Local Life - Wigan - May 2021

LocalLife 

Wigan Edition 

The Wandering 

Wiganer 

Pages 14-16 

May 2021 

Orrell’s First Hub? 

Pages 27-30 

UK Road Trips 

Pages 58-61 

Making the Switch 

Pages 76-77 

Jack’s Tracks - Crank 

Pages 72-74 

Bathroom Special 

Pages 48-51 

Refresh your WFH Space 

Pages 46 

LOCAL NEWS | EVENTS2GO | FOOD | HEALTH | WALKS | COMPETITIONS | HOME & GARDEN SERVICES

2 

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4 

With restrictions easing across the UK, life is 

slowly returning to normal. More relieved 

than most are the owners of businesses 

that have had to close their doors during the lockdowns, 

in particular those businesses in the hospitality, personal 

care and non-essential retail sector. 

Owners of small businesses like these often exist on next 

to nothing in their business’s formative years with the 

plan that rewards will follow if the business succeeds. 

During the pandemic, many businesses, particularly the 

newer ones, were faced with a life-changing ‘stick or twist’ 

decision. Some opted to close permanently whilst others 

are hanging on in the hope that the easing of restrictions 

brings a change in fortunes. Your support can help. 

Let’s also be patient with our hospitality industry when 

it opens up. Ordering perishable supplies when there is 

no trading pattern of post-pandemic sales, training new 

staff to replace those who left, keeping customers safe by 

ensuring social distancing rules are in place, and having 

to keep records of everyone who walks through the door 

is not an easy task. 

Walking into your favourite pub and restaurant and 

expecting the quality of food and the ambience to be 

perfect from Day 1 post-lockdown is like expecting your 

sports team’s star player to be at peak form on the first 

day of pre-season training. To achieve perfection does 

take time. 

#bekind #shoplocal 

Chris Pearce, Publisher 

chrisp@locallife247.co.uk 

Keep in touch with the 

LocalLife Team! 


Telephone: 01695 627 999 

info@locallife247.co.uk 

locallifemagazine247@locallifemedia 

Local Life 247 Ltd, PO Box 779, Wigan WN1 9UB 

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the 

publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss 

or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause. No part of 

this publication may be copied or reproduced without the prior written consent of Local Life 247 Ltd.

5 

This month’s highlights 

14. The Wigan Wanderer 

Contents 

27. Orrell’s First Hub? 

48. Bathroom Storage 

34. Baking 

Rhubarb sponge slice. 

38. Food 

Asparagus & salmon mini frittatas. 

42. Tech 

Check out the best kitchen gadgets. 

46. Working from Home 

Give your home office an uplift. 

50. Home 

Make your bathroom a relaxing oasis. 

64. Puzzle Pages 

Try out our new word ladder! 

68. Health 

Cope with stress and anxiety. 

72. Jack’s Tracks visits Crank 

81. Home & Garden Services 

Find the best local traders for you. 

58. Road Trips UK 76. Switch to Electric 

Want to 

promote your 

business in 

LocalLife? 

Next Issue - June 2021 

Advertising deadline - 5th May 

Published - 19th May 

01695 627 999 

www.locallife247.co.uk

6 

Litter Pickers 

A determined group of litter pickers has racked up 1,000 

new members and hundreds of bags of litter. 

The Wigan Litter Picker group was created in February, 

and the group has gone from strength to strength, 

encouraging tidying up discarded litter in areas such as 

footpaths, woods, parks, canal and towpaths. 

The main aim of the group is to encourage residents to 

take pride in their own little patch of the town and show 

they care. 

Wigan Litter Pickers is backed by Wigan Council’s Improve 

a Space initiative. Before undertaking any environmental 

volunteering activity on council-owned land, you or your 

community group will need to request permission. 

Members can also direct you to how you can get your 

hands on free litter picking equipment including gloves, 

picking stick and bags, that will be delivered to your door. 

Search Facebook for Wigan Litter Pickers to join the 

group. For further information about the Improve a Space 

initiative go online at www.wigan.gov.uk and search 

Improve a Space. 

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Library Consultation 

Wigan Council have launched a public consultation on 

the future of Lamberhead Green Library, based at Dean 

Trust School in Greenhey, Orrell. The school has identified 

the need to create a new onsite Engagement Centre to 

support and engage with parents/carers, and the space 

currently used for the library has been identified as an 

ideal location for this Centre. 

To replace the existing library space, the school wants to 

provide a replacement, purpose-built facility, which is to 

be sited at the front of the school close to the existing 

library entrance, with the hope of increasing membership, 

participation and volunteer engagement in the library 

service. 

In 2019/2020, the library had the 7th highest book 

lending rate out of the borough’s 13 community libraries 

and, though it remains temporarily closed for the time 

being, the council insists that the library will not be 

permanently closed. 

