Local Life - St Helens - Mar/Apr 2022 by Local Life 247 Ltd

LocalLife

St Helens Edition

Mar/Apr 2022

WIN hips to

Members

Pages 58-59

Labour of Love Pages 34-35

Rainford & Billinge Parish Newsletters Pages 60-62

Jack’s Tracks to Cheshire Castles Pages 64-66

New!

Alan Titchmarsh Column Page 67

Top Five Cruising Destinations Pages 52-54

Colour your Home Happy Pages 46-47

Huge selection of fires, stoves & fireplaces

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www.flamesuk.co.uk Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 9.30am-4.30pm; Saturday - 10am-4pm • email: flamesuk@outlook.com

Nicola Robinson

Dean Stanley

Monday

Thursday

Eccleston

Bryn

Lester Drive Community Centre, St Helens WA10 5ES 5.45pm & 7.15pm Tel: Nicola 07526 555012 Email: nicola.robinson@hotmail.co.uk

Alison Lee Tuesday Haydock Haydock New Life Church, Pythian Street, WA11 0UH 8.45am, 10.15am, 5pm, 6.30pm & 7.45 pm Tel: Alison 07828 974312 Email: alijlee@hotmail.co.uk

James Holden Thursday Rainford Rainford Corpus Christi Church Hall, Alfred Street, WA11 8BY 5.15pm & 6.45pm Tel: James 07891 027831 Email: jaholden29@gmail.com

Our Lady’s Parochial Centre, Downall Green Road, WN4 0LZ 4.45pm & 6.15pm Tel: Dean 07388 207838 Email: choose.health@icloud.com

SATURday Bryn Our Lady’s Parochial Centre, Downall Green Road, WN4 0LZ 7.45am & 9.15am Tel: Dean 07388 207838 Email: choose.health@icloud.com

’m far from being a Royal cheerleader, but I have, I suspect like many readers, an enormous amount of respect for Her Majesty the Queen.

For someone to pledge, as she did in 1947 to the nations that make up the Commonwealth, ‘that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service’ was a substantial commitment from a 21-yearold, and remarkably, one that the Queen has adhered to in the 75 years that have passed since. Not sure about you, but I don’t remember much about being 21 (apart from the hangover from hell the day after my birthday), but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have had the presence of mind to promise anything of that magnitude and still be able to uphold that promise 75 years on. Would you? There’s lots going on to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, but if you’re planning to host a local celebration then we’d love to help you publicise it in our next issue free of charge. Just email details of the event to editorial@locallife247.co.uk along with your name and contact number. See you next time

Chris Pearce, Publisher chrisp@locallife247.co.uk

Keep in touch with the LocalLife Team!

LocalLife

Telephone: 01744 649722 info@locallife247.co.uk

locallifemagazine247 @locallifemedia Local Life 247 Ltd, PO Box 779, Wigan WN1 9UB Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without the prior written consent of Local Life 247 Ltd.

This month’s highlights

Contents

34. Labour of Love

14. Beauty 16 genius beauty hacks.

24. Health The dangers of ultra-processed foods.

48. Puzzle Pages Try these brainteasers for size!

56. Food Seared lamb fillets with garlic dressing.

40. Front Door Facelift

46. Colour Your Home

63. Baking Gluten-free chocolate caramel tarts.

67. Greenfingers... New! The Alan Titchmarsh column.

68. Home & Garden Services Find the best local traders for you.

70. Motoring Range Rover rivals.

64. Jack’s Tracks - Cheshire Castles

52. Top 5 Cruises

58. WIN Memberships!

Next Issue - May/June

Advertising deadline - 11th April Published - 28th April

Want to promote your business in

LocalLife?

01744 649722 www.locallife247.co.uk

Planning a Platinum Party? There’s a double Bank Holiday weekend being held in June (2-5 June) to commemorate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The country and the Commonwealth will be celebrating her 70 years of service. This event, and the end of those damned restrictions, give us a great opportunity to party like we never have before! Street parties have long been associated with times of national celebrations, and if getting together with your neighbours at bunting-covered tables laden with food and drink to chat, laugh, sing, and dance the day (and night!) away is your idea of fun, then this is an opportunity not to be missed. Good planning is essential for any party, and the larger the party, the more planning is needed. The first thing you’ll need to do is ask the council’s permission to close your road (or part of your road), so that everyone can enjoy the celebrations safely, and it’s best to do this as early as possible.

As long as your road isn’t a major transport route it should be a smooth process. Any resident interested in applying for a Street Party will need to contact St Helens Council via events@sthelens. gov.uk or by ringing 01744 676789. Councils generally recommend that you take insurance cover for street parties, and if you plan to do so, then you can expect to pay at least £50, depending on the scale of the party. They may ask you to check with other residents on the street to make sure there are no objections to the party. There are a number of organisations including www. streetparty.org.uk and www.edenprojectcommunities. com who can provide free packs offering ideas, inspiration, and tips to help you get the party started and can also help you overcome any obstacles. Any finally, if you’re holding a larger celebration and you need free publicity to promote your party, then email details to editorial@locallife247.co.uk.

LEADING LOCAL SPECIALISTS 25 HARDSHAW STREET, ST HELENS, WA10 1RP 2 DERBY STREET, PRESCOT, L34 3LJ

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Are you ready for Rock & Roll Bingo? Tickets are now on sale for Willowbrook Hospice’s first ever music bingo night on Friday, April 1 from 7pm-late at the Living Well Marquee on Borough Road in St Helens (WA10 3RN). Instead of numbers on your bingo card, there’s a selection of chart-topping hits from all eras! Listen to short clips and mark off the song on your bingo card. It’s fun and you are guaranteed lots of laughter and dancing. Tickets cost £15 per person, and this will get you 4 games of music bingo as well as entry into the raffle for a chance to win some great prizes, including tickets to Haydock Park, fizz, vouchers and much more. For more information or to book your tickets, please visit www.willowbrook.org.uk/events or call 01744 453798.

Dolittle in Rainhill The latest Junior production for the Rainhill Musical Theatre Company, Dr Dolittle, will run from 8th-10th April. The musical tells the classic tale of a wacky, but kind, doctor who can talk to animals. When Doctor Dolittle attempts to help a seal named Sophie, he’s wrongly accused of murder and stands trial before General Bellowes. Once pronounced innocent, Dolittle is free to continue with his search for the Great Pink Sea Snail — the oldest, wisest creature on earth.

St Peter’s Church in Newton-le-Willows will be hosting a craft fair on Saturday, April 23 and they are on the lookout for any local crafter or craft business, who might like to sell their wares. The event, on Church Street in the village, is always well attended and is a great opportunity to sell and have a browse of all the other craft supplies. The fair will run from 10am-3.30pm. If you are interested in booking a stall, then please register your interest by emailing stpeterscraftfairs@ gmail.com.

01744 885 363

National & International

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Tell Us Your Story! Local Life is always on the look out for news stories WIN Memberships to from the local communities we serve. Are you raising money for charity? Are you a member of a community group with something to shout about? Maybe you’ve got an unusual talent, or have a claim to fame? If so, let us know and you could be appearing in the next edition!

LocalLife St Helens Edition

Craft Fair

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27th Ma

The production takes place at the Rainhill Village Hall on Weaver Avenue in Rainhill (L35 4LU). Tickets are priced at £10, with concessionary tickets priced at £8. To book tickets, call 07399 031 655 or visit www. rainhillmusicaltheatrecompany.co.uk

Order now for Mother’s Day

Mar/Apr 2022

Pages 58-59

Labour of Love

Pages 34-35

New!

Rainford & Billinge Parish Newsletters

Pages 64-66

Alan Titchmarsh Column Page 67

Top Five Cruising Destinat ions

Pages 60-62

Jack’s Tracks to Cheshire

Castles

Pages 52-54

Colour your Home Happy Pages 46-47

Simply contact us on editorial@locallife247.co.uk or call us on 01744 649722

Gamble Work Starts Work has started on the external refurbishment of the iconic Gamble Building in St Helens. Dating back to 1896, the Grade II listed building has been closed to the public since 2017 due to structural issues caused by water damage making the lower levels of the building unsafe. In 2019, the council announced its commitment to bring The Gamble – a gift to the people of St Helens by Sir David Gamble, the first Mayor of St Helens – back into use.

of The Gamble will be advanced and funding sources secured, including the related Town Deal allocation, to secure earliest possible reopening for public use. Councillor Richard McCauley, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said: “The Gamble is close to the hearts of many in St Helens, so it’s great to see the ongoing works to restore such a beautiful building.”

