Local Life - St Helens - October 2015

St Helens Edition

October 2015

John and Joan’s

star turn Local News Food & Drink Jack’s Tracks Health & Fitness What’s On Garden Diary... www.locallife247.co.uk

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Take a break from cleaning

Banging the

drum

A

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ge teaches you many things. Mostly that your parents were right all along, grey hair is inevitable and that every New Year diet lasts just three days. It also teaches you not to take things for granted. As a youngster, I did many activities which I now realise were run purely because some kind soul gave up their spare time.

I remember my old footie club manager Tommy. He was married, had kids and worked full time. Yet was always there to take us for training on a Wednesday evening and then stand on the sidelines on a bitter Sunday morning when staying in bed with a cuppa and the papers would seem an eminently more pleasurable prospect. It’s only now I realise the sacrifices made by people like Tommy, so it’s always nice when, through the pages of this magazine, we can throw the spotlight on other unsung heroes.

This month, we interview John and Joan Henderson who have given over 80 years between them to St Helens Concert Band. Since the early 1970s, this husband and wife team have given up thousands of hours of their own time to support youngsters.

There’s little doubt that without people like them, the band would not be around today.

The pressures of modern life mean that it is not easy to volunteer if you are in full-tiime work, but if you can spare a few hours, there’ll always be an organisation somewhere glad of your help.

Please call for more details or visit our website

01744 410 841 0800 043 0722

David Sudworth - Editor

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Cleaning St Helens since 2006

Next issue - November 2015

Advertising deadline - Tuesday 20 October Published - Friday 30 October

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In this issue Doddy wants

Currying

you!

favour

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40

The beat goes

Jack’s

on

Tracks

34

50

Lamb

Volvo V60

blanquette

Hybrid

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53

Regulars 24 Class from the past 32 Puzzle Corner

Publisher: Chris Pearce

chrisp@locallife247.co.uk

Sales: Clare Glover, Nicola Gray sales@locallife247.co.uk

44 Eating out guide 45 What’s On

Sections

Editorial: David Sudworth editorial@locallife247.co.uk Design: Peter Bretherton

design@locallife247.co.uk

Distribution: Sally Boon

sallyb@locallife247.co.uk

Accounts: Sam Garrahan accounts@locallife247.co.uk

6 Local News 24 Education

53 Motoring 56 Gardening

38 Food & Drink 45 Leisure

57 Home Services

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Scrum on down

Have your say

Portico Vine Amateur Rugby League Club now have new facilities thanks to a public vote. The Scholes Lane outfit won nationwide competition hosted by radio station Talksport to renovate their broken changing washrooms and disabled facilities. They now have newly refurbished disabled toilet facilities, updated and modernised male and female toilets and washing facilities, and a new disabled access ramp. The makeover prize will also help the club to start a disabled fitness club and a tea club, as well as wheel chair rugby. The works were carried out by 20 young volunteers, including members from the club, the National Citizens Service, the Volunteer It Yourself project and Wickes DIY store.

Have your say on local policing in Rainhill and Eccleston at two meetings. Officers will be on hand to listen to your views on Wednesday, October 14, from 7.30pm-8.30pm at Rainhill Village Hall, Dane Court. And on Friday, November 20, they will be in Eccleston at the library, on Broadway, from 2pm3pm. All welcome.

Club chairman Andy Conor said: “We’ll now be able to welcome a wider, more diverse range of people into our club thanks to this renovation, and are looking forward to seeing the positive effect that this has on new and existing members.”

Art group invite The Jim Macklin Art Group meets every Thursday from 10am-noon in Prescot Parish Church Hall.

Members enjoy water colour painting, acrylics, pastel work and sketching. The cost is £3 per session, and to join, simply call in or email janetneill@talktalk.net

Prescot Chiropody Clinic

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Station axe

meeting

Public meetings will take place over plans to close Eccleston Fire Station.

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is holding three events at Cowley International College, St Augustine’s High in Blackbrook and St Helens Town Hall over the controversial proposals, which are aimed at plugging a £6.3m funding gap.

The 12-week consultation process finishes on October 25, and fire chiefs want the public’s views on whether they should close Eccleston Station, on Millfields, and the current St Helens Station, on Parr Stocks Road, in order to build a new, combined station at Canal Street, St Helens, which is currently part of the Pilkington Glass site.

The other option is simply to close Eccleston’s

station and keep the current St Helens Station building. However officials warn this could mean the average response time to a life threatening incident in the Eccleston area would increase to 6 minutes 44 seconds.

The Cowley International College meeting is on Tuesday, September 29, from 6.30pm at the Hard Lane, St Helens, venue.

On Thursday, October 1, the meeting moves to St Augustine’s, on Boardmans Lane, starting at 6.30pm.

And the final meeting is on Tuesday, October 6, at 6.30pm in St Helens Town Hall, Victoria Square. For more information, visit ww.merseyfire.gov.uk or write to St Helens Consultation, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Bridle Road, Bootle, L30 4YD.

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Angela says farewell to Oddfellows St Helens and Warrington branch of the Oddfellows Society held a garden party to say farewell to their local events organiser Angela Smith - and raised over £130 for their nominated charity in the process! The local branch is part of a not for profit society which dates back to 1810 and has 280,000

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Doddy wants

you!

Ken Dodd has pitched in to help St Helens’ famous Theatre Royal - and now you can do the same!

The Knotty Ash funnyman answered a plea from the Friends of the Theatre Royal Group to have his name inscribed on a seat in the auditorium in return for a £100 donation. The Friends group launched the project, which is open to all, to help raise money for the grand old building.

Enid Pennington, chairman of the Friends, explained: “We need to raise the money to sort out damp which is present in the Slipper Bar. It is hoped that a gents toilet can be altered to a ladies toilet but this cannot go ahead until the dampness has been eradicated. So we we have reintroduced a

scheme whereby members of the public can contribute £100 and have their name, or the name of a loved one, put on the back of a seat in the theatre.

“Ken Dodd has helped us in the past and he is just one of the people who has contributed to this.”

If you are interested in being part of the scheme, or want to become a Friend of the theatre for £5 a year, call Enid on 0151-426-6180 or email epennington18@googlemail.com

Rainhill Garrick Society presents...

‘Round and Round the Garden’ a funny-chaotic-family weekend

by Alan Ayckbourn Directed by Rosetta parker

Showing on 15th, 16th, 17th October 2015 Ticket prices adults £6 Concessions £5 7:30pm start (Doors open at 7 o’clock)

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Pick n’ Mix

D

id you know that whilst the average size of a family home has shrunk by over two square metres over the last decade, the number of bathrooms per home has actually increased?

After

Before

Yes, we all love an extra bathroom or two don’t we? Research from Prime Location has found that house buyers want an average ratio of at least two bathrooms for every three bedrooms. Which is all well and good, but what happens when the bathrooms need replacing?

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After

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Their mission is to delight you with a luxurious bathroom that’s as good as new, for a fraction of the price of a new bathroom. You could have a nice holiday with the money you save!

