Local Life - St Helens - Nov/Dec 2014

St Helens Edition

Nov/Dec 2014

Inspiring interview with Rainford’s Andy Reid “The Taliban blew me up - but they couldn’t break my fighting spirit”

Lucky To Be Alive BBC’s Mark Edwardson Food For Thought Billinge’s Food Bank Class From The Past Birchley St Mary’s www.locallife247.co.uk

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No Happy Ending…

In this issue

A nice surprise dropped in the Local Life inbox last month, informing us that we’d been shortlisted for an Editorial award at the Quay National Magazine awards!

11 Class From The Past - Birchley St Mary’s 22 Food For Thought 32 Lucky To Be Alive - Mark Edwardson 40 Bonfire Guide 44 How I Rebuilt My Life - Andy Reid 48 Planning Matters 52 Puzzle Corner 54 Jack’s Tracks visits Duxbury 60 Christmas Events 62 WIN Tickets To Farmer Christmas 64 Motoring 67 Recipe Of The Month 68 Garden Diary 69 Garden Services 70 Home Services 74 Useful Numbers

We don’t really do posh nights out at Local Life HQ, and I had to go shopping, at the grand old age of 48, for my very first tuxedo! The tux had this amazing feature called an Active Waistband – which I got really excited about, I can tell you! In fact, I may wear this tux all the time!

Anyhow, we went off to Warwick, where the conference and Oscar-style award ceremony were being held. Sadly though, there were no happy endings as we lost out in our category, and the overall Community Magazine of the Year award went to a magazine called Village People, which has nothing to do with dodgy moustaches and hard hats, but is a rather nice magazine serving the villages of East Anglia.

Still, it was a lovely trip, it was nice that our little magazine got some national recognition, and it’s given us lots of ideas on how to improve your Local Life in 2015.

Publisher: Local Life 247 Ltd, Unit 8, Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB

Speaking of which, your next magazine in the St Helens area will come through your letterbox on the first weekend in January. If you’d like to read our St Helens West magazine – which is out at the end of November – then please visit our website at www. locallife247.co.uk and register your details. We’ll then send you a link to the magazine so you can read it online.

Editorial: David Sudworth

See you next year!

Design & Production: Peter Bretherton

sales@locallife247.co.uk editorial@locallife247.co.uk design@locallife247.co.uk

Distribution: Sally Boon

sallyb@locallife247.co.uk

Accounts: Sam Garrahan

accounts@locallife247.co.uk

Local Life is published every month. The magazine will be distributed into the following edition areas on an alternate monthly basis.

The St Helens and Prescot edition is delivered to over 12,500 private homes and businesses in Rainhill, Eccleston, Prescot, Eccleston Park, Windle, Prescot Road and parts of Nutgrove and Sutton Heath. Copies are also available to pick up free from Tesco Extra Stores in Peasley Cross and Prescot.

The St Helens edition is delivered to over 12,000 private homes and businesses in Rainford, Billinge, Garswood, Moss Bank, Haresfinch, Laffak and selected areas of Haydock. Copies are also available to pick up free from Tesco Stores in Haydock and Peasley Cross.

editorial@locallife247.co.uk Next issue - October

Advertising deadline - Friday,14 November Published - Thursday, 27 November Local Life Media

T 01744 649 722 @ info@locallife247.co.uk W www.locallife247.co.uk

Sales: Chris Pearce, Nicola Gray

@locallifemedia

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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.

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Grand Christmas Mansion House in Victoria Park, St Helens, is opening its doors again for the annual Christmas craft fair on Sunday, November 23, from 10am–4pm. This year, organisers are pleased to be joined by live reindeer and their elf helpers. They’re friendly so there will be ample opportunity to get up close and have a photograph taken with them.

Other attractions include craft stalls offering a selection of gifts for you to choose from and Age UK Mid Mersey will be running their popular tombola and a gift stall for dogs.

Entrance to the event is free though there is a £5 charge for meeting up with Santa. Reindeer will be on site from noon-2pm.

Guild Meetings Ashton-in-Makerfield Townswomen’s Guild meets on the second Friday of each month at Queens Road Methodist Church Hall, Ashton-in-Makerfield,

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The next meeting is on November 14, and it will be a craft afternoon and on December 5, members will enjoy a Christmas lunch. Both events start at 2.15pm. The cost to the meetings is £1, includes tea and biscuits. For more information contact 01942 714164.

Super Scribes

Ladies Choir

Ashton Writers & Literary Club’s next meetings are on Tuesday, November 11, and again on Tuesday, November 25. at Heath Road Day Centre, Ashton-InMakerfield. They specialise in poetry, prose or nonfiction, and would welcome new members who can join them. For more information, please ring Frances on 01942 723350.

St Helens Ladies Choir is on the look-out for new members. Started four years ago, the group meets at the United Reformed Church, King Street, on Wednesday afternoons. Its musical calendar of rehearsals and performances is supported by a programme of social events. For more information, please contact Patricia Lewis on 01744 731639.

Street Fair

Prize Bingo

The newly-formed Rainford Hub is organising a Christmas Street Fair on Saturday, December 6. It will take place in the village centre from 11am-4pm, and on that day it will be traffic-free to make it safe for all.

Attractions on offer will be a visit from Santa, stalls, entertainment, school choirs, church choir, silver band and much more.

St Helens Heartbeat Cardiac Support Group is holding a prize bingo on Friday, November 21, at the Unison Social Club, Bishop Road, St Helens. Doors open at 6.45pm and it’s eyes down at 7.30pm. Tickets are 50p and available from Beryl (01744 734483), Elsie (01744 739535), Joan (01744 602724) or Brenda (01744 602747).

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Rainford In Bloom?

Rainford is looking to enter next year’s North West In Bloom competition - and a public meeting has now been arranged to gauge reaction. It takes place on Wednesday, November 12, at 6pm in the Main Hall at Rainford Village Hall, Church Road, from 6pm.

It comes after the parish council’s Community Development Committee recently received a presentation from Brian Whalley who lives in Rainford and is a judge for Britain in Bloom.

Since 1964 communities from across the North West have demonstrated their ability to create and maintain attractive environments that benefit residents and visitors alike.

The aim of the competition is to encourage the improvement of local surroundings through the

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imaginative use of trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping. It also aims to achieve a litter free and sustainable environment.

Cllr Diane Nichols, chairman of the Community Development Committee, said: “The parish council is very keen for the whole area within the Rainford Parish boundary to become part of this tradition and would like to enter next year’s competition. This of course, will not be feasible without the support of residents, local organisations and businesses. To discuss this exciting possibility further, the meeting has been arranged.

“We look forward to meeting locals there on November 12 and moving forward with this new adventure for Rainford Village.”

If you would like to attend, please contact parish clerk Sally Powell on 01744 884709 or email clerk@ rainfordparishcouncil.com

Class from the Past - Birchley St Mary’s

This month’s Class from the Past is from Birchley St Mary’s. It’s believed this photo was taken in 1973.

Among those pictured are Susan Cross, Christine Skillicorn, Debra Brannon, Vikki Swift, Debbie Greenall, Julie Hurst, Carole Duffy, Julie Cunliffe, Carole Little, Peter Elliot, Michael Preston, Jeremy Brown, Duncan Platt, Dave Robinson, Paul Brown, David Speakman,

Graham Mitton, Marie Schofield, Maria Quinn, Anne Marie Rose, Wendy Roby, Anna Thompson, Vicky Littler, Pauline Wright, Karen Burgess, Mickey Martlew, Kevin Hibbert, Steve Gaskell and John Anderson. 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

The path to Good Health starts here…

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Strike Memories 30 years ago, the area, and indeed the country, was in the grip of a national miners’ strike. The St Helens area – with Bold, Sutton Manor and Parkside – was affected, with a stoppage which was to last for a year.

Three decades on and now a number of interactive exhibitions are taking place in local libraries to mark the occasion.

Re-Dock and MCQN Ltd are working with former miners and their families to create the exhibitions, which are taking place at Haydock Library and Chester Lane Library in December.

However, before then, the two organisations are holding drop-in sessions for those who may wish to contribute either memories or artefacts.

The sessions will be as follows: Wednesday, November 5: Haydock Library (3pm-7pm) Wednesday, November 12: Newton-le-Willows Library (3pm-7pm) Wednesday, November 19: Parr Library (3pm-7pm)

One of the most iconic images of the 1984 miners’ strike The actual exhibitions will be at Haydock Library and Chester Lane Library between Wednesday, December 3, and Tuesday, December 23. The first date will coincide with a special celebration event at Haydock, between 3pm-7pm, and a week later at the same time, another celebration is being held at Chester Lane.

The exhibitions are aimed at those aged eight and upwards. Admission is free and no booking is required.

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Let Off Steam

Fashion Fundraiser

Mike Taylor is giving a talk on The Castle Collection (Manchester 1953-1970) at the Newton-le-Willows branch of the Locomotive Club of Great Britain’s next meeting. It takes place on Thursday, November 20, at the Pied Bull Hotel, High Street, Newton, starting at 7.30pm.

The Friends of Legh Vale School in Blackbook are holding a fashion show fundraiser at Haydock Conservative Club on Friday, November 14. The event at the Bellerophon Way venue starts at 7pm and tickets are £2.50. No children are allowed at this event, and payments on the night can be taken by cash or card.

All welcome and for more information, call the branch secretary on 01925 226473.

For tickets, call the club on 01744 454127 or the school on 01744 678330.

Coffee Morning

New Treatments

All Saints Church is holding a coffee morning on aid of The Children’s Society. It takes place on Saturday, November 1, from 10am-2pm in the church hall on Church Road, Rainford. There will be tombola, a raffle and bacon butties on offer too!

Dr Adrian Clewes is giving a talk on new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis at the St Helens support group’s meeting on Tuesday, November 25. It starts at 6.30pm in Room 8, St Helens Town Hall, Victoria Square. All welcome.

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Sweet Dreams!

Pupils at Garswood Primary School got a real taste for baking after holding their very own bake off to raise ‘dough’ for the school.

they managed to get their teeth into the treats on offer that helped raise over £400 for the school.

Inspired by the hit TV show Great British Bake Off, pupils got the rolling pins out for the second year running to make wonderful cakes which followed themes such as pirates and farmyard animals.

St Helens Mayor Cllr Geoff Pearl and his wife, Carol, were there, as well as the children’s parents and guardians, and together

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COME visit...