With scaffolding now up, work is underway as part of a £1.5m restoration project which includes replacing windows, as well as repairs to the roof, downpipes and external decoration - with brickwork and terracotta repairs being carried out by local firm, Stone Central. There is also a repurposing exercise underway to look at future use of the building, with residents keen to see a library return to the landmark building which was originally designed as a library and technical school. External works are expected to be completed in Spring 2022, following which plans for internal refurbishment

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Picnic in the Park Rainford’s leading music festival, Picnic in the Park, will be back with a bang this summer with a stellar line up of live music – and tickets are already selling fast. Saturday, June 11 is the date for your diary, so get set for a day of music, food, and merriment. Headlining the show this year will be the one and only Chesney Hawkes, followed by Blackpool acoustic country band Five O’clock Somewhere, Ultra 90’s who will be performing the best in classic dance and club anthems followed by Ska tribute Mainly Madness, an Oasis tribute, Oaces, and local lad, singer/songwriter Bradley Johnson. In addition to the music line-up there will be children’s activities, a range of stalls and various food outlets. No

alcohol is sold on site, but you are welcome to bring your own. Tickets this year cost £25 per adult or £15 per primary school child. A Gazebo pack costs £170, including 6 standard tickets and a lot for your gazebo. And this year you can also book a VIP Gazebo pack for £750, bagging you the use of a festival gazebo at the front of the stage, 10 tickets and drink and nibbles on arrival. Proceeds from the festival will be shared between Rainford Rangers, Rainford Tennis Club, Rainford Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association and Rainford Cricket Club. Tickets are bookable now at www.rainforddfestival.co.uk

Coley’s Sports Bar at Sherdley Park Golf Club is the perfect place to host a variety of events with your family & friends. Coley’s Sports Bar comfortably seats 60 and has its own private bar & outdoor terrace overlooking the golf course.

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Competition Winners Our January/February issue carried a couple of great reader competitions. The main one was, of course, the amazing chance to win two Saints Memberships for 2022, and this was won by Jason Rigby of Eccleston.

via the in-magazine competition and Matthew Webster from Orrell won the second pair via our Facebook competition.

Just a couple of days before the season started, Jason told Local Life how happy he was to win the Memberships.

Turn to pages 58/59 in this issue for a chance to win a three-month membership for GoActive in St Helens – we have two memberships up for grabs!

“Me and my Dad, Brian, normally get the memberships anyway, but we just haven’t got round to buying them for 2022. So, happy days!” We also gave away two pairs of tickets to see comedian Ed Byrne at the Theatre Royal in St Helens. Neil Sayer from Pinfold Drive, also in Eccleston, won a pair

Jason Rigby

Thank you to all who entered.

Neil Sayer

Matthew Webster

the auction centre The leading Auctioneers and Valuers

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4th Wednesday of Every Month St Thomas Church, Peter Street, WA10 2EB 9.30 – 12 noon Check website for Details Call 01744 881 477 for more information

2nd Tuesday Of Every Month Purposed Life Church, Greenhough Street, WN1 3SU 12 noon – 2.30pm Check website for Details Call 01942 299 057 for more information

9 Berkeley Court, Manor Park, Runcorn, WA7 1TQ Telephone: 01928 579796 Email: enquiries@theauctioncentre.co.uk

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Choir Celebrates Members of the Haydock Male Voice Choir are excited to be entering their centenary year, starting on March 1.

LocalLife

Available whilst stocks last!

The group has come a long way since their inaugural rehearsal at the Haydock Conservative Club back in 1922, when just twenty local men turned up.

Pick up a FREE copy of Local Life magazine at these venues;

To kick the year off with a sense of occasion, a concert has been arranged to take place at the St Helens Town Hall on Saturday March 26.

Peter Street Library, Peter Street St Helens Library, World of Glass, Chalon Way

This concert will involve not only Haydock Male Voice choir but members from the Rossendale Male Voice Choir, as well as musicians from The Parr Band. It is certain to be an evening of excellence for those who enjoy high quality muscial entertainment. The concert begins at 7.30pm and tickets, priced at £8 per person, can be purchased by contacting 07890 023563. For more information about the concert or about how you can get involved with the choir, please call 01942 602856 or go online at www.haydockmvc.com

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Or sign up to read your copy online at:

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From make-up tips to haircare advice, these tips could make your life easier.

When you paint your nails, start from your little finger rather than your thumb. You’ll lower the risk of smudging your freshly painted nails.

Matte lipstick is on-trend but very unforgiving. Before using it, mix a dash of olive oil with half a teaspoon of brown sugar to treat your lips to a DIY lip scrub.

Clean your make-up brushes regularly with facial cleanser or a mild shampoo. Rinse thoroughly and leave to air dry.

4 5

Don’t test foundation on your hand – you won’t get a good colour match. Instead, try it on your jawline.

Wrap a small scoop of porridge oats up in a muslin cloth and tie the ends to secure. Drop it in your bath while the water is running. The oat oils work wonders on dry skin.

Leave at least a day between shaving/waxing and applying fake tan. Otherwise, you risk causing irritation and ending up with a patchy tan.

Not keen on heavily fragranced body oils? Switch to pure almond oil. Add a few drops of essential oil if you want a hint of natural fragrance.

Leave your facial cleanser to soak in for a few minutes before wiping it off. It’ll act as a mini face pack. This works particularly well with balm cleansers.

Apply eye cream with your ring finger. It’s the weakest so you’re less likely to pull at the skin. Dab (rather than rub) the cream in.

If you often forget to apply SPF in the cooler months, try swapping your foundation for a tinted SPF cream.

Hair feeling lank or lacklustre? Try switching to a shampoo that’s free from sulphates and silicones. Sulphates can strip hair of its natural, healthy oils, while silicones can build up over time and weigh hair down.

Put wet hair in multiple plaits before bed for easy curls the next day. Brush through if you want looser waves.

Freshly washed hair is harder to style. So if you have a big night out coming up, wash your hair the day before. It’ll then hold its style better for your evening out.

Rather than splashing out on expensive travelsized products (they can be more than double the price per ml), decant your usual products into small reusable containers.

Do you subscribe to Birchbox or a similar subscription box? Save the products you don’t fancy throughout the year. By Christmas, you’ll have a stack of cracker prizes and stocking fillers. You could even use them to fill a personalised advent calendar for a friend.

Skin and hair changes as we age, so what worked for you a few years ago may not be as effective today. Embrace the chance to try something new!

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Wide range of gift sets for Mothering Sunday – now available

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Family Fun Day It’s ten years since Greenslate Farm in Billinge opened as a Community Farm, and the members will be celebrating its 10th anniversary by holding a series of events throughout the year. The Farm has a long-standing reputation for staging vibrant, engaging community events, and members promise a return to those events now that Covid restrictions have eased. The first of these events is a Family Fun Day, which is being held on Sunday 10th April from 10 am to 4 pm. This will consist of an artisan market, an Easter Egg Hunt for the children, live music throughout the day and many more attractions.

snacks and wholesome meals will all be available at the Straw Bale Cafe and, of course, the donkeys and other animals will be welcoming visitors, just as they do every weekend. If you are a local person looking to sell your craftwork or produce at the Family Fun Day, or you’re a musician who could help to entertain the visitors, please contact the Greenslate Community Farm Community Nurture Team via patdavies99@icloud.com or bowyer21@hotmail.co.uk

Art Club Members of the St Helens Art Club would like to invite you to expand your creative horizons and join them at their weekly meeting. You don’t have to be a great painter and it doesn’t even matter if you’ve never picked up a paint brush before, just turn up and join in. The group meets every Saturday, between 10am-12pm, on the 2nd floor in the World of Glass Museum on Chalon Way in the town centre. For more information, please contact Peter Kennedy on 07552 314900.

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Easter Family Day

Billinge Picnic

Don’t miss the Easter Family Day being held at Haydock Park Racecourse on Saturday, April 16. Kids can enjoy bouncy castles, a helter skelter, an inflatable carnival, rodeo bull, face painters, a balloon modeller and more. Oh, and there’s some horse racing going on too.

Billinge Residents Association have secured a National Lottery grant of £1,250 to help throw a Picnic in the Park event on the Queen’s Jubilee weekend in June. Billinge Parish Council have also provided funding for the event.

The day runs from 11am-4pm and you can secure your tickets at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk

Stage & Screen Rainford Band will be performing music from stage and screen at a concert being performed at Rainford Village Hall on Saturday, March 26. The concert is being held in aid of the Rainford Parish Council’s Chairman’s Fund, which is, this year, to benefit the Rainford Heritage Society. Doors open at 7pm and the concert starts at 8pm. Tickets are £15 and you can buy yours by calling the Parish Council on 01744 884709 or emailing admin@ rainfordparishcouncil.gov.uk

You’re invited to bring along your own food and drink to Bankes Park for the event which will run between 1pm6pm on Sunday, June 5. The St Helens Concert Band will be providing muscial entertainment, and there will also be a childrens’ disco, craft stalls, a small funfair for children and various other attractions.

Organ Recital The Ormskirk Street United Reform Church will be awash with the sounds of music on Wednesday, Apil 6 when organist Peter Kwater delivers his Lenten organ recital. Tickets cost £10 per person, and this includes entry to the recital and a meal. The meal will be served at 12pm and the recital begins at 1.30pm. Tickets can be purchased from the Church office (WA10 2JZ ) between 9am1.30pm. For more information, please call 01744 28314 or email ormskirkstreet@outlook.com.

