Telford Journal 17-Nov-2022

Newsigns,benches andbike parkingstationsarebeinginstalled alonga14-mile‘greencorridor’in Telford.

Telford&WrekinCouncilisalso carryingoutrepairstothesurfaces andgivingSilkinWayageneralti dy-upandfaceliftto“maketheroute even moreappealingtoresidents andvisitors”

Theinvestment,which forms part of thecouncil’s widerstrategy to improve things forcyclists andwalkers across theborough, amountsto£800,000

Theworks aretakingfour monthstocarryoutandthecouncil saysitcouldbeonlythestart,with thepossibility of improved road crossingpointsandnewsolar-poweredstreetlighting

CouncillorRichardOverton,dep utyleaderandcabinetmemberfor housing,enforcementandtransport, said:“NotonlyistheSilkinWaya remarkableroutepackedwithher itageand ecological interest,it’s alsoanimportantlinkbetweenour majoremployment,leisure,tourism, commercialandresidentialsitesin theborough,andassuchisakeyfocusforinvestment

“We’re keen to promote this routeandtochampion‘activetrav

el’–ditchingthecartowalkorcycle whenever possible. It’s allpartof ourLocal Cyclingand WalkingInfrastructurePlan.We’velistenedto users’feedbackandhopethatthese improvementsencouragemorepeopletousethisfantasticroute

“Commuting or simply getting aroundourboroughonfootorby bike offers significanthealthand wellbeingbenefitsfor individuals. Italsoreducestheborough’scarbon emissionsandkeepsourairclean er,nottomentionthesavingstobe madebynotvisitingthepetrolstation

“I’m delightedthatresidents willfeelsaferusingtheSilkinWay thankstothesafetymeasureswe’re puttinginplace,andthatcyclistsand walkerswillbeabletogetevenmore enjoyment outofthisincredible route.”Theinvestmentwillseenew signsprovidedalongthewholeroute andnewwaymarkersaddedtoimproveinformationforthoselooking toexplore

Longerterm,thecouncilwillbe lookingatcreatingimprovedroad crossingpointstohelpmakepedestriansandcyclistsmoreofapriority.

‘Batman’ tellsofbattle

Crowds out for bonfire

Organisersofalargebonfire hailedtheeventabrilliantsuccess, with about10,000 people turning outtosupportit justaweekafter arsonistsburneddowntheoriginal pileofpallets.

MarkMitchell,organiserofthe DonningtonbonfireinTelford,said therewasagreatturnoutthisyear, withanon-sitefunfair,aswellasone ofthebiggestfireworksdisplaysyet

Itcomesafteragroupofyouths firedfireworksintothehugepileof palletsonNovember5beforedirect lysettingfiretothem

Mark said that theevent was brilliant.“Ihopetosee everyone againnextyear,”headded.

Play area is revamped

Atown’splayareahasbeengiven afacelift, funded by Telford& WrekinCouncilinpartnershipwith GreatDawleyTownCouncil.

TheworkatDawleyParkplay area includes theinstallation of a30-metre-longdoublezip-wire, whichhasbeenaddedtotheexisting swingsandslide

Themakeoveralsotakes into considerationtheneedsofchildren withdisabilities,akeypiecebeing aground-levelroundaboutwhichis accessibleforwheelchairsaswellas pushchairsandprams

CouncillorBobWenningtonsaid: “It’swonderfultoseeallagesusing theplayground.”

Report by David Tooley

June’s 15-hourstayinA&E

A72-year-oldwomanspent approximately15hoursinA&E aftercollapsingina carpark, sufferingabrokennoseaswell ascutsandbruisestoherface.

June Jones, from Telford, saidshearrivedatthePrincess RoyalHospitalatabout8.50pm onTuesday,November1,after collapsinginWellington,butdid

notleaveuntilaboutmiddayon November2.

Shewasinitiallyseenafter aboutfourhours,but wasnot discharged untilthe following day.

Accompaniedbyher husbandJohn,whodrovehertothe accidentandemergencydepart ment,Junesaidshe spent the

nightthrowingupclotsofblood.

June said that it wasthe longestexperienceshehadever hadinA&E.

Shrewsbury andTelford HospitalNHSTrust(SaTH)said that A&Edepartmentsare ex ceptionallybusyatthemoment andthatpatientsare seen ac cordingtoclinicalpriority. JuneJones

Busservice improvements aregetting on rightroad

By Megan Howe

Officials have confirmeda numberofnewcouncil-funded busservicesareonestepclosertobecomingfinalised,with apredictedlaunchasearlyas Christmas.

Telford&WrekinCouncil hasannouncedbusserviceswill returntoruralareas,withnew transportlinkstoplacesofwork anda£2pricecapforadultsin glejourneys.

Decisionshavebeeninformedthrougharesidentsurveywhich wascarried outin summer2021andhavebeenput inplacetomakeservicesmore affordableduringthecostofliv ingcrisis.

CouncillorRichardOverton, cabinetmemberforhousing,enforcementandtransport,said: “Wearegrippedbyanational cost of living crisis andwhile thereareproblemswecan’tfix, therearethingslikehelpingbus servicesworkinawaytohelp people make themostout of everypennyintheirpocket

“We’reexcitedtogetthese services going. Residentshave beencallingforchange–more affordable andfrequentser vices–andwearedeliveringit bytakingcontroloftheroutes, investingtogetthemgoingand ifallgoeswell,it’sjustthestart ofanaffordableandreliableser viceinTelford.”

Alarmisraisedbyprotesters

Campaignersmarched throughIronbridgeaspartof anationwidesoundingofthe alarmagainstclimatechange.

thealarm”beforehearingfrom speakers.

“Togetherweare demand inganendtoclimateandother injustices,and an urgent response from governmentsand leaderstoclimateand other multiple linkedcrises,”Juliet Soriaaspokespersonfortheorganiserssaid.

The Cop27 protestmarchin Ironbridgewas organisedbyExtinction Rebellion

Call to health secretary

HealthsecretarySteveBarclay willbeaskedtoreviewtheFuture Fitproposals forRoyal Shrews buryHospital(RSH)andPrincess RoyalHospitalTelford(PRH).

Telford& Wrekin councillors wantanurgentreviewandrever saloftheapprovalofthestrategic outlinecasefor reconfiguration of thecounty’shospitals,saying thegovernment’splanwilldown gradethe borough’shealthand socialcareservices.Theysaythe governmentneedstoprovidethe necessaryresourcestoensureTel-

ford&WrekinandShropshirehas thehealthandsocialcareservices thatitsresidentsdeserve

CouncillorAndyBurford’smo tionwaspassedatlastweek’sfull councilmeeting.

TheFutureFit proposals wouldseeRSHbecomethebase forthecounty’sonly24-hourA&E department

Councillor Burfordsaidthe “shambolic”plans to downgrade Telford’s24/7A&E to an “A&E Local”hadbeendiscreditedbya numberofclinicalbodies.

It’snojoker–Batman isreallycouncillorJay

‘Batman’hasopenedupabout themanbehindthemask,andhow bringingjoytohiscommunityhas helpedhimfighthisbiggestfoe.

He’sknownbysomeasTelford Batman,butday-to-daythiscaped crusadercanbefoundrepresent ingDonningtonasTelford&Wre kinCouncillor,JayGough.

Jay,38,nowanITmanager,has livedinTelfordwithhiswifeRa chel,sinceMay2013,relocatingto thetownwhilsthewasservingin themilitary.

Hewasmedicallydischarged fromthearmyin2015afterbeing diagnosedwithpost-traumatic

stress disorder,stemming from histimeservinginAfghanistan

“Iwasataverylowpointinmy lifeforquitesometime,”Jayex plained:“OnedayIwasjustscroll ingthroughmyphoneandIcame acrossavideoofachapwhomade his ownBatmansuit, andhow hedoesschoolvisitsandcharity eventsandsuddenlyIjustthought –I’vegottodothis,Ineedtodoit TelfordneedsaBatman.”

Jaysoonbegan wearingthe suittocommunityeventsandchil dren’spartiestoraisemoneyfor twocharities,ChildrenwithCan cerUKandHopeHouse.

Overthelastthreeyears,Jay hasraisedthousandsofpoundsfor ChildrenwithCancerUKandHope House.“Idon’ttakeanymoneyfor theevents,”Jayexplained:“Ijust askpeopletopaymoneydirectly tothecharities.”

Becoming Batman,Jay ex plained, hasdone morefor his mentalhealththanhecould’veim agined

“Doing this,being Batman, givesmepurpose

“WhenIputthatmaskon,Iam Batman.Myproblemsdonotex ist,I’mtheretomakeotherpeople happy.”

Autism strategy launched

Councilofficialshaveencour agedpeopletotakepartinacon sultationon a five-year strategy forresidentswithautism

Telfordand WrekinCouncil andAutismWestMidlandsare launchingaconsultation to get feedbackonaborough-widefiveyearautismstrategy

Thestrategywillfocusonthe servicesandsupportavailablefor autisticpeopleintheborough.

Thedraft five-year autism

strategy hasbeendeveloped by thecouncil andits partners fol lowing extensiveengagement activitieswith230people,includ ingpeoplewithautismandtheir familiesaswellascarers,support workersandprofessionals.

In puttingtogether thedraft strategy,thecouncilaskedautisticresidents,aswellasthosesupportingthem,ontheirviewsona rangeoftopics.

CouncillorAndyBurford,Tel

ford &WrekinCouncil’s cabinet memberforadultsocialcareand health,integration andtransfor mation said:“We want autistic peopleofallagestoliveinabor ough wheretheyare equaland activemembersoftheircommu nities,wheretheycandevelopto theirfullpotentialandhavefull accesstotheservicestheyneed.”

Totakepartintheconsultation,fillinthesurveyattelford. researchfeedback.net

Telford&WrekinCouncillorJay Goughdressed asBatman

PrincessRoyalHospital

Budgetsstretched andcosts on therise

Thecostoflivingcrisishasmany faces.It’sstretchinghouseholdbudgetstobreakingpointandrampingup costsforbusinessestoo.

Thecouncil’sbudgetisnotimmunetothispressure.It’scostingus farmoretodaytodothesamethings weweredoingjustafewmonthsago

Atthesametime,moreandmore people need ourhelpasthey’re pushedtotheedge.We’vealready seenapplicationstoourcrisisfund morethandoublecomparedtothe sametimelastyear

Inrecentweeks,we’vegivenan extra£90,000tosupportlocalfood banks,addedanextra£128,000to ouremergency welfarefundand have made grants of upto£5,000 available to community groupsto help them provide warm andwel coming spaces over thewinter months

When councilmembersmet at ameetinglastweek,weagreedto callonthe government to protect ourbudgetsothatthevitalcostof livingsupportwe’reprovidingcan continue.We’re notaskingfor the world–justforourbudgettoequal lastyear’sinrealterms

AsIwrite,I’manxiouslyantici patingthedetailinthegovernment’s Autumn Statement,but themood musichasbeenset.TheBBCareal-

WORKINGFORYOU

readyreportingbillionsofpoundsin spendingcutsandtaxrises.

Thisisontopofyearsofausteritywhichhaveseenthecouncilneedingtomakebudgetsavingsof£140 million ayear–that’s£1,700less tospendforeveryhouseholdinthe borough.

Sofar,yearsofstrongfinancial management andsomeshrewdinvestments–suchasoursolarfarm andNuplace,ourhousingcompany –meanthatwe’velargelybeenable toprotectfrontlineservicesinTelfordandWrekin.Butwithoutgovernmentsupportforresidentsinthe forthcomingbudgetstatement,cuts toservicesareinevitable.

Ihopefor thesakeofpeople acrosstheborough,andthecountry, thatthegovernmentrecognisethe vitalrolethatlocalcouncilshavein timeslikethese.Weknowourborough.We’vesupportedyouthrough aglobalpandemicandthroughyear afteryearofsevereflooding.We’re onyourside.Ijusthopethegovern mentistoo.

Help in fellowship

enough to scareanyone straight, addictioncouldbecuredinminutes withasterntelling-off.

MynameisRob,andI’manalco holic.

That phrase, in itssimplicity, leavesalotofroomforimagination aboutwhatkindofpersonIam.

It’saveryloadedphraseandone withasocialbaggagethatconjures upcaricatureimagesofthepersonit describes.

Somepeopledon’tliketheword forthesereasonsorothers,prefer ringsomethinglessjudgmental Butthiscolumnisn’taboutme it’saboutTelfordandissuesthatare relevanttothelivesofpeopleinTelford

Andsadly,alcoholabuse is an increasingly relevant andpressing issuetomanyfamiliesinapost-lock downworld

NHS-fundedstudies into people’sdrinkinghabitshaveindicated thatpeoplewhodrankata‘moderate’levelbeforethefirstcoronavirus lockdownofMarch2020generally adaptedtheirhabitsanddrankless whiletheycouldn’tgoouttothepub ormeetupwithfriendsorfamily.By andlarge,drinkingwasjustsomethingtolubricate social occasions with,notveryappealingonitsown.

Supportisavailable

Butmanypeoplewho already drankheavily before we were all locked down actually upped their drinkingwhenthebarsandrestaurantsallclosed

Formany,factorslikethesudden inabilitytoaccesssportorhobbies; beingisolatedathomeawayfrom friendsorfamily;longperiods of furloughoralloftheabovemadea dangerouscocktail,ifyou’llexcuse thechoiceofphrase.

We’reallwellawareoftherisks inherenttoheavydrinkingbynow, oratleastweshouldbe.

They aremedical,psychological,economical,socialand legal. Butthenifknowingtheriskswas

Istarted this column with a phrasethatcomesupalotinAlcoholics Anonymousmeetings. Most peoplehaveheardofAAbutvanishinglyfewhavefirst-handexperience ofwhatthemeetingsactuallyare

I’mnotgoingtotalkaboutwhat happensthere–confidentialityand respect forother people’s privacy arecornerstonesoftheprogramme ButIwillsaythatIhavefoundita greatsourceofcomfortandresolve, amgladIbuiltupthecouragetogo tomyfirstmeetingwhenIdidand continuetogoeveryweek.

Telfordhas meetings almost everydayoftheweek,spreadfrom WellingtontoDawleytoOakengates toLeegomeryandatdifferenttimes oftheday.AAhashadapresence inTelfordsincearound1980,with meetingsinOakengates.That’sfour decadesoffellowship.

It’snothelpfulforeveryonewho triesit–isanything?–butitcanonly beagoodthingtohavesuchawealth ofoptionshereinTelfordforthose wholearn aboutAA, decide they mightgetsomethingoutofit,and workupthecouragetodecidethey’ll goalongoneday.

Learnmoreat www.aashrop shire.org/home

WithShaun Davies

TALKINGTELFORD

WithRob Smith

RSPCAinTVcruelty call

TheRSPCA’s Shropshire branchisurgingITVtorethinkthe useofanimalsonI’maCelebrity GetMeOutOfHere!

Everyyearthecelebritycon testantsmustfaceawholehostof trialsandchallenges,whichusual lyinvolvelivecreepycrawliesand othercreatures

Butfearshavebeenraisedby theRSPCAoverthetreatmentof theanimalsinlivetrials,particu larlywiththisyear’sshowreturn ingtoAustraliaforthefirsttime sincethepandemic

Aspokespersonfor RSPCA Shropshire said:“In thepro gramme,animals arehandled roughly, crushed, overcrowded andscared–manyarekilledsimplyforentertainment

“They aretreated badlyjust foraquicklaugh

“TheRSPCA workstostop crueltytoanimalsbut this pro gramme portrays animals’ lives andexperiences as if they don’t matter.ItmakestheRSPCA’sjob harderwhenthissortofactivityis condoned.”

Arrest made in raid on cannabis factory

Police arrested a39-year-old maninadawnraidonacannabis factory.

