Local Life - St Helens - February 2020
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<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong> Edition <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
LMS meets LL<br />
Pages 33-36<br />
Vegan Vigils<br />
Pages 12-13<br />
Shakespeare<br />
Up North<br />
Page 24<br />
<strong>Local</strong> News Motoring Jack’s Tracks Health Events2Go Home Services<br />
locallife247.co.uk
2
3
4 <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong><br />
The month of <strong>February</strong> sees a new era dawn<br />
for the UK, a future that’s firmly outside<br />
what was the Common Market (and is now<br />
the EU) for the first time in 47 years.<br />
It’s a strange feeling isn’t it?<br />
Wherever you stood on the issue, we’re all in this<br />
together, as David Cameron (the architect of the<br />
Brexit referendum) once said. And whilst economic<br />
and business commentators galore pontificate on<br />
the damage (or opportunities) of Brexit, it’s clear that<br />
the final impact of Brexit on the UK, be it positive or<br />
negative, won’t be known for years to come.<br />
How we can each influence the outcome though,<br />
albeit in a small way, is to assess our own buying<br />
habits and try, wherever possible, to buy local.<br />
Whenever it’s food and drink, holidays or any other<br />
goods, it all makes a difference to the local economy<br />
when you opt to buy local.<br />
Plus, you’ll have a positive effect on the environment<br />
– now that’s what I call a win-win!<br />
See you next time<br />
Chris Pearce, Publisher<br />
chrisp@locallife247.co.uk<br />
Keep in touch with the<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong> Team!<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
Telephone: 01744 649 722<br />
info@locallife247.co.uk<br />
locallifemagazine247@locallifemedia<br />
<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> 247 Ltd, Unit 8, Hewitt Business Park,<br />
Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB<br />
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the<br />
publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss<br />
or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause. No part of<br />
this publication may be copied or reproduced without the prior written consent of <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> 247 Ltd.
www.locallife247.co.uk 5<br />
This month’s highlights<br />
33. Interview with Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook<br />
Contents<br />
22. Puzzle Pages<br />
Try these brainteasers for size.<br />
28. Recipe<br />
Thai Green Curry.<br />
38. Events2Go<br />
Fabulous <strong>February</strong> fun.<br />
40. Motoring<br />
The new Corolla comes to life.<br />
42. Gardening<br />
12. Vegan Vigils 24. Shakespeare Up North<br />
Happy new garden to you!<br />
44. Home Services<br />
Find a local trader for you.<br />
30. Caramelised Onion & Goats’ Cheese Pizza<br />
40. Test Drive<br />
42. Happy New Garden<br />
Want to<br />
promote your<br />
business in<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong>?<br />
Next issue - March <strong>2020</strong><br />
Advertising deadline - 21st <strong>February</strong><br />
Published - 5th March<br />
01744 649 222<br />
www.locallife247.co.uk
6 News & Features<br />
Ranger Walks<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> Rangers are offering free health walks<br />
throughout <strong>February</strong>, starting with a stride through<br />
Mesnes Park in Newton-le-Willows on Wednesday,<br />
<strong>February</strong> 5.<br />
Other walks taking place this month include one<br />
around Sankey Valley (<strong>February</strong> 11th), one at Siding<br />
Lane (<strong>February</strong> 17th) and another in Bankes Park<br />
(<strong>February</strong> 25th). All walks begin at 1:30pm and last<br />
around 2 hours at a fair pace.<br />
The Rangers also run regular bird walks for anyone<br />
wanting to spot some local wildlife.<br />
For more information, call 01744 677772.<br />
The Dresser<br />
Rainhill Garrick Society’s first play of the new year<br />
will be The Dresser, running from <strong>February</strong> 13th-<br />
15th at Rainhill Village Hall.<br />
The play, by Ronard Harwood, draws on the author’s<br />
own experiences as a dresser to Shakespearean<br />
actor Sir Donald Wolfit.<br />
For more information or tickets, call 01744 813429<br />
or email rainhillgarrick@gmail.com<br />
The Beery Best<br />
Real ale drinkers in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> are encouraged to<br />
come out and vote for their favourite establishments<br />
in the <strong>2020</strong> CAMRA Pub of the Year Award.<br />
Six local pubs made the shortlist: Cowley Vaults,<br />
Cricketers Arms, The News Room, Talbot Alehouse,<br />
The Turks Head and The Skewbridge Alehouse. Each<br />
of the pubs scored highly on WhatPub based on<br />
opinions by visiting CAMRA members.<br />
Scoring is based on the quality of the ale and cider<br />
on offer, the community focus and pub atmosphere,<br />
the service, sympathy with CAMRA and overall<br />
impression of each venue. Votes from members<br />
must be submitted by Wednesday, <strong>February</strong> 19 to<br />
the CAMRA Committee – forms can be downloaded<br />
from www.sthelenscamra.org.uk<br />
Beer lovers can also head to the annual Liverpool<br />
Beer Festival this month; hosted in the Metropolitan<br />
Cathedral, you can expect over 200 real ales and<br />
ciders themed around the War of the Roses. CAMRA<br />
members get £3 worth of beer tokens on entry.<br />
Tickets are available on Eventbrite.<br />
Tell Us Your <strong>St</strong>ory!<br />
<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> is always on<br />
the look out for news<br />
stories from the local<br />
communities we serve.<br />
Are you raising money<br />
for charity? Are you a<br />
member of a community<br />
group with something<br />
to shout about? Maybe<br />
you’ve got an unusual<br />
talent, or have a claim to fame? If so, let us know<br />
and you could be appearing in the next edition!<br />
Simply call us on 01744 649722 or contact us on<br />
sthelensnews@locallife247.co.uk
7<br />
Safari Sprint<br />
A 10K like no other comes to Knowsley in March<br />
- get your running shoes on for a race around the<br />
safari park.<br />
The route will take in some of the safari park<br />
grounds before looping around Knowsley Hall and<br />
Park.<br />
Entrance to the Safari Drive is available for an extra<br />
£15.<br />
Entry for club runners costs £16, or<br />
£18 for non-club runners, bookable at<br />
www.runningbeefoundation.co.uk<br />
Distance markers are placed<br />
at every 1km, with a water<br />
station at the middle and end<br />
of the run. All finishers receive<br />
a commemorative medal and a<br />
t-shirt.<br />
Meanwhile, spectators can<br />
park at the Safari Park for £5<br />
per car, allowing access to the<br />
Foot Safari including the brand<br />
new Tiger Trail: come nose-tonose<br />
with resident Amur tigers<br />
at the pond viewing spot.<br />
Image by The Running Bee Foundation<br />
Call us now on:<br />
07751 000102<br />
10 North Road<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong><br />
WA10 2TL<br />
EQUITY RELEASE<br />
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You may be able to release equity from your<br />
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• Paying Off Any Existing Loans,<br />
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8<br />
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9<br />
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10<br />
A local man’s campaign for <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong><br />
Council to install a disability swing in the<br />
borough has paid off.<br />
Swinging Success<br />
Paul Smailes, who lives in Moss Bank,<br />
started a petition on behalf of his son<br />
Luke, who was born learning difficulties<br />
due to an extra chromosome and uses a<br />
wheelchair. Luke, who’s 19, used to have<br />
access to the wheelchair-accessible swing<br />
at Mill Green School in Parr, but upon<br />
finishing school could no longer use it.<br />
Instead, Luke was forced to watch ablebodied<br />
children at Taylor Park use the<br />
swings as no public wheelchair swings<br />
exist in the borough.<br />
After getting local council leader David Baines on<br />
board, Paul and Luke have successfully negotiated<br />
a new wheelchair swing which will be installed at<br />
Taylor Park. The council are also looking at acquiring<br />
an adapted roundabout for the park.<br />
‘I just want people in wheelchairs to be treated<br />
equally and join in the fun in the parks across <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Helens</strong>,’ Paul says. ‘When they showed me the plans<br />
I just broke down in tears.’<br />
the auction centre<br />
The leading Auctioneers and Valuers<br />
• Modern saleroom at Manor Park, Runcorn<br />
• RICS and NAVA registered auctioneers and specialist consultants<br />
• Probate and Insurance valuation reports undertaken<br />
• Full house clearance service available<br />
• Regional valuations centres around the north-west<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong> Valuation Days<br />
4th Wednesday of Every Month<br />
<strong>St</strong> Thomas Church, Peter <strong>St</strong>reet, WA10 2EB<br />
9.30 – 12 noon<br />
Check website for Details<br />
Call 01744 881 477 for more information<br />
Wigan Valuation Days<br />
2nd Tuesday Of Every Month<br />
