Local Life - Wigan - February 2020

LocalLife Wigan Edition

February 2020

Vegan Vigils

Pages 16-17

Memories of Clubbing in Wigan

Pages 34-37

Jack’s Tracks: Darwen Moor Pages 74-77

Local News Motoring Jack’s Tracks Health Events2Go Home Services locallife247.co.uk

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Local Life

B

arring any last-minute legal hiccups, the month of February sees a new era dawn for the UK, a future that’s firmly outside what was the Common Market (and is now the EU) for the first time in 47 years.

It’s a strange feeling isn’t it?

Wherever you stood on the issue, we’re all in this together, as David Cameron (the architect of the Brexit referendum) once said. And whilst economic and business commentators galore pontificate on the damage (or opportunities) of Brexit, it’s clear that the final impact of Brexit on the UK, be it positive or negative, won’t be known for years to come.

How we can each influence the outcome though, albeit in a small way, is to assess our own buying habits and try, wherever possible, to buy local.

Whenever it’s food and drink, holidays or any other goods, it all makes a difference to the local economy when you opt to buy local.

Plus, you’ll have a positive effect on the environment – now that’s what I call a win-win!

See you next time Chris Pearce, Publisher chrisp@locallife247.co.uk

Keep in touch with the LocalLife Team!

LocalLife

Telephone: 01695 627 999 info@locallife247.co.uk

locallifemagazine247 @locallifemedia Local Life 247 Ltd, Unit 8, Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB 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.

Local Life

This month’s highlights 34. Memories of Clubbing in Wigan

Contents 10. Beauty Winter saviours for hair and skin.

24. Books New Year, new books.

26. Puzzle Pages Try these brainteasers for size.

28. Planning Ahead Prepare for the future.

54. Home Interiors

16. Vegan Vigils

46. Tile Style

Back to black.

66. Health Section Snoring: it’s no laughing matter!

72. Events2Go Stay busy this February!

82. Motoring

74. Jack’s Tracks: Darwen Moor

Install an electric charging point

85. Home Services Find a local trader for you.

56. Ale & Hearty

62. Financial Tidy Up

Next issue - March 2020

Advertising deadline - 12th February Published - 26th February

Want to promote your business in

LocalLife?

01695 627 999 www.locallife247.co.uk

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6

News & Features

People Power

activities, check out their Facebook page Standish WI, or call the organisers on 07974 909472.

Residents who think they have what it takes to become a local councillor are being invited to an event next month.

Craft your Town

Wigan Council is opening its doors on Wednesday 5th February and Thursday 6th February for two informal sessions for anyone who might be interested in standing for election at the local elections in May 2020 or in any other subsequent election.

The session will give residents the chance to learn more about the role of a local councillor and the route to becoming a candidate.

Current councillors and Wigan Council staff will be on hand to talk you through the process of standing in an election and can tell you what to expect if you’re successful.

If you’re interested come along to one of the sessions on Wednesday 5th February at 5.30pm at Wigan Town Hall or Thursday 6th February at 5.30pm at Compassion in Action building in Leigh.

A digital imagination workshop for the over 55’s has come to Aspull Library. By using your own memories and the resources of the Wigan Archives, you can help create a piece of handmade interactive artwork which will go on display in your local community.

You’ll also be able to pick up some new digital skills too.

Entitled ‘Craft your Town’ this community project for the over 55’s has been supported by Wigan Council’s ‘The Deal’. The workshop runs every Monday from 20th January to 24th February inclusive, from 10.3012.30pm at Aspull Library and the cost is £3 per session.

You can reserve your place by calling Aspull Library on 01942 831303 or just call in.

For more information contact Democratic Services on 01942 827121.

First Base Women looking to get fit and enjoy good company are being urged to join a new female rounders group in Standish. The sessions run every Thursday from 7pm to 8pm at Standish High School sports hall and cost £3 a session, though the first session is free for newcomers.

Introducing ICare Meals on Wheels

The group are looking for members aged from 14+ and all abilities. For more information, call Tracey on 07734 882 899 or search Facebook for Standish Rounders.

WI want you Standish Women’s Institute are looking for new members to join them. The group meets at St Marie’s Church Hall on Almond Brook Road on the second Thursday of the month.

For more details about the group and their

Try a complimentary Hot Lunchtime meal and sweet delivered to your home.

Call 0845 6041125

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Leisure Centre opens The state-of-the-art Standish

take place from Wednesday 29th

Leisure Centre will officially open its doors this weekend!

January. Reception will be open from Thursday 30th January to enable residents to look around the facility and the centre is fully open from Saturday 1st February.

Located on Rectory Lane, the Centre represents a fantastic new addition to the village’s thriving status, helping residents towards a healthier lifestyle.

Standish Leisure Centre consists of a 70 station Technogym gym, kitted out with cardio and strength equipment, and free weights section. Alongside the gym is a studio facility that will host instructor led and virtual classes. Outside the main building, there is a multi-use games area for tennis, netball and basketball, as well as a 3G synthetic football pitch (pictured).

Those residents who have already registered as members will have already been contacted to arrange group inductions and these will start to

The pitches are now available for casual bookings and the class timetable for the Centre will begin from Monday February 3rd ; keep an eye on the Facebook page ‘Standish Leisure Centre’ for full details of the timetable.

The facility will be open from Monday to Friday from 6.30am through to 10pm, and at weekends from 8am to 5pm.

If you’d like further details about facilities at the centre, call 01942 486486 or pop into the centre from Thursday 30th January.

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Meat Feast A duo of butchers are making a welcome return to local high streets this spring. The closure of Chadwicks in July last year, after generations of trading, left a huge hole on the High Street in Standish, at a time when the population of the village is booming.

But now specialist local butchers J McRobb, from nearby Blackrod, have announced plans for a new store on Market St in Standish. This double fronted outlet was previously the Autosave car accessory business and the butchers are due to open in late spring after a refurbishment.

In the meantime, Cook and Foragers have opened a store at 272B Miles Lane in Appley Bridge (pictured). The award winning butchers, which specialises in rare breed pork, has re-located to Appley Bridge from the Courtyard at Haigh Hall.

WIGAN STORE 5 Library St, Wigan, WN1 1NN

01942 355075

www.fairytaleendings.co.uk

@fairytaleendingsdresses

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Winter Saviours When it’s wet, cold and miserable outside, you might be tempted to hibernate indoors with a cuppa. Indulge that temptation and use the time to treat your skin and hair to a bit of TLC.

If you’re the wash and go type who rarely has time to dry their hair, let alone style it, or you’re the opposite and have styled your hair to the max until it’s little more than a crispy mess, Bondi Boost’s Hair Growth could prove very welcome. The Australian luxury haircare range has attracted a bit of a cult following in recent years and it’s now available at Boots. I’m a recent convert. I won’t bore you with the science – it’s enough to say that the products are packed with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to ‘feed’ your hair from scalp to tip, leaving it stronger, sleeker and definitely swishier. From £19.50 at www. boots.com.

Skin looking a bit ‘meh’? Winter is a good time to do a gentle at-home acid peel. Murad’s new Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel (£48) is a good choice as it’s enriched with extra ingredients to help you avoid irritation and dryness. Sweep a

little across your face each day to boost cell renewal by a third within a week. The end result is skin that looks fresher, brighter and healthier. 96% of testers felt their skin looked smoother after four weeks and I have to say that I agree with them. Do wear sunscreen each day that you’re doing an at-home peel and for a few days afterwards, as your skin might be a bit more sensitive.

See www.murad.co.uk.

When your skin is feeling dry and lacklustre, it can be tempting to slather on an extra thick moisturiser. While that’s fine for some skin types, others may prefer an easier to absorb serum.

Alteya Organics’ Rose Jasminium Illuminating Perfecting Serum (£39) is lightweight and nongreasy – skin just drinks it up. It’s

packed with nourishing natural ingredients, from aloe vera and jojoba oil to rose flower oil, jasmine extracts and evening primrose oil. Together, they work to hydrate, repair and protect, and just generally leave skin feeling more ‘spring-like’. See www.alteya.co.uk.

If your hands are feeling dry and sore this winter, the first thing to do is switch to a gentler soap or handwash that doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulphate. (It dries my skin to the point where my hands end up bleeding when I move them.) Next, try an intensive hand cream. Don’t worry about the fragrance or pretty packaging – go for a workhorse that’s going to get the job done. Goldfaden MD’s Hands to Heart cream is one such workhorse. It boosts hydration, fades age spots, soothes cracked skin and protects the skin from further damage.

Now that’s what I call a good all-rounder. It’s £35 from www. spaceNK.com.

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Elegant Occasion Wear Stylish Casual Wear Fabulous Accessories including Handbags & Shoes Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Closed Wed & Sun

Jewels May is a wonderful independent jewellers. The shop has recently expanded so as to offer customers more on site specialist services, one-to-one consultation, specialist design and re-modelling advice and manufacturing.

Their jewellery range is extensive from antique

68 High Street, Standish, WN6 OHF T: 01257 425480 www.barbarasofstandish.com

and vintage to modern and one-off bespoke luxury pieces, set with diamonds and precious stones. They also boast an impressive range of

Fight the signs of ageing and celebrate your skin

engagement and wedding rings as well as preowned luxury watches.

Repairs & Alterations Rhodium Plating Cleaning & Polishing Design & Manufacturing Engagement & Wedding Ring Specialists Insurance Valuations Watch Servicing, Repairs, Refurbishing & Batteries

Specialist Centre for Face & Body Firming Shrinking Violet Inch Loss Treatments Non-surgical Face Lifting (C.A.C.I) Experts in Face & Body Sculpting

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Tel: 01257 450448 Etsy: Jewelsmayuk

www.LeSpaUk.com 267a Chorley Road, Standish WN1 2TX

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Parkrun If you’re feeling enthused by your efforts so far in 2020 to shake off the Christmas excess, perhaps you would like to step into February by joining the Parkrun revolution?

receive your barcode, helping you track your exact time if you want to.

Parkruns are a great way to burn that energy

Parkruns happening locally include: Haigh Country Park, Cuerden Country Park, Pennington Flash and Tawd Valley (Skelmersdale), whilst the 2km Junior Parkrun on Saturday starts at Nye Bevan (Skelmersdale).

without spending a penny. The 5k runs (for ages

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

15+) take place at many venues and you can either run, jog or walk around the route.

Everyone can join in and the runs take place at 9am on Saturday mornings in local parks across the UK. There are also a number of 2km Junior Parkruns, which take place at 9am every Sunday, for children aged 4-14.

It’s something about the sense of accomplishment,

Knit & Natter Just a reminder that the local Knit & Natter group in Standish meets every Friday between 2-3.30pm in the reading room at Standish Library. You can bring your own knitting or craft or join in a group project.

Tea and biscuits are provided by Friends of Standish Library.

as you complete the course lined with applauding volunteers and the feel good factor you get from taking part.

There is no fee, just simply sign up on the website to

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Aspull Charity Night

St Wilf’s Sale

Louise Hughes from Whelley is organising a second charity night in memory of her husband Dave, who died in 2018. Dave was born with a congenital heart defect and received a call from the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle on 22nd February 2018 to say that a donated heart was available for transplant.

Though he came round after the 12 hour operation, he didn’t make a full recovery due to infections and other complications.

St Wilfrid’s church in Standish will be holding a Table Top Sale on Saturday 22 February from 10am -2pm.

Tables cost £7 each and if you want to sell goods at the event then please call 01257 422538 to book a table. Bacon barms, cakes and hot drinks will be served at the event.

Last year’s fund raiser, along with a golf tournament organised by Louise’s father, Tony Sedgwick, raised £21,000 in Dave’s memory. This year’s charity night takes place on 22nd February, two years to the day since the transplant, at The Village on the Green in Aspull and proceeds go to the Freeman Heart and and Lung Transplant Association.

Tickets for the event cost £30 and the event will feature singer Stephen Bayliss, food and a raffle. If you’d like to buy tickets for this charity night, call Louise on 07507 370128 or Tony on 07785 710889.

FREE PICKUP & DELIVERY

Other 2020 events coming up at St Wilf’s are the quiz night on 24th April, the Wigan Silver Choir will perform on 22nd May and on 20th June is the annual Garden Party, with the Prospect Band.

VE Day It’s the 75th anniversary of VE Day in May and Wigan Council are hosting a special two-day VE Day event in Mesnes Park on 8th and 9th May . If you have a military vehicle or a classic vehicle from the period and you’d like to showcase it at the event, then please contact John Harker MBE at Wigan Council on 01942 827584, or email j.harker@wigan.gov.uk.

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16

Vegan Vigils:

Fad or Fantastic

by Jess Phillips Let’s face it: vegan diets are on the rise. Since the conception of Veganuary in 2014, vegan restaurants and businesses have been springing up nationwide, with more people than ever ditching the meat and dairy to follow a completely plant-based lifestyle. The number of vegans in the UK has actually quadrupled since then, with an estimated 600,000 vegans in Britain alone.

Some quote health reasons for the radical diet change; others prize animal welfare above all else.

But it’s the militant approach to veganism which remains a point of contention for most meateaters - from outspoken activists appearing on our morning television to the common trope of the vegan constantly letting you know about it. After all, how do you know someone is vegan? They tell you.

Fad diet or not, animals headed for slaughter doesn’t exactly make for easy dinnertime conversation. For some, like Wigan resident Sarah Vidler - member of Wigan’s Vegan Community and animal rights activist - veganism goes beyond a simple lifestyle change. Sarah, who has been vegan for four years, regularly attends vegan vigils organised by Wigan Animal Save; on the surface, a slightly bonkers practice which involves turning up to slaughterhouses to bid an emotional farewell to the animals before they’re taken off to be killed. This is a way to show pigs, cows, sheep and more some love in their final moments, with activists reaching through the bars of cattle vans to stroke their heads and whisper comforting words.

Of course, it all sounds slightly mad. After all, the animals are still headed off to the same place

17

regardless, so what’s the point? Sarah thinks the sense of community built by meeting other activists and being able to share the animals’ stories with the world, in the hope of turning more people towards a more sustainable way of living.

‘I attended my first vigil two and a half years ago,’ she tells me. ‘I had no idea what to expect and was incredibly nervous - was I being extreme, going to stand outside a slaughterhouse on a drizzly Saturday morning in November? Were we going to get arrested?’

