Farm in Lancashire has 73 horses in currently, with about 50% of these prosecution cases. When asked why there had been an increase in large welfare cases, and the numbers of horses coming in Zoe Clifford at Penny Farm said: “Hoarding behaviour and irresponsible breeders and dealers have always been around, but the numbers of animals involved are definitely getting larger. When I first started at World Horse Welfare a large case would be 3-4 horses, now some of these cases are coming in with 30-40 animals at one time.�

Rehoming our horses is going to be more important than ever.

During the current coronavirus restrictions we are not able to rehome any of our horses, but we have many that are ready to be rehomed and we are still encouraging people to apply online for these on www.rehoming.worldhorsewelfare.org so that as soon as restrictions are lifted, we can quickly continue with the process and make space in our farms for more horses that are in need.

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Reverend returns to medical frontline Palliative consultant, Rev. Dr Susan Salt, has returned to the medical frontline during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Rev. Dr Susan Salt, prior to her ordination at Blackburn Cathedral in June 2019.

(Picture by Sara Cuff for Blackburn Diocese)

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usan, a medic with more than 30 years’ experience, had retired in March 2019 to follow her calling to serve in The Church of England.

Last summer she was ordained in the Blackburn Diocese at Blackburn Cathedral and was enjoying working as a Deacon in The Fellside Team, made up of five parishes in the Preston/Garstang area, before the coronavirus outbreak.

In March Susan had joined a Task Group managing the Diocesan response to coronavirus, chaired by Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev. Philip North. Susan was a key member of the group, providing medical and bereavement support advice and guidance.

But when the Government asked retired medics to return to hospital settings, Susan did not hesitate.

“There was clearly a need and an ask. Having left medicine very recently and being qualified in a skill set that was required at this time, I felt it was right for me to respond to the call,” Susan explained.

And last Friday was her first day back in a hospital setting.

“It was very humbling to return and I was inspired by what had been achieved by the staff and the Trust, reorganising everything to respond effectively to this crisis.

“People are working in areas that they have never worked in before and the staff are doing their absolute best in the face of near impossible conditions,” Susan added.

“They are showing incredible compassion in a situation they would never want to be in.”

After Susan qualified, she trained as a GP but, after taking up a locum position in a hospice, she realised that was where her future lay and retrained in palliative medicine.

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Right: Susan in scrubs at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

In 2007 she took up the post of medical director at Trinity Hospice and a palliative care consultant at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

“My experience in palliative care enables me to support and empathise with staff in the work they are now doing.

I am helping with bereavement training and am setting up a new bereavement hub which will enable the Trust to support relatives.”

Some of Susan’s work is on the COVID-19 wards at the hospital which has meant she has had to self-isolate away from her family in Grimsargh to keep them, and particularly her elderly father-in-law, safe.

“I have no idea how long I will be at Victoria Hospital, but have committed for at least a month so far and will review the situation after that.

“My roles have definite parallels, as a priest and a medic.

Both give me the privilege to look after people and treat everyone as equal and I hope that as a deacon, who happens to be a doctor, I can enable patients, their families as well as the staff to be cared for spiritually and mentally as well as physically.”

Speaking today, Bishop Philip said: “Susan has made an exceptional contribution to our Task Group through a combination of her expert medical background and her understanding of parish life.

“I enormously admire her obedience to God’s call in choosing to return to the medical frontline at this time. We look forward to welcoming her back to parish life in due course for her imminent ordination as a priest.”

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Nelson

The town

Words: Stephen Roberts

Now, as my regular readers will know by now, I am happily ensconced down south (Dorset). Within my conurbation, known somewhat incongruously these days as ‘BCP’, we have a Lord Nelson pub, which was once known as the ‘Blue Boar’, but got renamed after the Battle of Trafalgar, in honour of our most famous admiral, who of course perished in the moment of victory.

I digress already, or do I?

Horatio Lord Nelson after whom Nelson, Lancashire is named (artist – John Hoppner, collection – National Museum of the Royal Navy, source/photographer – The Bridgeman Art Library / Art UK).

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The Lower Town House in Nelson, the town’s single Grade II* Listed building dates back to the 17th century, so is among Nelson’s oldest surviving structures (author – ‘Trappedinburnley’, source – Own work).

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ell, not exactly, as there’s also a Lord Nelson pub in Manchester Road, Nelson. A Lord Nelson in Nelson? I know, it sounds a tad confusing, but the story is that the pub came first and the town second (so to speak). So, the pub was there first (continuing with my theme), then when the railway arrived (1849), the local station was originally named Nelson Inn station (Great Marsden) from the nearby pub. When the villages hereabouts began coalescing into something resembling a town (which now numbers c.30,000 inhabitants), it was decided that ‘Nelson’ would be an appropriate nomenclature: it also differentiated it from another Marsden across the Pennines. So, we have a pub named after Nelson. You’ve done rather better as you have a pub and a town no less. The town that you’d named anew then took on a new lease of life as a mill town of the late-Industrial Revolution.

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I pondered anew. Were there any other towns named after famous figures?

Well, of course, there’s Blackburn, named after D.J. Tony Blackburn, and Bolton, named after pop singer Michael Bolton. And if you believe that, you’ll believe anything folks.

I like characterful buildings and Nelson has a few. There are 37 Listed buildings of which just one is Grade II* Listed, the middle designation, with the remainder all Grade II Listed. That star listing has been reserved for the Lower Town House, a 17th century town house with a stone-slate roof, large quoins (masonry blocks at the corner of a wall) and mullioned windows. Yum. The Grade II Listed structures include several farmhouses, betraying the agricultural nature of this area, which predominated before the villages became a town and industry moved in. Many of these also date to the 17th century. There are also a number of

late-18th century bridges over the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, the canals having arrived, of course, before the railways.

One of these is Swinden Bridge (1795), a ‘roving bridge’, originally enabling a horse towing a boat/barge to cross the canal when the tow path moved to the other side.

Swinden Bridge, Nelson, over the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, was built in 1795 and is a Grade II Listed structure (author – Chris Heaton / Swinden Bridge, source – www.geograph.org.uk).

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There’s also a fine three-storey former warehouse by the canal, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Warehouse (what else?) which dates to c.1876 Still pursuing those Grade II Listed structures, there’s the usual collection of churches, including the now redundant Early English style St Mary’s (1879) and the earlier St Paul’s (1809). Older than both of these, however, is Southfield Methodist Church and Barn, dating to 1797, with part of the original barn having been converted into a Methodist chapel c.1800. The famous open-air evangelist John Wesley (1703-91) is said to have preached here in 1786, which presumably pre-dated the stone and stone-slate roof building we see today. Mention of Methodism always recalls my paternal grandfather who was a tee-total, Liberal, Methodist firebrand, forever railing against the ‘demon drink’, although I always suspected he had the odd sly glass when no-one was looking.

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Above: Southfield Methodist Church and Barn, Nelson, which dates to the late-18th century and is Grade II Listed (author – Bill Boaden / Southfield Methodist Church, source – www.geograph.org.uk Victory V, originally manufactured in Nelson (author – Sean Whitton, source – Own work).

Left: Jelly babies, which were manufactured in Nelson (author – ‘father_jack’, source – www.flickr.com).

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I like my railway stations and we’ve already mentioned Nelson station (Nelson Inn as was). There’s also a Station Hotel of 1893, which just has me hopping and skipping with delight. Every town should have one. Whenever I travel by train, which I admit I prefer to the overrated motor vehicle, I always like to stay in a station hotel if there is one. It’s usually handily convenient, a pebble’s lob from the platform itself.

This one is a sandstone hotel and pub in a free Jacobean style (what is meant by ‘free’ I’m not quite sure: it sounds like the architect might have been told to make it look Jacobean if he could manage it, otherwise not to worry). ‘Jacobean’ of course relates to the reign of James I of England (VI of Scotland) who reigned down here between 1603-25 (after Elizabeth I passed away with no sprogs). An architectural era of just over 20 years is not much really, is it? Anyway, this was mock Jacobean as the architect was ‘on it’ getting on for 300 years later and being ‘free’ about it too. I don’t know.

Anyway, to be fair, he had a good go at it. There are turrets (turrets!) and there’s even an oriel window on the side.

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Top left: An 1895 stationary steam engine, ‘Peace’, built by William Roberts & Co. of Nelson for the Queen Street Mill in Burnley (author – Clem Rutter, source – Own work).

Above: Learie Constantine, the West Indian cricketer, c.1930, who played for Nelson Cricket Club (author – National Library of Australia, source – www.nla.gov.au).

Left: Engine maker’s plate, on the engine ‘Peace’, built by William Roberts & Co. of Nelson (author – Andy Mabbett, source – Own work).

If I was to recommend just one unusual structure to take a peek at then it would undoubtedly be the Boy Scout War Memorial (1919) by Job Davies (Memorial Square, Market Street), which commemorates the local Nelson Boy Scouts who were killed in the Great War. With the figure of a young Boy Scout atop the plinth, dressed in the uniform of the time, it is truly one of the most heart-rending of all the memorials of WW1, conveying just how young many of the lads were who tragically lost their lives in the fighting. When the memorial was unveiled, it was claimed to be the first of its kind in the country and the Scoutmaster of the time, a Mr. Robinson, claimed that over 100 Nelson scouts had made the ultimate sacrifice. It certainly makes you think.

So, what else can I tell you about Nelson? It’s four miles north of Burnley. There was antiquity hereabouts, with an Iron Age hill fort nearby, agriculture, and then the first mill in the area, a small one, established in 1740, the precursor to the industry to come. It was the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, followed by the East Lancashire Railway, that really transformed things though. Cotton weaving now predominated. From the early-1860s the Phoenix Foundry, William Roberts’s steam engine factory, stood where the shopping centre car park is today, an establishment which has been dubbed ‘Nelson’s most significant engineering site’. One of its stationary engines, ‘Peace’, was built for a mill in Burnley and now resides in the town’s textile museum. By 1910 there’d be over 12,000 local workers belonging to the Nelson and District Power-Loom Weavers’ Association, but changes were coming as the textile industry would suffer a sharp decline with attendant unemployment. During the 20th century Nelson also became a centre of sweetie manufacture, including 106

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the ever-popular ‘Jelly Babies’ and ‘Victory V’, liquoriceflavoured lozenges.

The Pendle Rise Shopping Centre (Nelson lies within the Borough of Pendle) has been the town’s hub for over half a century. Opening as the Arndale Centre (1967), it became the Admiral Shopping Centre (Lord Nelson again) before taking on its current branding. Nelson Market is a covered market that was previously ‘Admiral’s Market’. Need I say more?

Nelson hasn’t had it easy and it was encouraging that it was one of the dozen towns included in the ‘Portas Pilot Areas’ scheme (2012), after Mary Portas, the retail guru, which would see an attempt to rejuvenate the main shopping centre.

I do like my sport and the story of Nelson FC (1882) is an interesting one, for the town once had a Football League club (between 1921-31) although it never achieved any great heights. They did actually reach the old Division 2 (today’s Championship) but were only there the one season and spent the rest of their Football League career in the lower Division 3 North. The club currently plays in the North West Counties League (Division 1 North) and is reassuringly dubbed ‘The Admirals’, as well as ‘The Blues’. Nelson Cricket Club’s heyday was in the interwar period when it was able to attract some top players, including the West Indian test star, Learie Constantine. When he was given a life peerage, in 1969, he became Baron Constantine of Maraval (Trinidad & Tobago) and Nelson. Bless. The town benefits from several parks, notably Victoria Park (home to Nelson FC) and Marsden Park, recalling the historic name that existed in the area (Marsden) before Nelson took over.

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ver the weekend a fire, believed to have been caused by a discarded barbecue or a deliberate arson attack, spread over three square kilometres of moorland on Darwen Moor, close to Winter Hill.

More than 80 firefighters and officers from United Utilities dealt with the blaze, which comes just 18 months after dozens of fires ravaged the high grounds above Manchester and Lancashire. The majority were caused by careless or deliberate acts, according to fire services.

Wildlife Trust Campaigns Manager Alan Wright said: “We were almost expecting this fire, as soon as we have a prolonged dry spell this happens.

This year, with people being careful because of Coronavirus restrictions, we were hoping folk would not travel long distances to the moors and if they did that they would be more sensible and not light barbecues.

“Fires like this happen in spring and summer, so they are devastating for wildlife. We will have lost hundreds of creatures in the flames and birds and small mammals will be nesting now.

Insects will be appearing to feed and act as food for larger creatures.

“We now have three square kilometres of barren, burnt moor where nature has been destroyed and will stop to try to recover. It is a wildlife catastrophe.”

A full recovery of moorland could take up to 10 years according experts, speaking during the 2018 fires. And moor vegetation that has burned already is susceptible to more fires, which would stop recovery immediately.

Alan said: “Walking over those moors there is little bird song, two years after the fire. There is no point them returning to these wrecked moors because there is no food and inadequate cover for nests. So you are unlikely to hear skylarks singing up above, or hear curlews cry as they fly over. Butterflies and bees will only be around in small number as they seek food plants. Birds of prey and foxes will have nothing to hunt in these areas.

The West Pennine Moors was recently designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the rarity of peat landscape and outstanding wildlife.

The Wildlife Trust has great praise for the emergency teams that have to fight the fires in difficult and dangerous

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Moorland fires devastating for wildlife People who start fires on moorland in the North West are causing a wildlife catastrophe, according to the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. conditions. When a fire gets into dried peat it can burn for weeks and dried vegetation can catch fire easily and spread quickly with the wind. The fire service and other emergency teams face real danger and long and exhausting hours putting these fires out.

Alan said: “It is beyond irresponsible for people to start these fires by accident or deliberately. In the current Covid-19 emergency I really hoped people would show some common sense and stay close to home instead getting into their cars and driving to the moors. But to light a barbecue or throw away a lighted cigarette which could start a fire is just careless and selfish.

“These actions place our brilliant fire fighters in danger and destroy our

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wildlife and its habitats for many years to come. Now would be a good time for these people to take responsibility for their actions and save us all a great deal of heartbreak.”

The Wildlife Trust has a number of nature reserves on the moors and is working with the Lancashire Peat Partnership to look at ways to manage moorlands to prevent large-scale fires in the future.

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Hearts for Homes began in 2016 when we opened our quaint shop in the lovely town of Ramsbottom.

The concept of Hearts of Homes was to bring affordable yet charming home decor and gifts to our customers. We also offer a selection of locally handmade crafts and work by local artists and are stockists of Frenchic furniture paint

We pride ourselves on offering a friendly welcome to all of our customers who visit us from far and wide.

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Heritage Railway at risk following theft after it was forced to close Heritage attraction The East Lancashire Railway in Bury has been targeted by thieves after a devastating weekend which saw it forced to close.

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he charity appealed for the public’s help to give it a future on Friday after closing due to the Covid-19 pandemic - shortly before they were then BURGLED. Thieves stole up to £10,000 worth of brass and copper fittings from the railway’s Baron Street site on Friday night.

The theft is no small loss to the East Lancashire Railway, which has already been thrown off track by social distancing and the public being urged to stay away from public gatherings.

The railway announced it would close from Saturday 21st March, to all visitors until further notice, this applies to all train services, including dining trains, and all station facilities.

East Lancashire Railway - which operates as a registered charity (number: 1186648) - will face a heavy financial burden as a result of the closure, set to last until the end of April at the earliest.

However the £10,000 theft has www.lancmag.com

now left the heritage site - which is a long-standing favourite for children and adults alike - in an even worse financial crisis.

As well as the replacement of the brass and copper fittings for the railway line, East Lancashire Railway will have to find additional resources to step-up security at a time when they should be planning for the future.

Bosses are encouraging the public to give its support in ‘paying it forward’ and book to enjoy the railway at a later date so that the site is protected for generations to come.

An East Lancashire Railway Support Fund has also been set up for the community to show its support with any donations to help protect the railway through these difficult times.

Mike Kelly, Chairman of East Lancashire Railway said: “Like every other events organisation, Covid-19 is having a dramatic effect on our operations. We are a charity, staffed www.lancmag.com

largely by volunteers, and have to prioritise the health and safety of both the public and our team, including many in high risk groups.

“We didn’t take this decision lightly and we know it will impact a great many people’s lives, to then be hit with such a huge theft over the weekend was just gut-wrenching.

“We are trying our very best to maintain this heritage railway as a destination for generations to come and things like this have a massive impact.

“The closure and theft really do threaten our existence, so we would appeal to people, now more than ever, to support us and ensure we can reopen when this difficult period ends.

“We appreciate that times will be hard for everyone in the coming months, particularly our volunteers, and as a railway community we are doing everything we can to reach out to our older volunteers and make sure they are supported in any way they need.

“This is a constantly evolving situation and we hope with the public’s continued support to be able to open our doors again soon.”

Anyone with pre-booked tickets will be contacted directly by the East Lancashire Railway Passenger Services team with details on how they are impacted and to rearrange or refund their visit.

For more information on how to support East Lancashire Railway in this difficult time visit: www. eastlancsrailway.org.uk

Time to take urgent action for insects The Wildlife Trusts and partners launch new practical initiative to help insects and reverse sharp declines in their populations.

Early bumblebee (c)Jon Hawkins Surrey Hills Photography

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veryone has their part to play in reversing the disastrous decline in some of our most easily overlooked wildlife.

Insect numbers have plummeted over the past 50 years including garden favourites like bumblebees and butterflies.

Now the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is launching a new practical pack, Your Guide to Taking Action for Insects, which will help everyone do their bit in reversing decades of decline for the UK’s struggling bees, butterflies, moths, bugs and beetles.

The colourful 20-page illustrated guide is available as a free download via www.wildlifetrusts.org/take-actioninsects. It’s packed full of tips, useful info, and links to finding out more, all aimed at helping individuals and families make simple yet crucial changes to helping insects through the ways we shop, garden and run our homes.

The guide has been authored by The Wildlife Trusts working with partner

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organisations including Buglife, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and Garden Organic. It has been launched as part of a wider campaign called Action for Insects, which looks to reverse recent drastic population declines among insects.

A recent report published by the campaign, authored by Professor David Goulson, concluded that 41 per cent of insect species now faced extinction around the world, while population declines were widespread across other insect species. The report also highlighted the vital part played by insects in human food production and in their support of countless other birds, mammals and plants.

Chief Executive of the Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside Wildlife Trust, Anne Selby said: “We know that people love bees, butterflies and ladybirds but we need them to fall in love with all insects, because they are so important to the environment and to us all. The launch of Your Guide to taking Action for Insects will help

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people to learn more about these vital insects.

“The warmer weather of spring combined with the current restrictions placed upon everyone in response to the Covid-19 virus means that people are spending more time in their gardens, yards and on their balconies. This guide provides people with advice on how to make positive changes to help insects, which will not only help the insects but life people’s spirits too. We’re asking people to make whatever outdoor space they have into a better place for minibeasts, be it a window box, a garden or an allotment.

“Our guide gives them the inspiration and the practical know-how to take a few simple steps to making a big difference to their local wildlife.

Insects are one of the key building blocks of life on which we and countless other familiar species from hedgehogs to garden birds rely. If we follow the guide’s advice as gardeners, shoppers and homeowners we can turn the tide on insect declines.” www.lancmag.com

LEFT: Hoverflies add colour to your garden in summer by Alan Wright.

Your Guide to Taking Action for Insects recognises that some insects aren’t always popular with the public when it comes to wildlife, and that this is especially true when applied to gardeners. However, it highlights the crucial roles they play in pollinating flowers and crops, controlling pests and natural recycling, plus the beauty and joy that they bring to our lives.

In a range of top tips for helping insects in people’s gardens, it gives guidance on going chemical- and peatfree, along with advice on which plants are best at combining colour, scent and attraction to bees and butterflies across the seasons. The guide stresses that all outdoor spaces, whatever their size and location, from tower block balconies to cottage gardens, can make a real difference to restoring insect numbers.

Chief Executive of Garden Organic, James Campbell said: ““Garden Organic is pleased to be supporting the Action for Insects campaign. All gardeners and growers should celebrate insects who are part of the natural chain of life. Organic gardeners also help by creating habitats and shelter, as well as providing plants to feed and support insect life” Josie Cohen, Pesticide Action Network UK’s Chief Executive said: “Everyone has a role to play in making the world less toxic so insects can flourish. By stopping using pesticides in your home and garden, and supporting businesses working to reduce chemicals in their supply chains, you can contribute towards building a healthier and more sustainable planet for both us and our six-legged friends.”

ABOVE: Sexton beetle by Richard Burkmar.

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23 species of bee and flower-visiting wasp have gone extinct in the UK since 1850.

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The geographic ranges of many bumblebee species has more than halved between 1960 and 2012.

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Numbers of butterflies fell by 46% between 1976 and 2017, with declines running at 77% in ‘habitat specialist species’ such as Marsh Fritillaries and Wood White butterflies.

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The abundance of larger moths such as the Garden Tiger dwindled by 28% between 1968 and 2007, with Southern England experiencing the most dramatic changes with a 40% drop in numbers.

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You can learn more about the campaign here www.lancswt.org.uk/wilderfuture-campaign/action-insects

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Taking care of the countryside Conservationists are calling on members of the public to respect the countryside after worrying reports of littering and vandalism in a number of areas of the North West.

Fire on Darwen Moor by Alan Wright

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he Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside has had reports of fly tipping on its reserves and in other beauty spots.

And after arsonists set fire to a large area of the West Pennine Moors, the conservation charity is asking everyone to protect wild areas particularly during the lockdown.

Director of Conservation Tim Mitcham said: “We have found fly tipping at our Longworth Clough Nature Reserve and I have heard of other cases on the West Pennine Moors.

