Alderley Magazine Issue 8

issue eight

ALDERLEY MAGAZINE

ALDERLEY BIG WEEKEND ANNOUNCED FASHION INTERIORS TRAVEL INTERVIEWS EVENTS PROPERTY

issue eight

WELCOME ...to issue eight After our ‘Festival Crazy’ issues last month we thought we had boxed them off but it seems that was just the tip of the iceberg as the Festival feeling is even stronger in this issue. This time around we explore more of the exciting events still to come as the Summer reaches its crescendo. Sadly, we were also planning on including the Wilmslow Car Show in this issue but the event has been postponed until next year in order that it can make an impact that will be felt far and wide. Petrolheads might instead want to get their fix over in Stockport where the 14th Roughley’s Bikeshow will be taking place.

Make sure you check out the What’s On guide too. A lot of the events we cover are running until the end of the school holidays so there’s still time to take advantage. And when school comes round again, pack the kids off in the best shoes on the block courtesy of our brilliant Jake Shoes competition on p17.

4-5

News

Car show off, bike show on.

7

Festival Special

Your guide to August’s big events

8-9

The Stockport Fringe

Alternative entertainment in Stockport

10-11

The Big Weekend

Eat, drink and be merry

12-13

Stockport Festival

Fashion, fun and music

14-15

Fashion

Statement necklaces

17

Competition

Win £200 to spend at Jake Shoes

18-19

Travel

The fascinating Island of Lundy

20-21

Union J

The boys tell us what’s happening

22-26

Education

A five page education special

30

What’s On

Days out in August and September

31

Music

The best of the new releases

Stockport Office 0161 244 9896 Wilmslow Office 01625 541106

Publishing Director Editor Advertising Photographer

Paul Taylor Paul Day Carole Jones Matt McNulty

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paul@shoutmediauk.com paul.day@shoutmediauk.com Carole.jones@shoutmediauk.com signol1000@ntlworld.com

www.alderleymagazine.com @WilmslowMag Wilmslow Magazine

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news

BRAMHALLʼS GOT TALENT OPEN FOR ENTRIES

WILMSLOW MOTOR SHOW POSTPONED

B

W

ramhall’s Got Talent 2013 was an event organised by independent traders in the Village Square as a way of increasing awareness of their businesses and proved such as success that they didn’t hesitate to announce that there would be another such event this year.

from Bramhall to enter, last year a magician travelled down from Blackpool to take part and all varieties of acts are welcome to enter - singers, dancers, comedians, ventriloquists...

ilmslow Business Group has postponed the Motor Show planned for 13th September 2014.

Steve Kennedy of Mailboxes Etc and the Motor Show Project Leader commented: “We have been delighted with the amazing levels of support and interest in the 2014 Motor Show which was planned for next month.

Last year there were over 50 entrants, who preformed throughout the day in front of consistently big and enthusiastic crowds.

The competition was won by Henry Gallagher (pictured here during his performance) who has been busy performing ever since you can catch him on stage at the Stockport Festival on Sunday 31st August.

“The Show has generated interest not only from local car dealers but also from other businesses which would bring extra excitement and glamour to the Show. However, to enable us to make the most of all this interest and deliver a real jaw-dropping event, the organising team requires a greater lead-in time.

We have therefore decided to

This year’s event - which is again being sponsored by local estate agents Mosley Jarman has been set for Saturday 4th October and will offer a £500 first prize. Entries are now being accepted online at www.bramhallsgottalent.co.uk. You don’t need to be

postpone the Show until early summer 2015.”

Catherine Mackenzie, Chairman of the Wilmslow Business Group said: “The success of the Wilmslow Motor Show over the last two years has been down to the drive and determination of Steve Kennedy of Mailboxes. Our newly established events team, Georgie Johnson and Bethan Phillips have been working tirelessly with Steve to plan and organise this year’s Motor Show.

“We have not taken the decision lightly to postpone this year’s event, but the Show is really developing into something even more exciting and we want to ensure that the day really works and provides a great family day out.”

ROUGHLEYʼS BIKESHOW TO GO AHEAD

A

fter a certain amount of confusion regarding whether this long-standing Stockport motorbike show would have a venue for a 2014 event, it has now been confirmed that it will be taking place on Sunday 24th August at Heaton Lane car park, across the A6 from Debenhams.

Due to a change in ownership of the site of last year’s show, the organisers had been looking for a new venue for some months and as the cut-off point for finding a new home loomed on-line petitions sprang up and social media became heavily involved in the clamour for a resolution. As it was, the new venue was confirmed within days of the cut-off point, saving the 14th Roughley’s Bikeshow by the skin of its teeth.

port calendar and raises a great deal of money for The Rainbow Trust, The Together Trust and the National Association for Bikers with a Disability which was founded in this area in 1991.

The bike show will start at noon and will run until 10pm with a mix of entertainment that will include live bands, trade stalls, face painting, bouncy castle, Rodeo Bull, tombola, raffle, Roughley’s Bar, not to mention the bike show itself.

Entry is £2 for adults, U15s free (accompanied by a responsible adult).

Under 14s are required to be off-sire by 8pm.

The show dates back to 1999 when Andy Roughley was working at the Bulls Head in the Marketplace on August bank holiday.