He arrives on Sat 22nd November at 1pm - 5pm November

Sunday 23rd 11am - 3.30pm Saturday 29th 12 noon - 5.00pm Sunday 30th 11am - 3.30pm

December

Monday 1st Tuesday 2nd Wednesday 3rd Thursday 4th Friday 5th Saturday 6th Sunday 7th Monday 8th Tuesday 9th Wednesday 10th Thursday 11th Friday 12th Saturday 13th Sunday 14th Monday 15th Tuesday 16th Wednesday 17th Thursday 18th Friday 19th Saturday 20th Sunday 21st Monday 22nd

2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 9.30am - 5pm 11am - 3.30pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 9.30am - 5pm 11am - 3.30pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 2pm - 5pm 9.30pm - 5pm 9.30am - 5pm 11am - 3.30pm 9.30pm - 4pm

TIC AN AUTHEN

ERFULLY

AND WOND

AL I T I OGN SMALL D AN TRAD BI FOR CHILDREN EXPERIENCE

T Y R E R S of ST. HELENS

TICK

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TICKETS can be purchased in the menswear department only (lower ground floor).

For more information on our grotto phone 01744 20261, or see website.

1 4 - 1 6 B r i d g e St re e t , St He l e n s , WA 1 0 1 N R

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Distributors Wanted Local Life requires distributors aged 13 and above for this edition of our magazine. Distributors will typically work for 2/3 hours every eight weeks. The areas we currently require distributors is as follows: Haydock – Moore Drive Blackbrook – Legh Road, Windermere Road, Harty Road and Wedge Avenue Pewfall – Slag Lane and Liverpool Road Laffak – Laffak Road, Cambourne Avenue, Truro Close, Redruth Avenue, Hinckley Road and Markfield Crescent, Haresfinch – Woodlands Road, Carr Mill Road, Haresfinch Road, Dearham Avenue and Buckingham Drive Billinge – Trent Road, Avon Road, Main Street, Carr Mill Road and Clifton Road

If you are interested, please email your name, address, landline number and date of birth to sallyb@ locallife247.co.uk

Make A Racquet!

As the dark nights draw in, are you struggling to keep active? Do you want to try your hand at a new sport?

Rainford Racqueteers Badminton Club meets every Thursday from 8pm-9pm at the Beacon Leisure and Fitness Centre, College Street, St Helens. All ages and abilities are welcome and the first session is free.

If you want to find out more call Ashley on 07752 338848 or like the Facebook page facebook.com/ rainfordracqueteers

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Good Head for Business Have you ever popped to the shops to buy something and come back with something completely different?

Up Holland’s Dorothy Craig took this to extremes in 2005 when she popped out to buy a new head for a brush from a hardware store in Pemberton, and returned home as the new owner of a ladieswear business!

but did you know that the store also sells for other occasions – cruisewear and evening wear?

Shopping for a special outfit can be a nerve-racking experience, but Aubergine are well placed to ensure your visit will be memorable not only for the elegant clothes but for the exceptional service also. The store has an in-house seamstress, Anne, who will ensure that

And now, after nine years of hard work by Dorothy and her daughter Nicola Edwards, that ladieswear business - Aubergine - has outgrown their old premises and have set up their new home in a beautiful and spacious double fronted store about 200 yards away. Now clearly established as one of the area’s leading independent Mother of the Bride/Groom stockist, customers visit Aubergine from all over the North West to buy their outfits for the big day.

They are spoilt for choice at Aubergine, which stocks a wide and varied collection from some of the most respected occasion wear brands in the business. The store is a stockist for John Charles, Condici, Ispirato, Zeila, Cabotine, Gina Bacconi and Michaela Louisa. Joining them from January 2015 are Irresistible, and Personal Choice, a new label which specialises in sizes 18 -26.

KFC

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Car Park

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Pemberton Boots

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your outfit fits perfectly before you walk out of the door, and who will also alter or repair any item of clothing, whether purchased at Aubergine or not.

The new store is easy to find and has plentiful parking at the side and rear of the building, so if you’re looking for a special outfit for a Christmas party or for a 2015 wedding, do call in today – you’re guaranteed a warm welcome.

Aubergine w w w. auber gi nel adi es w ear.c o.uk 13 - 15 White Street, Pemberton, WN5 8JW Open: 9.30am - 4.30pm Monday - Saturday Closed Wednesday

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Food For Thought David Sudworth visits the Billinge community project volunteers who are helping the area’s most vulnerable Julie Smith is on the phone. It’s clear the 37-year-old is talking to someone in desperate need of help.

Afterwards, she tells me it was a local man who only has a bar of chocolate left to eat. A parcel of food is duly despatched – sadly, such cries for help are not uncommon. Only recently, the Storehouse Project, based at Billinge Family Church on Crank Road, hand delivered a parcel to someone who had been living on dog food.

Julie, who lives in Orrell, is the Storehouse co-centre manager alongside Rachel Dunn, who hails from Up Holland. They’re showing me around the project, which is now busy assembling special Julie Smith Christmas hampers which will soon be going out to local families. The church is a converted house and the project is based in its front room, which still has the old parquet flooring and elegant art deco fireplace in place.

Julie works in the Prison Service but has been on a career break for the past year: “It really gets to you at times, but I’m just pleased we are able to help. It’s rare for people to ring us directly as most are referred to us via one of the 50 agencies we work with. “ The Storehouse was set up in 2008 by local dad-of-two Nolan Bradshaw. Originally from Bryn, he moved to Billinge 30 years ago and worked for the council. He later went on to be Head Porter at Billinge Hospital.

Having battled cancer twice, he retired in 2007 on health grounds. Nolan, now 65, said: “Originally it was set up to help people from the church, but it grew from there. We get items donated by people and some

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Nolan at the wheel people help us pay the bills by financially supporting us by Standing Order each month, which we are very grateful for. I’m on my third hernia but still going strong!”

In the past year, the project has doubled in size. Over 5% of those visited had fled either domestic abuse or human trafficking. As well as food, they’ve also provided more than 90 beds and 126 packs of toiletries.

Julie added: “Unfortunately, food banks get a bad press as there’s a misconception that people who use them are scroungers, but that’s not true. We’ve helped people who have mortgages, and even given clothes to a woman to attend a job interview.”

Her co-centre manager Rachel, 23, who has previously done relief work in Hong Kong and Asia, agrees: “We help people with a range of different circumstances.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. For our Christmas hampers, we ask the main agencies we work with to

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Rachel Dunn in the storeroom nominate families or individuals, and they give us details so we can tailor them to that specific home.”

As I’m about to leave, Nolan returns from a delivery with a heart-breaking tale of a man he’s just visited. He tells me that the man has very little, and very rarely sees anyone, so Nolan has invited him down to church.

It seems that for all the talk of times getting better, the lifeline which organisations such as the Storehouse provides will be needed for some time yet…

The Storehouse needs wardrobes, drawers, white goods, pots and pans, tin openers etc. If you can help, or if you would like to discuss other ways of supporting them, please call 07816 623612, email info@storehouseproject.org.uk or visit www. storehouseproject.org.uk. They are also at www. facebook.com/storehouseproject and on Twitter @storehouseproj If you need assistance, contact Wigan Council on 01942 705221 for a referral.

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Haydock History

Visit www.friendsofsthelenscemetery.co.uk for further information

The History of Haydock Lodge is the subject of St Helens Township’s Family History Society next meeting. Speaker Pauline Hurst will give a presentation on the lodge from 6.45pm for 7pm at St Helens Town Hall, Victoria Square.

The admission fee is £2 and all are welcome.

Wreath Making

WW1 Cemetery Walk The Friends of St Helens Cemetery invite you on a Remembrance Sunday, 100th anniversary of World War I Walking Tour. It starts at noon on Sunday, November 9, where you will be able to join a local military expert for a guided tour of graves with a World War I military history at St Helens Cemetery, Rainford Road.

To book a place on the tour, please call 07910 131 369 or email hello@friendsofsthelenscemetery.co.uk

Join the St.Helens Rangers and volunteers from Friends of St Helens Cemetery for their annual wreath making event. Locals are being encouraged to take the family along to the following events, which are suitable for all ages: Sunday, November 23: Wargrave Cemetery, Park Road South, Newton-le-Willows (10am) Sunday, December 7: St Helens Cemetery, Rainford Road (10am) It’s £3 per wreath to cover the cost of the materials. For more information, call 07910 131 369 or email hello@ friendsofsthelenscemetery.co.uk

Disney Frozen Party Sunday 23rd November Enjoy a 3 course carvery lunch and children’s buffet with a surprise visit from the Frozen Princesses • Signed autograph picture from Anna & Elsa • Performing 3 iconic songs from the hit movie Frozen • Photo opportunities with the Princesses • Face Painting (not included in Price)

Prices - £26.95 for Adults, £13.50 for Children Holiday Inn Haydock M6, Jct23 Lodge Lane, WA12 0JG

T: 01942 868 330

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* Terms & conditions Apply / Dates are subject to availability. * 2 For 1 Offer applies only on adults

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2 for 1*

A Fantastic nce e i r e p x E s a Christm far m e h t n o n w o d

Santa has completely rebuilt his workshop and grotto.

The huge buildings have been given a Christmas makeover creating the ultimate FARMER CHRISTMAS! Your ‘BOARDING CARD’ allows you to step inside this wonderful world and make your way through the huge halls into ELF SCHOOL, then hop aboard the SANTA EXPRESS and arrive at the MAGICAL CHRISTMAS FOREST. On your journey you will encounter ELVES, REINDEER and all their friends until at last, you reach SANTA’s WORKSHOP.

General Admission Charge Under 1 year old (receiving a gift) - £5.00 Child - £11.50 Adult - £6.00 (Booking Fees Apply)

Book on-line at: www.farmerchristmas.com Tel: 0844 736 0151 Farmer Teds @FarmerTedsFarm Want to advertise in Local Life?

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the sixth form

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Wild Side

The competition, supported by Merseyside Police, is aimed at those aged nine to 21.

Mr Brian Ashworth is giving a talk on wildlife to members of the St Helens branch of the National Trust on Thursday, November 20.

For more information and an application form, call Elaine on 0151 777 6156. You can also access the latest details at www.facebook.com/sthelensgottalent and on Twitter @sthelenstalent

It is being held in the lecture theatre of the United Reformed Church, King Street, St Helens town centre.

Doors open at 7pm and the meeting begins at 7.30pm.

Entry is £1 for non-members.

St Helens Talent Have you got what it takes to be a top performer?

Auditions for St Helens’ Got Talent are taking place at St Teresa’s Parish Hall, Devon Street, St Helens, on Saturday, November 8, from 11am-4pm., Or if you live in Billinge, why not head down to Birchley St Mary’s on Trent Road between 11am-4pm on Saturday, November 15.

