Nelson Town Council Newsletter_Spring2019

NTC News |

NEWS FROM NELSON TOWN COUNCIL DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR Spring 2019

HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY TO NELSON TOWN COUNCIL WELCOME TO OUR NEW CHAIRMAN Plus

GRANT SUCCESS STORIES

Annual Town Meeting | Meet The Team | Easter Extravaganza | Pendle Business Awards

Chair and Vice Chair for 2018/19 Councillor Zafar Ali has been re-elected as Chairman for the municipal year 2018/19, while Councillor Nazeem Hayat has been appointed as the Vice Chair. Both Councillors have served on the Town Council since 2015, see the full Chairman's report on page 4 for more details.

Nelson Town Council Members 2018/19 2018/19 Chairman: Councillor Zafar Ali 2018/19 Vice-Chair: Councillor Nazeem Hayat

Bradley Ward Cllr Sajid Ali

Clover Hill Ward

Marsden Ward

Cllr Zafar Ali

Cllr Neil McGowan

Cllr Mohammad Aslam

Cllr Adrian Barrett

Cllr Michelle Pearson-Asher

Cllr John Richardson

Cllr Sadia Bashir

Cllr Neil Pearson Asher

Cllr Zeeshan Amjad

Cllr Mrs Eileen Ansar

Cllr Nazeem Hayat

Cllr Mashuq Hussain (OBE)

Southfield Ward Cllr Malik Anwaar Hussain

Walverden Ward

Whitefield Ward

Cllr George Adam

Cllr Majid Ali Anwar

Cllr Mohammed Kamran

Cllr Faraz Ahmad

Cllr Najaf Anwar

Cllr Mohammed Malik

Cllr Mohammed Khalid

Cllr Hassan Mahmood

Cllr Saanval Safir Cllr Sheila Wicks For details of how to contact individual councillors please contact NTC at the address below or call 01282 697079. Details can also be found on our website www.nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk or by emailing info@nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk

ANNUAL Town Meeting

Wednesday 10th April 2019 at 7.30pm Council Chamber Town Hall, Market Street Nelson

• Would you like to know what your local Town Council is doing?

• Have your say on your town and raise issues of concern • M eet your local Councillor and find out what your Town Council is doing for you • All interested parties are invited to attend

So why not come along and find out what your Town Council IS doing for you?

For further information please contact the Town Council Office on 01282 697079.

CONtenTS | 3

NTC | News Comment

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elcome to the second NTC newsletter, which we have launched to make it easier to keep local residents up-to-date with what’s going on at Nelson Town Council. As it’s our second publication we’d welcome feedback, as well as ideas on what you’d like to see included in future editions which we hope to print annually. In this second issue, we bring you up to speed with our 10th Anniversary celebrations, and introduce you to new and old council members.

It’s been a busy summer in Nelson and we take a look back at the events we’ve been supporting and taking part in including Lancashire Day, our Football Marathon and the Town Crier competition.

Plus there’s news on the Pendle Business Awards, our grant schemes, the Chairman’s Report and the recently opened healthy eating Revive Café.

Nelson Town Council has been helping its communities and much, much more! We hope you enjoy your Spring 2019 Newsletter. Please get in touch if you have any feedback or an idea for a future feature by emailing info@nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk. NTC News will be delivered to your door, but you can also read it online by visiting www.nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk.

Safia Kauser Editor & Town Clerk

Contents EDITOR Safia Kauser Town Clerk/RFO Email: info@nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk

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MAGAZINE PRODUCTION & PRINTING Carolyne Griffin The Magazine Production Company Front page photo taken by Scott Dawson Advertising Ltd Information correct at time of going to press. May be subject to change. All rights reserved and is the property of the publisher. © Nelson Town Council 2019. Reprinting any part or matter appearing in NTC News is strictly forbidden except by permission of the publisher. All copyright of images/content remains that of its photographer/author. Every effort has been made to gain permission to publish copyright material however, where efforts have been exhausted, we have published on the basis of ‘Fair Use’ to comment factual based material where by its use is not central or plays a significant part to the entire publication but to act as an aid for historical and educational purposes only. This publication is offered as a limited print run. The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct. However, it cannot take responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions. Nelson Town Council does not accept any responsibility or liability for any of the services or products provided by the advertisers.