He invited some of his mates to come down, some market buskers joined in and such a great time was had that they resolved to repeat the event the following year, this time putting some bikes on show as an added attraction. The event has snowballed to the extent that it is now one of the most popular events in the Stock-

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Stockport Festival Friday 29th - Sunday 31st August Stockport Old Town Fringe Festival Friday 29th - Sunday 31st August Wilmslow & Alderley Big Weekend Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th September

FESTIVAL SPECIAL Summer reaches a climax over the next few weeks as the big events come along one after the other or in some cases, simultaneously. Over the next six pages we look at three of the biggest, the Stockport Festival and its new sibling, the Stockport Old Town Fringe Festival which will, as the name suggests, be based in and around the Old Town. The entire weekend promises to be a brilliant mix of the mainstream and the indie, going from Friday night all the way through to Sunday. In September there’s a new event on the horizon, the Wilmslow & Alderley Big Weekend at Lindow Cricket Club. Saturday will feature a “Party in the Park” while Sunday will host a Food & Drink Festival. For more information on all the above, keep reading...

festival

T

he first ever Stockport Old Town Fringe Festival will take place at the end of August over a weekend packed full of music, art, culture, independent retail and quality food and drink.

The Fringe Festival will highlight the new branding for Stockport Old Town which includes a newly launched website focusing on the independent businesses and specialist events in the area www.stockportoldtown.co.uk The Fringe Festival is supported by Stockport’s Portas Pilot and is sponsored by Orbit Developments who are keen to put Stockport Old Town on the map as a destination to shop and socialise.

To ensure that you don’t miss anything, here’s a breakdown of the three days of the Fringe Festival activities.

STOCKPORT OLD TOWN F FRIDAY 29TH AUGUST Take a walk around The Old Town and follow the trail of the Sellotape Sculptures.

Look out for Jimi Hendrix outside Fab Music Store and Desperate Dan outside Lord of the Pies. These amazing pieces can usually be seen stationed outside Seven Miles Out and are created by Brin Morris, the organiser of the Artism group who support artists on the autistic spectrum now based in The Glass Umbrella creative arts hub above the centre. www. artismuk.webs.com If you fancy your hand at something arty with the kids, there are free art workshops to interest all ages running from 12-4pm in Seven Miles Out. For budding young street dancers, there will be a chance to take part in a free contemporary dance workshop from Born and Bred Dance Theatre and perform it in the Market Square!

In the evening the Market Place will be transformed by the increasingly popular Foodie Friday 6-10pm featuring live bands headlined by Martin Stephenson and the Daintees. As usual there will be an complementary live music offer in Seven Miles Out which has a licensed bar and features local acoustic music from 7-9pm and an evening of Irish music from 9-11pm.

For those of you who prefer mystery to music and fancy a trip into the unknown, the Isis Centre are hosting their Paranormal Evening with a talk and investigation hosted by Most Haunted’s Cath Howe from 7pm. For more information visit: www.stockportfringeisis.weebly.com (the hyphen is meant to be there).

SATURDAY 30TH AUGUST The weekend begins serenely with The Hare Krishna Experience at Seven Miles Out from 11am to 2pm with chanting, dancing and a freshly cooked vegetarian feast to sample all free of charge.

The afternoon brings a celebration of urban street culture with The Sound On The Street in Angel Yard at Seven Miles Out from 2-4pm, featuring MCs, DJs, break dancers and graffiti artists with a showcase performance from the Brighter Sound music workshop featuring young local performers.

At 2pm, there is a free opportunity to join the Stockport Rocks! Musical Tour of The Old Town with Blue Badge Tourist Guide Jean Bailo, who will be pointing out all the musical landmarks where international artists played including The Sinking Ship and The Tabernacle. The tour also runs on Sunday at 2pm, meeting at Seven Miles Out. Over Saturday and Sunday there are a number of fascinating talks at the Isis Centre including historian Mark Olly and a psychic and magic show from Jon Scotland.

On Saturday evening, Mojo Bravo Comedy Club culminates its excellent series of Edinburgh Fringe previews with a riotous show from rising star Vikki Stone, who will be appearing at Seven Miles Out fresh from her stint at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Vikki is famous for her comic tribute to Philip Schofield serenading him live on This Morning. Tickets are £6 from the venue or online at www.mojobravo.co.uk

festival

SUNDAY 31ST AUGUST The main Festival Day promises entertainment for all the family as the Market Place is transformed with a colourful and creative celebration of street theatre, dance and music with highlights including Pif-Paf’s Flycycle and Submercycle rides taking children on a magical journey around The Old Town, Circus House performing their jaw-dropping circus skills and giving free workshops and the death-defying Dick Danger Show which really has to be seen to be believed.

For younger children there is a traditional Punch and Judy show from the nationally renowned Tony James who’s from just up the road in Heaton Moor.

The Festival of Dance in the Market Square showcases some of our top local performing talent including The Cheshire Theatre School, The Lally School of Irish Dancing, Gibsons’ School of Dance, the Urban Gypsies, NK Theatre Arts and morris troupes Stockport Morris Men and Poynton Jemmers.

N FRINGE FESTIVAL

There’s some cracking shopping opportunities on offer too. For the first time ever Stockport’s specialist Sunday markets come together with the award-winning Vintage Village, Handmade Market and The Teenage Market combining their creativity under the glass roof of the Victorian Market Hall.