Business Boost St Helens Borough Council has teamed up with St Helens Chamber and Business Doctors, to launch a new Business Advocates initiative to help local independent businesses recover from COVID-19. Over the next three months, the Business Advocates will be visiting local businesses to understand issues they are currently facing, and providing support through an advisory service, training workshops and networking events. They will also host regular ‘open drop-in surgeries’ for businesses and host face-to-face seminars. Councillor Kate Groucutt, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Business, said: “Local independent businesses are the heartbeat of any town and district centre, and we recognise the difficulties they have faced during the coronavirus pandemic, which is why we have put a number of initiatives in place to support them during this tough time.” The Business Advocates will provide regular updates through their social media platforms and for more information on the project, please email businessadvocates@sthelenschamber.com

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The dangers of ultra-processed foods More than half the calories we eat in the UK now come from ultra-processed foods. But what does this mean for our health, and how can we cut back? Ultra-processed food is everywhere, and it probably makes up more of your shopping trolley than you’d think. The term is often used interchangeably with ‘processed food’ but they’re not the same. So, what exactly are ultraprocessed foods, how are they affecting our health and what can we do to cut back? Generally, most of the food we eat has been processed in one way or another. Milk is pasteurised to make it safe to drink, beans are dried and canned to extend their shelf life, and seeds are pressed to produce oils. However, this doesn’t necessarily make these foods unhealthy. Ultraprocessed foods, on the other hand, contain ingredients you wouldn’t typically find in your kitchen cupboard. Chemicals, colourings, sweeteners, preservatives – ultraprocessed foods are littered with them. Some of the foods that fall into this category are unsurprising. Crisps, fizzy drinks, biscuits and ice cream are all highly processed, but did you know that even breakfast cereals, white bread and ready meals are too?

It can be hard to detect highly processed foods, which unfortunately makes us even more likely to add them to our shopping basket. But what damage does this do to our bodies? Created to be convenient, cheap and tasty, ultraprocessed foods are typically high in sugars, refined grains, fats and salt. They also have very little nutritional value and are highly addictive, which explains why they’re so prevalent in our diets. They’re hard to resist! Recently, highly processed foods have also been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and even some cancers. As with anything though, moderation is key. There’s nothing wrong with a biscuit dipped in your cup of tea or a takeaway every now and again. The trick is to eat ultraprocessed foods as part of a healthy balanced diet. So, how can we limit the amount of highly processed foods we consume?

Check your labels One of the easiest ways to check whether a food product is highly processed is to read the ingredients list. A label full of long words you can’t pronounce is one sign that a food is highly processed. You can also check the Nutrition Information Panel to identify foods with high amounts of saturated fat, sugar and sodium (salt).

Find substitutes There are plenty of substitutes to ultra-processed foods on the market. Instead of crisps try low-fat popcorn, which is wholegrain and a good source of fibre. Swap sugary cereals for unsweetened oatmeal, and replace white bread with a homemade or granary loaf.

Cook more meals from scratch When you prepare a meal from scratch, you have more control over the ingredients you’re consuming. You can also pack in plenty of whole foods, such as vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains. Start compiling a list of quick and easy meal ideas to prepare when you’re feeling lazy. Salads, omelettes and stir-fries require little effort, and are super tasty too.

Be wary of false advertising Don’t be fooled by phrases like ‘fat-free’, ‘natural’, ‘no added sugar’ and ‘sugar-free’. Foods that are advertised as healthy often contain artificial ingredients or other chemical additives, such as artificial sweetener, which make them significantly more processed – and unhealthy – than they might first appear. Remember to check the ingredients list!

Keep healthy snacks on hand If you’re in a rush, grabbing a packet of crisps and a cereal bar on your way out the door is tempting. However, keeping your kitchen stocked with portable, nutritious snacks can make it much easier to make healthy choices on the go. Fresh fruit, unsalted nuts and hard boiled eggs are all good examples of simple but tasty snacks that’ll keep you energised throughout the day.

Take it slow If ultra-processed foods constitute a large portion of your diet, it’s a good idea to reduce your intake of these foods slowly at first. This is because going cold turkey increases your likelihood of craving the high-fat, high-sugar foods your body has become accustomed to. Plus, sometimes highly processed food is simply more convenient. Start by trying to enjoy one unprocessed or minimally processed meal a day, and gradually increase as you see fit.

The Chiropody Clinic S. Cunliffe & Associates Ltd Professional Podiatric care for your feet 1st Floor Woodside Health Centre Woodside Road Haydock St. Helens WA11 0NA 01744 416300

For appointments call 01744 416300 Or book online at:

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Art Springs Up This spring, a series of exciting new artworks commissioned by Heart of Glass will bring the streets of St Helens alive with colour and creativity as communities and artists make their mark on public spaces. As part of the collaborative arts organisation’s Arts Council funded Creative People and Places programme, several internationally renowned artists, supporting partners and residents will work together to create striking art pieces across the borough.

Angharad Williams, Head of Creative People and Places Programme at Heart of Glass said, “At Heart of Glass we believe art is for everyone and belongs everywhere. Through our CPP programme, and thanks to the artists, partners, and communities we work with, inspiring projects such as these create empowering cultural events that connect us all.”

Meanwhile, Arriva North West will give people from across St Helens the unique opportunity to experience ‘art on the move’ as its local buses are transformed with artworks made in collaboration with young people, members of Buzzhub St Helens CDP and the borough’s LGBTQI+ community. Finally, after the huge success of last year’s murals by residents and Nomad Clan in the heart of Parr, several further sites in the area will be transformed over the coming months.

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Shops QUIZ

What name would be used in the UK for what would be called an op shop in Australia and New Zealand?

2. The 2018 BBC TV documentary series Flatpack Empire went behind the scenes of which retailer?

St Patrick’s Parade The Brian Boru Club in Ashton are hosting their 36th annual St Patrick’s Day parade On Sunday, March 13. After missing the last two parades due to the pandemic, club members are determined to make this the biggest and best parade they’ve ever had. Members will be holding a St Patrick’s Mass from 12pm at the club on Bryn Street, followed by the parade around the town, leaving from Ashton market square at 1pm. You can enjoy the best craic in town with outstanding Irish entertainment, including the Liverpool Irish Pip Band, the Comhaltas musicians, Wet the Tea and Michael Coyne. For more information, please contact the club on 01942 7275376 or go online at www.brianboruclub.com

3. A

2021 Christmas TV advert for Tesco was cleared of causing widespread offence after over 5,000 complaints were made regarding a scene in which Father Christmas proves he is what?

4. In the film Notting Hill, Hugh Grant’s character owns a shop that sells what?

5. Which

well known retailer has a logo that features a yellow arrow going from the first letter in its name to the fourth to represent the wide variety of products it sells?

Earn extra

cash!

Local Life require distributors for the following areas; Eccleston

6. In January 2021, which online retailer bought

Eccleston Gdns, Prescot Rd & Freckleton Rd area

7. Specialising in home shopping, the letters in the

Roby Well Way, Ash Grove Cr & Elm Dv area

the Debenhams brand and website for 55 million pounds?

name of the company QVC stand for what three words?

8. In the Harry Potter novels, Ollivanders is a shop that sells what?

9. Which of the following retailers started life as a

“penny bazaar” in 1884, using the slogan “don’t ask the price, it’s a penny”?... a) John Lewis; b) Marks and Spencer; or c) Sainsbury’s?

10. In 2019, who launched an online shop called

Gross Domestic Product, with a disclaimer saying it “may prove to be a disappointing retail experience - especially if you’re successful in making a purchase”?

Quiz solutions can be found on page 80 of this magazine

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Increase your Sales in 2022! Did you know that Local Life delivers leaflets in the Wigan & St Helens areas for businesses & other organisations?

Mike Jones, the Organist & Choirmaster at Rainford All Saints Church, has been in touch with Local Life to appeal for new adult choir members for the choir. The choir currently has twelve juniors and a similar number of regular adults, and more adults are needed. Mike’s put together a little ditty to attract new members. We’d love you to join All Saints Choir, Whether your voice sings lower or higher, There’s plenty of space, If you’re an alto, tenor or bass,

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For further information, please speak to any member of the Choir or call Mike on 07939 304068.

Free Health Checks Garswood Pharmacy on Billinge Road in Garswood are now offering free blood pressure checks to promote healthy living to their patients. The checks will be free if you are aged 40+ and don’t currently have a diagnosis of hypertension. You will also qualify for the checks if you have a recognised family history of high blood pressure, or your GP had recommended blood pressure monitoring. To book your appointment please either call in to the pharmacy or call 01942 719879.

#OK2ASK

reach out to him, and they helped him get the support he needed.”

A free online course is being offered to St Helens residents in a bid to save lives and encourage people that it’s #OK2ASK.

To take the Zero Suicide Alliance free 20-minute training visit: www.zerosuicidealliance.com, or to learn more about how to intervene if you are worried that someone might be feeling suicidal, visit www.oktoaskcampaign.co.uk.