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Read all about it! Meet our new Town Crier, read what the Chairman has to say in his report and all the latest from the Pendle Business Awards.

SUB-EDITOR Jackie Annett Publisher Nelson Town Council Town Hall, Market Street Nelson BB9 7LG Telephone: 01282 697079

YOUR NELSON town COUNCIL NEWS

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community Services

community news The Small Grants Scheme has been helping us support local community projects.

The Lancashire Amateur Sports Club and Building Bridges are just two of the initiatives that have benefitted from this scheme.

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Local events

Here at Nelson Town Council we’re responsible for CCTV, parks, hanging baskets, roadside benches, allotments, and multi-use play and games areas.

What a jam-packed summer it's been in Nelson thanks to our Football Marathon, our Easter fair, the Town Crier Competition, and the Nelson Food and Drink Festival.

community round-up

BEHIND THE SCENES AT OUR REVIVE CAFÉ

It’s a special year for Nelson Town Council as we celebrate our 10th birthday and the success of our healthy eating café Revive.

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Healthy eating and affordable prices don’t always go hand-in-hand.

That’s why we’ve opened up our Revive Café to bring affordable healthy meals to the residents of Nelson.

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4 | council news

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The Chairman’s Annual Report

t’s a special year for Nelson Town Council, says Councillor Zafar Ali. This municipal year has been particularly special because it’s the year we marked our 10th Anniversary as a Town Council. I’m immensely proud to see that we have been performing our main functions well and continue to grow and provide valuable services for our town.

The Town Council has faced similar challenges to previous years. Further budget cuts to our principal authority, Pendle Borough Council, have meant that we have had to continue taking on extra functions in Nelson.

This year we have also paid for half of the maintenance of Nelson’s parks as well as managing the services that have been transferred to us in previous years including CCTV, town centre events, the Unity Wellbeing Centre and town centre Christmas decorations.

Last year we saw 7773 children attend Pendle Wavelengths in Nelson using their free

swimming passes – a scheme that has been partly funded by Nelson Town Council.

We are supporting the scheme again this year because we believe it’s important to contribute to the health and wellbeing of children in the area.

To be able to serve the 30,000 plus residents of Nelson, we’ve had to expand our team. We’ve hired an Assistant to the Chef Coordinator at the Revive Café and welcomed two new Caretakers to the Unity Wellbeing Centre. We’re also taking on an Assistant to our Town Clerk and a Handyman. The Council consists of 24 members who represent Walverden, Cloverhill, Whitefiled, Southfield and Marsden wards. The Boundary Commission has been reviewing the size and boundary of Nelson wards and we will be consulting on the number of councillors needed to sit on Pendle Borough Council so that residents are fairly represented. We are continuing to engage in this review process and will keep you updated.

New Town Clerk Appointed Please welcome Nelson Town Council’s recently appointed Town Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO), Safia Kauser, who took up her post on the 23rd May 2018 replacing former Clerk Mr Steve Watson. Safia, a qualified Town Clerk, has over 10 years of service in local government and she comes from a larger town council – bringing a wealth of experience to help Nelson Town Council reach its goals. We would like to thank Mr Watson for all his hard work for the council and wish him well in his new role.

Over the last 10 years the Town Council has grown dramatically.

Since 2008, we have overseen the allotments in Nelson, taken over the town’s CCTV and overseen the multi-use games and play areas. The Council has many other responsibilities including maintaining flower baskets throughout Nelson, managing the Unity Wellbeing Centre and popular Revive Café whilst running the town centre’s events and covering up to 50% of the maintenance costs of Nelson’s parks.

To keep up with the demand of delivering these key services the number of Town Council employees has grown. In addition to the appointment of the new Town Clerk and RFO, the Council has appointed two permanent Facility Caretakers for the Unity Wellbeing Centre and is currently undergoing a recruitment process for an Assistant Clerk to support the Town Clerk's office, and a Catering Assistant to help the Catering Coordinator deliver the communitybased Revive Café at the Unity Wellbeing Centre.

“Nelson has a lot going for it and the next five years are very important as we continue to cope with the demands of local government in the area while protecting local services,” Chairman Zafar Ali said. “We have to keep aiming for the best deal for residents and deliver our services efficiently to the highest of standards. We always welcome feedback and want residents and organisations to work with us in delivering projects which will benefit all of our diverse communities of Nelson.”