Their classic restoration service is exactly that – a deep clean and restoration service where silicone and grout is stripped and replaced, tiles and other areas, such as shower screens, are subject to a deep clean which brings them up to a good as new condition. Total Bathroom Restoration reckon to extend the life cycle of your bathroom for a minimum of 7 years.

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However, Total Bathroom Restoration goes one step further by giving customers the option of replacing new taps right through to the latest high quality performance shower wall and wet walls (see pictures). No more grouting projects on your To Do list! New flooring, ceilings, lighting, shower Screens /Cubicles and Enclosures are all possible options.

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With 60% of Brits showering daily, a popular option for Total Bathroom Restoration is a complete or partial re-vamp of a shower area, using any combination of high quality wetwall panels, new trays, wipe-clean UPVC ceilings, flooring, lighting, shower screens or cubicles.

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Lipreading classes Free lipreading classes are now available at Chain Lane Community Centre on Hinckley Road, St Helens. The new term got underway recently but places are still available at the Hear Here Project, which meets on Thursdays from 10am-noon and then from 1.15pm to 3.15pm. For further information or to book your place please contact Alison on awareing@nugentcare.org or mobile 07717 788457. Alternatively, call Graham on 0151 261 2051.

Dive right in!

Whiston & Prescot Sub Aqua Club is offering free ‘have a go’ try dives. The organisation, which has

been providing scuba diving training for over 40 years, meets every Wednesday at Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park, Longview Drive, Huyton L36 at 9pm.

For more information, visit www.wapsac.org.uk

Fuel bills help A scheme to cut utility bills for locals is returning for its fifth round. Merseyside Collective Switch has so far helped around 10,000 people save an average of £268 each. Collective switching works by asking people to register their interest and using that collective buying power to negotiate an exclusive tariff from energy suppliers. To join, register online at www.LCRenergyswitch.co.uk or call the local Save Energy Advice Line on freephone 0800 043 0151.

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Match of the

day

A St Helens e-cigarette retailer is set to continue its sponsorship of the town’s football club.

Eciguk’s brand will adorn St Helens Town FC’s kit, club website, social media and matchday programme.

A spokesman for Eciguk St Helens, based on George Street, said: “Our store was opened in October 2012 and we have built a strong customer base.”

John McKiernan, chairman of St Helens Town, said: “It’s fantastic for the club to be able to retain such a sponsorship deal from a local company of the calibre of Eciguk St Helens.”

It comes as Public Health England revealed its broad support for e-cigaretttes as an aid to helping smokers kick the habit.

They say, according to research, the health risks are small compared to tobacco use.

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Death debt

worry

Grieving St Helens families are turning to loan sharks in order to give their loved ones ‘a good send off’.

That’s one of the findings from a report into the growing issue of funeral poverty in the area.

Talks with St Helens borough funeral firms also revealed that some are being forced to instruct debt recovery agencies because of non-payment, while others cite slow payments from the Department of Work and Pensions as a concern.

Elsewhere, the report reveals that St Helens Crematorium is the 20th cheapest and 37th busiest in the country, with 2,360 cremations a year.

St Helens Council’s Environment, Regeneration, Housing, Culture and Leisure Overview & Scrutiny

Panel’s paper said: “From our review it’s clear that there is an increasing problem, locally and nationally with funeral poverty. People are getting into debt to provide ‘a good send off’ for their deceased loved ones and maybe even borrowing money from unscrupulous sources such as loan sharks. It is anticipated several local funeral directors would like to work with the council in supplying funerals at a reasonable cost. This procurement process is an ongoing and lengthy process. Publicity of the new scheme would further enhance the service and inform the residents of St Helens of their choices.“

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Loyola Hall

fears

Talks are being planned over the future of a historic Rainhill building.

Concerned villagers packed out a public meeting recently at St Ann’s Millennium Centre, View Road, to discuss the fate of Loyola Hall.

A residents’ steering committee is now hoping to arrange a meeting with its owners, The Society of Jesus, more commonly referred to as the Jesuits, to see what their future plans are for the Warrington Road facility, which closed last year.

Built by local landowner Bartholomew Bretherton in 1824, it is considered one of the most important religious sites in the area. The Jesuits say that as a charity they are obliged to sell it at the market rate, but that may change if it goes to an organisation with similar aims and objectives.

The residents’ steering committee are now asking anyone with experience in planning rules, building conservation and development, and environmental protection to get in touch. Visit www.facebook. com/groups/FriendsofRainhill.Loyola.Hall/

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Pitch

perfect?

Live music and boxing matches could soon be coming to Saints’ Langtree Park stadium.

Officials are asking St Helens Council for the OK to host events other than rugby at the ground, on McmManus Drive.

In papers lodged with the council, St Helens Rugby Club say they have no intention of holding music events after 11pm, and predicted noise disturbance in nearby streets fall well within the maximum

levels. And in a letter from the club’s chief executive Mike Rush, he has asked the council to extend the current car parking agreement between the two parties whereby town centre car parks would be made available for all events where necessary.

A final decision is due soon.

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Look up! And get

more space

at home for just

£287

+ VAT

We’d all like more room at home. But not everyone can afford to move or extend. So what if there was a way to get extra space for just a few hundred pounds, ready to use in less than a day? In truth, that space is already there.

It’s just not being used to its full potential.

For most, the loft is a dark and dingy place visited on rare occasions; a precarious scramble across dusty beams with torch in hand, grabbing what’s needed then clambering back past boxes filled with long-forgotten belongings. But that dark and dingy place is worth thousands. In fact, it takes up a third of the floorspace in an average home.

Storage space that can be quickly and easily accessed can be really valuable to homeowners who now need the spare bedroom for a new arrival, or who find getting the Christmas tree down each year just a little bit harder. So shouldn’t we be making the most of that space over our heads ?

And that’s where More Than Loft Ladders (MTLL) comes in. Founded in Bolton six years ago, MTLL specialises in generating space by making our lofts easily accessible. The latest MTLL franchise to open covers the St Helens area and is run by skilled local, Paul Langley, who says the company’s no-frills approach is what most people are looking for.

“We’re not selling £15,000 loft conversions,” says Paul. “This is a low-cost and simple solution that’s affordable to most, and certainly more cost effective than locking your possessions away in a remote warehouse. For just £287+VAT you can get a ladder that slides easily up and down, as well as a proper light and some boarding to make the space safe and secure. We can also fit a draft-proof loft hatch if required from only £55.”

The price customers are quoted is the price they will pay, with no additional call out charges. Paul provides a free guarantee on all parts and labour and the quality of the work is monitored independently by the Guild of Master Craftsmen. Already a trusted name in the North West, over 2500 homeowners have enjoyed the benefits we offer, with more having the work carried out every day.

There are a range of packages available to suit all pockets – so whether you just want a ladder installing or you want ladder, boarding and light, call More

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My wife is also very impressed with how clean and tidy you all left the place too. I will have absolutely no hesitation in recommending your services to anyone!!!