The Zero Suicide Alliance online course guides people how to have the vital conversation about whether someone is having suicidal thoughts and the next steps if they need the help. The course already has proven results in the shape of local resident, Frankie, who works for a charity in St Helens promoting healthy living activities and support services. Over the Christmas period, she was given the opportunity to save someone’s life via text message. Frankie said, “I’d received a text message from a man reaching out about support services in the local area, I felt in my gut from his texts that something was wrong. I’d taken the free training online, and I think the training is what had given me the confidence to dig a little further.” “I recognised triggers and I sent him information from the council’s #OK2ASK campaign, which listed support numbers such as the Samaritans. After becoming concerned I contacted Samaritans, and asked them to

Care for Children If you are a parent or already support a family with young children, then understanding how children develop is a great skill to have. The Adult Community Learning in St Helens has a free course available that will help you to hone these skills. Their ‘Working with Children’ workshop will introduce the course and the opportunities available, followed by a 12-week, Level 1 caring for children course. This will cover all aspects of how children learn, how different activities play an important role in development and will help you to develop an understanding of how learning development happens through play. For more information, please call 01744 676671 or email adultlearning@sthelens.gov.uk

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Labour of Love Thirty years ago this month, on Friday 13th March 1992 to be exact, approximately 600 miners reported for their last shift at Bickershaw and Parsonage Colleries, leaving just Parkside in Newton-le-Willows as the last pit standing in the Lancashire Coalfield. Parkside closed just a year later in 1993. Careful environmental management, along with Mother Nature, has hidden the black landscapes, spoil heaps and other excesses, and nowadays many residents enjoy the legacy of the Lancashire Coalfield by walking round the woodlands of Sutton Manor and Colliers Moss. Nowadays, the largest physical reminder of the Lancashire Coalfield is in Astley Green, a tiny village off the A580 near Leigh, which hosts the last surviving headgear and winding house in Lancashire at the Lancashire Mining Museum. The museum is on the site of the Astley Green Colliery, close to the Bridgewater Canal, and was opened in 1908 by Edward and Alfred Pilkington. Astley Green was finally closed in 1970 by the National Coal Board, who cited that the pit was uneconomic to operate. The headgear and winding house, both of which now have scheduled monument and listed building status, and since 1980, a group of dedicated volunteers called the Red Rose Steam Society Limited have run the 15 acre-site. Currently the site is a work in progress. The winding house is at the centre of the attraction, with many historic exhibits and visitors can also browse round the miner’s cottage, the vintage tea-room and ride the narrow-gauge railway. The museum also hosts an increasing number of events such as markets, Santa rides, a community bonfire, all of which raise the profile of the site and raise funds. You can check on future events on the Facebook page @ TheRedRoseSteamSocietyLtd1. The far-reaching vision for the Lancashire Mining Museum is illustrated in a five-year plan which is available on their website www.lancashireminingmuseum.org, but highlights include the creation of an archive and library centre, an heritage education centre, a Miners Memorial Garden and the creation of an underground experience.

Plans also include the opening up of the area between the site and the canal to facilitate tourism and to link up with other attractions, such as the historic Worsley centre, Spinners Mill in Leigh and the new RHS centre at Bridgewater. For the hardworking Red Rose volunteers, many of whom are retirees, developing the Mining Museum site has become a labour of love. Bidding for pots of money from various sources to fund restoration and development of the site has become an ongoing task, but if future plans come to fruition, the museum will become a fitting tribute to those miners who worked the Lancashire Coalfield. The Lancashire Mining Museum is operating on winter opening times until 31st March and is open from 1pm-4pm on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more details, visit the website www. lancashireminingmuseum.org

Peaky Blinders Fans of the hit show Peaky Blinders will recognise the backdrop of the museum site from series 4 – some dramatic scenes were filmed there. A Set Dresser for the show, Alan Shaw, came back after filming was complete to produce an amazing reproduction of a miner’s cottage, which is now used as a feature for the museum.

image credit: Dave Green

Billingers Boost for Willowbrook The latest annual social event by a Billinge group to raise funds for Willowbrook Hospice has raised over £2,400. In November, despite all the difficulties caused by the pandemic, the BOFFO group, together with St Mary’s social committee, held their latest event which packed St Mary’s Social Club to the rafters and a great night was had by all. This traditional autumn fund raiser at St Mary’s in Billinge was launched in 2005 by a group of villagers who wanted to mark the passing of Dave Gore, a musician in a local band, H & The Avons. Dave spent his last days in the Willowbrook Hospice and his friends felt the need to try and repay the hospice in some way for the wonderful care and treatment that Dave received. In 2017, the original fundraising group called it a day, and as a result, the BOFFO (Billinge Old Fellows Football Organisation) group took on the fund-raising activities. The group have continued with the autumn fundraiser along with other events, including charity bike rides from Leeds to Liverpool along the canal, and coast to coast

from Whitehaven to Newcastle. To date, it is estimated that since the concept of the idea for the fundraising night in 2005, the Billingers have raised over £57,000 for the Willowbrook Hospice. Pictured with the cheque are Roger Kirkby, Paul Cronin, Paul Webster, Father Paul Harris, John Moriarty, Stan Newell, Marcus Wright, Ged Kennedy and Dave Cairns.

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The sessions will take place weekly between 10am-12pm and cost £12 per session or £50 for 5 sessions. For more information or to book your child’s place please go online at www.myoutdoorclassroom.co.uk

Prescot Festival is holding a concert on Friday 18th March at Prescot Parish Church on Church Street (L34 3LA). A Night of Brass features a performance by Skelmersdale Prize Band, and the event is a fund-raising evening for this summer’s Prescot Festival. Tickets are £5 on the door, but please ensure you have the means to pay by cash. For more information about the event, email Laura l.j.bonnett@gmail.com.

New Mothers’ Plea

LIVE

MUSIC

Children will be given the chance to learn forest survival skills, make new friends, play in the woodlands and wolf down a few toasted marshmallow treats. Sounds like a perfect Saturday morning to us!

Night of Brass

Linkway West, St Helens, WA10 1NG

Access to

If your child likes to get out into nature and explore their surroundings, then we have the Saturday Social for you! My Outdoor Classroom will be running a Saturday group at Greenslate Farm in Billinge for children aged 4-11.

If you’ve had a baby in St Helens or at Whiston Hospital in the last 6 months, St Helens Maternity Voices Partnership would love to hear about your experience.

Michael Marke

They’re a group of families and health care providers who gather feedback from people who’ve used maternity services in St Helens. They use it to understand what’s good and where things could be even better.

£15 each

How was it for you? What was good? What could have been better?

from singer

To buy tickets,please visit willowbrook.org.uk/events or phone 01744 453798

Registered Charity No. 1020240

You can share your story via their online survey www. tinyurl.com/sthelensmvp1. Or if you’d rather talk it through in person, drop an email to sthelensmvp@gmail.com and the service will contact you to arrange a time to chat.

40 Porto design hinged door set in a RAL-painted finish in black. Urban Front: 01494 778 787; urbanfront.com.

First impressions count, so give some thought as to how you can transform your entrance with colour, hardware, lighting… or even a whole new door.

Front door painted in Lavender Quartz. Dulux: 0333 222 7171; dulux.co.uk/en/products.

It’s a welcome to visitors, the first thing that greets you after a hard day at work, and vital security that keeps out noise, draughts, intruders and the outside world in general. But is your front door up to scratch? Taking a long, hard look may reveal ways in which it, too, can be improved. Both practically and aesthetically, the difference can be remarkable. When choosing a replacement door (if, for example, your door has warped, rotted or shrunk beyond repair), you may wish to replicate exactly what was there before – or it may be possible to update it with something better. It’s important to get it right, as a great front door is an investment that could even enhance the value of your home; get it wrong, however, and the reverse could be the case. Start by researching styles to suit the period of your property, and consider what material will work best. Wooden doors are still the most popular, and are ideal for period houses, while uPVC is usually a cheaper option that can be complementary for modern homes. Aluminium, though expensive, combines strength and stability with a cool, industrial look.

Sometimes it may be appropriate to include some glazing with your new door – ideal for introducing extra light into a dark hallway. Consider whether you would prefer clear, frosted or perhaps even stained glass, depending on the overall style, how much privacy you require and whether security is an issue. Double-glazed, laminated glass is the best option to ensure intruders can’t gain access. Speaking of security, an upgrade to your locks may also be a good idea – check with your insurers, but a five-lever mortice is usually best for timber doors, while a uPVC door should have an anti-snap lock and multipoint locking system.

41 Any door should fit well within its frame, but it may still be an idea to improve its energy efficiency by adding seals around the edges, and a brush strip along the bottom. An internal letterbox flap or brush is also a great idea. Good lighting is vital for when you’re struggling to find your keys or simply need to see the front path on a dark evening. It should not be too difficult for an electrician to swap your existing light for a swanky new one – or perhaps a pair, one on either side of the door. Again, you will probably wish to coordinate your lighting with the architectural style of your property, whether it’s a carriage, lantern or bulkhead model, a decorative hanging pendant or a sleek and minimal wall washer. If possible, add a motion sensor and always ensure the fitting is suitably rated for safe exterior use. The fastest way to transform an existing timber door is to give it a fresh coat of paint. What colour? It’s a matter of personal preference, of course, unless limited by a planning restriction, but it’s always a good idea to try to coordinate the colour with the style of your property and to take account of local approaches. A garish pink in a historic terrace where everyone else’s door is neutral may result in some unhappy neighbours! Painting a door also helps protect it from the weather, so it’s important to do

Etch-effect house name with Edwardian text, from £45 per m2. Purlfrost Window Film: 020 8992 4024; purlfrost.com.

it properly. Start by washing it down with soapy water, and either remove or cover the hardware. Remove loose or flaking paint, fill any holes or cracks, and sand down. Use primer on unpainted wood, or undercoat on previously painted or uPVC doors – you may need several coats – then finish with a couple of coats of the final colour, in tough, exterior gloss. A lovely finishing touch is a brand new set of hardware – letter plate, knocker, knob and numbers, which are available in an array of durable styles. Provided you measure up correctly, it is surprisingly easy to swap them over for an instant refresh and smart new look.

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Wiggle & Giggle A local walking netball group has moved to a bigger location due to a growing demand. The ‘Wiggle & Giggle’ session has moved from Peter Street Community Centre to De La Salle High School in Eccleston to allow more court space for a growing number of players, and now runs from 5-6pm every Thursday. Walking Netball has been designed so that anyone can play it, whatever their level of ability and fitness. The ‘Wiggle & Giggle’ group, pictured here and led by Joan, promise a friendly welcome to newcomers, and do also provide opportunities to socialise off the court. Members of the group often meet for coffee, go for local walks and enjoy other social events.