Look out for Fringe magician Rikki Lowry performing close magic and why not try your hand at making one of the sellotape sculptures.?

Live music plays a big part in the day with up and coming performers showcased by Longevity records in the Market Place. Seven Miles Out plays host to the Stockport Ukulele Players and Manchester’s favourite troubadour Gideon Conn performing at 3pm whose irresistibly catchy songs have such quirky titles as The Man Who Drives Around Selling Fish...

The three-day Festival culminates with a free live theatre performance from the Mad Theatre Company in the intimate surroundings of Seven Miles Out at 7.30pm.

The team who created the sell out ‘Pints of Swill & Pork Scratchings’ and ‘They’ve Just Nipped Out For Fags’, will be performing ‘The Demise & Rise of Bunny Lamar’ which promises to have the audience howling with laughter.

All in all it the Stockport Old Town Fringe Festival promises to bring a liberal dollop of daftness to the town, the like of which has never quite been seen before. For more detailed information on each event and lots of other stuff going on visit www.stockportoldtown. co.uk

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THE WILMSLOW & ALDERLEY

festival

Sunday 28th of September

T

he very first Wilmslow and Alderley Edge Food Festival will be held on Sunday the 28th of September. This free event will celebrate the very finest local food, local beer and Street Food.

FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL The event will showcase gluten free delights, patisserie, loose leaf teas, locally roasted coffee beans, award wining pies, delicious biscuits, Cheshire cheeses, cooked meats, Spanish wonders, Italian specialities, Lebanese delights, macaroons, traditional pies, honeys, classic colas, exquisite chocolate truffles, pesto, vinegars, tasty marshmallows, scotch eggs, gnocchi & pasta, honest bread, olives, funky cupcakes, chocolate bars, chilli chutney, pickles, spicy sauce, doggie treats, cream teas, pâtés, grannies potted beef.......among many others.

You will also be able to feast on Vietnamese Street Food, stone baked pizza, authentic French Crepes, traditional hog roast, pulled pork, tapas and more.

Budding bakers will be given an opportunity to show off their cooking skills with the Alderley Edge and Wilmslow cake off competition. With a selection of catergories, you can obtain a registration form from their website: www.wilmslowlive.com. Our crowning winners will be awarded vouchers to spend at the food festival, as well as rosettes and certificates.

Cookery demonstrations which include an appearance by celebrity chef David Mooney (right), co-owner and Chef Patron at The New Moon Pub Company. David has a glittering CV including an apprenticeship with Raymond Blanc and a stint as Commis Chef to Marco Pierre White. Previously Chef Patron of the Belle Epoque in Knutsford, David is recognisable as a media star, with many appearances on television and on radio under his belt. Notably, he was the resident chef on the region’s Granada Tonight programme as well as hosting the ‘Food Hunter’, in which he travelled throughout the North West cooking up a culinary storm in various locations using locally sourced produce.

Beer lovers have got a real treat in store. The Alderley and Wilmslow Beer Festival and Beer awards, where visitors can sample the best local beers and vote for their favourites.

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STATEMENT NECKLACES

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Versailles Embellished Statement Necklace £29.00 at Accessorize

Allusions Pink Flower Statement Collar Necklace £15.00 at BHS

Jenny Packham for Debenhams £45.00

Jewelled pastel necklace £12.00 from George at ASDA

Adorning Ava Necklace £10.00 from Modiste, Bramhall

Opaque Mix Statement Necklace £25.00 at M&Co

They may big big and bold but they’re versatile too. Wear them under the collar of a buttoned-up blouse but go easy on your other jewellery.

fashion

M&S Collection Necklace £19.50

Stone statement necklace £39.00 from Mint Velvet

Next Necklace £28.00

Rhinestone Flower Collar £18.50 from Diva at Mss Selfridge

Blue Floral Necklace £12.50 at Dorothy Perkins

Curved Bar and Sticks Necklace £18.50 from Freedom at Topshop

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www.poyntonshow.co.uk

WIN SHOES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

competition

...WITH £200 TO SPEND AT JAKE!

J

ake in Stockport are celebrating a new shop refit and their 39th year on Princes Street. As an exclusive to readers of this magazine, Jake are inviting you to celebrate with them by winning shoes for the whole family. Or just for yourself of course!

Simply answer the question below:

Which of these are you most likely see at Jake? a) All Star Family Fortunes b) Converse All Stars c) Liquorice Allsorts

To enter, just go to: www.bit.ly/sourcecomp The competition closes on 15th September and the winner will be the first correct entry drawn out after this date. Good Luck!

Jake Shoes 115-117 Princes Street, SK1 1RB Also in Manchester Arndale on the upper floor 0161 480 5558 www.jakeshoes.co.uk

BACK TO SCHOOL!

travel The response to our last article on the work of the Landmark Trust was so positive that we thought we would feature a very special location this month

LUNDY

I

t’s best known for its position between Sole and Fastnet in the shipping forecast but this 400ft granite outcrop, which sits 12 miles off the Devon coast, is very popular with holiday makers in search of a unique experience. The island - voted Britain’s’ 10th greatest natural wonder - is managed by The Landmark Trust on behalf of the National Trust.