It turns out no, as long as protests remained peaceful, the group was perfectly entitled to attend, as long as they arranged things beforehand with the slaughterhouse. And the staff’s reaction?

‘Initially the staff were wary of us and sometimes mocked us for being there,’ Sarah continues.

‘However, over time they began to see that we weren’t a threat, and were simply there for the animals - that we wanted to show that they mattered. The staff also realised that we weren’t against them as individuals, just standing up against an industry we believe is unjust, unnecessary and contributing to the destruction of our environment.

‘It turned out to be an incredibly moving experience.

I remember breaking down the first time I saw the slaughter truck pull through the gates to unload the pigs. That feeling of utter helplessness, not being able to save them - it was unbearable, yet I also felt incredibly inspired being surrounded by like-minded people, who were seeing what I was seeing and feeling what I was feeling.’

Sarah began attending vigils with Manchester

Animal Save, who have an agreement with Tulip Meats in Ashton-under-Lyme to stop the vans for a few minutes to allow attendees to say goodbye. This evolved into helping to run the local Wigan group, who now have a similar agreement at Blacklidge Bros on Warrington Road. Sarah also helps to facilitate local ‘Cube of Truth’ events in Wigan town centre, which aim to highlight the truth behind what’s on your plate by showing footage of ‘animal exploitation’. She has plenty of horror stories to tell about slaughterhouses across the country - most of which are too graphic to be repeated here.

‘It doesn’t matter what labels we give these animals in life - whether free-range, organic or pasture-fed - not a single animal that I’ve witnessed has ever walked willingly to their death. And why should they?’ Sarah wonders.

What started off sounding like mob-mentality, treehugging lunacy actually begins to fathom itself into something that makes a strange amount of sense.

After all, we wouldn’t want to see the animals we treasure as pets sent off to slaughter - why should cattle be any different?

‘To staunch meat eaters I would say come and talk to us,’ Sarah says. ‘We’re not the scary terrorists depicted in the media, we are ordinary, hard-working people just like you who want to build a better world for everyone. How can that be a bad thing?’

To find out more about upcoming vigils in Wigan, visit Wigan Animal Save on Facebook or head to www.thesavemovement.org

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People’s Plaques Blue plaques can be found all across the country to commemorate geographical locations and their links to famous people, events or former buildings.

Our brand new monthly feature will explore the various plaques located around Wigan to shine a spotlight on the borough’s heritage - and maybe inspire you to head out and take a look at them yourself.

Unveiled at Wigan Town Hall in 2018 was a plaque to Alderman Thorley Smith. Born in Standish in 1873, Smith played an instrumental part

ALDERMAN THORLEY SMITH 1873-1940

in achieving women’s MONUMENTAL MASON AND THE FIRST WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE suffrage, standing PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE. ‘He served hisW as a parliamentary generation faithfully’ candidate for Wigan in W IL IG AN COUNC 1906. Smith was the first person in Britain to campaign for candidacy on a Votes for Women basis.

He also encouraged women around Wigan to get involved, particularly appealing to working class women, who took to street corners after long days at the factory to help with Smith’s campaign.

Though he lost to Sir Francis Powell, Smith attracted 2,205 votes and will forever be remembered as a crucial part of the road to women’s suffrage.

Thorley Smith died in 1940 and is buried in Wigan Cemetery.

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OPEN STUDIO SATURDAY 8TH & SUNDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 10-3PM

Morpheus Glass Love it Gallery Winstanley Road Billinge Wigan WN5 7XG

20

Come and join our

community cricket club!

To join a club on the up, get in touch with Aidan Miners on

07958 745 957

or e-mail the club at

enquiries@standishcc.co.u

k

We at Standish Cricket Club are hoping to increase our membership at an exciting time for the club.

• We run two Saturday teams, competing in the Palace Shield Cricket Competition.

• We aim to establish our 1st team in the Premier Division. Meanwhile, our second team enjoyed consecutive promotions before a strong showing in Division 3 in 2019.

• Our hard-working committee are looking for more opportunities to work in the heart of the community.

• Over the past 12 months, we’ve secured new covers and an electronic scoreboard as we improve facilities for players and visitors alike.

Our bar and tuck shop are open on match days & for a small contribution you can also help yourself to our famous cricket teas!

Our pre-season training starts on Sunday 2nd February at Standish High School.

We’d be delighted to welcome new players to our senior section, or to any of our junior sections as we run under 9s, under 11s, under 13s and under 15s.

Standish Cricket Club | Green Lane | Standish | WN6 0TX

Off the field, three major events we host are: • Pub 6’s cricket competition • Sportsman’s Dinner • Annual community fireworks display

21

Twelfth Night at WLT

New Haigh Park

The next production up at Wigan Little Theatre is Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, Twelfth Night. This tale of obsession is a classic Shakespeare comedy, believed to have been originally written for the end of the Christmas period. Twelfth Night combines cruelty with comedy and involves his favourite themes of love, twins, ambition and betrayal.

Work has started at Haigh Woodland Park on a new activity trail play park for children, and it’s hoped that the attraction will open in time for February half term. The play park will include animal totems, ramps, balance beams, climbers and monkey bars and much of the equipment is accessible and interactive.

Versions of the production include the 1996 film

Wigan Council are funding this new play area, which

Twelfth Night, directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Helena Bonham-Carter and Imogen Stubbs.

will be located behind the main railway platform at the park, and it’s hoped that the new attraction will encourage more visitors into this section of Haigh Woodland Park. For further updates on progress of the new attraction, please visit the Haigh Woodland Park page on Facebook.

The play runs from Wednesday 26th February to Saturday March 7th, and tickets are now available from the theatre’s box office on 01942 242561 or from www.wiganlittletheatre.co.uk.

Tasty Dish UP

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Dish is the creation of husband and wife team Emma and Simon Holling, owners of the already successful Paddock Coffee House and Restaurant at Derby House in Wrightington.

The new restaurant is situated on Almond Brook Road in what used to be the All Ov You Beauty Clinic.

After extensive refurbishment, the new premises are ready to welcome customers to sample the Mediterranean-inspired menu Menus and opening times can be found online at www.dishrestaurant.co.uk or contact the restaurant on 01257 410329.

Nifty Fifties Should you be interested in exercising with a group of like-minded people, having fun and getting fit, then the Nifty Fifties Pilates Classes could be right up your street.

As the name suggests, the classes are designed for those over 50, and are held at Appley Bridge Village Hall on Tuesdays from 7pm and at Standish Methodist Church Hall from Thursday 1pm. For more details, contact Louise on 07540 420050.

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23

winstanley college

Tuesday 4th February ARE

WINSTANLEY!

No need to book, just turn up. We look forward to meeting you soon.

Winstanley Road Billinge Wigan WN5 7XF • 01695 628610 • www.winstanley.ac.uk

24

Give an

old book a chance

Love a browse in a second-hand book shop? Keep an eye out for these books…

His Dark Materials

The Choice

Phillip Pullman

Edith Eger

If you loved the BBC series, delve into the original books. This trilogy takes the reader on a journey with Lyra Belacqua. With her daemon Pantalaimon by her side, Lyra sets out on a quest to rescue her best friend and discover the secret of Dust. Along the way, she’ll befriend witches, Gyptians, an armoured bear and a boy from another world, while pitting her wits against the all-powerful Magisterium.

Edith Eger was on the brink of death when she was freed from Auschwitz. This is her story. It’s certainly harrowing in parts, but also uplifting, reaffirming and full of hope. Edith realised that burying her past doesn’t make it easier to live with.

Instead, she learnt how to move past her trauma, build the life she deserves and help thousands of other survivors to do the same.

Heroes and Villains

The Wee Free Men

Angela Carter

Terry Pratchett

In a post-apocalyptic world, Marianne looks down from her ivory tower as her brother is murdered in the streets below. Years later, she helps the murderer to hide, runs away with him to his Barbarian tribe and is forced to become his bride. Dream-like, disquieting and beautiful, Heroes and Villains is one of Carter’s lesser-known books but my personal favourite.

Would-be witch Tiffany Aching sets out to rescue her brother from the fairies and stop them from invading her home. She’s only armed with a frying pan, but luckily she has help in the form of the Nac Mac Feegle – they may be tiny, but they’re fierce, fast and loyal. Technically, this was written as a children’s book, but don’t let that put you off – it’ll appeal to fantasy lovers of all ages.

Tales of the City

The Clan of the Cave Bear

Armistead Maupin

Jean M. Auel

This series of nine books starts in the late seventies and centres around the inhabitants of 28 Barbary Lane, including the naive but ambitious Mary Ann Singleton, the matriarchal Anna Madrigal and the best-friend-you-wish-you-had Michael Tolliver (AKA Mouse). Maupin is a skilled storyteller and skilfully weaves together numerous plotlines and character arcs to create a series you’ll want to binge read your way through.

The first book in the Earth’s Children series, The Clan of the Cave Bear centres around Ayla, a young girl raised by Neanderthals in prehistoric Europe. Ayla faces prejudice and suspicion but, with the help of her adopted mother Iza, is eventually accepted by most of the clan. A powerful, wellresearched, epic tale. You don’t even need to wait for the next instalment to come out as all six are just waiting for you to find them.

25

26

Puzzle Pages

Sponsored by

CROSSWORD

DOWN

1. Traditional Italian straw-covered wine bottle (6) 2. Elongated cluster of flowers (6) 3. Medium for communication (5) 4. Animated film (7) 5. Person who makes a will (8) 6. Irish political party founded in 1905 (4,4) 12. Once in a ___, very rare occurrence (4,4) 13. Unit of sound in a word (8) 15. Unit of relative loudness (7) 18. Dry gully (6) 19. Humour (6) 20. Growth on the surface of a mucous

ACROSS

membrane (5)

14. Baby’s soft woollen shoes (7)

22. Pressure line on a weather

1. Agriculturalist (6)

16. Formerly the basic unit of money

7. The world of scholars (8)

in the Netherlands (7)

23. Lyrical poem (3)

8. Joan of ___, French heroine (3)

17. Former French unit of currency

24. Coal mine, its buildings and

9. Join the military (6)

equal to 100 centimes (5)

10. Armoured combat vehicle (4)

21. Welfare movement that began

25. Religious residence in a

11. Rotund, extremely chubby (5)

in 1844 (inits) (4)

map (6)

equipment (8) monastery (6)

27

WORDSEARCH THEME: Weather Find the hidden words in the word search grid

SUDOKU

Blizzard

Flood

Rain

Breeze

Foggy

Sleet

Bright

Frost

Snow

Changeable

Gale

Sultry

Cloud

Hot

Sunshine

Cold

Hurricane

Tornado

Downpour

Icy

Warm

Drought

Overcast

Whirlwind

NUMBER BLOCK The numbers in each row add up to totals to the right. The numbers in each column add up to the totals along the bottom.

The diagonal lines also add up the totals to the right.

15

2

18 4 9 20 3 5 15 8 5 22

WIGGLE WORDS CLUE: The underlying cause

Trace a path through all the letters to find the word or phrase that fits the clue.

B O T F

L R H O

E P E T

M R O O

20 16 18 21 21 All the puzzle solutions can be found on page 98 of this magazine

28

Planning

Ahead

What image does the word ‘funeral’ conjure up for you? A fleet of sleek, black limousines, a horse-drawn carriage and mourners grouped around a marble headstone? Or do you simply see friends and relatives gathered together in a woodland spot, scattering ashes from an urn?

While it’s easy to focus on the emotional and ceremonial aspects of a funeral, we don’t always think about the costs. According to the Money Advice Service, the average price of a funeral, even without optional items such as flowers and catering, is around £4,300.

That’s not exactly small change for most people, and it’s an unfortunate fact that if you don’t make some kind of financial provision for your funeral, your children or close relatives may have to foot the bill when you die. Not only does this put financial pressure on your nearest and dearest at a difficult time, it can also mean that the final send-off you receive doesn’t match up to the one you had envisaged.

You can leave instructions in your will as to the type of funeral you would like, but if there isn’t enough in your estate to fund your wishes, those left in charge of the arrangements are under no legal obligation to carry them out, or even arrange a funeral at all.

If you choose a church burial you could pay anything from £800 (as a resident of a small, rural community) to £8,000 if you are a non-resident asking to be buried in a city area. Your relatives will also need to pay ongoing maintenance fees for the grave. A woodland burial is

a more natural option, but that also costs between a few hundred to several thousands of pounds, depending upon location. Cremation is cheaper, costing from £1,400 without a ceremony and approximately £3,750 when a funeral is arranged.

If you don’t believe there will be enough money in your estate to pay for a funeral when you die, and your relatives can’t afford to chip in, there are several options open to you.

Sign up to a prepaid funeral plan With a prepaid plan, you will choose the type of funeral you want (so long as it’s in the UK) then pay the funeral director or plan provider either in a lump sum, or in weekly instalments. The costs will be frozen at today’s prices from the moment the plan takes effect, which means the costs won’t be subject to inflation, but you should be aware that your plan may not provide everything you want – for instance, it may not cover the cost of a burial plot, flowers or catering. It’s advisable to check the details of your plan carefully before you agree to buy it.

29 Over 50s plans Although this is a form of insurance, there’s no requirement for medical underwriting. That means if you are in poor health at the time of drawing up the plan it won’t affect the payout, provided you survive beyond the first two years of the plan’s start date. On the down side, once you’ve paid the money in, you won’t get it back and you risk losing all your money – including any costs towards your funeral – if you don’t keep up to date with payments.

Life Insurance According to the consumer association Which?, life insurance could potentially pay out 40% more than an Over 50s plan. However the lump sum provided by life insurance can take several weeks to come through. The Association of British Insurers says that payments generally take about a month to arrive after a death, but they can take longer if the death needs investigation.

Government-funded funeral payments

Helping you prepare for your families future

YOUR WILL

The most important document you will ever possess Without a Will, the law, not you, decides who gets your money and possessions and who will look after your children.

You may lose your family home if you have to go into care and your family may be subject to an inheritance tax liability.

Contact Alexander Ross Wills & Trusts email admin@arwt.co.uk www.arwt.co.uk Suite 2D, Blackthorn House, Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge, Wigan WN6 9DB

Call now to organise a free home visit

Phone now 01257 444120 Alexander Ross Wills & Trusts on behalf of APS Legal & Associates Ltd APS Legal & Associates is a Member if the Institute of Professional Willwriters and complies with the TSI Approved IPW Code of Practice

If the person responsible for arranging your funeral is receiving certain benefits, they can apply to the government for a Funeral Expenses Payment. The money offered will cover things such as cremation fees or the cost of a particular burial plot, death certificates and other documents, but it is unlikely to cover the full cost of a funeral.

