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Schoolboy who climbed over wall to help fallen injured old lady is thanked
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WANTAGE IS TOP TOWN Government competition brands it as one of the best Search for mystery schoolboy hero
the boy to thank him for QUICK-THINKING actions an elderly woman fell. of a King Alfred’s schoolboy Now the Wantage care his help. meant paramedics were home where she lives has called within minutes after sparked a search to fi nd • See page 3 for full story
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TRADERS and leaders are hailing a Wantage revival after the town was one o of three shortlisted as Britain’s ‘be ‘best town centre’ in a Government competition. Wantage faces fa Falkirk, in Scotland, and Worcester, in the Midlands, for the crown in West Midlands the Great Brit British High Streets Awards. The news – announced on Friday by th the Government’s Department for f Communities and Local Gov Government – comes just two years a after Wantage was branded a ‘ghost ‘gho town’. But its 26 em empty shops of 2012 has dropped to four and footfall is up by 30 per cent, which has sparked its revival. Ray Collins, manager of Grove Street electrical shop Peter Ledbury, said the label was severe but that the town is certainly not a ghost town anymore. He said: “It did get harshly branded as a ghost town but it is defi nitely not. “It hasn’t really ever been on its knees, it’s got a great atmosphere, but it is more vibrant and
By Katriona Ormiston katriona@taylornewspapers.co.uk
people have been taking about all the shops opening up. “It is nice to see your town in the paper for a good reason.” In February 2013 two market town co-ordinators, Mim Norvell and Iain Nicholson, were brought in to oversee a series of revitalisation schemes in Wantage to help bring the town centre back to life. Among the projects was the launch of a new community shop called the The Mix, in Mill Street, and a pop up shop scheme running in empty shops. More than 60 businesses have set up in the temporary shops, which has led to five of them becoming permanent stores in Wantage. Mr Nicholson said: “It is brilliant news – the town has worked really hard to get us to this point. “We know that there is a way to go yet but it is really encouraging
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to have national recognition.” He added: “It was called a ghost town in a national newspaper article which was rubbish, and no more than that. “It was written out of its time and we have moved on.” The Government-backed contest is being run by the Future High Street Forum in seven categories - coastal, market town, city, village, local parade, town centre and London. Winners will be announced in about one month and share £50,000 prize money. Elaine Ware, cabinet member for economy at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “This is fantastic recognition for the work that has been carried out in Wantage. “The projects have involved people from across the town working together with each other, the district council, the town council and local businesses in a real community effort to breathe new life into the centre and bring shoppers and retailers back.”
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• Mitchell Currie, 14, from Grove and (inset) the Oxfordshire Guardian’s coverage of the search for the myster schoolboy hero
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A TEENAGER has held up his hand to being the pupil dubbed a ‘schoolboy hero’ for scaling a wall for help after an elderly woman fell. The Wantage care home where the woman lives sparked a search to find and thank the mystery boy – covered in last week’s Oxfordshire Guardian (pictured). Mitchell Currie, 14, stepped up this week to confess he is the King Alfred’s Academy schoolboy who ran for help. The year 10 pupil, from Grove, shrugged off the praise and said: “Generally, I look out for people and I would do the same again.” His quick-thinking actions meant paramedics were called within minutes after the lady fell over in the grounds of Framland Residential Care Home in Challow Road. He was among a group of King Alfred’s pupils who were walking by the school’s west site when they noticed the lady fallen on the ground. When she did not answer their calls for help Mitchell scrambled over the wall to raise the alarm with staff. Framland manager Beth Kneale said: “Olive had only been outside a matter of minutes but his quick action meant that we were able to go to her aid straightaway. “She was conscious and an ambulance was called as a precautionary measure and she’s absolutely
By Katriona Ormiston katriona@taylornewspapers.co.uk
fine now.” She said Mitchell had been ‘calm and very sensible’. The accident was on September 10 but the care home launched a search to thank the unknown helper this month. Ms Kneale only realised afterwards that she hadn’t asked his name – but he had been wearing school uniform. Year 10 student manager Kelly Atkins said: “It is typical of Mitchell that he thought nothing of it at the time. “It was the natural instinct of him and his friends to offer to help and they gave it without hesitation.” Headteacher Jo Halliday added: “I am delighted, but not surprised by Mitchell’s response. “Many students at King Alfred’s really understand the importance of leadership, and this is what Mitchell has clearly shown; he has set an example to all the young people in Wantage about the importance of taking responsibility within our community. “I recently took another call from a member of the public about two King Alfred’s boys who had helped her with a flat tyre - we have been unable to trace them so far, but we are working on it!”