While the permanent population is less than 30, the Landmark Trust offers 23 self-catering properties, sleeping between one and 14 people, including

a 13th century castle, a late Georgian gentleman’s villa, a lighthouse, the isolated coastguard watchhouse of Tibbett and a simple fisherman’s chalet. All properties have hot and cold running water, electricity (except one) and fully-equipped kitchens.

As with all Landmarks, every Lundy property is simply, but elegantly, furnished in a way that reflects its individuality. Historic paintings and photographs are carefully selected as too are the small libraries in the bookcases. There are no

televisions, radios or telephones and the electric supply is usually turned off between midnight and 6am.

The island also boasts a pub, a church, a farm and three lighthouses. On the west side, exposed to the Atlantic, there are high and rugged cliffs, on the east, sheltered from the prevailing wind, the coastline is gentler with grassy slopes, trees and many types of wild flowers. This contrast explains the rich diversity of the island’s animal and plant life and its attraction to walkers, climbers and divers. www.landmarktrust.org.uk

TIBBETTS This building is as remote and simple as anyone could wish for. Built on one of the highest points of the island about 1 3⁄4 miles from the village here you can truly appreciate the tranquillity of the island. No electricity.

Sleeps 4 2 Bunk beds 4 nights from £228.00

CASTLE COTTAGE Castle Cottage is built against the Castle Keep and has spectacular coastal views from its sitting room. This is a compact place where the facilities have been cleverly squeezed into the space available.

Sleeps 2 1 Double 4 nights from £222.00

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CASTLE KEEP EAST The three Castle Keep Cottages are built round a small courtyard inside the Keep.

The cottages are snug and sociable, inwardlooking except for one or two windows in the outer walls which have spectacular marine views.

Sleeps 2 1 Double 4 nights from £207.00

GOVERNMENT HOUSE This is one of the best houses on the island and so well sited that it seems always to have been there, sheltered on three sides and looking down the Millcombe Valley towards the sea. This is an extremely comfortable and elegant house with a feeling of seclusion but close to the village.

Sleeps 5 1 Single 1 Twin 1 Double 4 nights from £372.00

THE RADIO ROOM The Radio Room is a small solid building in the walled garden behind Old House in the centre of the village. It is cosy and self-contained, with an east-facing terrace.

Sleeps 1 1 Single 12 nights from £96.00

MILLCOMBE HOUSE A large classical villa built for the Heaven family which looks down a wooded valley and out to sea. The well proportioned rooms are full of 19th century furniture in keeping with the style of the house.

Sleeps 12 2 Single 3 Twin 2 Double 4 nights from £618.00

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talking point

UNION J Originally a trio consisting of Josh Cuthbert, JJ Hamblett, Jaymi Hensley, Union J became four when George Shelley was added to thier number during X Factor 2012. They recently popped into Imagine FM for a chat with Chellce AJ So much has changed since we last met, you all look so much older I don’t know how to take that. We look more mature?

So what have you been up to?

We’ve been really, really busy. We came off the back of the tour with out first album and we’ve being doing the second album. Doing music videos, travelling and writing. We’ve really enjoyed it, it’s been a super year for us.

Is this the year when you really think you’ve become artists?

Coming off the X-Factor it takes you a year to find your feet and realise what direction you want to go in and we’ve taken the positives and negatives from last year and that’s helped us find our feet in terms of the choice of music we’ve gone with and hopefully everyone will feel the same about the choices we’ve made.

It takes a while I guess...

X Factor is such a whirlwind and although we didn’t release Carry You until June last year we’d already recorded the album, chosen the singles and done all the press shots - all in five months. This time round we thought it would be better to sit down and record as many songs as possible - we have 30 or 40 songs ready for the album - and we’re going to test the water every step of the way. So we don’t know what the next single will be or what will be on the album. We want to get a feel for it, see how each single does and see what the public think.

How do you think the public will react because the new single isn’t as poppy, is it?

I think our music is more current. We loved the last album, it did well, we loved singing it on tour but the new songs are songs that we’d listen to and we think that’s really important.

How do you feel that the boyband market seems to have shrunk so much recently? When you first came off the X Factor there were so many boy bands around but they seem to have been filtered out and now it’s just you and 1D really...

It’s exciting because there a lot of other bands coming up now. When we started there was JLS and The Wanted - proper boy bands - and obviously they’ve gone but now there are bands like Rixton, Five Seconds of Summer and The Vamps which is exciting for us because we were kind of like that on X Factor. There was District 3 who were the boy band while we had George playing guitar and we were doing Coldplay/Taylor Swift style music, so we can move into that lane. It’s not that we’re trying to move into that lane. It’s just where we feel more comfortable and we wish we

could have released this sort of music last year. But you have to work with what’s going on at the time. You can’t throw a curve ball out there and have everyone going “I don’t get that, that’s it, it’s over” A lot of artists have done that, changed over too quickly...

Yes and we’re so grateful, it’s humbling to see that the fans have stuck by us and they love it.

And there are a lot of your fans outside right now...

Our year is split into two. There’s six months where we’re behind the scenes, writing and recording and in the other six months are spent going out and seeing the fans and that’s so important to us, spending some one-on-one time with them. We love them.

JJ, you’ve become a dad since we last met, how are you finding fatherhood?