“The recent fire on Horden Stoops and down towards Ward’s Reservoir, close to Belmont, also caused significant damage over three square kilometres.

“This area is a Site of Special Scientific Interests and is protected because of its peatland landscape and distinctive wildlife.”

Indeed, disturbances to this area will affect thousands of different species in the coming months particularly during the nesting season. Ground-nesting birds actively nesting include curlew, snipe, lapwing, woodcock and black headed gull.

Tim said: “We have seen increased leisure activity at our urban edge reserves, place like Lunt Meadows, Heysham Moss and Foxhill Bank

Fire damage on Darwen Moor by Tim Mitcham

are seeing a lot of activity during the lockdown, particularly from dog walkers. Hopefully, the vast majority of users are doing so respectfully and keeping dogs on leads and to the paths, as nesting birds are easily disturbed at this time and wildflowers easily damaged “We have cleared away the rubbish at Longworth Clough and, hopefully, with sites being closed, it will not become a regular thing.”

While there are restrictions on people travelling to beauty spots and many nature reserves, like Brockholes and Mere Sands Wood, are closed to the public, the Wildlife Trust was still expecting a large influx of visitors over the Easter weekend and during warm days in the lockdown.

Campaign Manager Alan Wright said: “Isolated areas have become more isolated because of the lockdown and a couple of selfish people are using this as an excuse to dump their trash or cause damage.

“These areas are important for wildlife and for future generations of people. Surely, they realise that if they destroy these areas, there will be fewer beautiful areas, plants and creatures for their children and grandchildren to experience.

Fly tipping at Longworth Clough

by Phil Reddell

“Also, if anyone sees something suspicious please do not approach the people involved, but do contact the police or the local land owner.”

The Wildlife Trust is recommending that people go out to their own local wild areas, close to their homes, without travelling too far.

Tim added: “A benefit of the lockdown is that these areas are being left alone, so when we get out there after restrictions are lifted, wildlife should be flourishing.

“All we are asking is that people respect the countryside and enjoy their own local wildlife, without spoiling it for others.”

The Wildlife Trust is continuing to monitor its nature reserves over the lockdown. These reserves are part of the UK’s Nature Recovery Network, ensuring wildlife have safe places to live and breed.

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

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

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Capturing carbon in Lancashire in climate change fight

Healthy peatlands actively capture and store carbon from the atmosphere, forming an effective and vital natural resource in the fight against climate change.

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n March Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) started work on the next phase of the restoration of Winmarleigh and Cockerham Mosses Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), outside Garstang in Lancashire.

Since taking over the management of these two adjoining lowland raised peat bogs in 2010 and 2012, LWT has worked to restore these vital habitats. This is not only halting the loss of carbon into the atmosphere that drained or degraded bogs release, but will also help rare bog plants, such as carnivorous sundew, to thrive along with other specialised plants and animals.

With funding from the Lancashire Environmental Fund (LEF), further work will be taking place around the boundary of the area to raise water levels through a series of drain blocking works and bund building (walls of peat that hold

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in water).

Lancashire Peatland Initiative Manager, Sarah Johnson said, “We are really excited to be starting the next phase of works on these rare and

precious peatlands. Our region has lost 98 per cent of its lowland peat bogs, making the restoration of these remaining salvageable habitats even

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more important.”

Winmarleigh Moss is also home to the endangered large heath butterfly, one of only three sites in our area where it can be found. Habitat destruction has caused this specialised butterfly to become locally extinct in many areas. However, a breeding programme partnering LWT and Chester Zoo has already seen the species be reintroduced to Heysham Moss and this summer should see it’s return to two other peatlands in Salford and Warrington.

This latest phase of works will also help to kick start a complimentary project, which aims to transform an agricultural field that adjoins Winmarleigh Moss into a pioneering carbon farm, and will follow straight on from the LEF works.

The carbon farm, believed to be the UK’s first, is part of the EU funded www.lancmag.com

Care-Peat project which is looking at how peatlands in five countries across Europe can be restored so that they stop releasing harmful carbon into the atmosphere and can be restored as carbon sinks.

The field, on former lowland raised bog which was drained for agriculture in the 1970s, will have water levels raised to rewet the site, and then be used to grow a permanent cover of sphagnum mosses. This will aim to both protect existing carbon that is held in the soils, as well as capture further carbon from the atmosphere and lock it away for millennia, thus providing a vital natural resource in the fight against climate change.

The trial is also looking into the benefit of this alternative land use on areas surrounding peatland reserves, such as Winmarleigh Moss, both in terms of capturing carbon and improving wildlife sites as well as regulating water levels within the landscape.

Sarah continues, “Sphagnum mosses are vital in the fight against climate change. as they take in CO2 from the atmosphere via photosynthesis, and then essentially convert it into www.lancmag.com

carbohydrates, which are stored in the plant itself. As they grow bigger more carbon is stored.

All plants will sequester carbon in this way, but what makes sphagnum special is that peat is only formed in very waterlogged acidic conditions, and only very specialised plants - like sphagnum – can thrive in it. Because of those acidic conditions, as the sphagnum moss grows the underlying sphagnum vegetation decomposes very slowly, creating the peat. This results in the carbon in the sphagnum being

buried permanently in the peat, rather than released back into the atmosphere again.”

Peatlands are one of the most important carbon stores on the planet, with the world’s current peatlands holding twice as much carbon as all of the world’s forests.

It is hoped that the carbon farm at Winmarleigh will provide vital research data to support other peatland restoration and larger-scale carbon farming projects in the future.

Still weathering stormy seas How has social & economic change in recent years affected our seaside towns.

The Rt. Hon. Lord Mcnally explains.

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bout two years ago I was appointed as a member of a House of Lords Select Committee to examine how the changes in social and economic circumstances in recent years had impacted on our seaside towns. Select committees are small, cross party groups of Peers who study and take evidence on a particular topic and then, within a year report their findings to Parliament and the Government. There is then an opportunity to discuss the findings and government response in a debate in the Lords. The exercise is a useful way of scrutinising government policies and promoting new ideas.

I was pleased to be able to serve on the committee. I was born on the Fylde Coast in 1943, in Thornton on the housing estate which abutted the massive ICI chemical works sprawling along the banks of the River Wyre.

Although university and then a career in politics took me away from the Fylde, I retained strong ties of family and friendships with the area. The committee visited both Blackpool and Fleetwood during 2018 in the course of our study. Our final report reflected the unanimous view of its members that both towns needed to overcome

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some serious problems as the pattern of holidays had changed from the late Seventies onwards and Britain’s old industrial base declined and contracted.

My work on the committee had an unexpected spin-off. I was approached to see if I would be willing to act as Chair of the Fleetwood Trust. The Trust was an ad hoc grouping of residents, clergy and business leaders who had come together to revive the part-derelict Fleetwood Hospital, located in the very heart of the town, as a Community Hub which would provide advice and services across a range of needs and age groups. I was reluctant at first to accept as one of the key recommendations of the Lords Select Committee was that any regeneration project should have its roots in the community it seeks to serve.

An elderly Peer living over 200 miles away hardly fitted that description however I was aware that there were areas I might be able to help. Although two very generous anonymous donations from the local community had provided the money to make the purchase of the hospital from the NHS, it was likely to cost a further £2 million to refurbish and equip the building

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to Twenty First century standards. I know my way round Whitehall and Westminster so I might be of help in that direction.

The final clincher for me was that although Fleetwood has faced a series of blows, like those amazing little trawlers of its glory days, it has come through the storms with spirit intact and head unbowed.

Since I left the area in the mid-sixties Fleetwood had lost its rail link following the Beeching rationalisation, the ‘Cod Wars’ of the 1970s had decimated the deep sea fishing industry, the giant ICI complex where my father had worked for forty seven years had gone, as had the ferry and container service links to the Isle of Man and Ireland, and the old ‘bucket and spade’ family holidays had largely been replaced by package holidays abroad.

Now not only Fleetwood but the whole country has to take stock of its future, as we assess how the Coronavirus Pandemic has impacted on our society and our economy. I have never seen the community hub project around the rehabilitation of the hospital building as a stand-alone project, it www.lancmag.com

Left: Fleetwood Trust trustees (2019)

must draw its strengths from the local community. Fortunately we have some excellent pathfinders and pioneers to set us on the right track. Among our first projects to open will be the Community Kitchen and Food Bank delivered by ‘Faith in the Community’, a coming together of the town’s Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches’ food banks led by Canon John Hall and Canon Alf Hayes who are both members of the Fleetwood Trust Board. Local GP Mark Spencer is also a trustee and the inspiration behind Healthier Fleetwood, an initiative which has already gained national attention by networking in the most deprived communities to encourage better diet and increased activity of all kinds. We are in talks with Fleetwood’s biggest social housing provider, Regenda Homes, to come into the hub along with Citizens Advice. We intend to be a location and focal point for local providers both large and small.

We have also approached the NHS to provide a home for the long-promised step downward to serve the locality.

The Trust is also giving our full support to the wider regeneration plans of the local authority aimed at transformational changes in Fleetwood’s www.lancmag.com

Below: Fleetwood Hospital (2019)

Town Centre, including an application to the Government’s Future High Street Fund and projects around the market, the docks, the museum and reconnection of the old rail link.

Fleetwood is not without its success stories. The world famous Fisherman’s Friend cough lozenge is manufactured in Fleetwood; the old ICI site on the town border is beginning to grow again as a centre for high quality chemical production; the Fleetwood Nautical Campus, part of Blackpool Fylde College, has an international reputation as a trainer of the mariners of the future. The efforts of the Fleetwood Trust has been given royal patronage as one of the “Seven for Seventy” community projects being given technical and project support by the Prince’s Foundation which marked the seventieth birthday of HRH Prince Charles and, of course, we have the wonderful singing voice of Fleetwood’s own, Alfie Boe, and the sunset across Morecambe Bay to lift the spirit and inspire the soul.

I had a very happy childhood and youth on the Fylde Coast. Our first holiday after the War was to the Isle

of Man on “Mona’s Isle”. I learnt to swim in Fleetwood’s then open-air baths. I watched Fleetwood play in the lowly Lancashire Combination, long before it reached the dizzy heights of League One. Sadly, my parents and my eldest sister lie at rest in Fleetwood Cemetery. So, I have many links which pull me back to this tough little town. I hope to see the Fleetwood community hub delivered, as a key part of the of a wider regeneration of the town and its community.

It may no- longer be a community which goes down to the sea in ships.

But it retains both the resilience and fortitude of that maritime heritage and being part of this next chapter of the Fleetwood story has been among the most rewarding and fulfilling of my life.

Rt. Hon. Lord McNally is Chairman of the Fleetwood Trust. Information and contributions to the work of the Trust can be made by individuals, corporate bodies & charities via the website www.fleetwoodtrust.co.uk

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Fleetwood Hospital celebrates 125 years

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s the Fleetwood Trust looks to the future of the Town’s hospital as a vibrant community hub, the building is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.

the house adjoining the property and the land to the rear on Bold Street were purchased, which allowed for subsequent expansion of the site.

The very first facility, Fleetwood Cottage Hospital opened even earlier, in October 1891 using a house on Queens Terrace donated on a temporary basis by Fleetwood-born Mr Hugh Colin Smith, who would later become the Governor of the Bank of England.

During World War II, the hospital was involved in treating the injured including a number of children evacuated from the Manchester and Salford areas. Military personnel were cared for in their own hospital situated on Beach Road, Fleetwood. It was after the War that a review of the UK’s provision led to the formation of the NHS.

The population at the time was fast approaching 10,000 so a provision of just 6 beds for patients together with accommodation for staff was soon being tested. A committee of medical practitioners within the area was formed and the generous Mr Smith donated the site of Pharos Street, valued at approximately £700, together with a further £300 towards the cost of the building. The Foundation Stone was laid by the 16th Earl of Derby in 1894 and the hospital officially opened by Colonel Foster of Hornby on the 11th May, 1895.

In a forward-thinking move the Committee introduced a weekly contribution scheme for the Town’s workers or around 0.5% of their income so they would have access to health care. Along with other donations from individuals and employers, the hospital was able to run in profit from opening until it passed to the National Health Service in 1948.

A major development in the early years was the opening of an operating theatre in 1903 described in an annual report as “furnished complete in every detail and capable of performing all surgical operations with the minimum of danger to the patient.”

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The years after the War are described as “quiet and efficient” in the annual reports. The number of patients grew, together with the range of services. In 1986 the hospital underwent a major change with the addition of a unit to provide a service in Old Age Psychiatry, making Fleetwood a leading centre for this branch of care.

While outpatients and physiotherapy departments continue today at Fleetwood Hospital the care wards closed in the last decade. A visit to the building was akin to walking round an abandoned movie set, with beds and equipment left as they were when the facility was in use and the fabric of the building in poor repair. Since purchase by the Fleetwood Trust the installation of new roofing and windows, a major overhaul of the heating and power plant and facilities such as The Pantry foodbank beginning to take shape, has breathed new life into the building. Discussions to reinstate care wards are on-going and it’s hoped that once again the residents of Fleetwood will have first-class hospital facilities at the heart of their community, as it’s founders set out to do 125 years ago.

Historial information is taken from the publication Fleetwood Hospital Centenary 1895 – 1995. www.lancmag.com

Show us your Pets

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ith the recent rise in people working from home we want to see what you and your new fuzzy co-workers are getting up to.

Send us your photos for a chance to be featured in our ‘Show us your Pets’ feature the best one each month will win a free years subscription to the magazine, the photos will be judged by our editor Mew Dairy, pictured below.

Email your pet photos to Mew at info@ lancashiremagazine.co.uk - marking the subject as ‘Show Us Your Pets’

www.lancmag.com

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Manchester Art Gallery free to the public art museum on Mosley Street with a collection of more than 25,000 objects. Photo by Angelina Dimitrova

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Manchester Art Gallery’s doors may be closed, but its art is still beating During the coronavirus restrictions Manchester Art Gallery will offer a range of beneficial programmes to bring creativity, health, and hope into the hearts and homes of local residents

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anchester Art Gallery is responding to coronavirus by taking its activities and collections on-line, in a bid to bring a bit of positivity to Manchester residents and those further afield, and to help them through this very challenging time.

Whilst the physical galleries have necessarily been closed to the public, staff are working behind the scenes to take its collections, community programmes, well-being activities and education work, into people’s homes through digital platforms.

The gallery has been at the centre of city life for nearly 200 years since being first initiated by artists in 1823 as an educational institution to ensure Manchester and its people grew with creativity, imagination, health, and productivity.

Its ambition throughout has always been to ensure care and consideration along with creativity informs all aspects of the way we live. Through the gallery’s website and social media these same ambitions will now be translated into virtual activities, with the aim of making people feel better during this period of isolation and offer some hope for a thriving culture beyond the crisis.

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Over the next few weeks the gallery will be moving its usual programme of events on-line.

At kitchen tables, in home offices, living rooms, or anywhere else they can find to work, staff and volunteers are adapting regular events including Art Bites, Philosophy Cafe and parts of the gallery’s well-being programme so that audiences can continue to explore and connect with its collection in their own homes. The gallery will be using Zoom and Facebook live to bring these and other new activities to both regular and new audiences.

There will be features on individual works of art from the collections, with commentary and discussion to bring them to life. There will also be free video content and films for virtual gallery-goers to enjoy, and gallery staff will be using the collection to bring a more humorous approach to dealing with adversity on its social media channels.

The education team will be developing practical activities for the thousands of families and young people who are now home-schooling, and the gallery’s regular programme of arts and health sessions will go digital too with mindfulness sessions on offer through the website.

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Photo: Kollawat Somsri

Even though planned exhibitions due to open this spring have had to be delayed, the gallery is now working on presenting works by these artists in other ways.

The curators are currently devising an on-line programme of films and conversations on the work of Derek Jarman, the legendary artist and filmmaker to accompany his exhibition Protest - which was originally due to open at the gallery on April 1.

Jarman made his mark in the 80’s through radical and political, yet deeply personal, protest work in the heat of the AIDS epidemic - in paint and film. He is also well known for the beauty and intimacy of his garden at Dungeness and his videos for bands such as the Smiths and Pet Shop Boys.

American activist artist Suzanne Lacy was due to begin a project in May to support older women in the city, with a space in the gallery to capture the voices of the city’s older residents to campaign for better work and life prospects, alongside Ford Maddox Brown’s ‘Work’. Whilst this has also had to be delayed, the artist is now working with the gallery team and partner agencies to develop this work remotely until the gallery can re-open.

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Alistair Hudson, Director of Manchester Art Gallery: “The gallery has been at the centre of Manchester life for nearly 200 years and seen many wars, crises and struggles, but this is the first time we have been forced to close our doors to the public.

“Fortunately this has happened in a digital age, and means we do not have to stop work, but can do our bit to help people through this difficult moment. It means we can remain open on-line and bring some artistry and humanity into everyone’s homes.

“Of course it’s a bit of a challenge, and like everyone we are definitely learning along the way as we move to this new way of working. But our staff and volunteers are thinking creatively and are excited about exploring new ways of connecting people with our collections, our archives, and the ideas that have shaped this historical institution through thick and thin.

“It’s at times like this when you realise the value of our public museums and galleries as free places for people to come together. On the other side of this we are going to need our city’s cultural centres more than ever to resocialise and celebrate the strength and resilience of human culture.”

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Councillor Luthfur Rahman, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Skills, Manchester City Council, said: “At a time when the whole nation is being asked to stay well away from each other and sometimes from those they need most, it’s great to see Manchester Art Gallery along with the city’s other cultural organisations doing their very best to help make this more bearable.

“It’s also vitally important in these difficult times that we keep our culture going across the city to support all the many artists and other members of our creative community who call Manchester home, and who do so much to enrich our lives and make us feel better. Without them this city would not be the same.”

Information on the gallery’s new online programme can be found on the gallery’s website www. manchesterartgallery.org and through its social media channels and will be regularly updated as more content is made available.

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Top IT banking expert issues working from home security advice

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As thousands of people across the UK are now working from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a top IT banking expert has issued advice on keeping documents secure online.

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ave Wickham who heads up the IT department at Redwood Bank, which is the UK’s first challenger bank to be completely ‘born in the cloud’, believes companies should introduce new security processes to protect themselves amid this new way of working.

Working from home often leads to users working in a different manner and with that in mind, Redwood’s technology team has compiled five steps that can be used to help avoid making cyber-related mistakes.

1. Maintain regular working hours but plan breaks to avoid making errors.

2. Be aware of your surroundings.

If working around others, try to designate a workspace to reduce the likelihood of distractions and potential data compromise.

3. Ensure your home setup is secure, for example, ensure your router has a secure password and firewall switched on. Don’t connect to unsecured WiFi. Connect to your mobile phone personal hotspot where possible.

4. Internet speed may take a hit with everyone in the area working from home. Exercise patience when sending and receiving large files.

5. Mobile providers will also likely be affected. Consider alternative solutions such as Skype, Teams, Zoom etc.

Dave has more than 15 years’ experience working within the IT sector and has extensive practical knowledge of complex system builds, hardware and software, network and technical support.

Since its inception, Redwood Bank has invested heavily in technology and partnered with Microsoft to deliver a secure service, via a completely internetbased IT system.

Dave said: “Being a Challenger Bank based in the cloud means security is crucial to our business. We just cannot allow our systems to be compromised in any way.

“With thousands of people working www.lancmag.com

from home as the country experiences the COVID-19 lockdown, I strongly recommend that extra precautions are taken to ensure confidential documents remain secure.

“Employees should follow their data protection policy, which will be different for each company and all confidential documents should be stored in a centralised secure digital platform, such as a file server or SharePoint.

“Documents should be classified as “confidential” and policies should be in place to ensure these aren’t accidentally or intentionally leaked. Businesses could also consider putting restrictions on certain documents to prevent them from being printed. It is important to ensure there is widespread training and awareness across the business as soon as possible.”

Communication amongst teams is essential when there is no central meeting point, so Dave has suggested using Microsoft 365 which allows a large number of people to join. They can also share video, audio, files and screenshare.

He added: “Keeping dialogue open between teams and clients is especially important when working remotely, as it requires communication using Dave Wickham, Head of IT at Redwood Bank

technology as opposed to face-toface. We utilise Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone technology and Microsoft Teams to communicate across the business and with our clients.

Gary Wilkinson, CEO and Cofounder of Redwood Bank, said: “As a cloud-based bank, Redwood does not have office-based infrastructure, and is designed for all employees to be able to work securely from anywhere so we have been able to implement the working from home advice very swiftly.

“We’re taking the current global COVID-19 situation extremely seriously. The health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and customers are at the centre of everything we do. We would like to take this opportunity to reassure our customers that our working measures remain completely secure and we are confident that there will be minimal – if any – disruption to their banking services.”

Founded in 2017, Redwood Bank was launched to offer secured SME lending products to owner-occupied businesses, as well as to experienced commercial and residential property investors.

For further information, visit www.redwoodbank.co.uk.

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Then ‘renovate it’ at a fraction of the cost of a new kitchen.

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 129

Get ready for the magic as The Color Run is coming to Manchester It’s time to make magic and share your get up and glow as the happiest 5K on the planet as The Color Run is coming to Manchester.

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ith a theme of Make Magic, the global phenomenon is back in the UK and looking for the dreamers, believers, and magicmakers who want to add some real colour to their lives.

Now in its eighth year, The Color Run organisers are guaranteeing participants, whether it’s their first time or not, that they will MAKE MAGIC, MAKE MEMORIES, and MAKE MORE. TOGETHER. Prepare for a rainbow of fun with family, friends or colleagues as you shake and shimmer your way along the 5km route - with a colour explosion at every kilometre - followed by a huge colour throwing party at the finish line where you can dance off any extra energy to some cool DJ tunes.