If you’re interested, just turn up on the night or email Jewel Uchegbu, the Netball Development Community Coach for Merseyside at Jewel.Uchegbu@englandnetball.co.uk.

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Colour Your Home Happy Lift your spirits and freshen up your space by introducing bold, clear shades

Go for a tropical vibe with a bright and breezy accent lampshade, featuring abstract palm trees, a gold lining and looped fringing. Ravenala lampshade, £180, mindtheg.com

Use colour in unexpected places – such as on a staircase, dado rails or skirting boards. This cheering yellow makes a great contrast to a grey sofa that’s adorned with fun cushions. Harlow grey L-shaped sofa, £999.99, furniturechoice.co.uk

Choosing and using bright colours

This cool lamp, in a ‘mootard’ glaze, would liven up any desk, table or shelf.

• Choose shades that are fresh and clear rather than muted or muddy, and neither too pale nor too dark. Mid-spectrum brights such as sunny yellow, fuchsia pink, emerald green and brilliant blue will make your home sing.

Nellie table lamp, £112, with 35cm straight empire shade in Heraldic Ikat, £79, pooky.com

Replacing some cushions is one of the easiest ways to introduce personality and pops of colour. Combine plains with bold patterns for variety and interest. Jonathan Adler Milano Concentric Loops cushion in emerald/navy, £134, sweetpeaandwillow.com

Nothing beats a blanket or throw as an easy way to introduce fresh new colour, texture and pattern, whether over a sofa, chair or bed. Manhattan reversible super-soft merino lambswool blanket, from £150, thefinecottoncompany.com

• For this look, keep things simple with a backdrop of white or a pale neutral, which will allow you to experiment with adding pops of bold colour here and there as you wish. Some say it’s best to keep the area that’s covered by bold colours to around a quarter of the room at most, so as to let the eyes rest and not be overwhelmed. • Choose two, or maybe three, bold colours and add them in gradually – an accent sofa or chair, a cushion or throw, a vase or candlestick, and so on. Alternatively, make bold colour part of the architecture by painting or papering a feature wall, or even sections of woodwork. See how things look together, and move them around (or even take them out again) as necessary. • Lovers of pattern may feel confident enough to mix pattern-on-pattern with brights; most of us, however, will prefer to play a little safer and stick to plain colours plus the occasional minimal pattern. Simple geometrics look great with this look, and have a mid-century style that works really well.

47 Coloured glass is one of the prettiest things – and this delightful vase is very ontrend, since Pantone’s colour of the year 2022 is Very Peri, a dynamic violet-blue.

The smallest accessory in the right combination of colour and pattern can make all the difference, and a distinctive piece such as this terracotta vase, hand made in Portugal, is a great example.

Small cushion vase in amethyst, £27, dartington. co.uk

Tangerine Bold pitcher, £42.99, softstore.co

Bold colour probably won’t work all around the room, but used on a small section can create an eyecatching feature. Out of the Blue paint by COAT, £42 per 2.5l, coatpaints.com A sofa, chair or – in this case – loveseat can make a good focal point in a room, especially in a warming, bold colour such as this. The Rebel 1.5 Snuggler in marmalade velvet, £899, snugsofa.com

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Puzzle Pages CROSSWORD down 1.

Building for housing horses (6)

German submarine in World War II (1-4)

Frame supporting the body of a car (7)

Appear suddenly or unexpectedly (3,2)

Windlass used when weighing anchor (7)

Soft yellow substance secreted by aural glands (6)

Expert in art, food or drink (11)

14. Blue-flowered trailing plant (7) 15. Brilliant and showy technical skill (7) 16. Group of people assembled to sing (6) 17. Mary ___, women’s pentathlon gold medal winner in the 1972 Olympic Games (6) 19. Lofty nest of a bird of prey (5) 21. Mixture of rain and snow (5)

across 1.

Ornamental plaster used to cover walls (6)

18. Book of the New Testament (7)

Native North American tribe (6)

20. Long, narrow passageway (5)

Pear-shaped fruit with green skin ripening to black (7)

22. Measuring stick (5)

10. Writing material (5)

23. Small guitar with four strings (7)

11. Asian water lily (5)

24. Agitated (6)

12. Volatile liquid used chiefly as a solvent (7)

25. Insect which rests with forelimbs raised as if in

13. Narrow strip of rubber formed into a loop for holding

prayer (6)

objects together (7,4)

Wordwheel Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

target Excellent: 50 or more words Good: 43 words Fair: 38 words

I A

M T

WORDSEARCH

Fishing

SUDOKU

ANCHOVY

CUTTLE

HAG

SARDINE

BARRACUDA

DACE

HAKE

SHARK

BASS

DOLPHIN

HERRING

SKATE

BREAM

EEL

PIKE

SOLE

CARP

FLOUNDER

PIRANHA

TENCH

CATFISH

FUGU

POLLACK

TROUT

COD

GUPPY

SALMON

TURBOT

word LADDER Change one letter at a time (but not the position of any letter) to make a new word - and move from the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided.

LEAF

WIGGLE WORDS CLUE: The belief or hope that the third attempt at something will be successful. Trace a path through all the letters to find the word or phrase that fits the clue.

I M E M

T T S R

D H A A

R I C H

STEM

All the puzzle solutions can be found on page 80 of this magazine

Approaching Retirement? 5 Ways a Financial Planner can help. If you’re approaching retirement, you may be thinking about whether your pension pot and other investments are able to support your income needs. Here are five different ways that an experienced, well-qualified financial planner can help you to better understand and prepare for your retirement journey.

can be vital in helping you assess your investments and your risk profile and working with you to see whether your investment strategy needs to change.

They can help you understand what you want from retirement

If you draw too much of your pension too quickly, you may accidentally trigger additional tax charges. Once you turn 55 you can access your pension. Once you do, you can typically only take 25% of your savings tax-free, and the rest could be subject to Income Tax.

A planner will be able to help you work out your plans for retirement, whatever they are, and assess whether they are financially feasible. They can act as a sounding board for your retirement goals, and help you decide how to approach them. Whether you want to go travelling, pay off your mortgage, give money to your family, or look for ways to flexibly take income, your planner can be there to help you work it all out and plan with confidence. They can give you a greater sense of confidence and reassurance A common worry for retirees is that they might not have enough to live the lifestyle they want. Fortunately, a good financial planner like Callisto can provide you with a longterm written financial plan to help to reassure you that you have the money to achieve your financial goals. Tools like sustainable income planning software can help you to rest easy, knowing that you’ll have enough money to enjoy your future lifestyle. By mapping out your expenditure and income, a planner can make a reliable forecast and see how long it should last while enjoying the lifestyle you want. They can reassess your exposure to investment risk Throughout your investing life, you may have had a higher risk tolerance, and as you approach retirement you want the returns on your money to be a little more stable. Alternatively, perhaps you’ve always preferred to be safer with your investments, but your money isn’t growing at the rate you were hoping, and you may not have enough to see you through. In these cases, speaking to a planner

They can help you to draw your income in a taxefficient way

This could be an issue if you want to take a large amount from your pension in a lump sum and you may push yourself into a higher tax bracket paying more tax on your pension than you had initially thought. By working with a financial planner, you can avoid any potential tax implications and ensure that you get the most out of your wealth. They can help you with your estate planning Estate planning is one of the most difficult financial situations to prepare for, but a planner can help you take the steps needed to reduce your Inheritance Tax (IHT) bill and ensure your wealth is passed to those you want. While it isn’t easy to think about, it’s crucial to plan for. A good financial planner like Callisto will break down important considerations surrounding IHT and establish whether you’re likely to have an IHT liability that you could plan to legitimately avoid. From there, they may advise you to make gifts in your lifetime to reduce the overall value of your estate. They may encourage you to write or revise your will so that they know who you want your beneficiaries to be. Then they can work out a plan to taxefficiently manage your estate.

Andrew Platt CFPTM Chartered MCSI

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until age 55 (57 from April 2028). The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Your pension income could also be affected by the interest rates at the time you take your benefits. The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances, tax legislation and regulation which are subject to change in the future. You should seek advice to understand your options at retirement.

Planning for your future is hard if you don’t have the necessary financial expertise. Callisto Wealth Management will work with you to help you achieve your financial freedom as you approach retirement,

Take the first step today towards enjoying the rest of your life.

Call us on 01744 881421 to arrange a no-obligation consultation at our Rainford offices.

Callisto Wealth Management Ltd The Stables | Pasture Lane Business Centre | Pasture Lane | Rainford | WA11 8PU 01744 881421 www.callistowealth.co.uk enquiries@callistowealth.co.uk

Top five

Cruise

destinations

Is there anything more idyllic than waking on a cruise ship and drawing your blinds to reveal an endless expanse of ocean? Add in cocktails by the pool, daily entertainment and shopping galore, and you have all the ingredients for the perfect holiday. That’s not even touching on the destinations you stop off at along the way! From the Greek Islands to Scandinavia’s Norwegian fjords, cruises can take you all over the globe. To give you some inspiration, here are five of the world’s most popular cruise destinations for 2022.