Save up with a bank account You can always set up a separate bank account to pay for your funeral, paying in gradually to build up the amount you need. However that’s not risk free, as there’s a chance you might die before you have accumulated your target sum. At your death, the money you’ve saved will be considered part of your estate, which means it won’t be released immediately to pay for your funeral costs.

If you’ve been concerned about how you will pay for your funeral, the five options listed above should provide some comfort. Fortunately there’s lots more advice available from organisations such as the Money Advice Service and Citizens Advice. Finally, it always helps to discuss your plans with your family or close friends, as any arrangements made now could save them a lot of worry in future. There are

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30 loads of ways to plan ahead in your financial life in 2020. If you’re pre-planning a funeral, why not tackle these ‘big picture’ jobs while you’re at it?

Check your state pension forecast Checking how much state pension you might receive provides a clearer picture of how your financial situation could look in retirement. It also allows you to see if there are any gaps in your National Insurance record.

This is important, as you might be eligible to pay voluntary NI contributions to fill those gaps and complete your NI record before you retire. You need to make full contributions for 35 years to be eligible for the new state pension, so it’s definitely worth investigating.

You should factor in the figure from your state pension forecast with any occupational pensions,

savings or investments you hold. You’ll discover whether you’re on track for the lifestyle you want, or if you need to put some more money away prior to retirement.

Make a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) A Lasting Power of Attorney is an official document whereby you appoint one or more attorneys to help you make financial or health-related decisions, or to make them on your behalf if you lose mental capacity in the future.

You need to be over the age of 18 to make an LPA, and have the mental capacity at the time to make your own decisions. It costs £82 to register an LPA unless you’re eligible for a reduction or exemption, and you can make a new one at any time.

Drawing up a Lasting Power of Attorney is often regarded as unnecessary until later life, but it’s well

Where there’s a Will there’s a way!

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31 worth considering at any time – after all, you never know what’s around the corner. It’s possible to make a Lasting Power of Attorney without professional assistance via the gov.uk website. Citizens Advice may also be able to help, but if you’re unsure of your wishes or the process in general it’s advisable to seek help from a solicitor.

For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/ power-of-attorney Write a will Making a will ensures your assets are passed down according to your wishes when you die, and with today’s complex family structures it can prevent a great deal of stress for those left behind.

These assets should be weighed up against any debts owed, including mortgages, bank overdrafts, credit card balances and loans.

It’s advisable to seek professional assistance when making a will, particularly if you have a young family or your circumstances aren’t straightforward.

You might need to consider who would care for your children if you weren’t around, for example, or think about how you’d incorporate children from a previous marriage into your will.

It’s worth knowing that March is free wills month, when you might be able to save on legal costs if you make a will during March. This is usually only applicable to simple wills, however, where the instructions are relatively straightforward.

Take out ‘life event’ insurance Adverse life events such as chronic illness or a serious accident can derail your plans for the future.

You may not be able to work or function in the way you used to, for instance, but if you’ve taken out appropriate insurance it can reduce some of the financial impact for yourself and your family.

Critical illness and life insurance cover provides a financial buffer that can help you cope with unexpected life circumstances, and help your loved ones adjust to a new situation without the fear of financial difficulty.

It’s important to find out more about the insurance policies available and choose the best one for you.

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Cash up for Grabs Wigan Rotary Club is again looking to donate cash to local community groups with a ‘Dragons Den’ style event. Following the success of the last few years, local groups based in postcode areas WN1, WN3, WN5, WN6 are invited to submit their request.

Following an initial consideration, the groups selected will be invited to put their case to ‘The Dragons’ in a three-minute presentation.

Last year’s groups, ranging from Over 60’s groups to Mother and Toddler groups entered ‘The Den’ and came away with a donation.

Full details and an application form are available either by going to the website www. wiganrotaryclub.org.uk or by ringing 07813 471000.

The closing date for entries is 17th April 2020.

Wigan Rotary Club President Mervyn Reeves said ‘I am sure there are local groups in the Wigan area who could really use a donation of a few hundred pounds to help them with a project or event they wish to undertake. Last year twelve groups were successful, but the Dragons unfortunately had to decline a number of applications.’

Bids from a few hundred pounds up to £1,000 can be considered and Mervyn continued ‘We don’t expect the presentation to come from a person trained in public speaking, we want to hear from members of the group who are looking for the money.

Looking for funds for your community group?

Funding for community groups is now available from Wigan Rotary Club.

Bids of up to £1,000 are welcomed from community groups based in the WN1, WN3, WN5 & WN6 areas Closing date: Friday 17th April 2020 For further details and an application form, visit www.wiganrotaryclub.org.uk or call Phil on 07813 471 000

Wigan

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34

Memories of

Clubbing in Wigan

By Jess Phillips Whether you were a Northern Soulie, a casual shuffle dancer or an all-out raver, chances are you paid a visit to one of Wigan’s nightclubs back in the day. We’ve rounded up some of the best to bring back those hazy memories of booze, DJs and, er, dancing girls in the 70s, 80s and 90s, back when the drinking age was more a suggestion than a rule.

Wigan Pier Nightspot First opened in the late 70s, Wigan Pier Nightspot didn’t fully hit its stride until the 1990s, attracting around 800 clubbers every weekend. Featuring bright red pillars and curved leather couches, the spot was popular with revellers hankering for a drunken night out they’d forget by the next morning.

Wiganer Paul Gore remembers the music at the Pier Nightspot being briefly paused to premiere the music videos for Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Two Tribes at midnight.

Visitor numbers unfortunately fell in the early 2000s, and Nightspot closed its doors for good in 2011. It was demolished in 2014 and redeveloped into a green space.

Pemps The greatest club in Wigan, or the world? Pemps was more than just a club – it was an institution. With formidable owner Barbara Calderbank’s discerning gaze turned to a mob of punters clamouring to enter, access to the ‘members only’ venue was highly coveted – and for some, impossible to acquire. Barbara took her mysterious entry criteria to the grave.

image by John Metcalfe

Formerly known as Puffers due to the proximity of the Puffing Billy steam trains occupying the nearby railway, the club eventually evolved into Pemps, a haven for Northern Soul lovers, punk rockers and pop fans alike. Classic playlists included Brass Construction, Fatback Band and Earth, Wind & Fire – even a bit of Bowie. The night would usually draw to a close with the romantic instrumental ‘A Touch of Velvet, a Sting of Brass’ when the bar closed at 2am.

Pemps was also a notorious haunt for Wigan RLFC players and club owner Maurice Lindsay, who could often be found holding court by the bar on Sunday nights after the match.

Pemps eventually closed for good in 2005 and was later demolished.

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Wigan Casino Wigan Casino opened its doors for the first time in 1973 in the former Empress Ballroom (affectionately known as ‘The Emp’) site. The venue was ruled by DJ duo Russ Winstanley and Ian Fishwick, who were known for their notorious record collection and US imports.

DJs Kev Roberts and Richard Searling later joined the team.

The club was renowned for its Northern Soul all-nighters, which lasted until 8 in the morning.

Nights – or early mornings – always ended the same way: with the 3 Before 8. Wigan Casino’s final three songs were Jimmy Radcliffe’s ‘Long After Tonight is Over’, ‘Time Will Pass You By’ by Tobi Legend, and ‘I’m on My Way’ by Dean Parrish.

image by Frank Orrell

Wigan Casino closed its doors for the final time in 1981, after 500 successful all-nighters. The last song

image by Neil Butler

ever to be played there was ‘Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)’

by Frank Wilson; a vinyl picked at random by Russ Winstanley to break the spell left by the usual 3 Before 8, which played three times consecutively at the end of the event.

The Casino building burned down a few months after its closure, and the site is now home to the Grand Arcade.

The original DJs still host regular Northern Soul allnighters for anyone missing the iconic atmosphere.

Harlem Jonns Reshuffle performing at Wigan Casino, image by Frank Orrell

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image by Frank Orrell

Cassinelli’s & Henry Afrikas Popular on the jazz/funk scene, Cassinelli’s in Standish had a lot going for it – not in the least Kiss FM founder George Power’s tenure as resident DJ.

image by Philip Hill

The venue opened as Cassinelli’s in early 1979, with DJs Colin Curtis, Billy Wildman and Barry Maleady stepping up to the decks. It ceased to operate as Cassinelli’s in the early 1980s before reopening as Mirage, based out of the Almond Brook Hotel, in the

90s. The building is now Standish’s Britannia Hotel.

Afterwards, stumble across the road to Henry Afrikas, a fun, tiki-themed bar with plenty going on.

Whether you were cowering from Jason’s Horror Show with its snakes and coffins or ducking from the giant hands poking from the ceiling, you were always in for a good time over at Henry’s.

Maghull resident John Kelly remembers meeting his wife at Henry Afrikas: ‘I was on stage, having been called up to assist a 6ft DJ in drag, with a large snake round my neck, a black box on my head and a fire-eater setting fire to the box. Just a normal night out!’

image by Ian Spencer

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Tiffany’s

Blutos

Mention a plastic palm tree to any Wiganer around in the 70s and they’ll probably have flashbacks to Tiffany’s. The club first opened to the public in the mid-1970s, but underwent a full makeover in the 80s to add UV lighting and modernised features.

Geoff Bom remembers celebrating birthdays at the club - bringing along 10 people awarded you a bottle of bubbly; bring 20 and you’d get bubbly and a cake! Needless to say, Geoff and his mates had ‘birthdays’ most weeks.

Wigan’s 3-tiered dance venue spanned genres and floors alike. With different music played on each level, you didn’t know whether to head for the jukebox in the basement or take a gamble on the higher tiers where live bands would take to the stage. One stand-out factor was the red telephone box in the ground floor hallway which housed a lingerie-clad mannequin – certainly a talking point if you could remember it the next morning!

The club on Standishgate briefly became known as WN1, then Maximes, which hosted a full roster of rock and dance music. It was finally named Cube Nightclub before closing for good, and the building was left abandoned.

The Blutos building backed onto All Saints churchyard, and the Market Street site is now home to Lloyds TSB.

Sloopies/Trucks Initially the Las Vegas, Sloopies opened in the early 1970s and was situated on the top floor of the King Street West building, around the corner from the old Pemps building. A few Wiganers will remember – but perhaps deny – seeing the strippers on stage on boozy worknights.

By the mid-70s you’d find Trucks on the ground floor; an almost exclusively punk venue containing a full-sized flatbed truck to house the resident DJ. Visitors were free to dance in the bed of the truck to artists like Iggy Pop and Eddie & the Hot Rods, with live punk bands also taking to the stage.

The building later became Angels nightclub and is now known as Indiependence Wigan, playing the best of indie music.

image by Ron Hunt

Reminiscing on the most iconic Wigan clubs is sure to bring a few drunken memories swimming back; back to a more innocent time, when venues were packed out by 10pm and closed by 2am! What was once a wealth of venues scattered across the town, from the Pier area to Standish, has become a congregation of clubs on King Street. Perhaps the sobering walk along cold Wigan streets back then helped to reduce the friction that seems to be commonplace on today’s King Street?

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Workplace

Injury

If you are unfortunate to have sustained an injury at work due to the negligence of your employer or a co-worker, you may be entitled to claim for damages for your pain and suffering and any financial losses you have suffered as a result.

Employers have a duty to their employees to ensure their safety at work by making the workplace as safe as possible. They must also make sure that you have adequate training, your equipment is safe and provide appropriate personal protective equipment where needed. Not only is it compulsory for health and safety rules to be in place but these rules must be adhered to by every employer.

Accidents in the workplace vary from slipping or tripping, injuries caused by falling objects, a fall from a height, falling down holes, crush injuries, forklift truck accidents, defective equipment, injuries caused by heavy lifting, exposure to fumes or chemicals, repetitive strain injuries, or being the victim of an assault at work.

Under the reporting of injuries, disease and dangerous occurrences regulations (RIDDOR) your employer must report any serious incident to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Accidents at work can result in either minor injuries or in a lot of cases, serious injuries which can lead to you having to take a considerable time off work.

This can invariably lead to distress for you and your family.

If you are confused as to what to do about making a claim, contact us at ABH Law Limited. As part of our instructions, we will assess your claim and guide you to what is needed to pursue that claim. We will look to recover what you are properly due. We are happy to advise you at an initial free interview.

It is important to know that there are strict time limits in making a claim so it is recommended that you seek legal advice as soon as possible after your accident. Even if the company you work for is no longer trading, it is still possible for you to make a claim.

So don’t delay, contact ABH Law Limited, Solicitors who are committed to obtaining the compensation to which you are entitled. We come with many years’ experience in this field of law.

ABH Law Limited also pursue other claims which include:• • • • • •

Road traffic accidents.

Accidents whilst on holiday.

Slipping and tripping accidents.

Defective product liability.

Industrial disease claims including asbestos.

Criminal injury compensation applications.

We can handle the vast majority of cases on a “no win-no fee basis” and will explain this with you and how it works.

Call us today on 019842 246 241 or email kawinstanley@abhlaw.co.uk Kath Winstanley, Solicitor & STEP Affiliate

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Our lawyers are familiar with the needs of the people & businesses in the area and our full range of services includes:

• Business Law • Commercial Litigation • Family Law • Wills & Probate

• Conveyancing • Employment Law • Personal Injury • Lasting Powers Of Attorney

Our highly experienced team provide reassurance & guidance when it is needed most. You will find a professional who is ready to listen and advise on your specific needs – and your case will not be passed to another lawyer or support staff When you face complications in your personal life or have business problems, making the correct choice of legal advisor is crucial

Make the right choice – choose Alker Ball Healds!

To find out how we can help you Contact us today on:

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ALKER BALL HEALDS SOLICITORS

A1 SOVEREIGN BUSINESS PARK, KINGS CROFT COURT, WIGAN, WN1 3AP

40

Bee-n there, Done that One of the recipients from the 2019 Wigan Rotary Dragons Den was the award-winning Shevington in Bloom group, who used the grant to improve the grounds that surround the village’s three primary schools.