Officerssay plants with a street value worth in the“thou sandsofpounds”wereseizedas evidenceduringtheraid

Thepowercompanythatsup pliesthepropertywascalledinto makesurethepowersupplywas safeatthehouseinKetley,Telford

Sergeant RichardJones, of WestMerciaPolice’ssaferneigh bourhoodteamintheDonnington andNorthEastTelfordarea,said theyhadbeenreactingto“good qualityinformation”fromthe

community.Eightofficerswerein volvedintheraid,whichalsosawa macheteseized

“Itisallpartofourdaytoday job,”saidSgtJones.“Itisnotan increasingproblembutitissome thingthatweneedtokeepontop of.Wecarryoutthiskindofraidon aregularbasis.

“Therewereplantsinvirtual lyeveryroomandthehousewas likeasauna.Thereisevidencethat thegrowerhadbeenillegallyab stractingelectricity.”

SgtJonessaidthecommunityis keytopolicingthisandotherprob lemsinthecommunity.Headded

thatsometimescannabisfactories haveusedchildslavelabourwhich givesthemanextradimensionand includestheinvolvementofsocial services

Thesergeantthankedthecom munityforprovidingcrucialintel ligenceinthisandothercases

“Thedrugsthemselvescause seriousharminthecommunity,in cludingwithanti-socialbehaviour that goes with theircultivation andsupply,”saidSgtJones.

“Wedonotwantthedangers ofthiskindofactivityoutinthe community.Itisvitalthatwework withthecommunity.”

Firm sees afallinprofits

Funeral providerDignity has seenprofitsfallthisyearasthere hasbeenareductioninthenum berofdeathsnationallyasCovid wanes.

TheWestMidlands-based businessisoneoftheUK’slargest nationalprovidersoffuneralplans andendoflifeservices.

ItoperatescrematoriaatTel ford,Shrewsbury,Lichfield and Stourport.

Forthe39weekstotheend

ofSeptemberunderlyingrevenue wasdown14percentto£204.7 millionandunderlyingoperating profitfell68percentto£14.1m from£43.4m

Forthe period,deathswere down from 483,000 to 469,000, figuresshow

Dignitysaidthatduringthe thirdquarteroftheyearitsnew strategycontinuedtodeliverearlypromisingsignsofincreasesin marketsharegrowth

Revenue andunderlyingop eratingprofitcontinuedtobeim pactedbyacombinationoffactors, includingfluctuationsinthedeath rate,changeinpricing strategy andintroductionofadirectcremationservicethroughDignity’s funeralnetwork

ChiefexecutiveKateDavidson said:“Thethirdquartercontinues topresentsomeofthechallenges, butweremainfocussedon our longtermaims.”

Drugplantswerediscoveredalloverthehousewhenpoliceraided itinthe early hours

Someofthe starsofthe show

Plansfor a solarfarm

Actiondemandedon ongoingmould issue

By Megan Jones

Amansayshehasbeendealing with‘monthsofmould’followinga three-yearleakinhishousingtrust property

GarethOvertonhaslivedinhis WrekinHousingTrustpropertyon AshLeaDriveinDonnington,Telford forover30years.

Arenewable energy provider hasannouncedproposalstodevelop asolarfarmonthesiteofaformer RAFairfieldinTelford&Wrekin.

PeriodtSolarisproposingtodevelopthesolarfarmonpartofthe formerairfieldnearHighErcall.

Theproposedsolarfarmwould extendto81.4hectares–201acres–andisseparatedfrombothHighEr callandRowtonbyopenfieldswhich willcontinueinagriculturaluse

ThePeriodtSolarwebsitestates: “Theproposeddevelopment will provide around 49.9MW of clean, greenelectricity to thelocal power grid –enough to poweralmost 22,000homesayear

‘Aswithallsourcesofrenewableenergy,HighErcallSolarFarm willmakeavitalcontributiontothe UK’stransitionawayfromfossilfu els,helpingdeliverthegovernment’s ambitiousCO2targets.”

Followinga particularly bad stormthreeyearsago,the54-yearoldsayshehasbeencontendingwith aleakthatisfillinghishomewith mouldandpushinghimtohislimits.

“It’sdrivingmecrazy,”MrOver tonexplained:“It’sbeengoingonfar toolongand it’sreally gettingme down

“I’vehad monthsand months of mouldand damp anddripping I’mvisuallyimpairedandI’mfeelingreallydownanddepressed,I’m stressedoutbythiseverydayofthe week.”

Emma Humphries, head of op erational services at TheWrekin HousingGroup,said:“Wearesorry abouttheissuethatMrOvertonhas experiencedinhisproperty,which hasbecomeworsefollowingrecent heavyrain.

“Wehavecarriedoutextensive worktotryandremedytheissue,

howevertoaddressthisfully,afull roofreplacementisrequired

“Ourspecialistcontractorshave been instructed to carryout this workasamatterofurgencystart ingnextweek.Ourrepairsteamare alsocarryingoutfurthertemporary worktomakethepropertywater tightuntilthefullroofreplacement cantakeplace.

“Wealwaystryandrespondto

allrepairrequestsonthesameday theyarereported,butthereareoc casionswhenthe problemneeds morework, more investigation,or anexternalcontractortoresolveit ashasbeenthecasewiththismatter

“Wedoacceptthough,wehave visitedMrOverton’spropertymore than we wouldnormallyhopeto before completing thenecessary work.”

Supporting communities

NEIGHBOURHOODWATCH

With Julie Phillips

With2022beingthe40thanni versaryofNeighbourhoodWatch,I startedtheLawleyBankNeighbour hoodWatchScheme.

Thiswasalsoasaresponseto concerns raised by local residents aboutspeedersusinglocalroadsasa racetrack,andcallsforvolunteersto joinalocalSpeedwatch.Havingalso heardofanincreaseincarbreak-ins, burglariesandquadanddirtbikes beingdrivenillegallyandirresponsi bly,IwonderedhowIcouldhelpmy local community. Myself andwon derfulvolunteersworkcloselywith otherNeighbourhoodWatchgroups andco-ordinators as well as supportinglocalcommunityeventsand liaising with local policing teams, theBournvilleTrust,thelocalParish Councilandotheragencies,schools andyouthclubs.

Since1982, thecharity has grownbecomingacentralpartof manycommunities.Currently,there are2.3millionmembersnationally It’s allabout communitycohesion, engagementandencouragingpeople tostepforwardandvoicetheirconcerns.Docomeandhaveachatwith usonSaturdaywhenwewillbeat theLawleyCommunitySafetyEvent, at Lawley Community centre,TF4 2PR,from12.30-3.30pm.

Farm unionissues warningovercrime

FarmsinShropshireshouldnotbe seenasa‘softtargetforcriminals’,a NFUadviserhassaid.

ThemessagefromEdwardGarratt comesasfarmerswereurged to in creasesecurityasdarkerwinternights enablecriminalstoraidthecountryside unseen.

MrGarrattsaidtheunionhadmade ruralcrimeakeypriorityasitwasal wayshighontheagendawhenhespoke tofarmers.

TheNFUalsositsontheexecutive boardofTheNationalRuralCrimeNet workasitsonlyfarmingrepresentative andhasconsistentlycalledfordedicatedruralpoliceteamstobetterprotect alreadyisolatedandvulnerableareas.

MrGarrattsaid:“Ruralcrimeisa bigproblem forShropshirefarmers someofwhomhavebeenvictimsofar son,vandalismandburglarybutalso everythingfromvehicleandlivestock theftrightthroughtoharecoursingand fly-tipping

“Ourfarmsshouldnotbeseenasa softtargetforcriminalsandwithrural crimecostingmillionseveryyear,the NFUcontinues to lobby Government andtheHomeOffice.

“Wemeetofficersregularly and holdevents,includingatOswestryand ShrewsburyLivestockmarkets,toen gage with farmersand look at ways theycanprotectmachineryandbeefup security.”

Gareth Overtonhas been dealing with the leaky roof for three years

Asolar farm generatingpower

Unionbossesare worriedShropshirefarmsare seen asa‘soft touch’

Team kicked offits pitch

Ayouthfootballteamiscrying foulafterbeingkickedofftheirpitch byacouncil.

Lawley LightmoorFootball Club’sunder-11sand12steaminTelfordhasbeentoldtheycannolonger playtheirmatchesattheirHartshill ParkpitchinOakengates,withTelford&WrekinCouncilgoingasfaras removingthegoalposts.

Themovecameafteracomplaint from aresident,withthe council saying “matches were having an adverseeffectonresidents”.The pitchhasbeenusedbytheteamon Sundaysandfortrainingforthelast threeyears–andwasusedfor10 yearsbeforethatbyateamthatfoldedandcameundertheLawleyand Lightmoorbanner.Apetitioncalling forthecounciltoreverseitsdecision hasalready been signed by more than1,250people–withsomeeven commentingthattheyhad played footballonthepitchupto30years ago.BenKennedy,secretaryofthe club,whichhasmorethan300members,saidtheyfelthugelyletdown –astheytrytopromoteactivityand sportforyoungsters.

AspokesmanforTelford&Wre kinCouncilsaidtheywouldcontinue discussionswiththeclub.Hesaid: “Asacouncilweneedtobalancethe needsofresidents,clubsandrecrea tionalusers.”

Wonder ofthe woods iscaughtby cameras

Report by MatthewPanter

Stunningphotographsbymembersofaclubhavecapturedthewon dersofaforestinthecounty

NewportPhotographicClubis backupandrunningandthefirst

theChair’sChallengeonthethemeof “ForestView”

Thecompetitionsawagoodentryandtheclubchairman,MikeWarrender,choseNormanO’Neill’sim age“AutumnalHues”asthewinner intheAdvancedcategoryandHarry Cheadle’s“DeepintotheWoods”in theIntermediatecategory

Thefullsetofresultswas,Advanced:1NormanO’Neill–Autumn Hues, 2Richard Greswell –Last Light,3TrishSangsterT he WoodNymph,4FranHartshorne IntotheWoods,5NormanO’Neill–A RideintheForest,6MartinJames Treetops.

Intermediate:1 HarryCheadle–DeepIntotheWoods,2Brian Kerrison– TheBent andTwisted Tree,3BrianKerrison– Th e LightBetween theTrees,4Chris Farmer–SpringintheForest,5

JohnRidgway–FamilyWalk,6Colin Macklin– BluebellWood

Theclubisnowgettingtogether attheWestonHallatHarperAdams UniversityeveryTuesdayat7.30pm

TheseasonstartedwithanAGM, includinganintroduction of what willbehappeningthrough2022-23,

followed by aportfolio ofimages fromtheMidlandCountiescompetition.Themeetingwasapractical workshopeveninglookingatcamera functionsandhowtogetthebestout ofyourcamera.

Formoreinformation,visit www.newportphotoclub.com

Inspirational youngsters

ThesearchisonforyoungpeopleacrossShropshireandTelford& Wrekinwhoarededicatedtohelping theirlocalcommunity.

TheHighSheriff’sannualOut standingYoungCitizenAwardswill bepresentedatTelfordCollegeon March8nextyearandentriesare nowopenwithorganisers calling onschools,colleges,clubsandcom munityorganisationstomaketheir nominations.

HighSheriffSelinaGrahamsaid: “This prestigiousevent hasbeen runningforanumberofyears,and theawardsaregiveninrecognition ofexcellenceandoutstandingatti tudesandactionsamongyoungpeopleaged18orunder

“Whether it’s voluntary work andcommunity activities such as fundraising, youthworkand mentoring,orenvironmental projects like conservation andrecycling, caringforafamilymemberorbeing involvedinayouthcouncil,thereare manyreasonswhyyoungpeopledeservetoberecognised.”

Theclosing date forentries is Thursday,February25, 2023 Nominationscanbemadeatwww. telfordcollege.ac.uk/about/cal endar-and-events/high-sheriff-of-shropshire-outstand ing-young-citizen-2023/

This image,entitledBluebell Wood, wastaken by ColinMacklin

Concernsover whathappensnext forUkrainianrefugees asstaysend

Fearshavebeenraisedover Ukrainianrefugees finding alter nativeplacestoliveinShropshire, assomesix-monthstayscometoan end

It hasemerged that several Ukrainians have become homeless sincearrivinginthecounty.

Volunteersandsponsorsaround thecountyhavesharedtheircon cernsabout refugees having no wheretogoasthesix-monthhost ingperiodcomestoanendforsome households.

LuckilyforrefugeeHannaZaryt ska,herhostJuliaFarrant,ofMarket Drayton,hassaidHannacanstayon foranother12months

Butforsomerefugeesthismay notbepossible.

JuliaFarrantisontheBritishRed CrosscommitteeforShropshire–a societywhichhaswelcomedUkrain ianrefugeestothecountryandsent supportabroadthroughtheUkraine CrisisAppeal

Sheraisedconcernsaroundref ugeeshavingtoprovetheirearnings toapotentiallandlord,which,with low-incomejobs,canprovedifficult.

“Thereare problems because there’salackofsocialhousingand therentalmarketaswellisverydif ficultbecausealotofpeopledon’t havethedepositsandtheyaregoing togointoprivaterentedaccommo dation–andthat’sarealissue.”

Juliapointedoutthatinmoreru ralareasofShropshire,suitableac commodationmaynotbeavailable, andrefugeescouldbereluctantto movewhenchildrenhavesettledin tolocalschools.“Quitealotofthem (refugees) have been placed into nicehomesandtheniftheyarego ingtogointosocialhousing,it’sabig shock,”Juliaadded.

Hannaadded:“Me andmyson Romanlove Shropshire.Wenever

ceasetobeamazedatthekindness ofthepeoplearoundus.

“Unfortunately,Idon’tknowyet whatwillhappennextandwhether we will continue to live in Shrop shire, sincethe wartaughtmany Ukrainians,includingmyself,notto plananythinginadvance,buttolive andenjoytoday.”

New figures from theDepart mentforLevellingUp,Housingand Communitiesshow24refugeeshad beenmadehomelessorputatrisk ofhomelessnessinthecountyasof September23

Thishasincreasedfrom20four weeksprior,while nationally the numberofrefugeehouseholdswith homelessnessdutiessurged22per centoverthesameperiod

In Shropshire,abreakdown of thehosting arrangement wasthe mainreasonforhomelessnessin18 cases–andonebecausetheiraccom modationwasunsuitable.

Itposesaquestion–whatisthe

MariyaTsymbalmovedtoMar ketDraytonfromthecityofCher nivtsiinJuneofthisyear,fleeingthe conflictwithhertwoyoungchildren. Shewastakeninbyhersponsorand hasbeenaccessingservicesatMar ketDrayton’srefugeesupporthubat TheZone,whichisrunbyIanaJacob son.

Mariyasaidthereareissuesfor Ukrainerefugeestryingtofindal ternativeplacestolive,sayingthat lackoffinancialindependenceisa barriersomearefacing.

“TheUkrainians have some difficulty finding accommodation here;Iwaslookingintotheissueof rentingandranintodifficultiesand Irealisedthat,mainly,thisisdueto thelackoffinancialindependence,” Mariyasaid

“TheUkrainians whohavearrivednowlefttheircountrybecause

“Therefore,mostofthemdonot havesavings.

“Thismakesitdifficulttopaya depositforrent,forexample.Inad dition,atfirstthereisnolongwork experienceandnocredithistoryin theUK.

“Frommyexperience, Iunder standthatwhenevaluatingacan didate forrental housing,the reli abilityofhis financialcondition is assessed

“Today,accordingtothe law, Ukrainianshavetherighttolivefor sixmonthsinahostfamily,perhaps thisperiodistooshorttoestablish oneself as areliableindependent payer. ”

MariyawentontosaythatMar ketDraytonisacosytownwhichhas everythingafamilycouldwant,but opportunitiesforworkwereinshort supply

By Megan Howe

IanaJacobson withUkrainianrefugeesandsupportersat the hub Ukrainian refugeeHanna Zarytska has beenstaying withJuliaFarrant

long-termsolutionforUkrainerefu geeswhohavesettledinShropshire, andwherecantheygo?

ofthewarinsearchofasafeplace toliveforthemselvesandtheirchil dren

Spottingourvocalvisitors

ON THEWILDSIDE

By Ben Waddams

Weoftenthinkofwinterasthe timetowatchoutformigrantbirds such as fieldfares, redwings and waxwings.