Darren & Jenny - Stockton Heath

Than Loft Ladders now for a free survey and quotation with no obligation.

Call 0800 03 59 880 or visit the website at www.morethanloftladders.co.uk What our Customers Say; I just wanted to say a massive thanks to you and the guys from More Than Loft Ladders for the wonderful job you have made of our loft today. What had been a dirty and unusable space for the last 10 years, is now light, safe and absolutely HUGE!!

Paul and Simon have this week extended my loft opening, boarded my loft and installed a loft ladder. Just a run of the mill occurrence for some but I live in a tiny terraced cottage, over 160 years old with a really shallow loft you can only stand up in one place and with an opening that has to come into my bedroom because there is no landing area. I didn’t think it could be done, but they have and I now have a home for the suitcases, Christmas tree and decorations and any number of other items I don’t really need.

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Food for

thought

A 7% drop in St Helens primary children taking free school meals has hit school funding, say education chiefs.

Figures show that since last autumn, the proportion of infants having a subsidised hot meal fell from 87.75% to 84.73%. Town hall bosses say that because the amount of Pupil Premium funding is linked to numbers on free meals, the overall funding has dipped by £26,000.

They have now pledged to monitor the situation.

Class from the

A report presented to St Helens councillors said: “The reduction in take-up during the spring and summer terms is consistent with the broader school meals pattern as more children tend to bring a packed lunch during the spring and summer because this gives them more play time during the lunch period. It is too early at this stage to gauge the extent to which children who have received a free school meal during the infant phase will continue to take a school meal (albeit paid for) in Key Stage 2 – this will only become apparent during the academic year 2015-16.”

past

This month’s Class from the Past is from Eccleston Lane Ends. It’s believed this photo was taken in the early 1950s. Maybe you can spot a familiar face?

Remember, if you have a photo you’d be willing to share, contact David Sudworth today by emailing editorial@locallife247.co.uk

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Admission

deadlines

The deadline is looming for St Helens and Knowsley secondary school applications.

October 31 is the deadline for all parents wanting to express a preference as to which high school their child should go to next September. St Helens Council has also issued advice for parents of children whose home address is in the St Helens Council area, but may want to send them to a school in Knowsley, or vice versa.

They say: “ If you live in St.Helens and wish to apply for schools in another borough, you must do so on the St Helens form.

“Or even if your child attends a St.Helens primary school, if you reside in another local authority, then you must read your home authority’s booklet and complete their application form. Under no circumstances should you complete more than one application form, as this will only delay the allocation process for everyone.”

The deadline for primary admissions is January 15, 2016.

For more information, contact School Admissions, Children and Young People’s Services, Atlas House, Corporation Street, St Helens, WA9 1LD, call 01744 671030 (September 2016 Yr 7 admissions) or 671029 (September 2016 Reception Year and Nursery Admissions). Email schooladmissions@ sthelens.gov.uk In Knowsley, contact Schools Admissions, Education Improvement Team, PO Box 21, Municipal Buildings, Archway Road, Huyton, Knowsley, L36 9YU. Call 0151 443 5142/3372.

Do YOU want to teach ?

Then come along to one of our Open Evenings...

6th October - St Bede’s Catholic High School, Ormskirk 7th October - St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Wigan 4th November - St Mary’s Catholic High School, Astley, Leigh 11th November - St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Wigan All open evenings will be 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Top class ratings More than 75% of St Helens schools inspected by Ofsted either maintained or improved standards in the last academic year. Education bosses say 19 schools were inspected in 2014/15, with nine

We are looking for graduates who have the potential to become outstanding primary or secondary school teachers of the future.

Our School Direct teacher training program, accredited

by Liverpool Hope University, leads to a Postgraduate Certificate in Education with Qualified Teacher Status and 60 credits toward a Liverpool Hope Masters in Education.

maintaining their grading while a further five saw their ratings improve. Just five were placed down a category.

St Helens Council says that overall, these were good results against the new inspection framework which had become more challenging for schools, considering among other measures, pupil progress not just overall attainment and the schools ability to close the attainment gap.

For further details about primary teacher training visit www.wcpsd.org.uk. For further details about secondary teacher training visit www.catholicsd.org.uk Applications for September 2016 open at the end of October 2015 and can be made via www.UCAS.com (Search for provider codes 24A and 27Q)

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Free publicity for YOU! Are you in a local community group? Do you want to publicise a talk, school fair or charity fundraiser?

If so, get in touch with us today!

Local Life is distributed to over 100,000 homes across Wigan, St Helens, Chorley and West Lancashire. Each edition is crammed with stories for local events, and your group could be appearing in our next edition. The types of events we publicise are as follows:

We’re also on the look out for old school photographs, street scenes from yesterday and want to hear from you if your group is celebrating a special milestone.

- Talks which are open to the public

Simply contact our Editor David Sudworth with the details - what, where, when, why, who for, how much - and anything else you want to tell our readers. The earlier you can provide the information, the better the job we can do.

- Pleas from community groups or associations for new members

So don’t delay – contact David today by emailing him directly at editorial@locallife247.co.uk

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Where there’s a will,

there’s a way

L

ocal law firm I E Legal Solicitors explains why having a will is so important, and what you can do to protect your loved ones.

Talking about making a will is not the number one topic at the dinner table. But, as Benjamin Franklin said in 1789 - the only things certain in this world are death and taxes!

Yet every year, thousands of people die without making a will – leaving loved ones to deal with sorting out affairs in what is bound to be a traumatic time. But making a will is not difficult at all. Penelope Craxton, specialist wills and probate solicitor with I E Legal explained “making a will through a specialist solicitor like myself is a rather simple process. All that anyone needs to do is make an appointment to pop into the office for a chat and I basically go through all the issues. Whilst there is a lot to think about, my job is to make the process easy and avoid any complicated legalistic phrases. The cost is only £90 plus VAT for one will, and £120 plus VAT for two wills for a couple. Once I have seen my clients it usually takes around one week for the will to be drawn up and properly signed, and that’s the process done!”

Of course some people try to do a home-written will, but lawyers do caution against that. “The problem

with home-made wills”, said Penelope, “is that people often don’t think about all the possibilities.

For example, they may appoint a person as the ‘executor’ who has to look Penelope Craxton after the affairs, but not Probate Solicitor think what will happen if the executor is ill or incapacitated or can not act. Or the money may be left to the husband or wife, without thinking about tax implications, or what would happen if both spouses died together, in an accident for example.”

Home-made wills also run the risk of being declared invalid: “the requirements as to who may witness a will being signed, and how it is done are very strict” Penelope confirmed, so any savings now may turn out to be catastrophic in the future.

To talk about making a will (home visits are available) or any other legal work, including conveyancing, business and family law, call one of I E Legal’s friendly team on 0800 612 9427, or pop into their office at 25 Eccleston Street, Prescot, on the pedestrian shopping street.

Looking For Expert Legal Advice?