The first stage of the new Bee Friendly garden at Millbrook Primary School was completed before Christmas and the President of Wigan Rotary Club was invited to see the results and also to congratulate the school on being awarded Grade 3 in the Royal Horticultural Society’s North West In Bloom competition, narrowly missing out on a Grade 4 award.

Rotary President Mervyn Reeves, pictured with teachers and children at Millbrook, said “It is

wonderful to see the difference a donation of a few hundred pounds can make when combined with help from the community and I congratulate the school on their award. I am now looking forward to see the results at the other two schools.”

Award Winning Travel Agency celebrates 30 years of Alfa Travel The Wigan branch of Worldchoice Travel are helping Alfa Travel to celebrate 30-years of delivering award-winning holidays, with some exclusive customer discounts.

The team at Worldchoice have been Alfa award winners for the past three years, bagging the North West sales award, business development award and most improved high performer award.

So, when it comes to booking an Alfa holiday, there’s nobody better to ask for advice.

Alfa Travel specialise in UK, Ireland and European coach and self-drive holidays and can offer great hotels in great locations. Alfa’s own Leisureplex Hotels are set in some of the very best iconic seaside resorts, offering stunning views and fabulous entertainment. Whether you fancy a tranquil glass of wine curled up with a good book, a spin around

the dance floor or entertainment from a cabaret act – the choice is yours.

You can choose from a variety of breaks including UK coach holidays, river cruises, cabaret evenings and Christmas and New Year breaks, to name but a few. All holidays include local coach departures from the Wigan area and prices start from £174 per person, secured with a £50 deposit.

So, whether you’re looking to discover the treasures of Tuscany, to view Jersey by air or take trip to the English Riviera; the world is your oyster.

Worldchoice Travel will find the right Alfa holiday for you and with 100% financial protection and excellent customer service, you can rest easy on the holiday of your dreams. Give the team a call on 01942 242121.

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New Brochure Out Now! UK Coach Holidays 2-7 days – numerous Locations throughout the year. See 2020 UK Coach Holidays brochure for details.

Platinum Collection 3-6 days - Luxury London, Bath & Wells, Northumbria, Windsor/Kew, Historic Kent, Luxury Edinburgh European Holidays 4-9 days - Dutch Delicacies, Andorra & Pyrenees, Paris & Versailles, WW1 Battlefields, Dublin Weekend River Cruises 5/6 days - Dutch Bulb fields & Rhine Valley cruises Tribute Nights, Themed Events & Theatre Breaks See Tribute Night Brochure for details

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42

OK

Boomer...

Have Baby Boomers (people born between 19441964) made it more difficult for Millennials to get on the Wigan property ladder?

After all, many Baby Boomers in the UK bought their own council houses in the 80’s and 90’s, reducing the number of affordable homes for today’s youngsters.

This has had the effect of driving up the demand (and the price) for rental homes and has also increased house prices in Wigan, and the rest of the UK. In 1980, the average Wigan household income was just under £6,000 per annum and the average Wigan house price was £13,951. Today, the average Wigan household income is £28,903 per annum, yet the average household value is £166,400.

And the problems don’t just stop there. The UK’s housing crisis doesn’t just envelop affordability but also availability. In 1981 there were 5.1 million council houses, and today there is just 1.6 million.

This is important because social housing plays a significant role in providing homes for those who are never going to be able to afford to buy.

So did Boomers have it easier?

Once you examine the statistical detail, it’s apparent that there are those (including political parties) who conveniently forget that the number of housing associations homes (which are also social housing) has risen from 0.4m homes to 2.6m homes with that time frame. So, whilst there is a drop in social housing, it’s a net figure of 2.3m fewer social-rented

houses, instead of the 3.5m in the paragraph above.

Baby Boomers simply did the best they could in the circumstances- it’s not like they were conspiring in the food aisles of M&S on how to mess things up for the next generation.

There are fundamental underlying problems in British society that means things are difficult for our younger people, and it’s everyone’s responsibility to solve those underlying problems - we can’t just blame the Baby Boomers.

On the one hand the Baby Boomers have undoubtedly enjoyed a time of economic growth and house price inflation, but on the other hand Millennials have enjoyed a prolonged period of low mortgage rates, and these low monthly mortgage payments have boosted disposable income.

In my experience, many Wigan Baby Boomers are trying their best to help their own Millennial children get on the property ladder with deposits and interest free loans.

Every generation has had its fair share of feast and famine, so let’s stop labelling people and making assumptions, and start being more understanding of each other’s issues.

Alan Batt is a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has worked within the Wigan property market for over 30 years.

Alan Batt

For more of Alan’s tips, guidance and analysis on the Wigan property market, check out

www.wiganpropertynews.blogspot.co.uk

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We bring you the latest trends in the UK’s housing market, with a detailed focus on WN6 area.

House prices Property prices are rising at their strongest level in a year according to the latest UK House Price Index. At ÂŁ235,298 the average price of a property in November is 2.2% more expensive than a year ago, the highest rate of annual growth since November 2018.

Economy UK inflation unexpectedly fell to its lowest level in over 3 years in December. According to the ONS consumer prices rose just 1.3% in December, the smallest increase since November 2016. The fall is likely to fuel expectations that the Bank of England will cut interest rates.

Transactions It is estimated that 102,050 sales took place in November, according to the HMRC, 1.9% higher than a year ago. This would mark the first positive year-on-year increase since 2017.

However in recent months sales volumes have been revised downwards in subsequent data revisions.data revisions. Sales in September are now reported to be lower than a year ago.

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Hamper Winner Regular readers will remember that our December issue featured a Christmas Hamper competition, where one lucky reader was going to win a Christmas hamper stuffed with luxury seasonal foodstuffs.

There was a huge response, hundreds of entries flooded our website in early December but there could only be one winner and that was Pauline Dawes from Whitwell Close in Standish. Well done Pauline, hope you enjoyed your luxury hamper.

Keep an eye open for more Local Life competitions in 2020. Give our Facebook page Local Life Magazines a follow to keep up to date with all our competitions.

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Tile Style Brighten up your walls and floors with our selection of eye-catching tiles (and one tile lookalike!)

Not actual tiles – but tile-effect wallpaper! Bring a touch of New York tin-tile style to your living space with this embossed iron tile-effect wallpaper,

These interlocking porcelain tiles in aquatic colours would look impressive in a bathroom.

Hexagon blue mix tiles, £24.99 per sq.metre, Tile Mountain.

Three-dimensional contemporary shapes join forces with neon in this collection of glow-inthe-dark tiles, for a truly individual home.

Night Lights Central Decor white with pink, £330 per square metre, The Baked Tile Company.

£92 per roll, Lime Lace.

MAIN IMAGE Create a bespoke pattern with these single-colour luxury vinyl tiles in short-stave format with a bevelled edge.

Harvey Maria Heritage Colours Little Bricks, £39.95 per square metre, Harvey Maria.Swoon.

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ENHANCE YOUR HOME WITH BEAUTIFUL NEW TILING

• Textured tiles are all the rage, adding depth and interest to a scheme. Look out for soft waves, linear brush strokes, wood-grain effect, rough stone and even fabric- and plaster-like styles.

With an interesting fish-scale shape, these porcelain tiles would create a striking feature wall or statement floor.

Achilles teal mix fish-scale tiles, £39.95 per square metre, Walls and Floors.

No need for boring white floor or wall tiles when you can have an interesting, on-trend shape such as these penny mosaic tiles.

Circular white matt mosaic tiles, £2.95 per sheet (320x300x4mm), Walls and Floors.

• Bold tiles are becoming more and more popular – expect to see plenty of intense colours in fashionforward homes this year. Look out for intriguing shapes, too, such as fish-scale, peacock, ogee, penny, diamond, kite and hexagon.

• For a fresh, modern look, don’t tile using a traditional layout, but employ strong vertical patterns, herringbone or basketweave. This is a great way to make inexpensive tiles appear ontrend and expensive.

• Very large-format tiles (even in a small room) can open up a space. The lack of grout lines allows the tiles themselves to really sing – and they’re easier to keep clean, too.

• As an alternative to ceramic, porcelain or stone tiles, consider luxury vinyl tiles (known in the trade as LVT), an innovative type of vinyl flooring.

The tiles are waterproof, warm and quiet underfoot, hard-wearing and durable, and come in a wide range of patterns and effects.

These hand-made encaustic tiles, from a range of beautiful geometric designs, are suitable for both walls and floors.

Salamanca tiles, £110.40 per square metre, Indigenous.

MAIN IMAGE With a realistic wood-effect design, these porcelain tiles feature a parquet-style format and a naturalistic matt finish for use on a wall or floor.

Woven Sand wood-effect tiles, £39.95 per square metre, Walls and Floors.

48

Garage and entrance doors in matching styles

CJM Garage Doors Ltd, Unit 10, Hewitt Business Park Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB t: 01942 738347 w: www.cjmgaragedoors.co.uk

aqua:

bathroom - kitchen

Established 2006

Aqua (NW) Ltd, 16/18, Market Street, Standish, WN6 0HN T: 01257 425 812 E: info@aquabathrooms.co.uk www.aquabathrooms.co.uk

49

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50

Merseyrail Link?

Residents in the Shevington and Appley Bridge areas could be about to get access to a more direct link to Liverpool as plans are afoot for nearby Skelmersdale to get a Merseyrail station after years of being cut off from the rail network.

Locals have been campaigning vociferously for better transport links ever since the original railway station was controversially closed in 1956 - just a few years before Skelmersdale was designated as one of Britain’s ‘New Towns’ in 1961 and the population subsequently boomed.

Now a newly published rail strategy reveals Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Lancashire County Council have carried out work to assess whether a new spur from the Merseyrail network could go towards Skelmersdale. The report says: “The Liverpool City Region has worked with Lancashire County Council and Network Rail on the potential extension of the Merseyrail line through

to Skelmersdale.

The report adds: “A new station at Headbolt Lane (due to open in 2023) to serve the Northwood area of Kirkby is an integral part of this proposal. The potential to extend the network further through to Wigan will need to be developed separately.”

Unlike other Merseyrail developments, such as new stations in Kirkby and the Baltic Triangle, the Skelmersdale link is not confirmed and therefore has not yet been funded.

Full range of hinge door wardrobes

51

Making Standish Bloom

Green Fingers

Standish in Bloom are looking for volunteers to adopt a grot spot in the village. If you have a free 30 minutes each week to help look after a small area near where you live then the group would love to hear from you.

Email standishforum@live.co.uk for details.

Two separate gardening groups in Shevington are hoping to bring a bit of colour to the lives of green fingered Shevingtonians in 2020.

Happy Circle Everyone is welcome at the Happy Circle Club, which runs every Thursday at the Standish Methodist Church on High Street from 1-3pm. Activities at the club include dominoes, carpet bowls, bingo. You’ll enjoy the cakes and hot drinks are also served.

People suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s are particularly welcome. For more details please call 01942 221039.

Shevington Gardening Club meets at 8pm on the second Monday of each month at St Anne’s Parish Centre on Church Lane. Call Andrew on 07710 635075 or visit www.shevingtongc.co.uk for details.

And award-winning Shevington in Bloom, the group that brings so much colour to the village, are always looking for volunteers to join their team to once again transform the village this year. Please call Sandra on 01257 401997 or shevingtoninbloom@ yahoo.com.

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53

ModerniseYourStairs Bespoke Staircases & Staircase Renovations Add value to your home by modernising your stairs in just 2 days!

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Download our brochure from www.moderniseyourstairs.com

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Or pop into our Wigan showroom Rear Mill, Wood Street, off Chapel Lane, Wigan, WN3 4HL

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54

Back to

Black

www.burbidgekitchenmakers.co.uk

Sophisticated, intense and eye-catching – use black in your interior to create drama, interest and on-trend style.

Although it goes against convention, when employed with thoughtfulness and flair the use of black in an interior can be surprising and successful.

Black is bold, luxurious and versatile, and comes in many shades, ranging from cool, blueish blacks to warm, red-blacks. Use paint swatches and then test the paints out on your walls to determine what works best for your room.

Although black itself is dark, the room in which it is used doesn’t have to be. In a small room, such as a snug, WC or study, black can be used to emphasise a feeling of cosiness, but in a larger space it can help improve the sense of proportion and create a feeling of intimacy. To avoid a sense of gloom, ensure that any room in which you plan to use significant amounts of black has both large windows and plenty of reflective surfaces to provide daytime illumination, and include a variety of lighting to create warm, welcoming light at night.

If all-over black is a step too far, accent your room with black. This could mean covering a wall or two in black or perhaps painting around the room below the dado rail, creating a sense of grounding.

Black can work well for wall-to-wall bookshelves or as a run of kitchen cabinets. Or use smaller accessories in black – picture frames, table lamps or a side table.

Black always needs to be combined with other colours, and black walls team brilliantly with a brightly coloured sofa, vivid paintings, a jewel-bright headboard or a colourful rug. The contrast of a dark backdrop harmonises wonderfully with intense colours such as crimson, orange, lime, fuchsia, yellow, emerald and mustard. The strongest contrast of all, of course, is black with white. This combination can be fresh, crisp and contemporary, though pure black and white may be a little simplistic, and best tempered with some greys or other colours, and definitely with a variety of patterns and textures.

Black with neutrals and naturals also works well – adding timber, stone, hessian, linen, sisal, wicker and wool, in their natural range of beiges, creams and greys, is softening and beautiful. As interiors experts say, even just a touch of black is vital in every room, enhancing the colours, patterns and shapes that surround it.

www.sweetpeaandwillow.com

55

56

Ale and

Hearty

By Jess Phillips

Looking for the perfect location to host your next private function? Look no further than Standish Unity Club; a hidden gem in a bustling village centre.

Located on Cross Street, just across the road from Standish Library, you’d be forgiven for not knowing it’s there - but the club’s unsuspecting exterior soon gives way to a cosy, pub-like atmosphere.

The club itself is made up of three separate areas: an intimate lounge setting with authentic wooden beams; a games room complete with full-size snooker and pool tables; and the main function room, complete with stage area. This is where all types of celebrations & events take place & is available to hire for members of Standish Unity Club.

When St Wilfrid’s Club closed its doors for the last time members struggled to find somewhere they felt as comfortable, so a group of members would meet in an empty building, bringing their own cans of beer and making sure to pay into the Club. They became known as The Canned Beer Team.