Purposed <strong>Life</strong> Church, Greenhough <strong>St</strong>reet, WN1 3SU<br />
9.30 – 12 noon<br />
Check website for Details<br />
Call 01942 299 057 for more information<br />
9 Berkeley Court, Manor Park, Runcorn, WA7 1TQ<br />
Telephone: 01928 579796 Email: enquiries@theauctioncentre.co.uk<br />
www.theauctioncentre.co.uk
11
12<br />
Vegan Vigils:<br />
Fad or Fantastic<br />
by Jess Phillips<br />
Let’s face it: vegan diets are on the rise. Since the<br />
conception of Veganuary in 2014, vegan restaurants<br />
and businesses have been springing up nationwide,<br />
with more people than ever ditching the meat and<br />
dairy to follow a completely plant-based lifestyle. The<br />
number of vegans in the UK has actually quadrupled<br />
since then, with an estimated 600,000 vegans in<br />
Britain alone.<br />
Some quote health reasons for the radical diet<br />
change; others prize animal welfare above all else.<br />
But it’s the militant approach to veganism which<br />
remains a point of contention for most meateaters<br />
- from outspoken activists appearing on our<br />
morning television to the common trope of the<br />
vegan constantly letting you know about it. After<br />
all, how do you know someone is vegan? They tell<br />
you.<br />
Fad diet or not, animals headed for slaughter<br />
doesn’t exactly make for easy dinnertime<br />
conversation. For some, like Wigan resident Sarah<br />
Vidler - member of Wigan’s Vegan Community<br />
and animal rights activist - veganism goes beyond<br />
a simple lifestyle change. Sarah, who has been<br />
vegan for four years, regularly attends vegan vigils<br />
organised by Wigan Animal Save; on the surface, a<br />
slightly bonkers practice which involves turning up<br />
to slaughterhouses to bid an emotional farewell to<br />
the animals before they’re taken off to be killed. This<br />
is a way to show pigs, cows, sheep and more some<br />
love in their final moments, with activists reaching<br />
through the bars of cattle vans to stroke their heads<br />
and whisper comforting words.<br />
Of course, it all sounds slightly mad. After all, the<br />
animals are still headed off to the same place
13<br />
regardless, so what’s the point? Sarah thinks the<br />
sense of community built by meeting other activists<br />
and being able to share the animals’ stories with the<br />
world, in the hope of turning more people towards<br />
a more sustainable way of living.<br />
‘I attended my first vigil two and a half years ago,’<br />
she tells me. ‘I had no idea what to expect and was<br />
incredibly nervous - was I being extreme, going<br />
to stand outside a slaughterhouse on a drizzly<br />
Saturday morning in November? Were we going to<br />
get arrested?’<br />
It turns out no, as long as protests remained<br />
peaceful, the group was perfectly entitled to<br />
attend, as long as they arranged things beforehand<br />
with the slaughterhouse. And the staff’s reaction?<br />
‘Initially the staff were wary of us and sometimes<br />
mocked us for being there,’ Sarah continues.<br />
‘However, over time they began to see that we<br />
weren’t a threat, and were simply there for the<br />
animals - that we wanted to show that they<br />
mattered. The staff also realised that we weren’t<br />
against them as individuals, just standing up against<br />
an industry we believe is unjust, unnecessary and<br />
contributing to the destruction of our environment.<br />
‘It turned out to be an incredibly moving experience.<br />
I remember breaking down the first time I saw the<br />
slaughter truck pull through the gates to unload<br />
the pigs. That feeling of utter helplessness, not<br />
being able to save them - it was unbearable, yet I<br />
also felt incredibly inspired being surrounded by<br />
like-minded people, who were seeing what I was<br />
seeing and feeling what I was feeling.’<br />
Sarah began attending vigils with Manchester<br />
Animal Save, who have an agreement with Tulip<br />
Meats in Ashton-under-Lyme to stop the vans for a<br />
few minutes to allow attendees to say goodbye. This<br />
evolved into helping to run the local Wigan group,<br />
who now have a similar agreement at Blacklidge<br />
Bros on Warrington Road. Sarah also helps to<br />
facilitate local ‘Cube of Truth’ events in Wigan town<br />
centre, which aim to highlight the truth behind<br />
what’s on your plate by showing footage of ‘animal<br />
exploitation’. She has plenty of horror stories to tell<br />
about slaughterhouses across the country - most of<br />
which are too graphic to be repeated here.<br />
‘It doesn’t matter what labels we give these animals<br />
in life - whether free-range, organic or pasture-fed<br />
- not a single animal that I’ve witnessed has ever<br />
walked willingly to their death. And why should<br />
they?’ Sarah wonders.<br />
What started off sounding like mob-mentality, treehugging<br />
lunacy actually begins to fathom itself into<br />
something that makes a strange amount of sense.<br />
After all, we wouldn’t want to see the animals we<br />
treasure as pets sent off to slaughter - why should<br />
cattle be any different?<br />
‘To staunch meat eaters I would say come and talk to<br />
us,’ Sarah says. ‘We’re not the scary terrorists depicted<br />
in the media, we are ordinary, hard-working people<br />
just like you who want to build a better world for<br />
everyone. How can that be a bad thing?’<br />
To find out more about upcoming vigils in<br />
Wigan, visit Wigan Animal Save on Facebook<br />
or head to www.thesavemovement.org
14<br />
Beat the <strong>St</strong>reets<br />
<strong>Local</strong> homeless charity Teardrops are hosting an<br />
exclusive concert fundraiser this month featuring a<br />
whole host of local artists and bands.<br />
The concert takes place at Ravenhead Social Club,<br />
with bands like Polker, Alleys and Patriots lining<br />
up to take to the stage, along with artists like Kiera<br />
Weathers and Matty Lamb.<br />
Entry cost £5 per adult and £2 per child, and the gig<br />
takes place on Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 8 from 1pm.<br />
Woodland Wonders<br />
Willowbrook Hospice is looking for woodland<br />
crafters to showcase their skills at their Open<br />
Garden event later this year.<br />
Taking place in July, the Willowbrook Open Gardens<br />
are a great chance for the public to take a peek<br />
inside the award-winning grounds of the hospice.<br />
So if you’re skilled in outdoor crafting, get in touch<br />
at nickys@willowbrookhospice.org.uk<br />
Prescot Chiropody Clinic<br />
Kellogg comes to town<br />
Iconic cereal brand Kellogg have confirmed<br />
they’ll occupy a 525,000 square foot warehouse in<br />
Haydock, creating 70 new jobs.<br />
The former Florida Farm site will be home to the<br />
new warehouse, with the company moving in at<br />
the start of April.<br />
Head of Kellogg UK Chris Silcock commented: ‘It’s<br />
great to be able to open a base in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> and<br />
expand into the Liverpool City Region in support of<br />
our broader business’s growth ambition.’<br />
Road Closure<br />
Mill Lane in Rainhill will be closed for 5 days starting<br />
on Monday, <strong>February</strong> 10.<br />
No vehicles will be permitted to drive in either<br />
direction between the junctions at <strong>St</strong>onecross Drive<br />
and Lincoln Way, as tree felling is carried out nearby.<br />
The closure will be in place during working hours,<br />
from 9am-4pm.<br />
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15<br />
Genocide Awareness<br />
A special event to raise awareness of genocides and<br />
other atrocities will take place in March at Whiston<br />
Town Hall.<br />
Hosted by Meet Your Muslim Neighbours, visitors<br />
are invited to remember those who lost their lives<br />
in acts of genocide across the world, including<br />
the Holocaust and mass killings at Srebrenica<br />
and Burma. Attention will also be turned to the<br />
impending and ongoing genocides in China, Assam<br />
and Kashmir.<br />
The day will be filled with talks from guest speakers<br />
from various backgrounds, with accounts of people<br />
who have been directly affected by genocide in<br />
their lifetimes. You can also ask any questions you<br />
might have at dedicated Q&A sessions.<br />
The event takes place on Sunday, March 1 from<br />
12pm-4pm.<br />
For more information, call 07856 039289.<br />
Plans Submitted<br />
Plans were submitted last month to build a new<br />
restaurant on empty land next to Rainhill train<br />
station.<br />
The site has been unused for 18 months, and the<br />
new proposal says it would bring it back ‘to a viable<br />
use’ and ‘contribute towards the regeneration of the<br />
site and its setting’.<br />
Public consultation is open until Friday, <strong>February</strong><br />
7, after which the plans will be considered by a<br />
committee.<br />
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Eccleston<br />
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DIRECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER
16<br />
Merseyside Movie<br />
A film made in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> has been selected for the<br />
Manchester International Film Festival in <strong>2020</strong>.<br />
Based on the acclaimed theatre production TORCH,<br />
the film - entitled ‘The Whole Truth, and Nothing but<br />
the Truth’ - is an all-female foray into the history of<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> told through 5 perspectives. Filmmaker<br />