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We are a diverse town with a great deal to offer and as a council we’ll be making decisions to ensure we achieve the best deal for our residents. We’ve introduced a brand new website to coincide with our 10th Anniversary and have been proactively engaging with thousands of residents on social media.

I hope you enjoy our second newsletter where you’ll be able to read about our exciting town centre events, the rising success of the Revive café, our continuing grant funding support for community organisations and our plans for upgrading Nelson’s signage to welcome visitors.

Councillor Zafar Ali Chairman 2018/19

Nelson’s New Town Crier

Elizabeth Mowe from Barnoldswick was appointed as Nelson’s new Town Crier in November and has already shown off her skills at the Annual Lancashire Day and Christmas Lights Switch On. Elizabeth has been town crying for neighbouring borough Barnoldswick for 15 years and competes in competitions all over England and Europe. Elizabeth is the European Champion, the first female crier to achieve this status and also owns the title of National Champion, only the third female to win in 66 years.

“I love town crying and feel so privileged to have been asked by Nelson Town Council to be their Town Crier, something which Barnoldswick has readily agreed to,” Elizabeth said. “I have competed in the recent Town Crier competitions at Nelson, and have experienced warmth and great hospitality. I look forward to being involved in future events and representing Nelson as well as Barnoldswick in future competitions.

From 2019 I will be known as Eliizabeth Anderson-Watson Town Crier of Barnoldswick and Nelson.”

council news | 5

Highways projects In 2018/19 the Town Council set a budget aside for highway projects.

Each of the six wards were allocated £10,000 to support schemes in their respective wards.

Power to deliver highway projects

Lancashire County Council is the highways authority and has a statutory duty under the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highway network. As the highways authority, Pendle Borough Council is responsible for the management, maintenance and improvement of the non-trunk highway network in the borough.

The Town Council has limited powers to maintain the highway; however it can support highway projects in partnership with Pendle Borough Council or Lancashire County Council.

The Town Council Approved Schemes for 2018/19 include:

• Residents Only Parking Scheme.

Following a report submitted to the Nelson Area Committee (Pendle Borough Council) in July and September 2017 for a request for 'residents only' parking on Albert Street in Nelson, and a further petition for 'residents only' parking from residents of Mosley Street and Every Street, it was resolved on 6th November 2017 that the Neighbourhood Services Manager would undertake a survey looking into the need for a 'residents only' parking scheme in all three areas.

The Area Committee discussed the survey results which showed overwhelming support for the introduction of a scheme on Albert Street, Every Street and Mosley Street. Lancashire County Council has agreed to the scheme going ahead but funding for the signs and lines are now the responsibility of the local authority.

The Nelson Area Committee can no longer allocate funding for any revenue schemes and therefore made an approach to the Town Council for funding.

The good news is that the Town Council unanimously voted in favour of the scheme and has injected £2,000 into the project which should be up and running in the next few months.

NALC Star Council Entry 2018 Nelson Town Council is pleased to have taken part in the Star Council Award organised by the National Association of Local Council (NALC). This year’s competition was the biggest ever held with 120 nominations put forward. Although the council did not make the shortlist of three, the NALC were impressed with our entry and used the material in their promotional publication titled Points of Light 2019.

The new publication, launched this month, highlights the good work England’s 10,000 local (parish and town) councils are doing for their communities. We are pleased to have a reference case study within the Points of Light publication which highlights the restoration of the former Independent Labour Party Building following an asset transfer, the favourable rates of room and hall hire for community use. It also mentions our onsite Revive Café, managed by the Town Council, serving affordable, nutritious food for local residents and businesses. The Revive Café now offers a home delivery service for those unable to leave home easily.

The Town Council is pleased for the recognition given to Nelson and its residents, highlighting this achievement on a national scale.

Nelson Town Council supports PSPA

• B ack street repairs for Every Street from numbers 60 to 94. The tendering process is underway and dependant on costs, consideration is being given to repairs for two to three blocks.

• £ 10,000 committed for back street repairs from Leonards Street to Vernon Street – this scheme, although approved, must go through a procurement process.