It was at these evenings the idea of The Standish Unity Club was born. They found premises at the rear of the Standish Centre and began renovating what was the old Northern Diver warehouse. After months and many hours of voluntary hard work from members and friends, the Standish Unity Club opened its doors to the public in June 2000. You can spot the final beer can encased in a display unit along with a poem penned by one of the original members entitled ‘This Lonely Can’.

This thirst for good beer didn’t stop at the club’s conception. Standish Unity Club has been crowned Club of the Year by the Wigan branch of CAMRA nine times since 2010, championing a real taste for locally brewed ales available on tap.

With such an extensive selection of beers, Standish Unity Club could form the perfect backdrop for any private party. Its main function room has a capacity of 120, and the room itself feels luxurious, home to rich furnishings, a modern sound system and comfortable carpets. Non-members are welcome to enjoy a relaxed drink in the lounge area every night from 7:30pm - and with an atmosphere built for

57

Standish Unity Club Cross Street, Standish WN6 0HQ 01257 424007 www.standishunityclub.com standish.unity@blueyonder.co.uk @standishunity

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What’s most apparent at Standish Unity Club is the real sense of community it elicits from members

Memberships available please enquire at the Club

sto Pre

The not-for-profit club really is an ideal meeting location for people of all ages, and hosts regular events in addition to its private functions.

As well as being home to the Standish branch of the Royal British Legion, Ukulele extravaganza Unity Ukes visits the club every second Thursday of the month, featuring ukulele bands, soloists and clubs along with singalong fun. A £1 entry fee applies to the concerts, which start at 8pm and run ’til late. Meanwhile, Lankykats hosts events twice monthly (February’s take place on Thursday 6th and Thursday 20th) welcoming various Lancashire bands to Standish - and each event is open to the public.

and non-members alike. Whether you’re looking to nurse a quiet drink, to play a round of darts, or to celebrate an upcoming occasion, where better than a venue in the very heart of Standish?

Cross

easy socialising, it’s easy to see why so many call the Unity Club home.

Standish Library

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59

60

Legal & Finance

Ringing the

Changes Whether Big Ben bongs for Brexit or not - and at the time we went to press it was still undecided – Britain’s withdrawal from the EU will happen at 11pm on Friday 31st January. Although the stock market rallies of the past month or so is partly due to the new government’s ability to bring the 3½ year Brexit fiasco to an end, the only certainty of 2020 is that there will be more uncertainty.

So it’s very important that investors factor in the new political climate into their financial planning.

One great way of acting on this is to schedule an investment health check.

Reviewing and revamping your portfolio now could make a significant difference to your portfolio value. Apart from weeding out the poor performing funds and checking you’re still on track, you might find your finances could be arranged more taxefficiently.

I was recently talking to a new client who was having a moan about the amount of paperwork he was receiving from all his different investments.

At the heart of the problem was that “everything was all over the place” - for every investment he was dealing with a different company. He’d lost complete control of his portfolio and the piles of paper in his study had continued to grow. No action was being taken by his previous adviser, potentially costing him money.

He didn’t have a clue what his valuations were and didn’t know how well his investments had been performing. I asked him what his “ideal” would feel and look like. He replied that he wanted to;

Retake full control of his investments rather than getting swamped with paperwork and information.

Have “peace of mind” knowing that an expert was also keeping an eye on his investments.

Invest in a wide choice of leading companies without being tied in to a single company/fund.

Just deal with “one firm” for all of his different investments rather than speaking to many.

It probably does not come as a great surprise to learn that we have the solution to all these issues and our Wealth Management Service delivers on all the points above. Indeed one of our recently engaged clients described the difference between the old way of managing investments and using the Prosper Wealth Management Service as “an absolute revelation”.

If you would like more information please feel free to get in touch on 01257 423800. Alternatively visit our website www.prosper-ifa.co.uk or email us to request a brochure. The cost of the initial consultation is met by us and you are under no obligation to take things further.

If you invest in the stock market the value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount invested.

David Barton APFS Cert CII (MP) Managing Director & Chartered Financial Planner

Remember all investments can fall as well as rise in value so investors could get back less than they invest.

61

In these uncertain times, it’s vital to protect your family’s financial future.

Prosper Wealth Management are Wigan’s premier investment and pension specialists.

Established in 2003, we now protect the interests of more than 600 local clients with total investments of over £170m .

We were awarded the ‘gold standard’ Chartered Financial Planner status in 2012, and are still the only Wigan company with this prestigious accreditation.

For trusted and independent investment and pension planning advice, call us today for a consultation.

Wealth Preservation Investment Planning Retirement Planning Long-term Care Solutions

The initial consultation is at our expense and is without obligation.

01257 423 800 Prosper Wealth Management. Prosper House, 99a High Street, Standish, WN6 0HD

www.prosper-ifa.co.uk

62

Spring Clean Your

Finances All you need is a little time and dedication, so with this in mind, here are a few ideas for a financial spring clean and a richer 2020.

Spring is the season when we give our homes a good clean and tidy up, so why not do the same with your finances? There are many ways to take control of your financial life, and the majority of them are so easy it’s worth looking at all the possibilities.

Get organised Financial decluttering offers a clearer view of your overall financial situation and valuable insight into unhealthy spending habits. Begin by finding all your relevant paperwork such as mortgage statements, insurance policies, credit agreements

and utility bills, and decide which documents you need to keep.

Although you should be mindful of retaining tax paperwork, you may not need to keep all of the older general documentation. What you do retain can be safely filed away in a dedicated folder so you have easy access should you need it.

Reduce outgoings and make paying easier Not only can you save money by cancelling subscriptions that you no longer need, sorting out your paperwork highlights any excessively

63 high payments you’ve been making and allows for tighter financial control.

You can sign up to receive paperless bills and bank statements, which reduces the amount of paperwork in your home and helps to declutter your physical living space. By signing up to pay your bills by direct debit, you can also remove much of the hassle of making regular payments – providers might even offer you a discount for doing so.

Make a new budget Whether or not you already operate a budget, making a new one can instil fresh life into your finances and allows you to overhaul your spending if necessary. Make sure to include all important annual events including birthdays, Christmas and holidays in the budget, so you arrive at an accurate plan for monthly expenditure.

By scrutinising your bank statements you can see where you’ve been overspending during the last year and adjust accordingly, or lower your outlay in high-cost areas. This might involve checking comparison websites, or simply being more careful with the food shopping.

Plan finances ahead this year If you’re planning a holiday in 2020 or need to buy a new car, for example, in conjunction with your new budget, saving a little each month can help to achieve your goals without going into debt.

Maybe you could open a new savings account for each prospective large purchase, or use a traditional piggy bank at home and watch your savings fund grow the old-fashioned way.

Track your spending With so many personal finance apps and tools now available, you can track your spending wherever you are. You might prefer to use a spreadsheet, or simply write down your spending in a notebook.

Whatever you do, keeping track of how much you spend helps you stick to your budget and deal confidently with the inevitable financial setbacks we all experience.

Tackle debt By tackling debt you free yourself from the threat

of serious financial difficulty, and provide new opportunities to save. You might choose to use the ‘debt snowball’ method of paying off the smallest debts first, or get stuck right in and pay off the largest debt. However you decide to approach it, becoming debt-free is liberating and an important element of a financial spring clean.

Maximise tax-free savings With the end of the tax year fast approaching, make sure you’re taking advantage of your full tax-free savings allowance. You can currently save up to £20,000 tax-free in an Individual Savings Account (ISA), and are allowed to spread this amount between a cash ISA and an Investment ISA. If you don’t use your full allowance by 5th April, however, it will be lost.

Check your pension Your pension provider should send you a pension statement once a year, so it’s a good idea to review how well it’s performing. If you have more than one pension it may also be worthwhile seeking professional advice as to whether they should be combined. If you think you have additional pensions but can’t quite remember, a facility on the gov.uk website can help you track them down.

Search for old bank accounts You may have money in accounts that have been lying dormant for years, but there is a way to track them down. As with forgotten pensions, this is very useful if you can’t remember the bank accounts you’ve held in the past.

My Lost Account is a website that helps you find old bank accounts, building society accounts and NS&I investments, so you can reclaim forgotten money and close them down. It’s also possible to check for any Premium Bond prizes that you haven’t claimed via the National Savings and Investments website.

Overhauling your finances can make a significant impact on life in general, and helps you to make the most of your money. So start your spring clean this month and you’ll be reaping the rewards not only in 2020, but for many years to come.

64

Business View

Xero is our

Hero!

by Chris Alcock - CMA Accountancy

2020 marks the 10th anniversary of CMA Accountancy partnering with revolutionary software package XERO. We recommend XERO to our customers because it gives you access to real time information, streamlines the time taken to prepare your bookkeeping and makes sure you are HMRC compliant for Making Tax Digital. XERO can be accessed anytime, anywhere and on any mobile device or PC. But what we also love about XERO is how it works with a multitude of 3rd party apps. Here’s a highlight of some of the best apps that work with XERO and what value they can bring to your business.

For efficient debt tracking and cash management, check out these apps.

• Chaser – Automates invoice chasing • Fluidly – Manages cashflow • Satago – Provides credit risk tools These apps scan invoices and receipts, and reduce your time on data entry.

• Receipt Bank – Scan bills and receipts via your mobile phone • AutoEntry – Scans bank statements and sales invoices If you have a retail or online sales outlet these apps can help you take control

These apps are great for trades people to keep control of job scheduling and billing • ServiceM8 – Manages and field service business • Tradify – Complete job management for trades and contractors These are just a small selection of apps available.

Let us help you transform the management of your accounts in 2020. As well as setting up Xero and converting your data from another product, we can advise you on which are the best apps to use and help you integrate this with Xero.

Special Offer For a limited period we are offering all new clients Xero software free of charge for 6 MONTHS if they sign up for our services before the end of February 2020.

If you have any questions regarding Xero, Making Tax Digital, apps or switching to an online accounting system please do get in touch.

Chris Alcock ACMA - CMA Accountancy 39 Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge, Wigan, WN6 9DR

• Shopify – Seamlessly connects your store to Xero for real time sales information

Tel: 01257 255521

• Vend – Provides excellent point of sale analysis

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65

Making Tax Digital Do you have a business that’s VAT-registered and has a turnover of £85,000+?

Are you aware that the Making Tax Digital changes are now LIVE? Would you like your business to enjoy the benefits of online accounting?

Call us today for a free consultation.

Free software for 6 months when you use CMA Accountancy.

Call CMA Accountancy today www.cma-accountancy.com info@cma-accountancy.com Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge. 01257 255521

66

Health & Fitness

Snoring:

It’s no laughing matter Forget ‘unreasonable behaviour’ – snoring is now recognised to be a top reason for divorce – along with fishing and becoming vegetarian! (Daily Express, January 2018) A whopping 20 million Brits claim they are sleep deprived by their partner’s snoring, reported The Sun in 2017.

Snoring is often thought of as funny, yet this could not be farther from the truth. Usually, the partner suffers the most. Sleeping on the sofa or in the spare room every night takes its toll, with ruined relationships and broken marriages.

So what causes snoring? Is it bad for our health?

What can be done about it?

What Causes Snoring?

Snoring is caused by something partially blocking your airways. The airways include your mouth and the back of your throat. While you are asleep, and when you breathe in deeply, this blockage causes that noisy reverberation we all know so well as a snore.

What causes blocked airways? The culprits are our common vices. Smoking causes an excess of mucus/catarrh, alcohol causes the muscles and tissues of the palate to over-relax and sag, and fat, in people who are overweight or obese when pads of fatty tissue accumulate in these areas and literally wobble in the breeze!

Allergies also play a part. Common allergens include house dust mite, animal dander, pollens, yeasts and moulds. Inhalation of allergens causes nasal and throat tissues to swell and the production of body secretions.

Typically, a snorer lies flat on their back and breathes through their mouth. When you lie on your back, your tongue falls to the back of your mouth, partially blocking your airway. In addition, when you take a breath in through your mouth, a forceful wall of air hits the roof of your mouth and is funnelled through your narrowed airway.

Lying on your side and breathing through your nose make snoring less likely.

Sleep Apnoea Snoring is only dangerous to health if it causes ‘sleep apnoea’.

In this condition, there is such a severe blockage to airflow that your brain is temporarily starved of oxygen. You briefly stop breathing altogether, your brain recognises this and after a long pause your breathing starts again.

The strain on your heart and lungs plus the effects of constantly feeling tired and poor daily performance can have life-threatening consequences.

75% of people who snore have sleep apnoea.

If you think you could have sleep apnoea, you must see your doctor.

67 What Can Be Done To Help Snoring?

Making lifestyle changes, however difficult and unpopular, has to be the mainstay of long-term treatment. Stopping smoking, moderating or stopping drinking alcohol and losing weight are strongly recommended.

To reduce the risk of allergy, regular vacuuming, damp dusting, and keeping the bedroom pet-free will all help. Use hypoallergenic bedding.

Keep the bedroom cool – around 15˚C. Stay well hydrated – drink six to eight glasses of water per day.

Products for Snorers and Snoring Sufferers The age-old solution of sewing a cotton reel or a tennis ball in your pyjama trousers, forcing you to lie on your side, still has much to commend it.

However, a simple starting point is a pair of foam rubber earplugs for your partner.

Manufacturers have been very creative with their anti-snoring products. For example, nasal strips are available, which are said to hold the airway open.

Always Listening • Micro-Suction Wax Removal • FREE Hearing Tests • Claim your FREE trial of the latest digital hearing aids – technology that can’t be bought on the high street • Hearing Aids & Repairs Rest assured you are in safe hands in our family owned, state of the art clinic.

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And who’s heard of a ‘Neti pot’ – a device used to flush the airways before bedtime with salt water?

Best results are likely with the use of a mandibular device – a special type of gum shield that holds the tongue and jaw forward to keep the airway open while you sleep. Purchase these online, or have them fitted more accurately by your dentist.

The Antisnoor device is a type of adhesive patch you wear on your forehead that detects snoring and then vibrates to prompt you to turn over.

Smart Nora is an anti-snoring pillow that listens out for snoring and then inflates to encourage you to change the position of your head.

The Importance of Sleep Getting enough, good quality sleep is vital. Lack of sleep increases your risk of strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and cancer. Over time it also shortens our lifespan. Adults are recommended to sleep for seven to nine hours per night.

Snoring it seems, is a serious business!