Make sure you don’t miss The Color Run Make Magic 2020 when it comes to the city’s Heaton Park on Saturday 12th September. The event starts at 11am, but entrants are encouraged to get there early and enjoy the warm-ups and pre-event parties.

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Registration for this year’s event is now open with discounted prices for those who sign up now. For groups of 10 or more prices start from £18, for groups of four-nine £20 and individual entries are from £23. Sign up online at https://thecolorrun.co.uk/ Alan Brown, race director for The Color Run UK said: “The Color Run has enormous appeal - more than seven million people across 50 countries have experienced this incredible event - and we can’t wait to bring The Color Run to Manchester.

“It’s not about the time or the distance it’s about clocking up smiles and having the most amazing time.

There’s nothing like seeing those pristine whites at the start ending up plastered in colour. Everyone has a huge grin on their face at the finish line, which is where the fun really gets going!

“There is a real party atmosphere from start to finish and you can see it what people wear as well as they really go to town. We see all kinds of crazy outfits while The Color Run

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has branded wigs, hair dyes, tutus, headbands and socks for those that want to be dressed for the most colourful event of the year.

“There have been many imitations, but this is the original The Color Run, and we really go to town so that it is perfect for everyone who takes part.”

For more information check out the website or on follow on Facebook or Instagram via @ TheColorRunUK.

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UCLan to postpone summer 2020 graduation ceremonies Precautionary action taken to protect students, staff and the general public Ceremonies to be rescheduled for two-week celebration in December 2020 Lancashire Science Festival and Graduate Fashion Show to return in 2021

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he University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has today announced the postponement of its July 2020 graduation ceremonies due to the continuing spread and impact of Covid-19 coronavirus.

The ceremonies have been rescheduled for December 2020 when winter graduation will be extended into a two-week celebration.

Additional high profile and popular community events, including the graduate fashion show and the Lancashire Science Festival, have been deferred for a year.

The University has pledged that, subject to the lifting of Government restrictions, both events will return in the summer of 2021.

Commenting on the decision Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin said: “These large-scale events represent the culmination of everything our students have achieved and in the case of the Lancashire Science Festival we also welcome many thousands of visitors from across our local community.

“Therefore, postponing these events was not an easy decision nor was it www.lancmag.com

taken lightly. Any disappointment is entirely understandable, but we have done it to protect the safety and wellbeing of our graduates, guests, staff and indeed the whole of our stakeholder community.

“Our hope is that by announcing this news as early as possible, those who need to change travel or accommodation plans will still have time to do so.”

Final-year students will be informed of the revised December 2020 graduation dates once they have been confirmed in the near future.

The University is now focusing on the processes required to ensure all its students formally graduate on time in July and while this will not be at a ceremony, results will be published as normal.

Lancaster University

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Charity Releases ‘Self-isolation Survival Guide’ to Support Vulnerable Older Adults

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harity Vegetarian for Life, which supports older vegans and vegetarians, has put together some tips on preparing as best you can, and how you might still keep in touch with others, during this challenging period.

1. Another meal is possible. When you have seemingly bare cupboards, or have bought whatever you were able to nab, the Supercook recipe search engine might save the day. Simply type in the ingredients that you have in your cupboards, fridge and freezer, and it will come up with a raft of recipes you can make without leaving the house to buy more.

2. If shopping really isn’t an option, Vegetarian for Life has a great guide called Veggie Meals to Your Door. It details all of the companies that can deliver vegetarian and vegan meals either hot, chilled or frozen - straight to your home. The guide can be found on their site or they can post a copy to you, free of charge. Please contact VFL on 0161 257 0887 for more information.

3. It’s important to keep in contact with your friends and family, so why not make use of programs such as Facebook, Skype, and Whatsapp for sharing photos and a (virtual) faceto-face chat? Vegetarian for Life runs the Mature Vegans and Veggies UK group on Facebook, which already has

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over 1,400 members, and also a veggie pen- and phone-pal scheme, exclusively for older vegetarians and vegans. Full details are available on the website.

4. Making nutrition a priority is important for a healthy immune system.

And thankfully there are some key things you can do to keep it simple and eat well, even when housebound. Pick ambient foods, such as canned goods, pastas, rice and beans. Make the most of your freezer if you have one, where you can store breads, vegetables, fruits and more. Stock a good variety of foods where possible, so that you don’t rely too heavily on items that might easily run out at the supermarket. Vegetarian for Life has compiled a handy guide to what to buy for your store cupboard and freezer online.

5. Make the most of some time at home. If you are having to self-isolate at home, you may well start to feel lonely.

Keep your spirits lifted by exercising, watching TV, reading a good book, or listening to the radio, with the window open, for a light breeze of fresh air.

Why not start that new hobby you’ve always wanted to have a go at? Or take advantage of the time of year and begin sowing seeds in the garden for a few veggies of your own creation. For inspiration, check out the incredible 81-year-old vegan whose mission is to complete one million press-ups, here.

We hope that you and yours stay well during this challenging time. If you’re experiencing any difficulties, please don’t hesitate to reach out to VFL on 0161 257 0887. You can also find out what shopping and home delivery services your local Age UK offers.

Since there are only two fully vegetarian care homes in the UK, one of VFL’s major goals is improve the standard of vegan and vegetarian catering in existing homes. They seek to do this through the UK List, which is a geographical listing of organisations and care homes that make a special effort to cater for vegetarians and vegans.

VFL are striving towards a vision where at least 1 in every 6 UK care homes are members of our UK List - and 1 in every 100 will be VFL accredited. Meeting the needs of a diverse range of older people is important to them, too. They strive for VFL to be the first port of call for information, support and advice for older vegans, vegetarians, their families, friends and a broad range of care caterers.

For more information visit vegetarianforlife.org.uk www.facebook.com/VfLUK https://twitter.com/VfL_UK

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Rochdale Recycling What every business needs Words: Jessica Gregson

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ochdale Recycling is the answer to all of your wastage needs. Specialising in paper, cardboard and plastic waste recycling, they support businesses across the North West of England, right down to Birmingham and up to Lancaster.

Opened in January 2019, their strong work ethic, years worth of experience and excellent customer service is helping them quickly become the number one choice for businesses looking to recycle their waste paper, cardboard, plastics and destruction of confidential documents.

PAPER WASTE Rochdale Recycling specialise in the collection and correct disposal of waste paper using the correct recycling methods and equipment. They can deliver directly to your site the relevant equipment for you to use including the console cabinets which are placed inside the business and locked. Rochdale

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Recycling will then come and collect the waste on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, depending on the amount of waste, and then re bag the console ready to be used again.

The waste is then taken away to be securely shredded and recycled. The business will then receive a certificate of destruction and always have peace of mind that their paper will be taken away, sorted, recycled and prepared for its new life as newspapers, magazines, toilet tissue, photocopying and printer paper.

The businesses they currently provide paper recycling services to range from and include; all major retailers, printers, schools, estate agents, insurance brokers, hospitals, hairdressers, libraries, solicitors, banks, accountants, travel agents and window companies.

Rochdale Recycling currently recycle thousands upon thousands of tonnes of waste paper and prepare it

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to be recycled correctly with minimum impact on the environment. All of their recycling takes place within the UK and by using this service, you are significantly helping the environment.

CARDBOARD WASTE Did you know that on average, the UK produces 8 million tonnes of cardboard each year! For general household use and packaging this can amount to 140 large cardboard boxes to each person in the UK each year.

Around 32% of the household rubbish produced each year in the UK is made up of paper and cardboard, and up to 17 trees can be saved for every tonne of cardboard that is recycled.

Rochdale Recycling are the experts in how to prepare cardboard to be used for recycling into other packaging products, pet bedding and even fuel.

This is one of the only waste materials that can be reused as a fuel, converting waste into energy.

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With their fantastic collection service, large bulky cardboard can be removed from your site quickly and efficiently. No job is too big or too small.

PLASTIC WASTE Plastic recycling is Rochdale Recycling’s most popular service and they offer various plastic waste collections. They specialise in recycling a wide range of plastics and offer customers a fast, prompt, reliable service which will cover all of your requirements.

24% of the 334 million tonnes of waste created by the UK each year is business waste and one of the toughest to recycle is plastic. But you do not have to worry about that as Rochdale Recycling can take care of it for you.

CONIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS The team also offer confidential and secure document shredding. With over 12 years experience in confidential

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waste destruction and a state of the art shredding system, you can be assured your waste will be destroyed efficiently.

In conjunction with confidential documents, Rochdale Recycling also offer support and advice around GDPR. Since the laws changed last year, it is possible some businesses may not be adhering to the correct guidelines and could face up to a ÂŁ1000 fine. Rochdale Recycling can help ensure you are following the correct procedures by teaching and showing you the correct method.

To arrange this service, or any other services detailed above, all you have to do is call 07395887863 and they can arrange a fast and responsive collection service. You will never have to worry about your waste again.

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The Private Client team at Vincents Solicitors is still working hard during the Covid-19 crisis, and dealing with many pressing issues for our clients.

In these unprecedented and uncertain times, we have seen an increase of enquiries from worried people across the local community, but particularly from family members of elderly clients.

With that in mind we want to address some of the questions surrounding the writing of Wills and making arrangements for Health and Welfare Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Lisa Lodge, Director and Private Client Solicitor at Lancashire’s Vincents Solicitors

Is it possible to write a Will at the moment?

Yes it is. While we have closed our six branch offices, our solicitors are still working hard to ensure that all clients get the quickest and most efficient service possible. We have a team which can come out to your home to take Will instructions, and then to witness them so that they are executed correctly.

We also have staff who are working from home, but linked to our office systems, who ensure the administration side of things is unaffected by the current situation.

We have also embraced technology so that we can video call our clients via Face Time, Skype, Whatsapp or Zoom, and we’re happy to talk clients through the step-by-step instructions needed to access and download these new communications tools.

Do we need to have a Will witnessed and how can we do this while in isolation?

Our dedicated compliance team is helping us to implement latest guidance from the Law Society to ensure that any Wills which are drafted during these exceptional times are valid and executed correctly.

We are still able to travel, as a journey to our clients’ home is considered ‘essential travel’, so we can provide reassurance that the document will be finalised as it would under normal circumstances. It is important to the team that we don’t let our clients down when they need us the most, and that they know they can rely on us.

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I wrote my Will more than five years ago, should I update it?

Probably ! So many things change over the years.

Five years ago I was married with children at primary school. My Will left directions for who should be their guardians if the worst happened, and details such as the school I wanted them to attend and the holidays I wanted them to take.

Now, as teenagers, the situation would be very different and I have recently updated my Will. And thank goodness I did. The newly appointed guardians are more appropriate for the current time and would not require the children to move school or put too much pressure on my elderly parents.

So yes, it is good practice to review your will every three to five years, or whenever there are any big changes in your circumstances; getting married, getting divorced, having children or grandchildren, buying a new home or selling a property or setting up a new business for example.

Can I make amendments to my current Will?

We prefer to update a will in its entirety rather than preparing a codicil (which is how we can amend your current Will). Lots of Wills we see are quite old fashioned and full of legal words that no one understands and can sometimes lead to ambiguity and possible conflict. We like straight forward plain English, which is one of the things most of our clients like best about the way we approach writing a Will. www.lancmag.com

If I am taken ill with the Coronavirus, will the wishes of my current Lasting Power of Attorney be carried out?

Yes. In a Lasting Power of Attorney you will have appointed your ‘attorney’.

This means that if you lose capacity or are in hospital for a period of time, then your attorney will be able to apply for benefits on your behalf, pay your bills and generally look after your property and financial affairs.

Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare are becoming more and more vital where there is an aging population and increasing numbers of people living longer with conditions such as dementia.

Your attorney or attorneys can access your medical records and assist the medical team with any decisions that need to be made. The current public health crisis has also highlighted the importance of this type of safety net in the event of illness.

The Office of the Public Guardian, with whom we have to register all Lasting Power of Attorney applications, has been great during this time and - often with a nudge from our specialist team - can progress new applications urgently.

Should I have a Lasting power of Attorney in place if I have longer lasting effects from falling ill with Coronavirus?

Having a Lasting Power of Attorney is a sensible measure for anyone. There are three types: Business, www.lancmag.com

Property and Financial Affairs, and Health and Welfare.

It’s particularly important if you have a business which needs to operate without you, even for a short period of time.

And on a personal level, it’s crucial to have someone manage your financial or health and well being decisions should you become ill.

It’s not a pleasant train of thought, but it is important now more than ever to consider carefully who would act as attorney on your behalf, particularly if you would want to nominate a family member who lives far away.

As solicitors. we can act as attorney for you and in fact we do this for many of our clients and don’t think twice about going the extra mile on their behalf.

Are you doing anything for Key Workers?

Yes of course. We are making ourselves available to speak to key workers at any time of day or night at a time that suits them between shifts. They just need to call and make an appointment or drop us an email if that’s easier. We are also 25% off our services in recognition of the tremendous work they are doing on behalf of this country.

Guild Chambers | 4 Winckley Square |Preston |Lancashire | PR3 3JJ T: 01772 555176 | www.vincentssolicitors.co.uk

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Four Lancashire-based Piemakers triumph at British Pie Awards 2020 How a businessman achieved his dream home thanks to a happy collaboration with local companies.

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eld at the Rural Capital of Food in Melton Mowbray, this year’s British Pie Awards saw a whopping 884 pies entered from 160 professional pie bakers, butchers and chefs from around the country. After an extensive judging process on each pie’s appearance, taste and skills by 110 experts, the pies on parade across all 23 classes were crowned on Friday 6th March.

Blackburn-based Pie Mezzanae has been creating unique flavour combinations and unusual pies in its home kitchen since 2015. A fan favourite from BBC documentary Life of Pies, Zainab Bilal of Pie Mezzanae has been awarded Class Champion in the Hot Eating Savoury Pie category for her Cheese & Onion bake.

Morecambe FC is no stranger to receiving praise for its prestigious pastries. This year, the club scored two Class Champion results with a Bramley Apple Pie and Lamb & Vegetable Pie

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along with a Highly Commended recognition for its Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie. The popular waterfront Canal Turn restaurant, based in Carnforth, scooped up three Highly Commended accolades for its Scottish Natural Smoke Haddock, Salmon, Samphire and Chive Pie, Graham’s Chicken, Smoked Bacon, Wild Mushroom and Madeira Pie and Meat & Potato Pie. A Chicken & Mushroom Pie by Mill Town Pies in Nelson was praised with a Highly Commended award within the Chicken & Vegetable/Herb Pie Class West Sussex-bsed Turner’s Pies has been crowned overall Supreme Champion with its Top Rump Steak & Stilton Pie, replacing last year’s ‘Pie of Pies’ winner – Jon Thorner’s Curried Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Vegan Pie. The family-run bakery is no stranger to Britain’s most hotly contested pie-athon, taking home the cup in 2018 with a near-perfect score

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of 99/100. This year, Turner’s has also won Class Champion in the Beef and Cheese Pie Class, scooping a full baker’s dozen of awards in total.

British Pie Awards organiser Dr Matthew O’Callaghan said: “Turner’s of Sussex certainly know how to make an excellent pie. They won Supreme Champion in 2018 with their Steak & Ale Pie and now they’ve done it again but this time with Stilton cheese. Cheese in pies was a winning formula this year, appearing in five winning classes.”

The Awards also celebrated the flourishing bakers just starting out in the industry with the introduction of the Best Newcomer Award. Piha Pies from London scooped this inaugural prize for their dedication to honing their piecrafting skills.

Back by popular demand, the Fish & Chip Shop Pie Class made its return to the British Pie Awards, won by The Cods Scallops that have once again dominated the class for the second year www.lancmag.com

with a Chicken, Leek and Ham Pie. About the Awards, O’Callaghan praises: “For the past 12 years, we’ve judged well over 9,000 pies since the Awards were first founded in 2009.

During that time the quality and range of pies submitted have increased significantly; a tribute to the craft and skills of the British piemaker.

“It goes without saying that the British Pie Awards would not be what they are today without our many judges, sponsors, volunteers and – of course – all the piemakers. Congratulations to all who took home awards and we look forward to seeing you next year.”

For further information on the British Pie Awards, visit www. britishpieawards.co.uk and follow @ britishpies on Twitter.

A full list of judges & award winners at the British Pie Awards can be found at www. britishpieawards.co.uk www.lancmag.com

TOP: The 12th British Pie Awards 2020, held at St Mary’s Church, Melton Mowbray – the Rural Capital of Food and home of the pork pie. 848 pies have been entered from 160 producers ABOVE: Reverend Kevin Ashby prepares to bless the pies at the British Pie Awards

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Kids driving you mad?

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Enjoy the garden

Keeping Entertained during lockdown!

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e are living through some strange times indeed. But there’s no need to feel down, there is plenty available to us in our own homes to keep us occupied and entertained if we are forced to stay at home. From classic pursuits such as reading, jigsaw puzzles and family board games to the latest TV box sets just begging to be binge- watched.

And don’t forget to get outside and get some fresh air. If you’re not in groups (more than 2) you can still get out into the garden, yard, country, or park, or go for a walk, jog or bike ride.

For those who enjoy getting stuck into a classic TV series or box set there has never been more choice available.

Some channels are subscription based and for a small monthly fee deliver, sitcoms, documentaries and every genre of film imaginable. These include: Amazon, Netflix and Now TV amongst others.

If you don’t want to pay to view there’s a wealth of content available on

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iPlayer, ITV Hub, 5 on Demand and many others.

There’s so much choice it can seem overwhelming! Where to start? Netflix, and other media players, use a clever algorithm which means the more you watch the more they will suggest similar programmes you may enjoy.

Programmes and movies are split by type so if you’re in the mood for a thriller for example it’s easy to find one.

If you’re after a comedy why not try classics on iPlayer such as, ‘Porridge’, ‘Outnumbered’, ‘Upstart Crow’, or ‘Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps?’ There are dozens of box sets available.

The comedy continues over on Netflix with 9 series of ‘Peep Show’, 3 series of, ‘Miranda’, and the hilarious, ‘Derry Girls’ which offers an oftenhilarious insight into growing up in troubled 80’s Ireland? If you’re after something different why not get your teeth into the black (and be warned it’s very dark) comedy, ‘Santa Clarita Diet’?

For those of you who prefer SciFi you’ll be spoiled for choice. For example, on Netflix there are 10 series of the classic, ‘Doctor Who’ available.

If you like strange alternate realities why not try the critically acclaimed, ‘Stranger Things’. Fans of vampire action head to Now TV for the complete, ‘True Blood Series’.

Also, in the horror genre, for those who enjoy Stephen King books try ‘Mr Mercedes’ or the amazing ‘Castle rock’ which fleshes out the bones of some of his most popular literary character such as Annie Wilkes from ‘Misery’.

If Drama is more your type of thing have a look on Netflix at series such as ‘One of Us’, ‘Safe’, ‘The Stranger’, ‘Peaky Blinders’ or ‘Sherlock’. Now TV are also showing the extremely popular series, ‘Game of Thrones’. All of these will have you glued to your screens eagerly watching episode after episode – these shows are seriously addictive.

Fans of documentaries are well catered for on all the media players. Try

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Board Games

Netflix for Louis Theroux – including the episode where he interviewed Jimmy Saville. For nature fans there are series such as, ‘Blue Planet’ and ‘Planet Earth’.

If all that screen time has given you a headache don’t forget to head outside for your daily exercise. If you’re not with more than one other person, and you keep a distance from other people, it’s fine to head out for a walk, jog or bike ride.

Those lucky enough to have a garden can get the weeding done that they’ve been meaning to do for a while.

Planting some colourful flowers and foliage will boost your happiness and well – being. If you have a yard try some potted plants, and if you’ve no outdoor space try cut flowers or potted plants to brighten your living space.

When it’s time to get the family all together then you can’t do better than board games. Dust off classics like, Monopoly, Risk, and Operation to get everyone laughing and bring the whole family closer. Chess, draughts and Snakes and Ladders are probably lingering in the back of your cupboard ready for their moment of glory. Jigsaw 144

puzzles are also be a great communal way to enjoy some relaxing time.

When it’s time for some quiet individual activity all ages can keep their mental skills sharp with; Crosswords, Sudoku and number puzzles, or why not try one of the free brain training apps such as ‘Elevate’ (Android format on Play Store) to keep the grey matter working away?

Now is also a great time to indulge (or develop) a passion for reading. Try best sellers from writers such as Ian McEwan, Kate Atkinson, Hilary Mantel or Margaret Attwood. If you like a gripping read try Colson Whitehead’s, ‘The Underground Railroad’ winner of the 2107 Pulitzer prize. It tells the fictional story of two slaves Cora and Caesar in the Southern United States in the 19th Century. It’s a gripping, sometimes horrifying story but it is incredibly educating and illuminating.

If non-fiction appeals to you more then try the latest books by; Malcolm Gladwell, Yuval Noah Harari or Alain De Botton.

Bookseller’ are well worth reading.

Shaun runs the largest second-hand bookshop in Scotland in Wigtown.

His books deal with the weird and wonderful characters who come into his bookshop every day.

If you’re after some short, light verse why not try poetry collections by; Roger McGough, John Hegley, Wendy Cope or Twitter sensation Brian Bilston who set himself the challenge of writing a poem every day for a year. Their short snappy verse is sure to brighten your day.