• Low Cost Divorce • Low Cost Conveyancing • Business Law & commercial property • Disputes & litigation • Accident claims • Low Cost Wills and Probate Our friendly and easy to appraoch advisors can deal with your issue by telephone or face to face Call FREE on

0800 612 9427

25 Eccleston St, Prescot, L34 5QA

www.ielegal.co.uk

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32

Puzzle

corner

Guess where?

Wordsearch Sudoku 6

3

9

5

1

1

6

7

5

2

9

6

5

7 3

7

8

3

2

3

2 4

8

9 Answers are on page 59 of this magazine

Pumpkin Leaves Trick or treat Halloween Lantern Ghouls

Witch Black cat Sweets Candles Cobwebs Spooks

Vampire Bag Spider Skeleton

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34

The beat goes

on

David Sudworth meets the St Helens couple who have given over 80 years’ service to bringing on musicians of the future

J

ohn Henderson doesn’t smoke, but he admits to having a crafty cig one dark night in January 1973.

“It was my first time on stage with St Helens Concert Band. The venue was the town hall and I was pretty nervous. The taste of the tobacco took my mind off things though, because it was awful!” laughs John.

We’re at his home in Kent Road, Sutton, where he and his wife of 55 years, Joan, live.

John has been a permanent fixture in the band for the past 42 years, playing drums.

Born in Kirkland Street on May 14, 1935, John’s parents, Ellen and John senior, had a newsagents on Bassenthwaite Avenue, Moss Bank, and he attended Higher Grade Central Modern.

“I wasn’t particularly musical at all as a youngster, although I was a choirboy at St Thomas’ Church on Peter Street and learned to sight read music.

When I did my National Service with the RAF, I met a lad who played the trumpet, something which I’d always wanted to play. He took me to band practice and the sergeant asked if I would play drums. I didn’t take it too seriously as I was more interested in rugby at the time.”

Upon returning to St Helens, he joined Bill Conway’s plumbing firm on Dentons Green Lane. The business was contracted to work on the-then new homes at Clinkham Wood and Carr Mill, before John eventually went on to work for himself.

John with sons Andrew and Stuart in 1973

John and Joan married in March 1960 at St David’s, Carr Mill, and had two boys, Stuart and Andrew. While at Robins Lane School, they got to know local music teacher Fred Mathias, who had stepped in to help the ailing St Helens Military Band.

“The band secretary was Ron Feeney and he asked Fred for help. Fred agreed and set up a new band, selecting the most advanced students. That was 1972 and rehearsals were at The Elephant pub, with its landlord, Harry Hampton, acting as president.

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The band in 1972 with Fred Mathias (centre) “Fred asked me to join and I thought it would be interesting to see what we could do. We’d watched the lads in concert but they had no drummer. I sold my old drums and bought a new set. It had been years since I’d played, but the lads in the band were great and helped me. I played my first concert in the January, 1973, and by October I’d been elected

chairman at the AGM - a role I’ve held ever since.”

1973 saw the band’s first full season of public performances, from local parks and working men’s clubs to the St Helens Show. They also went further afield, and won a merit at the Solihull Festival of Arts - a massive success considering the average age of band members was a mere 11 years old.

Practising at The Elephant pub in the 1980s

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On March 18, 1974, the band played its first two hour length concert at Reeve Hall in Rainhill, followed by its first appearance at St Helens Theatre Royal to help raise £2,000 for a kidney machine for St Helens Hospital. The band’s success continued with nine awards from the Wigan Music Festival. Its 10th anniversary was celebrated with a dance at St Anne’s Club in Sutton.

“We’re very appreciated except in Wigan!”

“For me and Joan, it’s been a massive part of our lives because Joan has always helped out on the fundraising side and supporting us.

“Brass bands have gone out of fashion and they’re now back in again. We feel very appreciated in the area, perhaps except for in Wigan. Even then, it’s always good-humoured!”

St Helens Concert Band is looking for players, particular trumpet players, of Grade 3 standard or equivalent. For more information, call Keith Owens on 0151 724 5563.

The early 1980s saw the formation of the Parents’ Association, which helped raise money for band funds. They also took part in concerts with celebrities including Geoff Love, Stan Boardman and Ken Dodd.

When asked how many concerts John has performed in over the years, he says: “Wow, I don’t

Town’s top brass

John and Joan today at home in Sutton know - I’ve lost count. Definitely over 500 but I don’t know the exact amount.

“The band has changed over the years. At one point it was mostly children like our Andrew and Stuart, but they’ve all grown up now. Andrew is in Leeds and Stuart is down in Reading. I didn’t think that I’m even the oldest member at 80. We have one member, George Smith, who is 86.

St Helens Concert Band’s roots can be traced back as far as 1859. That’s when Ravenhead Brass Band was first mentioned in a local press report. They later changed their name to Ravenhead Military Band (pictured above in 1923) and, in 1950, became St Helens Military Band. However, as many members at that time were from the Thatto Heath/Ravenhead area of town, the name change sparked anger and a decline in membership. On many occasions, they had to borrow musicians from other bands for their concert. They struggled on until 1971 when their leader, William Burrows, died in the summer of that year. Fred Mathias took over shortly afterwards and renamed it St Helens Concert Band. This year, it celebrates its 43rd birthday.

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38

Food & Drink

Chewing the

By Kate Whiting

I

fat

n terms of kitchen ‘outlaws’, sugar has completely overtaken fat as public enemy number one.

In fact, fat has been making something of a comeback in recent years, and the latest advocates to sing its praises are sports scientist and marathon runner Professor Tim Noakes, nutritionist Sally AnnCreed and chef and open ocean swimmer Jonno Proudfoot.

Their book, The Real Meal Revolution, has taken South Africa by storm and has just landed on UK shores, promising to help people lose weight without giving up all that juicy meat, butter and cream. There is a catch, though - carbs are strictly off the menu.

This low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) plan has similarities with the Paleo diet, in that it advocates a return to eating what our ancient ancestors, the hunter-gatherers, ate some 200,000 years ago before we started cultivating grains. It also draws heavily on the Banting diet devised by British undertaker William Banting, who famously gave up the carb-rich eating habits of the Victorians in the 1860s to cure himself of obesity.

Of course, low or no-carb/high fat and protein diets have always been somewhat controversial, attracting both fierce critics and fans.

Prof Noakes, however, is convinced that this eating regime has benefited his own health. “We’ve been raised to believe that cholesterol, caused by eating too much fat, causes diseases, and that every disease in the book is linked to a high-fat diet. It turns out that’s completely wrong,” claims Noakes, who has Type 2 diabetes but, at 66, says he’s running like a 40-year-old.

“What’s killing us is having elevated blood insulin concentrations all the time, and that is caused by high-carbohydrate diets and it’s exacerbated in people like myself, who have insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is the most prevalent medical condition in the world, it dwarves everything else.”

To devise their recipes, Proudfoot drew up three lists - green, orange and red - of foods people should eat in abundance, be wary of and avoid altogether, with meat, cheese and leafy greens all on the green list; fruit, nuts and root veggies on the orange list and all flour, grains, cake, rice, pasta, sugar, potatoes and even peas on the red list.

