Thursday, November 10, 2022
CANNOCK EDITION
NEWS Celebration of apprentices Page 3
HOMES Wintry treats for your abode Page 19
SPORT Joy at Lop’s appointment Page 28
The region’s biggest free weekly newspaper Price when sold £1.20
TRIBUTE OF TREES FOR BELOVED SON A heartbroken mother whose Report by Eleanor Lawson son took his own life at the age of only 20 has raised thousands of when taking into account the trees pounds to plant more than 200 trees Anne bought on her own. She addin his memory. ed: “We have chosen to buy trees in Martin Bowers, from Handsacre the National Forest. This is a local in Rugeley, died in September 2020, scheme that has been running for 25 just as he was about to start his years and has just celebrated plantthird year at the University of Bath ing nine million trees. studying Chemical Engineering. His “The original idea was to regenmum, Anne Bowers, said: “It’s been erate parts of the Midlands that had two years since Martin took his been neglected after decades own life aged just 20 years of coal mining and heavy old and, in the process, industry. We have chochanged the lives of so sen to buy trees in this many others. He is nevyoung forest as it is er coming back and we close to where we live can’t change the past, and our family used so we look to the futo walk here with our ture and will try to do dog, Fuzz. This makes something positive and me feel a little better. It’s lasting in his memory.” Martin Bowers something we can do. Anne has raised more “The trees are £15 each than £2,500 to plant trees in and are a mix of native species Martin’s memory in the National such as oak, lime, hazel, silver birch, Forest, where Martin and his famirowan and wild cherry. If I keep doly walked when he was a child. She ing it for all of my life, it’ll be a desaid: “I can’t buy Martin Christmas cent patch of woodland. It is nice to or birthday presents, so I’ve been imagine a little piece of this forest as buying trees. For his 21st birthday, being ‘his’ forest. We hope that it will his first since he died, I bought 21 provide both a physical and a meantrees.” ingful legacy.” Friends and family soon began If you have been affected by this to contribute and 167 trees have article, you can call the Samaritans been bought, which rises to over 200 on 116123 or visit Samaritans.org
Lion-hearted local brew
Store branch set to close A branch of McColl’s in Huntington is among the list of closures announced by Morrisons as part of its conversion plan. The shop in Stafford Road, is among of number of branches set to close. Morrisons says around 1,300 McColl’s workers are at risk of redundancy. It plans to shut 132 loss-making stores at the convenience chain it bought earlier this year. Morrisons’ takeover of McColl’s involved selling 28 convenience stores to push the move through. The supermarket group agreed a £190 million deal to rescue McColl’s from administration in May.
Bard relative arranges fair
Austen Morgan from Backyard Brewery, Brownhills A popular brewhouse has unveiled its latest pint – just in time for the World Cup. Lion Heart bitter is the newest creation from The Backyard Brewhouse in Brownhills. The new release, boasting an earthy, grass, nec-
tar fruit and a subtle spice flavour, was created by operations direct Austen Morgan and brewing director Mike Bates. Austen said: “We have used a German hop called hallertau, which has a unique but subtle spice to it.”
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A 98-year-old woman, related to William Shakespeare, is organising a Christmas fair in Burntwood. Sheila Tuckey’s name was recently added to archives confirming that she is a relative of the Bard. She is arranging the fair at Chase Terrace Scout hut, Ironstone Road, from 11am to 2pm on November 19, for Marie Curie Care. ”When I organised a fair last year, I thought that might be my last event but, with the support of family and friends, I’m still raring to go.I hope people come along and support this fundraising event for an organisation that is very close to my heart,” she said.
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