Perhaps the most important thing now is to stay in touch with family and friends. One of the up- sides of modern technology is it has never been easier to get talking. Pick up the phone or try Whatsapp, Face Time, email or Skype to stay in touch with loved ones.

So now you’ve got some ideas it shouldn’t be a problem to enjoyably fill the spare time you suddenly have and to keep yourself, and everyone else around you entertained.

If you’re after a good laugh then Shaun Bythell’s hilarious, ‘Diary of a Bookseller’ and ‘Confessions of a

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Aiming Higher

You can donate to Aiming Higher using the following methods Website | www.aiminghighercharity.org.uk/get-involved/donate/ Just Giving & PayPal | Found on Aiming Higher website

Post | Aiming Higher. 231 – 233 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 3PB. Please ring 01253 206447 further information

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iming Higher for Disabled Some of the Easter donations which were Children & their Families is a distributed to families Blackpool based charity that in need. supports hundreds of local children and their families. The charity supports families and creates happy memories for children with life limiting and complex conditions.

Like the rest of the world, the way the charity operates has had to change recently due to the Covid-19 outbreak but the team are all still working incredibly hard to make things as easy as possible for the families they support.

While one-on-one face-to-face meetings Vitalka speaking to Aiming The team from Headstart and theWilson groups that usually run Higher’s have Development Project Manager Amy Gunniss been suspended for the time being, the team have been finding other ways to help.

The family support team are still contactable by phone and are checking in regularly with the families they support. If people are unable to leave the house because of Covid-19 or their children’s needs, their support workers Some of the young people Aiming Higher support enjoying some activities at are getting shopping for them while home during self isolation. observing all the government guidelines on social distancing. The charity has to enjoy a story together and one family also been able to provide craft activities, has made a video teaching the alphabet family resources and toys for those Development Worker Darren Foy with one of the in British Sign Language.

Trustee Andrew Wareing with Mayor of Fylde Councillor Angela who need it.

At Easter, Aiming The counselling service is information boards from the eventHigher Jaqueswhich and Deputy mayor Richard Redcliffe. received donations of Easter Eggs and usually offered at Aiming Higher’s treats which werefor able to share patron Natalie Christopher, trustees imingthey Higher Disabled providing activitiesStreet, and days out where centre on Church Blackpool with many of the children they support.

John Child, Hilary Ainge, Andrew Children & their Families is a families othersOne in similar has also can had meet to change. of the Online, the team is sharing Wareing, Anthea Dawson, Alison Blackpool based charityadvice, that circumstances. counsellor’s is now offering telephone links, guidelines andofsuggestions for Gilmore and Norry Ascroft as well as supports hundreds local children The team recently held aclients welcome consultations for her usual and how to keep the children occupied professionals from the Blackpool SEND and their families.

The charity supports day for other professionals also checking in with othersand wholocal feel and howand everyone lookmemories after team, Headstart, Portage service, Better families createscan happy businesses to explain more about what they need extra support at this time. themselves own mental Start,Advocacy service, local special for childrenand withtheir life limiting and health Aiming offer and howwork they can In theHigher background, admin and .complex Aiming conditions.

Higher work with Headstart schools and more.

Raising a disabled help. The event was well attended and grant applications continue.

The charity to promote something which Vitalka Wilson, a local resident child can beresilience, a wonderful experience, gavebeen all who visited the to chance see has lucky enough securetogrants is increasingly in these who is doing a parachute jump for the the newly refurbished and its however it canimportant also be lonely, isolating and donations to help centre with this vital uncertain times. Every theyand post charity also came along to learn more. sensory room.the pandemic. However, and overpowering.

Theweek friendly work during aprofessional “resilient move” with suggestions If you’d like to support the charity and In attendance were theasMayor team at Aiming Higherofare normal fundraisers, such the annual how to close become moreand resilient.

They are reward Vitalka for his bravery you can of Wyre Councillor Ann always at hand able to support ball which was due to takeTurner place in May, encouraging families towith postthem, ideas easing and do so by visiting his justgiving page and runs, Mayoress Councillor the families registered fun parachute jumpsAndrea and other videos themselves help oneThe another at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ Kay; Mayor of Fylde, Councillorand them through any to anxieties. service events have had to be postponed and keep varies in touch. example, vitalka-wilson1 Angela Deputy provided withFor each families’ this has Jaques a hugeand affect on themayor charity’s Development Worker Darren Foy’s Development worker Darren Foy’s Richard withtothe Mayor ofway needs – from supporting families to funds.

If Redcliffe you are able help in any 9attend year old son has been readinghospital, his son reads “Cat in the Hat” to Blackpool’s representative Councillor appointments at school, please contact Aiming Higher or make favourite books online for the families families online Critchley, along with the charity’s social services, benefits and housing to aKim donation.

Thank you.

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Chalet restuarant

My German acquaintances Although we are essentially a county style magazine, we do occasionally publish articles of general interest which we believe our readers would like to see. Such an article was “The Holocaust Memorial Day” published in the April issue. One of our regular writers, Bevan Ridehalgh, requested to be allowed to first to comment on this article and then expand his response. We were pleased to agree to this since it is in full accord with the balanced view that we always target.

Words: Bevan Ridehalgh

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n article about “The Holocaust Memorial Day” by Jessica Gregson that was published in the April issue of Lancashire Magazine concerned Auschwitz. I have not been there but I have been to Dachau, which, I am sure, is very much the same.

Whenever I am asked how I felt during my visit, I reply, “I don’t know because I have never felt the same before or since.” I suppose I was in some form of shock. I would find it a hard task to put my feelings into words and so I am well aware of the wonderful job Jessica has done in writing her piece.

My entire full-time career was spent in the aircraft industry based on the Fylde coast at Warton. Without ever moving, I worked for several companies that were essentially the same one, starting with English Electric and ending with BAe. After Wilson cancelled the TSR2 in 1964, I worked briefly on the United Kingdom Variable Geometry and then the Anglo French Variable Geometry projects before starting work with the Germans, Italians and, for a short time, the Dutch, on what became the Tornado. This multi-national grouping was established as long ago as 1969.

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At that time, the war wounds were still there and I remember a comment made by one young German in 1969.

He said to me, “The World will never forgive us.” My work then and later took me to Germany quite often for over twenty years.

I worked on the Tornado for 16 years and learnt just how brutal the Nazi regime was. The grandfather of one of my close German acquaintances had to walk with sticks for the latter half of his life. Why? Because in the mid 1930s he attended a Nazi rally and remarked to someone alongside, “This lot will have us at war.” His family spent a fortnight not knowing where he was before he dragged his battered body home. No wonder people kept quiet.

My previous paragraph also sheds some light on another constant observation; that those who lived near to the war-time concentration camps must have known of the cruelty that was occurring. There is ample evidence that they did, although, after the war, all the local people denied having knowledge of the horrors. They were obviously lying to protect themselves from the Allied authorities. There is no way did they not know what was going on but

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again fear of the Nazi bullies meant that no-one dare say a word whilst it was happening.

In 1985-86, I spent six months in Munich with two colleagues working with others from Warton and other European companies on what was to become the Eurofighter. This was a rewarding experience and I will shortly move on to far more pleasant sides of my story.

The leading German our team of three worked with was called Wig - short for Ludwig. By the way, the Germans pronounce w as v.

Unsurprisingly, Wig’s father served in the army in World War Two. He actually served from the very first day to the last day of the war. I asked Wig what his father thought of the fact that he was working with British people. He replied, “He just shrugs his shoulders.”

One day, Wig arranged to take us three Brits, two of whom he hardly knew, out for an evening meal. Now I was aware that this would cost him a fair bit since I knew that he would follow the German custom of paying for everything. On the way to the restaurant we stopped for petrol and I www.lancmag.com

Commonwealth war graves at Kleve

thought I could use this as a roundabout way of putting a little cash into his coffer. My move to pay was immediately shrugged aside with a slight sign of annoyance.

At the start of our journey, as we set off in Wig’s car, he said, “I have been told that I must take you to a place somewhere on our way. To a British Military Cemetery.” Of course, he did as had been suggested and we found ourselves at a quite remarkable place, remarkable in that it was unbelievably well kept. In fact, I had never seen anything to touch it. I said, “Is it always like this?” Wig replied, “I don’t know. I have never been here before. I didn’t think it was anything to do with me. It just shows how wrong you can be.” He said no more. I continued, “But who looks after it?” “The local schoolchildren”, came the reply. So there was the incredible situation of schoolchildren looking after the graves of men who tried to and possibly succeeded in killing their parents and grandparents. I cannot think of any words to add; perhaps you can.

Looking at the graves, I found it difficult to decide which were the most upsetting. Was it such as that of the www.lancmag.com

39 year old who was killed two weeks before the end of the war; presumably after having been in the fighting for nearly five years? Or was it that of the 19 year old whose life was snuffed out before it began? I decided there was no difference between the two.

There are 48 Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Germany. The one we visited was very much like the one shown. I could not find a photograph of the one near Munich but this is a very close comparison. It is situated at Kleve, near the Dutch border.

Leaving the cemetery, and moving on, Wig took us to his favourite restaurant; an impressive chalet up in the pine-tree clad hills. When we got there, it was closed. A lady came out from a building across the road and she clearly recognised Wig. It turned out that she was the restaurant’s owner and that she had recently moved over the road into a bigger premise. This was still being equipped ready for her to open as a new restaurant. The lack of equipment did not matter to her though for he opened and made us our meals.

Most of the Germans I have met are lovely people. Jessica would like them.

As mentioned in the main text, I once spent six months working in Munich with others from Warton.

There were generally around 15 of us Brits in total and a fair number of us spent each evening in a small bar behind our hotel. This bar also served light meals, with seating for eight people. Like many such places it had a fairly regular clientele and some of the Germans and ourselves became quite friendly. One of our numbers was a keen guitarist and he decided that we would have an “English folk-song” night. This event was advertised in the bar and in the building where we worked. The advertising aroused a fair amount of interest and there was a good turnout on the evening. All who came were pleased when they were given a song sheet. Every single German thought he or she had a good grasp of the English language but they didn’t half struggle with the likes of “On Ilkla Mooar baht ‘at.”

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Senior appointment at Blackpool Zoo A leading UK elephant expert has joined the team at Blackpool Zoo.

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ndrew Durham, who has been working with the mammoth species in zoos across the world for almost 20 years, has been appointed as Head of Elephants He will now lead a team of keepers who care for the six Asian elephants that reside in Blackpool Zoo’s multimillion-pound Base Camp development.

Kate was the first animal to arrive at Blackpool in 1972 and moved into the new elephant house in 2017. Four further females packed their trunks and moved to Blackpool from Twycross Zoo in 2018 and the herd was completed with the arrival of a male, named Emmett, from Whipsnade in 2019.

Successful introductions were carefully managed and Andrew hopes that the herd will breed in the near future.

He said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the team at Blackpool Zoo at such an exciting time. I previously worked with the elephants that have arrived from Twycross and have followed the progress of Project Elephant very closely, so when the opportunity to join the team arose, I jumped at the chance. Base Camp is a truly outstanding facility that has been designed and built entirely around the needs of elephants, so it is wonderful to be part of it. Now all the elephants are settled in we are hoping that they will soon start breeding.”

“Of course, with the longest gestation of any mammal, we will have to wait two long years before any of the girls give birth!”

Andrew has worked at some of the

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most respected zoological institutes across the globe including ZSL in London, Zoos Victoria in Melbourne and Chester Zoo. He has also been a lecturer on animal care. He graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2001 with an Honours Degree in Zoology and Animal Biology.

Blackpool Zoo’s Director, Darren Webster, is delighted to welcome Andrew to the team. He said: “Andrew’s reputation in the field of elephant care is exemplary and it is wonderful to welcome him to the team at Project Elephant.

“The herd is now settled into their new home and it is great to see them all exploring and interacting.

“Project Elephant is our long-term commitment to elephants. It focuses on a multi-faceted approach to the continuous improvement of the zoo’s captive population of elephants, their long-term management, breeding and welfare needs, with special focus on their physiological and psychological wellbeing.

“At the same time, we wish to demonstrate our on-going and longterm support for the conservation of their wild cousins through research, education and on-going in-situ support.

“Andrew shares this vision, which makes him a perfect fit for Blackpool Zoo.” Andrew was born in Birkenhead and currently lives in Liverpool.

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 149

‘Time’ At The Traveller’s Rest

by David A. Middleton

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t was early doors in The Traveller’s Rest’s Saloon Bar. Even though the pub had only been open a short time, a blue mist hung in the air from pipes and cigarettes. The shafts of afternoon light shot laser beams across the room, catching the swirling haze within the cavernous gloom of the bar. Bang on twelve o’clock, Brian strolled in. He mumbled a greeting to the landlord, paid for his drink, which was poured without any exchange of dialogue, and sat down in his usual spot next to the meagre fire that smouldered like an abandoned cigar. Brian checked his pocket watch, coughed a cough that crackled like rifle fire and took a sip from his pint – a sip that would leave a sparrow still thirsty – for the pint had to last at least one hour, if Brian was to keep to schedule, and his budget.

A little time passed and Brian began to fidget. He busied himself by checking his watch every few minutes, and craning his neck to peer out of the nearest dirty window. At a quarter past, a dishevelled and disorientated Ted 150

breezed in.

“What time do you call this?”

Brian snapped.

“What time? What time is it?”

“It’s past time, is what it is.”

“Don’t talk to me about time,” shrugged Ted. He picked up his pint from the bar, which had miraculously appeared without being ordered, paid the landlord and joined Brian at the table.

Ted, clearly ‘up against it’, took a long draught of his drink and sat back exhausted. An uneasy silence ensued, only the ticking of the clock, and the faint rumble of barrels being moved in the cellar played accompaniment to the Cageian symphony. Ted finally looked in Brian’s direction. Brian had focussed his eagle eyes upon Ted. “Well?” Came Brian’s scathing enquiry.

“Well what?” was Ted’s nonchalant response.

“Well, how comes you’re late?”

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“I time travelled back to the 1960s.”

“Don’t be bloody daft. I’m not bloody talking to ye, if you’re bein’ bloody daft.”

“It’s true. I were cleaning out me glory hole under the stairs and it seems that there’s a portal to the past.”

“Are ye talking metaphorically? Ye know, you’ve found summat from the 1960s under the stairs, as has piqued a memory?”

“No, dead straight. I travelled back to the 1960s.”

“What for? You were alive in the 60s. If you can time travel, why didn’t go to Waterloo, or the Renaissance, of summat?”

“Well ye can’t pick where ye go, can ye! That’s not how portals work.”

“No, course. I don’t know what I were thinking.”

“So, there I was, having a furtle under the stairs, clearing out all the kelter. There was some right rubbish under there. An ironing board, a pot of www.lancmag.com

dried paint, but I did spot a jar we have of old and foreign coins. So, I were just reaching for it, I just got me finger tips to it and then whoosh…”

“Whoosh?”

“Whoosh. And there I was 1969 in Las Vegas, America. I come stumbling out of a cleaning cupboard in one of them American diners. One of them types where they’ve dollybirds on roller skates, serving food and drink and what-have-you. So there I am, stood in me slippers, cobwebs on me cap, surrounded by mops and buckets, holding a jar of bloody foreign coins.

Well, I felt a right Herburt, stood there like one o’ Lewis’. So I walked over to the moulded plastic chairs at the counter and I sat down. There were rock music blaring out of the Jukebox, and this great smell of burgers and onions frying on this grill. So I takes a pew, and there were this great fat gadgee wiring into a big plate of food. I said hello, just being friendly like, when this feller turned around – it were only www.lancmag.com

blood Elvis Presley…”

“Elvis bloody Presley?”

“Clear as day. Just as you’re sat here now. Well, I were a bit star struck first off.”

“Well what did he say?”

“Well, he never even gormed me. Just turned back to his plate and carried on with his scran. So I’m sat there trying not to stare at him. I have a root around in me jar and dig out a couple of cents and a silver dollar, our Mick brought back when he went to the States, and I orders a coffee. I had coffee, as I remember our Mick telling me that in America, Tea weren’t up to much. So I gives it a bit of time, an I says to Elvis, ‘Eh, I love your music’. An he says, I can’t do the voice, but he says, ‘thankye-very-much’ and gets back to his snap like he’s fair clemmed. Well, I know they say never meet ye heroes, but this were right deflating, and nay mistaking nowt.

He were downright rude, I thought.”

“Well didn’t ye say summat?”

“Did I ‘eck. Ye can’t go berating stars from the past, you’ve to be careful.

Cause and effect. Ye don’t meddle with time, everyone knows that. He might have taken umbridge and not made the comeback that he did in 1969, if I’d given him down-the-banks about being impolite to time travelling fans.

No, I just finished me coffee and walked casually back to the cleaning cupboard and popped back to present day. Then I come and met you here.”

Ted sat quietly nursing his drink, as he waited for Brian to respond to this most singular of tales. The smoke swirled around the two, like the mists of time, the clock continued to tick and the world continued to spin.

Eventually, Brian put his drink down and shifted in his chair.

“Ye know, I wish could time travel.”

“Do ye?”

“Aye. I could go back to an hour ago before you started telling me this bloody story and told ye not te bother.”

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Cllr. Don Clapham Engineer, teacher, Mayor and Councillor

Words: Stephen Roberts 152

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Don and the late Freeman of the Borough of Blackpool, the late Jimmy with his wife Anne Armfield

It was a sunny Wednesday morning when I first rang Cllr. Clapham and dragged him in from his beloved garden. ‘Cllr. Clapham?’ I inquired. ‘Call me Don,’ came the reassuringly friendly response from this long-time Conservative Councillor. As someone who’s never once voted Conservative, I felt I was the perfect candidate for this assignment.

Don’s friendly greeting put me in mind of another Conservative politician, namely former PM David Cameron (a.k.a. ‘Call me Dave’). David (or ‘Dave’) was always keen to manifest himself as a ‘man of the people’, albeit not always successfully. No such pretensions were needed as far as Cllr. Don was concerned, for here was a gentleman who I discovered was very much a man of the people.

Born in the harsh winter of 1947 (the coldest in living memory), Don wouldn’t remember his teeth chattering with the bitter cold, but my wife does (just) as she was born a couple of years earlier (and just like Don she’s survived to become a keen gardener). Don told me he didn’t take to breast milk (again not something he remembers) and that he was rushed into hospital for the first of two christenings. Yes, he was seriously ill and not expected to survive. Survive he did though, and a ‘proper’ church christening followed. Don was on his way and furthermore endowed with a mantra that has served him well: every day’s a bonus.

Born in Clifton Street, Old Trafford (a pebble’s lob from Manchester United FC), Don was carried over the border to the spa town of Harrogate when he was about ten www.lancmag.com

months old, so didn’t feel very ‘Lancashire’ as he grew up.

He objected, of course, to being dragged from his red rose roots, but who listens to a ten-month-old? Agriculture was in the genes as Don’s father came from a farming family, so perhaps the later interest in horticulture is explained.

Don’s Dad (a wartime member of Bomber Command) was widowed when Don was 16, so was faced with bringing up three sons alone.

Education came firstly courtesy of St. Peter’s Primary (Harrogate), and the associated St. Peter’s Church, in the centre of town, provides one of those ‘you couldn’t make it up’ tales from childhood. The vicar (Revd. Ronald Lancaster) not only preached, he also had an interest in pyrotechnics, as he was the founder of Kimbolton Fireworks (1964), which was the only remaining manufacturer of display fireworks in the UK until it sadly went into administration in 2019. When Don took up mayoral duties later in his career in Blackpool (of which more later), he turned to Ron, whose company put on the town’s firework displays. I’ve heard of vicars spouting fire and brimstone from the pulpit but firing rockets is a new one on me.

When Don was eleven, he transferred to Norwood College (Harrogate), a private school, and yes, if you’re wondering it’s named from Norwood, the south London suburb, as a past Headmaster had connections there. Mention of a private school brought ‘Call Me Dave’ fleetingly to mind again, but then again, my own Dad went to a private school as a day boy, an experience replicated by Don, who told LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 153

Don and Gill at Buckingham Palace

Don’s wife, Gill

me more. ‘A lot of the students were privileged lads from abroad, but there were English boys too, whose parents were an eclectic lot, everything from fairground impresarios to the owner of a parachute factory. My Dad decided I would go to Norwood. I was the middle one of three lads and the only one who went to the private school. I’m still not really sure why that was but it certainly didn’t do me any harm.’

the latter subject. Positions followed at Millfield High School (Thornton) and Montgomery High School (the Bispham part of Blackpool). Don’s teaching career lasted for 20-odd years until he finally retired on medical grounds in 1995, aged 48. That would certainly not be the end, however, of Don’s activity or usefulness. He was the kind of person who would always have to be actively retired.

Don then reverted to the state system, in the guise of the Harrogate Institute of Further Education, where he obtained his GCEs. For those of a younger disposition, the GCE (General Certificate of Education) was introduced in 1951 and was the exam we took at 16 (the Ordinary Level, or ‘O-Level’) before the GCSE came in, in 1988. I failed a few of those in my time.

Home is a modest semi that was a ‘complete wreck’ when Don and wife Gillian (‘Gill’) née Roberts purchased it. While Gill and I pondered whether we might be long-lost relatives, Don told me about the ‘makeover’. ‘We did it over and it’s now just the way we want it – small but comfortable. The real plus though is the large west-facing rear garden, as I love gardening, and my life is now very much split between my politics (which is coming up) and my gardening and DIY. Our home is the perfect base where all of this coalesces.’