68

Health Service or

Half Service?

The 17 Treatments the NHS Will No Longer Provide

By Dr Daisy Mae From 1st April 2019, the NHS stopped funding a range of treatments it regards as ineffective, possibly harmful and poor value for money.

So how did this come about? Which conditions are on the list?

Moles (benign), simple cysts, warts, verrucas and varicose veins are all on the list of treatments no longer covered. Now, however unsightly or irritating, the NHS is no longer responsible.

Cash-strapped, and hard-pressed, the NHS is continually struggling to maintain an excellent quality of service and to balance the books.

Consequently, NHS management teams are regularly analysing the numbers and type of medical procedures, their success and complication rates. They consider carefully whether these interventions are beneficial for patients and whether they offer value for money.

Inappropriate Treatments

How Does the NHS Decide Which Treatments It Will or Won’t Fund?

On behalf of the NHS, The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is a robust body that reviews all the available medical evidence about the safety, efficacy and value for money of NHS treatments and interventions.

By law, if NICE recommends it, the NHS must provide it. If NICE doesn’t recommend it, the NHS has no obligation.

What are ‘Inappropriate Interventions’?

Inappropriate interventions are procedures that NICE has concluded have not been shown to be effective and may be associated with harm.

For example, surgery to improve snoring carries risks: bleeding, infection, voice changes and swallowing problems. The cure rate from surgery is only 46%. However, similar improvements in snoring can be achieved by non-surgical health interventions such as losing weight and stopping smoking.

69 The 17 inappropriate interventions no longer funded by the NHS • Snoring surgery (in absence of sleep apnoea).

• Dilatation and Curettage (D&C) for heavy menstrual bleeding – the agreed treatment is hysteroscopy and biopsy.

These interventions are only the first phase of treatments cuts, with a second phase involving a list of other, more specialised procedures, set to follow.

Doctors themselves are concerned. In a recent BMA survey, 75% of doctors said they believed that financial targets were overriding patient care.

- Tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis.

The BMA also views this NHS bureaucracy with disdain, saying “Rather than cut services, the government’s priority should be to stop the scandalous waste of billions of taxpayer money on the damaging NHS market in England, pointless fragmentation of NHS services and outsourcing deals that disrupt patient care,” to quote BMA chair and GP, Dr Chaand Nagpaul.

- Haemorrhoid surgery.

The Negative Consequences

• Hysterectomy for heavy menstrual bleeding – women should be offered medical treatment or a progesterone releasing IUS.

These conditions may be benign, but they still cause misery and this negatively affects our well-being, self-esteem and self-confidence. Other treatments may be effective, but these can be expensive.

• Knee arthroscopy for osteoarthritis – flushing out the joint is no longer recommended.

• Breast reduction.

• Removal of benign skin conditions.

- Grommets for glue ear in children.

• Chalazia removal.

• Arthroscopic shoulder decompression for shoulder pain.

• Carpal tunnel release.

• Dupuytren’s contracture release.

• Ganglion excision.

• Trigger finger release.

• Varicose vein surgery – endothermal ablation and sclerotherapy should be tried first.

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Vulnerable people who can’t speak up for themselves or engage fully in their own care may suffer. Some patients may choose not consult the doctor, and serious diagnoses may be missed.

Lifestyle interventions such as weight loss are beneficial for numerous medical conditions.

However, weight loss is difficult and takes time. The Royal College of Physicians has recently declared obesity a disease, not just a lifestyle factor.

There are long waiting lists for physiotherapy, and the other suggested treatment options such as endothermal ablation and sclerotherapy. Will more funding be allocated for these treatments?

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70

Sally’s Specials

by Marti of The Star Inn

The Star Inn

Peppered Mackerel Pâté - Thai style Serves 4 Ingredients 2 packs (4 fillets) of peppered or smoked mackerel 2 red chillies 1 pack of coriander 4 crushed gloves of garlic 1 halved and shredded lemongrass stalk 1 grated lemon rind 1 squeeze of lime Small piece of ginger peeled & chopped finely Half a block of butter Seasoning

I love this recipe, its quick, easy and has the wow factor! It gives the classic pate a twist with a sprinkling of Thai flavour

Method Start by taking the back skin off the fish and discarding of any little bones you can see.

Break up the mackerel into a mixing bowl, again looking out for any little bones.

To an oiled frying pan add the crushed garlic, chopped chillies, coriander, ginger, lemon, lime and thoroughly mix together cooking lightly for about three minutes to soften and release the flavours. Be careful not to burn the mixture.

Once cooked, add to the fish and mix together well adding seasoning to taste.

Melt the butter in the microwave until completely soft and melted and fold through the mackerel mix.

Spoon the pate into suitable sized ramekins and chill for 3 hours.

When ready to eat, spread on hot buttered toast and indulge!

71 Sally’s at The Star Inn was launched in 2007 in homage to landlord and chef Marti’s mother Sally, who passed away in 1996. A great cook herself, it was Sally’s lifelong dream to have a restaurant in her name, and Marti wanted to honour that promise when he took the reins of The Star Inn at Roby Mill.

Sally’s Strawberry Cheesecake

Serves 8 Ingredients Half a pack of ginger nuts 1 punnet of strawberries 250g of mascarpone 250g of soft cheese 100g of butter

Method Get started by crushing the ginger nuts until they resemble a fine crumb.

Grab a pan and melt the butter then add the melted butter to the crushed ginger nuts.

Place the ginger nut mixture into a greaseproof lined tin and spread the mixture evenly across the tin. Place in the fridge and leave for 30 minutes.

Now for the filling and the topping! Add the mascarpone, soft cheese, vanilla and caster sugar to a bowl and whisk together until fully combined.

100g of icing sugar

Slice approximately ¼ of the punnet of strawberries making sure the pieces aren’t too small.

200g of caster sugar

Add the strawberries to the mascarpone mixture and fold through.

Vanilla essence

Place the strawberry mixture on top of the ginger nut base and ensure everything is level. Return the tin to the fridge for a further 30 minutes.

For the coulis add ½ of the remaining strawberries to a blender with the icing sugar and blitz till smooth.

Add the coulis to the top of the cheesecake after the 30 minutes in the fridge.

Add the remaining strawberries as a garnish, serve and enjoy!

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Upload your event for FREE at www.locallife247.co.uk/events Chinese New Year

All Write Up North

Saturday, February 1, 11am-2pm

Saturday, February 8, 10am-1:30pm

A free family extravaganza with music, dancing, calligraphy, a traditional tea ceremony and costumes to celebrate the Year of the Rat.

A free networking and workshop event for aspiring authors, illustrators, photographers and cover artists! Lunch and refreshments provided – book your place on library.transformation@wigan.gov.uk

Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street, Wigan, WN1 1NU

Wigan Library, Hewlett Street, Wigan, WN1 1NH

Boogie Bingo

Open Studio Sale

Saturday, February 1, 7pm

Saturday & Sunday, February 8 & 9, 10am-3pm

Help fund raise for Wigan Youth Zone with a night of boogie bingo. There are plenty of prizes to be won; tickets £25 including light bites, bookable on Eventbrite or 01942 774000.

For one weekend only, a super sale offering up to 70% off at specialist glass art studio Morpheus Glass. The studio is housed within Love It Gallery, as is the Bag & Bean coffee shop. Don’t miss it!

DW Stadium, Loire Drive, Wigan, WN5 0UZ

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‘Ey Oop Campers!

Pike Making

Saturday, February 1, doors at 7pm

Thursday, February 13, 6:30pm-8:30pm

A lighthearted look at the fun, intrigue and mayhem of a 1950s holiday camp, performed by U3A Variety Theatre Group! Tickets £6 per adult or £3 per U16 including refreshments on 01257 473941.

Explore Lancashire’s witching past in this workshop, making sculptural pikes from wood, twine and paint. Free, places bookable on Eventbrite.

St. James Church Hall, Church Lane, Wrightington, WN6 9SN

Stories from the Past Thursday, February 6, 4pm-5pm Stan Aspinall tells three stories of Standish’s past – each with a twist to make you think. Refreshments available.

Standish Library, Cross St, Standish, WN6 0HQ

Wigan STEAM, Marsden St, Wigan, WN1 1QF

Mental Health Market Friday, February 14, 1-3pm Come and find out about the fantastic range of services, groups and support available in your local area! You’ll find local health, education, activity, carer, voluntary and charity services and groups. For more information contact Community Therapies Hub 01942 772124.

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Drive-In Cinema

Wedding Fayre

Friday, February 14, 8:30pm

Sunday, February 23, 12-3pm

See Pretty Woman in the grounds of Haigh Woodland Park! There’ll also be plenty of music, food, quizzes, giveaways and more. Tickets £30 per car at www.boxoffice.wlct.org.

An afternoon of wedding planning awaits you in the beautiful venue of Macdonald Kilhey Court Hotel, with around 25 suppliers all waiting to meet you. Free entry including a branded bag and wedding magazines.

Haigh Woodland Park, School Lane, WN2 1PE

Kilhey Court, Chorley Road, Standish, WN1 2XN

Valentine’s Ball

DIY Lampshade Workshop

Saturday, February 15, 7pm

Thursday, February 27, 6:30-8:30pm

Enjoy music from Scott Chapman and Olivia Garcia, along with a gourmet buffet in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Tickets £25 on 07721 639970.

Craft your very own lampshade from start to finish using different fabrics. Tickets £18 including materials on Eventbrite.

Highfield Cricket Club, Billinge Road, Highfield, WN3 6BL

Wigan STEAM, Marsden St, Wigan, WN1 1QF

Spinners Mill Ghost Hunt

Wednesday, March 4, 10:00-12:00pm

Saturday, February 15, 8:30pm-12:00am

William Froggatt, NW heritage adviser for the Canal

Join Paranormal Places UK on a ghost hunting event at Leigh Spinners Mill in company with Frank Humphries, presenter and producer of Paranormal Minds TV as we step into the ghostly world of Leigh Spinners Mill.

Spinners Mill, Park Lane, Leigh WN7 2LB

Canal History Talk and River Trust talks about ‘Construction of Leeds & Liverpool Canal – the Wigan section’.

Wigan U3A brings together retired local people to share their interests and enjoy volunteer-led activities at a variety of local venues.

The Edge, Riveredge, Wigan WN3 5AB

Evening with Gazza Thursday, February 20, 7.30pm Enjoy an evening of conversation and a Q&A with Paul Gascoigne as he chats about his career and life on and off the pitch. There’ll also be an auction of sports memorabilia. Tickets from £35 at the venue or on 01942 774000.

DW Stadium, Loire Drive, Wigan, WN5 0UZ

Fundraising Evening Saturday, February 22, 6.30pm-12:00am Help raise money for Mind with a fun night of dancing and a delicious meal, plus a raffle and talk from guest speaker Michael Lawrence. Tickets £25 on 01695 624426.

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74

Darwen Moor

by Chris Pearce Distance: 5 miles Difficulty: Medium

To help those of you who are working hard to get yourself fit for the new decade, we headed out to Tockholes for a walk that is sure to get anyone’s cardiovascular system racing. At just over five miles, this Darwen Moor walk dips into the area around Higher Roddlesworth Reservoir, levels out at Earnsdale Reservoir before the climb to Darwen Moor, and those wonderful views across Lancashire.

We start at the car park next to Vaughns Country Café at the foot of the Moor (BB3 0PA). Please make sure you use the rear of car park, which is for the use of walkers, rather than the front of the car park which is for the Royal Oak pub next door.

Take the public footpath opposite the pub and head down the steps, passing the ruins on the right, and carry on

downhill where you’ll see glimpses of Roddlesworth through the trees. Once you reach the wooden fence at the bottom, turn right to walk around the right-hand side of Roddlesworth.

After 300 yards, you’ll approach a fork – take the lesser-used uphill path to the right. Follow this through the woods until you reach the Tockholes Road. Turn left and follow the road until you reach Fine Peters Farm. Cross over and go through the gate at the lefthand side of the farm, following a track.

The track (Dean Lane) starts to climb, affording super views, and then dips to a crossroad of paths. Carry straight on down the cobbled path (Donkey Brow) and this will eventually bring you out at Earnsdale Reservoir. Follow the path round Earnsdale and stay on the tarmacked road uphill until you reach Waterhouse (1897).

Carry on in the

75 same direction for 50 yards and then take a right turn up the concrete road.

Just before the second bend on the concrete road, there’s a gap in the safety barrier; go through the gap and follow the well-defined path until you come to a gate, set in a dry-stone wall. Go through the gate and follow the path for 150 yards until you arrive at a wider path. Turn right and go through the entrance to Darwen Moor. Further up the path you reach a fork, here you take the main left fork and climb the hill until you get to the tower.

Tockholes Road

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Sunnyhurst Clough

Earnsdale Reservoir

Sunnyhurst Hey Reservoir Tockholes Number 1 Plantation

Sniddle Hill Farm

Ryal Fold Jubilee Tower

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Tockholes Number 2 Plantation

Higher Wenshead

Tockho

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Tockholes Road

Higher Roddlesworth Reservoir

Duckshaw Clough

Darwen Moor

For those with the OS Maps app on your desktop, mobile or tablet, this walk is named:

White Hill

JT-Darwen-Moor Cartridge Hill

76

Go round the tower to the left and you’ll see a path running away southwards towards the mast; take this path and when you reach a junction (look for the bench), turn left for 150 yards until you reach a marker that indicates the West Pennine Way/Witton Weavers Way junction; here you take a sharp right uphill along Witton Weavers Way.

reach a stone marker by a wooden gate.

Darwen Tower can get pretty busy with walkers sometimes, but once you get up onto the top of Darwen Moor the crowds start to thin out and you can appreciate the amazing countryside views.

Follow the path for almost a mile until you reach a gate with a bench just the other side of it. Go though here and wind your way downhill until you

Bear right when you have reached the farm, so through another gate and follow that path for ¼ mile until you once again reach the Witton Weavers path. Take a sharp left through a gate and then follow that path for a further ½ mile downhill until you return to the car park where you started.

Go through the gate and take the path that cuts a visible green swathe through moorlands. Follow this somewhat muddy path uphill again and immediately after you have gone through a second gate, bear left downhill and follow this muddy path down to New Barn Farm.