Whether or not you want to go full-on Revolution, here are a few recipes from the book to try at home...

The Real Meal Revolution: The Radical, Sustainable Approach To Healthy Eating by Professor Tim Noakes, Jonno Proudfoot and Sally Ann-Creed is published in paperback

by Robinson, priced £20.

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Lamb

blanquette Method Serves 4 Ingredients 600g lamb shoulder, cut into 20g cubes 8 peeled shallots 4 sticks celery, cut into large chunks 5 sprigs thyme 5 sprigs rosemary 2 whole heads garlic, cut in half across the meridian 2 cups chicken stock 1 cup white wine 125ml cream 2 bunches of leeks, trimmed and cut into big chunks 250g white or button mushrooms, whole Salt and pepper Handful of parsley, freshly chopped 125ml creme fraiche Preheat the oven to 160C (Gas 3).

Place the lamb, shallots, celery, thyme, rosemary, garlic, stock and wine in an ovenproof casserole dish. Cover the dish with foil and place it in the oven for two and half hours.

Check the meat to see whether it is soft and tender.

If it is still tough, pop it back in for another 30 minutes. If it is melt-in-the-mouth tender, drain all of the juices from the tray, including the fat, through a sieve into a pot and simmer to reduce.

Once all of the liquid has reduced to about 400ml, add the cream, along with the leek chunks and mushrooms, and reduce the sauce until it goes thick and creamy.

Once the sauce is thick and the mushrooms and leeks are tender, add the meat, season with salt and pepper and stir through the freshly chopped parsley. Finally, garnish with dollops of creme fraiche and serve.

Note: If you’re splashing out, splash some truffle oil over this before serving. It will be truffle oil well spent.

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Taste test

Currying

favour

by David Sudworth

W

ith 200 years of history in the UK, it’s little wonder curry is now considered a national dish. However, it has been Anglicised to the point that hunting down authentic, freshly-made fayre can be frustrating. Thankfully, the Blue Mango rode to our rescue when we popped in for an early evening meal.

Located in Dane Court Shopping Centre, in the heart of Rainhill, this tastefully decorated and welcoming venue stands head and shoulders above many on a number of fronts. One of its main selling points is that the food is not only varied, but also extremely tasty.

Most think that Indian cuisine is laden with calories - such is our skewed view of it - but in fact it can be very healthy. Vegetarians, or those with adventurous palates, can in particular have a field day with the amount of non-meat dishes available. And don’t think that even the celebrated Goan dish vindaloo will blow your head off, as there are many mild versions.

For starters, we had the Aloo Brinjal Puree (fresh aubergine and potatoes on a pancake), Tandoori King Prawns, seabass with spinach and lemongrass as well as a side order of papadoms and chutneys.

In just one course, it’s striking how varied Indian cuisine can be if you venture away from the likes of the onion bhaji.

It was also noticeable how the fact these are freshly made makes a difference. For instance, the pancake was light and tasty, the king prawns were succulent and the seabass will even get the most reticent pescatarian falling hook, line and sinker for its delicate taste. A special mention must go to the lime pickle which wasn’t the usual acidic, out of a jar affair. No, in fact it was very, very edible to the point where I was spooning vast quantities of it onto my plate. Licking it would have been rude, but I don’t deny the temptation was there.

For the main course, my colleague Clare had the mild version of the Chicken Rogan Josh, a sauce consisting of peppers, ginger, onions and fresh tomatoes, while I had one

41

of the Blue Mango signature dishes, the Achanak; grilled chicken on a bed of stir-fried beansprout and a tangy sauce.

Here, again, we see the benefits of freshly-prepared meals, as we wanted the Rogan Josh to be mild. And if the idea of a less potent vindaloo, as mentioned earlier, floats your boat, then the talented chefs at Blue Mango can whip one up easily.

I loved the Achanak, purely because it was the first time I’d ever had beansprouts in anything other than a Chinese dish. The Rogan Josh was a fantastic fusion of flavours and, as Clare noted, benefitted from not swimming in an ocean of clarified butter like in other establishments.

For dessert, there’s a good selection to choose from.

I always find it a bit difficult choosing what to have after an Indian meal, part of me wants to resist but the devilish wants to put the diet aside for another day. The latter won out so while I went for the Nutella ice cream, Clare went for the chocolate fudge cake.

Perfect end to a perfect meal.

Indian cuisine has come a long way since the first curry house opened in the UK in 1809. It’s had the odd lapse, thanks to flock wallpaper, Ravi Shankar LPs and mass produced shots of the Taj Mahal, but there are still many places which serve up fresh, authentic dishes. The Blue Mango is one of them - and like any good restaurant, once you’ve found it, you’ll go back time and again. Many people do, either for eat in or takeaway; just look at the rave reviews on Trip Advisor.

Try it for yourself - you won’t be disappointed.

Blue Mango 7 Dane Court Shopping Centre, Weaver Avenue, Rainhill, L35 4LU www.bluemangorestaurant.com 0151 493 2875

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Courgette and garlic

gratin

Serves 4 Ingredients 800g courgettes 1 onion, roughly sliced 1 handful thyme sprigs 1 whole head garlic, cloves peeled 100g butter, broken into pieces 250ml double cream Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C (Gas 6).

Method Cut the courgettes into large chunks. Lay the onions, courgettes, thyme and garlic in an ovenproof lasagne dish (or casserole dish), mix well and then press down.

Dot pieces of butter evenly over the top of the dish, then cover everything with the double cream.

Season with salt and pepper. Place the tray in the oven, uncovered, and bake for approximately 45 minutes.

If you want to thicken the sauce in the bottom of the tray simply strain through a sieve and reduce it on the stove before pouring it back over.

If you want some extra goodness, sprinkle a layer of grated cheese on top of the gratin before serving and pop it back under the grill for a cheesy crust.

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( Former Little Chef ) Next to Texaco Garage, East Lancashire Road, WIndle, St Helens WA10 6QY

01744 737 911

WE ARE NOW OPEN The team are ready at Ba’bursi to host you the very best of authentic Indian Cuisine for all occasions.

We have had an immense response so far and thriving for more. So why not come and join us for meal & enjoy our fresh feeling restaurant, lounge & fully open kitchen or even take away.

We are a FAMILY based business and our aim is to keep things simple and deliver quality each time.

We endeavour to keep our customers at the heart of everything we do. You can view our menu or book a table through our web page www.babursi.co.uk or even find us of Facebook.

So for a new experience, why not take advantage of the voucher enclosed and visit us. We don’t only value our customers but want your feedback to build your ‘new favourite’ Indian restaurant.

Also we have special offers through Monday to Thursday Available from 5.30pm till 8.30pm offering 4 course at only £11.95 per person.

Sunday Lunch & Tea Time offer available from 1.30pm till 7.30pm offering 3 courses at only £10.95 per person.

We welcome all occasions be it a meal for two, family or birthday celebration please call us and we will accommodate.