Caroline Smith packs powerful storytelling into the<br />
15-minute piece, spanning different decades and<br />
key moments in the town’s past.<br />
by an international film festival. This film gives<br />
everyone the chance to share in the magic of the<br />
incredible live [theatre] experience.’<br />
The film comes as part of the HELEN project at Heart<br />
of Glass, Idle Women and ANU.<br />
Heart of Glass director Patrick Fox commented: ‘It’s<br />
wonderful to see this incredibly powerful filmic<br />
interpretation by a local director getting recognised
17<br />
Huge selection of fires,<br />
stoves & fireplaces<br />
100+ displays over five floors<br />
90% of our fireplaces are made to measure<br />
- no need to re-decorate or re-carpet!<br />
Traditional, Classic & Contempory styles<br />
<strong>Local</strong> family business,<br />
established over 30 years<br />
18E Jackson <strong>St</strong>reet, <strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong>, WA9 1AN<br />
01744 24190<br />
www.flamesuk.co.uk<br />
Opening Hours: Monday –Friday 9.30am-4.30pm (closed Wednesday); Saturday - 10am-4pm
18<br />
Celebrating<br />
30 Years<br />
The year was 1990. Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister;<br />
Nelson Mandela was in prison and Kieron Cunningham was<br />
still a schoolboy. It was the year that Jean Cutler, a designer at<br />
Beamans in <strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong>, opened<br />
JC Kitchens in Reginald’s on<br />
Reginald Road in Sutton with<br />
the support of her husband<br />
Allan, an industrial chemist.<br />
Jean & Allan Cutler<br />
And an amazing 30 years later,<br />
JC Kitchens and Bedrooms<br />
is still going strong, it’s still<br />
in the family and it’s still<br />
delighting residents of<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong> with excellent<br />
quality kitchens at extremely<br />
reasonable prices.<br />
Now run by Jean and Allan’s<br />
daughter, Jo-Anne and her husband John, JC Kitchens occupies<br />
impressive showrooms on Greenfield Road in <strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong>, attracting<br />
potential customers from far and wide to view two floors of<br />
inspiring kitchens and bedrooms displays.<br />
Backed by excellent reviews and recommendations, JC Kitchens<br />
& Bedrooms have helped transform some of the finest homes in<br />
the country and it’s no wonder that JC Kitchens & Bedrooms enter<br />
their fourth decade of business with an outstanding reputation for<br />
inspiration, expertise and quality.<br />
If you’re looking for a new kitchen or bedroom in <strong>2020</strong>, do call into<br />
JC Kitchens & Bedrooms on Greenfield Road for a tea, a chat and<br />
a warm welcome.<br />
Expert advice from a friendly family<br />
business, established 30 years ago.<br />
Browse our two-storey showrooms<br />
for inspiration.<br />
What our customers say;<br />
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19<br />
JC<br />
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99-101 Greenfield Road,<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 6SH<br />
Tel: 01744 24406<br />
Opening Times<br />
Monday - Friday: 09:00 - 16:30<br />
Saturday: 10:00 - 15:00<br />
Sunday: by appointment<br />
JC Kitchens
20
21<br />
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22<br />
Puzzle Pages<br />
Sponsored by<br />
CROSSWORD<br />
DOWN<br />
1. Traditional Italian straw-covered wine bottle (6)<br />
2. Elongated cluster of flowers (6)<br />
3. Medium for communication (5)<br />
4. Animated film (7)<br />
5. Person who makes a will (8)<br />
6. Irish political party founded in 1905 (4,4)<br />
12. Once in a ___, very rare occurrence (4,4)<br />
13. Unit of sound in a word (8)<br />
15. Unit of relative loudness (7)<br />
18. Dry gully (6)<br />
19. Humour (6)<br />
20. Growth on the surface of a mucous<br />
membrane (5)<br />
ACROSS<br />
1. Agriculturalist (6)<br />
7. The world of scholars (8)<br />
8. Joan of ___, French heroine (3)<br />
9. Join the military (6)<br />
10. Armoured combat vehicle (4)<br />
11. Rotund, extremely chubby (5)<br />
14. Baby’s soft woollen shoes (7)<br />
16. Formerly the basic unit of money<br />
in the Netherlands (7)<br />
17. Former French unit of currency<br />
equal to 100 centimes (5)<br />
21. Welfare movement that began<br />
in 1844 (inits) (4)<br />
22. Pressure line on a weather<br />
map (6)<br />
23. Lyrical poem (3)<br />
24. Coal mine, its buildings and<br />
equipment (8)<br />
25. Religious residence in a<br />
monastery (6)
23<br />
WORDSEARCH<br />
THEME: Weather<br />
Find the hidden words in the word search grid<br />
Blizzard<br />
Flood<br />
Rain<br />
Breeze<br />
Bright<br />
Changeable<br />
Cloud<br />
Cold<br />
Downpour<br />
Drought<br />
Foggy<br />
Frost<br />
Gale<br />
Hot<br />
Hurricane<br />
Icy<br />
Overcast<br />
Sleet<br />
Snow<br />
Sultry<br />
Sunshine<br />
Tornado<br />
Warm<br />
Whirlwind<br />
SUDOKU<br />
WIGGLE WORDS<br />
CLUE: The underlying<br />
cause<br />
Trace a path through<br />
all the letters to find<br />
the word or phrase<br />
that fits the clue.<br />
B L E M<br />
O R P R<br />
T H E O<br />
F O T O<br />
NUMBER BLOCK<br />
The numbers in each row add up to totals to the<br />
right. The numbers in each column add up to the<br />
totals along the bottom.<br />
The diagonal lines also add up<br />
the totals to the right.<br />
2<br />
4 9<br />
3 5<br />
8 5<br />
20 16 18 21<br />
15<br />
18<br />
20<br />
15<br />
22<br />
21<br />
All the puzzle solutions can be found<br />
on page 50 of this magazine
24<br />
Shakespeare up North<br />
Dame Judi Dench backs new Prescot theatre.<br />
The new Shakespeare North Playhouse is currently<br />
under construction and due to open to the public<br />
in 2022, when Knowsley becomes the Borough<br />
of Culture for the Liverpool City Region. Located<br />
on the site of a former car park in Prescot, the<br />
new-look venue will provide ample space for a<br />
variety of performances and complete the UK’s<br />
Shakespearean triangle of venues: in London,<br />
<strong>St</strong>ratford-upon-Avon, and Knowsley. The reason for<br />
the theatre’s development? Prescot was actually the<br />
only place in the UK to boast an indoor playhouse<br />
outside of the capital in Elizabethan times!<br />
In January, Knowsley MP Sir George Howarth, along<br />
with <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> MP Marie Rimmer, headed down<br />
to the Houses of Parliament to discuss the new<br />
venture. Shakespeare North Trust patron Dame<br />
Judi Dench was also in attendance, commenting: ‘It<br />
is no secret that I am absolutely passionate about<br />
Shakespeare and his work and the idea of bringing<br />
this love of language to a new generation and to<br />
communities in the north of England is something I<br />
am completely behind.<br />
‘This project will be much more than ”just” a theatre<br />
and its impact will be seen for generations to come.<br />
I am thrilled to be able to support it.’<br />
Also voicing their support for the new Playhouse<br />
are local author Frank Cottrell-Boyce, actor Josh<br />
Bolt and Lady Anne Dodd, the wife of the late Sir<br />
Ken. The Ken Dodd Charitable Trust will be involved<br />
in creating an outdoor performance garden at the<br />
Playhouse for use during the warmer months.<br />
Of course, the theatre will host more than just<br />
Shakespeare. The venue will be home to a huge<br />
variety of drama, music and comedy performances,<br />
hoping to attract visitors from far and wide.<br />
For updates on its construction, visit<br />
www.shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk<br />
image by Knowsley News
25<br />
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26<br />
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28<br />
READY<br />
in 35 mins<br />
Serves 4<br />
Thai Green Curry<br />
This classic curry is great for a mid-week family supper -<br />
it’s quick to make and tastes delicious!<br />
Ingredients<br />
200g Thai jasmine rice<br />
1 tbsp sunflower oil<br />
1 onion, peeled and<br />
thinly sliced<br />
2 tbsp Thai green curry<br />
paste<br />
1 large red pepper,<br />
deseeded and thinly<br />
sliced<br />
1 large courgette, sliced<br />
450g chicken breast<br />
fillets, cut into chunks<br />
400ml can coconut milk<br />
1 tbsp soy sauce<br />
1 tbsp fish sauce<br />
Squeeze of lime juice<br />
2 tsp nigella seeds<br />
Method<br />
1 Cook the rice in a large pan of boiling, lightly salted water for about 15<br />
minutes until tender, or follow the packet instructions.<br />
2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry<br />
the onion for 5 minutes. <strong>St</strong>ir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute until<br />
fragrant. <strong>St</strong>ir in the pepper and courgette and fry for a further minute.<br />
3 Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes until no longer pink, stirring all<br />
the time. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer gently for 10 minutes until<br />
the chicken is cooked. <strong>St</strong>ir in the soy and fish sauces and lime juice.<br />
4 Drain the rice and use a small heatproof cup or bowl to make four mounds<br />
of rice on warmed serving plates. Sprinkle the nigella seeds on top and<br />
spoon the curry on the side.<br />
TIP: Add a handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves to the curry at the end<br />
of cooking time, if liked. Or for a spicier flavour, garnish with shredded red chilli<br />
pepper.