A career then beckoned, and Don joined the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) as a student apprentice, in 1964. Based at Bradford Power Station, until 1970, he served a five-year apprenticeship, then spent a further year there as an assistant engineer. As well as working, Don also continued with his studies, obtaining both the Ordinary National Certificate (ONC) and Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Electrical Engineering, coming out of both with distinctions. Deciding to leave the CEGB, the everresourceful Don now felt that he needed a degree (as you do). Huddersfield Polytechnic provided the wherewithal and Don left with a B.Sc. (Honours) Degree in Engineering Systems and Control. As someone who’s only ever been able to master airy-fairy arty stuff, I was full of admiration and respect.

Don’s career took a turn in 1974 when he began teaching in Blackpool at Blackpool Collegiate and 6th Form College, the age group being 11-18. As he could offer ‘shortage subjects’ (shortage of teachers that is), it was a case of straight in for Don, who taught Maths, Engineering Science, and Computer Studies, which really must have been right at the outset for 154

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As the conversation flowed, Don admitted he always ‘had a lot to say’. What marks him out though is the willingness to follow up those words with actions. Many people will make noise, maybe moan and complain, but will be missing when it comes to doing something positive. Don has not been backward in coming forward. ‘I wanted to find a channel where I could make a difference, so first of all, I joined the ward committee in Bispham, an initial step that has led to a lengthy career in Blackpool politics. It was 1985 when I joined the Conservatives, and I won my first election in 1987 (Ingthorpe Ward), while still at Montgomery. It was an interesting situation as my co-Conservative Councillor, and I, were hit with a writ within a matter of weeks regarding an election leaflet. There were also lots of Socialists in the staff room, so let’s just say there was plenty of banter.

We didn’t get a lot done in the first 12 months as we spent time in and out of the courts, but we were eventually found not guilty. We’d done nothing wrong, so it was a triumph for British justice!’ www.lancmag.com

Don relaxing in his garden

Don served as Blackpool’s Deputy Mayor (1998-99) and later on was Mayor (2010-11). Most people would enjoy the trappings and perks of mayoralty, but Don (being Don) cycled to his ‘mayor-making’ instead of using the mayoral limo. A ‘man of the people’, you see: He was still the same person as before.

It’s fair to say Don has served on more committees than Jack Nicklaus has had golf clubs. ‘I’ve served on all the major committees. I’m currently Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, the main opposition, on what is a Labour-controlled council, and have been for at least eight years. I’m the longest serving member of the Standards Committee, a member of the Shareholders’ Advisory Board (which scrutinises companies the council owns), and also serve on the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, because of my education background. I also serve on the Chief Officer’s Employment Committee, which interviews people for jobs within the council.’ I was beginning to feel under-employed and wondering how Don managed to fit all this in. There was more to come.

School, to assist teachers in the area and raise standards in the process.’

In true quiz-host style, I wanted to ask Don what he did in his spare time, although I’d guessed his spare time was probably limited. ‘I go swimming five days a week at 7.00 a.m. I’m an early morning person. I’ll do 50 lengths of the 18-metre pool, so I reckon I’ve done between three and four thousand miles now. I also cycle, so go to most of my meetings on my bike (including mayor-making!) Gardening’s my passion though. I grow all our veg (I’d dragged Don in from preparing his onion patch). I make chutney, marmalade and jams. I like to think I’m a bit of a handyman too. I cut glass and do my own sewing. Above all though, I’m just contented, which counts for everything in my book.

‘Call me Dave’ – man of the people? Possibly not. ‘Call me Don’ – man of the people? Most definitely.

Blackpool 6th Form College, or ‘B6’, has grown out of the institution Don taught at and he’s the longest-serving member of its board of directors (since 2008). Two terms, or eight years, is normally your lot, but Don is now in his third term. ‘I’m Chairman of the Search and Governance Committee (which searches for new directors to join the board), plus the Audit Committee, Directors’ SelfAssessment Committee and Standards Board. For me, one of the real highlights has been the place’s rebuilding and transformation, such that it is now ‘Outstanding’ (OFSTED).

As a former teacher/lecturer, that gives me great pleasure.

We also set up the Fylde Coast Academy Trust, going into the marketplace as sponsors for academies in the Blackpool/ Fylde area, and thereby bringing feeder schools and their pupils into the B6, and formed the Fylde Coast Teaching www.lancmag.com

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A Swift Summer!

As we are confined to home this year, more than ever the arrival of migrant birds is eagerly anticipated.

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s Swallows, Martins and Swifts reach our shores they will bring us joy, the promise of summer and proof that the globe is indeed still working; as Ted Hughes wrote in his wonderfully evocative poem, “Swifts�.

Swifts and House Martins are masters of the urban environment and can be enjoyed by all, although they have suffered steep declines they still breed right across the country, so wherever you are keep your eyes to the skies in the coming weeks. House Martins, distinguished by the bright white rumps build closed cup mud nests, under deep eaves. These chatty little birds will get straight to work collecting mud for nest building or repairs. Family orientated birds too, as the first brood will often help their parents raise their younger siblings!

Swifts are one of the last birds to arrive, look for their dark arrowhead

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shaped silhouettes, skimming across the skies from early May. If you are lucky enough to live near a Swift colony, listen for their thrilling screaming displays as they form tight groups and make repeated fly-bys around rooftops reaching speeds of up to 70mph!

These summer visitors do us a great service, consuming billions of pest insects each year, so please be kind to them and avoid using pesticides in your gardens, we can all do our bit to give nature a helping hand. In 2016 we set up a local project, Bolton and Bury Swifts, aiming to reverse the decline of this iconic bird. Swifts are losing their homes in the eaves space of buildings, due to roofing renovations. We are encouraging people to help by putting up Swift boxes and asking Architects, Planners and Developers to include internal bird bricks, in new builds.

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Top: Me recently when we donated boxes to the Eco Club at Bolton Muslim Girls School.

Above: Me with Dr George McGavin the Bug man

If you want to know more, please get in touch with Louise on 07557796508 or follow Bolton and Bury Swifts on social media. www.lancmag.com

Swift by Dennis Atherton

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

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

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Heart Research UK Healthy tip Easy ways to get your 5-a-day from Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK.

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ating five portions of fruit and veg every day can help keep your heart healthy and reduce the risk of heart disease. As supermarket shelves are emptier than usual, Heart Research UK have some tips to help you achieve your 5-a-day during this challenging time.

What counts as a portion?

Eighty grams of fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and veg or 30g dried fruit count as one portion. For example, one fresh pear or banana, two small plums, or three heaped tablespoons of peas.

Beans and pulses also count, but you should only count these once as they contain fewer nutrients compared to other fruit and veg. 150ml of fruit/ vegetable juice or smoothie also counts, but you should limit these drinks to no more than one a day due to the sugars they contain.

Top up with lentils Lentils are a versatile ingredient and a great source of fibre, which is good for heart health. Try replacing some of the meat in your bolognese sauce with a handful of lentils or try adding lentils to homemade soups.

Include tinned, frozen and dried fruit and veg in your meals As the population is being encouraged to make fewer trips to the supermarket, you may find that

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you need to rely on the food in your store cupboard and freezer more than usual. Try adding dried or frozen fruit to your bowl of breakfast cereal in the morning and include a variety of frozen or tinned veg with your evening meals.

Tinned fruit with yoghurt can also provide you with a healthy dessert.

Enjoy homemade soups for lunch Homemade soups are an easy way to increase your veg intake. You can include a variety of tinned, fresh and frozen veg in soups. There are lots of healthy vegetable soup recipes available online, but here is one to get you started.

Easy-peasy pea soup.

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil • 1 onion, chopped • 400g frozen peas, defrosted • 500ml vegetable stock • Salt and pepper • Fresh mint, finely chopped (optional) Heat the oil over a medium heat and stir in the chopped onion. Gently fry the onion until soft, but not browned. Add the peas and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree the soup using a blender and add salt and pepper to taste. If you have fresh mint available, you can add this at the end.

WHAT’S ON AT THE GRAND

APRIL Sun 5 Wed 8 to Sat 11

JUL Menopause The Musical 2 Shrek The Musical

Tue 30 Jun to Thu 2

Absurd Person Singular

Sat 4 and Sun 5

In The Night Garden Live 2020

Tue 14

Harpy

Sat 11

Thu 16

La Bohème

Sun 19

A Tribute to Amy

Madama Butterfly

Sun 26

Johnny Cash Roadshow

Fri 17 Sat 18

Little Red Riding Hood

Sun 19

Frank Skinner: Showbiz

Tue 21 to Sat 25

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em

Sun 26

Red Hot Chilli Pipers

Tue 28

Juliet and Romeo

The Lancashire Hotpots: Chips & Giggles Tour

UP COMING SHOWS Tue 4 to Sat 29 Aug

Dirty Dancing The Musical

Sun 13 Sept

Jon Richardson: The Knitwit Bring It On The Musical

Tue 6 to Sat 10 Oct

MAY Tue 5 to Sat 9

Alan Carr: Not Again, Alan!

Fri 20 and Sat 21 Nov Fri 4 Dec to Sun 3 Jan 2021

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Holes

Jan 2021

Russian State Ballet of Siberia

Sun 10

Julian Clary: Born To Mince

Feb 2021

Jason Manford: Like Me

Mon 11 to Wed 13

By The Waters of Liverpool

Sat 16

Breakin’ Convention

Sun 17

Ed Byrne: If I’m Honest

Tue 19 and Wed 20 Fri 22

The Tiger Who Came to Tea Lost In Music

Sat 23

Wilko Johnson

Sun 24

Steve Steinman’s Anything For Love

Wed 27 to Sat 30

Boogie Nights

JUN Mon 1 to Sat 6 Wed 10 and Thu 11 Sat 13 and Sun 14 Thu 18 Fri 19 Sat 20 Sun 28 Tue 30 to Thu 2 Jul

The Cat and The Canary

Take centre stage.

Introducing the 1894 Club.

A new loyalty scheme that offers an exclusive range of fantastic benefits.

Join now at www.1894club.co.uk

Rob Beckett: Wallop Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever The Bon Jovi Experience The Overtones Tim Vine is Plastic Elvis Craig Revel Horwood Absurd Person Singular GOLD

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Around the region Coronavirus Sparks Creativity in the World of Business

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onducting business as usual in lockdown requires dedication and some creative thinking. Luckily, Burnley law firm Real Legal are experts at both.

Paralegal Hayley Hodgkinson and solicitor Kimberly Holgate are prepared to go the extra mile for their clients during the lockdown.

When Real Legal were instructed to draft a Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) for a client living in a care home in the Burnley area, the dutiful duo was quick to volunteer, where many solicitors might have passed the opportunity over.

Instances of coronavirus in care homes have not been well documented but the latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that after hospitals, it is care homes that are the worst affected locations.

Ms Hodgkinson and Ms Holgate donned their personal protective equipment and went to meet the client. Shortly after the will was drafted, signed and witnessed. They then travelled to the client’s family who were the named attorneys on the LPA. Signed and witnessed through a window, the will is a final document and the LPA is on its way to the Office of the Public Guardian to register., albeit signed and witnessed in a rather unusual way.

Ms Holgate explained their reasons for

going above and beyond the call of duty: “The country is in a state of emergency and that means everyone’s got to join in and play their part to keep the country moving.

NHS workers are going to work, risking their lives every day. The least we can do is go the extra mile when someone needs us.”

“Real Legal prides itself on our great customer service, flexibility and creativity.

What they are trying to achieve is shake up a very traditional industry.

Real Legal is a law practice co-founded

by Claire Stewart. The practice provides

modern, 21st-century law services to individuals and families in and around Burnley.

Claire qualified as a solicitor in 2001 and is also a qualified barrister (non-practising): The Inns of Court School of Law, London, 1997.

Drawing on her extensive legal experience, Claire has now joined Real Legal to bring to Burnley a fresh, more open and collaborative way of providing legal services than is offered by traditional law companies with their rigid structures.

South Ribble residents and children praise local bin crew with surprise messages.

opportunity to reassure the public that FCC Environment is working hard to ensure that household waste is collected in a timely manner as well as urging them to continue to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as of their waste as possible.”

About 107,000 people in the waste and resource management industry have been identified by the Government as key workers, among them are about 51 people from FCC Environment working on behalf of South Ribble Borough Council.

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ocal residents and children across South Ribble have been surprising their bin collectors with heartfelt messages of praise, good wishes and colourful drawings to thank them for being “true heroes” for the community in the face of COVID-19.

While the vast majority of people are isolated in their households, key workers across the UK are on the frontline continuing to deliver for the nation. Along with countless professionals in the emergency services, health, social care and other vital sectors, the list of essential workers also includes waste management.

Waste and recycling crews such as drivers and collectors are still out on our streets, carrying out their crucial work to help support our communities, ensuring our quality of life remains as high as possible, and doing their part to protect public health.

Cleaning up the streets and neighbourhoods of South Ribble is one such

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crew from FCC Environment, the UK’s leading waste and resource management company. Over the last few weeks, the team has been receiving warm handwritten notes and drawings as residents thanked them and wished them good health.

FCC Environment’s Area Manager, Mark Kirk said: “We were overjoyed to receive such encouraging and warm messages from the community. I am immensely proud of the FCC Environment team and the wider waste and resource management industry for doing our very best to continue our day-today duties during these extremely challenging times.”

He added: “We also want to take this

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Household recycling and waste collections are operating as normal in the South Ribble area. Following Government advice, to protect workers and combat the spread of infection, anyone who feels ill at home (whether diagnosed with COVID-19 or not) should place all their waste in the general rubbish bin, and should double-bag it, making sure the bags are securely tied. They should then wait at least 72 hours before placing it out for collection. For now, this material should not be put in your recycling.

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Keeping you up to date with events around the North West Petty Real: We Pledge £10,000 for Pendleside Hospice by the end of 2020

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etty Real: We Pledge £10,000 for Pendleside Hospice by the end of 2020 Petty Real have proven that times of national crisis can bring out the best in Human nature, as they promise to embark on a fundraising campaign designed to raise £10,000 for Pendleside Hospice by the end of 2020.

Pendleside Hospice exists to promote and enhance the quality of life for people with life-limiting illnesses, their families and carers.

The good work carried out by Pendleside Hospice is far broader in scope than most people are aware.

For instance, they provide counselling services and therapy for the bereaved, including children, there’s spiritual guidance, and a host of complementary treatments like therapeutic massage and reflexology.

Funding a hospice is an enormous challenge, especially one providing such an excellent service to the community as Pendleside.

The Hospice receives support from the Clinical Commissioning Group, but that only accounts for 22% of the running costs, the rest comes from the hospice’s charity shops, legacies, and from the selfless work of fundraisers in our community.

For an organisation like Pendleside, funding is a constant concern so building partnerships with local firms like Petty Real is integral to maintaining the high levels of care.

Ian Bythell, Director at Petty Real, commented: “We’ve been supporting Pendleside Hospice for years but at this time of national

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crisis it seems even more important to support brilliant organisations like this.

We wanted to make a really big impact to show them how much we appreciate the work they do. That’s why we’re making a donation to the Hospice for every property we sell this year, residential and commercial. The aim is to reach and exceed £10,000 by Christmas” Petty Real has done lots of good work for Pendleside Hospice in the past.

In 2018 they took part in the Great North run raising nearly £4000 but this year the mission is to more than double that figure.

The impact of the donation means that the Hospice can spend more time caring for people and less time caring for finances.

“Pendleside makes such a positive impact on people’s lives and relationships” explains Lisa Pearson, head of income generation, “husbands, wives, sons and daughters who are also carers have so much to worry about, the Hospice gives them back the opportunity to enjoy their relationship, and companies like Petty Real make it possible for us to do that and to help over 1500 individuals a year”.

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Running a marathon Tips from world-record runner and Barry’s trainer, Amy Hughes

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raining for a marathon means more than just putting in the miles! Mental preparation, nutrition and a varied training plan is equally important.

With the Manchester Marathon having recently been postponed from April to October due to the Coronavirus, we sat down with marathon runner and Barry’s trainer, Amy Hughes for some tips on training.

In 2014, she broke the world-record for the number of marathons ran on consecutive days, with a total of 53 surpassing the previous woman’s record of 17 and men’s record of 52.

Whether you’re thinking about running your first marathon or your 21st, it’s worth listening to what she has to say.

What inspired you to take on the record-breaking challenge?

Well believe it or not, I used to hate sport all the way through school and then I started running in college in order to get fit because I was too embarrassed to go to a gym so that’s where it all stemmed from. When I did my first run, I probably didn’t even do half a mile, but I loved every minute of it and then started doing it more and more and eventually got into marathons. And when I was training to be a PT, I noticed a lot of girls were in the same position as me, so really my main drive behind it was to inspire other people especially young girls and get as many people involved as possible.

So, I travelled around the UK and did a marathon in each city with the aim of getting people engaged and it gradually built more and more momentum.

The charity element was also a big one we ended up raising over £53,000 for the Isabelle Lottie Foundation which was set up after my friend’s daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour. www.lancmag.com

What advice would you give to people who were planning to run a marathon?

It’s really important to make sure you’ve got a good training plan that works for you, because at the end of the day, everybody is different. Sometimes people can get too attached to advice, but I’m a big believer in listening to your body. People often panic if they must take time off to let an injury heal, but it’s all about being sensible and doing what you can when you can do it.

Everyone’s body is different, so it’s important to experiment and find out what works best for you. Especially when it comes to nutrition some people will run after a full meal and some will run on an empty stomach. In your training, it is important to test things out and then replicate what works best on race day, so you know what to expect and there aren’t any unpleasant surprises.

It’s also essential to enjoy your training, which might sound silly, but some people get too caught up in it and then it becomes a chore. You need to mix it up and give your body a break.

I couldn’t recommend Barry’s more highly as it’s a great way to change it up. It’s important for runners to do something other than just run.

Conditioning and HIIT workouts are imperative to build-up strength and power in order to withstand the continual pounding that comes with long distance running. Strength training is equally as important as running, which is why Barry’s is the perfect combination. If you don’t develop your muscles and joints, it’s going to be even more of a challenge and you’ll likely get injured. One long run per week should suffice, if you are combining that with different types of training too.

My last tip would be to make sure

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you recover properly after the race get a good meal in, keep moving, have a sports massage and maybe take some time off.

How would you mentally prepare for a run?

Mental preparation is difficult as they say long distance running is actually 80% mental, but again different strategies work for different people. For me, running for a charity really spurs me a long, especially if it’s personal so that’s always in the back of my mind.

Do you have any nutrition tips?

Nutrition is key. Prior to your run, make sure you test a variety of food options and figure out exactly what is most effective. Carbohydrates are essential for fuelling your body and maintaining energy. It’s important to increase your carbohydrate intake moderately in the days before your race to fill up your glycogen stores. So, plenty of brown pasta, rice, quinoa and make sure you get enough protein in your system too. However, I’d strongly advise you not to run on a full breakfast I’ve done that before, and it isn’t very pleasant. Nutrition isn’t rocket science it’s about being sensible, because you know what’s good and bad for you. Stick to a balanced diet and fuel your body with healthy and nutritious foods bananas, peanut butter on toast, porridge, eggs. Listen to your body if you’re feeling hungry, tired or faint during a run or Barry’s class, then you know you’re not eating enough and you need more calories just make sure it’s more of the good stuff, like your proteins, your basic carbs. Isotonic drinks are also good for energy. Gels work for some people too, but I personally don’t like using them.

It’s recommended you take a gel every 6 miles or so, but on a run, I’d rather take Jelly Babies, Percy Pigs, flapjacks and that kind of thing. But trial and test everything!

In terms of recovery, protein is key, so bars and shakes can be beneficial post-race like the ones we serve after a class from the Fuel Bar at Barry’s. But if these don’t do it for you can get the source from elsewhere, but if you’re on the go or in a rush, shakes are an easy way to replenish those calories lost and the protein needed for effective recovery.

How important is having the right equipment?

I get asked this all the time and having a good pair of running trainers 164

is so important, but make sure you do your research. Everyone’s running style is slightly different and everyone’s feet are different, so get them tested.

A pair of trainers could be great for me, but bad for you you’ve got pronation, neutral and supination, so make sure you find the fit that suits your running style. I’d say getting your feet examined is my number one tip places like Up and Running will get you up on a treadmill and tell you what shoe will work best for you. For me Brooks and New Balance work well so I’d recommend those, but everyone is different. A bad pair of trainers will likely just result in injury, so it’s good to see somebody who knows what they’re talking about.

Do you have any advice during the race with regards to the mental and physical battle?

Pace yourself especially if it’s your first marathon. It’s very easy to get excited in that environment, with the crowd and spectators cheering you along. If you’ve done your training, you’ll know what pace you’re capable of and what you’re aiming for, so be disciplined and stick to that and try not to get too excited at the start. I’ve done that so many times and regretted it further into the race. Also, I’d say just enjoy it obviously it depends what you’re doing it for really. If you’re focus is getting a PB, that’s fine, but if it’s your first time and just want to get through it enjoy yourself. Don’t get too stressed about your time, just soak up the atmosphere because the crowds are amazing especially in Manchester.

If you’re also passionate about what you’re running for, it should make it Manchester Marathon 2018. Photo by Anna Mente

much easier, as it keeps you going.

Make sure you breakdown the race if you’re struggling, just think about getting through the next mile, which is nothing in the grand scheme. When you get to that mile, focus on the next mile or the next few miles. Different coping strategies work for different people, some people might break it down into mile blocks, others might just go out and run the whole thing without thinking twice. For me, I just think about the short term when I’m tired or I’m flagging to get through the next segment. Music is also a good one to keep you distracted, but I also quite like turning my music off when I see crowds as that spurs me a long.