JJ: Yeah, he’s seven months old now, he’s got his first tooth through. He’s like our little mascot.

And Jamie, you’ve got engaged? Have you set a date?

Well because I’m so busy and because we have other aspirations, like buying a house, we thought we’d plan everything down to the last detail, up to the point where we can pick up the phone and say “right, do it!”

Because we don’t have the time to sit there for hours planning everything.

Will it be a tradition English wedding or might you go abroad...?

I think we’re going to stay in this country but it won’t be too traditional because the great thing about being in a same sex marriage is that you can make your own rules, we could do it Carrie Bradshaw style. [at this point the alarm on George’s watch goes off} We’ve got a beeping Casio, what’s going to happen now?

George: It’s to remind me - at 3 o’clock every day - to appreciate what we’re doing.

Is that actually what it’s for?

George: Yes. It’s like a little pinch. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself when you’re doing this.

Right, plug your single for us Our new single Tonight We Live Forever is out August 17th. And check out the new video which we had so much fun making. We had a wicked time and we want to invite you into a little bit of our World. ...And look out for an exciting ballad-slash-acoustic guitar-driven song around Christmas .

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education

UNIVERSITIES STILL NOT OFFERING STUDENTS VALUE FOR MONEY

W

hich? reveals nearly half of first and second year students don’t think their degree is worth the money, and there are wide variations between what universities offer for the same subject.

With university tuition fees now averaging £8,500, new research from Which? has found 46% of students with a loan don’t think their degree is worth the amount they’ll have to pay back, although three-quarters (73%) say it will be if they get the career they want.

Three in ten (29%) don’t think the academic experience itself is good value for money. The top reasons given were that the teaching was inconsistent (60%), there was too much emphasis on self-learning through private study (53%) and the quality of teaching was lower than expected (51%). Half (49%) said there were too few contact hours.

There is also evidence that universities are not pushing students as hard as they could. A quarter (26%) of students surveyed say they are working fewer hours, or doing less work, than at sixth-form or college with the same percentage (26%) saying the university could be pushing them harder academically.

Tuition fees are approaching the £9,000 cap and students are increasingly demanding more for their money, but our separate analysis of the 2014 Higher Education Policy Institute-Higher Education Academy Student Academic Experience survey reveals that there are big differences between what universities offer students studying the same subject.

Teaching time for psychology students ranged from 7 hours 6 minutes at University of Reading to almost double – 13 hours 48 minutes – at University of Glasgow.

History ranged from 7 hours 6 minutes at Royal Holloway, University of London to 11 hours 54 minutes at the University of Cambridge.

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The survey also found variation in the proportion of hours led by an academic member of staff from around half (58.7%) for history students at University of Cambridge to almost all (94.3%) at University of St Andrews. And although students value teaching time in small groups, business and management students at University of Bath spent less than two in every 10 hours in small groups, compared to six in every 10 hours at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Which? are asking the Government to make it a legal requirement for all universities to contribute to the Key Information Set and make sure that the sector provides better information about the academic experience, including amount and type of contact hours. This will help students make a more informed choice and get better value for money from their university experience.

Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd, said: “With nearly half of students saying their degree is not worth the money they will have to pay, and significant differences among universities in teaching time for the same subjects, it’s clear that many students are not getting the experience they deserve.

“A lack of comparable information makes it difficult for students to know what to expect. We want the Government to make it a legal requirement for all universities to provide better information to help students make a more informed choice.”

Which? University now features guides on individual subject areas, which include our analysis of the 2014 HEPI-HEA Student Academic Experience survey, to help prospective students understand typical entry requirements, career prospects, and what is expected of them before they make their decisions. www.which.co.uk/University

education

APPLICATIONS OPENING FOR SEPTEMBER 2015 STOCKPORT

•

Stockport Council have announced that the online application process for admissions to nursery, primary and secondary schools in September 2015 will open on Friday 15th August 2014.

The closing date for secondary school places starting in September 2015 (for children born between 1st September 2003 and 31st August 2004) is 31st October 2014.

The application process is completely online and parents can apply at www.stockport.gov.uk/schooladmissions. Parents must apply for a school place, even if they have another child already at the school or their child currently attends the nursery class. The Council wishes to inform everyone that should parents miss the application closing date they may miss out on a place at one of their preferred schools for their child.

The Council’s online application system will be quick and simple and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

tember 2015 (for children born between 1st September 2010 and 31st August 2011) is 15th January 2015.

CHESHIRE EAST

• The closing date for primary school places starting in Sep-

• The closing date for nursery schools and classes starting in September 2015 (for children born between 1st September 2011 and 31st August 2012) is 31st March 2015.

Parents will receive email confirmation that their application has been received and will also receive email notification of their school place on offer day. The council can be contacted on: 0161 217 6028.

The online system for applications will open on 1st September 2014. Booklets containing the relevant information will be available on www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/schools from that date.

•

Primary Reception applications will close on 15th January 2015. with the deadline for accepting or declining places the 30th April 2015

• Secondary Year 7 applications will close on 31st October 2014 with the deadline for accepting or declining places the 2nd March 2015.

SAM TAKES HIS SKILLS S TO THE STATES

am Heath, a sixth former at Manchester Grammar School, is taking his passion for languages to the next level by securing an unconditional place at one of the world’s top universities: Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Sam took A-Levels in French, Latin, History and Spanish, and will study Japanese and Spanish at the renowned Ivy League university.