Where There’s A Will…

Locals are being urged to get a will drawn up in November – and help charity at the same time. Will Aid month, which starts on Saturday, November 1, is a scheme whereby you get a will drawn up by a local solicitor for free in return for a voluntary donation.

The suggested voluntary donations are £95 for a single will, or £150 for a pair of ‘mirror’ wills .

To find a list of local, participating solicitors, visit www. willaid.org.uk

Raindrops Pre-School

Free Places for 3 & 4 year olds* Limited places available – please call us now to reserve your child’s place.

Raindrops opens daily from 7.45am – 5.30pm Raindrops Pre-School is located at Rainford CE Primary on Cross Pit Lane and run by our school team.

Raindrops Pre-School

c/o Rainford C.E. Primary School Cross Pit Lane Rainford WA11 8AJ

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We strive for excelle nce in an atmosphere of calm, where all members of the sch ool community feel value d.

We warmly welcome prospective parents to come and look around school with their chi ldren.

Outstanding Church School SIAS Inspection, May2012

01744 883 281

Email: rainfordp@sthelens.org.uk www.rainfordcofe-pri.st-helens.sch.uk *up to 15 hours free for 3 & 4 year olds

...call us now on 01744 649 722

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Body Shop Party A Body Shop Party is being held in aid of Rainford Parish Council’s Chairman’s charities. The party takes place in the Village Hall, Church Road, on Friday, November 14, from 7.30pm in aid of Rainford First Responders and Rainford Scouts.

Further information is available by calling 01744 884709 or emailing clerk@rainfordparishcouncil.com

Panto Time With the panto season fast approaching, Rainford Parish Church Amateur Dramatic Society is getting into the spirit with a production of Jack and The Beanstalk.

Seven shows will take place across six days in November, from Friday, November 14, until the following Saturday, at the parish hall on Church Road.

Times are as follows: Friday, November 14 (7.30pm), Saturday, November 15 (2.30pm and 7.30pm), Sunday, November 16 (2.30pm), Thursday, November 20 (7.30pm), Friday, November 21 (7.30pm) and Saturday, November 22 (2.30pm and 7.30pm).

Tickets are £8 for adults and £5 for under-16s. Call Myra on 01744 883350.

Charity Lunch St Aidan’s Church’s overseas committee is holding a charity lunch in the Billinge church on Wednesday, November 12. Starting at 12.30pm, it will comprise of a choice of soup, roll, dessert and tea or coffee.

Admission to the event, in the Main Street church, is by ticket only at £5 per head. Order yours from Julia Birchall on 01744 892360 or email jjbirchall@supanet.com

Is your child three years old, but only ready for Nursery in January 2015?

Do you need childcare now?

Billinge ‘Caterpillars’ is a brand new provision which can cater for your childcare needs as soon as they are three years old.

We are also able to offer wrap-around care from 7.30am until 5.45pm if required.

To discuss your childcare requirements or arrange a viewing of our facilities please contact Mrs Bennett at:

Chapel End Primary School Telephone:

01744 678 230 30

Business Review

The Sycamore Tree Takes Root...

Jill Culling always wanted to open up her own business in Billinge - but little did she know how quickly it would take root.

Jill Culling

The Sycamore Tree, situated at the corner of Main Street and Beacon Road, opened on September 1 - just a few weeks after Jill spotted the convenientlylocated, vacant unit.

The empty unit has been transformed into a quality greeting cards and gift shop, opening six days a week.

In addition to cards, The Sycamore Tree also stocks gift wrap, balloons and unique gifts including hand made pens, knitted baby booties and a selection of jewellery items.

For St Helens-born Jill, whose family has been in Billinge for 30 years, it’s a dream come true. She moved to Billinge five years ago, having spent the majority of her career in the civil service: “I’ve always wanted to open my own business, and when this unit became vacant it inspired me to take the plunge.

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“I really thought about what Billinge needs and fairly quickly realised the potential to provide high quality greetings cards to the local community in a convenient location. In this part of Billinge, we’ve got a lot in a small area - a park, cafe, pub, kitchen and bathroom showroom, hairdresser and now a card and gift shop.”

Although the shop, whose name is taken from a line in the song, Dream A Little Dream Of Me, has been open less than two months, it is already building up a steady stream of loyal customers.

“Word is getting round,” says Jill, a former pupil at Notre Dame Grammar. “I’ve had some lovely comments about the shop from customers who say it’s just what Billinge needs.”

“We aim to provide a card for every occasion, and if we don’t have what our customers require we strive to get it for them. It’s a real family business, my daughter Louise works part time in the shop and we pride ourselves on offering a relaxed, inviting and friendly shopping experience.”

The Sycamore Tree 32 Main Street, Billinge, WN5 7HD 01744 894669

...call us now on 01744 649 722

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Lucky To Be Alive David Sudworth discovers how surviving Hillsborough 25 years ago impacted on a Haydock-born BBC presenter Like many devoted dads, Mark Edwardson loves taking his son to watch their beloved Liverpool FC. But for the Haydock-born BBC North West presenter, it’s got an added poignancy.

As a survivor of the worst footballing disaster in British history, Mark witnessed scenes at Hillsborough which have left deep emotional scars.

The morning of April 15, 1989, could not have been more perfect for Mark, then a 22-year-old student.

Mark with his son, Lewis, at the 2012 FA Cup semi-final

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The sun was shining, the Reds were playing in the FA Cup semi-final and, best of all, Mark and his pal, Billy Nodwell, had secured a ticket for the match.

They drove to Sheffield and, upon arrival just after lunch, they parked up and walked to Hillsborough Stadium. Once at the Leppings Lane End Stand, they separated; Billy going into the upper tier of the terrace, while Mark headed into Pen Four in the lower tier.

Speaking to Mark today, it’s clear the passage of time 25 years just gone - has done little to numb the effects: “ I’ve thought about it every single day for the 25 years.

When I got into Pen Four, it was totally full so I was at the rear with my back against the wall. By about 2.50pm, the sheer pressure had forced me forward between half and two-thirds forward. It was noticeable that other people who were standing near me at the back just 20 minutes earlier were in the same position as me. We’d all been moved along together. Towards the end, it was just solid, you couldn’t move anywhere.”

Mark’s attention was then drawn to someone behind him who was pressed up against a crush barrier: “I remember him saying: ‘Please give me room to breathe.

I’m having a heart attack’ and said that if I could, I would.

I don’t know who he was, I never saw his face because he was behind me. From his voice, I thought he was about 60. The thing is, I don’t even know if he survived.

There are a few men of around the same age on the Hillsborough Memorial at Anfield but I’ve no way of knowing whether one of those is him.”

“Don’t go down... you’ll never get back up” As the crush intensified, Mark became so worried that he even feared breathing in because there was no room for his chest to expand so he could breathe back out again. Becoming increasingly exhausted and desperate for air, an anxious Mark started wriggling down to the floor in a bid to find space. At that split-second, another fan, who was facing Mark so closely they were almost locked in an embrace, shouted at him: “Don’t go down, don’t go down... you’ll never be able to get back up.”

While all this was happening to Mark, his friend Billy had left the ground and found refuge in a kind lady’s house nearby. Together, they watched to horror unfolding on TV. Back in the North West, Mark’s mum, Pat, heard the news on the radio while driving back from a shopping trip in Liverpool: “Apparently, she doesn’t remember anything about that drive at all. We were let out of the ground around 4.40pm and I started walking back to the place we’d dropped off the car. Billy was looking for me and when he saw me, he ran down the street and lifted me up in the air. I hobbled into the house and rang my mum. This was obviously in the days before mobile phones so it was the first time she knew I was safe, and she burst into tears with relief.

“Taking in something like that, which sneaks up on you and is so lethal, just numbs you. It’s like an anaesthetic in its own right. I felt guilty for surviving.”

Although being at Hillsborough left Mark with personal trauma which affects him to this day, the now welldocumented aftermath focused his mind on seeking out a career in an industry where comment is free, but facts are sacred.

Born in March 1967 at Cowley Hill Hospital, Mark grew up in Darent Road, Haydock, with dad Cliff and mum Pat, who are both now 71. His sister Dawn is 44 and lives in Scotland.

Again, Mark doesn’t know who that man was, or what happened to him, but acknowledges that he almost certainly saved his life: “He used up precious oxygen to help me. By that time, the pen was really, really quiet. Hardly anyone was talking, people were just concentrating on breathing and staying conscious.”

Eventually, the police opened one of the exit gates and fans started spilling out onto the pitch: “I was a bit like a grain of sand going through an egg timer and fortunately I went through fairly straight. I ended up on the pitch clutching my ribs which were really sore from the crush. I looked around and could see what had happened. I remember a guy being lifted onto an advertising hording. He had turned blue and we tried to help him get off the pitch.”

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As a six-year-old English Martyrs pupil

“I’ve got so many fond memories of Darent Road,” smiles Mark. “It was one of those ideal places because it was a new estate and most of the adults were roughly the same age. There was something like 28 children in just 14 houses and I had a lot of mates who I am still in touch with. It was a fantastic place to play football and a form of rugby.

“I went to English Martyrs RC Primary, which was about three quarters of a mile from home, and to get there we’d go across old slag heaps and play on them with our bikes.

...call us now on 01744 649 722

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Mark went on to Edmund Arrowsmith High School in nearby Ashton-in-Makerfield before enrolling at St John Rigby College in Orrell. Having developed an interest in aviation, and an ambition to become a pilot, he enrolled to study geography and communications at Edge Hill College in Ormskirk. It was while he was at Edge Hill that he was caught up in the Hillsborough disaster, something which led to his interest in pursuing a media career. Mark also sees elements of his background as a reason for becoming a journalist: “My granddads were both miners and dad was a bricklayer. They were all salt of the earth, fair-minded people with a sense of truth and justice. So what I saw after Hillsborough steeled my resolve.”

However, the need to find work though saw Mark spend around a year as a rent collector for St Helens Council. Based in the Thatto Heath office, his patch included Portico, Rainhill and parts of Sutton Heath.

The experience brought him into contact with many different types of people and how to deal with them, crucial for any successful journalist. He eventually did a post graduate diploma in radio and TV journalism at the old Lancashire Polytechnic in Preston before finding work with Independent Radio in Piccadilly, Manchester.

With Liverpool legends Alan Kennedy, Ian Callaghan and Ian Rush Despite his horrific ordeal a quarter of a century ago now, Mark still goes to Liverpool matches and is a committed Reds fan. In fact, one of his proudest moments was when he met former Anfield favourite Ian Callaghan, only to find out that Callaghan to recognise him straight away because of his TV work: “That was just brilliant, I was completely made up, especially as it was the same day I met Ian Rush and Alan Kennedy.