77

A history of

Darwen Tower Darwen Tower is a Grade II listed structure which was built in 1897/98 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, but to the people of Darwen it symbolises something more fundamental – the right to access to Darwen Moor. Back in the 1870’s, the Lord of the Manor, a Reverend called Duckworth who lived in Somerset, instructed his gamekeepers to block the ancient rights of way onto the Moor.

Coal supplier William Ashton took exception to this move, he had to supply farmers who lived on the Moor, and when Duckworth’s gamekeepers blocked his way, he unblocked it. After a few bloody skirmishes, the issue went to court and by 1896 the townspeople had regained the right to use the moorland

footpaths.

Ashton had died a couple of years earlier, but his three sons led a celebratory procession up on to the moors to the spot where the Tower now stands.

The victory coincided with the town’s desire to celebrate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. An anonymous letter to the local paper suggested a landmark be built on the Moor to commemorate the Jubilee and also to celebrate the freeing of the Moors. The townspeople rallied behind the idea and the tower was opened in September 1898 by the Reverend William Duckworth himself.

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.

78

Gardening

Happy New...

Garden

by Angie Barker

Award Winner

I’m sure you will have noticed the number of new build housing which is springing up around us. Whilst buyers will be busy furnishing and decorating their new homes, the outside space poses particular challenges which you don’t get with an established plot.

The first challenge will be the soil condition. We all know that for lawns to be manageable and plants to grow well, there needs to be a reasonable amount of drainage in the garden and not too much heavy clay. I can honestly say that out of all the new build gardens I have designed and planted in my time (Hubby reminds me there have been many) I have yet to come across a new build which scores well on this front. Heavy machinery compacts everything beneath it and topsoil is likely to be removed when the site is cleared.

The second challenge will be lack of privacy.

Houses are built quite close together these days which means new gardens are usually overlooked by several neighbouring windows. This can cause another problem which is the amount of shade cast in the garden, particularly on estates which have three storey houses.

Finally, and this may sound a little strange, but knowing where to start when faced with a blank canvass can be daunting.

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.

Having said all of this, a new build garden is a wonderful opportunity to create an outdoor haven which you will enjoy spending time in. Here are some pointers: Raised beds are fantastic for dealing with the poor soil issue and are much easier to maintain than weeding poor border soil. Make them at least 40cm high for impact. They can be curved or straight and built of a material to suit your budget.

Lack of privacy can be addressed by placing pergolas in the right spot, for example over dining areas and with the right planting. Bamboos are fantastic for bringing evergreen privacy, just make sure you obtain good advice when buying and avoid the “runners” and there are many plants which thrive in shade.

If all else fails and you feel you still need some inspiration, you can always contact your local garden designer – that’s me!

Call Angie now for your free consultation!

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

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82

Charging Points How do I get an electric car charging point installed at home?

With the increase in electric car popularity, more people are going to need to charge at home. But how do you go about it?

There’s little way to avoid the wave of popularity that electric cars are experiencing at the moment.

Close to every manufacturer is bringing their own EV to market, and demand is only going to increase as both carmakers and government push to get more people into plug-in cars.

It means that more and more people are going to need to charge their cars at home – but how do you do it? Yes, a three-pin plug can be used to charge up an EV, but it’s slow - a wall box can make the process a lot quicker. Let’s take a look at how you do it.

Why do I need a wallbox charger?

It may seem that just plugging an electric car into your home via a three-point plug, but it’s far slower

- as we’ve mentioned - and not quite as safe as a wallbox, either. A wallbox is capable of delivering a faster rate of charge and, because they tend to be weatherproof, they’re far safer overall.

Many have built-in safety features to ensure that should an error occur, and it won’t overload your house’s electricity supply, too.

How much is it going to cost me?

Fortunately, there’s a grant to help with the costs of installing a charging point at home. As such, it’ll cost from £279 to install a wallbox into your home, inclusive of the government grant. This also covers the installation by a qualified fitter, so there shouldn’t be any additional costs to you after everything’s plugged in - other than the electricity itself, of course.

There could be extra costs associated with the

83

installation if you’re trying to get a wallbox placed in a particularly tricky place, or if more wiring than usual is required to complete it.

What is the cost to charge my car?

How much you’ll pay in order to charge your car will depend on the size of the car’s batteries, how much charge you’ve got left in it and the rate you pay for electricity.

However, as a guide, the typical rate for electricity is 14p per kWh, or 8p per kWh for overnight, economy charging.

For an average electric car, with a 60kWh battery and around 200 miles worth of range, it’ll cost around £8.40 to charge fully. Charge something larger, like a Tesla Model S, will cost around £14 but, remember, that the Tesla offers a much greater range at around 300 miles.

How long will it take to charge my electric car?

Charging time is an area where having a wallbox really helps out. Having one fitted gives you a charging rate of between 3.7kW and 7kW, which equates to around 15-30 miles of charge added per hour. It’s still not quick - but it’s better than a threepin charger, which can only deliver 2.3kW of power, or around eight miles of range per hour.

Where will a wallbox be installed?

When a wallbox is installed, it’ll be placed on an external wall either on the side of your house, or on the side of a garage. Connected to the mains electricity by a secure connection, it’ll be ideally located close to where you park.

This will only really work for people with off-street parking though - as you’re not allowed to run cables across the pavement to a car parked on the street.

How long will installation take?

It should only take around three hours for a wallbox to be installed at your home, depending on access and how tricky an area it is to fit.

Where can I buy a wallbox from?

Happily enough, there are plenty of suppliers of electric car charging points. A quick internet search should pull up a multitude of providers local to you.

Just a quick note – if you want to take advantage of the government’s grant, then you may have to prove ownership of the car and your home in order to qualify.

84

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Solar Thermal & Solar PV

£20

Established in 1984 as an emergency glazing service, today Dennis Goulding has grown and moved forward to offer all you need to maintain, enhance and expand your home. We continually invest in and

ally

rm

no

money is the clear benefit!

STOVES by Andy

Want to promote your company in Local Life?

Call Sally: 01695 627 999 locallife247.co.uk

LocalLife

86

Having computer problems?

• We come to you!

• Computer repairs and upgrades • Internet and wireless problems fixed • Quality new systems built to specification • Virus removal from £35 • Domestic and commercial work welcomed Call us now for FREE computer advice.

Call - 01942 863448

www.expertcomputers.co.uk ‘Excellence in Customer Service’ – Winner

No Fix? No Fee!

Aerial & Sky Services RX-12 Digital TV Aerials £65 supplied & fitted

Aerial Multi-room System at £45 per room

Domestic & Commercial work welcomed 30+ years experience

TV Wall Mounting Service Level 5 in Signal Path & Fault Diagnostics

01942 257804 07966 488585

TV Aerials Installed TV Wall Mounting Telephone Lines Setup Service Ring Paul on

01942 514 532 07709 490 095

Call anytime for a quote or email: andyaerial@blueyonder.co.uk

www.aerialandskyservices.co.uk

Promote your business

from just £6 a month

HandyContacts only £72+ VAT per annum in advance Call us today on

01695 627999

www.locallife247.co.uk/handy-contacts/

LocalLife

87

Great Value Bathrooms!

Convert your bath to a

Walk-In Shower Typical price

£1800 Fully guaranteed One day installation No mess - no fuss Easy to clean & maintain

Full Bathrooms & En-Suites Showers, Trays & Cubicles Relocation of Bathroom Suites 25 years bathroom experience Call Chris now for a free quotation

C L Bathrooms

01942 749085 or 07801 295483 www.clbathrooms.co.uk

AGBathrooms.net

Quality bathrooms at reasonable prices Complete bathroom installations from design to completion.

For free quotes, call Adrian on 07816 394 292 Check out our work on www.AGBathrooms.net

• Bathroom Installation, Full Bathrooms & En-Suites • Plumbing Services • Wall & Floor Tiling • Ceiling Panelling

01942 397173 / 07803 057940 Douglas Drive, Orrell, Wigan www.ljplumbingandbathrooms.co.uk

Elite Bathrooms & Wet Room Installation

• Bathrooms • Wet Rooms • Wall & Floor Tiling Please call for a FREE Estimates

07703 448890 / 01942 208926

Call Anthony on

AJC WALK IN SHOWERS

07919 876 825 Workshop address: Bulldog Tools Ind. Est. Darlington Street East Wigan WN1 3BT

We also fit full bathrooms!

88

y pp

F G ers!

OF IN ustom % THFeb ur c 10 ERYntil 29ttho all o u ar EV New Ye

Ha

Providing professional carpet & upholstery cleaning since 1993 Carpets Leather

Upholstery Curtains Oriental Rugs Hard Floors

For more information call:

01942 470 081 Visit our website and check out the testimonials.

www.alliancechemdry.co.uk

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning • traditional service, state of the art results •

Wigan Good Trader Of The Year 2015

5 star rating with Wigan Trading Standards Good Trader Scheme

• Carpets • Rugs • Fabric & Leather Upholstery Call today for a free consultation & no obligation quote

Call - 01257 251221

Mobile - 07908 770808

www.manorhousecleaning.co.uk

T: 01942 409401 M: 07881 816839 • Professional Carpet - Rug - Upholstery Cleaning • Leather Cleaning & Restoration • FREE Pre-Inspection Visit & Quotation

Garage and entrance doors in matching styles

helen@carrolls-cleaning.co.uk

Is your garage door broken ?

Call us today for a free estimate to Repair or Replace it

Fires & Stoves Swept Certificates Issued HETAS Approved Sweep Professional & Reliable

GARAGE DOOR

REPAIRS

ALL GARAGE DOORS REPAIRED : Springs, Cables, Locks, Rollers etc.

Doors of all ages repaired

CJM Garage Doors Ltd, Unit 10, Hewitt Business Park Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB t: 01942 738347 w: www.cjmgaragedoors.co.uk

01744 894939 / 07891 330214 NO FIX, NO CHARGE! www.garagedoorandlock.co.uk Strawberry Cottage, Pimbo Lane, Upholland WN8 9QL

89

Wigan’s premier domestic cleaning service

Cleaning in the Wigan area for 10+ years

We only use reliable, vetted staff • £11.95 per hour - minimum 2 hrs • Same cleaner each visit • All domestic duties provided

Call or email Joanne 01942 203442 joanne@acleanbreak.co.uk / www.acleanbreak.co.uk/wigan

PB

Power Washing

PROFESSIONAL EXTERNAL CLEANING • Driveways - Cleaning & Sealing • Patios & Decking • Walls & Brickwork • Conservatories - Internal & External • Gutters, Fascias & Soffits • Gutter Vacuuming

UPVC CLEANING

• Windows, Fascias, Gutters etc.

CONSERVATORIES

• Exterior & Interior (Cleaning)

POWER WASHING • Driveways & Patios etc.

ROOF CLEANING

• Moss Removal & Bio-Treatment • Softwashing / Low Pressure

SPECIAL OFFER - 20% OFF

ALL CLEANING PACKAGES Call Clint for a free no obligation quote.

01942 470 089 / 07834 241 642 www.conservatorycleaningwigan.com

Call Paul today to arrange a free quote

01257 402 113 ~ 07736 396 374 www.pbpowerwashing.co.uk

let us clean your oven so you don’t have to! professional oven cleaning environmentally friendly we’ll restore your oven to near showroom condition!

call Steven today on 07393 818 392 www.ovenrescue.co.uk/wigan

o we d

n oevpe airs r

too!

prices start from £45

90

FINA

NCE Brand New Bathrooms OPTIONS AVAILABLE Boiler + Central Heating Installs, Servicing + Repairs Extended warranties available 24 Hour Call-out Domestic + Commercial

Freephone 0300 3030121 Dave 07769 942218 / Matt 07969 183809 21 Naburn Drive, Orrell, WN5 8SB

Email: info@orrellheating.co.uk

www.orrellheating.co.uk

506515

A Genuine Family Run Business With Friendly & Courteous Staff SPECIALISTS IN CENTRAL HEATING INSTALLATION, BOILER REPLACEMENTS AND UPGRADES

Accredited Installer & Ser vice Partner • Annual Boiler Servicing • Landlord & Home Owner Gas Safety Checks • Mechanical Power Flushing • Thermostatic Valves/Radiators Fitted • All-in-One Air Conditioning & Heating Units for Home & Work

WE REPAIR ALL MAKES OF BOILERS! Telephone:

• Central Heating Installations • Boiler Installations • Maintenance & Servicing • Power Flushing

01942 504 429 186237

Your one stop shop for central heating 434 Ormskirk Rd, Wigan, WN5 9DF

01942 221221

info@premiergas.com / www.premiergas.com

Registration No.

88604

TEL: MOB:

01257 421 660 07515 505 501

www.fgwelch.co.uk

Want to promote your company in Local Life?

Call Sally: 01695 627 999 locallife247.co.uk

LocalLife

Handy Andy Building / Joinery Plastering / Tiling Plumbing / Roofing Flatpack Assembly

Call Handy Andy on ALL JOBS considered

01257 369 685 07899 752 225 tradesbyandy@gmail.com

HANDYMAN SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENTS & PROPERTY REPAIRS

ALL JOBS CONSIDERED

Fascias/Soffits/Gutters Painting Inside & Out, Plumbing, Joinery & Plastering Gates, Fencing & Flagging Complete Bathrooms & Kitchens - Fitted & Tiled

Competitive Prices, Local & Reliable Call Martin 07812 810382 or 01942 392118

91

C &D

Plumbing and Heating

597379

Installation ~ Repairs ~ Service

Heating & Bathroom Specialist Chris Heaton M.I.P.H.E.R.P 07973714222 01695625171

No call out fee

Central Heating Systems Boilers & Gas Appliances General plumbing Gas Safety Certificates

Call Andy for a free quote on

01942 564 226 07397 391 935 acampbellheatingandgas

4 Boiler Servicing & Maintenance 4 All aspects of plumbing and heating work.

4 Gas Safety Inspection reports undertaken.

Plumbing & Heating Specialist Complete Bathroom & Tiling service

FULL BOILER SERVICE FROM JUST £58

Call MIKE on

John Bailey - 01942 495785

0787 113 1012 Established since 1967 WIGAn BASEd

or 07721 040620 & 07710 153238 Based in Kenyon Road, Wigan

10238

SHOWROOM NOW OPEN at 19 Preston Road, Standish WN6 0HP

All plumbing services including services & repairs

BOILER SERVICING

• Bathrooms/Wet Rooms designed and fitted • Specialists in Disability Installations & Conversions

FROM

£60

• Emergency Call outs welcome

No Obligation Quotes – Call Mark on

01257 473026 07515 894281

www.gphwigan.co.uk

527090

92

Whatever your electrical needs,

GHE have the answer!