That is perhapsnosurprise seeing as it is thosesmall,garden birdsthatwearemostlikelytospot throughthewindow.Howevertake anearlymorningwalkaway from ourtownsand,indeed,gardens,and youwillberewardedsoonerorlater withsomethingaltogetherlarger

IfNovemberissynonymouswith anygroupofbirds,itshouldproba blybethegeese.Theyaresurelythe mostimpressiveandvocalofourvis itorsandtheyareeasytospotones tuariesastheyminglewithresident speciestocreateanotablespectacle. Theirfoodsinthose areasinclude seeds, grass, potatoes andsmall invertebrates. ButShropshire is of courseland-lockedandwe’refairly thinonestuaries!

Yetthose earlymorning walks will be peppered, if you’re lucky, both with gagglesand skeins.The beautifulVformationsofgeese as theyflybetweenfeedinggrounds–bethatinternationallyordaily–is oneofthemostglorioussightsinour Britishnaturalworld,occurringasit oftendoesoncrisp,still,sunlitmorn

ings.Butwhichspeciesmayyoube lookingat?Therearequiteafewto goat.TheWhite-frontedgoosevisits ourcoastsfromScotlandtosouthern England,havingsummeredinGreen landandSiberia.Thesetwoarepos sibletotellapart.Siberianbirdshave pinkbills,Greenlandbirds’billsare orange.The ‘white-fronted’refers totheforeheadandbaseofthebill. About15,000cometotheUK. Barnaclegeesearesmallerwith

acreamyface,shortbillandblack neckandwinterinScotland,Ireland andnorthernEnglandafterbreeding inGreenlandandSvalbard.There’s asmallresidentbreedinggroupof 1,000pairswhilstthewinterpopu lationexceeds90,000

Greylag geeseare ourlargest andmostcommonresidentspecies andhavegreyplumageandanor angebill;140,000residentbirdsare bolsteredby90,000winterarrivals

Fromfactoryfloorto theHouse of Lords

Heisthesonofafoundryworker whostartedworkhimselfsweepingthe factoryfloor–andnowheisapeerof therealm

Today, Lord Kuldip Sahota is still comingtotermswithhisinductioninto theHouseofLords,tradingthosefac toryoverallsforthescarletandermine robesheworeattheceremony

AprominentmemberoftheTelford Sikhcommunity,heisproudtobethe firstturban-wearingmemberoftheup perchamber–afarcryfromwhenhis fatherandgrandfatherwereaskedto leaveaMidlandspubbecausetheywere notspeakingEnglish.

“TodayIbelievethattheUKisoneof themostdiverseandwelcomingcoun

triesintheworld,”saidLordSahota. Thenewpeerworkedfor15yearsat GKNSankeyinTelfordwherehewas involvedinthetradeunion,beforebe comingabusinessmanandapolitician, asaTelford&WrekinCouncillorforMa linsleeandDawleyBank.Between2011 and2015hewasleaderofthecouncil.

“AtfirstIwasnervousandhadto holdmybreathasIwalkedontothe flooroftheHousebutthenIrelaxedand enjoyedtheexperience,”hesaid

“Itisagreathonourandaprivilege tositintheHouseofLordsrepresenting Telfordanditsdifferentfaithcommuni ties.Iamforevergratefulforthetrust andsupportplacedinmebythepeople ofTelfordandWrekin.”

Beingpositive andthankful

CROSSTALK

Iambynatureapessimist.That meansIfinditeasytoviewtheworld throughthe lens of cynicism, fear andcriticismofothers.Buteveryday Ihaveachoice–doIlookthrough thatlens,orthelensofhope,trust, thankfulnessandkindness?

ABibleverseIfindencouraging onthesethemesisEphesians4.32, whichstates,‘Bekindtoeachother, tender-hearted, forgivingone an other,justasGodthroughChristhas forgivenyou.’IfGodhimselfiskind andforgiving,howcanInotbethe sametowardsothers?SoIsetmy selfachallenge–howcanIbemore positivegenerallyandkindtowards otherstoday?

fromIceland.Beangeesecanbeseen butarefewandfarbetween

Your best chance is probably with theCanada(not‘Canadian’!) goose.IthasbecometheUK’smost familiar gooseofparklakes and thereare approximately65,000in theUK.Whicheverspeciesisyour favourite,nowisagreattimetosee them

n Ben’sartworkcanbeseenin Callaghan’sGallery,Shrewsbury

First Iremembered someone whofaithfullyandquietlyservesas thesecretaryofagroupIbelongto. SoIsentanemailofthanks.Then,in steadofworryingabout slippery pavementsandbadly-parkedcars,I chosetoenjoyautumncolours.And ratherthanfrettingaboutthestate ofourpublicservices,Ichosetobe thankfulforacareronherrounds, thebinmenworkinghardtoclear ourrefuse,andthefactthatwehave accesstoexpensivemedicines.Can youthinkofwaysyoucanbepositive andthankfultoday?

Canada geese havebecome the UK’smostfamiliar geese of parklakes

With Andrew Pattison

Lord Kuldip Sahotaisinducted into theupperchamber

Song ideal for ashower Carsales on theup at JLR

Apopular1980s hitsongbya Midlandsbandisbeingusedtoraise awarenessofkeepingshowersshort tosavemoneyonutilitybills.

DatafromSevernTrentandthe ConsumerCouncilforWater(CCW) showsthatcuttingashowerfrom10 tofiveminutescouldsaveafamilyof fourusingawatermeterupto£700 ayearontheirutilitybills.

SevernTrenthassaidthatMusicalYouth’s1982hit,PasstheDutchie,whichreachednumberoneinsev encountries,clocksinatjustunder fiveminutes,makingittheidealtune forcustomerstotimetheirshower.

PasstheDutchietakesprimepo sitiononaspecialSpotifyplaylistof five-minute songs, whichhas been compiled by Severn Trent forcus tomers.

ThebandalsoturnedupinaSev ernTrentTVadvertthroughoutthe autumn

Stepsonapavement aregeneratingpower

Pounding thepavementshas neverfeltsogoodasahigh-techpub licfootpathisturningfootstepsinto electricity.

People-powered free public chargingpointssetbesidetheSilver Swallowfootbridgeonthewalkway fromTelfordCentralrailwaystation intotownalsogivewalkersachance tochargeuptheirmobilephones.

Telford&WrekinCouncil has installedthe stretchofpavement, whichharnessestheenergyofpedestrians’footsteps.

Thefootstepsareconvertedinto electricitywhichthecouncilisus ingtopowertwofreemobilephone chargingpointslocatedinnewlyinstalledbenchesbesidethepavement

Thecouncilhasalsoinstalleda solar-powereddigitalscreenwhich displays sustainability messages andshowstheamountofenergybe inggeneratedbythepavement.

Thepavement hasbeensup pliedbytechnology firm, Pavegen, whichhaslaunchedsimilarprojects around theglobe, from Milanto HongKongandDubai.

Laurence Kemball-Cook, chief executiveand founderofPavegen, said:“Pavegeniscommittedtocre-

atingsmarter cities that focuson people,aswellastechnology.This installationwithTelfordisagreat steptowardsmakingakeyUKtransporthubsmarterandgreener,whilst educatingand engaging citizens withTelford’scommitmenttobuildingabetterplanet.

“We have been developingthis technologytoallowittowithstand theharshestwintersandareexcit

edforthepeopleofTelfordtotry outgenerating energy from themselves!”

Councillor CarolynHealy said: “Itwouldbeahugestepbackwards ifclimateactiondropsofftheradar Thispavementisafunwaytokeep theclimateconversationgoingand nudgepeopletoconsiderhowthey canhelpmakeourboroughbecome moresustainable.”

JaguarLandRoversawan11.8 percentriseincarsalesinthesec ondquarterofitsfinancialyear

Theluxurycarmaker’spre-tax loss also reduced to £173 million from£302mayearearlier

JLR,whichhasitsenginemanufacturingcentreatthei54nearthe Shropshireborder,sawrevenuerise 36percentto£5.3billion.Itwasup 20percentonthefirstquarter.

Retailsalesforthequarterwere 88,121vehicleswithChinaup38per centandNorthAmerica27percent UKsalesfellsevenpercent

Theimprovedresults reflect strongmodelmixandpricingwith wholesalesof75,000up17.6percent ontheyear,butlowerthanplanned ascomputerchipsupplyconstraints continued.

Theproductionramp-upofNew RangeRoverandNewRangeRover Sportimprovedwith13,537units wholesaledinthequarter,upfrom 5,790inthefirstquarter.

Strongdemandcontinuingwith theclientorderbooknowat205,000 units. Thethree most profitable models–theNewRangeRover,New RangeRoverSportandDefender–accountforover70percentofthe orderbook.

Increasing partnership agreementswithsemiconductorsuppliers areexpectedtodeliver improving production volumes in thesecond halfofthe2022-2023financialyear andbeyond

Studentsandstaff markArmistice Day

Morethan1,000studentsandstaff

TheArmisticeDayservicewasheld

Theparadewasledbythecollege’s publicuniformedservicesstudents,and alsoincludedrepresentativesfromthe BritishArmyreserves,RoyalNavy,and ShropshireFire&RescueService

FormerTelfordCollegestaffmem berBob Jenkins–aretiredmilitary police officer nowlivinginthe USA filmedavideomessageforthecere monyattheMiddleTennesseeVeterans CemeteryinNashville.

Itincludedarecitalofthepoignant poemwhichheoriginallywroteforthe Armisticecentenary,calledRemember Me

Bobsaid:“Itseemsabeautifuland appropriateplaceatwhichtorecitethe poemthatIusedtonarratewhenIhad theprivilegeandpleasureofworkingat TelfordCollege.”

SeveralTelfordCollegepublicuni formedservicesstudentsreadthetraditionalremembrancedayexhortation, includingFraserGerman,Cameron King,OliviaSylvester,ElizabethWorthington,plusPCPeteRigby

TherewerealsoreadingsbyA-lev el student MishaCandlin,and Archie Walkerdine–aformercollegetutor.

Report by David Tooley

CouncillorCarolynHealy,right.Photo: Telford& WrekinCouncil

Reggae band MusicalYouth

The service washeldoutsideTelfordCollege’s Haybridge campus

2,200rememberedand£17,000raised asTree ofLightAppealcontinues on

By Daniel Morris

Thisisoursecondlistofnames thatarebeingrememberedaspart ofthisyear’sTelfordTreeofLight Appeal

RunbythefourRotaryClubsof Telford&District,theTreeofLight enablesthecommunitytoremember theirlovedonesandsupportlocal charitiesoverthefestiveperiod.

Inreturnforaminimum£5do nation,namesaredisplayedaround thetreeinTelfordShoppingCentre TheyarealsoprintedintheTelford Journalinbatcheseachweek.

In the first year of theevent, £1,000wasraisedforcharitybut,incredibly,lastyear£40,000wasdis tributedtolocalcharities.

So farinthisyear’scampaign, 1,000applicationshavebeenpro cessed,with2,200 loved onesremembered anddonationsamount ingto£17,000.

SevernHospiceandHopeHouse Children’s Hospices will receive themajorportion of fundsraised. Theremainder will be shared by ShropshireProstateCancerSupport Group,2nd WellingtonScouts,Tel fordAfterCareTeam,Telford&Wre kinYoungCarersServiceandJayne SargentFoundation

NickyGreen,fromthe Severn Hospicefundraisingteam,said:“We aresogratefultotheRotaryClubsof Telford&Districtfortheiramazing generosity andincredible support overtheyears.

“TobeabeneficiaryoftheirTree ofLightonceagainmeanstheworld tousandtheirkindnessmeanswe canbethereforthousandsofpeople whoneedourcare.”

“Becauseofverykinddonations such as theirs,eachyearwecan supportalmost3,000localfamilies living with incurableillness.Their unwaveringsupporthelpsusmake suchadifferencetolocalpeoplefac ingheartbreak.”

Chairmanofthecommitteefor theRotaryTelford appeal, Peter Seaward,said:“ThefourRotariesof Telfordarepleasedtoprovidethis servicetothecommunityandoffer achanceofremembranceforloved ones. At thesametime, we raise fundsfor nominated charitiesand everysinglepennyofthemoneyis distributedtothecharities.

“Ifyouwouldliketogetinvolved andhelp,wewouldalwayswelcome peopletojointheRotary.”

ApplicationformsfortheTreeof Lightareavailableatcustomerser vicesatTelfordCentreandatSevern Hospiceshops,oryoucanapplyon line at www.telfordtreeoflight.org. uk

Amongthenamesremembered are:

CathyField;Gaynor Field; Pat Findlay; Joseph Finnigan;Sarah Flowers; Claire Foreman; Barbara Fox;HazelFreeman;JohnFreeman; LyndaFrisby;LesFrost;MaryFrost JohnGardner;DorisGaut;James Gaut;WallisGladys;NoelGleave;OliveGleave;JohnGoffin;BradGough; CherryGough;ColinGrainger;Lily Green; Walter Green; Gill Gregory; KenGregory;JeanGripton;Kathleen

Lynn Gunby;Tanya Gunby;Alfred JohnGuy;BenGuy;Edith&George Guy;JohnGuy;JosephCliffordGuy; NormanHubertGuy;SammyGuy AlanHaddock;DarrenHaddock; MargaretHaddock;JohnHall;Peter Harding; JamesHardman;Wendy &LisaHarley;Ella&Stanley(Stan) Harper;MurielHarrison;KerryHar wood;BettyHatfield;CliffordArthur Hatfield;Doug&AnnHayward;Mar tinHayward;Rene&HarryHeeley DavidHeighway;AndrewHickin; DerekHidden;CliveHinwood;Brenda&FredHodgetts;DanielHodgin; Charlie&MargaretHolford;Monique Hollins;StanleyHollis;CaitlynHollo way;EdgarHolloway;FrankHolloway;MarjorieHolloway;SophieHolloway;Vic&HazelHolmes.

Bessie Honey; BettyHoof; Iris Hoof;ThomasCyrilHoof;Nancy& SamHope; Jack Hopkinson; Kath Hopkinson;PhilipHopkinson;Win ifredHorton;Norman&ElsieHoul ston;GrahamHowells; Alan David Hughes;BillHughes;DerekHughes; Jane Hughes;PaulGrahamHunt; Elizabeth Hutchison; Edna Hyde; Leslie Hyde; Mary Hyde;Michael Hyde PhilipInions;Brenda&ColinInsole PaulJackson;AlbertJames;Da vidJarman;FrederickJenner;Hilda Jenner;JohnJinks;MandyJinks;Eric &SylviaJohns;BertJohnson;Alice Jones;GwenJones;RobJones;Seli naMaryJoanJones;TomJones;Eric

&IreneJordan;JennieKinsey;Faith Knowlton;Tom Knowlton;Tony Knowlton

Margaret Lacey; BobLamb; HeatherLamb; Margaret Anne Lamb;ValLamb;DorothyMayLane; EdwardStanleyLane

LeonardA.D.Lane;MarkLane; Pat&DennisLane;GenetteTerresaLeach;JohnLester;KeithLester; SimonDavidLewis;AnnLink;John Link;BarbaraLloyd;DennisLloyd; Florence Lloyd; Glyn Lloyd; Rose Lloyd;WalterLloyd;FrederickLuck; LouiseLuck Martha WinifredLuscott;Jim Lyall.