Hydration is also so important, so eat and drink lots in the days leading up, and it will make the race feel a whole lot easier. Ultimately if you’ve prepared and you’ve done the training, you’ll be fine just make sure you taper your running two weeks before by reducing your distances to take the load off your legs, so you’re fresh on the day.

You might not think it but running a marathon can be enjoyable. There’s so much to see on course, crowds cheering your name, children handing out sweets and high fives, music to keep you going and much more! Make all that training worthwhile and be proud of what you’re achieving. The great thing about running is that it gives everybody something different an opportunity to clear your head and blow off some steam or socialise with many like-minded people. It’s important to find your reason before you take on a marathon. For me, it’s to inspire people, raise awareness and clear my head.

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TS award winning Newcastlebased actress, presenter, writer, producer Kim Tserkezie presents a new BBC World Service radio documentary examining these facets of death and take a personal journey examining her own mortality.

“Funeral Punks” explores how people are questioning the traditional British funeral and looking at death and funerals differently.

Kim, perhaps best known for her role as Penny Pocket on the BAFTA award winning CBeebies show Balamory, has her own production company, Scattered Pictures who produced the documentary after being commissioned by the BBC. Despite being voted as ‘the best representation of a wheelchair-user on screen’ because of her role as Penny Pocket, Kim admits that finding ‘character roles’ as a wheelchair using actor has been challenging. Kim set up Scattered Pictures to create more varied and interesting roles for disabled actors as well as to showcase North East creative talent.

Kim brought in producers, Andy Jones (Radio Film) and Will Sadler (Anya Media ) to work on the show in line with her philosophy of promoting and using the best people from the region in her work. The documentary is the company’s second radio commission by the BBC following the acclaimed Migrants Mean Business in 2018.

During the forthcoming BBC World Service radio documentary show, Funeral Punks, Kim visits a variety of people and locations including an alternative funeral parlour where, behind the scenes she sees where the deceased are prepared ready for burial or cremation.

Carl Marlow is the self-styled, working class Bad-Boy of the UK funeral Scene. He started working as a maverick undertaker in Newcastle after a family row over his mother’s funeral.

He’s now on a mission to reinvent funeral traditions in Northern England.

With six offices in the north east and one in Edinburgh, “Go as You Please” have changed the way that funerals are arranged.

In the words of Mr Marlow, “We don’t employ ‘Funeral Directors’, we employ ‘nice people’: a team of people who are dedicated to helping our families through the funeral experience, and to ensure that they achieve

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Funeral Punks Undertake to do Things Differently A new wave of end of life rituals is emerging across northern England as people find creative - and sometimes anarchic - ways to say goodbye to their loved ones… from building pyramids made from ashes to getting buried in a duvet. whatever they wish for their loved ones.”

To this end, a wide range of customised coffins are offered including football teams, flags and even one made out of wooden pallets.

Kim takes herself on an emotional roller coaster as she talks about death with her dad, Yannis in his Greek Orthodox church in Gateshead and meets a terminally ill man who has decided not to have any ceremony at all.

She also reflects on her own views on death and mortality.

The show also travels to Liverpool where a People’s Pyramid is being built with each brick containing the mortal remains of someone’s ashes. The

completed structure will feature the remains of 34,000 people and will take up to 200 years to build.

Kim said: “I sadly lost four people very close to me, including my mother in law and father in law, during the production of this show. My emotions were very raw at the time. Presenting ‘Funeral Punks’ has made me think more deeply about what I want, and what other people might need when I die. I’ve learned that being able to talk openly about death is important.”

The show Funeral Punks aired on BBC World Service on Tuesday 17 March and is available online and on catch up services.

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Colour and Style

Our new section on Colour and Style with Sarah Harris from ‘Colour Me Beautiful’

‘The best colour in the world is the one that looks good on you’ - Coco Chanel Last month I talked about colour and what different colours represented and when I watched the Queen address the nation she looked stunning in emerald turquoise it was a beautiful shade of green and the choice couldn’t have been better as it represents nature, health and a sense of calm. It made us feel safe and secure. And her speech was delivered in a perfectly pitched way with words that made us smile inside knowing that all would be well and as she most beautifully said “…..better days will return; we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.” It brought tears to my eyes and hope to my heart. So I think it is a good time to see if you have anything green in your wardrobe or treat yourself as there are some good buys online. But remember to go for the shade that is best for you:Lights – select the lighter, clearer versions.

Deeps – choose deeper shades or create contrast with a dark colour Warm – go for warmer turquoise shades.

Cool – choose bluer based peppermint hues.

Clear – The clearer and brighter the better.

Soft – muted, softer versions of these shades will work for you.

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One things that’s worrying many of us at the moment is our hair! How can we:1. Keep the colour from changing?

2. What do we do when the roots start showing?

3. Fringe is in my eyes! 4. I can’t style my hair!

Don’t worry there is always a solution!

Hats

In The garden in our hats

A very good way to keep your hair colour for longer is to wear a hat, every time you go outside don’t forget to put a hat on. The sun will lighten it and if you are a clear like me you don’t want that to happen as you’ll become one of the other dominants! So if you’ve had your colours done and you know what you are this is a must. There are some great offers online, like the one above from Debenhams. It will be one of your best investments, if you are wanting to protect the colour of your hair! And hats really can make an outfit look stylish!

I wear my fedora but I also wear a scarf as double protection as at the moment I can’t go to the hairdressers!

My daughter, Kitty, either wears one of my big floppy hats or a cap. I love the sunshine but it can be damaging to the hair like the skin so remember to condition it. I sometimes put a little coconut oil at the end of my hair to strengthen and moisturise, leave it on for a few hours before washing it out. I know people with thicker dryer hair who use olive oil (But don’t overdo it and remember if you eat a healthy diet it will show in your hair).

Debenhams

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’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 and every month I’m hoping to give you an interesting read. If there is something that you would like to know about please email me and I will do my best to help. Email: sarah@ sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

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Let’s have some fun whilst at home by Colour me Beautiful have the perfect teal scarf that suits most palettes and it can be worn to shade you from the sun or over your shoulders if you are sitting out in the early evenings. It also adds a little colour to a neutral dress or bag.

Roots

I’m very interested to see how we all cope with root growth and we may even decide that we like it but remember when your hair colour changes your dominant will! There are many ways to cover your roots without visiting a salon.

I sometimes use eyeshadow!! Oh no you say but it works, if it’s good for your skin it’s good for your hair. I use Colour Me Beautiful storm eyeshadow! You’d have to match it to your hair colour, if you need any advice send me a message sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk and I’ll try and help you. You can also buy blending brushes, I used to use one by Josh Wood, there are lots out there, L’Oreal also have some good ones.

Some people are even trying to colour their hair but be very careful as you need to know if you need a warmer or cooler shade. I would always ask the advice of my hairdresser.

If you are going to embrace change and leave your hair to grow naturally, I would say make sure you keep it in good condition. Many people who have done this never look back!

IT’S GROWING! If you are lucky enough to be a hairdresser or have one in your household, then you will be fine, however, if you don’t and you are tempted to trim it be careful!! I have often taken the scissors to my hair - to the dismay of my hairdresser!! Let it grow!

STYLING YOUR HAIR This is a good time to try out different styles with your hair, there are plenty of video’s on You Tube!

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De-Cluttering

This is something you can also do with your children, they will really enjoy it as they can dress up along the way and it teaches them to look after their clothes. You might like to do your own first.

The big word at our CMB conference in February was Sustainability and Shopping our wardrobes! I’ve posted a video on facebook and Instagram if you’d like to take a look of me de-cluttering and then shopping my wardrobe.

It is so therapeutic to de-clutter and there is no time like now to have a go. I would set aside an afternoon or even a bit longer, and give yourself some time to go through your wardrobe. I group everything starting with clothes item, accessories, sleepwear/underwear, sportswear, skincare and make-up.

Section 1 Clothes Tops, Dresses Trousers, skirts Jackets, coats Section 2 Accessories Hats, Scarves, belts Gloves, Jewellery Shoes,boots, Bags

Section 3 Sleepwear, Underwear Section 4 Sportswear Section 5 Skincare, Make-up Haircare

Start with section one and take everything out of your wardrobe. Look at each item by group and ask yourself:1. Does the colour suit me?

2. Does it still fit?

3. Is the style right for my body shape or could it be altered?

Place them in separate piles of Yes and No, anything that is a no place into bin liners either for charity or if you know someone that would like it. If you have some good quality pieces that are not right for you why not try and re-sell them.

There are lots of shops that offer this service (if you need advice please let me know and I can point you in the right direction) if you are tech savvy you could try and sell them online! You could even arrange your own clothes swap event with friends, I know this isn’t possible at the moment but in the future. It is a great way of catching up and a lovely social LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 167

event. I arranged one last July in the local community hall and it was very popular. You don’t have to do one as big you could do it in your own home with friends!

Once you’ve sorted out the ‘No pile ‘look at the ‘Yes pile’ and take another look, try the items on and remember, go into natural light as you can’t see a colour correctly in a room that doesn’t have natural light.

The same applies when you go shopping, be aware of the lighting, I will always take my items to the door or outside the shop to get a good look. A colour should be an extension of you and work in harmony with your look. Remember last month when I showed you the model with the black top and how the lighter grey looked far better on her.

Take a look at Charlize Theron below she was once a light palette and now a clear. The powder blue would have suited her previous palette but look how fabulous she looks in a brighter garment and clearer cosmetic shades!

Once you’ve decided the colours and styles that are right for you - hang them back in your wardrobe (don’t forget to dust it first) I always hang in colour co-ordination. I start with Black, grey, red, pink, purple, blue, pure white, chocolate, soft white, taupe, beige etc and if they are patterned slot them in where the colour co-ordinates. Then you will have a beautiful rainbow of colours.

When I do a make-up consultation I always ask my clients to bring along their make-up as often they are wearing the wrong colours. It is important to know what suits you best and once I find a client’s colour palette I can prescribe the correct make-up that suits them naturally.

Your make-up brushes should be washed every week and I find the best way is to pop them into a pillow case, tie it tight and put on a quick wash. Once out leave them to dry and they will be lovely and clean.

Once you have de-cluttered your wardrobe, you really will feel like a weight has been lifted and you are now ready to shop your wardrobe!!

Next month we are going to review and shop our wardrobes! I will leave you with two pictures of dresses from previous seasons, have a good look at them and you will notice that the styles are almost the same.

Hats are on the top shelf, scarves folded on top next to hats again in colour sequence. With shoes I put them at the bottom of my wardrobe and some I keep them in their boxes.

Bags are usually in the bottom of my other wardrobe and if they come with a bag, keep them inside, again to protect.

Belts, folded neatly and placed in a draw.

If you don’t have a lot of wardrobe space, it is a good idea to place winter items in a box, suitcase or airtight bags. Then swap them around at the change of season.

Please email me on sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk if you need any help or advice and please let me know what you would be interested in in my Colour, Style and skincare/ Make-up column. My aim is to help you feel and look the best that you can. Send me your messages and I will do my upmost to answer all your questions.

Skincare, Make-up, Haircare Skincare and make-up usually have a shelf life once opened on the back it may say 12M this means it will keep for 12 months once opened. Mascaras, lip glosses and mint and neutral primers usually last 6 months. Powders will be longer.

Use your products every day or week to gain the benefits and all CMB products are good for your skin, made with essential oils, vitamins and minerals. You are putting good products on to your skin that will help nourish and protect it.

And remember they are made locally which is good for the carbon footprint! (the only product that is made abroad is the eye pencil) 168

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Get ready to Shop your wardrobe!

This is where the fun begins!!

Before I go I would like to say a BIG THANKYOU to the NHS staff on the frontline and carers, police, fire services, military, food shop workers, delivery drivers, postal workers, teachers, government workers and everyone doing whatever it is to help this present situation and for you at home for saving lives by staying put!

I wish you well, keep safe and I will see you all again next month.

Sarah x Sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

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Hair for Heroes Kendal’s leading hair and beauty salon, Daniel Gray, offers FREE treatments to NHS heroes

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Kendal-based award-winning hair and beauty salon will be throwing open its doors to exhausted NHS staff for free treatments, following the COVID-19 lockdown.

Daniel Gray Hair & Beauty is making the extraordinary gesture to say ‘thank you’ for the tireless efforts of NHS heroes on behalf of those suffering from the coronavirus.

“On the Sunday following the end of lockdown (date yet to be confirmed), the business will host NHS workers for free hair and beauty treatments,” explains Daniel Gray’s owner and Director, Nicola Tomlinson. “We all appreciate the tremendous and on-going efforts of doctors and nurses at this time and want to make them feel special once we all come out the other side of this crisis.

We understand that, working such long hours, medical staff will have had little time for themselves.”

Daniel Gray has been a firm fixture in Kendal since 1981 and has a loyal and well-established customer base.

It offers a variety of hair and beauty treatments such as tinting, waxing, nail and eyebrow therapies, all of which will be available to NHS workers postlockdown.

“I have a sister-in-law, two nieces and cousins all working in the NHS and recognise the sacrifices that they are making,” says Nicola. “With this so close to home, I wanted to do something for them. Everyone will know of somebody affected by the coronavirus, so it is vital we pull together at this time and demonstrate support in whatever way we can.”

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A Fashion Retailers Optimism What lies behind the fifteen foot facade of a men’s clothing shop at the bottom of the High Street. It’s just another local independent shop in a City that boasts one of the highest percentages of independent businesses in the North West.

Following February’s storms, it was lovely to feel and see the sunshine that March brought. I guess that it was maybe mid March when I notice an older gentleman, smartly dressed, stop in front of the shop. Almost immediately he raised his left leg and rested his foot on the cream paintwork of the window sill.

He proceeded to re-tie his boot lace. I went out and approached him, saying nothing at first. He glanced round at me before removing his left foot from where he had it, only to do the same with his right boot. Bemused at what I was seeing, I politely asked the gentleman for his address.

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Once he had returned both boots to terra firma, and straightened himself up, he rather reluctantly asked, in a quiet voice, “why ?” I smiled and replied “well, I would like to come round to your house tomorrow, and put my boots on your window sill whilst I readjust my laces”.

There was an instant look of horror, mixed with some embarrassment, in his face which preceded a brief apology and a swift exit - no address was left.

This wasn’t the first time the six inch deep window sill has been used as a lace tying aid; or indeed a ledge to leave pint glasses, bottles, litter or food on. It has also been used as a seat and even an ashtray. However, it was this most recent occurrence that got me really thinking about how some see a shop front, and more in particularly, my shop front.

After thirty five years in retail, I realise that a business is viewed differently to many other things, material things that is. A home is usually the most valued and sacred possession someone will own, which is followed by cars, motorcycles, bikes, jewellery, watches, etc, etc, etc. If your home is burgled, that is classed as a higher priority to the Police, than if a business suffers the same.

So, it’s all about perception. A business, although it belongs to someone, is not always perceived in the same light as other www.lancmag.com

things. Therefore, I would like to give an ‘identity’ to this little shop, greater than the description it would be found under in a Google search.

On first viewing it is clear that it is a men’s clothing shop. The window has on display both formal and casual wear, as well as accessories. Brands stocked include Giorgio Armani, Ted Baker, Eton, Paul Smith and Tramarossa.

To find out what lies behind the fifteen foot facade, you will have to venture inside. Here, you will be warmly welcomed and left to peruse; not hounded nor hurried. If you decide you would like some assistance, then that’s when you will be offered as much help and advice as you require. We pride ourselves on our extremely high level of service, and our reviews reflect this.

Our selection of brands, and goods from those brands, are chosen by us. It makes life easier because if we don’t like the items we are offered, we simply don’t buy them. This in turn affords us the luxury of answering a customer’s question “do you like that shirt ?”, for example, with a resounding “yes”.

Now, there is a caveat to that. Yes, we like all the items we buy and offer for sale, but how we then sell it is very customer specific; not every style, fit, colour or item will be right for everyone. We are all individuals and as such, we only ever LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 171

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offer honest advice to ensure any purchase suits and fits the customer, serves the purpose it was intended and that the customer likes the item chosen. In achieving that, we have fulfilled our role.

This is the rewarding side of our business, meeting people, be they regular customers or first time visitors. Variety is what makes retail so appealing for me. I do not know who may come in on any given day. The year is divided up into seasons, not just climatic, but buying seasons and delivery seasons.

Each are enjoyable and also taxing.

If we chose the wrong styles or colours, or order too much, or get the size scales wrong, it will have a financial impact on the business; my business. This is where ‘the business’ and ‘the I’ are inextricably linked. These are not the only variables that that have to be negotiated. The weather is another risk.

Spring/Summer stock starts arriving at the end of December, whilst Autumn/Winter starts arriving at the end of June.

Therefore, if the good weather doesn’t start until June time, or conversely, if the cold weather doesn’t start until January, there will be a negative impact on the sales of certain items.

The fashion world is three months out of sync with the climatic seasons.

On top of that, we are ordering our stock 6 months ahead of each season. We have already ordered Autumn/Winter ‘20 and in June we will begin ordering for Spring/Summer ‘21.

Monies committed.

This has been the routine since the business first opened in 1974. During this time, it has endured the recessions of the early nineties and late noughties, been flooded in 2015 and 2017 and is currently closed temporarily due to Covid-19.

Every business sector has its challenges and whilst some are labour intensive, we are stock intensive.

Yet, this is where “optimism” is key for any business. I’m not a “glass half full” person, rather the “glass full” sort. Despite all the risks, obstacles, challenges, long hours, book work, merchandising, floods, recessions and now a pandemic, I still love my work. I still feel the excitement when viewing new season ranges; seeing a customer leave thoroughly pleased with their purchases; and hearing passersby comment on the quality and look of our goods.

It is widely accepted, in retail terms, the thing that makes one city different to the next, is its independent businesses.

Whether you go to Manchester, Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Cardiff or Birmingham, you will find all the major multiples located in the large primary locations on their high streets.

The secondary locations is where you will find the independent businesses. The owners of which are more often seeking a humble living doing something they are passionate about.

The fashion industry is one that is forever evolving, and as such, we retailers must ensure we are offering you the best ranges from the best brands . When we select our stock we are mindful of who we are choosing it for.

We have the great privilege to announce that from this Autumn, deliveries commence August, we will also be stocking ‘Pal Zileri’ and ‘Bugatti’.

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Joseph Clothing Fathers Day Gift Guide

Emporio Armani Messenger Bag £140 (also in Black)

Emporio Armani Polo £90 (also in White)

Paul Smith Signature Stripe Socks - Box Set £45

Paul Smith Billfold Signature Stripe Wallet £149

Paul Smith Signature Stripe Socks - Box Set £45 (in box) Emporio Armani Reversible Belt £130 (comes Gift Boxed)

Paul Smith Watch £179 Emporio Armani Jeans from £110 (vast range of colours, denims & cuts) 174

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Spring Is Wedding Season

Tailoring From Giorgio Armani Ted Baker & Paul Smith

JOSEPH CLOTHING | Located in the Heart of the Beautiful Historic City of Lancaster

AC36 BY

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Our award-winning style guru, Moo, has worked in television for over 20 years with presenters including Natasha Kaplinsky, Kirsty Young, Kirsty Gallacher and is now a personal stylist to us ‘normal women’ sharing all the inside tricks of the trade. If you’d like any personal styling advice or to see more tips please visit www.moostyle.co.uk

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olour has a psychological effect on how we feel. This smallest thing can make the biggest impact.

It’s been shown, for instance, that Olympic teams that have red in their uniform gain more medals. It has both a positive and negative connotation though as the colour can represent different things to us. For instance white positively can make us think of hygiene, simplicity and purity.

However it can also make us feel cold and sterile or elitist. Interesting.

So let’s put this power to task in making us feel more positive in these unheralded times. We need every trick in the book after all! A pop of colour may be exactly what you need, and with a bit of thought it could make a real difference. Colour therapy is something we can easily practice from home.

Let’s start with BLUE as it’s Pantone’s Colour of the Year. They have determined this via trend analysis looking at new colour influences in all areas such as film, sport, new technologies and design. They chose Classic Blue for its reassuring qualities as a stable foundation on which to build as we move into a new era.

Rather fortuitous. Pantone note that blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility and fosters resilience.

Sounds exactly what we need!

than physically (red is a physical colour). In research blue usually rates as the world’s favourite colour. It can make us feel calmer and soothes our racing mind. If you want to use it in a work situation, on a zoom call for instance, wear a deeper blue to aid authority or a lighter blue for a presentation as it helps concentration.

GREEN is right in the centre of the colour spectrum and so represents balance. I could do with a bit of that right now, I don’t know about you! Apparently the eye makes no adjustment to the colour green when it sees it, so it is restful for the eye. In nature when you see lots of green it means that there is growth

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and thus little danger of famine. So it reassures us on the most basic of levels. If you’re feeling very stressed and tired at the moment, try green to help you feel more restful and relaxed.

When you wear it for work you’ll appear nurturing and dependable – rejuvenating and revitalizing.

Now have you been wondering why RED helps those athletes gain more medals? It has a real physical affect on our bodies – stimulating and actually increasing our pulse rates and speeding us up. It is the first colour we will see in a group and therefore appears to be nearer than it is. That’s why it’s used in traffic lights.

It’s exactly the colour you want to be wearing if you want to be full of energy and confident. Be careful it can be perceived as aggressive and can stimulate the ‘fight or flight’ instinct.

I’m not so sure I’m after that whilst I’m holed up at home currently! But it could be used on a multi-user zoom call when you want to stand out as everyone’s eyes will be drawn to you first.

How about a little optimism? Just add a splash of YELLOW. After all yellow is the colour of the sun – warm and cheerful. We think of yellow being positive. It also increases mental activity and muscle energy.