The consultation closes on Sunday 2nd May – to 

participate online, visit https://www.wigan.gov.uk/ 

Council/Consultations/Lamberhead-Green-Library.aspx 

Clothes Drive 

For those of you looking for an excuse to clear out a few 

wardrobes this spring then this is it. Daffodils Dreams, 

the Poolstock-based charity that helps local children and 

their families living in hardship, recently have launched a 

clothes drive for new/nearly new children’s clothing and 

footwear. 

The charity is looking for high-quality new and like-new 

items that you can donate, so that they can put together 

and distribute packages for specific children through their 

referral process. These would ideally include clothing, 

footwear, nightwear, bedding, toys and so many other 

nice things that most children take for granted. 

Daffodils Dreams will collect donations from your doorstep 

– just message Clare Dean on 07568 473694 or you can 

book an online collection at www.daffodilsdreams.org. 

Donations can also be dropped off at the back of the 

Tippings Arms, 115 Poolstock Lane, Wigan at any time 

or at the Shevington Village Kitchen, 2g Gathurst Lane, 

Shevington from Weds to Sunday 9.30pm-2pm.

7 

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8 

Conny Expands 

The Concourse in Skelmersdale is aiming to become Plans for WonderWorld have been submitted as Ultra 

an entertainment hub after launching ambitious plans Star Cinema completes the final fit out and decoration 

for an indoor entertainment venue – just months after of the deluxe, two-screen cinema, the town’s first cinema 

announcing the arrival of a cinema. 

for 38 years. Each 125-seat auditorium will be fitted 

If planning is approved by West Lancashire Borough 

with comfy, Italian leather high-back chairs, each with 

Council, the second floor of The Concourse will be a 

1.5-metre spacing between rows, to create a luxury feel 

Wonderworld Development, comprising of a cocktail bar, 

with additional legroom. 

an American-style diner, an artisan-style street food court, 

a coffee bar, jungle-themed adventure golf and ten pin 

bowling and other attractions. The decision is expected 

in May. 

David Halliwell, director of Dalton-based Moorgate 

Developments, said: “This is a long-awaited development 

by many, which is why we took our research to a higher 

level, looking at the most popular entertainment centres 

from as far away as Australia and America. 

“We really invested time into looking at what a family 

needs and wants to make a great day out. WonderWorld 

will also cater for parties and corporate days and will 

welcome all age groups.” 

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11 

Haigh Cash Boost 

Wigan Council has received initial support from The 

National Lottery Heritage Fund for the second phase of 

the Haigh Woodland Park project. The project aims to 

restore and bring unused areas of the park back to life 

while enhancing the overall visitor experience. 

Development funding of £256,000 has been awarded by 

The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help Wigan Council 

progress their plans to apply for a full National Lottery 

grant at a later date. 

Haigh Woodland Park has become a regional hotspot 

for tourism since major changes were made in 2016 

following £3.6 million investment from Wigan Council. 

Phase one of the Haigh masterplan included car parking 

improvements, construction of the play area, adventure 

golf and high ropes, conversion of the stables into Haigh 

kitchen courtyard and installation of new furniture. 

The project aims to address the major restoration needed 

to protect the heritage of the site, while expanding the 

activities on offer for visitors to enjoy, exploring ways 

in which the park can further impact on the health and 

wellbeing of visitors, identify ways to boost volunteering 

and educational activity and enhance the biodiversity 

value of the park, in particular the woodland. 

Commenting on the award, Councillor Chris Ready, 

cabinet member for corporate assets, said: “Lots of 

our residents have fond memories of the park and can 

remember the era of the zoo, greenhouses and model 

village. 

“Sadly, these areas have been closed off for many years due 

to a lack of funding. If successful, this funding will help us 

to open us these spaces once again, giving visitors even 

more opportunities to explore and appreciate what the 

park has to offer. Haigh Woodland Park means so much to 

so many people in our borough and we’re determined to 

get this right for them and our future generations.” 

Feedback from a resident’s survey in 2019 helped to 

shape the proposal and over the next few months, 

Wigan Council will launch a big listening exercise, giving 

residents and visitors another opportunity to engage and 

shape the future of Haigh Woodland Park.

12 

u3a Day 

Have you recently retired and have surplus time on your 

hands? If so, then Wednesday 2nd June could be the first 

day of the rest of your life. It is National u3a Day! 

Founded in 1982, the u3a is a movement of 1,057 groups 

that provide a wide range of opportunities so that its 

450,000 members can explore new ideas, skills and 

activities together. The organisation is open to everyone 

who’s no longer in full-time work. 

Up Holland & District u3a will be hosting an information 

display stand by the Co-op store in Ormskirk Road, 

Upholland from 10am to 4.30pm. Visitors to the stand can 

also pick up details of a heritage trail around the area. 

Members and their friends are also invited to attend a 

virtual Variety Show in the morning and a virtual Quiz in 

the evening. For more information about joining the u3a, 

here are the websites of other Wigan groups. 

www.uphollandu3a.org 

www.u3asites.org.uk/wigan 

www.ashtoninmakerfieldanddistrictu3a.co.uk 

No Mow May 

Wigan Borough residents are being encouraged to leave 

the mower in the shed throughout May as part of a 

scheme to help the environment. 