Robert&DorisMaddocks;HerbertJohnMaguire;Jimmy(Jr)Maguire;PhyllisMaguire;FredManagh; MurielManagh;Bob&VeraMans field;Joan&BillyMartin;MaryMar tin; George &MargaretMatthews; SusanMaxwell;MarjorieMay MauriceMay;Meg&HarryMaybury;Christine McArevey; Biddy McCollum;JoanMcCollum;Thomas McCollum; TommyMcCollum; Terence McCormick; Alan McCracken; StephenMcGuigan.

Fran Mcguire;JohnMcguire; Margaret Mcguire;Elfrida McKerlie;SombraMcKerlie;Sultan,Sheba, Mitzi&LuckyMcKerlie;JeanMerry; AlanMilner;BeatriceMinshall;RobertMoore

Willard&MargaretMoore;Betty Moorhouse;JamesMoorhouse;Alan Morgan;Bernard &Janet Morris;

CarolineMorris;Sandra(neeInions) Murphy;AllanMusgrove;JoyceMusgrove.

DerekNairn;BabyJoshuaNaujeer;Bette Nelson;Roy Kenneth Nicholls;Jack&DoreenNielsen;Mat thewNorton

DavidOnslow;JohnOnslow;William&DorisOnslow;Harold&Maud Overton; Harold Overton; Leonard Owen;StevenOwen;Robert&Peggy Owens.

Adam Pagett;Bernard Pagett; HildaPagett;AlanPalin;Ann&Peter Palin;SueParker;CyrilParkes;Ida Parkes;RayParsons;BertPayne;Ar nold&BeatricePeace;DavidPearce; HarryPearce;StephenPearce;Tom my Pearce;Bette Peate; Malcolm Peel

JohnPegge;DavidPenfold;Doris Penson;Molly&RalphPerkins;Margaret Petryk;MikePetryk; Roger JohnPickford;IsabellPike;Matilda Pitcairn;Gordon Pitchford; RosemaryPitchford;Frank&MaudPlant; Albert&EdithPoole

JamesPorteous;Brenda&George Postans;AlbertLeonardPotts;Glynn Pound;ChristinePreece.

Davey&RubyPrice;Joan,Ernest, John Price; IanPritchard;Norman Pritchard;SamuelPritchard;Sarah Pritchard; Stuart Pritchard; Doris Procter;LeslieProcter;JillianProtheroe;William Pugh;Bill Pyatt; George Pyatt; Marjorie Pyatt; Pat Pyatt.

Karoline Quirk; Philip Quirk;

ShirleyRafferty;JohnRalphs;Mary Ralphs;MichelleReves;Bertram Rhodes;KathleenRhodes; Oliver JohnCharlesRhodes;DavidWJRich ards;Gordon JohnRichards; Irene Richards;VictorCyrilRichards;John Richardson;StanleyRickus;Marga retRigby;ThomasVictorKevinRigby;EddieRiley;Floss&TomRiley.

Betty&DonRoberts;BrianRoberts;DavidRoberts;Dennis&Yvonne Roberts;Don&EdithRoberts;Edna Roberts; ElizabethRoberts;GeoffreyRoberts;IainRobertson;Winnie Robertson;GrahamRobinson;MarjorieRobinson;RexRobinson;John Roe; Iris Rogers; JulieAnn Round; JoyceRowley;AlbertRuff;Graham Rushton;TracyRushton

LilianSanders; Dennis &KathleenSavage;Gwen&AdySchneid; Wes&HildaSheward;GeoffShinner; SandraShinner;DoreenSimmons.

RoySimmons;VictorSkelding; Patricia Skelton; Jade Skitt; Betty Smallman;Roy Smallman;Samuel Smallman;BrendaSmith;Isabelle Smith;JamesSmith

Mary &HoraceSmith;Wesley Smith; DerekSmout;RubySmout; Ellen&EirnieSokolov;Shirley Stafford;GeorgeStarbuck; MargaretStarbuck; BrianStears; Dawn Stephens; Ernest Sumnall; Ernie Sumnall;IanSutcliffe;NeilAlexanderSutherland; Alan Swain; Beaty Swain; FrankSylvester;Margaret Sylvester.

Harold Tart;Chris Taylor;Ron &SheilaTaylor;SusanTaylor;Terry Taylor;Malcolm Terry; Jean Theobald; Adrian Thomas;Marjorie Thomas.

ShirleyThomas;VioletThomas; ErnieTipping;Ivy &Bill Tisdale; Ruby&ChrisTjiarris;Derek&Mar jotieTodd; ErnestineEma Tonks; HaroldTonks;RaymondTonks;Horace,Lillian,John&LouiseTranter; Melvin Tranter; Rebecca Tranter; RichardTranter;RitaTranter;ClaridgeTreadwell;MaryTuck;Pauline& BertTyrer.

Elizabeth Urquhart;JohnUrquhart;PeterVaughan.

BenjaminWakeman;James(Jim) Wakenell;AlfredWalker;CisWalker;ScottWalker;DavidWall;Gladys Wall;RegWall;FredWallace;Mary Wallace.

BarrieWallcroft;ElizabethWallcroft;RonWallcroft;SheilaWalsh; Frank&AudreyWard;GerryWard; JohnRichardWard;BrianWaterson; TerryWear; QuinnJohnWeaver; GrahamWelch;GemmaWells;Cyril &IanWelsby;OliveWeston

RichardWeston;Gladys&Doug Wheeler; Patricia Wheeler; Bill & Joyce White; Nicola-Jayne White; GeoffWilkes

JuliaAnnWilkes;DavidWilletts; CliveAnthony Williams;Leonard George&SylviaKathleenWilliams; Phyllis&IvorWilliams;BettyWilson; DerekWilson; Stan &Audrey Wilson;Irene Wilton;David Wirizlay;FrankWirizlay;KerryWithers; Phyllis Edna Withington;Ronald VictorWithington

GeoffWoolley;LiamAsh leyWragg; Simon Wray;Heather Wright;Julian&RachelWright;Rex WebbWycherley

HighSheriffofShropshireSelina Graham andPeter Seawardatthisyear’s TreeofLightlaunchevent

We should remember

how

we gotinto financial state

Followingherinterviewwith theShropshireStar, Ilistened toTammyWoodontheBBCand thoughtthatshe spokecommon sense,unlikeatleastoneofherfel lowinterviewees.

IalsosmiledatonenaiveCon servativeMP whosaidthatthe Boriselectionmachinewouldlead themtovictoryatthenextelec tion.Oncebitten,twiceshycomes tomind

AsanowformerConservative supporterinTelford in thelast threeelections,Iwouldliketoof feryoumyopiniononthecurrent situation.Firstly,Rishi Sunakis notmyPrimeMinister,Ididnot voteforhimandmoreimportant lyhewasroundlyrejectedbythe partymembership Ihavespokentomanypeople inthetownwhoaretotallydisgustedattheeventsandseveral

We must deal with climateproblem

Soup thrown at VanGogh’s Sunflowerpainting,AstonMartin showroom sprayedwithorange paint,KingCharles’ mannequin ‘pied’ at Madame Tussauds.How canthisbejustified?

Ibelievethat,ifpeoplegenu inelybelievethatacrimeagainst humanityandlifeitselfisbeingun dertakenandthatbeliefisbacked by scientific evidence, then yes theyhaveadutytodowhateverit takestopreventthatcrimetaking place.Foryearsnowwehavehad scientists tellingparliament that theconsequence of notcreating, ineffect,awareconomytoreduce carbonand methaneemissions thenmillionswilldieandsuffer

InWorldWarIIpeopleleftitto

politicianstoexplainandorganise sucharestructuringofeveryday lifeandourelderswereprepared toendurethosechangestodefend ourchildrenandcountryfromFas cism Unfortunately, ourcurrent leadersseemtohavedecidedto bepaidstoogestothefossilfuel industry,thatfightswithitsover whelmingwealthandpoliticalin fluence.Itisthisindustrialsector that is primarilyresponsible for the2,600 people whodiedas a consequenceofthelastheatwaves andthisisbutthestart.Delaysin dealingwithclimatechangewill leadtothesixthmassextinction

PatrickMcCarthy, Wellington

whosimplysaid‘whatdoyouexpectfromourpoliticians?’

Haseveryoneforgottenthat uptothreemonthsagoRishiwas our fiscal overlordrunningUK plcandnowsuddenlywearetold thatweareindesperatefinancial straightsandthattheverysame Rishiwillcomebackandsortout everythingthathasgonewrong?

AlanBarnett,Telford

So whowill they blame?

ItseemsthatMPsofallpoliticalpersuasions,whocampaigned tosackBorisJohnson,areresponsibleforcreatingankle-deepegg ontheflooroftheHouseofCom mons!

BorissteeredusoutofEurope, negotiatedthroughCovidandled theworldinresponsetotheinva sionofUkraineand,iflefttodothe job,wouldnodoubthavehelpedto easeusthroughthepresentinternationalcrisismuchfasterthanit willnowtake.

The‘holier than thou’ back benchbrigadeevenmissedouton thegoldenopportunitytoputhim back.Whowilltheyblamewhen they lose theirjobsatthe next election?

DEmery,Marchamley

Littercosts

Ireadrecentlythesetwostatements: 1. “48% of peopleadmitto dropping litter.The amount droppedeachyearintheUKhas increasedby500% sincethe 1960s

“Cleaninglitterfromstreets coststaxpayersaround£500million,not includingwhatitcosts tocleanupparksandotherpublicspaces.Sevenoutofeveryten

itemsofdiscardedlitterarefood packagingorwrappers.”

2. “Since 2016 theneedfor foodbankshasincreasedby81% In2020/21TrussellTrust’s1,400 centresdistributedover2.5mil lion emergencyfood parcelsto peoplehavingproblemswiththe benefit system,withchallenging lifeexperiencesandlackofsup port.”

Itoccurstomethatifweallal-

teredourslackapproachtolitter, ourlocalauthoritieswould have moremoneytogiveawayandour communitieswouldbeenhanced.

Iamsurethattherearemany otherwaysinwhich we waste moneythatcouldbeusedtohelp peopleastheybattletoovercome risingprices.Itwouldbeinterest ingtoknowwhatreadersthink

RoyWhittall,Oswestry

Monty

With Dogs Trust

Name:Monty

Breed:HuntawaycrossCollie

Age:1yearold

Montyisalivelyladwhoislooking forownerswhocankeepupwithhim mentallyandphysically!

Heisfriendlywhenhemeetspeo ple,buthiscleverColliemindissoon lookingforthingstokeephimoccu piedsohewillneedplentyoftraining tokeephisfocus.Toysaretheway tohisheartandheparticularlylikes

gameswithtennisballs–hewillplay fetchforhours!

Heisalsoplayfulwithotherdogs butcansometimesforgethismanners andbecomeover-excitable.Hecould livewithanexistingdoginhisnew homebuttheywillneedtomatchhis playstyleandbetolerantofMonty’s over-exuberant nature.Monty could livewithrespectfulolderchildren.

If you canoffer Monty aloving home,pleasegotohttps://www.dog strust.org.uk/rehoming/ to find out more

andisforever wantingtochaseanythingthat moves.“At three-years-oldshe isverynosy andnevermissesa trick,”theysaid. “She lovesacuddle andatickle,butlittle treatsareherfavourite.”Sendyourpet pictures todaniel.morris@mnamdia.co.uk

Surprise at pantomime Santas being urged to run

Thedirector andcast member ofthisyear’spantomimeinTelford says theaudiencewithbeableto enjoysome“spectacularmoments” whentheshowhitsthestagenext month.

SnowWhite andThe Seven DwarfswillrunattheTelfordThe atrefromDecember8toJanuary2 andfeaturesEastEnders favourite SamAttwater as ThePrinceand 90spop star LollyasThe Wicked Queen.ItalsofeaturesCarlDutfield asMuddles,ChloeBarlowasSnow White,SophieJaneWalters,playing FairyFortune,alongwithIanSmith, whostarsasDameDollyaswellas directingtheshow.“IthinkTelford isinforatreatthisyear,”Iansaid. “There’soneparticularsceneinact onewherewehavesomethingspectacularplannedthatTelfordhasneverseenbefore.”Youcanbooktickets attelfordtheatre.com

Charitycampaign is to help bringplayfun

By MatthewPanter

Achildren’scharityhaslaunched aChristmasappealtohelpfundmore specialisttoysforchildrenwithdisabilitiesandterminalillnesses

Newlife,theCharityforDisabled Children,loans Play TherapyPods for12weekstosuitdifferentages anddevelopmentalneeds.

Eachpodcostsupto£500,meaningthereisoftenawaitinglist–so thecharityiskeentofundmorefor childrensuchasGabriella-JayneCutlerfromTelford

Gabriella, aged two, wasborn withachondroplasia,oftenknownas dwarfism.Thisaffectsmostaspects ofherlifeandmakesevenplaying difficult.Forthefirst12monthsof herlife,shehadtolayflatonherback asshewasunabletositupbyherself andhadacurveinherspine

Butspecialisttoyshavemadea hugedifference.Gabriellahasbeen abletositupproperlybyherselffor thefirsttimeandevenplaywithher olderbrothers,Ben,Alex,andSam uel,thankstotoysinPlayTherapy Pods.Mumanddad,LauraandIan, weren’tsurewhichtoyswouldbest meetGabriella’sneeds,asshefinds itdifficulttoreachfortoysandto holdandgraspobjects.Butthefam

ilyhavenowtriedthreeofNewlife’s PlayTherapyPods–SensoryPlay, AnimalAdventure,andMulti-Senso ryPlay–todiscoverwhichsensory toysworkbestforher

Laurasaid:“Wearelovingtrying outallthedifferenttoys.Thesenso ryandinteractivetoyshavereally helpedstimulateherinterestinplay ing.Shelovedthetoysthatmoveand makeanoise,suchasthelizardin

theanimalpodwhichlitup.Thisen couragedhertoreachoutandgrab thetoys, whichhas improvedher coremusclesandstability.”

SallyInsley, head of public fundraising, said:“Thetoysin ourPlayTherapyPodscanbejust as life-changingasthe disability equipmentweprovideforchildren throughgrantsandloans.”

Todonate,visitnewlife.social

RunningSantasarebeingurged togettheirredandwhitesuitson andenjoythegreatoutdoorsinaid ofcharity.

TheannualChristmasFunRun inTelfordTownParkwilltakeplace onDecember4andisexpectedto seehundredsofpeopleruninaidof MidlandsAirAmbulanceCharity.

Theevent,whichwasstartedby voluntarygrouptheFriendsofTelfordTownParkin2007,hasgrown inpopularityovertheyearsandis agreatfamilyfuneventwithmany peopledressedasSanta,elves,reindeerandinotherfestivegear.

A2km anda 5kmcoursewill beavailableforrunnerstoparticipateinafteralivelywarmupsetto Christmasmusicandtherunwillbe officiallystartedbytheMayorofTel ford,CouncillorRajMehta.

ColinThompson,vicechairman oftheFriendsofTelfordTownPark, whichhelps to marshall theevent andprovidessupporttotheorgan isingcharity,said:“Itistheperfect chancetogetdressedupandhave funasafamilyandagreatopportu nitytoexplorethewonderfulsitewe haveatTelfordTownParkandraise moneyforaworthwhilecause.”

Onthedayrunnerscanbookin from10.30amandtheeventstarts officiallyat12midday–preregis trationisencouragedtoavoiddis appointment,whichyoucandoonlinenowatmidlandsairambulance. com/2022xmasfunrun

Gabriella-Jayne Cutler plays withmum Lauraattheir Telfordhome

Carl,Chloe andIan

Sixthformfocussed on studentsuccess

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Madeley AcademySixth Form continuestobein thetop five percentofpro viders in thecountry after anotherset of excellent exam resultsand destinations.

