Local Living February 2021

February 2021 Issue 46

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HAND DELIVERED TO LOWTON AND GOLBORNE HOMES

Welcome to the February issue of Local Living This letter is a very different to the norm!

I am writing this as my last Editors letter for Local Living. The February issue is my last edition. I am moving onto pastures new (well not in the physical sense. I will be making my silver jewellery my full time business all being well).

I have had a fabulous time and have loved every single thing about running Local Living for the last 46 issues. It’s absolutely flown by. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank every one of you so much for your support from sharing your pictures, stories, news, events to all that our wonderful local businesses have to offer. I will still be involved in the Lowton Lights switch on so please come and say hello this December. Hopefully we will manage to have a switch on. Or pop along and take a look at my new business www.bennyandmoo.co.uk or my Facebook page and grou/bennyandmoo. I am friendly I promise!

I am leaving you all in the very capable hands of Vicki. She will be running Local Living from March onwards. I know she would love to hear from you. Just a quick heads up that the phone number and email have changed and are as follows: 07864 641213 / contact@locallivingonline.com I just want to thank you all again. Please take care and stay safe.

Over to you Vicki…..

Tracy x

Well you will know my face from the front cover of the January edition of Local Living and some of you will know me as your local Slimming World Consultant. Well I’m not doing this alone - my lovely daughters, all 4 of them, Molly, Lauren, Jessica & Katie are going to be helping in one way or another. Let’s face it they will be doing the techie bits and I will be drinking coffee. We will be in touch personally with all our advertisers and hope the transition is seamless. If you have a story please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will continue with lots of local news and photos, so keep sending them in! I would like to thank Tracy for trusting us with her fabulous magazine that I know personally has had such a positive impact on my business, and I know how much you all love to read it and continue to support local tradesmen and women. The magazine has always felt like a community and that is what we want to preserve.

Vicki x

The Bloomin' Nursery is growing We spoke to Mark Collier about his plans for the future.

I am taking risks but they are worthy risks to offer the best service we can give. We have just invested in a new unit in the heart of Golborne, kitted out with an office, kitchen, toilet facilities and unit space for materials and tools. We are taking on more gardeners to join our team, as our service has been so highly valued we are getting more and more support from clients asking us to design, landscape or maintain their gardens.

We are investing in yet more high quality tools to give the best service and highest quality gardens. Our pride is unbeatable! I have been invited to a virtual meeting with Wigan Council, as they wish to use The Bloomin' Nursery to carry out local gardening and landscaping contracts. They have said they want to offer these contracts to a company in the borough to help local businesses, and we are highly honoured they have asked us!

We are in the process of putting together our health and safety policy, risk assessments and method statements. Our workers take the safety of themselves and others very seriously.

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What have we given to the local Community?

We are always giving back to communities. So far we have...

Donated hanging baskets to the high street shops. Cut grass for over 120 vulnerable people for free. Held an Easter egg hunt, Held a "Let's get together event" with help from ex MP Jo Platt and local councillors. Had a pot designing competition. Donated plants to local scouts and guides. Donated pots and seeds to a local care home. And we haven't finished yet!

We are in contact with local councillors and the council to bring more planters and baskets to Golborne to get the place Bloomin'.

We have noticed in other neighbouring towns, their plants and baskets brighten up their high street, making the high street more inviting helping local businesses invite local shoppers. We are looking to help Treetops, who's manager has been in touch, to help brighten up the small strip of land on Bridge Street outside their building. It's currently looking a bit wild. So with Treetops wanting to give back to the community, we will be working together to make it a little more attractive.

Support The Bloomin' Nursery and we can continue to support communities.

contact@localliving.online

www.locallivingonline.com

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contact@locallivingonline.com

North West Battery Centre opens in Leigh UK battery manufacturer and distributor, Shield Batteries, has moved into new premises that will serve both trade and retail customers across the North West.

The new regional Battery Centre is located at Moss Industrial Estate, on St. Helen’s Road in Leigh, and follows the relocation of its former centre in Manchester city centre. The new site offers improved customer parking, increased storage capacity and easier access for customers.

Shield Batteries is a renowned manufacturer and distributor of batteries and chargers across the UK and Europe, supplying batteries of all sizes to the general public and a wide range of industries, from automotive and rail to leisure and agriculture.

The business was founded in 1910 and has, this year, celebrated 110 years in UK manufacturing. It operates from its head office in Bishop’s Stortford and six Battery Centres across England.

Chris Taylor, Manager of the new site in Leigh, said: “There has been a Battery Centre in the Manchester area since 1928 and, although times and people have changed, the Battery Centre has remained. Our new larger site in Leigh is just a short 15-mile drive from the original base in the city centre but it offers us a fantastic opportunity to expand our operations in the region. This is a much bigger site, with more space for larger stock levels and it is also much more accessible for our customers.

“Moss Industrial Estate is the ideal location for us, with excellent regional and national transport links, high quality security and surveillance, plus it’s a very pleasant environment and a customer friendly site. We’re settling in nicely and are looking forward to welcoming our customers to our new site.”

Moss Industrial Estate is owned by family-run business, George Moss & Sons, which is celebrating its centenary in 2020. The Industrial Estate is home to around 100 local businesses, of varying sizes and industries.