Complete re-wires

CCTV systems

New/moving sockets

Security Light installations

All lighting needs

PAT testing & inspections

Burglar Alarm systems

No Job too Small

Domestic and commercial work welcomed

Call us today for friendly advice and a free quote.

01942 836 937

Suite 1A, Kirkless Industrial Estate Cale Lane, Wigan, WN2 1HF

Orrell based

www.ghewigan.co.uk

DF

ALARMS

a Installation & Maintenance a CCTV & Alarms a Inspection & Testing a Nest Pro Installer

Installations, Upgrades & Repairs New systems 10 years experience from £350

Tel: 07738 117712

For a friendly & reliable service call Dean on

07506 518 646 DF Alarms

W.Hurst & Son Ltd

Jon Wright Electrical Ltd

ELECTRIC CONTRACTOR

All types of Domestic & Commercial work undertaken • Inspection & Tests • Repairs

• Solar PV • Alarms

Call now on: 07983 387448

Email: jonwrightelec@live.co.uk

58 Chapel St, Pemberton, Wigan

www.whurstandson.co.uk

• • • •

All types of electrical work 35+ years experience No job too small Friendly and reliable

Certificate of excellence winner 2017 & 2018

All electrical work undertaken

• Friendly reliable service • Mains board upgrades • Extra sockets to full rewires

Free quotations

A.J.S.

BAILEYS

ELECTRICAL

For a free quote & advice call Jeff

01695 622 191 07850 622 191

Services Ltd J.Dillon Electrical

Call: 01257 424918 or 07821 139826 www.jdillonelectrical.co.uk

01942 215 769 07739 709 005

• All types of electrical work • 30+ years experience • Friendly, fast and reliable • 24 hour call out service

93

CALL PAUL Electrical & Security Specialists All aspects of electrical work plus; CCTV Installation Burglar Alarm Installation Outdoor/Security Lighting SMART systems Installation Automated Gates

EMERGENCY ELECTRICIAN SERVICE

24 HOURS NO CALL-OUT CHARGE

For a no-obligation quote call

07470 655 925 STANDISH BASED Email: E4S_enquiries@outlook.com Website: www.E4Systems.co.uk Facebook: StandishElectrician Emergency lock openings Alarm installations, repairs & upgrades Domestic and commercial work welcome Free security assessment provided

Lock changes No call-out charges 24-hour service 60 mins response

LOCKSMITHS ESTABLISHED 2000

• UPVC & WOODEN DOOR SPECIALIST • Emergency Door Opening • UPVC Door Lock Repairs • UPVC Door Lock Changes • UPVC Door Lock Upgrades • Wood Door Lock Changes • All Work Guaranteed A Registered Insured NCFE Certified Company

Call Paul for a Fast, Reliable, Professional Service

Call 07432 741 346

www.uklocksandalarms.co.uk | info@ianwalkerservices.co.uk

Want to promote your company in Local Life?

Call Sally: 01695 627 999 locallife247.co.uk

LocalLife

01942MOBILE 901103 07932 718 362 WWW.CALLPAULLOCKSMITH.CO.UK

Shevington E l ect ri cal Se r v ic e s L td NAPIT part ‘P’ registered JIB Approved Technician 36 Years Experience

TELEPHONE

Local. Honest & Reliable Domestic Industrial & Commercial

Covering all North West Areas.

Call: 0800 6446100 or 07904 127663 www.shevington-electrical-services.co.uk

94

Design & Print Flyers, postcards, brochures and distribution service.

l Geails N £15

Upvc Windows & Doors I Conservatories, Soffits & Fascias I Composite Doors I Bi-Fold DoorsSaving

For more information call

Heat Pumps

embraced the latest changes in energy efficiency regulations, and still remain a local family business that cares and takes pride in what we do. We don’t employ pushy salesmen, but pride ourselves on working

w

no

LED Lighting

with and listening to our customers to give them exactly what they want. We will treat you with respect every step of the way and on that you have my word! Stuart Goulding

...and general Don’t forget, we also offer all of these services daily...

Energy Glass Cut to size, Sealed Double Glazed Units Manufactured on site, Savings Same Day Service, Safety Glass, Toughened Glass, Mirrors, Greenhouse Glass, Glazing Service, Misted Units Replaced B5250

es Lash Tan y Spra ils eds Sunb & Gel Na ic Acryl

Dennis Goulding A49

Mossy Lea Road

A5209

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Natalie

Book Unit 16, Ainscough Business Park, Mossy Lea Road, Wrightington, WN6FREE 9RS your home survey VICING SER Telephone: 01257 000 and we’ll VAN provide 427 toowith you a CAR & detailed cycles (Drive onto ‘Ainscough Building Supplies’)

Open Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm; 9:00am - 12:00 noon reportSaturday: showing motor

the

...andreturns available

from your www.dglwindows.co.uk

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own solar panels

J27

Standish

T

Car dio Y @ Stu Shevington

Slash your electricity and water heating bill

Protect your household from future energy price rises ReduceE your household’s impact on the environment

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Call H us now

(10% typical return)

k ChecVisit our showroom at Health

Unit 4a, Cricket Street Business Park n and off Miry Lane,

0843 A224 9555 U 07595 420237 rton

Brethe

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S T S

7PG nts of Crosto Wigan. e WN5 Email: info@docsolarelectrical.co.uk need me! for all reside WN6 7TP , Billing 400 Website: www.docsolarelectrical.co.uk - 6PM until you Road 4 619 ford ay 10AMKeep me : 0781 Check Saturd hone : 84 Rain Health - 7PM, Open Telep 10AM y FREE Car

R E S , Fridayay & Sunda

Book your Call now on

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01772

REPAIR

603923

DING & WEL

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LTD

LocalLife

Wind Turbines

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01695 627 999

money is the clear benefit!

Solar Thermal & Solar PV

0 lly £2

Established in 1984 as an emergency glazing service, today Dennis Goulding has grown and moved forward to offer all you need to maintain, enhance and expand your home. We continually invest in and

MOORCROFT Professional Painting and Decorating • Domestic & Commercial Work • Interior & Exterior work welcomed • Old/listed buildings a speciality

Call us today for a free quotation Home Service available

• All aspects of home improvements • One stop for all the trades you require • Joinery, Building, Kitchens & Bathrooms WE DESIGN AND MANAGE YOUR PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH

Call Jonathan for a free quotation TEL: 01257 401 243 / MOB: 0777 602 4045

SpeakmanpropertyServiceS.com

SG

PAINTING & DECORATING

Choose from 1000s of paint & paper samples in the comfort of our own home

Specialise in standard wall coverings, extra wide vinyl and lincrusta. Free estimates. References available upon request

01942 212096 07831 102 511 www.jpmoorcroft.com

07714 363 377 / 01942 749 971 Sefton Road, Orrell, WN5 8UP

AJH DECORATORS Painting and Decorating Award Winner

Exterior & Interior Decorating Domestic & Commercial work undertaken Competitive rate Contact Graham now - free estimate provided

01257 426 234

graham@topcoatdecoratingservices.co.uk www.topcoatdecoratingservices.co.uk

Quality work assured Over 30 years experience Free quotes

Mob: 07784 876 338 Email: ajhdecorators@sky.com Quality work at a competitive price

Need a new look for your home?

Skilled interior and exterior work undertaken at reasonable prices!

Chris Smith - Painter and Decorator

01942 518126 01942 392398 or 07707 321383

or 07545 065119 Orrell based business

95

B.A. Berry

• WILSON BROS •

Building & Roofing Specialists

Roofing & Roofline Specialists

•All building work undertaken.

• From a broken tile to a full re roof.

• Flat roofs renewed and repaired.

• Extensions, Alterations, Structural repairs including Lintels.

• All aspects of maintenance & repair

Est. 1985

Your local fully qualified tradesman with

30 years experience

Call us now for a free, no obligation quote

• Fascia & soffit installation • Guttering and felting services Call us now for a free estimate

01695 633173 Colin: 07958 302 166 Brian: 07760 160 988 www.wilson-bros.co.uk

01695 622 704 / 07968 652 320 www.baberry.co.uk

Facias, soffits, cladding, dry verge and gutters - call us now for all your roofline requirements!

We specialise in seamless aluminium gutters.

Clean, stylish and guaranteed for 25 years!

01942 735 515 / 07917 352 182 / 07917 352 183 www.orrellroofline.co.uk

First Class Workmanship All aspects of roofing & roofline

NEW ROOFS REPAIRS FASCIAS, SOFFITS & GUTTERS

Rubber Cover Roofing Specialist Guaranteed 50 years

Dormers and Garages

Call for free quote

M: 07894 687 384

• All types of re-roofs • Strip & re-slate or re-tile • Built up felt/flat roofs, dormers etc.

• Insurance work undertaken • Roofline uPVC fascias, soffits & guttering

W.Newman ROOFING & REPAIRS

01695 627 212 MOBILE: 07774 943 706

52 HALLBRIDGE GARDENS, UP HOLLAND Established Over 30 Years

96

JJ Driveways

Imprinted Concrete Specialists

GDR Driveways • Flagging • Block paving • Indian Stone www.gdrdriveways.com

Huge range of colours & patterns

Call Gareth for a FREE quotation

• Resin Driveways • Block Paving • Indian Stone • Flagging

01942 217 113 | 07715 177 754

We can also revive your old drive!

Ask about our sealing service

Call Joe for a free quotation on

01942 621 959 / 07867 697 972

K Stone Building Services

All types of building work undertaken 25 years experience

www.jjdriveways.co.uk

• Brickwork • Pointing • Garden Walls • Patios • Roof Repairs • Flagging • Alterations • Driveways

01942 495412 / 07974 496676 Want to

transform your

driveway?

Resin-bound driveways are an attractive, durable and long-lasting solution.

• High durability • Attractive appearance • Low maintenance Call us for a free no-obligation quote

CD Resin-Bound Driveway Specialists

07704 647 855

P P

Building services Joinery Specialists

Your Reliable, Friendly, Professional & Honest Building & Joinery Specialists • Conservatories & Orangeries • Extensions • Refurbishments & Alterations • Fencing & Decking

• Garage & Loft Conversions • Kitchens & Fitted Bedrooms • Doors & Windows • All aspects of joinery work

“Attention to detail is second to none. Can’t recommend Phil enough” Facebook Review, July 2018

97

28 Years Experience

• Conservatory repairs • Locks, handles and hinges • Replacement glass • Windows and doors installed • Replacement conservatory roofs Call MARK now on 01942 737 381 / 0776 315 1720 conservatoryrepairs@gmail.com www.fixmyconservatory.com

Extensions & Refurbishments Kitchens & Bathrooms Conservatories & Orangeries Windows & Doors Roofs & Fascia Boards Decking & Balustrading All aspects of building works - No job too small

Call Peter for a free quotation

Day: 07961 516 677 Eve: 01942 745 428 Cambridge Road, Orrell

ALPINE LTD Roofing & Building Services

• Home improvements • Loft conversions • Garage conversions & Extensions • Staircases • Windows & Doors

01257 422317 or 07852 202867 www.mtjoiner y.co.uk

Home Improvements • • • •

Fitted Kitchens & Bedrooms Garage & Loft Conversions Floors, Doors & Windows Garden Gates

For all your home improvement needs call David on...

01942 203 804 DS Joinery 07851 225 876

SERVING CHORLEY, W EST LANCASHIRE & WIGAN

OAP

DISCOUNTS

Your local roofing company from repairs to re-roofs, fascia’s, soffits & gutters.

• Flat roof specialists • Damp proof specialists • Quality workmanship • Affordable pricing • Quick response to all repairs FULLY INSURED

Tel: 01942 410989 Mob: 07730 351523

www.alpineroofingandbuildingltd.co.uk

98

Puzzle Solutions CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Farmer, 7. Academia, 8. Arc, 9. Enlist, 10. Tank, 11. Obese, 14. Bootees, 16. Guilder, 17. Franc, 21. YMCA, 22. Isobar, 23. Ode, 24. Colliery, 25. Priory.

DOWN: 1. Fiasco, 2. Raceme, 3. Radio, 4. Cartoon, 5. Testator, 6. Sinn FĂŠin, 12. Blue moon, 13. Syllable, 15. Decibel, 18. Arroyo, 19. Comedy, 20. Polyp.

WORDSEARCH

SUDOKU

WIGGLE WORDS Root of the problem

NUMBER BLOCK 15 7 4 1 8

2 4 3 7

8 3 5 2

1 9 6 5

18 20 15 22

20 16 18 21 21 Local Life is published every month and distributed into the following areas on an alternate monthly basis.

This issue is delivered to 13,025 private homes and businesses in Standish, Shevington, Whitley, Appley Bridge, Standish Lower Ground, Aspull and Haigh.

The next issue is delivered to 13,299 private homes and businesses in Orrell, Billinge, Winstanley, Up Holland, Highfield, Marus Bridge, Roby Mill and Pemberton.

You can also pick up a free copy of Local Life at or

Extra in Wigan.

Did you know that we can send you a link to the latest Local Life magazine every month?

Visit our website www.locallife247.co.uk to sign up to receive your monthly online magazine - the sign up section is situated at the base of the Home page.

Want to promote your business in

LocalLife?

Keep in touch with the LocalLife Team! locallifemagazine247 @locallifemedia Read all our magazines online at

locallife247.co.uk

01695 627 999 www.locallife247.co.uk

99

Come and visit the largest showroom in the North West

® Quality installations of windows, doors, fascias, soffits and gutters First for quality • First for service • First for reliability No contractors • No salesmen Just a smile and a honest price from a family run business

NEW Generation Rockdoor now available

SISTER COMPANY OF FOXWELLS BUILDERS Established since 1999

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

Conservatory Roof Conversion System Transform your conservatory into a comfortable living space

Tomorrow’s Home Improvements Today!

Quality ~ Choice ~ Value Windows

Bi-Fold Doors

Thermally-efficient conservatory roofs expertly fitted by accredited installers

Orangeries

©

Don’t just lock it, Rock it!

Conservatories

Manufacturers and installers since 2004

Contact us on 01744 891717 for a no obligation quote

28544

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

www.orrellwindows.co.uk