29<br />
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30<br />
Caramelised Onion &<br />
Goats’ Cheese Pizza<br />
READY<br />
in 1 hour<br />
Serves 4<br />
This is a tasty alternative to the classic cheese and tomato pizza.<br />
Serve with a green salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.<br />
Ingredients<br />
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to<br />
drizzle<br />
2 large onions, peeled and thinly<br />
sliced<br />
2 tsp brown sugar<br />
2 x 145g packets pizza base mix<br />
2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary<br />
leaves, plus 1 tbsp small sprigs<br />
2 x 100g round goats’ cheeses,<br />
sliced<br />
5 cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
TIP: Instead of the caramelised onions<br />
spread, the pizza base with sun-dried<br />
tomato paste then top with some<br />
cooked and drained spinach. Scatter<br />
over diced mozzarella cheese, grated<br />
parmesan cheese and some fresh<br />
chopped oregano.<br />
Method<br />
1 Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the onions. Fry over a<br />
gentle heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add<br />
the sugar and fry for a further 10 minutes until golden brown. Leave<br />
to cool.<br />
2 Preheat the oven to 220C, Fan 200C, Gas Mark 7. Empty both<br />
sachets of the pizza base mix into a large bowl and stir in a large<br />
pinch of salt and the chopped rosemary leaves. <strong>St</strong>ir in 200ml handhot<br />
water and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough on a lightly<br />
floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.<br />
3 Roll the dough out to a 30 x 45cm oblong. Place on a greased baking<br />
sheet and turn up the edges of the base. Spread the caramelised<br />
onions over the base, then top with the sliced goats’ cheese,<br />
cherry tomatoes and rosemary sprigs. Leave in a warm place for 10<br />
minutes.<br />
4 Drizzle with olive oil and season with a little salt and lots of freshly<br />
ground black pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the base is<br />
golden brown.
31<br />
READY<br />
in 40 mins<br />
Serves 4<br />
Bacon & Mushroom<br />
Risotto<br />
Try this for a tasty and simple New Year supper!<br />
Serve with slices of toasted garlic ciabatta.<br />
Ingredients<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 onion<br />
8 rashers streaky bacon, chopped<br />
250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced<br />
300g risotto rice<br />
1 litre hot chicken stock<br />
Grated Parmesan<br />
Method<br />
1 Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the onion and bacon gently<br />
for 5 minutes to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook gently for a<br />
further 5 minutes until they start to release their juices.<br />
2 <strong>St</strong>ir in the rice and cook until it begins to look translucent.<br />
3 Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring well and waiting until most<br />
of the stock is absorbed before adding the next ladleful - it will take<br />
around 20 minutes for all the stock to be absorbed.<br />
4 <strong>St</strong>ir in the Parmesan cheese and remove the pan from the heat. Serve<br />
and garnish with extra Parmesan to taste.<br />
TIP: You can also add finely chopped brown onions and grated garlic for<br />
extra flavour.
32<br />
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33<br />
LMS Uncovered<br />
Jess Phillips meets Londoner-turned-Wool Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook at the kick-off<br />
of his testimonial year to get real about rugby, family, and life after Saints.<br />
The prop forward, who began his rugby league<br />
career with Harlequins RL and went on to play<br />
for England, now resides among the ranks of<br />
the Saints elite after 10 years at the club. After a<br />
hectic few years balancing the arrival of twins with<br />
intensive rugby training, McCarthy-Scarsbrook is<br />
understandably looking forward to a testimonial<br />
year filled with celebrations – if not exactly rest and<br />
relaxation.<br />
Louie grew up on the Isle of Dogs in London, and<br />
was in his last year of secondary school in Lewisham<br />
when a supply teacher announced he’d been picked<br />
to attend open trials hosted by London Broncos. ‘All<br />
the thick kids got selected to go down and take<br />
part,’ Louie laughs. ‘But I went down there and as<br />
it happens I<br />
got picked up<br />
by Phil Jones<br />
at Harlequins<br />
who ended up<br />
guiding me<br />
through my<br />
whole career.’<br />
As a kid, Louie’s<br />
dad actually<br />
played rugby<br />
union – but<br />
he himself wouldn’t touch a rugby ball until he<br />
was sixteen. ‘Getting into rugby league was purely<br />
by chance, to be honest. I always wanted to be
34<br />
a footballer! I still want to be a footballer! I was<br />
definitely not good enough at football to actually<br />
be a footballer, sadly.’<br />
But, under the wings of seasoned players – and<br />
friends – Danny Orr and Rob Purdham at Harlequins,<br />
McCarthy-Scarsbrook’s rugby career blossomed,<br />
and he accepted a deal at Saints and played his<br />
first match for the team in 2011. After spending<br />
the majority of his life down south where he met<br />
wife Jessica, adjusting to life up north wasn’t all<br />
plain sailing for McCarthy-Scarsbrook. ‘I admit the<br />
accents took a bit of getting used to. I’m no good<br />
with them – of course, I’m used to it now because<br />
all my kids talk with a <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> accent!’<br />
Pronunciation wasn’t the only curveball the town<br />
threw at him.<br />
‘It shocked me how green everything was after<br />
being in the city for most of my life,’ Louie continued.<br />
‘And how many animals there were. And everyone’s<br />
nice to you, too, obviously because I play rugby but<br />
there are plenty of random people willing to come<br />
up to you for a chat as well! I’m like that now; I often<br />
get told off by my brothers-in-law for speaking to<br />
people in the street when we’re out!’<br />
Of course, there were still things he missed about<br />
his home city. ‘It was hard not being close to<br />
my family,’ he admits. ‘I also missed the bustle of<br />
London, because everything’s really quiet here, but<br />
for me family was my thing, the main thing.’<br />
It was that same family support system that truly<br />
propelled McCarthy-Scarsbrook into a professional<br />
rugby career.
35<br />
With his wife Jessica behind him – and now with<br />
four kids in tow - Louie knew his dream was really<br />
within reach. ‘Jessica’s always been supportive of<br />
me; she’s been with me the whole time, and was all<br />
up for moving from London with me. She really has<br />
helped me through my whole career – without her,<br />
I doubt I would’ve stuck with rugby. She kept me<br />
sane throughout the whole thing; instead of being<br />
out partying all the time, she let me know if I really<br />
put my mind to a rugby career I could do it.’<br />
And such dedication paid off – with McCarthy-<br />
Scarsbrook playing second-row, Saints sailed to<br />
victory at the 2014 Super League Grand Final<br />
against Wigan Warriors. He was also part of the<br />
squad during last year’s Grand Final against Salford<br />
Red Devils, both at Old Trafford.<br />
‘The highlight of my sporting career was probably<br />
winning the two Grand Finals – that’s the job I<br />
moved up here to do,’ Louie tells me.<br />
‘Which is great for a London lad<br />
who didn’t know rugby<br />
league! My first<br />
Grand Final<br />
in 2011<br />
against Leeds was like a blur. It all just bypassed<br />
me so quickly. The second time in 2014 I knew I had<br />
to take it all in and chill out a bit, and we won. The<br />
noise and the atmosphere were just fantastic, and<br />
the emotion that came with it because it’d been so<br />
long since we won.<br />
‘Last year was the same because we played so well<br />
throughout the year that to come away with the big<br />
one at the end was a class moment.’<br />
The fans’ response to Saints’ win was just as much a<br />
part of that atmosphere, Louie says. ‘Both home and<br />
away the fans are amazing. To go to Old Trafford<br />
with loads of them was just a great way to finish the<br />
season, and being at a stadium where they’re right<br />
on top of you ramped up the atmosphere. Along<br />
with Wembley, it’s definitely one of my favourite<br />
stadiums. <strong>St</strong>. James Park was a class stadium to play<br />
at, too, but I do like going to Wigan for the Derby.’<br />
I wonder if Louie picked up on Saints’ close<br />
rivalry with Wigan straight away: ‘I did know<br />
about the rivalry going into it, yeah. I think as<br />
you play more games you get more into it –<br />
but I think they hate me a lot more than I hate<br />
them!’<br />
To top it all off, Louie’s former Harlequins<br />
teammate and best mate Tony Clubb now plays<br />
prop for Warriors. ‘It’s great ‘cause now I can take<br />
the mick out of him as well, and we have our own<br />
private rivalry.’