Pendle business awards Nelson Town Council supported the Pendle Business Awards this year and sponsored the Making a Local Difference category.

Nelson is home to the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate which accommodates global business Protec, which has a multi-million pound turnover. The Borough of Pendle is also home to Euravia and Rolls Royce who are leaders in the engineering world.

Chairman of Nelson Town Council, councillor Zafar Ali, says: “Many of these businesses employ local residents and are vital to our local economy. It is for this reason we sponsored the awards to join in with celebrating the success of business in our area.”

Some of the highlights on the night saw Nelson’s Pendle Engineering Limited win the Pendle Business Technology and Innovation of the Year Award, along with Riggs Autopack winning Manufacturer of the Year. Our congratulations go to Pendleside Hospice who won the Making a Local Difference Award, sponsored by the Council.

Nelson Town Council is supporting the PSP Association with its work to support sufferers of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD).

Collections took place during Town Council events in the municipal year 2018/19 raising more than £500. Further collections took place at the Revive Café in the Unity Wellbeing Centre.

People with PSP develop problems moving their eyes, called supra­ nuclear palsy, have a wide-eyed appearance and difficulty swallowing.

Unlike Parkinson's Disease, people often fall backward instead of forward.

They may also develop severe stiffness in the neck – (ref: http://www. brain.northwestern.edu/dementia/otherdementia/psp.html).

"These conditions are traumatic both for the sufferer and their family,” councillor George Adam said. “I am experiencing the daily struggle of PSP as my wife was diagnosed with it in 2016. I want to see more being done to research and develop medication to treat the conditions. I'm urging people to support this cause as generously as you can."

In 2017, the Association supported 4,666 people who were suffering with PSP and CBD, and around £389,000 has been invested in researching the conditions. The PSP Association is the only UK charity dedicated to providing support for those living with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration.

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6 | community news

Nelson Town Council grants

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ach year the Council sets aside money for grants to support local community projects. The Council operates two grant schemes, details of which appear below. The objective of the Small Grants Scheme is to support and encourage a diverse range of community and youth activities, initiatives and events that meet the needs of Nelson residents. We provide small grants to these organisations up to a maximum of £1,000.

The Ward Initiative Funding Programme is designed to allocate funding to each ward within the Nelson Town Council boundary via the ward councillor. Each of the six wards has a budget of £1,000 set aside for small grants for improvements within the ward. Councillors may also help to fund additional activities for voluntary and community groups that do not fit the small grants criteria.

As our grant funding programmes are often oversubscribed, we recommend that applicants also explore other funding opportunities to ensure that we can support as many groups and projects as possible.

The Small Grants Scheme

Ward Initiative Funding

Grant aid, up to a maximum of £1,000 is available to organisations, groups and, in the right circumstances, individuals for the following purposes: • C ost of new or improved facilities or equipment • F unding towards a public service • S upport towards a specific community event • I mproving the environment • E nhancing the quality of life Applicants must ensure that they are a constituted group and must meet the criteria before submitting the application.

Each of the six Nelson Town Council wards has an allocation of £1,000 for their Ward Initiative. The funding programme is designed to make improvements within the ward. Funding from this budget can cover a range of additional provisions such as benches, litter bins, landscaping, tidying up of communal land or providing flower beds.

Applications will be considered from individuals, groups and organisations who meet the grant criteria. If you have a project that requires funding and meets the criteria, then please contact your local ward Town Councillor in the first instance. If the Councillor is able to support the project, then he/she must ensure that support is given to the application from the other ward councillors, who are required to sign the application in order for it to be considered and processed.

How to Apply Interested applicants must download and complete an application form from our website www.nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk or pick one up directly from the Town Council office.

Organisations, or persons applying for any form of grant, will need to attend a meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee who will be considering the application. The Finance and General Purposes Committee meet on a monthly basis and it has authority to make a decision of the level of grant awarded to each applicant. The grants are awarded at the discretion of the committee which may also recommend to full Council to award a higher grant exceeding the threshold in exceptional circumstances only.

All of the relevant necessary forms and supporting documentations must be submitted to the Town Clerk at least 10 days prior to each committee meeting.