You can also enquire about our Christmas Day Menu, which will be available to view from October

Call to Book a Table or Collect a Take Away

01744 737 911 or visit www.babursi.co.uk

10% off your food bill when you present this on your first visit

CALL 01744 737 911

Ba’Bursi Contemporary Restaurant & Bar

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU

East Lancashire Road, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 6QY

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Eating out

guide Sing Faye Restaurant

Colours Restaurant

Dine at Sing Faye and enjoy a taste of Oriental Cuisine. Amazing Sunday banquet, Early Bird & A la Carte menu. Open 7 days a week. Book a table to avoid disappointment.

01744 738882 East Lancashire Road, Carr Mill, St Helens, WA11 9AE singfayerestaurant.co.uk

A unique fine dining experience in the heart of St Helens, cooked by the College’s catering students, in an avant-garde restaurant. Limited opening hours – see website.

01744 623155 Water Street, St Helens WA10 1PX sthelens.ac.uk

Advertise

here £30 + VAT

Houghwood In a perfect setting, Houghwood’s restaurant has panoramic views across the course and over to the Welsh hills. A modern British menu is served Wednesday to Sunday.

Monthly tribute events and theme nights. 5 star food hygiene rating.

01744 894754 Crank Road, St Helens, WA11 8RL houghwoodgolfclub.co.uk

Call 01744 649722

Quattro’s A family run Italian restaurant situated on the Rainford By-pass at Bickerstaffe. Being just off the slip road of the M58 makes this an ideal location for meeting friends and business lunches.

01695 720800 54 Rainford Road, Bickerstaffe, Ormskirk L39 0HF quattros.co.uk

Blue Mango

Griffin Inn

Open 7 days a week and offering an extensive choice of traditional Indian and European dishes, check out the website for details of live entertainment and theme nights.

0151 493 2875 Dane Court Shopping Centre, Rainhill L35 4LU bluemangorestaurant.com

The Griffin Inn in Eccleston is an excellent restaurant which has gained a well-deserved reputation in the local area for the quality of its food, service and value for money.

01744 27907 Church Lane, Eccleston WA10 5AD griffininn.co.uk

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on

Events & Leisure

What’s

Health checks Wednesday, September, 30 Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust pop-up clinic will be at St Helens Library, Victoria Square, from 10am-4pm for blood pressure checks, advice on cancer, early detection and prevention. For more information, email justine.kennedy@nhs.net or call 07469 578213.

Environ VISIA event Friday, October 2 Learn to analyse your skin using Environ VISIA digital technology. This real-time piece of equipment allows you to see the areas that you need to concentrate on and therefore assists you in understanding the best skincare program for your needs. Held at Beauty by Helen French,

Promote your event

here!

Reach an estimated 75,000 readers in St Helens Ad prices start from £30 + VAT Call 01744 649722 for details

One Direction Saturday, October 3, & Sunday, October 4 Arguably the world’s biggest pop act, return to Manchester as part of their eagerly awaited On The Road Again world tour. It gives fans the chance to see the band perform songs from their brand new album ‘Four’ for the first time, alongside all their much-loved hits. Tickets from £53.45 - visit www. manchester-arena.com

84 Kiln Lane, Eccleston, from 10am-5pm. Email beautybyhelenfrench@live.co.uk or visit www. beautybyhelenfrench.co.uk

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British Musical Fireworks Championship Friday, October 2 - Sunday, October 4 Held at Southport’s Victoria Park between 6pm9pm each day. Tickets cost up to £20.90 for seated and £7.32 for standing. Under fives go free. Log onto www.visitsouthport.com

CRAFT & VINTAGE BOUTIQUE Sunday October 25th - Craft & Vintage Fair Chalon Court Hotel , St Helens , WA10 1NG 10am-4pm, Free entry Live music from Suzie Sequin craftandvintageboutique.com riajewelsevents@yahoo.co.uk

Socks, Pincushions & Stories Saturday, October 3 A World War I craft and storytelling project from Up for Crafts held at Prescot Library at the Prescot Centre, Aspinall Street, from 12.30pm-3pm. There will be a simpler version of the activity for younger children. All under eights and under must be accompanied by an adult. Free, drop-in event, no need to book.

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning Thursday, October 8 Held at Knowsley Hall, Prescot, from 10am-noon.

Tickets £7 each. The hall will be fully open for guests to wander through. Contact Bernadette Platt on 01744 753478 for tickets or email sisthelens@gmail. com

Trevor Lingard demonstration Saturday, October 3 Art Club St Helens event held at The World of Glass Museum from 10am-12.30pm. Admission is £6 including tea or coffee. Call Sheila McAdam on 07834981446, Ann McNab on 01744 452430, Malcolm Barnes on 07446154616 or Sandra Ferry on 01744 893423.

Rainford 10k and Fun Run Sunday, October 4 Annual event in aid of the Steve Prescott Foundation, the Compassionate Friends and the still birth and neonatal charity Sands. The fun run starts at 9.45am, and the 10k starts at 10.30am. For more details and to sign up, visit www.therainford10k. co.uk

Living With Diabetes Wednesday, October 7 St Helens branch of Diabetes UK talk by Alan Melville with music by Les Jones. Starts at 7.30pm at St Helens Town Hall, Victoria Square. For further details call 0151 480 0821.

North West Food Lovers’ Festival Friday, October 23 - Sunday, October 25 Annual event held at Tatton Park, from noon-5pm on the Friday and from 10am-5pm on the Saturday, and Sunday. Among the star turns at this year’s show will be Simon Rimmer, from TV’s Sunday Brunch, who appears on the main stage on the Saturday.

Tickets are from £3 (prebooked) to £12 and children go free. Visit www.nwfoodloversfestival.co.uk

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Bottom’s Up Challenge Walk Saturday, October, 10 West Lancs Long Distance Walkers Association challenge to run or walk either the 13 or 22 mile route within the time limit of nine and a half hours, beginning at Hoghton Village Hall and visiting Hoghton Bottoms and Salmesbury Bottoms.

Advance entries £8 per person. (profits supporting the North West Air Ambulance). Entry forms and more information at www.ldwa.org.uk or call 01282 690363.

Antiques & Collectables Buying Day Saturday, October 10 Event for the Friends of Oakdene Primary School held at Rainhill Ex-Services Club, Warrington Road.

Featuring Dave Twentyman from ITV’s Celebrity Juice and Rob Rouse. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. Tickets are £7.50 and available from Oakdene.

Comedy Night Saturday, October 10 Held at St Ann’s Millennium Centre, View Road, Rainhill, from 9.30am. Items on sale include pocket watches, post cards, old toys, ceramics etc. For further details, call 07732 368931.

Coffee Morning Saturday, October 17 Held at Rainford Parish Hall, Church Road, in aid of the Helen Marie Charity for sick and disabled children. Admission is 50p and the event includes a cake stall, tombola and raffle. All welcome.