36<br />
This good-natured ribbing definitely dates back<br />
to Louie’s younger days. A notorious prankster<br />
through and through, he might have grown up a bit<br />
since then, but still fondly remembers clingfilming<br />
a fellow player to the roof of his car and driving<br />
around with him on top, with Clubb in tow. ‘There<br />
have been a couple of good pranks – we’ve taken<br />
the wheels off people’s cars and rolled them into<br />
the gym while we were practicing. I’ve done some<br />
silly stuff in my time, but I’ve grown up a bit now. I’m<br />
sure I do still annoy people though!’<br />
It’s not all fun and games though. On top of juggling<br />
family duties with his sporting career, Louie’s also a<br />
qualified plumber. Frankly, I’m amazed he has any<br />
time to spare.<br />
‘I was doing night school every Tuesday and<br />
Thursday at Warrington Collegiate. It took four<br />
years, but I’ve done it all and got it out of the way,’<br />
he tells me. ‘So that’d probably be my plan after<br />
rugby, but plans change.’<br />
But Louie’s not quite ready to pack in his sporting<br />
career just yet. <strong>2020</strong> has already kicked off in<br />
earnest, with Saints triumphing in their inaugural<br />
game of the year against Louie’s former team,<br />
London Broncos, scoring 36-6. Louie’s testimonial<br />
match raised £2,250 for Hull KR forward Mose<br />
Masoe, who recently suffered a serious spinal injury,<br />
forcing his retirement from rugby.<br />
Coming up next is a Ladies Night in Burtonwood<br />
on Saturday, March 7; tickets cost £20. This will<br />
be followed by a black-tie dinner themed around<br />
‘London Calling’ at the Totally Wicked <strong>St</strong>adium on<br />
Saturday, March 21 – tickets cost £40 including a<br />
3-course meal and entertainment. You can book<br />
tickets for either event by emailing louiems<strong>2020</strong>@<br />
gmail.com<br />
For updates on Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook’s<br />
testimonial year, keep an eye on his Facebook page<br />
@louiems14
37
38<br />
Upload your event for FREE at<br />
www.locallife247.co.uk/events<br />
Rainford Beer Festival<br />
Friday, Feb 7 – Sunday, Feb 9, various times<br />
Enjoy a huge variety of ales, ciders, fizz and pizza!<br />
Entry £10 including a commemorative glass and<br />
beer tokens. See Rainford Beer Festival on Facebook<br />
for details.<br />
Rainford Village Hall, Church Road, Rainford,<br />
WA11 8HB<br />
Slave Trade Talk<br />
Tuesday, <strong>February</strong> 11, 6pm-8pm<br />
Learn about the history of the slave trade and how<br />
the people of <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> were involved – were they<br />
complicit or oblivious? Tickets £3 from the venue.<br />
Momo’s, Westfield <strong>St</strong>reet, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 1QJ<br />
The Dresser<br />
Wednesday, Feb 12 – Friday, Feb 14, 7:30pm<br />
Rainhill Garrick Society present an adaptation of The<br />
Dresser by Ronald Harwood – the story of Harwood’s<br />
own experiences as dresser to Shakespearean actor<br />
Donald Wolfit. Tickets £7 or £6 concessions on 01744<br />
813429 or from Rainhill Post Office.<br />
Rainhill Village Hall, Dane Court, Rainhill, L35 4LU<br />
Valentine’s <strong>St</strong>and Up<br />
Friday, <strong>February</strong> 14, doors at 7:15pm<br />
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with hilarious comedy<br />
from Neil Fitzmaurice, Celya Ab and Archie Kelly,<br />
along with Peter McCole. Tickets £10 from the bar.<br />
SIDAC Club, Wheatsheaf Ave, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong>, WA9 4PJ<br />
Knowsley Comic Con<br />
Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 15, 10am-4pm<br />
Tonnes of family fun, from merch stalls and props<br />
to costume characters, guest signings and much<br />
more. Tickets £4 per adult, £2 per U16 or free for<br />
U10s.<br />
Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park, Longview Drive,<br />
Huyton, L36 6EG<br />
Princess Valentine’s Party<br />
Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 15, 1pm-3pm<br />
Join the Beauty Princess and two of her friends for<br />
songs, dancing, party games, face painting and<br />
much more, along with a buffet. Tickets £19 per<br />
child then £14 for subsequent children, adults £7.<br />
Rainford Village Hall, Church Rd, Rainford, WA11<br />
8HB<br />
The Whirlybird<br />
Monday, <strong>February</strong> 17, 1pm-2pm<br />
Citadel Arts present an uplifting theatre<br />
performance of movement, music, puppetry and<br />
more! Whirlybird can’t get the hang of flying – will<br />
he ever learn? Tickets £3-£8 on 01744 753201.<br />
Eccleston Library, Broadway, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 5PJ<br />
Afternoon Tea<br />
Monday, <strong>February</strong> 17, 1pm-3pm<br />
Enjoy a delicious afternoon tea with sandwiches<br />
and cakes to raise money for Willowbrook Hospice.<br />
Tickets £7.50 on 01744 453798 or from the venue.<br />
Living Well, Borough Rd, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 3RN
39<br />
Twisted Tales<br />
Wednesday, <strong>February</strong> 19, 10:30am & 2pm<br />
Hear some favourite children’s tales with a terrible<br />
twist in the pop-up story cave! Tickets £3-£8 on<br />
01744 753201.<br />
Parr Library, Fleet Lane, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong>, WA9 1SY<br />
Classical Concert<br />
Thursday, <strong>February</strong> 20, 2pm<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong> Sinfonietta present a concert by Ron and<br />
Rebekah Abramski. Tickets £6 on 01744 600846 or<br />
07914 114635.<br />
URC, Ormskirk <strong>St</strong>reet, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 2TD<br />
The Spine<br />
Thursday, <strong>February</strong> 20, 7:30pm-9pm<br />
A new play about goals, brotherhood and the<br />
football academy system – Kyle, Liam and Hakeem<br />
are reaching for the same golden contract into the<br />
Premier League, but institutional racism and toxic<br />
masculinity take their toll. Bookable at the venue.<br />
Prescot Library, Aspinal <strong>St</strong>reet, Prescot, L34 5GA<br />
Genocide Awareness<br />
Sunday, March 1, 12pm-4pm<br />
Come together as a community to remember<br />
lives lost to acts of genocide and build a platform<br />
of compassion, with guest speakers, Q&As and<br />
refreshments.<br />
Whiston Town Hall, Old Colliery Road, Whiston,<br />
L35 3QX<br />
Danielle Louise Thomas<br />
Friday, March 6, 7pm-9pm<br />
An evening of music from Danielle Louise<br />
Thomas and Liverpool Cathedral’s Gilbert Scott<br />
Singers. Tickets £6 including hotpot supper, with<br />
proceeds to Prescot Festival, on 07762 607618 or<br />
prescotfestival@gmail.com<br />
Model Railway Exhibition<br />
Saturday, March 7, 10am-5pm & Sunday, March 8,<br />
10am-4:30pm<br />
Enjoy an exhibition of model railways, with free<br />
vintage bus rides between the show and the<br />
Museum of Road Transport! Entry £5 per adult or £3<br />
per child, more info at www.rainhillmrc.org.uk<br />
Rainhill Village Hall, Dane Court, Rainhill, L35 4LU<br />
Spring Running Day<br />
Sunday, March 8, 10am-4pm<br />
Embark on free heritage bus rides around <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Helens</strong>, browse transport stalls and more. For info<br />
email clive@nwmort.co.uk or call 01744 451681.<br />
North West Museum of Road Transport, Hall<br />
<strong>St</strong>reet, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 1DU<br />
<strong>St</strong>. Patrick’s Day Party<br />
Saturday, March 14, 7:30pm<br />
Celebrate <strong>St</strong>. Patrick’s Day with Irish music from<br />
Roisin Dubh, plus beer pong and other pub games.<br />
Tickets £5 including beef stew supper, proceeds<br />
to local sports teams. Book on 01744 28866 or<br />
events@ruskinsthelens.com<br />
<strong>St</strong>icky Wicket Bar & Grub, Ruskin Drive, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Helens</strong>,<br />
WA10 6RP<br />
Bananaz Bingo<br />
Friday, March 20, doors at 7pm<br />
Celebrate <strong>St</strong>. Patrick’s Day with a night of crazy<br />
bingo, dancing and fun prizes to raise money for<br />
Willowbrook Hospice! Tickets £15 including 5<br />
games and accessories, bookable on 01744 453798.<br />
Rainhill Ex-Services Club, Warrington Road,<br />
Rainhill, L35 4LS<br />
Prescot Parish Church, Church <strong>St</strong>, Prescot, L34 3LA
40 Motoring<br />
Toyota Corolla<br />
Touring Sports Review<br />
What’s a ‘Touring Sports’? In this case, it’s not a<br />
high-speed gentleman’s car, that’s for sure. It’s just<br />
a posh term for an ‘estate’. And not the net worth<br />