They have an outstandingrecord of accomplishment on securing places at RussellGroup universities,including students gainingoffersin Medicine andEngineering.

“A keyfactorinthissuccess is the full time in-house careersteamwho supportstudentswithindividualised career plans,”saysClare Snik, Head of SixthForm&Careers

Thereare many enrichment opportunitiesfor students, includingthe NHSYoung VolunteerScheme, Further Maths outreachproject with Keele University andUniversity of Warwick pathways programmes in Law, Busi ness andEngineering,alongside work experience placements

“AtMadeley we provide asupportive environmentwhere students can flour ish,”saysLadyMaria Satchwell, Head teacher.“We have shownconsistent commitment to academic excellence

anddestination success.But,it’sabout morethanthat, we care about ourstu dents andwantthe very best foreach individual.”

Theschool-basedsixth form benefits from theirown sixthformfacilities in cludinga café,university-style study centres, and4ITsuites, whichpro motesindependence whilst also offeringspecialist subjectteacher support.

MadeleyAcademy offers 22+vocational andacademicsubjectsatA-level andBTEC. Students take afourcourse profile to give breadthintheir studies.

Find outmoreatthe MadeleyAcademySixth Form Open Eveningon Tuesday,November22, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm

MadeleyAcademy

Tips to help cut flowerslook greatfor as long as possible

Expertsshare budget-friendly ideastokeep thecold at bay

SAMWYLIE-HARRIS PressAssociation

Cut flowersare populardecora tive piecestohaveinthe home andwiththe rightcareand attention, they canlastlonger than many people think

Common mistakes when look ingafter cut flowersinclude making bluntcutsand not cleaning thevaseregularly ChrisBonnett,founder of GardeningExpress,sharestips on howtolookaftercut flowers: Choose theright vase Theright vase candetermine how longyour flowersstayfresh forand choosing therightvase dependsonthe type of flowers you have.Heavier flowerar rangements should be keptin ashort vase andshouldhave shortstems.A lighterselection of flowerscan be placed in atall er vase.

Usethe flower food pro vided –Mostcut flowerscome with apacket of flower food.Fill up thevaseand addthe sachet into thewater.You canmake yourown at home.Mix together twotablespoons of lemonjuice, onetablespoonofsugar andhalf ateaspoonofbleachfor everyli tre of water.

Keep the flowersaway from heat –You maythink placingcut flowersnearsun lightisbestfor theirgrowthbut actually,cut flowersthriveina cooler environment.

Change thewater every otherday –Bacteriathrives in stalewater so it’s importantto change thewater around every otherday to keepthe water freshand getthe most outof your flowers.

Don’tforget to wash the vase –Eachtimeyou change thewater in yourvase, you’ll also want to give it areallygood cleanwithwarmsoapy water. Don’tforgettogiveitagood rinse to ensure allofthe soapy residueisoff

Cutyour flowersproperly –Makesureyou have asharp knifeorsecateurs andcut the stem at a45degreeangle each time you replacethe waterin thevase.

Cleanupfoliage below waterlevel –It’simportant to keep thewater in yourvase cleansoyou should cleanupany foliagethatisonthe stemsbe lowwater level

n Formoreadviceonhow to care for flowersvisit Garde ningExpress

It’s been an unseasonably mild autumn,but winter is looming–andwe’dprefertofocus on thejoys of thefestive season,ratherthan worryingabout energy bills.

If you wanted to keep household costsdownand yourhome nice and cosy,there area fewsimplesteps you cantaketomakea difference

BLEED THERADIATORS

Firstup, ensure yourheating system is working efficiently, with theboilerpressureset betweenone andtwo bars

AnyDIY shop will have aradia torkey if you’vemislaid yours.It’s importanttobleed theradiators to getrid of anytrapped air, making sure they’reworking to full capaci ty.Justdon’t forget an oldtea tow el to catchexcesswater that might leak outinthe process.

REARRANGE THEFURNITURE

It’s understandabletowantyour sofa or WFHdesknearthe radiator –but make sure they’renot posi tioned so closethatheatcan’t circu late around theroom.

Likewise,you mightwanttomove yourbed or favourite accent chair away from thewindowsoyou’re notsitting or sleeping in adraught This is also agoodopportunityto bringinbrightcolourschemes and soft furnishingstovisually‘warm up’the room

KEEP THEDOORS CLOSED

No matter how smallorbig your space,adoorleftajarisaninvita

tion forheattoescape–sokeep doors firmly closed to make the most of thewarmth.

FITSELF-ADHESIVE FOAM STRIPS

Oneofthe easiestDIY tricks is to applyself-adhesive foam strips to windowsand doors. Placethe strips alongwindowjointsand door jams wherever you mightfeeladraught anditwill help keep thecoldatbay

DRAW THECURTAINSAND BLINDS

Closingthe curtains andblinds will help keep thewarmthin– and oneofthe bonusesofthe clockshav inggonebackisyou won’tfeellike you’reshutting outdaylightwhenit starts to getdarkaround4pm

Andifpossible, now is probably agoodtimetoremove anyradiator covers,tomaximise hotair circu lating around theroom.

GO SMALL

If you’redeterminedtoreallycut down on centralheatingcosts, you couldconsiderusing small, portable heaters– such as oil-filled radiators or smartfan heaters.

An oil-filled radiator canbe switched on wherever you are, and arebrilliantatretaining heat.With an adjustable thermostat you can choose thetemperatureyou want, andit’seasytocarry between rooms.

THINK THERMAL CURTAINS

Thermalcurtain liningscan be a lifesaver,withvarious optionsout there. Designedtoblock outlight (makingthemexcellent in thesum mer),theyare also speciallycoated to reduce loss of heat andregulate room temperaturethroughoutthe year

Youcan buythemready-made, with eyelet andpencilpleat options, or optfor lining kits –which arede signed to hang behind yourexisting curtains, so they’rehidden from view

HOTBOTTLES AREN’TJUSTFOR BEDTIME

Hotwater bottles have always been popularthistimeofyear, and area cheapand cheerful wayto keep cosy.Rightnow,fauxfur ver sionswithpom poms aretrending bigtime.

LAYERUP

Whetherit’sa shaggy rug, fluffy blankets, woolly jumpersorcosy socks –layerscan really help keep you warm inside.Hatsare also an obvious,but brilliantway to pre servebodyheat.

Keepingyourplantswarmand cosy this winter

With thecoldweather of winter on theway,it’sbecomingmoreand more importanttokeepindoor plants warm andcosysotheycan surviveand thrive into spring

That’s whythe gardeningex pertsat GardenBuildingsDirect. co.ukhavenamed themosteffec tive ways indoor plantloverscan keep theheatin this winter

Here areGarden BuildingsDi rect’s tips to keepindoorplants warm this winter:

1. Find thewarmest room Theeasiest waytomakesurein door plants stay an idealtempera ture this winter is to find outwhich room in thehouse is the warmest. Make surethatthisroomhas a good levelofsunlightduringthe

Don’toverwater plantsinwinter

dayand keep moving the plants to thewarmest,bestlit spot in the room

2. Bubblewrap –Another simple tricktokeepindoorplants warm is to wrap layers of bub blewraparoundthe plant potto

containas much heat as possible around theplants.

3. Heat mats –Heatmatscan be abit more expensive, butthey area fantasticoptionfor keeping indoor plants warm as theweath er gets colder.Heatmatsare thin sheets of plasticwhich have heat ingelementsinside. Themat is plugged in andthe surfaceheats up

4. On topof thefridge –This mayseemanunusualideatokeep plants warm –but in fact electric fridges actasheatmatsthem selves.The topofthe fridge often produces some heat,sokeeping plants on topofthe fridge will al lowthe plants to absorbsomeheat fornoextra cost

5. Space heaters –Using in door space heaters forplantsisa more costly idea butprovidesan effectivesourceofheattokeep indoor plants at theright temper ature. If using spaceheaters,make sure that plants aren’t placed di rectly in frontofthe heaters, oth erwise they couldget toohot

6. Waterindoor plants care fully –Indoorplantsare suscep tibletoover-wateringduringthe winter months, sincetheydon’t need as much waterastheydodur ingthe spring andsummer.Spray ingwater mist over theplants will help them grow in thedry air whilst avoiding over-watering.

n Formoreexperttipsvisit www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/

As theconversation heatsuparoundthe cost-of-living crisis, many of us arelooking forthe easiestwaysto stay warm at home withoutrunningupthe bills.

Thereare some easy ways to stay warm and keep your home nice andcosythiswinterwithoutblowing thebudget

WhyVitaminC should be on your skin care menu

Citedbycelebrities includingactorNicoleKidman, modelAshley Graham andHudaBeautyfounder Huda Kattan,Skinceuticals CE

Ferulicisthe gold standard when it comestoVitamin Cserums.

At £150 abottle, thecultclassic comeswithanA-listprice tagtoo, butyou canget yourdaily dose of VitaminCwithout breaking the bank

Whyare beauty buffsand fa mous facessoobsessedwiththe nutrient we usuallyconsume via fruitand vegetables?Weasked expertstoexplain everything you need to know aboutVitamin Cand skincare…

n What is VitaminC? “VitaminCorascorbicacidisawater-solublevitamin whichcannot be stored in thebody,”saysDr SarahBrewer, medicaldirectorat Healthspan(healthspan.co.uk)

“A regularintakeistherefore essentialand food sourcesinclude most fruitand vegetables,especiallycitrusfruit,berries,black currants, capsicumpeppers, kiwi fruitand greenleaves.”

n What arethe benefits of Vi taminCinskincare? “Adding VitaminCtoyourskincarerou tine will brighten yourcomplexion andalso protectagainst damage causedbyharmful environmental

free radicals,”explainsDrDerrick Phillips, consultant dermatologist. Theantioxidant effect increases theskin’sresilience to pollution andreduces sundamage, he says: “Italso stimulates newcollagen formation, whichin turn keepsthe skin youthfuland plump.”

n Do some skin typesbenefit more than others? –“Vitamin Cisgoodfor allskintypes,” says Shotter, butthose with sensitive skin or acne should be careful. “A sensitiveskintypemightbeirritatedbyapotentVitamin Cformu lation –theymay useother [formu las] whichare slightly gentlerand water soluble.”

Take stepstoensureseason doesn’tleave youfeeling low

HEATHERLARGE heather.large@mnamedia.co.uk

During this time of year when thenightsdrawin earlier, it is common for peopletodevelop and exhibitsymptomsofsea sonalaffective disorder (SAD).

Martin Preston, Founderand ChiefExecutive at Delamere,has shared some keytipsonhow to manage this type of disorder

He says:“Seasonal affectivedis orderismet with arange of symp toms.These days,you maybesleep ingmorethanusualand therefore findingithardtowakeup. Similar ly,you maybeexperiencinga loss of interest in day-to-day activities and arefeeling generallyanxious, irri tableand low.

“Asdifficult as this time of year maybe, it’s importanttoknowthat thereare plenty of proactivesteps you cantaketoeaseyoursymp toms.”

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH DAYLIGHT

As we head into thedarkwinter months, it’s importanttomakethe most of daylightasmuchas possible. If youworkindoors, open any curtains or blinds to letinas much lightas possible.Another beneficial thingtodoistoworkbyawindow to make you feel abit more close to nature andthe outsideworld Sprucing up theenvironment you’re in will also help.For example, you couldinvestinhouseplants or deco rate yourhome with wall art.

MAINTAINYOUR DAILYSCHEDULE

Theseasons arechanging, but that doesn’tmeanyourschedulehas to If you’reusedtogoing foramorningrun,sticktothisroutine.The weathermay be colder,but you can always wrap up.Ifyou’vegotten into thehabit of goingintothe of fice more over thesummermonths, carrythisondespite thechillier mornings.Setting yourself goalsfor

theday will also putyou into amore motivated mindset.

EXERCISE OFTEN

When youexercise,yourbodyreleases endorphins, whichin turn hasapositive effect on yourmood. So,makeita habit of shakingaway thosewinterblues with regular physicalactivity. If intensiveexercise doesn’tsound likethe best thing, perhapsjustmakeitatarget of goingout forawalkeveryday thefresh airwilldoyou wonders! Youmay also benefitfromengaging in mindfulpractices such as medi tation to combat stress levels

EATWELL

Sticking to ahealthy,balanced

diet is certainlyapositive step you cantaketomanageyourseasonal affectivedisorder.Afterall,your brainfunctions better when you eatwell. As theweather gets cold er,you couldalso use this time to make warm,heartyrecipes in the kitchen. From pies to spicycurries, be as experimental as youwant! Be sure to also drinkenoughwater throughoutthe daytokeepyou hy drated andenergised

KEEP IN REGULAR WITH LOVEDONES

Anothercommon symptomofsea sonalaffective disorder is findingit hard to stay in touchwithfriends andfamily. Whileitcan be quite tempting to stay secluded in your ownbubble, it’s importanttoknow that reaching outtoloved oneswill

make you feel alittlelessinyour head.Withthisinmind, make it a habitofregularly messagingpeople andorganisingcatch-ups from time to time

AMPUP YOUR SELF-CARE ROUTINE

Finally, forthose especially tough days, having thebestself-care plan foryourselfisessential.Inmaking this, thinkabout what makesyou happy. This couldbeyourfavourite series or perhapssomethingas simple as runninga bath.Whatever it is, make sure yourself-care plan is guaranteed to boostyourmood or at leastprovide youwithasense of comfort.

n Formoreadvice, visitdelamere.com/addiction-treatment/ mental-health

It’s good to talk before taking thenextbig step of living together

Moving in together canbeanexcit ingstepfor couples– andwithrent, mortgage andlivingcosts going throughthe roof,itmight be some thingyou’vedecidedtodoalittle more quicklythanusual.

However,asjoyfulasthismove canbe, therewill be lots to think about– living together brings up newconsiderationsand dynamics to navigateand it’s importantyou cancommunicate

So,whatshouldcouples talk aboutbeforemovingin together?

1. Your expectations: Some peoplewill seemovingintogetheras asteptowards even more commitment within arelationship, whilst others will seeitassomethingthat works forthemright now, without lookingtoo farahead,”saysQuinn “Makesureyou’rebothonthe same page –and don’tassumemovingin todaymeans marriedtomorrow, or even next year.”

2. How you’re goingto divide household chores: Quinn says: “There’s alot that comeswithsharinga space –alot of dirtydishes, pilesoflaundry andshoppingto get. Chat aboutwho is goingtobe responsiblefor what before diving in,” shesuggests. “Whilsthelpful to be organised, it’s also agood ex ercise to ensure that both partiesof therelationshipare committed and it’s notone-sided.”

3. Costsand finances: Many of us shyawayfromtalking about mon ey.But it’s really importantfor couplestobeabletodiscussthis, says Quinn

“Withthe cost of living crisis dominating headlines, nowisa greattimetobemorecandidabout your finances with apartner,” she says.“What canyou afford?What’s yourcredithistory?Whatthings areworth prioritising?And how are you goingtodivideup rent andbill payments?”

4. Whoelseisgoing to be shar ingyourspace?: You’re setting up ahome together –soboundaries around whoelseisgoing to be comingand goingisdefinitely some thingtothink about

“Althoughthismay notbeanimmediatequestiontoask,itisstill avalid pointtoconsider,”agrees Quinn.“Does someone want apet? Does oneofyou have abestfriend whoisalwayscrashingonthe couch? Is one of you more sociable andprone to throwing partiesthan theother?Doessomeone workfrom home?These questionswill enable you to getclear about how you’re goingtouse thespace anddivide it equally,”saysQuinn.“Although it will be asharedhome,remember that you’remorethanentitledto yourown quietsanctuary to revert to when you need.”

5. What’s your emergencyplan if it doesn’tworkout?: This mightsound negative –but it’s ac tually ahealthy sign to be able to talk aboutthese things with care This mightinclude an action plan, as well as both individualshaving an ’emergency savingsfund’ should you suddenly need to move out.