I’ve been a massive fan since watching the FA Cup Final between Liverpool and Newcastle in 1974. I remember all the build-up and seeing a banner saying ‘Shankly’s Red Army’.”

And in terms of his career choice, Mark couldn’t be happier: “The north west is a wonderful news patch.

We’ve got places such as Sellafield and BAE Systems plus the great cities of Liverpool, Manchester and Preston.

People are always willing to talk to you. I remember one time we were setting up our camera in the middle of Liverpool to get people’s on-the-street reaction to a big news story of the day. By the time we were ready to roll, there was a queue of around 10 people ready to talk to us. Where else would you find that?”

On holiday last year with wife Mandy and children Alexandra and Lewis Since then, Mark has worked for Radio Stoke, the old GMR Radio in Manchester and for Midlands Today in Birmingham. In 2006, he moved to BBC North West as a presenter and can be seen both out and about filing reports as well as reading the news. He married Mandy, who he met while at Edge Hill, 17 years ago at Last Drop Village near Bolton and they live with their children Alexandra, 16, and Lewis, 12, at their home in Congleton, Cheshire.

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35

Icing On The Cake A new St Helens business owner rose to the occasion when she was asked to design celebrity Kerry Katona’s wedding cake. Kelly Diggle, 38, of Cakes By Design in Claughton Street, was personally contacted by the former Atomic Kitten star after an appeal on Twitter.

Kelly, who only got married eight weeks ago herself, told Local Life: “Kerry put out a Tweet asking about wedding cakes, so I responded and a few other people recommended me. We exchanged emails – Kerry was lovely and really excited about the wedding. She went for a vintage cake in the end, which took about two days to make. I dropped it off at her maid of honour’s home in Warrington and then it was taken down to Surrey for the wedding.”

Kelly’s handiwork has since adorned the pages of celebrity magazine Ok! where Cakes By Design gets a special mention: “I suppose I did feel a bit of pressure knowing it was Kerry’s wedding cake but I’m really pleased with it. Since I only opened up the shop eight months ago, this was the icing on the cake.”

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glass morpheus

Open studio sale Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th November

Need some inspiration for Christmas presents this year? Come along to our open weekend and choose from lots of lovely and unusual gift ideas, all work is handmade at the studio and many pieces will have upto 70% off for this weekend! Christmas decorations, bowls, jewellery, wall panels, mirrors, coasters and sculptures will all be on show at great discount prices.

So come along on the 8th & 9th November 2014 open from 10-4 both days.

Unit 11, Hewitt Business Park Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan, WN5 7XB t/f 01695 624182 w www.morpheusglass.co.uk e info@morpheusglass.co.uk splashbacks | panels | coasters | jewellery | hangings | sculptures | bowls

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Saturday, November 1

Sunday, November 2

Bonfire & Fireworks Extravaganza

Haigh Hall Bonfire Extravaganza

The Holts Arms (aka The Foot), on Crank Road, Billinge, hold their regular and hugely popular event.

Haigh Hall hosts one of the region’s top bonfire celebrations from 4pm. There will be live music, Wish FM DJ, family fairground rides, food stands and of course, the big bonfire and firework finale.

Bonfire lit at 6.30pm and fireworks 7pm.

Full bar available inside and a well-stocked bar with draught lager and bitter outside, as well as a selection of bottles and soft drinks. Black peas, toffee apples, sparklers, outside bottle bar, hot dogs, chilli and hotpot.

Admission - £5 for adults, £3 for children.

Reservations are essential.

Tickets in advance - adult £8, children £6, family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) £24.

Rotary Club of Prescot Bonfire Night

Tickets on the day adult £9, children £7, family ticket £28.

This not-for-profit fireworks and music event is being held once again at Whitaker’s Garden Centre, on Liverpool Road, Prescot.

Bonfire Supper (includes admission to the extravaganza) - adult £13.95, children £9, family ticket £39.95.

Visit www.wlct.org for more information

Gates open at 5.30pm and the bonfire will be lit at 6.15pm. To ensure this ever-popular event goes off with a bang, there will be fireworks from 7pm.

Wednesday, November 5 Community Family Bonfire & Firework Spectacular

Tickets are now on sale, and if purchased at Whitaker’s beforehand, £1 will knocked off the gate price, which are as follows - £16 for a family ticket (two adults and two children), £7 for an adult, £6 for concessions and children, with under-fives going free.

Held at YMCA Orrell Cricket Club, off Winstanley Road, gates open at 5.30pm, the bonfire will be lit at 6.30pm and the fireworks start at 7.15pm.

Funds raised on the night will go to local and international charities.

Admission - £3 adults, children go free if accompanied by an adult

For more information, visit www.rotary-ribi.org and search for the Prescot group’s page.

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On offer will be a burger van, treacle toffee, a children’s fun house, a bar and hot and cold drinks.

Spark in the Park The annual fireworks display in Sherdley Park is organised by St Helens Council and is always hugely popular with over 30,000 people in attendance.

Silcock’s Fair will be open from 6pm to 9pm Children’s fireworks and fire display from 7pm Grand fireworks and fire display from 8pm.

Refreshments will be available with stalls selling hot food and drinks.

There is no bonfire for health and safety reasons.

Car parking will be available at various local venues, although it is mainly chargeable. Where possible visitors are advised to use public transport, with bus stops and Lea Green Station close to Sherdley Park.

More details available by calling 01744 676731.

Saturday, November 8 Rainford Fireworks Event The event is organised by the Rotary Club of St Helens and held at the Church Field and Rainford Cricket Club.

Bonfire is lit at 7pm and the fireworks start at 7.45pm.

Admission - Tickets are £3 in advance or £4 on the gate (under 5s go free).

Tickets can be bought from All Saints Primary, Brook Lodge Primary, Corpus Christi Primary, Houghton’s newsagents and Wendy’s Flowers.

Visit www.nsconnections.co.uk/fireworks for more information.

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41

Let’s stay together This year’s National Adoption Week (3 – 9 November) is focussing on siblings in a bid to encourage more people to come forward who can adopt brothers and sisters.

Currently there are seven sets of siblings in desperate need of a loving family across the three WWiSH (Warrington, Wigan and St Helens) authorities , five groups of two siblings and two groups of three. Since 2013, there has been a 65 per cent decrease in the number of sibling groups waiting to be adopted.

Earlier this year, Channel 4’s 15,000 Kids and Counting showed siblings, Lauren and Liam placed with a loving family.

The programme gave viewers unprecedented access into the adoption process, giving them a glimpse into the difficult, but rewarding journey social workers face when searching for a forever family.

Social worker Annette, 35, from Wigan, was described as a hero by the press and the public. Her commitment to the children in her care, including sibling group Lauren and Liam, had viewers on the edge of their seats.

Here she tells us why she thinks it’s important to keep siblings like Lauren and Liam together and stresses the importance of post-adoption support.

Annette said: “When we think about keeping siblings together, we tend to consider our own sibling relationships and our children’s sibling relationships. While a joint placement is not always appropriate, there are real benefits of placing siblings together.

“Children in foster care experience a variety of emotions which include sadness, loss, confusion and even guilt.

Some children will have gone through traumatic experiences and have those emotions to deal with on top of that. Having a sibling with them can help them with these feelings, as well as supporting the child to maintain a sense of identity when everything else familiar to them is gone. I believe siblings’ remaining together, when it is appropriate and safe, helps them re-build their individual strength and resilience. Siblings are a source of support to one another. Not only this but they learn skills from one another and develop empathy as a result of that sibling relationship.”

Councillor Joanne Platt, cabinet member for children and families at Wigan Council, said: “Since the launch of WWiSH we’ve placed lots of children with loving families. It would be fantastic if this week we can find these seven sibling groups a loving family too.”

If you have enough love for more than one child, find out more information here: 01942 487272 or email wwish@wigan.gov.uk.”

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3rd-9th November

WWiSH... you were doing the school run too?

Last year we found forever families for 86 children in Warrington, Wigan and St.Helens.

This year, could you be one too?

Find out more, call 01942 487272, e-mail wwish@wigan.gov.uk or visit www.wwish.org.uk

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...call us now on 01744 649 722

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How I Rebuilt My Life David Sudworth talks to Rainford’s Andy Reid about how his life changed forever five years ago on the battlefields of Afghanistan As a soldier since the age of 21, Andy Reid was used to dangerous situations.

The ex-Rainford High pupil had been part of the initial Iraqi invasion in 2003, crossing the border from Kuwait on the first day of the ground war. But Afghanistan was a different prospect altogether. Unlike previous conflicts, not only were the enemy in plain clothes, but the-then new presence of roadside bombs made it a much more perilous operation.

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On October 13, 2009, just 10 days before he was due to return to Britain, that peril became all too real for Andy when he stood on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

He was out on an early morning familiarisation patrol near his base at Nolay, Helmand Province, when he lost both legs and his right arm. The impact catapulted him into the air and threw him down, as Andy puts it, like a sack of cement.

The incident, and his battle to rebuild his life since, is covered with both brutal honesty and humour in his book, Standing Tall, which has now shifted in excess of 10,000 copies.

I meet Andy, 38 and his wife Claire, 33, who also went to Rainford High, at their home on News Lane, Rainford,

where they have lived for almost a year now. It’s a busy time for the couple. Not only do they have a son, William, who is two at the end of November, but Andy is in big demand as a motivational speaker, with clients including Asda, Mercedes Benz, O2 and Network Rail.

Indeed, while we’re chatting, the phone rang a good few times.

I ask whether this is the post-army career he envisaged: “To be honest, it’s not something I thought about a lot.

I’d signed up for 22 years and done 13 of them so there was still a fair way to go. If I hadn’t had the incident in Afghanistan, I’d probably have gone into security work.

A lot of ex-servicemen become lorry drivers but I didn’t want that because it would have meant being away from home a lot and not seeing Claire and William, as well as the fact by the end of it I’d have spent over 20 years being away.”

Andy fell into motivational speaking almost by accident: “In the army, I was used to speaking to lots of people as a weapons instructor. You’d read the pamphlet, make sure you didn’t forget the bits marked red as they had the life-saving information in, and then talk about it.

“After the accident, Claire and I went on a cruise for about three or four weeks. People kept stopping Claire and asking what had happened to me, was it meningitis, a car crash or what? I was then asked by the cruise director if I’d do a Q&A, so I agreed. Out of 2,000 people on the ship, about 800 turned up - it was amazing, and

Andy and Claire on their wedding day got me thinking I could do this.”

Andy, a Corporal in the 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, was born in Birkenhead but moved to Windleshaw Road, Dentons Green, aged five. He attended Windleshaw Primary before going on to Rainford High. He met Claire, who is originally from South Wales, six years ago through his sister, as they were both working at the Wheatsheaf pub in St Helens town centre. They got together 11 months before Andy’s accident and married at Wrightington Country Club in September 2011.