High flier Sam, who only applied to American universities, decided to study languages because he wants to pursue a career as a travel writer. He said: “Japanese is a really fascinating and intriguing language which is actually quite easy to pick up in terms of understanding, but it is definitely more complex in written form.

I have been studying it myself for a year, so I am ready for the challenge!

“The languages complement each other, and I hope that I will be able to combine my studies at Dartmouth College with the opportunity to travel around Mexico to develop my Latin Spanish.”

Sam, who was also offered a place at Penn University in Philadelphia, had to sit American entry tests and three separate exams in Latin, French and Spanish, in addition to attending interviews.

Patrick Thom, Head of Sixth Form, commented: “Dartmouth College is recognised worldwide for its excellence. Competition for places there is fierce, so we are thrilled at what Sam has achieved.

“I have taught Sam French and I know he will really thrive in a university languages department. This is a fantastic opportunity to experience a different country and education system.”

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education

CHEADLE AND MARPLE DEMONSTRATE WAYS TO GROW

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beautifully designed garden created by a partnership between Cheadle and Marple College horticulture students and customers of Stockport Homes was awarded a Silver Gilt medal at RHS Tatton 2014.

The garden, entitled ‘Ways To Grow’ was designed by Anastasia Demetriou, a horticulture tutor at the College for 11 years. The exhibit also picked up the ‘Best Mini Bed’ award During the year, as part of Stockport Homes ‘Skills for Life’ courses, customers have attended a 12 week horticulture course, delivered by The Cheadle & Marple College Network, and held at Woodbank Park. They have since put their new skills and knowledge into practice to help design, grow and nurture all the plants from seedlings for the garden. At the end of the show all the plants grown were sold and a donation of £237.25 the proceeds are to be donated to Millie’s Trust, their chosen charity for this year.

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he Cheadle College and Marple Sixth Form College offer a wide range of courses including AS and A Levels, BTECs and Apprenticeships.

The recent Ofsted [March 2014] praised the college, its inspirational leadership and the harmonious learning environment that the students benefit from. All the teaching staff are specialists in their subject areas and many have industry experience.

In addition to offering full time courses for 16–19 year olds the College offers Apprenticeships in Business

Administration, Accounting, Sport and Recreation, Childcare and Teaching Assistant. To find out more contact Viv at: viv.murdey@camsfc.ac.uk Apprenticeships can offer you the best of both worlds - the opportunity to work and earn a wage whilst achieving valuable qualifications. “An Apprenticeship can provide you with the skills you need to develop your chosen career and we are one of the few training providers who can find you a job if you haven’t already got one. If you are an employer and you employ less than 250 people, you could be eligible for a grant of £1,500 to support an apprentice opportunity and enhance your workforce.”

A Learning for Leisure programme for adults is available at both sites. It includes a wide range of courses from dressmaking/sewing, IT skills, horticulture, modern foreign languages (Greek, Spanish, Italian, French and German) to digital photography and ukulele for beginners. Adult Open Evenings will be held on 3rd September at Marple and 4th September at Cheadle.

Contact the Admissions team on: Cheadle: 0161 486 4600 Marple: 0161 484 6600 Website www.cmcnet.ac.uk

education

KINGʼS PUPILS HIT SIX

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n incredible number of King’s School’s young academics have achieved Level 6 in their Key Stage Two assessments, leading to record results at the school.

This year, 18 of King’s Year 6 pupils achieved the outstanding award of a Level 6 in at least one of their end of Key Stage assessments in Reading, Writing or Maths. The national expectation is for children at this age to reach Level 4 and for higher achievers to achieve Level 5, so this is an incredible achievement. At King’s eleven pupils achieved Level 6 in Maths, seven pupils achieved Level 6 in Reading, and five in Writing.

Principal of King’s Infants and Juniors, Caroline Hulme-McKibbin, said, “These children, along with their classmates, have benefitted from our stretch and challenge programme and the wide range of enrichment opportunities at King’s resulting in so many of the year group achieving these exceptional results. Our Year 6 pupils have also won regional and national titles in a variety of sporting disciplines, as well as large numbers of pupils who have achieved an outstanding level in music exam awards and in regional music festivals. We are very grateful to the parents whose support plays such an important role in their children’s success.”

ALEXANDRA PARK ARE STOCKPORTʼS YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS 2014

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round 200 primary pupils took part the final of the Stockport Young Entrepreneurs of the Year competition at Stockport Town Hall.

The children, some as young as four, from 14 primary schools were given £400 through Stockport Council’s School Improvement Service to set-up and run a small business. They undertook their own market research and designed, produced, advertised and sold a product. Each child had a role within the ‘company’ such as finance director or marketing manager. Every club was supported by a business mentor - a local business person - who generously gave their time and expertise to help the pupils.

The climax, in front of over 500 people at Stockport Town Hall was in the style of the Dragon’s Den. The children ran trade stands displaying their products with the school’s business links acting as ‘Dragons’ interviewing and judging

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them on criteria such as originality of design.

Children at Alexandra Park Primary won first prize. They ran a company called KS2 Inc, producing a range of goods branded with their own creation - Crazee Creatures.