Keeping it local

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he Small Grants Scheme has helped support a diverse range of community and youth activities this municipal year with cash injections of up to £1,000. Local initiatives like the Lancashire Amateur Sports Club and Building Bridges have benefitted in many ways…

The demand for a ladies only mixed martial arts club has never been higher – so Lancashire Amateur Sports Club approached Nelson Town Council to ask for grant funding to enable them to cover the costs of the gym and coaching staff. The amateur club already runs mixed classes for adults and children but this new programme for ladies was essential, not only to promote health and wellbeing, but also to help solve social isolation problems. The new ladies only classes will take place at Ultimate Strength and Fitness, Brunswick Street, Nelson.

Building Bridges – Peace Walk and Festival of Culture 2018

Last year, the Council supported Building Bridges, a community organisation that promotes diversity and community cohesion, through many initiatives including its Peace Walk and Festival of Culture. Two

community Peace Walks took place on 30th June 2018 with groups of people walking from Brierfield and Colne before meeting at a central point in Nelson town centre. People from different backgrounds walked down the main streets and canal towpaths proudly carrying flags decorated with messages of peace, love and unity.

After the hot hour long walk, many people met on Market Street in the centre where they carried on the celebrations at the Festival of Culture.

Throughout the day, more than a 1,000 people took part in the festival which hosted food stalls, live music, funfairs rides and interactive art workshops. The next planned peace walk and festival is on Saturday 8th June 2019 – see you there!

Meanwhile, BBPendle is running a community engagement programme under the umbrella of the Good Neighbours Project, which is funded by the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Programme. If you’d like to find out more or get involved, please contact the team at office@buildingbridgespendle.org.uk

COmmunity services | 7

Update on the delivery of transferred services Alongside the Town Council being responsible for the Unity Wellbeing Centre, Revive Café, small grants, town centre events and Christmas lights – we also manage and/or fund the following:

Parks

The Borough Council has been forced to reduce funds available to maintain the parks in the Borough. In 2017, Nelson Town Council provided 25% of the funds needed to keep up the level of maintenance and, in the current municipal year, the Town Council funded 50% of the parks' maintenance.

The Borough Council expects our funding support to increase to 75% with a view that ownership of Nelson’s parks should pass to Nelson Town Council in 2020 – a decision on this has not yet been made by the Town Council.

In the future we will continue to liaise with the Parks' Friends Group who provide invaluable support and assistance in ensuring that Nelson’s parks are maintained to the best standard. We are proud of the work of the Friends Group, which has meant that we hold green flag status at our parks.

CCTV

The Town Council continues to pay for the monitoring of CCTV cameras in Nelson. Further cameras towards Scotland Road will be upgraded and added into the hub to ensure residents and visitors in Nelson are safe. The Town Council receives weekly reports on incidents caught on the CCTV cameras and a summary of the action following the incident.

Recently an incident of fly-tipping on Manchester Road, Nelson, was reported to the hub and the perpetrator has appeared in court – rest assured, the cameras record 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in ultra HD.

Hanging Baskets

The council provides 156 hanging baskets to the town centre every year.

Members will soon be considering how to further enhance the entry points into Nelson town centre by considering further design options for flower tiers and other decorative features.

Allotments Roadside Benches

Nelson has 56 roadside benches at various locations through the town – if a roadside bench in your area is damaged or in disrepair, please contact the Town Council so we can consider the best course of action.

The Council has 8 allotment sites situated at: Brunswick Street, Lomeshaye, Cemetery, Manor Street, Hodge House, Swinden, Lee Bank, Spring Bank which are managed by the Allotments Society on behalf of the Council. The 8 sites provide a total of 201 allotments and demand is high, presently with a waiting list. If you are interested in an allotment site please download, complete and return an allotment application form to the Town Council's office. All completed applications will be forwarded to the District Allotments Society who will in turn forward it to the relevant branch.

Multi-use Games and Play Areas Nelson Town Council manages and is responsible for the multiuse games and play areas across Nelson, while Pendle Borough Council currently maintains and inspects the play areas.

To make sure our play areas are maintained and inspected to the highest standard, we will be delivering a capital programme to upgrade facilities in the play areas, as well as working on a new contract for inspection and maintenance of the facilities.