Thewintercan proveachallenge time formanypeople butthere arethings youcan do to help

Fruitand

Washington on amission Janineinfall down stairs

SATURDAY

Man on Fire(2004) (Channel 4, 11.45pm)

FormerCIAcounter-terroristoperativeJohnCreasy(DenzelWash ington)movestoMexicoCityand reluctantlytakesajobasaprivate bodyguardforprecociousnine-year old Pita (DakotaFanning), whose family’swealthmakesheratarget forkidnappers.Whenthenightmare happensandthelittlegirlisabductedandthenkilled,hemakesithis life’sworktotrackdownthosere sponsible.

SUNDAY

Surge (2020) (BBC2, 10pm)

This unnervinglyclaustropho bic characterstudy is thefeature debutofacclaimedshort-filmdirec torAneilKaria.A sociallyawkward loner,playedby BenWhishaw, loosensthehinges onhisfragilemen talstate andspi rals sickeningly outofcontrol

Strictly’s by seasidein

Towerballroomreturn

Strictly Come Dancing: Blackpool Special (BBC1, 7.45pm,

Saturday)

It mayusually be filmedat Elstree Studios, butthere’sno doubtthatStrictlyComeDancing’s spiritualhomeisintheTowerBallroomatBlackpool.

TheBlackpool episodehas be come aStrictlytradition –and an importantmilestoneforthecontest ants.Thecelebritiesoftensaythey wanttomakeittoHalloween,then Blackpool,andthenafterthat,they cantruly startthinkingabout the glitterballtrophy.Butinthelasttwo years,theannualjaunthashadtobe abandoned.Nowthegoodnewsis thatthisyearStrictlywillonceagain bebesidetheseaside

Thelasttimetheymadethetrip wasin2019, when KarimZeroual andKelvinFletchertiedatthetopof theleaderboardwithaCharleston anda jive respectively,while Mi chelle Visage left thecompetition afterher CouplesChoicetoVogue failedtowinovertheviewers.

Butwhowillbestruttingtheir stuffonthefamoussprungdance floorthisweek?

Theremainingcoupleswillhope tocomeupwithmoreshow-stopping routines tonightthatwill impress judges Shirley Ballas,Craig Revel Horwood,MotsiMabuseandAnton

DuBekeand,moreimportantly,the votingpublic ThenonSundaynight,TessDaly andClaudiaWinklemanrevealwho’s madeitthroughandwhohastoperformagain,whilethere’salsoamusi calinterludecourtesyofEurovision heroSamRyder

EastEnders (BBC1)

AfterattendingascanwithMick, Janine (Charlie Brooks)returns to theVictowindLindaupaboutthe pregnancy.However,theexpectant mumhaslesstogloataboutwhen shelaterfallsdownthestairsatthe tube station.Ben warnsLolashe needstotellLexiaboutthediagnosis andAlfiereceivesbadnews.

Coronation Street (ITV)

Hopepockets£75fromthesale ofthebooksaboutJohnStapeshe foundintheshedandannouncesto herclassmatesthatshe’splanninga specialtributetoherbiologicalfa ther–involvingareadingandaham mer. Nick accompaniesSam to his meetingwithHarvey,StephanieBeachamreturnsasMarthaandLeanne triestoscupperthebistrosale.

Emmerdale (ITV)

ChloeaccusesPriyaofbeingAl’s mysterywoman. Mackenzieismore worried about Chloespillinghis secretsand Liam andLeyla decide they aren’t good foreachother

Editor’s weekend pick

Films for the weekend Your guide to the soaps

The Strictly class of 2022.Onlyeighthave madeittoBlackpool.

ManonFire

Charlie Brooks

Tosaywe’realllookingforwaystosave moneythiswinterisanunderstatement

Thankstosoaringenergybillsandrising foodprices,we’rechangingthewaywecook andheatourhomes–andwe’reeyeingup electricalapplianceslikeneverbefore.

“We’reallfeelingthepinchrightnow,but we’vegotlotsofideastohelpcustomerssave energy,reducefoodwasteandusethethings theybuyforlonger,”saysWendyMiranda, consumerexpertatLakeland.

Shesayscustomersareusingtheinfor mationfromtheir‘Spendsmart,livewell’ campaigntomakeinformeddecisions–and buyingproductssuchasairfryers,Dry:Soon airers,anditemstoaidcookingwiththemi crowave.

Elsewhere,CiraJones, assistantbrand manageratRussellHobbs,says:“We’vewit nessedahugespikeindemandacrossthe boardformoreenergy-efficientappliances.”

Here’swhat’shotandsellingfast:

1. Homcom Multifunctional Airfryer, £71.99(9L),Groupon

Airfryersareenjoyingamomentinthe sun–bigtime.Thisbeautyboastssevenpro

By Sam Wylie-Harris

grammablemenus,withpresetsforfavour ites,suchaschips,chicken,shrimpandsteak (for days when you’re treating yourself), bakinganddehydrator.Withapreheatfunc tion,it’ssaidtocookfood50%fasterthana conventionalovenwithasavingof36%on energy

2.GoodToGoMulti-Cooker,currently £69.99from£79.99,RussellHobbs

It’sawin-winwiththissuperversatile kitchenkit.Thereareeightfunctionstoin spireafusionofglobalrecipes,withoptions tosear,roast,sousvide,slowcook,steam, rice,boilandkeepwarm.Betterstill,when everything’scookedtoperfection,thecast aluminiumhousing potcan be brought straighttothetable

3. Lakeland Microwave Cookware: Soup Mug, £4.99(690ml);Lidded Sauce pan, £7.99(900ml);Multi-Steamer, £12.99(2.1L);restofitems from aselec tion,Lakeland

Whetheryou’reheatingupamugofsoup

orsteamingveggies,rice,chickenorfish,this microwavecookwarerangeinracingredis brightandbeautiful

4. RussellHobbsCeramicBlack Port able Upright FanHeater, £29.99,Russell Hobbs

Cuteandcompact,thisenergy-efficient ceramicfanheatercanbecarriedfromroom toroom,sononeedtoheatthewholehouse Lightweight,withbuilt-inadjustablethermo statandtwoheatsettings,it’ssuitablefora standardsizedroom,upto15m²

5. Dry:Soon Drying Pod, £99.99; Dry:Soon Mini-3Tier Heated Airer, £129.99; rest of itemsfromaselection, Lakeland

Designedtoholdupto12itemsonhang ers,thisprizedpodflowshotairaroundyour clothesandiscitedascosting34pperhour. Whilethe3-tierairerholdsupto15kgof washingandcanbeneatlyfoldedaway

6. Bedsure Electric Heated Throw Blanket(130x160cm),£54.99,Amazon

Whenit’stimetosnuggledownonthe sofa,youcan’tbeataheatedthrowblanketto staywarmandcosy.

Rose hips forwinterdecorations

Trytoavoiddeadheadingthelastofyour roses,becausetheirhipswillprovideyou withredandburntorangeshadesthrough winter

Theeye-catchinglittlefruitsareactually theseedpodsoftheflowerandcanbeused toaddlustretoChristmasdecorations,or evenfeatureinsimplefestivewreathsfor yourfrontdoor

Alotofrosesgrownfortheirhipsas wellastheirflowersareusedashedging, becausemanytendtobetallandwildin theirgrowth,whileramblersandclimbers producegreattrussesofflowers,whichwill allbecomehipsifleftalone.Ifyouhavere peatfloweringroses,youcandeadheadthe earlierblooms,butleavethelateronesto develophips

Whichrosesarebestforhips?

“Roses from theRosamoyesiifamily boastsomeofthemostattractivehips,”sug

gestsPhilipHarkness,managingdirector ofrosebreederHarknessRoses.“Theyare orangetoredincolourandshapedlikean upturnedflagon.”

SarahSquire,chair of Squire’s Garden Centres,adds:“Inmygardenthebesthips arefoundonsweetbriarroses(Rosarubigi nosa),whichareinamixednativehedgewe plantedwithwildlifeinmind.Ourclimbers ‘TheSimpleLife’andthe‘TheGenerousGar dener’alsohaveagooddisplay.”

IanLimmer,nurserymanageratPeter Beales Roses, recommends ‘Scharlachglut’ (‘ScarletFire’),ahandsome,hardy shrub bearinganabundanceofrich,scarlet-crim sonsingle flowers with pronounced gold enstamensfollowedbylargehipscarried throughoutmostofwinter.

HealsoratesRosahelenae,avigorous tree-climbinglatefloweringrambler,with creamywhiteflowers. Alot of rosesare used as hedging

Dry:Soon Drying Podand heated airers, Lakeland

Black PortableUprightFan Heater, Russell Hobbs

Deaths

CLARK Joseph

Of Trench.

Passed away suddenly at the Royal ShrewsburyHospital on Tuesday,October 18, 2022.

Aged 75 years.

Loving Fa ther to Christopher,Dominic and Robin and amuch loved Brother and Uncle.

AFunera lS er vice to take place at Telford CrematoriumonMonday, November 28, 2022 at 12.30pm.

Family flowers only please.

Donations if desired for AGE UK for which purpose acollection boxwill be provided at the Crematorium.

Inquiries please to

GRIFFITHS

Of Cressage, passed away at The LadyForester Nursing Home on Monday,November 7, 2022, aged 91 years.

Beloved Husband of Jean,a much loved Father of Jayne and aspecial Grandfather of Stephen, Jamie and Katie.

He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Funeral Service to take place at Emstrey Crematorium, ShrewsburyonMonday, November 21 at 11.30am.

Family flowers only by request but donations if so desired to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity

All donations willbevery much appreciated, for whichpurpose adonations boxwill be provided at the Crematorium.

All inquiries to

PRICE

Thomas Herbert

Of The Lindens, Shifnal.

At the Old RectoryNursing Home, Albrighton on October 31, 2022.

Aged 94 years.

Devoted and much loved Husband of Doreen, who will be forever rememberedby all his Family and Friends.

Funeral Service,1.30pm, Tuesday,November 29 at St Andrew’s Church, Shifnal followed by aP rivate Cremation.

No flowers by request.

Donationswhich will be divided between Cancer Research and The Resident’s Care Fund at the Old Rectory Nursing Home, would be appreciated.

All inquiries

Passed awaysuddenly at home on November 7, 2022, aged 79 years.

Devoted Wife to Malcolm.

LovingMum to Adrian and Tracey

Precious Nan to Anne-Marie and Rob, Vanessa and Simon, Ryan and Abbie, andLuke.

Proud Great-Nan to George, Poppy-Anne and Ariella-Mai.

Funeral Service to be held at HolyTrinity Church,Hadley on Wednesday,December 7, 2022at1pm followed by CommittalatTelford Crematorium.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired for Telford Arthritis Society for which purpose acollection boxwill provided in Church.

All Inquiries

TRANTER Jean

nee Perrins

Of St. Georges.

Passedawaypeacefullyon November 3, 2022.

Aged 87 years.

Devoted Wife of the late Colin.

Much loved Mum to Paul and Neil.

Dear Mother-in-law to Michelle and Catherine and atreasuredNanny and Great-Nan.

Funeral Service to be held at Telford Crematorium on Thursday,November 24, at 10.30am.

Floral tributes welcome.

Donations if desiredfor acharity of the Family’s choice for which purpose a collection boxwill be provided at the Crematorium.

All inquiries please

Funeral Services

Monumental Masons

G.J.WrightMonumentalMason

www.wrightsmemorials.co.uk Email:guy@wrightsmemorials.co.uk 01743623621

Acknowledgements

HUGHES

Jenny,Sean,

MaryButler

Bob

George

Olwyn

Phyllis

Ron

Shirley

Iain

Irene Tonry Sarah Toon Malcolm Watson

Shropshire Fire Fighter

Passed away peacefully at home on November 8, 2022.

Aged 72 years.

Dearlyloved Husband, Dad and Grandad.

Funeral Service to be held at Telford Crematorium on Monday,December 5, 2022 at 11.30am.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired to be dividedbetween Air Ambulance and Severn Hospice for which purpose a collectionbox will provided at the Crematorium

All inquiries please to

MIDDLE

HilaryGeorgina

nee Hayward

Latterly of Hadley, Telford, passed away peacefully at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield on October 25, 2022, aged 85 years.

Much loved Wife of the late John, loving Mum to Davidand Ian,Grandma to Sarah, Anna and Evie and Mother-in-law to Janet and Jill,she will be sadly missed by all her Family and Friends.

The Funeral Service will be held at 10.30am on Monday, November21atTelford Crematorium.

Fa mily flowers only or if desi red, dona tions to Dementia UK or Pancreatic Cancer UK wouldbeappreciated, for which purpose acollection boxwillbeprovided at the Crematorium.

All inquiries please

SMITH

Barbara Joan nee Hinks

Of Dawley, passed away at home on October 26, 2022, aged 82 years.

Devoted and loving Wife of Derek, much loved Mum to David, Jayne and the late Colin, proud Nan to Colleen, Thomas, James and Joseph and Great-Granddaughter Alanah.

Funeral Service at Telford Crematorium on Saturday, November 26 at 10.30am.

Familyflowersonly,but if desired,donations for Children in Need would be appreciated.

All inquiries to

Passed away peacefully at the Princess Royal Hospital after ashort illness on October 31, 2022, aged 70 years.

Beloved Wife of Lewis.

Loving Mom to Nic, Andy, Hayley,Dan, Ollie and Mikey and adevoted Nanny

Funeral Service to be held at Wombridge Parish Church on Wednesday,November 30, 2022at11.30am, followed by aCommittal in Wombridge Cemetery.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired for Cancer Re sear ch UK for which pur pose a collection boxwill be provided in Church.

All Inquiries to

WILCOX

Christopher Robin

Of Newfield Court, Trench, Telford.

Passed away peacefully on November 2, 2022, aged 60 years.

Loving Brother,Uncle, Cousin,Nephew and a Friend to many

FuneralService 10.30am Wednesday,November 23, 2022 at Telford Crematorium.

Donations if desired for the British Heart Foundation would be appreciated.

All inquiries to

Donations

Raymond Alun

Sarah, Heidi and Daniel would like to express their sincere gratitude for all the wonderfulpeople who were there to say their good byes and helped with so much loveand kindness during our exceptionally sad time.

of £1,010 have been made to Help for Heroes and Parkinson’s UK.

DENSTON Tom Of Trench. Retired

TIPTON

Jacqueline Thelena (Jacqui) Of Trench.

Michael Asser George Beckett Rhys Bowen

Muriel Brisbourne

Spencer Davies Cheryl Fellows

Greenhough

Johnson

Jones

Jones Patricia Jones

McBride

Moore June Parsons Patricia Parsons Benjamin Reading

Robertson

SMITH

Christine Winifred nee Pickering Of Hadley

George Edward

TO READERS

readers purchase from this kind of establishment.

SENIOR JOURNALISTS

The MidlandNewsAssociation, publisher of the Express &Starand Shropshire Star,islooking forseniorjournalists to join its team.

This is the ideal role forambitious, dedicatedand enthusiasticjournalists with aproventrack record of digging out the bestoff-diarynewsstories, features and analysis.

As amulti-media journalist, youmustbecomfortable producing contentfor all of ourprintand digital platforms –fromin-depth news features forour newspapers, to breaking news articles forour websites, as well as covering storiesas theyhappen on liveblogs.

The ideal candidateswill be able to come up with ideas and delivercompelling stories on aconsistent basis.

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If youare interestedinthis role, please send a copy of your CV and coveringletter forthe attention of the editor-in-chief, MartinWright, to: hr@claverleygroup.co.uk

Closing date Friday, November 25

Show-stopper styling forLexus

formationand displays detailssuch as localfuelpricesand parking.

When it comestodramaticstyling,Lexus has fewpeers andthe ES300 embraces elegancewith state-of-the-arttechnol ogy.