of an individual kind, either. Simply put, the Corolla<br />
Touring Sports is like the Corolla hatchback, but<br />
with a larger load area grafted on. And that’s what<br />
makes it a top family wagon.<br />
The new Corolla – in whichever shape you go for, is<br />
a handsome, chiselled vehicle. Inside and out, the<br />
Japanese motor is every bit a model you’d be happy<br />
to take the kids to school in. You might even make<br />
some other parents green with envy.<br />
You don’t get that badge snobbery thing with<br />
Toyota. You do with the likes of BMW, Audi,<br />
and Mercedes, but this marque seems to make<br />
you acceptable on the road – and in the school<br />
playground. You get nods of approval, rather than<br />
scowls. You’re let out at junctions instead of being<br />
ignored. And you never get the finger from other<br />
drivers in heated traffic situations. The Corolla<br />
Touring Sports makes motoring in Britain almost<br />
pleasant again.<br />
Fast Facts<br />
• Max speed: 112<br />
• 0-62 mph: 8.1 seconds<br />
• Combined mpg: 50.43 – 60.62<br />
• Engine: 1987cc 4-cylinder petrol/electric<br />
hybrid<br />
• Max. power (ps): 180<br />
• CO2: 89 g/km<br />
• Price: £30,345<br />
Inside, there’s room for four people – or five, if you<br />
really want to sit someone in the middle of the<br />
rear bench. My eldest daughter was sandwiched<br />
between two child seats on the way to Alton<br />
Towers. The trip was just under two hours – and<br />
she only started complaining an hour into the trip.<br />
The thought of the entertainment at the end of the<br />
journey was the one thing to keep her from losing<br />
the plot with her siblings. So, think of this as a fourseater<br />
car – and only a five-up machine if you have<br />
a small human being willing to take the short straw.<br />
Luggage-wise, you’ll get a lot into this estate car. It’s<br />
by no means the biggest of its type, but the 2.0-litre<br />
hybrid, on test here, boasts 581-litres of load space.<br />
Of course, if you fold the rear seats, and kick the<br />
kids out, the Corolla turns into the perfect<br />
tip-run workhorse.<br />
Pros’ n’ Cons<br />
• Looks <br />
• Handling <br />
• Efficiency <br />
• On the pricey side to buy
41<br />
The Touring Sports is not just a practical set of<br />
wheels, though. The £30,345 flagship ‘Excel’ version<br />
lent to me will hit 62mph from a standing start in<br />
8.1 seconds. That’s reasonably swift. And because<br />
a petrol and electric mix propel it, the car is frugal,<br />
managing between 50-60mpg. Co2 emissions are<br />
low at 89g/km – making this a cheap vehicle to tax.<br />
It’s perfect company car material, too.<br />
A top car in many ways then – apart from one<br />
thing – the price. You may have noticed I slipped<br />
that £30k figure into the last paragraph. It’s a lot of<br />
money. Mind you, this is the top Excel trim – and the<br />
most basic Touring Sports is £22,575. That only has<br />
a 1.2-litre unit, though – with 0-62mph taking 10.8<br />
seconds and mpg around 58. <strong>St</strong>ill, its cargo capacity<br />
is larger than the 2.0-litre version at 596-litres. And<br />
if you have an aversion to Toyota, then the similar<br />
priced Ford Focus estate might work for you – but<br />
the load area is a bit smaller. The choice is yours, folks.<br />
(Toyota Corolla Excel 2.0<br />
Hybrid Touring Sports)<br />
Mobile car valeting<br />
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e: cjvalet@yahoo.co.uk<br />
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42 Gardening<br />
Happy New... Garden<br />
by Angie Barker<br />
I’m sure you will have noticed the number of new build<br />
housing which is springing up around us. Whilst buyers<br />
will be busy furnishing and decorating their new<br />
homes, the outside space poses particular challenges<br />
which you don’t get with an established plot.<br />
The first challenge will be the soil condition. We all<br />
know that for lawns to be manageable and plants to<br />
grow well, there needs to be a reasonable amount<br />
of drainage in the garden and not too much heavy<br />
clay. I can honestly say that out of all the new build<br />
gardens I have designed and planted in my time<br />
(Hubby reminds me there have been many) I have<br />
yet to come across a new build which scores well on<br />
this front. Heavy machinery compacts everything<br />
beneath it and topsoil is likely to be removed when<br />
the site is cleared.<br />
The second challenge will be lack of privacy.<br />
Houses are built quite close together these days<br />
which means new gardens are usually overlooked<br />
by several neighbouring windows. This can cause<br />
another problem which is the amount of shade cast<br />
in the garden, particularly on estates which have<br />
three storey houses.<br />
Finally, and this may sound a little strange, but<br />
knowing where to start when faced with a blank<br />
canvass can be daunting.<br />
Having said all of this, a new build garden is a<br />
wonderful opportunity to create an outdoor haven<br />
which you will enjoy spending time in. Here are<br />
some pointers:<br />
Raised beds are fantastic for dealing with the poor<br />
soil issue and are much easier to maintain than<br />
weeding poor border soil. Make them at least 40cm<br />
high for impact. They can be curved or straight and<br />
built of a material to suit your budget.<br />
Lack of privacy can be addressed by placing<br />
pergolas in the right spot, for example over dining<br />
areas and with the right planting. Bamboos are<br />
fantastic for bringing evergreen privacy, just make<br />
sure you obtain good advice when buying and<br />
avoid the “runners” and there are many plants which<br />
thrive in shade.<br />
If all else fails and you feel you still need some<br />
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43<br />
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Established in 1984 as an emergency glazing service, today Dennis Goulding has grown and moved<br />
forward to offer all you need to maintain, enhance and expand your home. We continually invest in and<br />
embraced the latest changes in energy efficiency regulations, and still remain a local family business that<br />
cares and takes pride in what we do. We don’t employ pushy salesmen, but pride ourselves on working<br />
with and listening to our customers to give them exactly what they want. We will treat you with respect<br />
every step of the way and on that you have my word! <strong>St</strong>uart Goulding<br />
Don’t forget, we also offer all of these services daily...<br />
Glass Cut to size, Sealed Double Glazed Units Manufactured on site, Same Day Service, Safety<br />
Glass, Toughened Glass, Mirrors, Greenhouse Glass, Glazing Service, Misted Units Replaced<br />
A5209<br />
B5250<br />
Open:<br />
Dennis Goulding<br />
J27<br />
Shevington<br />
A49<br />
<strong>St</strong>andish<br />
Wind Turbines<br />
Heat Pumps<br />
LED Lighting<br />
...and general<br />
Energy Savings<br />
Unit 16, Ainscough Business Park, Mossy Lea Road,<br />
Wrightington, WN6 9RS<br />
(Drive onto ‘Ainscough Building Supplies’)<br />
Telephone: 01257 427 000<br />
Open Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm; Saturday: 9:00am - 12:00 noon<br />
www.dglwindows.co.uk<br />
TwinLakesMotorEngineers<br />
and we’ l provide you with a<br />
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Visit our showroom at<br />
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Cricket <strong>St</strong>reet Business Park<br />
off Miry Lane,<br />
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WN6 7TP<br />
or<br />
Email: info@docsolarelectrical.co.uk<br />
Website: www.docsolarelectrical.co.uk<br />
44<br />
Home Services<br />
Home Services<br />
www.bodtree.co.uk<br />
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• Established in <strong>St</strong>.<br />
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Call now on<br />
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Call Sally: 01744 649 722<br />
locallife247.co.uk<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
We only use reliable, vetted staff<br />
• £11.95 per hour - minimum 2 hrs<br />
• Same cleaner each visit<br />
• All domestic duties provided<br />
Call or email Joanne 01744 649091<br />
joanne@acleanbreak.co.uk / www.acleanbreak.co.uk
Upvc Windows & Doors I Conservatories,<br />
Soffits & Fascias I Composite Doors I Bi-Fold Doors<br />
Established in 1984 as an emergency glazing service, today Dennis Goulding has grown and moved<br />
forward to offer all you need to maintain, enhance and expand your home. We continually invest in and<br />