8 | local events

Football's Coming Home to Nelson

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he Football Marathon event took place on Saturday 14th July 2018 from 11am to 7pm. It was a magnificent day of football – and more football! Hundreds of residents and their children took to the mobile football arena from 11am to 6pm, enjoying football darts from 12 until 4pm and an inflatable assault course.

On behalf of everyone at Nelson Town Council, we would like to thank everyone who queued up throughout the day to take part in our Football's Coming Home World Cup theme event. The event’s success was thanks to great work by our new Town Clerk Safia Kauser who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Special thanks to M&H Academy, Sunshine Events and Slaters Ices. We can't wait to do it all again next year with an even bigger event!

Recognising our Community Heroes this Christmas

Celebrating Spring and Summer

Councillors Zafar Ali and Nazeem Hayat have been really busy this Christmas visiting our community heroes. The Chairman and Vice Chair visited Pendleside Hospice, the Fire and Rescue Service, Nelson Police Station and Saint Paul's Church, and presented staff with a gift box to enjoy over the festive period.

They wanted to say thank you to those working in the emergency services and those supporting community welfare who often work throughout Christmas and New Year.

“It’s important that we remember these organisations during the festivities as many of the staff still work through Christmas and the New Year,” explains Councillor Nazeem Hayat, Vice Chairman. “They are genuine community heroes and we thank them for their service.”

Nelson residents were treated to a vast array of talent from Lancashire and Yorkshire at this year’s Easter Fair and Town Crier’s competition on Saturday 31st March 2018. Although it was a chilly afternoon, the fun rides were busy throughout the day with the addition of giant inflatables this year. The Town Council would like to thank all the Town Criers for taking part in the competition.

Town Council Events Calendar 2019

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Easter Extravaganza

Sat.

20th Apr. 2019

Football Marathon & Nelson by the Sea

Sat.

20th Jul. 2019

Food Festival

Sat.

7th Sept. 2019

Lancashire Day & Christmas Light Switch On

Sat.

23rd Nov. 2019

local events | 9

Weather doesn’t stop the Food Fest Fun as hundreds flock to Nelson

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he wet and windy weather on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th September 2018 wasn’t enough to stop the Nelson Food and Drink Festival fun, as thousands flocked to the town for the annual event – albeit with their wellies and brollies in tow!

This year was the first time the event took place over two days, which was made possible thanks to organisers Scott Dawson Advertising, Gold Sponsors, Pendle Rise Shopping Centre, Silver Sponsors, Oddie’s, and support from Nelson Town Council and Pendle Borough Council.

Children danced in the rain to musical performances from the Sambafriq band, and visitors were treated to live cookery

demonstrations from the Beer Chef Richard Fox. Around 50 stalls were present at the festival selling a range of delightful delicacies from across the globe including cakes, spicy Spanish tapas, authentic Asian curries, German sausages, cheese and churros, and so much more.

Zafar Ali, Nelson Town Council Chairman, said it was a fantastic day not to be missed. “It’s actually my wedding day today,” he explained.

“But luckily the ceremony isn’t until later, so I could experience the food and drink festival first.

I love it, I have been every year and wouldn’t have missed it for the world. It may be raining but I have my extra large golf brolly to hand so nothing will stop me from sampling the stalls’ delights. It's Nelson Town Council’s 10th

Anniversary today too so it’s an extra proud day for me, we fully support this event for the town and its brilliant to see so many people here being part of it.”

A spokesperson for the event organisers commented: “Today wouldn’t have been possible without our sponsors, so a huge thankyou to them. Also, a huge thanks to the community of Nelson for coming into the town in the masses with big smiles, rain or shine. It’s brilliant to see the community supporting each other and enjoying themselves. This year was the 4th Nelson Food and Drink Festival and also the 10th Anniversary for Nelson Town Council.

We've all had a brilliant day!”

For more information about Nelson Food Festival visit www.nelsonfoodfestival.co.uk

Nelson has its biggest ever Lancashire Day & Christmas Lights Switch on 2018

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he annual Lancashire Day and Christmas Lights Switch On event took place on Saturday 24th November 2018 with thousands of residents from Nelson and Pendle taking part throughout the day.