Sebastian Moss, managing director of Moss Industrial Estate, said: “We’d like to welcome Shield Batteries to Moss Industrial Estate and we look forward to seeing the new Battery Centre go from strength to strength.

“At George Moss & Sons we have celebrated our own centenary this year and it’s wonderful that 100 years after our business was founded, we’re still helping business to lay down their roots in the local area and supporting them in their growth.

“Shield Batteries has done a brilliant job this year and has managed to continue supplying the emergency services and other essential industries with power throughout the pandemic and I hope this new move will enable them to continue growing their business within other sectors across the region.”www.mossindustrialestate.co.uk www.shieldbatteries.co.uk.

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Charlotte is a fabulous local artist.

We asked her to tell us more about who she is and why she started her business.

Who and what is Lottie Lou’s Illustrations?

I’m Charlotte and I started LottieLousIllustrations in March 2020 to keep me busy whilst in our first lockdown. I like to keep the mind busy by creating!

What’s my experience in art?

I’ve studied art for over five years and in 2019, I graduated with a Fine Art BA (Hons) degree. In 2018, I worked and lived in Venice for a month, working in partnership with the British Arts Council.

What else do I do in my time?

Well LottieLousIllustrations is just my little side business, I currently work full time at Derian House Children’s Hospice in Chorley.

I’m really excited to see where this little business will go! To see more of my latest works follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

Feel free to get in touch to discuss any ideas.

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Valentines Day

Beautiful bespoke handmade Sterling Silver Jewellery for all occasions Any Jewellery ordered throughout February Quote LL10 at the checkout

www.bennyandmoo.co.uk

bennyandmoo

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David’s lockdown paintings

Due to having to stay at home last year during lockdown David rekindled his love of painting. Last Summer he transformed the outside of his house into an art gallery and decided to sell the paintings to raise money for charity. A retired engineering project manager from Lowton David Hoult has produced some amazing paintings, giving all monies raised to Wigan & Leigh Hospital. And hospice.

David has always loved painting but, as with most hobbies, life has a habit of getting in the way! As David, 73, had to stay at home it gave him the perfect opportunity to pick up his brushes again. He now has a large collection of different paintings.

David said ‘I’ve never done as many paintings in one go. It has given me the chance to work on my animal painting skills.

I dug a few old paintings out of the attic and finished them off too! I decided to start selling them as my wife said they were taking up a little too much space in the house. I decided to split the proceeds 50-50 with the NHS and the hospice as they are both in need of help”.

David, also an NHS volunteer, has previously contributed to the NHS Foundation Trust Art for Health exhibition. David primarily paints using acrylic and ink onto various backgrounds including canvas, carboard and hardboard.

One of his paintings was a subtle nod to the covid situation. He said “I don’t really like to give paintings titles but this one, entitled isolation, and features a dog looking out of the window did amuse me.

David is also a volunteer as a gardener for the National Trust. His painting and volunteer work is a complete change to his working career in nuclear industries. He said “I am really enjoying having the time to practice my first love”.

To find out about David’s art search on Instagram for ‘art.bydave’ He is continuing painting and is now donating to MacMillan Cancer Support. Total raised so far is £1,400!

/bennyandmoo 07507071411

www.bennyandmoo.co.uk

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A New Chapter for Golborne Library?

Community hub, once earmarked for closure, may get an upgrade GOLBORNE library users may soon be able to enjoy an important new chapter.

It's enforced closure during the Corona Pandemic has reminded many townspeople just how treasured - and much missed - a facility it really is. Outside of the area's churches, it remains the only community centre in the ward. It is so VERY much more than a building where you lend books.

Golborne Library is still the place where people meet to change their favourite reads, of course.

But these days it is also a centre to use (and learn how to use) the computer, while bringing their children plus grandchildren to read, learn and it remains the principal meeting place for Golborne's community groups, clubs and ward councillors; it is also the beating heart of the area hub of Golborne, Lowton and Ashton, where police, councillors and neighbourhood Left; The jigsaw club Right; Ex-miners launched their book in the library officers regularly meet.

But none of this would be happening, if, a decade ago, Ward Councillor Yvonne Klieve and the Golborne Library Group had not worked with then MP Andy Burnham to save it from Government cuts and possible closure. More recently Councillor Klieve fought to win funding to improve its car park.

Now she has joined forces with Labour colleagues Councillor Gena Merrett and Councillor Susan Gambles to turn over a bright new page in its long history.

They are fighting to expand and improve this key important community facility.

The library is certainly already well-used by residents but there is no getting away from the physical fact that currently most of its rooms remain small. And storage is therefore limited. As many new users have Councillor Klieve fighting to save learned to their uncomfortable cost, there are also no public toilets. And Golborne Library and still supporting it today this certainly makes it difficult to run events, or classes for children and for larger group events.

The councillors are now hoping that external funding for community infrastructure could bring progress and enable them to help expand the library and finally add public toilets and better Ward Councillors (from left) Gena Merrett, kitchen facilities, so that more of us can use the building in future.

Yvonne Klieve and Susan Gambles

www.locallivingonline.com

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