It is definitely an attention getting colour and when it’s used with black it creates one of the easiest colour combinations to read from a distance – and why taxi signs are in yellow and black. Interestingly in Japan yellow represents courage and yet we also think of it as a representation of cowardice.

Cleverly PURPLE combines the calm of blue with the energy of red. This is also why it suits all colouring types as it balances warm and cool colourings (if you want to know which colouring type you are and which colours flatter you the best, please drop me a line to moostylist@gmail.com). It is traditionally associated with royalty and luxury. It’s thought this is because it was the hardest colour to dye as it’s rarely seen in nature. www.lancmag.com

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made.com It was also my school uniform colour – I think that’s because it’s also thought to represent wisdom and creativity.

It has a lovely effect on the mind and body – uplifting and calming. Apparently you may appear a little bossy in purple.

Not that I would ever see that as a negative (a joyous Scorpio trait!).

Let’s also be aware of how we don’t want to feel at the moment, and therefore the colours to avoid. I’m certainly not wanting to feel a bit GREY. It is associated with meanings of dull and dirty as well as being conservative. Definitely what I’m not needing at the moment. On the positive it’s a cool and neutral colour so it does work with lots of other colours. It can be associated with depression though it also has a touch of sophistication. As it’s a mix of black with white it carries some of both of their attributes. In nature when the world turns grey it’s time to hibernate. I don’t need any encouragement with my lack of energy there so I definitely need to search out other colours.

BLACK is an absence of colour. It’s traditionally associated with mourning. Nothing positive there. But if I was being positive (and I do try) then black belts are experts and being in the black means you’ve got money in your account. It is seen as being professional but also can be sexy. It is the colour most teenagers use to conform with their ‘tribe’ and to rebel against authority. It can help promote feelings of gloom and I don’t think we need any of that. So if you do have a wardrobe full of black, try to add another colour and on the positive the black will help it have depth and ‘pop’.

actually wear as few will see us, but a little colour may make a difference to how we feel. Perhaps place something in your eye sight that has colour in it – a purple vase for instance or a green book.

Finding the colours that flatter your own colouring makes such a difference. They can help you look younger, healthier and dare I say slimmer. Have you noticed for instance that some colours seem to overwhelm you and others drain you?

It’s not that you can’t wear any colour (I’m not the colour police) but it’s the shade or how you wear them that will make you look your best. It may be for instance that a bluer green or a yellower green may suit you; or that you suit orange mixed with hot pink rather than pale pink with grey.

A colour consultation is one of the favourite parts of my job – seeing how it can light up a client’s face.

We need to think of different layers of ways to look after ourselves. Each day I’m doing a little suggestion on ways to self care for my Moo Style VIPs. Please join us, we are #inittogether. Find Moo Style VIPs on facebook.

Knowing your own style that reflects you can bring so much confidence and ease of dressing every day. I’m here to help if you need any more advice at www.moostyle. co.uk. I can even do colour and style consultations as well as wardrobe weeds and make up lessons from home if you need a ‘lift’. Please look after yourself.

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

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t’s ridiculous. We all know life’s shorter than a gnat’s crotchet when one gets right down to it – and thus the importance of living for today, counting one’s blessings, and filling the unforgiving minute ETC ETC. Yet it’s only when a crisis hits that one realizes how much one has taken for granted until now.

Thankfully, I DIDN’T take for granted going to the Winter Gardens in February. I’d taken a day off to attend the open day, which it soon seemed we might need on parents and self spending about half an hour just gawping at the number and range of luminaries who’d given performances there. Was still wondering what Tony Hancock had given,--a whole armful maybe,--when, just past the statue of Eric and Ern, my mum spotted that “Touch tours” were apparently available to the likes of me. Not that things seemed too promising when five people hadn’t the foggiest what she was on about, a sixth said “Try Pat”, and a seventh, asked if she WERE Pat, said “Which Pat, there are two of us?” However, it seemed we HAD finally found the right woman, who, on realizing as much, promptly leapt up

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and treated us to a fantastic guided tour.

To my immense gratification too, this benefited all of us in that, not only did I get to grope everything in sight, but we all got a history we should not otherwise have got, and from an exceptional guide, Pat proving extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

I felt sure that stepping onto the stage in the Spanish Hall would be as good as it got. It was a gorgeous room, designed to resemble a Spanish village, and even FEELING as though one would have to get the sun cream out in a minute.

However, each subsequent room proved equally grand, according to the manner of its charming individual theme: I loved the Baronial Hall, was captivated by a room like a Spanish galleon, and gazed awestruck round the stunning Empress Ballroom – especially while testing the super-springy dance floor: Which effort wouldn’t have got a ten from anyone. Then my jaw dropped stepping onto the stage of the Opera House, which I’d no idea was so huge.

Altogether, I was blown away as though from Bispham Prom.

Nor did I altogether take for granted visiting Light Ash Farm in January, where I caused a bit of a stir by

choosing a cake yet to be cut into so that staff had to get busy with a bulldozer on account of it was about five storeys high and covered in all sorts.

My friend loved the spectacle.

Similarly, I wasn’t blasé about an afternoon at the Glazey Days Creative Cafe, painting Scandinavian gnomes, (like you do), and putting the world to rights with friends. Having missed lunch, we called in at Tiffin on the way back and had a divine mincemeat and almond tart.

I only wish I’d appreciated not merely these but still simpler matters like nipping into Costa or Bispham Kitchen, or just vegetating in front of sport, like the privileges they have been proven to be. All I can say is I AN learning, if belatedly. The tea I’m about to have will be champagne and caviar in bangers ‘n mash form, while I’ve vowed henceforth to treat everything from a carolling blackbird to a squirrel farting on the fence post like a wonder worthy of a David Attenborough documentary. This is the new me, improved or otherwise.

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Antonella Talks Fashion Loungewear for Lockdown

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ello again Flowerpots, it’s me Antonella! Back with another blog for you to read. I don’t know about you, but this lockdown has found me wanting to stay in my PJ’s from morning to night, not wanting to brush my hair, do my makeup or even step foot out of the house! COVID-19 has been unforgiving, but your wardrobe doesn’t have to be! It’s safe to say, I’ve been enjoying some gorgeous Loungewear pieces this lockdown.

For you first time readers, let me introduce myself to you, I am a co-owner at the multi award winning ladies boutique Ruby and Daisy in Crawshawbooth, alongside Helena and Louie. We specialise in Easy to wear, affordable women’s clothing and we love inspiring and empowering all the ladies out there. I am also a social media ‘celebrity’ with over 1.3 million followers on my Facebook page, Antonella the uncensored reviewer. I am the ambassador of our curvy couture range, with our sizes ranging from our petite figures size 6 to our curvier ladies at a size 32. Not only do we cater for any size, but we also don’t discriminate, we do not have different prices of clothing for different sizes, onesize fits all as they say! Not only do we cater for different sizes, but also different age ranges, from ‘tweenies’ to the more mature lady.

We just love to give everyone that amazing confidence boost when walking down the street.

Loungewear has become increasingly popular during COVID-19, I mean who really wants to put all that effort in when you aren’t able to go anywhere? It’s all about that comfy clothing where you can pop to the shop quickly and then feel snug as a bug when you get back to the safety of your own home. The Luxe Lockdown Top at £22 has been an absolute winner for me, it’s soft material and long fit is so perfect for

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doing the quick dash to the supermarket and is also great for chilling on the sofa at home watching Gino, Fred and Gordon.

What is still important during this lockdown is to try and keep some routine, we joke about not getting up and putting in any effort, but sometimes it really is good to wake up a shake up! Put on some of your favourite clothes, maybe a summery dress or jumpsuit, brush your hair and do your makeup. You will be surprised how much this does help your mental health through this challenging time! Our Polly Polka Jumpsuit at just £23 is a perfect little addition to your summer wardrobe for lockdown, it goes from a size 10-16, and its lightweight material is great for catching those rays out in the garden, or partaking in some of your daily hour exercise outside.

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Now, we have seen so many positives stories during lockdown, including people still doing date nights but in the comfort of their own homes! Why not get yourself all dolled up and play the part, take your mind from the negatives of lockdown and create some forever lasting memories. The new painted parachute dress is incredible for this, it is one of our most popular dresses and is so incredibly versatile. It is so flattering for any figure and I guarantee it will leave you feeling so good and confident about yourself. So; scrub up, put on your favourite lippy and have yourself a date night with a difference.

Painted parachute dress

Who else has been going crazy with wanting to visit the fridge round the corner every 10 seconds? Let’s face it, this lockdown is no good for out summer bods! Especially with lockdown being right on Easter... I mean, does anyone have just the one egg?! That’s where our Magic Trousers come in, there’s never a worry, because these simply just expand with you! Our Magic Trousers are called magic for a reason, one for the price at only £27 of course, and two because they have a four way stretch that literally fits from a size 8-18. Not to worry though Flowerpots as we do have a curvy range which actually goes to a size 22/24! These bad boys are an absolute staple for any wardrobe and definitely our most popular seller, we have a huge range of colours available for any season!

It’d be rude not to have a bit of sparkle and bling during these gorgeous sunny days, this is where our stunning Bling Bling Flip Flops come in! We have had so many amazing comments on how gorgeously comfy these are on. They’re so perfect for going for a nice stroll or even sat out in the garden sunbathing with your favourite alcoholic beverage. At only £12 it would be crazy for you to miss out on these essentials.

Well; I hope that you have enjoyed reading this months blog and are all staying safe, over at Ruby and Daisy we are huge believers in staying positive, even through the hardest of times.

Whilst we are in isolation, we are not only saving important lives, but we are also resting our planet, if you haven’t already, take a moment to look up at the none-polluted clear sky. Take a deep breath and take in that fresh air, appreciate the now and our futures will be bright.

Stay safe Flowerpots.

Lots of Love Nelly

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Bling Bling flip flops

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A relaxing bath has become a crucial part of many indivduals selfcare routines. But there is in fact an art the the indulgent experience!

Karen Davies, Westlab Pharmacist & Salt Specialist, shares her expert guide on how to create the perfect bath at home.

Temperature

A warm bath of between 37 - 39C is the perfect temperature to ensure that the body is in a state of relaxation and will enable the body to most effectively absorb the minerals.

The heat of the bath also effects blood circulation, instigates the sleep hormone melatonin and relatives muscle aches and pains.

Soak Time

20 minutes is the optimum time to bath, allowing salts to work their magic, while the body has time to increase circulation and lower blood pressure.

I can often take ahlf this time to switch off from the outside world an d simply relax, so enjoy for longer if desired.

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An experts

guide to the perfect bath

Ingredients

The perfect companions for a self care ritual, Westlab’s Mindful Bathing Salts and Sleep Bathing Salts encourage its users to step into a moment of peace and tranquility in a mineral-infused bath.

The MINDFUL salts contain frankincense and bergamot essential oils to achieve clarity of the mind, and CBD (cannabidol) to promote tranquility.

The SLEEP salts are infused with valerian to to promote a peaceful sleep, in addition to jasmine and lavender essential oils to calm and soothe.

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Chocolate If science says it is good to eat, why should we argue.

Chocolate makes you happy for a number of reasons. Some obvious, it tastes very good and it gives you a small break from your usual routine (think of any image from a kit kat ad).

Some reasons use medical science and while its good to quote facts to someone who asks you “why are you eating chocolate with your breakfast?”

You could answer with “I have to produce phenylethamine which causes alertness and more excitement before I go to work”.

Or, quote another science fact “I have to produce tryptophan (found in chocolate) that releases serotonin, which lifts my mood”.

Thereby subtly hinting to the person that they are bringing you down keep asking you questions, which will in turn make you eat more chocolate, making you reach for the bottom tray of the fridge again.

Anyway, lets all just agree that chocolate tastes good, whether it is solid or liquid, so here are four more reasons to eat another bar.

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1

It can keep your heart healthy

2

Improves brain power

Yes, chocolate can give your brain a boost and help improve your memory.

So maybe thats a good excuse to break out a bar of dark chocolate while you tackle that sudoku or crossword.

Scientists in Italy found that regularly eating cocoa found in chocolate is not only beneficial for memory and visual processing, but chocolate can help you stay calm and content. Handy for that one clue you are determined to answer on your own.

So there you have it, four reasons not to feel guilty about eating chocolate.

Did we miss any?

Get in touch and let us know. www.lancmag.com

Research published in the British Medical Journal showed that because chocolate can lower blood pressure, open up blood vessels and help reduce heart disease and strokes, as a result it will have a positive effect on the health of your heart.

The chemical called polyphenol found in dark chocolate can also help achieve a good cholesterol level.

3

Keeps you slim

Chocolate can help you lose weight.

As with everything, moderation is key here, but yes, small amounts of chocolate eaten regularly, especially 15 to 20 minutes before a meal tricks your brain into thinking its full, so you don’t to eat as much for the meal.

The cumulative effect, of the calming and stress reducing properties associated with eating chocolate, helps you avoid those anxiety driven binge eating times that can undermine any weight loss plan, if you are on one.

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It can be good for your skin Eating dark chocolate can help add moisture to your skin. Along with the other healthy attributes on these pages, it has beauty benefits as well. It contains the vitamins A, B1, C, D, E, calcium and iron, which help reduce wrinkles and protect your skin against the sun. As well as detoxifying and providing nourishment and increasing skin glow. www.facebook.com/lancmag LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 185

Healthy Eating at Home At a time when we are spending more time at home, shopping for food less frequently and no longer eating out, our usual eating habits may be disrupted. Good nutrition is essential for good health and it is important that we do not develop less healthy eating habits during this time. Heart Research UK have some tips to help you eat more healthily at home.

Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion @HRUK

Establish a routine and plan your meals Try to establish a normal routine by sticking to set meal times. This can help you to manage hunger and prevent snacking on less healthy foods. Plan healthy meals for the week in advance and make a shopping list. Planning your meals should help you to eat more healthily as well as reducing food waste.

You may find it useful to use the Eatwell Guide when planning healthy meals: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/528193/Eatwell_guide_colour.pdf

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Avoid snacking on less healthy food

Are you eating enough?

If you are making regular trips to the kitchen and snacking on less healthy food because you are bored, try stocking up on healthy snacks, such as fruit & veg, nuts, seeds, rice cakes, yoghurt). When we see junk food, such as chocolate, biscuits or crisps, it can be tempting to eat it, so you could try hiding the junk food away and making healthier snacks more visible. You can also try waiting until you are hungry before visiting the kitchen.

At-risk groups who have been advised to stay at home are likely to have a greater risk of malnutrition. Malnutrition is a serious condition where people do not get enough nutrients from their diet. This is more common in older people and it can increase the risk of infection as well as delaying recovery. Some tips for avoiding malnutrition include: 1. Eat a good source of protein every day (e.g. fish, meat, eggs, nuts, beans, tofu) 2. Consume 2 or 3 portions of dairy every day (e.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt or dairy alternatives such as soya milk) 3. Include starchy foods at every meal (e.g. bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals) 4. Eat a minimum of five portions of fruit and veg every day 5. If you eat fish, aim for two portions a week and try to include oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines or herring 6. Drink 6 to 8 cups/glasses of fluid every day

Proud to stand out from the crowd, Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart. They inspire and invest in pioneering medical research, ground-breaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves. For over 50 years they have driven advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease to benefit patients as soon as possible.

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Summer allurement Harvey Nichols Beauty must haves for June

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Steve Roberts

Author & Historian I tripped over a milestone recently, which could have been painful had it been one by the roadside, but this was one of those ‘significant stages or events in life’ milestones, so was considerably less bruising. I had my 100th article published in the Lancashire & North West Magazine (May 2020 issue). I thought it was time to tell you a bit more about the eccentric behind the keyboard. Natalie agreed.

S

teve (Stephen John Roberts formally and long-windedly) is named after two Norman / Angevin kings, Stephen (reigned 1135-54) and John (11991216). There’s only ever been one English king of either name, so our Steve feels he has a certain uniqueness.

Sadly, neither king was much cop.

Steve allows those who are particularly in favour, such as his wife (Val, or ‘Mrs Steve’), to call him ‘Stevie’. It is a privilege afforded to, well, just a privileged few.

My regular readers (I like to feel I have a few), who might enjoy my whimsical style, lists of Steve’s 10 favourite jokes, and the odd bit of sarcasm, will know that I’m not originally from your part of the world.

In fact, I’m not from your part of the world, period. I like Lancashire though. I’ve seen enough of it to know that, and I’ve written about some of the things that make Lancashire, well, 192

Lancashire, including its nosh, customs, dialect, literature, industry, sport, history and businesses. I guess if I could live somewhere other than Dorset, I might well choose Lancashire and I’m not just saying that.

Continuing with the history, but reverting to childhood, I was born in Worcester (where John lies buried in the cathedral). The city is dubbed the ‘Faithful City’ (‘Civitas Fidelis’) because of its support for the monarchy during the English Civil War. Those Worcesterfolk like lost causes (although its lowly footie team, Worcester City FC, did once eliminate the mighty Liverpool FC from the FA Cup: I was one at the time, so remember it well). The subject of loyalty, incidentally, will be reprised later. My maternal side of the family came from Wallasey/Birkenhead, so I remember a childhood holiday up there with an aunt/uncle, but not realising (of course) that I’d be seeing a lot more

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of that part of the world in the future, or that I’d write more about Lancashire than any other county. In fact, I had no idea I would be a writer, although I did have a penchant for writing stories when a junior school nipper. They were usually based around footie and I was always the one whose name was on the fans’ lips at the end of the game.

Naturally. I was the author.

History stayed close when I grew up in the market gardeners’ enclave of Evesham. There was a battle here (August 1265) during the Second Barons’ War, with John’s son, Henry III (reigned 1216-72) opposed by the barons’ leader, Simon de Montfort, held to be a father of parliamentary democracy in this country. Simon died at Evesham, but his cause persisted.

My grammar school, or alma mater, lay on the battlefield. A love of History was fostered. Now, I like my military history and have written for some www.lancmag.com

Steve’s first published article in ‘Military History Monthly’, July 2012 issue.

Stick to what you know – the Battle of Evesham

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Steve up to no good in Tórshavn, the capital and largest city of the Faroe Islands.

specialist military history magazines, but have also written about Lancashire’s battlefields for you in the past (Preston x 2), plus the occasions when the county’s been affected by war (the Wars of the Roses, the Crimean War and the two world wars). Why, only recently, I wrote about VE Day and its 75th anniversary.

My association with Dorset began in December 1983 when I moved to Bournemouth with wife-to-be, Val (known affectionately as ‘Mrs Steve’, or ‘Little Val’, due to lack of stature). We were married the following August and are still going strong after 35 years. As the saying goes, ‘Behind every mediocre man lies a remarkable woman.’ Quite so. In 1998, we moved to Christchurch, where we’ve remained, a town with Anglo-Saxon antecedents that was established as a fortified burh, against Viking incursion, by one Alfred the Great, in c.890 AD. There, more history. One of Val’s favourite sayings is ‘All the best things come in small packages’. I’ve never seen any reason to disagree with her.

Having had a bash at teaching History (no surprise there), the move to Dorset coincided with a career change, as I worked for a life and pensions provider in Bournemouth.

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‘Junior school Steve’ has that look of youthful exuberance, when everything’s of interest. It still is.

Outsourced twice, I became a Chartered Insurer, then an IT Project Manager, the role I retired early from in June 2012, as career number three beckoned. Having served my time in ‘The Office’, early release on parole gave me the chance, at last, to do what I really wanted, to take up writing. How do you start though, and what are the chances of being published, and, most importantly, of earning a living? Luckily, my day job had introduced me to Liverpool and its environs (we had a sister office up there), so writing for that part of the world came naturally. I’d soon be heading off on literary assignments, not only to Merseyside, but also Manchester, and even Carnforth (‘Brief Encounter’, May 2016 issue).

Received wisdom says you stick to what you know, so I plumped for history articles. Early doors though you chuck mud at a garage door, hoping some sticks. My first published article (in ‘Military History Monthly’, now ‘Military History Matters’) featured that same Battle of Evesham that had occupied childhood thoughts. The editor liked it because of the author’s perceived first-hand knowledge of the terrain.

Sometimes you pretend you’ve been somewhere you haven’t to create the same authoritative effect and hope no-one catches you out. I also enjoy doing railway route articles, a bit like www.lancmag.com

Rather than an article by Steve, this was one about Steve, in ‘Cotswold & Vale magazine’, as he returned to Evesham in 2015 to talk about the town’s 1265 battle.

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Val & Steve find some more history, in Athens this time.

Michael Portillo, although I’ve never quite mastered the garish combo of pink trousers and green jacket, seemingly preferred by him.

Getting the first few published is hard, but once you’ve achieved that, you have some credibility. Having shoved your size nine through a door, it becomes easier. I then followed industry advice. Once I’d had a couple of dozen articles published, I launched my website, as I felt I now had a developing story to tell. Heeding advice helped make me a better writer. Two cracking pieces of guidance were to keep language simple (a la Ernest Hemingway) and start with a bang (the high octane opening). It’s also important to inject a bit of humour along the way, otherwise readers are unlikely to reach the end. I made my debut in the Lancashire & NW Magazine in its November 2014 issue, a bio of the poet Laurence Binyon. I guess you could say that the first one must have gone down o.k. I achieved a personal best in the October 2019 issue, when I had eight features published in a single magazine for the first (and only) time. I’ve done a lot of ‘stuff’ now for the magazine, including many client editorials. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed these interviews and have had the pleasure of speaking to some really interesting characters, who have amazing attitudes and fascinating businesses. I wish them all the best both now and in the future.