The Norwegian Fjords If you’re more interested in adventure than sun, sea and sand, Norway’s dramatic fjords are sure to deliver. These narrow inlets make up the majority of the country’s northern coast and boast some of Scandinavia’s most exceptional scenery.

When Cruising is the choice, we have all the answers…

Exploring from a cruise ship promises to bring you close to Norway’s tumbling waterfalls and skyscraper cliffs; keep an eye out for rare seabirds and sperm whales if you’re lucky! Most cruises will also stop at remote fishing villages, where you can sample some of the freshest, most delicious seafood.

World Cruises ~ Ocean Cruises River Cruises

Independent Travel Specialist

Established Cruising Specialists since 1983 Call in now or contact us on

01744 893291

200 Main Street | Billinge | WN5 7PE www.markentravel.co.uk

The Greek Islands With more than 6,000 Greek islands peppering the Aegean and Ionian seas, it’s no surprise that islandhopping cruises around Greece are some of the most popular cruises around. This is a corner of the world made for exploring by ship. Start in Athens and spend your first couple of days exploring the capital before embarking on your journey. Top cruise destinations include Mykonos with its waterside cocktail bars and white-sand beaches, Rhodes with its Old Town and uninterrupted swathes of sand, and Santorini, where the sunsets are world-renowned. Many cruises will also take you to the archipelago’s lesser known islands too, Chania and Thessaloniki being good examples.

European Rivers For bags of culture, river cruising is a great option. Two popular cruising choices are the Rhine, which flows from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam, passing primarily through Germany along the way, or the stretch of the Danube between Budapest and Passau, Germany, that runs primarily through Austria.

A cruise here will make you feel like you’ve walked straight into one of David Attenborough’s documentaries. Sail past gigantic glaciers, snap photographs of sea lions from the ship, take a shore excursion to see brown bears and witness breaching whales; the cruise itineraries around Alaska’s largely untamed landscape are hard to beat. You can also expect visits to Alaska’s state capital of Juneau, only reachable by air or by water, Glacier Bay National Park, and Skagway, a compact city saturated with history from the Gold Rush era.

Cruises along the Rhine and the Danube meander through a mix of big city culture, small town sleepiness and a few stretches of genuine rural scenery. On the Rhine, the big cultural capitals are energetic Amsterdam and Cologne, with Strasbourg and Basel also included, whilst on the Danube, you have Budapest and Vienna.

The Caribbean The Caribbean’s wealth of white-sand beaches washed by turquoise seas make it an incredibly popular cruise destination for sun-seekers. Thanks to the islands’ close proximity, you could be snorkelling with turtles in Tobago one day and dancing to reggae beats in Jamaica the next. Although equally colourful, each island has its own distinct character, meaning there’s enough to please wildlife lovers, history enthusiasts, foodies and anyone who just wants to laze on the beach.

Alaska Coined ‘The Last Frontier’, Alaska is the USA’s most sparsely populated state – and its wildest.

Beautifully furnished

Stone Cottage Holiday Let

Situated near Sedbergh, in the Yorkshire Dales, and also within easy reach of the Lake District

– sleeps up to 4

Children & pets welcome

Call 01942 216 058

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West Lancashire Tailors ltd Serving the community for over 60 years

Great Dry-Cleaning Offers! 3 x Trousers: Only £15 2 x 2-piece suit: Only £20 10% off household dry cleaning

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Seared Lamb Fillet with Beans and Garlic Minted Dressing Serves 4 Prep time: 15 minutes Marinate: 1 hour or overnight Cook time: 50 minutes Succulent beef served with a delicious rich and tangy garlic and herb sauce makes a sensational feast. Any leftover meat can be served cold with salad the following day.

Ingredients 500g lamb fillet 1 garlic clove, crushed Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tbsp olive oil plus a little extra for frying 150g green beans or sprouting broccoli, trimmed 250g mixed green leaves, baby spinach or rocket leaves 150g cherry tomatoes, halved ½ red onion, finely diced Dressing 1 bulb of garlic Drizzle of olive oil 200g Greek yoghurt Handful of mint leaves 1 tsp honey or maple syrup 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Pinch of cumin ½ tsp Dijon mustard

Method 1. For the lamb, mix together the garlic, lemon zest, cumin and olive oil and rub over the lamb. Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight. 2. For the dressing, place the garlic bulb in a piece of foil and drizzle over a little oil. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Cool slightly then squeeze out the garlic pulp into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients for the dressing and blend together. Season to taste. 3. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7. Sear the lamb in a frying pan with a little olive oil so that it is brown all over. Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice thinly. 4. Blanch the beans or broccoli in boiling water until al dente, drain and refresh under cold water. Pile the green leaves on a platter and top with the beans, tomatoes and onion. Arrange the lamb on top and drizzle over the dressing to serve.

Nutritional information per serving: 437kcal, fat 33g (of which saturates 15g), carbohydrates 6.7g (of which sugars 5.7g), protein 28g, fibre 1.9g.

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New Year, Same You! Do you want to get fit in 2022? Local Life has teamed up with St Helens Borough Council to offer our readers the chance to win one of two 3-month Go Active Memberships! The Membership will include unlimited use of all Go Active facilities, including Newton-le-Willows Health & Fitness, Queens Park Health & Fitness and Sutton Leisure Centre. This membership includes access to two twenty-five metre swimming pools, a sauna and steam, two top of the range fitness suites, a Running Track, an Immersive Spinning Studio, Group Exercise Studios that are jammedpacked with a fitness timetable to suit everyone, off peak Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, … we’ve basically got everything you could ever want to keep fit at Go Active.

Jump from site to site and get fit with Go Active. F-I-T to F-U-N at Newton-le-Willows Health & Fitness, which is home to Willowbees Adventure Play, the biggest Adventure play area in the local area, with the Bees Knee’s menu, Costa Coffee plus tasty treats. So whatever floats your boat...the hardcore fitness class, a relaxing swim, or a game of squash. Try something new or rekindle a hobby you once had. Come and cycle out of this world with the digital cinema screen in the Immersive Cycling Studio and dance your nights away in our Group Exercise Studio.

You’ve got nothing to lose! Get entering NOW!

To enter the competition to win one of two 3-month Go Active memberships, simply visit our website, www.locallife247.co.uk, click on ‘free stuff’ and then on ‘competitions’ and then answer the following question:

What’s the name of the Adventure Play area at Newton-le-Willows Health and Fitness? The expiry date for the competition is midnight on Thursday 31st March 2022 and the winners will be notified within five working days. Entrants must be over 16 years of age. Only one entry per household. Local Life 247 cannot accept responsibility for entries that do not reach us. Employees of Local Life 247 Ltd and their families are not eligible to enter this competition.

60 KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE

Newsletter

You are invited to

Rainford Parish Council’s Jubilee Dinner

Parish Council Meetings Community Liaison Committee 02.03.2022 and 06.04.2022

Finance, Planning & Administration Committee 09.03.2022 and 13.04.2022

Saturday 28th May - 7.30pm Rainford Village Hall 3 Course Dinner Including Wine & Port Live Entertainment Black Tie/Evening Gown

Full Council 28.03.2022 and 25.04.2022 All meetings take place at Rainford Village Hall. Residents are encouraged to address members on matters of concern to them and are very welcome to attend meetings.

Further information is available on

the Parish Council website: www.rainfordparishcouncil. gov.uk

or from Sally Powell, the Parish Clerk: clerk@

rainfordparishcouncil.gov.uk

£40 per ticket To book your ticket call 01744 884709 or email admin@rainfordparishcouncil.gov.uk

01744 884709

Beer Festival You are invited to celebrate

Thanks to our sponsors and everyone who attended, the

H.M Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee

beer festival was a great success. One person commented

Royal Afternoon Tea with Prosecco Sunday 22nd May Rainford Village Hall £10 per adult / £5 per child Bookings start from 2pm To book your table call 01744 884709 or email admin@rainfordparishcouncil.gov.uk

that their only complaint was that it was only on once a year! Next year’s festival will take place 10 – 12 February 2023.

Upcoming Events at the Village Hall 26.03.2022 Rainford Band Concert for the Chairman’s Fund for Rainford Heritage Society 13.03.2022 Afternoon Tea for the Chairman’s Fund for Rainford Heritage Society 20.03.2022 Craft Fayre For further information and tickets contact admin@ rainfordparishcouncil.gov.uk 01744884709

Village Hall Restorations The emergency repairs have now been completed and an on-going programme of preservation works will be put in place as funds allow.