Basedonthe firm’s Global Archi tecture-Kplatform, it haswhatthe Japanese firm describesas‘Provoc ativeElegance’

Thefourthgenerationself-charg inghybridsystemcouples a2.5-li tre four-cylinderpetrolenginewith acompact electric motortodeliver 215hp/160kWand combined cycle fuel economyofa claimed50.4to 53.2mpg. Thelatestrevisions for 2022 deliveranupgrade to themul timediasystem, interior changes andnew colours.

Cloud-based navigationisnow in cluded with themultimediasystem, together with improvedrecognition of voicecommandsand wireless smartphone integrationusing Ap pleCarPlay.Annoyinglyfor An droidusers you still need to plug into aUSB port

Theuprated navigationgives ac cess to real-timeroadand trafficin

If cloudconnectionshouldbelost, an embeddednavigationprovided on higher grademodelscan be used.

Theupgradeddatacommunica tionsmodule(DCM)allowsthe ve hicletocommunicate with mobile networks andthe internet andto access theircar remotely usingthe LexusLinksmartphoneapp

This canlockorunlockthe doors, operatethe hazard lights andset theair conditioning beforemaking ajourney

Inside,the centre console has been revised, providingtwo cup holdersand USB-A andUSB-C portsfor playback anddevicecharg ingrespectively.

Theexterior is still abit of ashow stopper, with asculpted profile and signaturespindlegrille, whilethe F-Sportaddsthose sporty touches, withoutdetractingfromthe overall elegance of thecar.F-Sport styl ingincludessportsfront seatsem bossedwiththe F-Sportemblem andstrikingaluminium trim

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Despite thepremium pricetag, thelistofkit representsgood value andincludesDAB radio,front and rear parkingsensors andreversing camera,power-adjustable, heated frontseats, power-adjustable steer ingcolumn,sunroof, rear privacy glassand dual-zoneclimate control.

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FACTFILE

LEXUSES300HF-SPORT

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NewGrandland adds to GSerange

Vauxhall haswidened itsnew electr fied performanceGSe line-upwiththe introductionofthe newGrandland GSe.

Followingthe Astra GSe, theGrand land GSebringsa similartheme to th latest entryintoVauxhall’selectrified performancesub-brand

It uses a1.6-litre turbocharged pe rolengine, whichisthencombined with twoelectricmotorstobring 296bhpi total, alongsidefueleconomy of up to 217.3mpg andCO2 emissionsofb tween29and 31g/km,depending on specification

Vauxhall claims theGrandland GS will manage the0-60mph sprint in ju undersix secondsbeforehitting atop speed of 146mph.Vauxhallhas also given theGrandland GSeamoreper formance-orientatedsuspensionsetup, alongsideauniquesteering calibra tion

It gets firmer springsand dampers over thestandardcar,aswellasKoni FSD(FrequencySelective Damping) whichallowsthe driver to soften off or stiffenupthe ride dependingonthe drivingconditions.

JamesTaylor, managing director of Vauxhall,said: “Following thereveal of thenew AstraGSe andAstra Sports Tourer GSe, theGrandland GSePlugin Hybridisafantastic addition to ournew electrified performancesub brand, as we work towardsofferinga fullyelectricvehicle line-upby2028.

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Vauxhall says that theGrandland GSewillgoonsale‘towardsthe start of 2023’with firstcustomerdeliveries settocommencein thespring.

BILLMcCARTHY

Thenew VauxhallGrandland

Tunksand Thomas seetheir effortsrecognised

“Inshort, he is Mr Hodnet,and Ican thinkofnobetterway of recognisingthatthanby this award.”

MalpasSports take early lead in winter league

Thewinnersfor July andAugust were Dave TunksfromHodnetand Peplow CC,and

from Willey CC

Theawardswerelaunchedthis season to recognise thosewho go above andbeyond, week in week out, to make sure cricket canbe playedatclubs allaroundthe County

Lead officerSteve Reesesaid: “Weworkclosely with allthe clubs in Shropshire to continue to develop thegameatall levels.

“Because of that,wesee thehuge amount of work that individuals putinall year roundtomakesure theirclubs cansurvive andthrive in the21stcentury

“These people trulyare thelifeblood of cricket in Shropshire, and it is time we recognise thecontributionstheyplaytoensureplayers of allages andabilities canenjoy our wonderfulgame.”

Thenominationfor Tunkssaid:

“Davehas been part of Hodnet and Peplow Cricket Club forover35 years, andhis dadbeforehim

“Hehas been captainand treas urer formoreyears than we can count, andnever tiresinhis efforts forthe club

“Inthe past fewyears he has completedhis online umpires’ certificate,aswellastakingonthe Safeguarding Officerrolefor the

club, involvingattending numerous meetings andcourses,bothonline andinperson.

“Heoften takestimeout of his schedule to do variousjobsatthe ground to,whether itstidying changing rooms, or rolling pitches.Thissummer, he went to great personal effort,along with hiswife anddaughter, to organise catering forthe club’s Queen’sJubilee cele brations

Thenominationfor Thomas said:“Lindseyhas been an integral part of Willey CC forover 50 years. He hasservedasa captainand vice-captain,but hisbiggest contri bution hasbeenasour groundsman formuchofhis time at theclub.

“Hehas spentcountless hours preparingquality wicketsfor our Saturday andSundayteams and keepingthe square in topcondi tion

“Overthe last fewyears we have also been askedtohostanumber of Shropshire Youthgames which adds to theworkloadbut is never aproblem.

“The workLindsey puts in now andhas done over themanyyears is the reason that people enjoy playingatBarrowPark. Theclub is very grateful to Lindsey and the workheputsinasavolunteer.”

icates

Davies shines bright as show proves asmash hit

MIKELOCKLEY sports@mnamedia.co.uk

Bright Star’s Freddie Davies provided the fireworksand left hisopponent seeing starsonthe Shifnal club’s sell-out boxing bonanza.

At Telford’sMercure Hotel, the 16-year-oldmiddledrilled Gabriel Nash with aone-two in thesecond that sent shockwaves throughthe Redditch boxer’s body

He valiantlyattempted to struggletohis feet,but slumpedbackto thecanvasasthe full counttolled.

Theclub’sbig menexperienced mixedfortunes

Tall 19-year-oldJacob Lloyd’s bout with IbrahimMuhammedwas warmingintoafreeswingingaffair before theFearless Boxing Academy heavyweightwheeled away,indicating an injury to hisleftankle

Muhammed protested over the firstround stoppage,but theanger wasunfounded.He’dbeengivenadequate time to recover by theref George Freeman, spurredonby anoisy army of supporters, was pickedoff by thefastcombinations of Wednesbury’s PaceyTimminson theway to clearpointsdefeat.

Freemanbravely pushed forward only to be caught by Timmins’ classy combinations.

Rangyfeather Ryan Lawrenceboxed neatly andemployed eye-catchinguppercuts to seeoff thechallenge of awkwardsouthpaw Harley Hornby (Pound 4Pound).

Hornby,hands low,had some

success with swinging shots, but 17-year-oldLawrence’slong, accu rate punchessaw himtoaunani mous decision

JaySondhi andBurslem’s Tom Tunnicliffeproducedone of the boutsofthe night. Both blazed back afterbeing caught andswapped leathernon-stopinathrilling last round.

Welter Sondhi,19, took thepoints decision

LightweightTom Elliottapplied educated pressure to outpoint Aman Nadim(Wednesbury). The 17-year-oldsealedvictory with a dominant finalround that sawhis opponent frequently pinned against theropes

ToughwelterOwenThornton unravelled in the finalsession of his

bout with Martin Ward (Burslem)–andthose twominutes cost himthe decision

It hadbeennip-and-tuckuntil Ward opened thethrottle, landing clumping,unansweredheadshots

Fifteen-year-oldlightweightIris Loveland andWednesbury’sThea Diggittwererewarded with ‘fightof thenight’trophiesafter theirspirited scrap.

Both letthe punchesgofrom firstbelltolast. In acontest that could’ve gone either way, Loveland took thesplit decision

IsaacNagra,14, fell to theheavy handsoftallRob Swalwell (Ander son).Nagra showed grit to rise from aknockdown in the first, but, with blood spilling from hisnose, wasalways up againstit.

Twomorestandingcountsinthe

thirdand the fightwas halted SchoolboyArchieHopton, 12, failed to find an answer to tall Wal sall Wood boxer Joseph Quirk’s slide-rulejab andlostonpoints.

IeaunShaughnessy,also12, shoneagainst FreddieDavis (Pleck). Shaughnessysteadily cranked-upthe pressure untilthe fighthad been drainedfromDavis andthe bout stoppedinthe third.

In acrackingencounter,Ashton Sankey,11, showed oldfashioned grit to blazebackfromasecond roundstandingcount andnarrowly outpoint George Steele (Warley)

JamesGoultyand Hatton Marshall (Mikey’s)started the evening’sactionwithanabsorbing skillsbout.

Reigning champions Malpas Sports have been quickest outofthe blocks in theDistrictInvitationWinter League

Just twoweeks into thefour singles/two doubles bowlscom petition at theWhitchurchclub, they arealready topofthe pile by apoint afterbeating WemUSC 8-2(118-92 on aggregate) with Gary Beff andWayne Rogers 21-7 winners.

Bridgewater also made it two wins from twowitha7-3 (102-96) winoverAdderley, butWoore are second followinga10-0(126-84) romp againstElephant& Castle that featured a21-4doubles success by ChrisWorthington &Jen Rogers.

ShropshireMix enjoyedan8-2 (113-100)victory over District B, Wayd Pawlowskiwinning 21-7, whileDistrictA were toostrong forArchibald Worthingtonina 7-3 (112-103)scoreline

Theyouthfulthe Mixsidewill be tested tonightbyMalpasSports with Adderley taking on AWCtomorrow,Bridgewater andDistrict AclashingonThursday andE&C andDistrictBmeetingonFriday.

Meanwhile, former leadersIfton Miners head into Wrexhamtonight to take on BradleyBinthe Bradley Winter League

WemUSC have climbedtosecond in theleaguewitha5-1 winover Bershamlastweek.

Bad behaviour andlackofrefs sparkdebate

Thelackofactive officials andbad behaviour by bowlerswerekey talk ingpointsatthe annual general meeting of the Shropshire Referees Society.

Nine of the10refereesthe county currentlyhas attended the meeting at Whitchurch club Bridge water –and just five yearsago the Societyboasted23paidupmem bers

“The main discussion was on the lack of referees in thecountyand how this canberectified,” said Phil Scott, Shropshire’s delegate to the BritishRefereesSociety.,

“Different ideastotry to boost numberswerebrought forwardby themembersand will be actioned in thecomingyear.

“Behaviour issues were also discussedand thenewsthatthe BritishCrown GreenBowling As sociation arehopefullygetting a disciplinary processinplacewas welcomed.”

Arise in theannualfee to £15 permember wasaccepted –£10 of whichgoestothe national body andChristine Sayersand Eddie Broadasked to go onto thejunior county list of referees from next year

Allofficers were re-elected en bloc –chairman, IsobelJones;vicechair, Mike Potter;secretary & treasurer,Louise Cotton;delegate to Shropshire association,Linda Potter;delegatetoBritishsociety, Phil Scott.

FreddieDaviesalongside

proboxer Ben FieldsFight of thenight winnersIrisLovelandand Thea Diggitt

Cricket Shropshirehas handed out twomoreVolunteer of theMonth awards afterour campaign to find theunsungheroesofclubcricket in thecountythissummer

LindseyThomas

Both were presentedwithcertif-

by Cricket Shropshire chair Adrian Collins

LindseyThomaswith Cricket Shropshire chairAdrianCollins

Hodnet&Peplow’s Dave Tunks receives hisaward from Collins

Bteamclaim bragging rights andstaytop

Broseley Bare stillsetting the pace in theracefor gloryinthe Bridgnorth SnookerLeague.

They hung on to topspot followinga hard fought 3-2inhousewin over theirAteam.

Theleagueleaders were be hind afterthree frames played butmanaged to save theday by taking the finaltwo

Nick Carsonhad given theB team theleadbyconvincingly beatingCameron Barden.Then Neil Caswelllevelledbybeating Owen Hughes.MattSmout put theA side 2-1upbyout-potting EddieMullard.MickBrezwyn andAndyCarsonhad the final words,putting Gary Watsonand Andy Garbetttothe swordto keep Broseley Bontop

ChelmarshBmaintainedthe status-quo by beatingAlveley B 3-2.

Gary Smith, as always,opened thecuing with hiscustomary win, knocking in a32-breakin theprocess

Smith’ssuccess wasfollowed by comfortablewinsfor Chris Lewisand Paul Manningto make it 3-0.

ButAlveley then took the final twoframesthrough Dave Jones andMartin Coffey Jnr, aidedby a29-break.

ChelmarshSc andMaddocks closedthe gaptothe leadersto threepointsfollowing 4-1suc cesses.

TheChelmarsh boys beat AlveleyC,withCarlWalkerand IanPostans virtuallyrendering theiropponents, ChrisJepson andBrian Arnold,asmerespec tators

ChrisPetford wasalsounchal lenged by RegBurton. However, the finalframe that took an hour to complete with TerryAskew getting thebetterofNorman Jones,who gave away 23 points in foul strokes.

Whilethe four Alveleyplayers alreadymentioned languished, SteveColdecott played excep tionally well to beat Beamer Jones to earn histeamtheir thirdpoint of theseason.

Maddocksbounced back to winningwaysbybeatingSt. John’sB4-1

Paul Harper,Dan Morris, TomMaxfieldand JamesBren nanwereonthe mark forMad dockswithMaxfieldknockingin breaks of 38 and22duringhis win.

Theresultcould have been a whitewashhad Pete Williams not have beaten Neil Pearsonon theblack in the finalframe

St.John’sAhaveatlastgot theirmo-jo back as they moved up into thetop half of thetable

Andtheir 4-1win over Wood fieldresultedintheir opponents slipping into thebottomhalf.

Twoexcellent wins from Mar tinLippitt andRob Powell,who respectively easedpastJason Morrisand PeterHyland, plus victoriesfromTim Steele and Josh Summerssaw them home Luis FerraroprovidedWoodfield with theirconsolation by beating KevinHawkins.

Confident Davies firedup andready forhis Euro test

LIAM KEEN liam.keen@mnamedia.co.uk

Liam Davies is fighting forhis family’s future andboxingglory as he takesanother step up in hispromising career.

Earlierthisyearthe 26-year-old securedthe Britishsuper-bantam weighttitle with awin over Marc Leachand at the firstopportunity he is stepping up to fightfor theEu ropean titleand theWBC International belt againstIonut Baluta

Telford fighterDavies, whotrains at Donnington Boxing Club,insists he is fighting forhis future in this latest headline bout on Saturday evening.

He said:“I’mnow having my hardest fightsback-to-back. There’s plenty of people that don’tthink Ican do it,and they thoughtthe same forthe last one,but that only motivatesmeand makesmewant to do it even more to prove people wrong.

“I’m mentally strong.Ihaveitall to gain andnothing to lose as Istep up again. I’mchallenging myself, whichyou have to do in life, you have to gofor it

“I’m confidentitwill payoff and peoplewill respectmeafterthis.

“The Britishtitle wasalways what we aimedfor.Isaidfromthe startthatanythingelse is abonus

“Thisiswhere you starttoget fi nanciallystablefromthe sportand that’s what I’mlooking to do.This fightisfor my future

“I getmarried next year,soI want to setupagoodlifefor me and my soon-to-be wife.IfIhavekidsin thefuture, that is what is motivat ingme, to secure somethinggood from boxing afterall my hard work anddedication.

“I’vebeeninvolvedinboxingfor

over 15 yearsand it wouldbenice to getsomething outofit. This is whereIcan setmyself up forlife.”