Taking up public speaking was a natural corollary to writing, which is a very solitary occupation. Giving talks gets you out meeting people and I have delivered well over 300 now, many in and around Christchurch. The mantra I’ve adopted is ‘inform and entertain’. This writer-speaker is also 196

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a private tutor, which means I have several hats, aside from the bizarre ones I don for some of my talks (everything from Anglo-Saxon ‘horns’ and Robert Louis Stevenson inspired ‘piratical’ to New Forest ‘antlers’ and Victorian ‘stovepipe’).

Make ‘em laugh. High-octane start.

Having succeeded in getting articles published (over 780 at the last count), the next step was a book. Fortunately, I had a style that did not deter Dorset books specialist ‘Roving Press’, and ‘Lesser Known Christchurch’ resulted, in August 2015. ‘Lesser Known Bournemouth’ followed in November 2019. I also began history columns in three local mags in an attempt to spread the word about local history and how much fun it can be. We often neglect what’s on our own doorstep (a truism). I readily admit I’ve become quite well-known locally and occasionally receive ‘mail’ from both fans and critics, but mostly fans.

The last word is mine. “I feel blessed doing what I do today, as it rarely feels like work. If I can get a few more bods enthused about our fantastic local history, then I’m happy. Our knowledge of history is never complete, so it’s always a thrill to find something new, and be able to tell others about it.”

Oh, and my favourite historical character is Richard III. “I’d love to ask him who really did murder the Princes in the Tower. That would be another mystery solved. His motto was ‘Loyaulté me Lie’ (Loyalty Binds Me) by the way.” I said we’d come back to loyalty. The Lancashire & NW Magazine and I feel that we’ve been loyal to one another: 101 and counting.

E-mail: steveroberts364@yahoo.co.uk

www.lancmag.com

Steve’s first book, ‘Lesser Known Christchurch’, was published in August 2015.

Steve’s second book, ‘Lesser Known Bournemouth’, was published in November 2019.

The tomb of Steve’s historical hero, Richard III, in Leicester Cathedral, with that motto ‘Loyaulté me Lie’ (‘Isananni’).

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Midge bites are worth it at Easter There is one thing we can still enjoy this Easter and that is chocolate eggs.

E

aster eggs symbolise the end of Lent, the end of a period of fasting – not eating chocolate for 40 days.

But did you know that a small annoying insect is the reason we have chocolate? And without the midge there would be no chocolate or Easter eggs.

In the UK there are more than 500 species of non-biting midges and 150 species that bite. One of them Diptera: Certatopogonidae: Forcipomyia is the main pollinating insect for cacao, the plant that gives us chocolate.

This little fellow – between one and three millimetres long – is one of few insects that can squeeze into the flowers and reach the vital bits of the cacao tree.

The seeds of the tree are the main ingredients of chocolate and your latenight cocoa drink.

ABOVE: Swallows prey on midges to feed their young

by Alan Price

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So when midges are biting you this year, just remember, their cousins ensure our spirit-boosting chocolates are around for our pleasure.

Midges are just one of a number of

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insects that people see as an annoyance but their pollinating and preying on even smaller pests make them useful.

And the fact that they provide food for bats and birds, like swallows and swifts, means we just couldn’t do without them.

The Wildlife Trusts has started its Action for Insects campaign to encourage people to love all insects and not just our favourite bumblebees, butterflies and ladybirds.

Chief Executive Officer at the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, Anne Selby said: “While most of us are annoyed by midge bites in summer, they play their part in the ecosystem, they are food for many other species which we love.

“We want people to pledge their support for insects and to download our guide about how we can all help insects to recover from a horrific slump over the past decades.”

A recent report published by the campaign, authored by Professor David Goulson, concluded that 41 www.lancmag.com

Swallow by Alan Price

per cent of insect species now faced extinction around the world, while population declines were widespread across other insect species. The report also highlighted the vital part played by insects in human food production and in their support of countless other birds, mammals and plants.

The new practical pack, Your Guide to Taking Action for Insects, is helping everyone do their bit in reversing decades of decline for the UK’s struggling bees, butterflies, moths, bugs and beetles.

The colourful 20-page illustrated guide is available as a free download via www.wildlifetrusts.org/take-actioninsects. It’s packed full of tips, useful info, and links to finding out more, all aimed at helping individuals and families make simple yet crucial changes to helping insects through the ways we shop, garden and run our homes.

The guide has been authored by The Wildlife Trusts working with partner organisations including Buglife, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and Garden Organic. It has been launched as part of a wider campaign called Action for Insects, which looks to reverse recent drastic population declines among insects.

You can learn more about the campaign here www.lancswt.org.uk/wilderfuture-campaign/action-insects

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

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

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Anatolia Sea View: 01253 789 551 Pleasure Island, 1st Floor, South Promenade FY8 1LS

A traditional Turkish Ocakbasi (open barbecue) with hot and cold Meze, marinated and grilled meats, vegetables and kebabs plus authentic Turkish pizza Anatolia, a contemporary Turkish barbecue restaurant.

Positioned at Pleasure Island, South Promenade, the focal point is the large Ocakbasi, an authentic Turkish-style charcoal grill which infuses the marinated meats and vegetables with a trademark smoky taste. The menu offers traditional Turkish classics for eating in or to take away. The menu sees a range of hot and cold starters such mixed Meze, Imam Bayildi, stuffed vine leaves and plenty of vegetarian choices. Mains offer marinated Shish kebabs, lamb chops, ribs, wings and slow-cooked dishes like Mousakka and lamb shank.

More saucy Iskender kebabs, marinated and finished with yoghurt, are also on offer as are a choice of traditional Turkish pizzas called Pideler, a stone-baked, boat-shaped dough with a crispy outer crust filled with a mixture of toppings. Desserts feature Baklava and Turkish Dream. And why not finish with Raki and Turkish coffee? Anatolia is a great choice for a party or celebration with several set meal choices

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Can I let tradespeople into my home during lockdown?

How a businessman achieved his dream home thanks to a happy collaboration with local companies.

T

he most up to date information released by the Government, from Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Robert Jenrick, advises: “Work carried out in people’s homes, for example by tradespeople carrying out repairs and maintenance, can continue, provided that the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms.

“Again, it will be important to ensure that Public Health England guidelines, including maintaining a two-metre distance from any household occupants, are followed to ensure everyone’s safety.

“No work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless it is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household, such as emergency plumbing or repairs, and where the tradesperson is willing to do so. In such cases, Public Health England can provide advice to tradespeople and households.

“No work should be carried out by 202

a tradesperson who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild.”

READ MORE: How to look after yourself if you’re working from home So is it safe to let tradespeople into my home at this time?

What this advice means is that essential maintenance, such as boiler repairs and leaks, can continue to go ahead as normal providing all parties stick to the Public Health England guidelines.

But all non-essential work, like extensions and new kitchens, should not be carried out.

If you are renting, speak to your landlord or managing agent, as they may have a trusted engineer or company who you can call directly.

If you’re really unsure about what to do, a good idea as a first port of call is to see if a professional can offer their services over the phone.

Depending on the problem you have, you may even find that an electrician,

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plumber or gas engineer may be able to help solve your problem remotely – maybe via Skype, FaceTime or Google Hangouts.

But if a tradesperson does need to visit your home, there are certain things you can do to protect yourself and avoid spreading the virus.

You should: • Keep your distance from any visitors and avoid physical contact • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitiser • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin and wash your hands • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home such as door handles, light switches and your kettle Read more at rightmove.co.uk www.lancmag.com

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t

Is osprey here to stay?

An osprey hunting on the River Ribble near to the Brockholes nature reserve is raising hopes of the birds nesting in Lancashire for the first time in more than a century.

Above: Osprey on bridge over River Ribble by Darren Leen, Highways England.

W

hile ospreys have passed through the reserve over the last couple of years, they have not nested in Lancashire since the mid-18th Century.

The bird of prey was photographed sitting on a bridge, near the entrance of The Lancashire Wildlife Trust nature reserve near Preston, by Darren Leen who works for Highways England’s traffic officer service from an outstation next to the M6 and A59 at Samlesbury.

Traffic officer service team manager Darren, said: “I was on a break at the outstation when I saw the osprey on a motorway bridge, it had been scanning the River Ribble for its next meal, sitting unfazed by 44-tonne vehicles passing less than three metres away.”

Darren went on to say, “I recognised the features of the bird due to being a bird watcher in my younger days, seeing this beautiful bird so close to the motorway was very much unexpected but a great joy to see”.

The bird already has birders getting excited on social media but no-one can get too close because it is in a restricted area.

Wildlife Trust Director of Conservation Time Mitcham said: “We had a juvenile male here late last summer, showing an interest in the osprey eyrie at the top of a telegraph pole, which we built with the help of Electricity North West in 2013. We were hoping it would return this year with a mate. So this is very exciting.

“Brockholes is closed in the lockdown

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so there is little disturbance - which will benefit this osprey. There is a greater chance of it looking at the eyrie. Hopefully, people will adhere to the lockdown allowing any birds an opportunity to settle and when it ends and we open the reserve again, who knows, our cameras might be showing off osprey chicks?”

Ospreys nest in Scotland and Wales, and at Foulshaw Moss in Cumbria, which is as close as they get to Lancashire.

This large bird of prey with a 1.6 metre wingspan, has a white head and underparts and dark brown upper parts.

Their wings during flight show strong barring and distinctively dark brown, angled “wrists”.

The bird will have flown in from Africa to look for somewhere to nest.

That trip from the south may have taken 20 days, with stops along the way to refuel. Normally Lancashire is just a refuelling spot.

Tim said: “Of course the bird may just be stopping over before moving on and could be gone by tomorrow.”

Below: Osprey on River Ribble bridge

by Adam Sharples.

Below: Highways England Traffic officer service team manager Darren Leen who first saw the osprey.

Brockholes is closed to the public during the lockdown and the bird’s perch is difficult to access, so the Wildlife Trust is recommending birders don’t flock to the reserve.

Under lockdown regulations, photography and bird watching are not “essential travel”.

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Osprey by Darren Leen, Highways England.

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

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

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 205

Your star horoscope

Manish Kumar Arora is a renowned KP Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Reader & Vastu Consultant.

He has been rendering professional advice to clients with a reasonable degree of success. He has been conferred with the title of ‘Jyotish Varahamihir’ and ‘Jyotish Aryabhatt.’ He has been writing monthly astrological columns for many international magazines.

Aries: Mar 21 – Apr 19 It’s a good period for gaining new information that helps you to move forward, including great advice, so stay connected and listen attentively. If you have been waiting for word on a new job, a promotion, or a clean slate of health, this could be the time when you receive the good news. A sudden opportunity to travel, further your education, or spread the word about a project can arise in the last few days of June as well. The last week is about connecting and communicating. Stay active and connected. You’re set to learn a great deal. Favorable Dates : June 2, 4, 11, 13, 20, 22 Favorable Colors : Red & White

Leo: Jul 23 – Aug 22 Discussions or negotiations at work and with business can get going now, but don’t rush into anything. Finances, taxes, and intimacy are main themes that you’ll be encountering this month. At first glance, the month may not seem to be as productive as most, but in fact you are building your nest, gathering your resources, and preparing for busier months ahead.

Circumstances are such that you may be considering a big move or other change that affects your domestic life in powerful ways. Try as much as possible to simplify by focusing on one opportunity at a time.

Favorable Dates : June 3, 7, 12, 16, 21, 25 Favorable Colors : Blue & Yellow

Sagittarius: Nov 22 – Dec 21 Your personal impact is strong and you are likely to be in a frame of mind that involves review and caution. Avoid pushing matters. You’re likely to be self-involved this month, but it’s a necessary process.

Career offers come now and money owed to you could also arrive. Take your time with important decision making, as you may not have all the tools at your disposal for clarity. Decide now what it is you want and then stick to any decision you make for everyone else’s sake including your own.

Favorable Dates : June 2, 5, 11, 14, 20, 23 Favorable Colors : Red & Green

Taurus: Apr 20 – May 20 A sense of peace regarding work and health routines is with you this month, and your social life tends to take center stage. You could find that you’re making more concessions than usual and that your agenda takes a back seat to the plans and needs of important people in your life. Events and realizations this month can get the ball rolling for important changes.

Love relationships can reach new depths of understanding.Your personal magnetism and attractiveness increase impressively. Your ability to open yourself up to others is directly proportional to the opportunities that open up to you.

Favorable Dates : June 3, 7, 12, 16, 21, 25 Favorable Colors : Blue & Yellow

Virgo: Aug 23 – Sep 22 This Is a strong month for taking care of business, practical matters, budget-making, asking for a raise, and discovering new ways to boost your income. A sense of peace about your personal finances enhances your overall mood. The stronger you feel on the inside, the more fun you’ll have.

You’re also busy working with your physical body.

Implementing and maintaining an exercise or nutrition program should be a priority. Although routine matters can get boring at times, reworking and reorganizing these things can be very satisfying.

Favorable Dates : June 1, 5, 10, 14, 19, 23 Favorable Colors : Yellow & White

Capricorn: Dec 22 – Jan 19 This month can stimulate your desire for adventure and a taste for the exotic. Long-distance romance can be a lure and can stimulate much desire and passion. A creative project can come to a head, or a love affair can blossom.You are in your element and others tend to be taking note.When you follow your heart and do what you love, even the most difficult challenges can be easier to get through.Friends, colleagues, your partner or a co-worker can step up to offer support – be open to accept their friendship.

Favorable Dates : June 2, 6, 11, 15, 21, 23 Favorable Colors : Red & Blue

Gemini: May 21 – Jun 20 Careful planning with your finances is needed this month.

Giving into get rich quick schemes, however tempting, will only land you into trouble. There are some hurdles to deal with and the most important one has to do with your relationship with yourself. This is the time to work on ridding yourself of self-defeating or limiting attitudes.

This period has probably been making you feel more distant emotionally from others and lack the intimacy you want in life, but that finally ends at the end of June, and you can work on trying to forge better, stronger connections with others.

Favorable Dates : June 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, 21 Favorable Colors : Red & White

Libra: Sep 23 – Oct 22 You are aligning yourself with new goals or re-committing to those already in place. Your cash flow can begin to free up now. Be open to discussing different options that can result in you changing direction or reconsidering your path to success. The chance to learn more can sharpen your skill set. In love, think long-term. A close relationship can begin, blossom, or demand attention.Make sure that you show appreciation towards family members and close friends, sometimes you may have to sacrifice the time you spend with one over the other.

Favorable Dates : June 2, 8, 11, 17, 20, 26 Favorable Colors : Green & White

Aquarius: Jan 20 – Feb 18 You have been drifting between too many different tasks within your career but maybe you have been trying to do the impossible. Take stock of what you are able to do and concentrate on the smallest details. Only then you will be able to move forward with the job at hand.The need for challenges, whether these are mental or physical, becomes palpable from the 16th forward. Watch for conversations that can be heated this month, particularly those revolving around money, and extra care and sensitivity are required.

Favorable Dates : June 2, 7, 11, 16, 20, 25 Favorable Colors : Red & Yellow

Cancer: Jun 21 – Jul 22 You are warmer and more approachable. There is no better time to make lifestyle changes. You are easily engrossed by special subjects and projects this month, and eagerly throw yourself into learning and producing. New opportunities can arise in the last few days of the month, but be sure you don’t take on too much. You need to push forward with important projects, and if it means getting a little help, the cosmos are shining on you. There could be professional opportunities that present themselves.

Recognition for your work could be forthcoming now.

Favorable Dates : June 4, 5, 13, 14, 22, 23 Favorable Colors : Red & Blue

Scorpio: Oct 23 – Nov21 The first three weeks are good for smoothing over differences in your career and also for dealing with reputation issues. As detail-oriented as you normally are, you’re so busy this month that it’s easy to get distracted and miss important information This is not a time for pomp, show, and risk-taking, although you are more confident when it comes to pursuit of love until the 16th. Money matters are more successful with a partner after the 21st, but you’ll need to take a hard look at spending as well as debts.

Favorable Dates : June 3, 8, 12, 17, 21, 26 Favorable Colors : Blue & White

Pisces: Feb 19 – Mar 20 Pay attention to your instincts and whether it’s love or work, move forward with confidence.This month brings a chance for a new personal beginning, so that if you are looking to reinvent yourself, this is the time to share yourself in an all-new way, particularly in the last week of the month. A project can pick up speed and money matters are lighter and brighter too.There are some peaceful times ahead this month when old disputes finally settle and everyone works to their own agenda.

Favorable Dates : June 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, 21 Favorable Colors : Red & Blue

Manish Kumar Arora, 91-9871062000 | K.P. Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Card Reader & Vastu Consultant www.facebook.com/manishastroconsultant | manish@manishastrologer.com

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Small Shopping

Delivery Service Ambassador Care Home is now offering a Small Shopping delivery service to anyone over 75 years of age in the South Shore, Blackpool area, who is isolated and cannot get out.

As long as we know in advance either using the telephone number or email, just provide a clear name, address and shopping list.

Tel: 01253 406371 Email: davidmoseley580@gmail.com

The Ambassador Residential Care Home

670/672 Lytham Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 1RG www.blackpoolcarehomes.co.uk www.lancmag.com

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 207

Old Boy Contributes to Programme on Self-Isolation

O

ld Boy, Jonny Ashton, who was in Bolton School just 2 weeks ago and who left in 2005, was one of several television producers and crew involved in last night’s Channel 4 programme ‘Coronavirus: How to Isolate Yourself ’. Production company Parable contacted Jonny and others on Friday 13 March and just eight days later the show aired on tv. The programme offered an expert, nononsense guide on how to cope from Dr Xand van Tulleken and psychologist Kimberley Wilson.

Reflecting on the making of the documentary, Jonny said: ‘My role was as one of the directors and the programme was made, by tv norms, in an incredibly short space of time.

We started filming the day after they had called me. The overriding message of the programme was that we need to treat this seriously. If we ignore the advice on self-isolation and social distancing, there is a real danger that we can pass this disease on without

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even knowing we ever contracted it.

Social distancing will give ourselves, our loved ones and the community the best possible chance of surviving. It is critical that we don’t overstretch the NHS and we ‘flatten the curve’ of infections. Two excerpts from the programme have already been shared widely on social media - the interview with Professor Hugh Montgomery (Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at UCL), where he explains how contagious the disease is. He points out that with flu we will infect 1.3 or 1.4 people, who will go on to infect the same amount of people. By the time that has happened ten times, a person will have infected 14 people. Coronavirus is much more virulent and one person will spread it on to, on average, 3 people. Ten times later and 59,000 people will have become infected! As of mid-afternoon today, this clip had been viewed 9.5 million times on social media (watch it here<https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Sg7RnPPKN48>). The other emotional excerpt which has resonated

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with the public is of tv presenter Peter Snow self-isolating and his son Dan telling how his father had looked after him for 18 years so it is now his turn to look after his 81 year old father for six months.

The plan with the programme was to provide a clear and simple message that could help to inform the public and to get that message out to them quickly.

I’m proud of the final outcome, and hope the public find it useful.’

You can watch the full programme via Channel 4’s on-demand service

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CORONAVIRUS: PUBLIC INFORMATION The Government and NHS are well prepared to deal with this virus.

You can help too.

The best way to protect yourself and others is: Wash your hands with soap and water, or use a sanitiser gel, regularly throughout the day.

Catch your cough or sneeze in a tissue, bin it, and wash your hands.

If you have recently arrived back from specified areas follow the returning traveller advice.

Check the list of areas and find out more at nhs.uk/coronavirus

O

ur editor has asked me to write about Coronavirus.

This is in keeping with the magazine’s policy of covering matters over a wide field if they are of a definite relevance to our readers. I am aware that some aspects I cover will probably have changed by the time you read them but the history of them will remain as it is forever.

I am well aware too that this will article will become a poisoned chalice unless I am wary about what I say.

It is difficult to believe that when we listened to the bells chiming in 2020, none of us had heard the words Coronavirus and COVID-19. Now we hear them every day, if not every hour.

It normally takes up to eight months for information, true or false, to make its way from the remote parts of the internet onto its mainstream. Incredibly, that interval fell to at least three and at most fourteen days in the case of COVID-19. And it spread more world wide than anything in history. You will possibly dispute this by claiming that the World Wars attracted more attention. But did they? Did the people in such as Brazil receive much information on these?

If they did, it would certainly not be have been daily let alone hourly.

Because no one came up with a believable explanation of Coronavirus’s beginnings, conspiracies built faster than the epidemic spread. When there are no hard facts published, misinformation covering all aspects of an occurrence are generally accepted by many of the population. And in this

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case, one conspiracy in particular found great favour. But I am not going to pour it into my chalice. If we believe some reports, some who have made unwise statements about it may be about to reap a harvest.

From the earliest moments of the crisis, fake cures and preventive treatments were offered by con artists grabbing the opportunity to cash in. On YouTube some avoided target words like”coronavirus” that alert automated blocking systems in order to sell products like a powdered supplement that can “ward off the virus.” As I write, YouTube and other social platforms have sent their human operators home and are struggling to keep one step ahead.

Disruptions to everyday life necessitated by the novel coronavirus could be with us for some time and coronavirus conspiracies and con artists are likely to hang around too.

Researchers around the world are striving to create a vaccine to inoculate human populations against the devastating virus. If history is any indication, even that is likely to be fodder for online con artists. I suppose it would it be uncharitable to hope that the tricksters who think of no one but themselves are troubled by the virus before a vaccine is found.

Post script.

As we go to press a member of my wider family has been taken from us. I fear that this is a fate that will befall many of us before this blight has gone.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 209

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