Indoor Meeting Monday, October 12 Rainford Heritage meeting at the Junction pub, News Lane, Rainford, at 7.30pm. Ron Martin will present a short film about Liverpool Overhead Railway. Admission is £2.

Jimmy Carr Sat October 24, Sun October 25 & Tues, October 27 Funny Business is Jimmy’s brand new stand up show and he takes it to Liverpool Echo Arena Auditorium for three nights You may have seen him on TV, but on stage, he’s even funnier and even more outrageous. Tickets cost £28 - visit www. echoarena.com

Gawthorpe Hall talk Thursday, October 15 National Trust St Helens branch event looks at the Lancashire property affectionately referred to as the Downton of the North. Starts at 7.30pm in the Lecture Theatre, United Reformed Church, Ormskirk Street, St Helens. Free entry for National Trust St Helens Centre members and volunteers. £1 for non members.

Round and Round The Garden Thursday, October 15-Saturday, October 17 Rainhill Garrick Society presents this Alan Ayckbourn plat at Rainhill Village Hall, Dane Court, from 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets are £6 for adults and £5 for concessions. Call 01744 813429.

Ben Fogle: Call of The Wild Thursday, October 22 Held at Warrington Parr Hall, Ben will recount how the self-confessed urbanite became drawn to, and so enamoured with, adventure, travel and the harsh

48

challenges associated with a life in the wilderness.

From his first adventures travelling across South America as a youngster, to some of the toughest trials known to man, this is an evening not to be missed. Begins at 6.45pm Ticket price: £22/£19.

Groups - every 11th ticket free (£19 ticket price).

Visit www.pyramidparrhall.com

Murder Mystery Evening Friday, October 23 Starts at 7,30pm at Inglenook Farm, off the Rainford Bypass. With professional actors in all roles, there is a huge emphasis on fun and laughter. Costs £39.90 per person - book via www.inglenook-farm.co.uk

Annual Exhibition Saturday, October 24 Event hosted by the Stephenson Model Railway Group from 10am-5pm at The Guide House on the corner of Old Lane and Stoney Lane, Rainhill.

Organisers say there will be over eight layouts, traders, ‘Show You How’ and refreshments will be available. Admission prices are £2.50 for adults, children £1.50 and under fives go free.

Britannia Waves The Rules Thursday, October 29 The Royal Exchange Theatre presents this play by Gareth Farr at St Helens Library, Victoria Square, from 7pm. Tickets £6 and £5 - concessions £2.50.

Call into any St Helens borough library to purchase your tickets or reserve online at www.culturalhubs. eventbrite.co.uk

Make up Masterclass Thursday, October 29 Held between 2pm-3pm and 3.30pm-4.30pm at Beauty by Helen French, 84 Kiln Lane, Eccleston.

Discover new make-up techniques with a Clarins make-up artist who will advise on colours, techniques and easy ways to apply your make up. £10 booking fee redeemable against any Clarins product. Only 5 spaces available per session. Call 01744 736170.

McAlmont & Butler Tuesday, November 3 Celebrating 20 years since their seminal debut hit, Yes, hit the charts, David McAlmont and ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler are back. They’re live at The Ritz, Whitworth Street West, in Manchester, for this 7pm show. Tickets cost £21.45 and are available via www.gigsandtours.com

Billinge FC Beer Festival Friday, October 30-Saturday, October 31 Held at Billinge Community Soccer Centre, Carr Mill Road, Billinge, there will be over 20 beers and ciders on offer, as well as live music, hot food and free parking. Free admission. Open 5pm-10pm on the Friday and 2pm-9pm on the Saturday.

Merry Hell Saturday, October 31 One for fans of early ‘90s local folk/punk band The Tansads. Merry Hell, an eight piece group, has five of the original Tansads members and will be rocking St Helens Citadel from 7.30pm. Tickets priced at £11 via 01744 735 436.

Paranormal Investigation Friday, November 6 UK Shadow Seekers event being held at Mill Street Barracks, Mill Street, St Helens, in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. It will start at 9pm-3am and the public will have the chance to explore the building and get to use the specialist equipment under the guidance of the Shadow Seekers team. Tickets are

49

£30 including refreshments. Call Peter on 07832 225 408.

Charity Beer Festival Thursday, November 12 - Saturday, November 14 Rainhill Rotary Club event to be held at the Recreation Club, Victoria Terrance, Rainhill. From humble beginnings 12 years ago, it has grown to become the largest charity beer festival in the North West - raising around £200,000 to local and national good causes. Opening times are 7pm-11pm on the Thursday and Friday, and 1pm-11pm on the Saturday. Entry prices are as yet to be decided. Visit www.rainhillbeerfest.org for more information.

King John & The Magna Carta Monday, November 16 Talk by Paul Booth for St Helens Historical Society at the Friends Meeting House, Church Street, St Helens, starting at 7.30pm. For more information, call Mary Presland on 01744 23141 or Norma Cresswell on 01744 754962.

Choir concert Saturday, November 28 St Helens Ladies Choir is holding a concert at St Thomas Church, Westfield Street, St Helens, with guest organist Michael Wynne and guest choir from Brook Lodge School, Rainford. It starts at 7.30pm, tickets are £7 and available by calling 01744 884813 or from any choir member.

Christmas Model Railway Show Saturday, November 28 Organised by Rainhill Model Railway club and held at Rainhill Village Hall, Dane Court, from 10am5pm. There will be layouts on show covering all the popular gauges and the show also welcomes back the Merseyside and South West Lancashire 009 Narrow Gauge Group Exhibition. Admission prices are £2.50 for adults and £3.50 for children, which includes a visit to Santa and a small gift. Santa himself will be flying in from Lapland for the Day to meet as many youngsters as possible.

Macbeth Wednesday, November 18 Starring Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard and Paddy Considine, this is the story of a fearless warrior and inspiring leader brought low by ambition and desire. A thrilling interpretation of the dramatic realities of the times and a reimagining of what wartime must have been like for one of Shakespeare’s most famous and compelling characters, a story of all-consuming passion and ambition, set in war torn Scottish landscape. Starts at 7.30pm at Liverpool Philharmonic. Tickets from £7 via www.liverpoolphil.com

Promote your event

here!

Reach an estimated 75,000 readers in St Helens Ad prices start from £30 + VAT Call 01744 649722 for details

50

Blaguegate &

Bickerstaffe

by David Sudworth

T

own and country planners have a lot to answer for. Their legacies - good and bad - outlive them, and once in place they are devilishly hard to unpick.

way. Once we’re at the bottom, keep to the right and follow it into the field. On the right, you’ll get your first glimpse of Ashurst’s Beacon, which looms large in the area.

Take the former mining village of Skelmersdale.

Designated a New Town in the 1960s, its mindboggling layouts and experimental house designs have given regeneration experts a headache ever since. But for a taste of what the town was like before millions of tonnes of concrete were poured onto its arable farmland, you’d do worse to have a nosey around Liverpool Road, which is where we start our walk.