Thetitle fightistopping thebill of FrankWarren’sQueensberry Pro motion’s eventatthe TelfordInter national Centre,marking Davies’ second consecutive titleboutinhis home town

Davies,who hasanundefeated 12-0 record, isfacinga seasoned Romanian fighterinBaluta(15-3) whohas pedigree at this level

“I putmyself underpressurebe causethat’swhere Ibring thebest outofmyself. Idon’t fold,Irise to theoccasion,” Davies added:

“I’m thetypeof fighterthatneeds thebit betweenhis teeth andthis is themotivationI’m usingtomake sure I’m100 percent.

“Painistemporary butglory is forever.I’m putting in theextra time in thegym andI’m confident.

“Balutaisverygood. He’s ranked in thetop 10 in theworld andbeat aformerworld championinTJ Do heny.He’sbeeninthere with good fighters andhe’sbeenona goodroll. He’llbefull of confidencehimself, butthese arethe fights Ineed to push me on

“I couldhavepickedan easy de fencefor my Britishtitle butI’m here to step up andkeeptakingall thechallenges Ican

“Balutaismybestopponentyet forsure, butwhenIbeathim Ihope people remember andrespect how gooda fighterhe is

“Hethrowsalot of punchesand is verygame. He’s never been stopped,

so it lookslikeit’llbeatough 12-round fight, butI’m prepared for that.”

Returningto fightinhis home town,Daviesisdelightedtohave thebacking of hislocal fans,but also haslofty ambitionsofmaking anamefor himself across thepond.

Davies said: “I have to give abig thankyou to thelocal businesses gettingbehindmeand thegeneral publicinTelford,who areshowing me so much support. Ireallyappre ciate it

“It’smassive to be back in Tel ford again. In yearstocome I’ll look back on theseshowsand appreciate them

“Butright now, it’s not enough.I want to fightinAmerica andIwant these big fights.”

Collegegolfers earnaplace in theUK’stop five

EllesmereCollege Golf Academy hasbeenranked fifthinthe nation al standingsafteranother success fulyear.

Theacademy hasalsohad a string of team andindividualsuc cesses this year aftertheyreached the finalofthe IndependentSchools Golf Association (ISGA)National MatchPlay– andtheywerealso unbeaten in everyfriendly.

Theteamconsisted of Charlie Ashbrook,MarcusWildblood and Jonjo Ashbrookthe latter of whom pickedup several individual tour nament wins includingthe ISGT Schoolstournamentat Blackwell Golf Club andgaining amateur world rankingpointsfor wins at Carden Park andDundonald Links.

Thegolfacademy offers girlsand boys of allstandards from eightto 18 theopportunitytochoosefrom

arange of programmes designed to enhanceeachstage of theirgolfing journey.

RobAshbrook, PGAadvanced professional andheadcoach of the golf academy, said:“It hasbeenan otheramazing year forthe Acade my andour golfers.

“The academycontinues to go from strength to strength –offer ingmanyyoungstersthe opportunity to play anddevelop theirgolf ingskills.

“Toberanked fifthinthe ISGA rankings forGreat Britainisa tre mendousachievementand aclimb of 20 places on wherewewerejust twoyears ago.

“It’sbeenagreat season andcon gratulations go to allthose members of EllesmereCollege Golfing Academyfor theirachievements –weare noweagerly anticipating more success next year.”

Liam Davies will be gunning for European gloryonSaturdaywhenhetakes on Ionut BalutainTelford

EllesmereCollege golfers Charlie Ashbrook,MarcusWildblood andJonjo Ashbrook have enjoyedanother successfulyearonthe fairways

Masoud turnson thestyle to land aclassyvictory

Shabaz Masoud recorded thebest winofhis career with a12-round stoppage of Jack BatesoninSheffield.

Thesuper-bantamweight, who started outatWellingtonBox ingAcademy in Telford, putona stunningperformance toclaim the WBAintercontinentalbelt, writes Liam Keen.

Theboutalsoacted as an elim inatorfor theBritishtitle,which couldmeanMasoudwill soonface Telford’sLiamDavies, whoholds thetitle Masoud wastoo slickfor the17-0 unbeaten Batesonasheoutclassed the fighterfromLeedsina domi nant display, to take hisrecordto 11-0

Aftera tightopening tworounds, Masoud took controlinthe third. He workedbehindhis jabtoperfection andwalkedBateson on to several dangerouslefthooks

Masoud also landed numerous painfulbodyshots andsurvived ashortBateson revivalinround nine,beforeturning on thestyle in thelatterrounds.

He droppedBatesoninthe last roundwithaswift left uppercut, before dropping himagain shortly after, whichthe refereeruled as a slip.Masoudopenedup andBatesonwas unabletodefendhimself, whichforcedreferee HowardFoster into stopping theboutwitha minuteofthe fightremaining Masoud said:“Ihavebeenworkingyears forthis, therehavebeen struggle butthisisjustthe start.

“I believeI am world level,Jack isworld leveltoo,but this fightwas called at therighttime.

“There is moretocome from me andwhatever my teamsay is next, we will go for. ButI will beat thelot of them.”

Tabletennisfor free at sports village

RodLewis wasdelightedwith theresponse to thepracticetable tennis sessionhearrangedatthe Shrewsbury Sports Village, Sun dorneRoad, Shrewsbury Players of allages andabilities were invitedtoattendthisfree event, with sixtablesavailable and more on theway LeadingShropshireCountytabletennisofficials were in attend

ance to help ensure theeventran smoothly Lewiswas responsiblefor the settingupofthe biggest ‘bat and chat’clubinthe countryatthe Tu dorGrangeCentre,Solihull,which currentlyhas up to 40 regular players

He madehis TelfordLeaguedebutrecently forAlbrightonBrummies andenjoyed an unbeaten

performanceintheir 7-3win over Lilleshall A, with Purdip Shoker also flawless

Therewas amajor shockin Divi sion One, with reigning champions AlbrightonBandits hammered 10-0 by theAlbrightonAbbey trio of Ralph Humphries, Samuel Coxand WayneRichardsinone of thebig gestever upsets in thecompetition’s long history.

Dawley continue to seta relentless pace at thetop

It wasbusinessasusu al in theSalop Leisure League as Dawley Town chalkedupyet another victory.

ThePremier Division pacesetters extend theirperfect league record to nine gamesthanks to a7-1 triumph at lowly St Martins.

Kieran Buckleytooktop billing forDawley with ahat-trick while Thomas Messham, TomBradley, Jordan Jonesand Jeff Watkinsall netted once

Jake Crossgrabbedaconsolation effort forthe home side Fellow titlehopefulsChurch Stretton Town,Hodnetand Ludlow arestill in hotpursuit of theleaders aftertheyall tasted victory.

Town easedtoacomfortable 5-1 winathome to MadeleySportsto

remain twopointsbehindthe ta ble-toppers.

They also hadahat-trick hero in MatthewCole. JamesHilland DeanRichardsaddedtheir other goalswhileShaun Davies replied forSports.

Free-scoring Hodnet took their league goal tallyto56inninegames thanks to a7-1 success on theroad at Shrewsbury Up &Comers

CameronDourish bagged adou blefor Hodnet whileAdamHeath, Levi Hunter,Harry MacDonald, Jack Swinnertonand Liam Swin nerton allstruckonce. Thehosts repliedthrough Jordan Bailey

Thewin left third-placed Hodnet five points adrift of Dawley Josh Bull,RyanClarke, Sean Ev

ansand Sean Evansfound thenet to secure fourth-placedLudlow a 4-2win at home to Wrockwardine Wood

GobowenCelticwerethe day’s biggest winners.

They foundtheir shooting boots to putninewithout replypastbot tom-of-the-table SAHA FC LewisJones ledthe waywitha four-goalblitz during an impressive first-half display.

Ed Rogers helped himself to a couple of goalswithLukeDwyer, TristanLloyd andBen Carter completinga resounding winfor the home side

A first-half doublefromLuke Gain andastrikefromDaniel Jamessecured Broseley a3-1 success againstvisitingWem Town Ercall ColtsJuniorsEvolution edgedout Morda United by theodd goal in five

Unbeaten Wellingtonwon 1-0at Shrewsbury JuniorsDevelopment to make it seven wins from eight games.

That victorysaw them move threepointsclear of second-placed AFCBridgnorth Development,who drew 1-1awaytoEllesmere Rang ersReserves.

GoalsfromSheikhRahman, ShaunTaylorand WestleyWeston sawErcallColts JuniorsRevolution Coltstoahardfought3-2 winat BrownClee.

Llanymynechalso triumphedon theroad, 3-1atErcallColts Juniors Rangers.

Mike Edwards, Liam Holyhead andMatthew Hudson hitthe netfor theWelsh outfit.

Ferringtonlands record-breaking fifthtitle triumph

NigelFerringtonisthe chess championofShrewsbury fora record-breaking fifthtimeaf tercomingout on topin atense four-way play-off,writes Peter Kitchen

Ferrington,who plays forthe countytown’sTelepostclub, defeated tournament surprise packageStephen Priestleyof Shrewsbury in hisplay-offtie, whilefellowcontendersMat thew Clark(Telepost) andDan Lockett(Shrewsbury)foughtout adrawin theother game

It makesFerringtoncomfort ably themostsuccessfulplayer in theevent’s relatively young history.

Thetournamentwas firstheld in 2010 andFerringtonpreviously wonitin2012, 2013,2015and 2016.FormerShrewsbury play er JamieHopkins is hisnearest challenger with threetitles.

It marked quiteaturnaround forFerrington, whoasthe secondhighest rated player in the county hadgone into thetournament as theclear favourite ButhelosttoclubmateClark in roundtwo,and hadtowin allhis remaininggames to make up the lost ground andreach theplayoff.

Clarkand Priestleywill both wonder what couldhavebeen aftertheydrewtheir finalround match, enabling both Ferringtonand Locketttocatch them on 4/5and forcethe play-off

Butitwas a fitting endtoa fiercely competitivetournament that hadaline-up of 20 players andwas excellentlymarshalled by tournament controller Paul Billington.

Priestleydid have theconso lation of beingnamed thecom petition’s under1700ECF cham pion, whileTelepostnewcomer Alex Brimswas namedunder 1400 championafterscoring an impressive 3.5/5for an overall shareof fifthplace

Meanwhile, NewportAare theearly pacesetters in ShropshireChess League division one with twowinsand adrawfrom theiropening threematches, although defending champions MaddocksAare just apoint adrift with a100 percentrecord. Thetwo will meet in Oakengates forajuicy-looking tie on Novem ber24.

The firstcountytownder by of theseasonbetween rivals Shrewsbury Aand Telepost A finished allsquare. Shrews bury were given a1-0 headstart thanks to abottomboard de fault, butJohnBashall equalised forthe visitors andShrewsbury were gratefultohangonfor a pointastheywereoutgraded on everyremaining board.

Telepost Bhavesignedpromisingteenager Daniel HilditchLove from rivals NewportA Hilditch-Lovemadehis bow againsthis former side andimpressively drew with thecounty’s topplayerNickRutter. But it wasn’t enough to stop hisnew side falling to athird straight 4-1defeat.

WellingtonAmateursDevelop ment opened up athree-point gap on theirnearest rivals in Division One.

Shropshire County table tennisofficials arepicturedwith session organiser RodLewis,right

NICK ELWELL nick.elwell@mnamedia.co.uk

TIGERS SECURE A NEWHOMEDEAL

Telford Tigers have agreed atwo-yeardeal to use Telford Ice Rink as theirbasefor trainingand home games

It will seethe Tigers continue to play their fixtures andconduct training sessions at theTelford and Wrekin Council IceRink.

Formed initiallyin1985afterthe openingofthe icerink, theteam wonthe National League last seasonaswellasTigersTwo theNorth LaidlerLeague.

Club chairman Mike Washburn said:“Over recent yearsthe rela tionship betweenthe club andthe council hasstrengthenedand both organisationsnow actively support andpromote each otherwhenever andwherevertheycan

“Wehavea shared view of the future of oursport within thebor ough andbeyondwhich is predicat ed on both stability andgrowth.

“Thismulti-yearcontract further reinforces that relationship.”

Councillor KellyMiddleton, cabinetmember forleisure,public health andwell-beingatTelford andWrekinCouncil said:“We have builtupagreat relationship with theTelford Tigers andwelookfor

ward to continuing this partnership over thenexttwo years.

“Wehavea fantasticfacility here in Telfordand we know thegames attract visitors from thetownand acrossthe region.”

On theice,Tigersendured a mixedweekend with awin anda loss in theirlatesttwo NIHL Na tional League outings.

On Saturday,theylost4-1 at MiltonKeynesLightning.

Vladimir Luka hadstruckto make it 1-1duringthe firstperiod butthe hosts then took charge

ButTigersbounced back from that setbackwithathrilling penalty shootout success at home to Basingstoke BisononSunday.

Theclash ended 3-3after nor maltimewithJason Silverthorn, ScottMcKenzieand Rhodes Mitchell-King Afteragoallessovertimeperiod thegamewenttoapenalty shoot out.

Vladimir Luka andMcKenzie scored forTelford beforecaptain Silverthorntookthe chance towin thegameas he made no mistake with hispenalty shot

Hornetsrun inamagnificent seven

TelfordHornets turned on thestyle to secure aconvincingwin in their latest Counties 1MidlandsWestencounter.

Hornetsran in seventries on theirway to a43-7victory against visitingUttoxeter. Thehosts had thegamesewnupbyhalf-time after racing into 24-0 lead

Kieran Wallacegrabbedthe openingtry,which wasconverted by BenLewis

That wasquickly followed by Will Brench touching down in thecor ner. WillieVon Tonder then crashed through themiddle to go over under theposts, Lewisaddingthe conver sion

HenrySankeyaddedtry number four when chased andcollected his ownkicktoscore to theright of the posts.

Afterthe break, Brench weaved through to scorehis second tryto

make to it 29-0

Thetries continuedto flow as CameronMitchellout-sprinted the cover tacklestoscore by theposts, Lewisaddingthe extras.

Uttoxetergrabbeda converted scoretomakeit36-7but Hornets closedthe matchout with asecond tryfor Sankey,which wasconvert ed by Lewis.

Hornets’ next game is away to Edwardians on November26.

Bucksurged to stick together

AFCTelford United manager KevinWilkinadmitted that an otherdefeatfor hisbottom-of the-tableBucks only addedto achallenging situationfor his side,but urged them to sticktogether

“Noneofusenjoy gettingup on aSundaymorning having been beaten again. It challeng es you psychologically,but you have to take it on thechinand deal with it,” said Wilkin follow ingSaturday’s1-0 defeat to hereford.

“You don’tget toolow on it, don’tget toohigh, either way. Youhavetokeepthingsinper spective,keepworking hard at yourgame, both individually andcollectively, andjustshow that little bitofdesirewhenwe getbacktogetheronTuesday andThursday(at training) and take that into next Saturday.”

Wilkin’s side putinacommitteddisplay anddeserved some reward from thegame, butwere condemnedtoa1-0 defeat

Ryan McLean,who livesin Telford, took advantageofa mistake by goalkeeper Luke Pilling to bagthe only goal

“It’sclearly disappointingto lose thegameinthe moment we did. Luke is disappointed with that,but he pulled offagreat save just before half-time(denyingMcLeanasecondgoal),” added Wilkin.“Butit’sabout doing these things as ateam. Luke will beat himself up overit, butit’s good to have himbackbetween thesticks.”

Action from Hornetsvictory against UttoxeterPicture: John Cutts

ICEHOCKEY sports@mnamedia.co.uk

Homecomforts –Matthew Newens (group operations manager leisure &Southwaterfor Telford&WrekinCouncil),councillor KellyMiddleton, TelfordTigers general managerand headcoachTom Watkins,and junior players Bayley Blandand RileyPotteratTelfordIce Rink