Local Elections – 5th May 2022 All the seats on the Parish Councils in the borough and St Helens Council will be up for election on 5th May. If you have a desire to improve life in Rainford, then this is your opportunity to actively do something about it and stand for Rainford Parish Council. Here is some further information about what’s involved:

How long does a Parish Councillor serve for? Once elected, Parish Councillors sit on the council for a maximum of four years. You can then stand for reelection, if you want to. You do not have to be connected to a political party to stand for election as a Rainford Parish Councillor, but if you are elected you will have to sign up to the Code of Conduct. The best way to find out what it’s like to be a Parish Councillor is to talk to someone who’s doing it now. Come

What is the Parish Council? Rainford Parish Council is the first tier of local government, and it makes decisions on behalf of residents who live in

along to a Rainford Parish Council meeting, or speak to one of our Councillors.

the Rainford parish. For this reason, it is a vital part of the

Preparation for Elections

Rainford community. St. Helens Borough Council is the

St Helens Borough Council are holding two sessions

next tier up of local government.

for those candidates and agents, who are interested in

Why become a Rainford Parish Councillor? Rainford Parish Councillors have the opportunity to influence decisions to help and support the people they serve. Seeing their community change for the better because of decisions they have helped to make, is something that gives Parish Councillors a sense of achievement and pride.

standing for elections at either Parish Council level or Borough Council level. The sessions will be held in Room 10 in St Helens Town Hall on 16th March at 5.30pm and 17th March at 10.30am. If you want to attend a meeting, either in person or virtually, email your intentions, along with your name and address, to elections@sthelens.gov.uk. The sessions will cover all you need to know about the elections, and nomination

What decisions does Parish Council make? It makes all kinds of decisions on issues that affect the local community. It can negotiate with, and has the power to, influence those other organisations that make wider decisions (such as the borough council, health authorities, police etc). The Parish Council gives the best reflection of how the community feels about something, and so its views are invariably taken seriously.

papers and registers will be available for collection.

Road Safety The battle with speeding drivers and badly parked cars continues. The primary schools are designing banners to go outside the schools to remind those dropping off and collecting that it is not OK to park on the pavement and yellow lines. Wheelie bin stickers showing the speed limit

How much time does it take up?

are available free of charge from the Clerk’s office at the

Rainford Parish Council usually meets once a month

Village Hall. These are particularly effective when lots of

in the evening.

Additionally, some Councillors also

households on the same street use them.

attend committee meetings. You may also be asked to

The speed watch volunteers are also out and about as

attend other meetings to represent the council, but such

often as possible.

meetings won’t happen every day, so it’s not going to take over your life! However, Councillors are expected to attend meetings and must give a valid and acceptable reason for being absent.

RAINFORD PARISH COUNCIL Rainford Village Hall, Church Road Rainford WA11 8HB

01744 884709 clerk@rainfordparishcouncil.gov.uk @rainfordvillagehall

@rainfordparishcouncil

Please drive safely in Rainford and park legally and with consideration for other drivers and pedestrians, particularly those who use wheelchairs and have pushchairs.

DICO CUM IGNIS

Billinge Beacon

Zero % increase in the Parish Council Precept for 2022/23 Parish Councillors were aware that removal of the energy cap and other cost of living increases would greatly impact on the income of Residents when they decided to not increase the Precept. The Chair of the Parish Council Cllr Dennis Mc Donnell praised the efforts of the Parish Council to control finances. The Parish Council is proud that over the last 12 years the Parish Precept has only had one increase. This has been achieved at the same time as the Council has managed to deliver high profile improvements in the Parish such as Community Allotments, Bridleway from near the Masons Arms to Carr Mill Dam and a new Public Hall & Community Centre.

School Crossing Patrol Service The Parish Council will also continue to fund 50% of the cost of the School Crossing Patrol Service for St Aidan & Chapel End Schools. This will help to keep the Service going and our children safe.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration Sunday 5th June 2022. Billinge Residents Association and the Parish Council are jointly working together to have a ‘Picnic in the Park’ (Bankes Park) on Sunday 5th June to celebrate. The plans are that the event will include Bands, DJ, Dancing, Displays, Stalls, Food & Drink, and Entertainers.

Flooding Inquiry The sad news is that exceptionally heavy rain 8th December 2021 saw flooding in Carr Mill Road near the East Lancs traffic lights, Merton Bank Road and Collage Street and by the evening Brownheath Avenue & Powell Drive, Billinge. Garden fences between Brownheath Avenue and Powell Drive holding back flood water gave way. For the first time in living memory residents were flooded out of four houses. This broke the hearts of those residents in the run up to Christmas. 23 residents attended the Parish Council meeting on 17 January to register their concerns about the flooding and to ask what action is being taken. The Chair of the Parish Council reported that he had attended Brownheath Avenue on the evening of the flooding and had received a report from the Commander of the Emergency Services that blocked water culverts had been found on land behind Brownheath Avenue. The Chair has reported the flooding to the Chief Executive Officer of St Helens Council and the Portfolio holder for Highways. St Helens Council Engineers have been tasked to identify the Landowner (where the culverts are) and gain permission to enter the site and inspect the culverts with a view to finding engineering solutions. The Parish Council will continue to monitor this issue.

New Clerk The Parish Council welcomed Hazel Broatch as the new Parish Clerk. Tel: 07483 325064 Email: clerk@billingeparishcouncil.gov.uk

Billinge Chapel End Parish Council The Public Hall, 216 Main Street, Billinge WN5 7PE The Parish Council next meets at 7.30pm on 21.3.22 and 11.4.22.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Caramel Tarts Makes 8 or 12 tartlets, or one 20cm tart Serves 8-12

Ingredients Pastry 200g gluten-free plain flour ¾ tsp xanthan gum 100g butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg Caramel filling 150g pitted soft dates, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained 40g maple syrup 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond nut butter 3 tbsp coconut oil 2-3 tbsp boiling water to blend 1 tbsp vanilla extract Chocolate Ganache 50ml double cream or coconut cream 200g dark chocolate chips

If you love Snickers this is the dessert for you! With a gorgeous caramel centre and topped with chocolate, this is a rich indulgent treat. For smaller portions, use a pastry cutter and line a 12-hole tart tin in the same way as if making jam tarts.

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas mark 5. 2. Make the pastry. Place the flour and xanthan gum with the butter in a food processor and whiz to form breadcrumbs. Add the egg and a little water, if needed for the mixture to come together, to form a moist, slightly damp dough. 3. Roll out the pastry between two sheets of cling film – this will make it easier to roll out. 4. Line either 8 individual tart tins or a 12-hole tart tin, or one 20cm / 8-inch fluted tart tin. Ideally use tins with removable bases to make it easier to remove the tarts when baked. 5. Prick the bases all over with a fork and line with baking paper, then fill with baking beans and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are just browning. Remove the baking beans and paper and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until golden brown all over. Cool completely before using. If using a 12-hole tart tin bake them for around 5-10 minutes until golden. 6. To make the caramel filling, simply place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to form a thick paste. 7. Spoon the caramel into the tart cases then chill for 1 hour to firm up. 8. Place the cream and chocolate in a small saucepan and warm gently. Beat well until the chocolate has melted and you have a thick ganache. 9. Pour the chocolate over the caramel filling and place back in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

Nutrition per serving (one tartlet of eight): 470kcal, fat 30g (of which saturates 19g), carbohydrates 42g (of which sugars 24g), protein 7.6g, fibre 2g Nutrition per serving (one tartlet of twelve): 314kcal, fat 20g (of which saturates 13g), carbohydrates 28g (of which sugars 16g), protein 5.1g, fibre 1.3g

Cheshire Castles by Chris Pearce Distance: 4½ miles Difficulty: Easy When choosing Jack’s Tracks to feature in Local Life, we usually opt to choose the Lancashire area, often to the Trough of Bowland or the West Pennine Moors. However, Cheshire has its fair share of notable walks too, and it’s there that we turn to this month for the Cheshire Castles walk.

Leave the main car park opposite the castle entrance, turn right, and head up the footpath between the castle wall and the overflow car park. Stay left at first as you enter the pine woods, and the path eventually drops to Tattenhall Lane, from where you can see Peckforton Castle in the distance.

At just over 4½ miles, this walk takes in two very different castles. Peckforton Castle was built in the 1840’s by the Tollemache family within their 36,000 acres of Cheshire countryside. It’s now best known as a hotel/wedding venue and features regularly on TV shows such as Cheshire Housewives.

Turn left on the road, and after a few yards you’ll pass Tabernacle Cottage; at this point turn right on a footpath. Follow the footpath into the distance until you come to a stream. After you cross the wooden bridge, the path splits. Follow the path denoted by the ‘S’ marker, which heads away from the stream through a field towards Peckforton Castle.

But we start the walk from the car park at nearby Beeston Castle (CW6 9TX). Beeston Castle was built by Ranulf, the 6th Earl of Chester in the 1220’s, and the castle ruins and the woodland park are now looked after by English Heritage. Members of English Heritage can use the car park free, otherwise the cost is £3.

After 200 yards, the path splits again; go right through the steel gate and head towards the black and white timber framed houses in the distance. When you exit the field by the houses mentioned, turn right down the single-track lane (Horsley Lane) for 240 yards.