Britain’s Got Talent stars, Ella Shaw and Mr Zip, were among the headline acts which saw Amy Jo Clough, Owen Halt and Emily Atkinson performing on the 2BR stage – the music entertainment ran from 11am right through to 6pm. The event was officially opened by the Mayor of Pendle and Town Crier Elizabeth Mowe at 11am. This followed a performance from the Oakenhoof Folks Arts Clog Morris Dancers who also gave another performance in the afternoon.

Free Council promotional items were given out to the public with the traditional Lancashire red rose to celebrate the occasion. Other acts on the 2BR stage included the Biscuit Brothers, Bridle City Lights and Crash (Don’t Slow Down). There was a variety of food stalls to cater for all including booths offering traditional Lancashire fine produce. Family entertainment included free fairground rides for the kids along with Punch and Judy, and Balloon Modelling. The ice-skating rink erected outside the Library was a massive hit with the public alongside the snow globe attraction which gave away over 400 free photo

keyrings. A special guest in the form of a Snowman Walkabout character joined in the festivities.

The focus then turned towards the Christmas Lights Switch On with headline acts Ella Shaw and Mr Zip on stage. The Town Council Chairman, Councillor Zafar Ali lead the vote of thanks and lights countdown which took place at 6pm with a fireworks finale.

The Town Council took over the responsibility of the town centre Christmas Lights in 2016. Last year we invested money into the light curtain over the shuttle and a new Christmas tree on Manchester Road. This year we decided to add a little extra by providing additional lighting at the two blocks in Scotland Road and the tree lighting on Scotland Rd next to Oscars.

This was the first year that a fireworks display was arranged which attracted massive crowds at the Switch On. Positive comments were received from members of the public who commented on the variety of entertainment and jam-packed agenda that was scheduled on the day and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

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10 | COMMUNITY ROUND-UP

Happy 10th Birthday to Healthy eating at the Revive Café Nelson Town Council!

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e’ve been really busy at Nelson Town Council offices over the last few months coming up with fun ways to mark our 10th Anniver­ sary with new initiatives, activities and events.

We’ve launched our new website which has a fresh new look and offers information to residents on the council services transferred from the Borough council, room and hall hire at the Unity Wellbeing Centre and our new Revive Café.

We hope you’ll agree that our new website is user-friendly with quick links so that residents can read about the history of Nelson and access local government information including agendas, minutes and financial information in compliance with the Transparency Code. The site is accessible on the same domain as before www.nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk and was officially launched on Monday 6th August 2018 with a new anniversary logo.

Town Centre Events

We have been giving away a number of promo­ tional items at our town centre events including promotional pens, stickers and balloons. The official celebration cake was unveiled at the Nelson Food and Drink Festival in September 2018.

Welcome Signage

As part of our anniversary plans, we will soon be making a final decision on the design of the welcome signage on the approach to Nelson.

Please get in touch if you have any ideas by emailing info@nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk.

Anniversary Video

To celebrate our work during the last 10 years, we’ve launched a promotional video which you can view on the official YouTube page for Nelson Town Council. The direct video link is available on https://youtu.be/TBkoyTbi-U4 and is also accessible from the homepage of our website www.nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk. The 10 minute promotional video features past and present councillors talking about the developments the Town Council has made over the last 10 years and the involvement it has had with local groups and schools in the town.

We believe the video is a great tool for primary schools to promote within their citizenship classes as it reflects cohesion and community harmony. The video highlights community integration and involvement in local projects, events in the town as well as an insight into the first tier of local government at grass roots level.

Schools and local community organisations can request a DVD from the Town Council’s office by emailing the address below. Nelson Town Council is committed to working hard for the residents of Nelson. We welcome feedback on our promotional anniversary video and our new site, please send your comments to: info@nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk.

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ealthy eating and affordable prices don’t always go hand-in-hand.

That’s why Nelson Town Council joined forces with Coordinating Chef Declan Cuttell to open a new community based café to help people implement healthy eating habits and manage their weight.

Declan and his volunteers serve up fresh juices, hearty soups and stews, and were recently filmed discussing vegetarian options for BBC Radio Lancashire. Fast-forward a year and support for the Revive Café, which opened on 7th January 2018, has been phenomenal. On the back of this success, the Council is now planning to introduce cooking classes and a meals-on-wheels service.