Being an old romantic, Andy wanted to propose traditionally: “I wanted to do it properly, on bended knee. The problem was, I only had one of them, and getting down on it was tricky, but not as tricky as getting back up. To do that I needed a leg that would flex and let me push my body up off the ground.

Prosthetic legs are not really designed with aspiring fiancés in mind. But the physios at Headley Court, the Forces’ centre for the fitting of prosthetic limbs, weren’t about to be defeated by a simple problem like that. On August 7, 2010, with lots of help from them — hours of training to strengthen my muscles and improve my balance — I finally managed to pop the question, down on my knee like a true Romeo.”

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Losing limbs means that, aside from having to learn to walk again, he also has difficulty regulating his body temperature, due to the blood having fewer places to travel to in the body. The blast also left him with tinnitus and partial deafness.

In his book, Andy tells of the first moment he looked in a full length mirror after the accident: “I saw for myself the stubby limbs and the sheer brutality of what was missing.

It was like looking at a tree that had been hacked at by vandals looking for firewood.

I felt sick. It would be wrong to pretend that there weren’t times Andy’s book has sold more during those early than 10,000 copies days when I wished the Taliban bomber had been better at his job and had finished me off completely. Not being able to do the simplest thing for myself made me feel useless and unwanted.”

His first goal was to attend Remembrance Day parade with his section, which he achieved: “Nothing would have stopped me. All my section would be waiting for me and I couldn’t let them down. I felt guilty I’d had to leave my men prematurely. I was still their commander, and was desperate to see them again. I was close to tears and so were they. I still don’t know how Claire held it together during those first few days and weeks.

My cousin Karl said lot of girls would have been off like an escaping greyhound as soon as they heard their boyfriend had been so badly injured, but not Claire.”

Since then, Andy has been determined to live life to the full. On October 13, five years since that fateful day, he walked up Snowdon to raise money for the Not Forgotten Association.

His work has received plaudits, including from Si King and Dave Myers, aka the Hairy Bikers, who wrote the foreword to his book after visiting their old home on St Thomas Close, Windle.

With the Hairy Bikers

Of course, since 2009 the Middle East troubles have intensified. Most recently there has been the beheading of Western hostages in Syria by Islamic State. Andy, like many, has been appalled at such brutality: “It was terrible about Alan Henning but it was good to see the Muslim community come out on TV to say they don’t agree with it. From my time in places like Afghanistan, the truth is that most normal people there just want to get on with life and look after their families the same as anyone else. They don’t want the Taliban there because even children are getting injured and killed by IEDs.” I wonder what would Andy say if he ever met the person who planted the bomb he stood on. He pauses slightly, then answers: “I don’t know… that’s not likely to ever happen, is it? I don’t know how I’d react. I remember once I was out in a bar in St Helens town centre and someone came in, dressed in Osama Bin Laden fancy dress. That did get me, so I pulled his mask off his face and said: ‘Listen mate, you should have put more thought into this’.

But would he still recommend a career in the army?

“Yes, absolutely. Even if William wanted to join then I wouldn’t stand in his way. What happened to me could happen in any walk of life, through a car crash or whatever. The army gave me a good life, I spent 13 years seeing the world. I don’t want anyone to pity me. If what I’ve managed to achieve inspires other people, then that’s great.”

To donate to Andy’s Snowdon climb, visit www. justgiving.com/snowden5year. For a signed copy of Standing Tall, costing £10, email andy@andyreid.org

On the Remembrance Day parade

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We’re Going on a Bear Hunt We’re Going on a Bear Hunt has long been regarded as a classic and is now celebrating 25 years of entertaining children.

Enjoy swishing and swashing through the grass, splashing and sploshing through the deep river and squelching and squerching through the mud as you join the famous family on their hunt for the elusive bear. St.Helens Libraries are hosting some special events to celebrate this milestone.

Friday 3rd - Saturday 8th November All day - Hunt the honey pots and spell the words ‘Bear Hunt’ - Peter Street Library Tuesday 4th November 2.00pm - Looking for the honey pots Read & Rhyme Time - Peter Street Library Friday 7th November 2.00pm - Read & Rhyme Time Session Rainhill Library Monday 10th November 4.00pm - Design your Bear’s own pyjamas for the Bear Library sleepover - Peter Street Library Friday 14th November 4.00pm - Make your Bear their own little paper suitcase for the Library Bear sleepover - Peter Street Library Monday 17th November LiBEARy sleepover!

4.00pm - Rainford Library 6.00pm - Peter Street Library Friday 21st November 2.00pm - We’re going on a Bear Hunt celebration - Teddy Bears Picnic Read & Rhyme Time Session - Rainford Library

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Friday 28th November 3.45pm - 4.45pm - Craft session Rainford Library Wednesday 3rd December 3.00pm - 5.00pm - LiBEARy sleepover Eccleston Library Friday 5th December 10.30am - Read & Rhyme Time Eccleston Library Wednesday 12th December 2.00pm - We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Party! - Eccleston Library Monday 15th December 2.00pm - Read & Rhyme Time, plus special guest appearance - Eccleston Library To find out more about any of these events, please call 01744 677446 or visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/libraries

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47

Planning Ahead

Lightning Switch On!

Billinge

Major music acts will headline two spectacular, free Christmas lights switch-on events on Saturday, November 15, in Victoria Square, St Helens.

79 Newton Road: Single storey rear extension (ref: P/2014/0757). Consultation deadline: November 3.

Haydock 463 Clipsley Lane: Two storey side extension along with first floor extension over existing single storey extension (ref: P/2014/0752). Consultation deadline: October 31.

Moss Bank Moss Bank Hotel, Moss Bank Road: Single storey side and rear extension (ref: P/2014/0773).

Rainford Unifrax Ltd, Mill Lane: Installation of eight windows into existing side elevation of a building overlooking an internal site car park (ref: P/2014/0758).

Consultation deadline: November 3.

17 Holly Crescent: Erection of a detached dormer bungalow with associated parking in rear garden (ref: P/2014/0760). Consultation deadline: November 6.

83 Church Road: First floor rear extension (ref: P/2014/0745). A decision is due soon.

For more on these applications, visit www.sthelens.gov.uk

Collabro, Bars and Melody and The Lancashire Hotpots appear at 4pm as part of a switch-on programme which also features top local and regional talent.

And after the lights come on, thousands more are expected to arrive for an after show party starting at 7pm. Topping the bill are world-famous Liverpool band The Lightning Seeds, along with Scouting for Girls and The Hummingbirds.

The earlier event sees an appearance by Collabro, the five-piece musical theatre group that swept to victory on this year’s Britain’s Got Talent - winning £250,000 and a coveted slot on The Royal Variety Show.

Bars and Melody, another BGT act, had a top five success with their debut single and have already been hailed as the UK’s hottest new boy duo.

Local comedy folk band favourites The Lancashire Hotpots will be entertaining their hometown crowd with classic hits Chippy Tea, He’s Turned Emo, I Fear Ikea and many more.

Evening headliners The Lightning Seeds, fronted and formed by Ian Broudie, have had 12 top 20 UK hits including Pure, Change, Sugar Coated Iceberg,

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You Showed Me and the unforgettable 1996 football anthem Three Lions.

In Memory

The Christmas events programme continues on Saturday, November 22, when a festive band and giant penguin family entertain the crowds. Thomas the Tank Engine on Saturday, November 29, will be a hit with the kids, while on Saturday, December 6, the hugely popular Santa Dash, organised by the Steve Prescott Foundation and Willowbrook Hospice, returns to the town centre.

Local libraries will be hosting celebration events as part of the centenary commemorations of the start of World War I while raising money for the Royal British Legion.

Real reindeer arrive in Church Square on Saturday, December 13, for a real festive treat!

And don’t miss the fantastic Christmas grotto at Tyrer’s department store in Bridge Street from Saturday, November 22, until Monday, December 22. Tickets can be purchased in the menswear department only on the lower ground floor. For more information call 01744 20261.

Details of events are as follows: Monday, November 10: 10am–noon: Coffee morning at Newton-le-Willows Library. 2pm-4pm: Reminiscence coffee afternoon at Central Library. 2pm-4pm: Reminiscence coffee afternoon at Rainhill Library Tuesday, November 11: 10.15am: Coffee morning at Moss Bank Library Wednesday, November 12: 2pm–4pm: Coffee afternoon at Eccleston Library Thursday, November 13: 10.30am-noon: Coffee morning at Billinge Library. 2pm–4pm: Fundraising coffee afternoon at Haydock Library

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49

Mind the Gap The gap between our holidays seems to be getting longer so why not let 2015 be the year of the Short Break? Treat yourself to enjoying some of the top attractions in the UK (or just across the Channel) all without draining your savings account.

Here’s a fantastic selection of Short Breaks from Newmarket Holidays. All short breaks leave via coach from Wigan, St Helens or Skelmersdale.

Lake Garda

7 nights, May - October 2015 (Manchester flights)

from £389

Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake, has captivated visitors for over a century with its spectacular scenery - clear blue waters fringed by towering mountains and groves of olives and citrus. Explore its colourful, stylish resorts and historic lakeside towns, and enjoy all that this beautiful region has to offer.

Marken Travel 50

|

Wimbledon

11th & 12th July

from £169

Soak up the atmosphere of the world’s most famous tennis championships. Wander the outside courts, watch the action on Wimbledon’s No. 1 court, savour strawberries and cream - perhaps with a glass of champagne or Pimms - and spot celebrities and players enjoying the spectacle. Stop off at Royal Windsor on the way back and wander the streets of this lovely riverside town, visit the Castle and see the magnificent State Apartments.

200 Main Street, Billinge

London Theatre Saturday Nights

Battlefields of World War One

2 days, November 2014 - May 2015 from £119

Friday 5th June & Friday 18th Sept

Newmarket’s super value ‘Four Star Best of the West End’ breaks offer you the chance to travel by coach to London, enjoy a night in an excellent four-star hotel and take your seat at your choice of one of London’s top shows! Return to the West End the following day to shop and explore before returning home.