Runners up were North Cheshire Jewish Primary School. who ran a company called ‘In the Bag’.

The best trade stand at the final, voted for by other children at the event, was Ladybrook Primary School, who set up an upcycling business called, “ReLoved”, making new items from vinyl records.

Councillor Shan Alexander, Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Achievement, said: “The competition is a great opportunity for young people from our primary schools to devise and pitch an innovative project to a panel of judges to show their business potential.”

what’s on

Every Tuesday Gardens in Town Join up with Incredible Edible Wilmslow either as a one-off to pick up tips or as a regular volunteer as they plant herbs, fruit & veg and edible flowers for anyone to pick. There are two teams, the Town Centre Team which meets at the library car park and the Dean Row team which congregates opposite Wilmslow Garden Centre. www.incredible-edible-wilmslow.co.uk 14.00-15.00 Also: first Sunday of every month: 14.00-16.00 Every Thursday Modern Jive Mottram Village Hall A non profit-making jive club of eight years standing Doors open 7.30-11.00. Beginners’ lesson 7.45-8.15, repeated 9pm. Intermediate lesson 9 - 9.30pm.

All welcome. £6 Friday 15th - Saturday 17th August Buxton Show Bringing to an end two weeks of the Buxton Family Festival, the show will be a jam packed weekend of entertainment with an agricultural theme.

The Pavilion Gardens, Buxton 10am - 5pm Saturday 17th - Sunday 18th August The Tatton Park Classic Motor Show Around 2000 classic cars, 90 Top Car Club displays as well as 200 autojumble and general trade stands. New this year is “The Passion for Power - Dream Cars Pavilion”, a 1000m2+ under cover display area for the finest high performance, competition and super cars including privately entered cars, club stand exhibits and top marque dealer displays.

9am - 4pm Adult £7.50, 10-15yrs £5, Under 10s free Sunday 17th August Artisan Market Over 100 of the very finest food, drink, art & craft stall holders, music, entertainment and activities.

Wilmslow Town Centre, 10am-4pm

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AUGUST - SEPTEMBER Until 22 August Summer at the Tatton Park farm Milking demonstrations and meet our newly born ducklings and chicks!

Learn more about all the new arrivals, listen to storytelling sessions (weekends), watch sheep compete in the daily sheep hurdle challenge, follow the Little Baa trail, learn more about sheepdogs and search for Floss’s lost sheepdog puppies during the Kim Lewis themed activities. Open 12pm - 5pm (last entry 4pm). Normal admission charges apply. Activities vary daily. website: www.events.tattonpark.org.uk More Information: 01625 374400 Saturday, 16 August 2014 Robin Hood outdoor theatre Illyria Outdoor Theatre brings you the traditional performance of Robin Hood, adapted by Oliver Gray and from the earliest Robin Hood ballads pre-dating Chaucer Tatton Park 6:30 pm - 9pm Adult £11, Child £7, Family £32

Saturday 23rd August Poynton Show As well as a large competitive section, the Show will offer attractions such as monster trucks and displays from gundogs, ferrets, eagles and vultures.

There will also be a food market, craft stalls and trade stands Poynton Show Ground, SK12 1BS Adults £9.00 (on the day) Children (5-14) £5.00 (on the day) Children under 5 Free Saturday 23rd - Sunday 24th August Astle Park Traction Engine Rally 49th Annual Traction Engine Rally, with attractions for the whole family. Usual Traction Engine Rally attractions plus Ken Fox’s Wall of Death and Ridgeside Falconry. Main Arena events throughout the day and a fantastic Saturday night firework display Saturday: 9am - 11pm Sunday: 10am - 5pm Adults £8, Over 65s £7, Under 16s £4, Family Ticket £20

Until 14 September Congleton Paddling Pool In 2008 the Town Council invested around £70,000 to improve the facility Whilst the Paddling Pool is a free to use facility it does take an awful lot of money to maintain. For this reason the Town Council have installed an ‘Honesty Box’ to give people the opportunity to donate money if they wish to help with running costs. Please use the Town Centre car-parks, several of which are located very near by

Friday 29th - Sunday 31st August Stockport Summer Festival A free festival celebrating the very best of Stockport.

See pages 12-13 Friday 29th - Sunday 31st August Old Town Fringe Festival An anarchic, unusual and hugely entertaining programme of events around The Old Town See pages 8-9 Saturday 30th August Alderley Edge Allotment Society Annual Show The Annual Show is the highlight of the Societies Year.

It is open to all from the local community not just plot holders. See page 4 for more information.

The Millennium Hall, Alderley Edge School for Girls 10th September Talk ‘Contemporary Art & The Grand Masters’ Jodrell Decorative & Fine Arts Society host a monthly talk on wide variety of art, history &

cultural related topics. Friendly group.

Guests most welcome. Guest price includes refreshments of glass wine/ soft drink. See website for more details of programme, speakers and membership: www.jodfas.org.uk Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School, CW4 7DX Wendy Bond: 07856721087 7.15pm Guest price £7 13th September Open Day - Little Moreton Hall Free entry today for Heritage Open Day. Visit this iconic moated manor house that has stood for over 500 years.

11am - 5pm Wednesday 17th September Lunchtime Concert Alderley Edge Methodist Church will be resuming their concerts after the summer break with a performance by students from Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester.