embraced the latest changes in energy efficiency regulations, and still remain a local family business that<br />
cares and takes pride in what we do. We don’t employ pushy salesmen, but pride ourselves on working<br />
with and listening to our customers to give them exactly what they want. We will treat you with respect<br />
every step of the way and on that you have my word! <strong>St</strong>uart Goulding<br />
Don’t forget, we also offer all of these services daily...<br />
Glass Cut to size, Sealed Double Glazed Units Manufactured on site, Same Day Service, Safety<br />
Glass, Toughened Glass, Mirrors, Greenhouse Glass, Glazing Service, Misted Units Replaced<br />
A5209<br />
B5250<br />
Open:<br />
Dennis Goulding<br />
J27<br />
Shevington<br />
A49<br />
<strong>St</strong>andish<br />
Wind Turbines<br />
Heat Pumps<br />
LED Lighting<br />
...and general<br />
Energy Savings<br />
Unit 16, Ainscough Business Park, Mossy Lea Road,<br />
Wrightington, WN6 9RS<br />
(Drive onto ‘Ainscough Building Supplies’)<br />
Telephone: 01257 427 000<br />
Open Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm; Saturday: 9:00am - 12:00 noon<br />
www.dglwindows.co.uk<br />
TwinLakesMotorEngineers<br />
and we’ll provide you with a<br />
detailed report showing the<br />
returns available from your<br />
own solar panels<br />
(10% typical return)<br />
Visit our showr om at<br />
Unit 4a,<br />
Cricket <strong>St</strong>r et Busine s Park<br />
o f Miry Lane,<br />
Wigan.<br />
WN6 7TP<br />
or<br />
Email: info@docsolarelectrical.co.uk<br />
Website: www.docsolarelectrical.co.uk<br />
46<br />
CALL PAUL<br />
LOCKSMITHS<br />
ESTABLISHED 2000<br />
• UPVC & WOODEN DOOR SPECIALIST<br />
• Emergency Door Opening<br />
• UPVC Door Lock Repairs<br />
• UPVC Door Lock Changes<br />
• UPVC Door Lock Upgrades<br />
• Wood Door Lock Changes<br />
• All Work Guaranteed<br />
A Registered Insured NCFE Certified Company<br />
Call Paul for a<br />
Fast, Reliable, Professional Service<br />
TELEPHONE<br />
01744 526 589<br />
MOBILE<br />
07932 718 362<br />
WWW.CALLPAULLOCKSMITH.CO.UK<br />
Design & Print<br />
Flyers, postcards, brochures<br />
and distribution service.<br />
For more information call<br />
01744 649 722<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
Want to drive your sales?<br />
Advertising packages start from £35 + VAT a month.<br />
For more information call 01744 649 722<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
KEYS LOCKS SAFES<br />
• Repairs & Upgrades<br />
on all locks, including UPVC<br />
• Safes supplied & installed<br />
• Key cutting service<br />
• Emergency call outs welcomed<br />
• All work guaranteed<br />
Call your local lock expert for a free quote<br />
Call us now on<br />
01744 732 256<br />
Established 1970<br />
Visit our showroom: 2, Lingholme Road, <strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 2NS<br />
Gel<br />
Nails<br />
norma ly £20<br />
now £15<br />
Lashes<br />
Spray Tan<br />
Sunbeds<br />
Acrylic & Gel Nails<br />
Natalies @ <strong>St</strong>udio 84<br />
84 Rainford Road, Bi linge WN5 7PG<br />
Telephone: 07814 619 400<br />
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10AM - 7PM, Saturday 10AM - 6PM<br />
Closed Thursday & Sunday<br />
Mo sy Lea Road<br />
T<br />
Y<br />
R<br />
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Solar Thermal<br />
& Solar PV<br />
Book<br />
your FREE<br />
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CAR & VAN SERVICING<br />
FREE<br />
Car Health Check<br />
.and motorcycles too<br />
for a l residents of Croston and Bretherton<br />
Keep me until you need me!<br />
Book your FREE Car Health Check<br />
Call now on<br />
01772 603923<br />
REPAIR & WELDING<br />
Saving money is<br />
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07595 420237<br />
GARAGE DOOR<br />
REPAIRS<br />
ALL GARAGE DOORS REPAIRED :<br />
Springs, Cables, Locks, Rollers etc.<br />
Doors of all ages repaired<br />
01744 894939 / 07891 330214 NO FIX, NO CHARGE!<br />
www.garagedoorandlock.co.uk<br />
<strong>St</strong>rawberry Cottage, Pimbo Road, Kings Moss WN8 9QL<br />
S<br />
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47<br />
Over 60 walks<br />
FREE to download at locallife247.co.uk<br />
Rainford Electrical<br />
Electrical Installations & Repairs Est.1975<br />
All aspects of domestic work undertaken<br />
Lights, Sockets, Fuseboards etc<br />
Electric Oven & Shower Repairs<br />
P.A.T. Testing & Inspection<br />
Small jobs a speciality<br />
Call Alan Leigh on<br />
01744 883883 or 07884 496434<br />
Heating & Plumbing Services<br />
• Boiler Installations & Repairs<br />
• Servicing & Maintenance<br />
• Gas Safety Certificates<br />
• We’re on call 365 days a year – our<br />
service & maintenance plans start<br />
from just 41p per day!<br />
152642<br />
64-80 Duke <strong>St</strong>reet, <strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 2JW<br />
01744 22331<br />
Bartons-heating.co.uk<br />
Want to promote your<br />
company in <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong>?<br />
Call Sally: 01744 649 722<br />
locallife247.co.uk<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
All electrical work<br />
undertaken from full<br />
re-wires to alarms/CCTV.<br />
www.hjselectricalservices.co.uk<br />
Call-Outs<br />
welcome<br />
24/7<br />
ATB Plumbing & Heating<br />
Boiler Installs, Repairs & Services<br />
Fire & Cooker Installations<br />
Bathrooms Fitted<br />
System Flushes<br />
Landlords Certifications 624630<br />
LPG<br />
Call Alec on<br />
07730 735 174<br />
rainford-boiler-tech.co.uk<br />
All aspects of Gas Heating & Plumbing<br />
• Boilers<br />
• Bathrooms<br />
• Servicing<br />
Installations, Upgrades & Maintenance<br />
Established 30+ years ~ emergency call outs<br />
Call Paul for advice and a free quote<br />
07929 428 496<br />
42-44 Rainford Road, Billinge<br />
No job too small.<br />
No call out charge<br />
– guaranteed.<br />
30 years experience.<br />
Call <strong>St</strong>eve on<br />
07809 427 508<br />
11672<br />
FINANCE<br />
AVAILABLE<br />
ASK FOR DETAILS
Upvc Windows & Doors I Conservatories,<br />
Soffits & Fascias I Composite Doors I Bi-Fold Doors<br />
Established in 1984 as an emergency glazing service, today Dennis Goulding has grown and moved<br />
forward to offer all you need to maintain, enhance and expand your home. We continually invest in and<br />
embraced the latest changes in energy efficiency regulations, and still remain a local family business that<br />
cares and takes pride in what we do. We don’t employ pushy salesmen, but pride ourselves on working<br />
with and listening to our customers to give them exactly what they want. We will treat you with respect<br />
every step of the way and on that you have my word! <strong>St</strong>uart Goulding<br />
Don’t forget, we also offer all of these services daily...<br />
Glass Cut to size, Sealed Double Glazed Units Manufactured on site, Same Day Service, Safety<br />
Glass, Toughened Glass, Mirrors, Greenhouse Glass, Glazing Service, Misted Units Replaced<br />
A5209<br />
B5250<br />
Open:<br />
Dennis Goulding<br />
J27<br />
Shevington<br />
A49<br />
<strong>St</strong>andish<br />
Unit 16, Ainscough Business Park, Mossy Lea Road,<br />
Wrightington, WN6 9RS<br />
(Drive onto ‘Ainscough Building Supplies’)<br />
Telephone: 01257 427 000<br />
Open Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm; Saturday: 9:00am - 12:00 noon<br />
www.dglwindows.co.uk<br />
TwinLakesMotorEngin ers<br />
Wind Turbines<br />
Heat Pumps<br />
LED Lighting<br />
...and general<br />
Energy Savings<br />
and we’ l provide you with a<br />
detailed report showing the<br />
returns available from your<br />
own solar panels<br />
(10% typical return)<br />
Visit our showr om at<br />
Unit 4a,<br />
Cricket <strong>St</strong>r et Busine s Park<br />
o f Miry Lane,<br />
Wigan.<br />
WN6 7TP<br />
or<br />
Email: info@docsolarelectrical.co.uk<br />
Website: www.docsolarelectrical.co.uk<br />
48<br />
ALPINE LTD<br />
Roofing & Building Services<br />
OAP<br />
DISCOUNTS<br />
SERVING<br />
CHORLEY, WEST<br />
LANCASHIRE &<br />
WIGAN<br />
Your local roofing company<br />
from repairs to re-roofs,<br />
fascia’s, soffits & gutters.<br />
• Flat roof specialists<br />
• Damp proof specialists<br />
• Quality workmanship<br />
• Affordable pricing<br />
• Quick response to all repairs<br />
FULLY INSURED<br />
Tel: 01744 776880<br />
Mob: 07730 351523<br />
www.alpineroofingandbuildingltd.co.uk<br />
PLC MAINTENANCE<br />
MULTISKILLED HANDYMAN<br />
Roofing & Roofline- repairs and replacement<br />
Decorating, Building, Gates supplied & fitted<br />
Plastering, Gardening<br />
For all your home improvements - No job too small<br />