This captivating four-day break will help you understand the tragic events of the First World War, how the action developed and led finally, painfully, to victory. Visit some of the most poignant sights of the Somme and Ypres Salient with our knowledgeable guide, taking you back through history on a moving journey that you won’t forget

Paris Valentine’s Break

3 days in February

Carcassonne, Avignon & Provence

from £145

6 days, 3rd June & 9th September (Liverpool flights)

Paris must surely be the world’s most romantic city - nowhere else is quite so exciting, glamorous or beautiful. Every year, young lovers, newlyweds and couples of all ages find themselves delighted, charmed and captivated by the city’s unique atmosphere. Join them for a Valentine’s weekend you’ll never forget.

from £539

Join us in the stunning walled fortress-town of Carcassonne - one of France’s greatest medieval glories. Visit the fascinating papal city of Avignon and the spectacular Pont du Gard, cruise along the Canal du Midi, and perhaps join our optional excursion to the port-town of Collioure, on this wonderful, six-day holiday.

Chelsea Flower Show

Friday 22nd May

from £229

from £169

Visit Chelsea - the world’s most famous and bestloved flower show. Marvel at the fabulous show gardens, get advice and inspiration, mingle with famous celebrities and see the latest in garden design and equipment. This break also includes a visit to Kew Gardens. Kew has a magical mix of landscaped lawns, formal gardens, glasshouses and over 30,000 plants.

Ladies Day at Royal Ascot

17th June

from £145

One of the highlights of the English ‘Season’, Royal Ascot is always a stylish affair, and Ladies’ Day is definitely the day to ‘see and be seen’. High fashion and high stakes add to the atmosphere of this, Britain’s most popular race meeting.

Please note that other dates, and different durations may be available on these tours. Single room supplements may apply.

There are hundreds more tours to choose from in these two Newmarket brochures – if you’d like a copy of either (or both) of these brochures, just call Marken Travel on 01744 893291. Or, if you’d like to meet the Newmarket Tour Operator and the team at Marken Travel, then pop along to their Newmarket Open Evening on Tuesday 4th November at Marken Travel at 200 Main Street, Billinge WN5 7PE. The event starts at 6.30pm and refreshments will be served.

Newmarket Open Evening

Check out your choice of 2015 Short Breaks

Tuesday 4th November 6.30pm Wine and Nibbles served

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Call us now for friendly expert advice.

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RSVP to confirm your attendance

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Jack’s Tracks

Duxbury If you hate mobile phones, but see them as a modern-day necessity, you’ll love this walk. For no sooner had we arrived at Yarrow Valley Country Park than my super-dooper, magical mobile, which does everything apart from make my breakfast, flashed up ‘No Service Available’ message.

We parked up the charabanc for free and headed south eastwards beside the side of the reservoir. Upon entering the wooded area, turn right and you basically follow the Yarrow River as it meanders towards Coppull Hall Wood. It’s not long until you come to a waterfall, which includes some steps to allow salmon to find their way back up stream. There’s also a great vantage point up above which, because of the arch of the waterfall itself, felt like you were looking at it through a magnifying glass.

This in itself was irritating enough, but my blood pressure rose considerably when my very own Sherpa Tenzing for this walk (who doubles as our fearless lens man Peter) received a call on his phone. Let me explain; Peter’s phone is so old it is allegedly as heavy as a baby elephant and can only be topped up using Green Shield stamps. Yet here he was, chatting away merrily into his Taiwanese house brick at the very same moment my bonny piece of Japanese precision technology was pulling up the 3G drawbridge.

Pressing on, it became clear that part of the path was a tad tricky to navigate as it followed the boundary of the wood on one side and perimeter fencing on the other. This is a particular problem in summer when the vegetation is at its most mature. We’d heartily recommend some insect repellent given the moist nature of the environment.

So you can either adopt a ‘the world can wait’ attitude or invest in something which probably can’t be killed by conventional weaponry.

Happy shopping!

Patchy phone coverage notwithstanding, the Yarrow Valley is a wonderful area. Not only is it a great place for walking, but it has a fabulous playground for youngsters. You could easily fritter away the hours there without leaving the park itself.

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On the plus side though, the path through Drybones Wood itself is fairly easy to navigate, and the foot bridges are in a good state of repair. On hot or rainy

days, the amount of tree cover provides good shelter.

Once out of the wood, the public right of way follows the edge of a field which is all fine and dandy, but finding the way across the old railway and onto Wigan Lane is a bit of a challenge at first. Once we sussed it out, we steeled ourselves for one heck of a climb up the embankment onto the rail railway line route which served Ellerbeck Colliery, and then had to grip ourselves for the steep drop back down on the other side. Top tip - tighten your laces before tackling this, it’ll give you that extra grip underfoot. Eventually, we emerged from the undergrowth onto Wigan Lane. Without wishing to sound like someone from a 1970s public information film, we’d advise you to take care when crossing Wigan Lane as many motorists seem to feel the need for speed on this stretch. It goes without saying that your dog should also be on a lead.

Once across, we made our way across the flat plain to Rawlinson Lane before slipping down onto the LeedsLiverpool Canal towpath. Usually, the straightforward parts of a walk are among the most boring, but there’s plenty of interest here with quaint houseboats, cyclists and we even spotted a canoeist. There’s also the chance to find your inner children and stop off at the famous Frederick’s ice cream parlour.

One thing which did leave us scratching our heads was a sign saying Welcome to Lancashire. All very nice, but I’m pretty sure we never left God’s County in the first place! Answers on a postcard for that one…

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55

At bridge number 74, we veered away from the towpath and through the woodland to briefly join up with the thunderous traffic on the A6. Just before the lights, turned left into the grounds of the old Duxbury Hall.

We passed what appeared to be the former gatehouse, sadly uninhabited when we saw it, and for the second time today, followed the river as it snaked around the clusters of woodland. In fact, talking about snakes, we happened upon one gigantic serpent while hotfooting it back to base camp. For a split second, my heart was in my mouth as, just recently, an 8ft boa constrictor had gone missing from a home in Lancashire. Thankfully though, this chappy was less harmful than a feather boa as it had been carved from a felled tree. Phew!

As the map shows, there are a few ways back to the car park but we decided to retrace our steps through Drybones Wood. All in all, we’d done 7.5 miles and, as it was a warm day, I don’t mind admitting it left me feeling

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a little worse for wear. On the plus side, thanks to a lack of mobile signal, I’d enjoyed a pleasant few hours of radio silence. However, the same can’t be said for Peter. Maybe modern technology isn’t so bad after all...

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.

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Walk The Line!

This walk takes you across the old Lancashire Union Railway Line which served Ellerbeck Collieries. It is believed the Hilton House and Red Moss Coal Company sank the first shaft in 1876. In its 1930s heyday, Ellerbeck Collieries employed more than 1,000 workers, the vast majority of them underground.

Like many pits at the time, Ellebeck Collieries was nationalised by Clement Atlee’s government just after World War II. Falling under the auspices of the National Coal Board, it was redeveloped and in the late 50s, employed around 400 men. Records show it finally closed for good in 1965.

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57

Community Day

Beating Cancer

Fun for all the family is being promised at a community day being held in Haydock. St Mark’s Church, on West End Road, is holding the event on Saturday, November 8, from 11am-3pm. It is being opened by the Mayor and Haydock Valley Brass Band at 11am.

People in Moss Bank will be able to access information on cancer prevention on Monday, November 10, from 10am-4pm. That’s when the NHS Merseyside and Cheshire Information Van will be at the Park Farm Centre on Kentmere Avenue.

From 2pm-3pm there will be an afternoon tea dance and the Tango Café will be open for refreshments from 10am-2pm.

The I Van is a mobile cancer support and information vehicle staffed with a cancer specialist nurse and a resource coordinator. They are able to offer health promotion advice in relation to cancer prevention and also lifestyle risk assessments.

There will also be an opportunity to look at memorabilia and archive information, try out what it’s like in an Anderson Shelter and have a tour of the church’s community garden.

For more information, call 01744 602641 or email info@ stmarkshaydock.org

So if you are worried about any symptoms or have a lump or maybe a wart that has changed in any way and want some advice, you are welcome to go along and find out more.

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59

Christmas

Thursday, November 6, - Sunday, November 9,

Sunday, November 16,

Crafts for Christmas

Vibrant Vintage Fair at Haigh Hall

The Crafts for Christmas events source talented makers and designers from all over the UK and bring together these small individual firms producing top quality products under one roof. Pleasurable Christmas shopping, easy parking, free cloakrooms for coats and heavy shopping, wide aisles with easy access for wheelchairs and pushchairs and coffee shops.

Great Yorkshire Showground, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, HG2 8PW. 9am-5pm each day More information and tickets: 01428 684494 or www.ruralcraftsassociation.co.uk Monday, November 10, - Tuesday, November 11,

Arley Hall Shopping Spectacular

Join the incredibly popular Champagne and Shopping evening where you can enjoy a drink or two while you shop on the Monday evening, or make a day of it on the Tuesday, have a shop and meet up with your friends for a bite to eat in the Tudor Barn Cafe. There will be around 60 handpicked stalls from all over the UK offering a wide variety of stunning gifts and treats for all of the family. The event is held in aid of Seashell Trust, a charity for profoundly disabled children.

Arley Hall & Gardens, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6NA. Time: 6pm-9.30pm on the Monday, 9.30am3.30pm on the Tuesday, Admission: Monday Champagne reception £10 in advance/£12 on the door, Tuesday Shopping Spectacular £6 on the door.

Email tickets@arleyhallshoppingspectacular.co.uk or contact Wendy Bray on 0161 6100168 Friday, November 14, - Sunday, December 21,

Manchester Christmas Market

Don your Santa hat, dust off the mulled wine glass, and get into the festive spirit - it’s time to head down to Manchester’s world famous Christmas Market. Attracting shoppers from all over the UK and beyond, the market has put Manchester city centre firmly on the Christmas map – the Christmas Market has become not just a fabulous place to shop but also a hugely popular leisure destination in its own right. No winter is complete without a wander through the chalet-lined streets of the markets.

Manchester City Centre: Albert Square, Brazennose Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, The Corn Exchange and Corporation Street.

10am-7.30pm in November, 10-8pm in December, apart from Sundays, when it closes at 6pm.

Admission: Free. More information: www. christmasmarkets.com

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50 stalls selling vintage and retro craft goods. The fair takes place in the impressive Haigh Hall with stalls up and down stairs, with a fire in the entrance hall and mulled wine in the bar. There will also be a free magic show for the children.

Haigh Country Park, Wigan, WN2 1PE, from 10am4pm. More information: www.vibrantvintage.co.uk Thursday, November 20, - Sunday, December 14

Chester Victorian Christmas Market

Shoppers will be able to revel in the choice of stalls at the free Christmas Market with over 70 traditional wooden chalets.

The market will offer a variety of quality local and regional products including crafts, clothing, jewellery, giftware and local food and drink from carefully chosen suppliers. New for this year is the 40ft sparkling Christmas Tree on Town Hall Square, which will provide a magical centrepiece to the market.