Soon, you’ll reach the vast expanse which is Blaguegate Playing Fields. Here, it’s important to keep left and, in the top left hand corner of the fields is the well-concealed exit which gets you onto the public footpath running alongside Skelmersdale Warden’s Club and then onto the A577 Blaguegate Lane.

One of the original old town roads, this stretch had a large Catholic contingent, and the original church, St Richard’s, is still there.

We park in the small, free car park more or less opposite the church, turn left and then take a right down the church path, which is a public right of

Once on the lane, turn left and make your way up the road. Carry on until you can see Skelmersdale Cricket Club on the right, and then keep an eye out for the public footpath signage on the left which takes you into the fields. Greeting us are a field full of spuds, now in flower and therefore well on their way to being harvested. The footpath takes you to a crossroads; carry straight on, past the Golden Jubilee Bench installed by the local parish council, and onto Halfpenny Lane.

We’re now walking on the perimeter of some private paddocks, and in a sense it’s easy to be lulled into thinking that you simply continue to carry on all the way down. Close inspection of the official Ordnance Survey map shows a brook, with the public footpath on its left.

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St Richard’s Church

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Cricket Club

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.

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

Stocks

The Stanley Gate

Alcock’s Plantation

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52

If you unwittingly follow the freshly-cleared path on the right, you’ll end up at a dead end. If it doubt, keep your eyes peeled for the waymarkers.

As we head towards Grapel’s Farm, it’s a good idea to ensure pets are on leads as cars have a habit of using Lyelake Lane as a Top Gear test track. This part also calls for you walking through an open field which, when we visited, had sheep in, so tethering is the safest option.

Once across Lyelake Lane, the gravel path sweeps round before entering a small copse of trees. Before the copse, you’ll see Scarth Hill Water Tower on the horizon, known locally as The Pepperpot, and to the right there’s the spire from the parish church at Westhead. At this point you, again, need to keep

St Richard’s Church

St Richard’s Church is 150 years old this year. It was designed by Edward Welby Pugin, the eldest son of A.W.N Pugin, whose best known work is the interior of the Palace of Westminster, (aka the Houses of Parliament).

your wits about you as it’s tempting to take the first left towards a small clusters of trees. This, again, leads to nowhere. Instead, continue on the path and you’ll see a long hedgerow to the left. This is what you’re aiming for, as the public footpath runs alongside it and over towards the footbridge. Well, bridge is probably too grand a description; more like a couple of planks of wood. In any case, the water course beneath was as dry as a bone when we visited, but still it was easy enough to traverse.

Once across, it’s more or less a straight path past Alcock’s Plantations and across to the A570 Ormskirk Road. This is without doubt the busiest part of the route, as it links the M58 with Ormskirk and Southport. At the corner is the Stanley Gate pub, and across the road is a fascinating piece of local history; a set of stone stocks. Apparently, the use of stocks was quite a common occurrence in Bickerstaffe when figuring out how to deal with wrongdoers. The earliest reference to their use locally is 1750 when local PC William Grayston applied for 4s 10d for ‘a new stock stoop, a staple and repairing of lockes’. They are also depicted on OS maps from 1845 (at this location) and also in 1893, 1908 and 1927. When the road junction at the Stanley Gate was improved in the early 1970s, these stock stones were saved by the pub’s landlady, Jean Winstanley, who only died three years ago.

To carry on, with the Stanley Gate pub in front of you, turn right and head down Lathom Road. You’ll soon come to a pretty cottage on the right hand side, and you need to follow the public footpath down the side of it.

It was opened on June 18, 1865, to serve the growing farming and mining community in this part of West Lancashire.

You’ll eventually cross Lyelake Lane again and follow the path down and through Lyelake Farm, with its assortment of barns and also, on the left, a couple of pigs happily sunning themselves.

St Richard’s isn’t the only example of the Pugin family’s influence on the area. Pugin senior also built Scarisbrick Hall, a private school on the A570 which continues to operate to this day.

The gravel track heads up to Skelmersdale Road, where you simply turn left and follow the road back on to Liverpool Road and to the starting point.

E.W. Pugin died 10 years after St Richard’s opened.

It remains one of Skelmersdale’s oldest buildings.

In all, this is a five mile walk with a good mixture of country views, pretty cottages, local history and a chance to again see just how important farming is to West Lancashire.

53

Test drive

Volvo V60

Hybrid

by Tim Barnes-Clay

T

his ‘green’ Swede estate offers a tremendously comfortable ride. That is no surprise though, Volvos are known for their plush, supportive seats.

Unlike some Volvos, the V60 isn’t supposed to be a ‘wardrobe-on-wheels’ like many models of the past.

That’s why the Scandinavian car maker markets it as a Sports Wagon.

On the car’s tailgate there’s a D6 badge. The reason is that the combined performance of the fivecylinder turbo diesel and electric motor puts the car firmly within the same brake horsepower range as the petrol powered, speedy, T6.

The front wheels of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid are powered by a 2.4-litre oil-burner, producing 212bhp and a maximum torque of 324lb.ft. The rear axle is powered by an electric motor, producing 69bhp.

This is supplied with power from an 11.2 kWh

lithium-ion battery pack installed under the floor of the load compartment. The car has a syrupy smooth six-speed automatic transmission too.

On the road, the V60 has three driving characteristics: Pure, Hybrid or Power. In Pure mode the car is powered solely by its electric motor as much as possible. If the battery pack has been recharged with electricity from renewable sources, its range is up to 32 miles with no carbon dioxide emissions from the tailpipe.

Hybrid is the standard setting whenever the Volvo is started. The diesel engine and electric motor cooperate to ensure optimal balance between driving pleasure and environmental footprint, and it has a total range of up to 621 miles.

Finally, in Power mode, the technology is optimised to give the V60 the maximum possible clout.

The diesel engine and electric motor have a total

54

a normal power outlet (230V/6A, 10A or 16A) at home or in a car park. Recharging time varies with amperage. A full charge with 10A takes 4.5 hours.

This is cut to 3.5 hours with 16A, while a 6A charge takes 7.5 hours.

Furthermore, pressing the V60’s AWD button activates the electrical four-wheel drive. This

Billinge &

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You can choose to save battery power in order to drive on pure electricity later on; for instance in an urban green zone or in the heart of a city. When Save is activated, the on-board system ensures there is always enough battery power to last for 12.5 miles of driving on electricity alone – sufficient to get you to a fuel station or charging point in most areas.

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid can be recharged from

facts

Max speed: 143 mph 0-62 mph: 6.0 secs Combined mpg: 156.9 Engine: 2400cc 5 cylinder 20 valve diesel hybrid Max. power (bhp): 281 Max. torque (lb.ft): 471 CO2: 48 g/km Price: £45,175

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55

distributes power between the diesel-driven front wheels and the electrically-driven rear axle. The system has been designed to provide better grip when starting and when driving on slippery roads, for instance in snow or mud.

All in all, Volvo’s eco offering is an attractive alternative to green German executive estate

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The photo on page 32 is of Pleasley Road, Whiston