“In a time where people are finding it difficult to manage their weight and implement healthy eating habits, it was a great surprise to us to find how willing people were to try new things and to choose the healthier options on the menu,” Declan said.

The menu has been designed to maximise the nutrition that people get from each meal.

Using wholegrains like quinoa instead of rice to accompany dishes, the catering team’s aim has been to get people to understand that some of the healthiest foods can also be very tasty and satisfying. Adding herbs and spices where possible, increases the antioxidant power of each meal.

“Our inspiration for the café comes from the

changing seasons and the bountiful harvest that each of them provide,” Declan adds. “From foraged wild garlic in spring, to juicy beetroots in autumn, there is no end to the gifts that the land offers us all year round. We take our fruit and veg. scraps from the kitchen to two composting sites, one a local gardener and the other to my own allotment. In exchange we receive local fruit and veg. by the truckload.”

Throughout the summer of 2018, the Council was shocked at the amount of produce offered from the community – from golden patty pan squash to gooseberries and potatoes. By the end of 2019, the scraps from last year will be fully composted and ready to grow herbs and vegetables in.

“It takes a little more effort to collect and properly use these scraps, but the end result is a café that can be proud of its dedication to sustainability,” explains Declan. “The recent boom in the effort to reduce meat consumption has opened up a fresh and exciting doorway to other culinary enterprises. Our response of offering a meatless dish on the Specials' Menu, that change weekly, has been greatly received.

The addition of our Vegan House Special sandwich has also been a big hit with the local community."

To view the menu online and to place telephone orders, please visit www. nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk/revivecafe for further information.

COMMUNITY ROUND-UP | 11

Unity Wellbeing Centre for Hire Are you planning a birthday party, wedding reception or family get-together? Bookings for the main function hall at the Unity Wellbeing Community Centre at 62 Vernon Street, Nelson are at an all-time high as the Centre continues to play a vital part in community life.

The venue, which is owned by Nelson Town Council, offers two meeting rooms and function hall hire with prices starting at £20 for the meeting rooms and £30 for the function room.

The rooms available are: Selina Cooper Hall – party & community events (accommodating up to 80 people seated) Hardy Room – meeting room

(accommodating up to 15 people)

Pankhurst room – meeting room

(accommodating up to 20 people)

Revive Cafe area

(accommodating up to 30 people).

We offer three sessions throughout the day for a fixed charge.

Sessions are determined as: Morning Session

8:00am to 1:00pm

Afternoon Session

1:00pm to 6:00pm

Evening Session

6:00pm to 11:00pm

Community / not for profit organisations

Commercial/profit organisations

Main Hall

£30.00 per session or part of

Main Hall

£75.00 per session or part of

Pankhurst Room

£20.00 per session or part of

Pankhurst Room

£50.00 per session or part of

Hardy Room

£20.00 per session or part of

Hardy Room

£50.00 per session or part of

Café

£30.00 per session or part of

Café

£75.00 per session or part of

All Rooms

£100.00 per session or part of

All Rooms

£250.00 per session or part of

Sessions include set-up time and clearing away time.

Full terms and conditions are available on the town council website www.nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk

Meanwhile, the Town Council has raised funds to deliver a project highlighting the history of the Independent Labour Party. The proposed project will include photographic displays of personalities including suffragist Selina Cooper who laid a foundation stone when the building was built. The photographic displays will be erected in the entrance of the Unity Centre, thanks to Kevin Webb and his team for their fundraising efforts.

NTC | SPRING 2019

Nelson Town Council presents

Easter Extravaganz a Event Saturday 20 TH April 11am to 4pm Nelson Town Centre

An opening ceremony will be conducted by Mayor of Pendle, James Keith Starkie, and the Town Crier. Formalities will be followed by a fun day for all the family with children’s entertainment and funfair rides.

You can also look forward to: • Giant inflatables • Food stalls • Henna artist • Face painting • Birds of prey • Punch & Judy • Easter egg decorating competition at Nelson Library* * Eggs will be displayed in the junior library during the Easter holidays and we’ll be hosting a play for children, which will take place at 3pm.

Join us for a free family event full of fun and festivities Contact Nelson Town Council for further details: Tel: 01282 697079 | email: info@nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk www.nelsontowncouncil.gov.uk @NelsonTCouncil | @nelsontownevents