Visitors will be able to enjoy delicious hot food and drink, including hog roasts, mulled wine and hot chocolate; the perfect way to keep warm whilst enjoying the market.

Library Square, St Werburgh Street and other central locations in Chester, CH1 2HJ. 10am-6pm, seven days a week. Admission free. More information on 01244 405631.

Thursday, November 20 – Friday, December 19

Liverpool Christmas Market

Travel the world this Christmas on just one street! Featuring more than 50 of the finest craft and food stalls from across five continents, Liverpool’s new and improved Christmas Market is offering treats from as far as China and South America. There’s also a Food & Craft Village in Williamson Square.

Lord Street and Paradise Street, Liverpool.

Admission free. For more information, visit www. visitliverpool.com

...Merry

Events Guide Friday November 28, 29 and 30

Saturday, November 29, December 6 and 13

Vintage & Handmade Christmas Event

Grassington Dickensian Festival

Following the success of last year’s fair, staff at Chapel Gallery have planned a planning an equally enticing event just weeks before Christmas. The building will be full of stalls offering a fantastic range of goods from vintage, retro, upcycled and contemporary craft wares, including gorgeous vintage dresses, retro homewares and hand-crafted jewellery.

Chapel Gallery, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire. Friday, November 28: Stalls open from noon. Evening Event, 6pm–9pm. Saturday and Sunday: stalls open 10am–4.30pm. More information at www.chapelgallery.org.uk Sunday, November 30

Samlesbury Hall Christmas Fair

Samlesbury Hall showcases a wonderful array of traditional and contemporary crafts - a wonderful family day out. Food and craft stalls, Father Christmas, Christmas lunches, hot mulled wine and mince pies, hot turkey sandwiches and lots more.

Samlesbury Hall, Preston New Road, Samlesbury, PR5 0UP. 11am-4pm. Admission: adults £3, children £1. More information: www.samlesburyhall.co.uk Saturday, November 29, - Sunday, December 21

Father Christmas at the Farm

Take the family down to Tatton Park Farm to greet Father Christmas and his rare breed farmyard friends, some of who are the star attractions in the nativity scene. Once the children have received their free gift from Father Christmas there is so much to keep them occupied :- an outdoor play trail and den-building area, an indoor playbarn with ride-on tractors and music from brass bands or choirs. Families will love milking the wooden cow in the shippon, story-telling and visiting Aunt Mary in her cottage.

Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN. Saturday and Sundays, 11am-4.30pm. Last entry 3pm. It’s free to enter, but car entry charge applies.

More information: www.tattonpark.org.uk

For three Saturdays before Christmas, Grassington travels back in time for the annual Dickensian Festival. Visitors are treated to a glorious array of sights, tastes and smells from a bygone era. The village is adorned in Christmas lights, the square and streets come alive with a traditional market with shopkeepers and villagers dressed in Victorian costume. Visitors can revel in delight at the musicians, dancers, street entertainers and exhibitions of traditional country crafts.

Grassington town centre, North Yorkshire. The Postcode for the Park and Ride at Threshfield Quarry (for sat nav users) is BD23 5PA. There is no car parking in Threshfield or Grassington on the day of the event.

11am-5pm. Admission free. Email dickensian@ grassington.uk.com Sunday, December 14,

Croston Christmas Fair

The Croston Christmas Fair is a beautifully traditional village Christmas celebration organised by local people for the village. This traditional fair recommenced in 2008 following the decision by a number of villagers to put together Croston Village Festivities Group to plan, organise and run the day.

Croston Village, 1pm-5pm. For more information, visit www.crostonfestivities.co.uk Sunday, December 21

Merchant of Hoghton Christmas Market

Hoghton Tower is the venue for a Christmas Farmer’s Market from 10am to 2pm. There will be lots of lovely food for your Christmas celebrations.

Admission is £1 per car to the market. Pedestrians 50p. Tea room and gift shop open.

Hoghton Tower, Hoghton, near Preston, PR5 0SH. For more information visit www.hoghtontower.co.uk or call 01254 852986.

Christmas!

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61

Win tickets to

Farmer Ted’s Farm Park, the awardwinning tourist attraction near Ormskirk, home of Farmer Ted and Farmageddon has a brand new attraction opening this Christmas – Farmer Christmas!

See the eyes of your child/children light up in the magical world of Farmer Christmas. Visit the huge halls at Elf School and then take the Santa Express to the Magical Christmas Forest, passing the elves, reindeer and friends on the way.

When you arrive at Santa’s Workshop, your child will be given a personal audience with Farmer Christmas and will receive a free gift. This brand new attraction is sure to enthral and delight your children, and will heighten their excitement in the countdown to Christmas.

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o see # Across 3. Rudolph, Prancer and Dancer are names of 5. Farmer Christmas is held at Farmer _ Farm Park 6. Name of school at Farmer Christmas

Down 1. Santa’s Workshop is in the Magical _ Forest 2. Market town, close to Farmer Christmas 4. Farmer Christmas opens on 29th _

The Farmer Christmas attraction will be open from 29th November to 23rd December 2014.

Name ....................................................................................................

Opening times vary, so please check the website at www.farmerchristmas.com.

Address ................................................................................................

We have three family tickets to give away to our readers; simply complete the crossword opposite and send it to the following address; Farmer Christmas Competition Local Life 247 Ltd Unit 8 – Hewitt Business Park Winstanley Road Orrell Wigan WN5 7XB Or email the answers, along with your full address, postcode and contact number to crossword@ locallife247.co.uk The closing date for the competition is Friday 21st November 2014.

..................................................................................................................... ............................... Post Code ............................................................

Phone ....................................................................................................

Email ......................................................................................................

Crossword Competition Rules 1. Only one entry per household 2. Entrants must be over 16 years of age 3. The winners will be notified within 14 days of the closing date.

4. Local Life 247 Ltd cannot accept responsibility for entries that are delayed or damaged in the post.

5. Employees of Local Life 247 Ltd or their immediate relatives are not eligible to enter this competition.

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63

Test Drive - by Tim Barnes-Clay

Lexus IS 300h F SPORT Does a car project an image? Of course it does. It’s just like that suit you wear to the office. After all, we all like to leave an impression, especially when it comes to business.

In the corporate world how you come across is vital when it comes to winning a contract or even keeping the one you’ve got.

So it’s easy to see how cars can play a significant role in our working lives.

What your car says about you Flashy, sensible, or bland: cars can signal to others what the person behind the wheel might be like.

And, for many, German cars signal that the driver has done okay for themselves.

So when you consider that the Lexus IS 300h is pitched against BMWs and Audis, you might imagine Lexus has simply imitated the look of these ubiquitous but highstatus motors.

Well, I’m really pleased to report that the Japanese carmaker has done a lot more than that.

Lexus IS 300h stands out from German rivals On sale since July 2013, the sleek surfacing and tight, sporting proportions of the Lexus IS 300h make it stand out from, say, the BMW 3 Series or the Audi A4.

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The range includes an F Sport model, on test here, which comes with sports-tuned suspension and electric power steering.

Its design is even more toned and athletic than the standard model’s features.

The cabin is clean and elegant, with an ergonomically ideal environment for when you’re behind the wheel.

High quality materials and finishes are used throughout the interior to convey a contemporary, premium appearance.

Lexus IS 300h F SPORT cabin interior Many soft-touch areas have been created, including knee pads either side of the centre console.

The IS F Sport’s seats are even made using an integrated foaming method.

This ensures there are no gaps between the upholstery and the filling, giving both excellent comfort and great lateral holding.

But the latest IS does a lot more than look and feel good.

automatic gearbox that provides smooth and seamless changes.

FAST FACTS

You can modify the 300h’s performance by selecting from a range of drive modes.

• Max speed: 125 mph • 0-62 mph: 8.3 secs

Range of drive modes

• Combined mpg: 60.1

There’s EV all-electric running, with the petrol engine switched off; Eco, for optimum fuel efficiency; Normal; and Sport, for sharper throttle response and a sportier steering setting.

• Engine: 2494cc 4 cylinder 16 valve petrol

+ electric motor • Max. power (bhp): 220 • Max. torque (lb/ft): 163

Total system output is 220bhp, enabling a 0-62mph acceleration time of 8.3 seconds and a slightly less impressive 125mph top speed.

• CO2: 109 g/km • Price: £33,495 on the road

Safety is top notch too.

The IS 300h has been declared the best in its class by Euro NCAP.

Lexus IS 300h F SPORT specification It’s the first full hybrid version of Lexus’s premium sports saloon and secures a combination of performance and efficiency.

With low CO2 emissions, it delivers particularly attractive benefit–in-kind tax rates for company car drivers.

Five-star Euro NCAP safety rating It achieved the highest ratings in the large family category in the organisation’s 2013 safety performance testing programme, securing the top five-star rating.

So, image-wise, the Lexus IS 300h F SPORT radiates style blended with green cool.

It demonstrates you’re successful and conscientious without being boring.

The vehicle runs using a fusion of pulling power. An electric motor produces 141bhp and a 2.5-litre fourcylinder petrol engine delivers 178bhp.

The car is a gem and will stand out among the sea of German executive motors lined up in the parking spaces outside any corporate building.

The rear wheels are driven through the hybrid power train’s Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) – an

Save £££s

on servicing costs for your German car!

Experienced ex-Mercedes and Volkswagen Audi Group technicians will service your car at a fraction of main dealer costs!

We even pick up and drop off your motor free!

All repairs, exhausts, tyres, clutches, diagnostics, MOT work.

84 Rainford Road, Billinge, WN5 7PG

01744 895 333 or 07918 138 231 19 Tatton Court, Kingsland Grange, Warrington, WA1 4RR

01925 818 180 or 07918 138 231

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Frightfully Good!

Work Starts

Haydock folk are in for a frightfully good time at a Halloween family night to be held at English Martyrs parish hall on Piele Road. Fancy dress is optional for the event, from 7pm-9pm on Friday, October 31, and there will be entertainment and a buffet.

Plans for new allotments in Billinge are gathering pace.

Billinge Chapel End Parish Council has been pushing to provide a community orchard and 24 plots at Rainford Road fields for two years. They’ve now been granted permission by the Eddleston Trust to start works. To be considered for an allotment call 01744 892355.

Tickets are £4 for adults and £1 for children, who must be accompanied. Call 01942 712158.

Billinge &

Rainford Service and MOT Centre

Interim service and MOT from £95 inc VAT Full service and MOT from £130 inc VAT

Remembrance Service Billinge’s primary schools will attend a Remembrance service on Friday, November 7. It takes place at 10am at St Aidan’s Church, Main Street, and locals are being invited to join Year Six pupils for the short walk to the Remembrance Garden. Afterwards, there will be refreshments at the Eagle & Child and the Stork. For more information, contact D. McDonnell on 01744 678061.