65 Elevation

For those with the OS Maps app on your desktop,

150m

mobile or tablet, this walk is named: JT-Cheshire-Castles

Lowest 64m

100m

Highest 173m

https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/11130280/JT-Cheshire-Castles

Total ascent 139m

50m 0.0km

2.0km

4.0km

6.0km

7.5km

Beeston Castle

Castlegate Farm

Ta tte nh

all La ne

Castleside Farm

Ettley Hill

Peckfo rton Ro a

Beeston

Gregory’s Wood

Crimes Brook

st on

eT ra i

Moathouse Farm

Hor

sley

River Gowy Lan e

Peckforton Castle (Hotel)

Willis’s Wood

The Table Rock Peckforton Mere

Pennsylvania Wood

n ouse La

Stone H

Stanner Nab

Way ury

isb Edd

k rac

Bar

s La

ne Hill La

Higher Burwardsley

Peckforton

Waste Hill Peckforton Hall Lane

66 Just past Ivy Cottage, there’s an entrance on the left to the Peckforton Estate. Take this path, again denoted by the ‘S’, and after a bit of a climb, the path flattens out and you’re treated to great views over the Cheshire plains. Eventually you’ll arrive at a junction by a black barrier – take the path that goes straight on. A little further on, the path forks; take the lower path that is denoted ‘Cheshire East’ and head downhill. You’ll exit the woodlands shortly afterwards and head uphill on a quiet single-track road, which merges into Pennsylvania Lane. Pass the Pheasant Inn and then turn left at the crossroads into Fowlers Bench Lane. 40 yards further on and you’ll take a left into Rock Lane. Rock Lane forks shortly afterwards; take the right fork and follow this single-track road for over half a mile. You’ll pass a barrier as the road becomes a path going through woodlands, which eventually bears left as you reach a disused railway bridge. Once you’ve passed under the bridge,

carry on down the cobbled lane heading towards a barrier. Forty yards on from the barrier, take a left turn by the yellow salt bin and then, ten yards after the turn, look up and take the path on the right that’s on a higher level. Follow the path downhill, over the stile and directly through the next field until you reach a stone stile that takes you down to Stonehouse Lane. Turn left and follow the road for ¾ mile past the grand entrance to Peckforton Castle until you reach a T-junction. Bear right onto Peckforton Road and follow the road for a further 1/3 of a mile into Beeston. Turn left at the Smithy Cottage into Tattenhall Lane, and then turn right 100 yards later into Chapel Lane. Follow the road uphill and round a right-hand bend and you’re back at your starting point. Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the walk is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause.

Greenfingers… the Alan Titchmarsh column He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about how our gardens can move us to a place of peace. While gardens mean different things to all of us, it’s when I venture into these tranquil spaces that I truly get a sense of their calming and healing power, and I find that hugely enriching. Most gardens and landscapes naturally come with a real feeling of gentleness – from the choice of flowers and plants, to gentle sweeps and curves that guide the eye onwards, to a softness and subtlety that may be a world away from some of the physical or emotional struggles we are going through; and I feel it is this dramatic contrast that really transports someone back to a place of comfort, even if just for a little while. What is also really important for me when I visit gardens at hospices and hospitals, is the reminder that these spaces are not just for those who are residents. They also give hope, clarity, peace and a sense of calm to visiting families and, most importantly, the people who work there. Certainly, with everything that has happened over the past couple of years with Covid, and the realisation that we need to consider and protect workers and staff who look after us, I would like to think those on the frontline can wrestle back their own sense of contentment when soaking up the fresh air and beauty of a garden, where they can move away from a job that’s very hard and emotionally draining.

I would like to see more attention given to gardens and outdoor spaces in our health institutions, and in workspaces in general. They are more important than we imagine. Simple sweeps of flowers, plants and foliage are inspiring; the sight of an olive tree can move our minds to far-off places; and we all know how calming a cascade of water can be. It’s all very peaceful and there’s nothing complicated or frenetic. Gardens are evolving, living things that are always changing – in fact they’re much like us in that respect! For me, on those days where I feel everything’s a bit fraught and frantic, and when I just can’t get to grips with anything, I go to sit in the garden or potter about to find myself, and it really works! Life is a compromise, and you can’t always be on top of things, but gardens truly prove to me the healing qualities that exist within nature, and we’re so fortunate to have them.

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What is the new

Range Rover up against?

The new Range Rover has arrived, bringing with it a predictably luxurious take on the SUV recipe. Packed with technological advancements, the new Range Rover looks set to be the most futuristic to date, while a series of plug-in hybrid powertrains – alongside traditional petrol and diesel options – means that it’s more electrified than ever. But the Range Rover’s job isn’t an easy one. There are more rivals for it than ever, so let’s dive in and check out what this latest Range Rover is up against.

BMW X7 The X7 sits at the top of BMW’s SUV range, effectively sitting as a high-riding version of the firm’s luxurious 7 Series saloon. It’s a hard car to miss, too, with its ultra-large front kidney grilles giving it a whole lot of presence out on the road. It’s also got space for seven, so it does have a focus on practicality, too. With a huge amount of interior space, it’s a really comfortable choice for longer journeys.

Bentley Bentayga The Bentayga has proved to be a real hit for Bentley, encapsulating the luxury feel of the firm’s saloon and coupe models but in a high-riding SUV body style. Much like the new Range Rover, it’s available with a traditional petrol engine but also a plugin hybrid option, giving zero-emissions running at lower speeds. Bentley recently added a more sporty ‘S’ version too, kitted out with a powerful 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8.v

Audi Q8 Though we could opt for the popular Q7 in this list, it’s the Q8 that stands out in Audi’s range of SUVs. Bringing a coupe-like design, the Q8 looks truly futuristic on the road, with its full-width rear light bar giving the car a really cool appearance at night. It’s just as futuristic inside, too, with a good range of materials ensuring that the Q8 feels particularly upmarket.

Aston Martin DBX Aston’s first SUV – the DBX – has really made waves, delivering a sporting driving experience alongside a level of quality that you’d expect from the firm. Both comfortable and involving, the DBX is a car capable of making a twisty road fun while also taking the backache out of longer journeys. It’s also got a design in keeping with the rest of the Aston Martin range, while a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine means it’s got the performance to match, too.

Home Services

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Outdoor Adventures Spring Cleaning Your Home’s Exterior

In your home, you’ll realise when maintenance jobs need doing and rooms need cleaning. But particularly during the winter months, any deterioration to the outside of your property is likely to go unnoticed until the brighter spring days.

The Roof If any part of your roof is north facing, near trees or both, you are very likely to see a build-up of moss. This is not only unsightly, it’s not good for your roof and the moss is likely to block your gutters too. If your roof is at a low level or can be accessed from an upper window, gently brush the surface to loosen the build-up. Generally though, unless you happen to own the specialist equipment to ensure you are safe on a roof, this really is a job for the professionals.

The Gutters Some debris in your gutters will get washed away and will mulch down, but more often it’ll just build up. If your gutters are overflowing every time it rains, you are going to need a long ladder and a pair of thick rubber gloves to clear the slimy mess. A professional will have a camera on a pole to see where the worst spots are and to help them clear out all the winter debris. Ask about having gutter guards fitted, too to help prevent future build-ups.

Facias and Soffits There are two options if your facias and soffits look tatty and the paint is peeling: repainting is lower cost but it won’t last that long and is fiddly to do; replacement facias

and soffits are made of uPVC and will last for years. It’s well worth considering replacing the guttering at the same time.

Pathways The inexpensive way to clean your path is a bucket of water and a stiff brush. Alternatively, a jet washer is very thorough and reasonably affordable, although you only need to use it once or twice a year. This is a job you can do yourself, but it’s blooming hard work! You will get quite a workout controlling the pressure washer hose or sweeping a brush.

Windows This is another one of those jobs that is hard work and while it’s easy to access the inside of your windows, the upper floor of the outside is much more difficult. Furthermore, a one-off clean is not enough – you are looking at your windows all the time so you’ll notice them getting dirty again within a month or two. It’s better to have a regular arrangement with a cleaning company who will usually have a pole system to reach the heights. They normally use purified water, meaning that the windows dry sparkling clean.

In Summary There are many jobs around the home that you are probably capable of doing yourself to save the pennies. But these external tasks don’t need to be done very often and a specialist will have the equipment, the safety training and the insurance to do the job efficiently and quickly.

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Our Focus Is Quality & Price Est. 1985

Roofing & Roofline Specialist From a Loose Slate to a Complete Construction LOCAL FAMILY FIRM

Extensions & Alterations Specialists

All aspects of Building & Roofing UPVC Rooflines References Available

• All aspects of maintenance & repair • Fascia & soffit installation

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Huge range of colours & patterns • Resin Driveways • Block Paving • Indian Stone • Flagging We can also revive your old drive! Ask about our sealing service

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01942 621 959 07867 697 972

www.jjdriveways.co.uk

10 year guarantee on all sealed units

We also replace;

01695 633173

4 Door locks & door lock mechanisms

Colin: 07958 302 166 Brian: 07760 160 988

4 Window locks, hinges and handles

www.wilson-bros.co.uk

For Fast Efficient Service Call;

01744 810000

www.northwestwindowrepairsltd.co.uk

13 Hawes Ave, Carr Mill, WA11 7EA

Imprinted Concrete Specialists

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Come and visit the largest showroom in the North West Quality installations of windows, doors, fascias, soffits and gutters First for quality First for service First for reliability No contractors No salesmen Just a smile and a honest price from a family run business

Transform your conservatory into a home office

NEW Generation Rockdoor now available

SISTER COMPANY OF FOXWELLS BUILDERS Established since 1999

Call us for a Free Quote Office Number: 01942 871 777 Victoria Industrial Estate, Victoria Street, Leigh, WN7 5SE warmlightwindowsltd.co.uk • info@warmlightwindowsltd.co.uk

Representative example: Total cash price £1164, deposit £0, amount borrowed £1164 over 12 months. 12 monthly repayments of £97. Interest rate 0%. Total repayable £1164. Credit is subject to the lenders T&C. Warmlight Windows, Doors and Conservatories Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN 7700524. We are a credit broker, not a lender and have a facility with one lender.

Tomorrow’s Home Improvements Today!

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Don’t just lock it, Rock it!

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Visit our showroom/factory at; Crows Nest, Ashton Road, Billinge, WN5 7XX (near Windy Arbour crossroads)

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