07847 394040 ~ 01744 606938<br />
Design & Print<br />
Flyers, postcards, brochures<br />
and distribution service.<br />
For more information call<br />
01744 649 722<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
Gel<br />
Nails<br />
normally £20<br />
now £15<br />
Lashes<br />
Spray Tan<br />
Sunbeds<br />
Acrylic & Gel Nails<br />
Natalies @ <strong>St</strong>udio 84<br />
84 Rainford Road, Billinge WN5 7PG<br />
Telephone: 07814 619 400<br />
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10AM - 7PM, Saturday 10AM - 6PM<br />
Closed Thursday & Sunday<br />
01744 602931 or 07756 274503<br />
7 Albany Avenue, Eccleston Park, L34 2QN<br />
Mo sy Lea Road<br />
T<br />
Y<br />
R<br />
E<br />
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Solar Thermal<br />
& Solar PV<br />
Book<br />
your FREE<br />
home survey<br />
CAR & VAN SERVICING<br />
FREE<br />
Car Health Check<br />
.and motorcycles too<br />
for a l residents of Croston and Bretherton<br />
Keep me until you need me!<br />
Book your FREE Car Health Check<br />
Call now on<br />
01772 603923<br />
REPAIR & WELDING<br />
Saving money is<br />
the clear benefit!<br />
Slash your electricity and<br />
water heating bill<br />
Protect your household from<br />
future energy price rises<br />
E<br />
X<br />
H<br />
A<br />
U<br />
S<br />
T<br />
S<br />
Reduce your household’s<br />
impact on the environment<br />
Ca l us now<br />
0843 224 9555<br />
07595 420237<br />
FREE HandyContacts web listing<br />
when you advertise in <strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong> magazine<br />
Prices start from<br />
£35+ VAT per issue<br />
Free artwork<br />
Monthly payments<br />
Call us today on<br />
01744 649722<br />
www.locallife247.co.uk/handy-contacts/
Upvc Windows & Doors I Conservatories,<br />
Soffits & Fascias I Composite Doors I Bi-Fold Doors<br />
Established in 1984 as an emergency glazing service, today Dennis Goulding has grown and moved<br />
forward to offer all you need to maintain, enhance and expand your home. We continually invest in and<br />
embraced the latest changes in energy efficiency regulations, and still remain a local family business that<br />
cares and takes pride in what we do. We don’t employ pushy salesmen, but pride ourselves on working<br />
with and listening to our customers to give them exactly what they want. We will treat you with respect<br />
every step of the way and on that you have my word! <strong>St</strong>uart Goulding<br />
Don’t forget, we also offer all of these services daily...<br />
Glass Cut to size, Sealed Double Glazed Units Manufactured on site, Same Day Service, Safety<br />
Glass, Toughened Glass, Mirrors, Greenhouse Glass, Glazing Service, Misted Units Replaced<br />
Unit 16, Ainscough Business Park, Mossy Lea Road,<br />
Wrightington, WN6 9RS<br />
Dennis Goulding<br />
(Drive onto ‘Ainscough Building Supplies’)<br />
Telephone: 01257 427 000<br />
Open Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm; Saturday: 9:00am - 12:00 noon<br />
www.dglwindows.co.uk<br />
A5209<br />
<strong>St</strong>andish<br />
Shevington<br />
B5250<br />
Open:<br />
J27<br />
A49<br />
TwinLakesMotorEngin ers<br />
Wind Turbines<br />
Heat Pumps<br />
LED Lighting<br />
.and general<br />
Energy Savings<br />
and we’ l provide you with a<br />
detailed report showing the<br />
returns available from your<br />
own solar panels<br />
(10% typical return)<br />
Visit our showr om at<br />
Unit 4a,<br />
Cricket <strong>St</strong>r et Busine s Park<br />
o f Miry Lane,<br />
Wigan.<br />
WN6 7TP<br />
or<br />
Email: info@docsolarelectrical.co.uk<br />
Website: www.docsolarelectrical.co.uk<br />
49<br />
For all your building needs<br />
• New Builds & Extensions<br />
• Kitchen & Bathroom Refurbishments<br />
• Loft & Garage Conversions<br />
• Painting & Decorating Contractors<br />
Domestic & commercial work welcomed Established in <strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong> since 1958<br />
For free advice and quotes, call Jon on 07887 603926<br />
Bettridge’s Construction Ltd<br />
<strong>St</strong>rickland <strong>St</strong>reet,<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Helens</strong>, WA10 1LS<br />
07887 603926<br />
www.bettridges.construction<br />
Damp Control<br />
<strong>St</strong>ate of the art diagnostic equipment<br />
used to provide a comprehensive<br />
assessment of your damp issues.<br />
Free quote and advice provided<br />
for any remedial works needed.<br />
For a reliable, friendly<br />
service call Matthew on<br />
07840 096 233<br />
Matthew Rigby<br />
Property Services<br />
Damp Control Specialists<br />
Design & Print<br />
Flyers, postcards, brochures<br />
and distribution service.<br />
For more information call<br />
01744 649 722<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
Gel<br />
Nails<br />
norma ly £20<br />
now £15<br />
Lashes<br />
Spray Tan<br />
Sunbeds<br />
Acrylic & Gel Nails<br />
Natalies @ <strong>St</strong>udio 84<br />
84 Rainford Road, Bi linge WN5 7PG<br />
Telephone: 07814 619 400<br />
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10AM - 7PM, Saturday 10AM - 6PM<br />
Closed Thursday & Sunday<br />
Mossy Lea Road<br />
T<br />
Y<br />
R<br />
E<br />
S<br />
Solar Thermal<br />
& Solar PV<br />
Book<br />
your FREE<br />
home survey<br />
CAR & VAN SERVICING<br />
FREE<br />
Car Health Check<br />
.and motorcycles too<br />
for a l residents of Croston and Bretherton<br />
Keep me until you need me!<br />
Book your FREE Car Health Check<br />
Ca l now on<br />
01772 603923<br />
REPAIR & WELDING<br />
Saving money is<br />
the clear benefit!<br />
Slash your electricity and<br />
water heating bi l<br />
Protect your household from<br />
future energy price rises<br />
Reduce your household’s<br />
E<br />
X<br />
H<br />
A<br />
U<br />
S<br />
T<br />
S<br />
impact on the environment<br />
Ca l us now<br />
0843 224 9555<br />
07595 420237<br />
Want to promote your<br />
company in <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong>?<br />
Call Sally: 01744 649 722<br />
locallife247.co.uk<br />
<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
Do you have<br />
Failed Double<br />
Glazing Units?<br />
Don’t pay £££’s to replace the frame,<br />
we’ll replace the glass panes.<br />
We also replace; Window locks,<br />
Door locks, Hinges & Handles.<br />
...and we do conservatory repairs.<br />
Call us now for a free quotation on<br />
01744 810 000<br />
www.northwestwindowrepairs.co.uk
50<br />
Puzzle Solutions<br />
CROSSWORD<br />
ACROSS: 1. Farmer, 7. Academia, 8. Arc, 9. Enlist, 10. Tank, 11. Obese, 14. Bootees, 16. Guilder, 17. Franc, 21. YMCA,<br />
22. Isobar, 23. Ode, 24. Colliery, 25. Priory.<br />
DOWN: 1. Fiasco, 2. Raceme, 3. Radio, 4. Cartoon, 5. Testator, 6. Sinn Féin, 12. Blue moon, 13. Syllable, 15. Decibel,<br />
18. Arroyo, 19. Comedy, 20. Polyp.<br />
WORDSEARCH<br />
SUDOKU<br />
WIGGLE<br />
WORDS<br />
Root of the problem<br />
NUMBER<br />
BLOCK<br />
7 2 8 1<br />
4 4 3 9<br />
1 3 5 6<br />
8 7 2 5<br />
20 16 18 21<br />
15<br />
18<br />
20<br />
15<br />
22<br />
21<br />
<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> is published every month and distributed into the following<br />
areas on an alternate monthly basis.<br />
This issue is delivered to over 14,500 private homes and businesses in Rainhill, Eccleston, Sutton,<br />
Eccleston Park, Windle, Grange Park, Nutgrove, New Bold and Waterside Village<br />
The next issue is delivered to over 12,500 private homes and businesses in Rainford,<br />
Billinge, Garswood, Moss Bank, Haresfinch, Carr Mill and selected areas of Haydock.<br />
Did you know that we can send you a link to<br />
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Visit our website www.locallife247.co.uk to sign up to receive<br />
your monthly online magazine - the sign up section is situated at<br />
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Keep in touch with the<br />
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Read all our magazines online at<br />
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www.locallife247.co.uk
51<br />
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Tomorrow’s Home Improvements Today!<br />
Quality ~ Choice ~ Value<br />
Windows<br />
Bi-Fold Doors<br />
Thermally-efficient conservatory roofs<br />
expertly fitted by accredited installers<br />
©<br />
Orangeries<br />
Don’t just lock it,<br />
Rock it!<br />
Conservatories<br />
Manufacturers and installers since 2004<br />
Contact us on 01744 891717 for a no obligation quote<br />
Visit our showroom/factory at; Crows Nest, Ashton Road, Billinge, WN5 7XX (near Windy Arbour crossroads)<br />
www.orrellwindows.co.uk<br />
28544