MOT - £34.95 MOT Class 7 - £38.95 Free pick up and drop off service available



£5 off

Professional quality paintwork repairs at a fraction of traditional body shop costs  Quick  Convenient

Bumper scuffs Alloy wheels Paintwork scratches Minor dents

when you have a service and MOT at our garages Offer valid on production of this voucher Any make or model welcome

Billinge &

Rainford Service and MOT Centre

Part of SGN Autos Ltd 84 Rainford Road, Billinge, WN5 7PG and Sandwash Close, Rainford, WA11 8LY

Call - 01744 895 333 or 01744 886 720 Mobile - 07918 138 231

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Unit 20 Hewitt Business Park Winstanley Road Orrell WN5 7XB

For your free estimate visit

www.chipsaway.co.uk or call 0800 028 7878 or 07584 684 856

REPAIRS FULLY GUARANTEED

Recipe of the month

Buttered Brioche Pudding

If you’re looking for a little bit of food indulgence it doesn’t get much better than this pudding. Super easy to prepare, this dish works beautifully well either on its own, or with a dollop of custard or ice-cream.

Ingredients 1 brioche, sliced and buttered 60g sultanas 2 level tablespoons caster sugar 1 1/4 pint whole milk

Equipment Well greased, deep baking dish.

Method Preheat the oven to 180°c or gas mark 3-4.

Slice and butter the brioche. Put a layer on the bottom of the dish and sprinkle the sultanas over them.

Arrange a second layer of brioche over the top.

Place the milk in a pan and gently heat.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together and add the warm milk to make a creamy custard.

4 medium sized eggs

Strain the custard over the brioche and sprinkle the nutmeg over.

Sprinkling of nutmeg

Stand for 15 minutes before placing in the oven.

Serve with cream, custard or ice-cream.

Cook for 30-40 minutes until set and lightly golden.

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Garden Diary - by Angie Barker

Looking forward to Christmas?

You know how we look forward to things – a holiday, a birthday, family occasion and Christmas – well for me that’s how it works with plants.

Some flowers are so special and spectacular that they don’t last long, having spent all their energy creating a fabulous display. Hubby always asks me why I bother with Poppies and Peonies and the like, when their blooms are so fleeting. And so I explain that for me, half the pleasure of growing them is the anticipation and the looking forward to seeing them in all their glory and this is part of their attraction.

Award Winner

When plants have long seasons of interest, Conifers for example, yes they give a garden year round structure but are they a tad boring? Do we hardly notice them because they simply fade into the background? And what about hardy Geraniums. Brilliant garden plants for long seasons of colour and in all sorts of situations, sun or shade. And yet their flowers don’t fall under the spectacular flower umberella and I can’t say that I spend 11 months of the year looking forward to seeing them.

Colourful, hardy and reliable as they are (just like Hubby really) noted for spectacular blooms they ain’t.

And take flowering Cherry trees – fabulous displays of pink blooms in spring but an ill timed storm and their blossom is scattered and you think why did I bother.

Bearded Irises are another case in point. Much used by garden designers at the Chelsea Flower Shows over the years and one of the joys of spring and early summer in a garden. But unfortunately they only flower for two weeks and an individual flower for only two or three days. Yet I still grow them in the garden because when they are in bloom they are completely fabulous.

So when the stunning flowers of my Magnolia are fading fast, yes the heart sinks for a moment but then it’s like Boxing Day – you start to look forward to Christmas all over again!

Angie is a qualified award-winning garden designer who will plan your garden to your needs from start to finish, supplying reputable contractors and the ideal plants.

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Call Angie now for your free consultation!

Author: Angie Barker Dip GD (Inst GD) BA (Hons) Garden Design For All Seasons Tel: 01942 522 405 Mob: 07857 008 383 www.angiebarker.co.uk

Award Winner

R

Fencing Call Michael now for your free quote

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Home Services

Decorators, Plumbers, Locksmiths, Cleaners, Electricians, Builders & more...

T 01744 892 385 H E AT I N G E N G I N E E R S

A Genuine Family Run Business With Friendly & Courteous Staff

SPECIALISTS IN CENTRAL HEATING INSTALLATION, BOILER REPLACEMENTS AND UPGRADES

W rghheating.co.uk E info@rghheating.co.uk

Breakdown, Service & Repair Central Heating Installation Gas Safety Inspections Boiler Replacement Power Flushing Based in Billinge, covering all of Wigan & St Helens

Accredited Installer & Ser vice Partner • Annual Boiler Servicing • Landlord & Home Owner Gas Safety Checks • Gas Fire & Cooker Installations • Under Floor Heating Specialists • Home Efficiency Control Upgrades

10 YEARS

EXTENDED WARRANTY ON SELECTED BOILER INSTALLATIONS

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WE REPAIR ALL MAKES OF BOILERS!

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A.J.Davies

Painter & Decorator • Paper hanging a speciality • Friendly & very reliable service • City & Guilds qualified - over 22 years • Both domestic & commercial

Call Adam on 01744 755005 e-mail ajdaviesdecorator@hotmail.co.uk

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Brand New Bathrooms

Boiler Installations

Central Heating Repairs Servicing & Maintenance Belvedere Barn Estate, Crank Road, Billinge

01744 893957

Dave 07769 942218 / Matt 07969 183809 506515

www.dailypoppins.com

Areas Covered:

St Helens Widnes Haydock Moss Bank Rainford and all surrounding areas

It doesn’t have to be spring, to spring clean Contact your local office on

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DP006

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Call: 01942 273944 / 07872 176335 Email: dpconservatorycleaning@gmail.com www.dpconservatorycleaning.co.uk

THE OVEN CLEANING SPECIALISTS

LET US DO THE JOBS YOU HATE We also specialise in the cleaning of: • Extractors • Agas/Rayburns • Microwaves • Gas/Electric Hobs • Range Units Our fully trained cleaning technicians will remove burnt on CARBON deposits, GREASE and FAT

CALL 0800 808 9901

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Mark Mitchell

Stained Glass & Leaded Lights • Traditional Leaded Lights & Stained Glass • Manufactured & Repaired • New Commissions • On-Site Repairs • 25 Years Experience Unit 15, Chalon Way Industrial Estate, St Helens, WA10 1AU Tel: 0151 426 2814 Mob: 07711 841735 www.markmitchellstainedglass.co.uk

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• WILSON BROS •

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Est. 1985

Roofing & Roofline Specialists

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

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• Guttering and felting services

Call us now for a free estimate

?

01744 892732 Colin: 07958 302 166 Brian: 07760 160 988 www.wilson-bros.co.uk

? ?

?Woodburners? ?

We install

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An extensive range of stoves to suit your home.

Perfect for warmth and for hot water too!

A sustainable solution to energy price increases.

Traditional & contemporary stoves available.

?

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01744 893957 ? ??

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View our range of stoves online at...

Belvedere Barn Estate, Crank Road, Billinge

Dave 07769 942218 / Matt 07969 183809

506515

Puzzle Corner - Solutions

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?

?

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?

?

?

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& Multi-fuel Stoves!

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?

? ?

The photo on page 52 is of Moss Bank Station

?

? ?

?

Need An Electrician?

24/7 call out Consumer unit upgrades Rewires No job too small or big Quality and reliable service NICEIC registered and on the electrical safety register

ANDY HIDDEN

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Call for a Free quotation

01744 757064 or 07790 752457 www.bodtree.co.uk

?

Domestic Electrician

COMPUTER PROBLEMS? Broadband broken, computer slow, printer packed up, virus/spyware or your keyboards gone kaput

Bodtree Systems fix all types of PC problems in the comfort of your own home

Call Catherine Now 07540 222787

build solutions UK From Garden walls to large extensions or complete houses including any design requirements.

• Fully insured • 25 years in the industry buildsolutionsuk@outlook.com

01744 884446 / 07450 802370 Based in Rainford

No Job Too Small!

• • • • • • •

Re-Wires Additional Sockets / Lights Home Safety Tests Fuse Board Upgrades Security Lighting Alarms CCTV

Good Trader Of The Year Winner in the Wigan Trading Standards Best of the Best Awards 2013/14.

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07946 844 904 08000 842 394 Email: andy@ahde.co.uk

Keys – Locks – Safes Whatever your locksmith needs we will be happy to help!

• UPVC door opening, repair & security upgrades • Lock sales • Key cutting • Safes supplied and installed • OAP discount & free quotations

Visit our showroom 2, Lingholme Road St Helens WA10 2NS Call us now on

01744 732256

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All styles of Garage Door SUPPLIED • FITTED • REPAIRED garagedoorsnw.com 01744 883 511

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Don’t Replace... Restore can nd new bathroom, when we Why spend a fortune on a bra t bathroom by +10 years? extend the life of your curren We supply and fit:

After

Before

Contact us today...

“The bathrooms now look better than when they were first done over 13 years ago.”

01744 322 013 0800 542 9984

(Mrs Gannon, March 2014)

Useful Numbers

www.TotalBathroomRestoration.co.uk

sponsored by Total Bathroom Restoration

Billinge & Garswood Cllr D McDonnell Cllr S Murphy Cllr J Pearson Billinge Medical Practice Garswood Surgery Billinge & Garswood Police Team Billinge Parish Council Clerk Seneley Green Parish Council Clerk Billinge Library Garswood Library

01744 678 061 01942 743 098 01942 743 021 01744 892 205 01744 621 670 0151 777 6054 01744 892 355 01744 892 167 01744 677 535 01744 677 797

Blackbrook Cllr L Maloney Cllr P McQuade Cllr A Cunliffe

01744 677 036 01744 678 937 01744 677 280

Haydock Cllr W Anderton 0787 985 0518 Cllr Banks 01744 676 109 Cllr A Burns 01744 677 295 Haydock Medical Cen. (Dr Breach & Prns) 01744 624 360 Haydock Medical Cen. (Dr Roberts) 01744 22 272 Haydock Library 01744 677 801

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• UPVC Ceilings (no more maintenance) • Flooring: Vinyl, Tile and UPVC • Shower Cubicles and UPVC Wet Wall (no more mouldy tile grout) • Bath Panels, Taps and Showers • Tile and Grout Cleaning, Sealing and New Precision Silicone

Moss Bank Cllr J Fletcher Cllr J Fulham Cllr P Lynch Windermere Medical Centre Moss Bank Library

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Rainford Cllr A Jones Cllr R Nichols Cllr L. Mussell Rainford Health Centre MacRae Medical Centre Rainford Library Rainford Parish Council

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