Light lunches available from noon, concert performance begins 1pm Admission by programme: £4 Thursday 25th September Friends of Wilmlsow Health Centre Open Evening Friends of Wilmslow Health Centre is a charity recently formed by patients of the Centre whose objectives are to raise funds to support patients and to give them a greater say in how their health and medical services are delivered. Committee members are volunteers and come from a variety of backgrounds and varying ages.

At this informal Open Evening, patients will be able to meet members of the committee, see live demonstrations of the latest ultrasound scanner and join informal groups for discussions by Healthcare Specialists as a foretaste of future similar events. website: www.friendsowhc.org.uk or e-mail: info@friendsofwhc.org.uk Wilmslow Health Centre 7pm to 9pm 27th-28th September Wilmslow & Alderley Big Weekend See pages 10-11 for more information Lindow Cricket club

music Imagine FM’s breakfast show host Paul Willett looks at the big releases for June.

NEW RELEASES lead role in the major motion picture film, Begin Again from director John Carney, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2013. The film was released in June.

Kongos – Come With Me Now (Single) – 8th September It’s in the roar of the vocals, the hook of the accordion, the sheer tribal stomp of the beat – the enormous sound that’s swamped America. ‘Come With Me Now’ is an absolute monster of a song that’s growled and shaken its way into the charts from coast to coast propelling KONGOS, the British/South African band comprising four brothers, from relative obscurity to the US Billboard chart in just a matter of months. Having topped the Alternative charts for five consecutive weeks and shot up the Billboard Hot 100, KONGOS are now one of the hottest bands in America, and are heading out on tour with Kings Of Leon and One Republic. The track features on their debut album ‘Lunatic’, which is released on September 14th. ‘Lunatic’ sees the multi-instrumentalist brothers bring an eclectic melting pot of influences to their musical stew.

With Greek blood in their veins, a childhood spent in Britain and South Africa and their family home now located in Phoenix, Arizona, Dylan, Danny, Jesse and Johnny Kongos are the sons of legendary British singer-songwriter John Kongos, most famous for his 1971 Top 10 single, ‘He’s Gonna Step On You Again’, which Happy Mondays covered for their 1990 hit ‘Step On’.

Amelle – Summertime (Single) – 8th September Singer Amelle Berrabah is best known as member of chart-topping pop trio The Sugababes. She replaced founding member Mutya Buena in the group in December 2005, and went on to enjoy eight successful years with the band, achieving two number one spots in the UK charts before splitting in September 2013. As well as the Sugababes, Amelle scored a solo number one single in 2009 after collaborating with Tinchy Stryder on their single Never Leave You, making her the first member of The Sugarbabes to achieve a number one single outside of the group. Amelle’s has been tirelessly working in the studio to find her solo sound, which she has found in “Summertime”.

The single has an infectious feel good chorus that instantly puts you in a great mood and you can’t help but sing along. As well as the release of “Sumertime” Amelle will be appearing in BBC1’s new Saturday night primetime show Tumble.

George Ezra – Blame It On Me (Single) – 15th September The sensation of the year so far George Ezra is back with the release of his 2nd single Blame It On Me, out on Columbia Records. The song comes hot on the heels of hit single Budapest and is the latest to be lifted from Ezra’s critically acclaimed debut album Wanted On Voyage, which charted at #3 upon release last month and remains in the top five today, making it one of the breakthrough success stories of the year so far. Recorded late last year in Clapham with producer Cam Blackwood, Ezra plays guitar, bass and keyboards on the album. Ezra sold out his October UK tour in a matter of days, with all tickets for his London headline show snapped up in less than an hour. He has been named as support for Robert Plant’s show at Glastonbury Abbey, put together by Glastonbury Festival organiser Michael Eavis. For a full list of upcoming UK dates; see georgeezra.com for details.

Maroon 5 – Maps (Single) – 25th August Maroon 5 are back with a new single the first off o the group’s highly anticipated fifth studio album ‘V’, which was recorded in LA over the past year and will be released on September 1st. The band worked with producers Max Martin, Benny Blanco, Ryan Tedder, Shellback and Sam Martin, and the release sees Maroon 5 reuniting with long-time keyboardist Jesse Carmichael who took a hiatus while the band recorded 2012’s ‘Overexposed’.

Having sold 17 million albums worldwide, Maroon 5’s releases have gone gold and platinum in over 35 countries. In addition to his work with Maroon 5, Adam Levine has returned for the 6th season as a coach on the EMMY Award winning NBC hit series The Voice. Adam made his small screen-acting debut on the second season of the hit FX drama American Horror Story, and will soon be seen in a

Listen to your local radio station on 104.9FM, online at www.imaginefm.net or on your mobile

The Best of the Rest August 18th Alo Blacc – Hello World Union J – Tonight (We Live Forever)

August 25th Ed Sheeran – Don’t G.R.L – Ugly Heart Lillywood & Robin Schulz – Prayer In C

September 1st The Script - Superheroes Demi Lovato – Really Don’t Care The Pierces - Creation

September 8th Amelia Lily - California Train – Angel In Blue Jeans Katy Perry – This Is How We Do

September 15th George Ezra – Blame It On Me Gregory Porter – The In Crowd

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