Wigan Council has been preparing over the winter for 

the ‘No Mow May’ initiative on various greenspaces 

throughout the borough to attract wildlife and rare 

species of wildflowers. 

Paul Barton, Wigan Council’s director for environment, 

said, “While the pandemic has challenged many of us like 

never before, one positive has been shining a light on 

how a reduced mowing regime can improve biodiversity 

immeasurably and encourage new wildlife into the 

borough. 

“I’d encourage residents to take up the challenge. Not 

only could it result in enough nectar for ten times more 

bees and other pollinators, but you’ll be able to put your 

feet up in the spring sunshine and be more likely to spot 

a greater variety of flowers popping up in your garden.” 

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14 

The Wigan 

Wanderer 

by Nicola Gray 

To travel is to live, and how right Hans Christian Andersen 

was! The power of travel is truly underestimated by many; 

spending time in other parts of the world and even our own 

country, not only allows us to dive deep into the history of an 

area, but it also allows us to experience other cultures and 

the mannerisms of people we wouldn’t normally meet. 

One person who wholeheartedly agrees with the musings of 

the Danish author is Wigan resident, Simon Radcliffe. Simon 

came to my attention when he popped into my social media 

feeds with his hugely riveting series, entitled ‘Si Travels’. 

Travel is a way of life for Simon, and he has the tools to 

really tell the story of a location. Scrolling through his 

Facebook group you will see exactly what I am talking 

about. He pulls together the elements of natty writing 

with some stunning photography – capturing the places, 

people, food and culture of the places he visits. 

Simon is a Wiganer born and bred, he grew up in Kendal 

Street in Swinley, and now lives in Appley Bridge with 

his wife and daughter. His wanderlust started at an early 

age and was sparked by a school pilgrimage to Lourdes. 

Simon told me, “When I was 13, school took us to stay 

over in Paris and Nevers along the way. We visited the 

Chapel of Saint Gidard at the Sisters of Charity in Nevers. 

“Saint Bernadette’s preserved body is on display there 

Copenhagen 

Denmark

15 

Malmo - Sweden 

Bolton Abbey 

Bratislava - Slovakia 

and it triggered a fascination with trying to understand 

the cultures and traditions of other countries. Why did 

they celebrate the life of someone in this way? What was 

the story behind it? It made a young boy see travelling 

abroad as a learning experience, not just to escape the 

rain of England!” 

Simon works for Bupa UK, and his first brush with 

blogging came in 2014, he added, “It all began back in 

2014 when my mental health was at its lowest. I decided 

that whenever I was experiencing negative thoughts and 

couldn’t stomach leaving the house, I’d do exactly the 

opposite! 

“I’d force myself to go outside and travel to places where 

I could find some peace and keep my mind occupied, 

to investigate a new place and its history and try to 

interact with new people. It began with visiting every 

place that my regional train pass could take me, then 

eventually I broadened my horizons and decided to 

venture further afield. After a few years of posting to my 

personal Facebook profile, I decided to try and expand 

my audience and set up the SI Travels group in 2017.” 

Seven years and 26 countries later, and Simon is still going 

strong! He adds, “My blog compels me to carry on with 

my journeys, document our local heritage and challenge 

my lethargy; it has become my second job in many ways. 

“Travel is in my DNA. My ancestors were Lathom boat 

people, so I get restless if I’m in the same place for too 

long! Documenting my journeys gives me great pleasure 

and I’m passionate about delivering quality content to 

inspire and educate others.” 

Being so well travelled I imagine it must be difficult 

to choose a favourite destination, but Simon’s answer 

comes quickly and with gusto, “Berlin! Nowhere can hold 

a candle to Berlin. It’s my second home and the one place 

I return to regularly; without question my favourite place. 

“Actually, my most memorable encounter happened in 

Berlin, when I ran into Nardo, a Belize-born New Yorker. 

We originally met in the ‘Schnelle Quelle’ bar in Berlin 

back in 2012. I will never forget that he walked in there 

and was probably the only American out and about in 

the old Soviet Quarter! The German barman Uwe (who 

speaks no English whatsoever!) ended up getting Nardo 

under the draught pumps and the whole pub ended up 

resembling a very drunken United Nations congress! 

“After we’d all sank a few Berliner Pils, we ended up 

getting completely lost together, as we searched areas 

across East Berlin for secret underground bars and pubs! 

I kept in touch with him on Facebook thankfully and we 

arranged to meet up again. This time in the Big Apple! 

Nardo is lucky enough to live in Brooklyn, NYC and is 

somewhat of a good luck charm. 

“Nardo showed us some of the places that he had fond 

childhood memories of, including the docks he visited as 

a child with his father. It was great to get off the beaten 

track and get some local insight.” 

Simon has many memories when it comes to his 

globetrotting and I want to know if he has any he would 

rather forget. “I have many, Simon laughs. Just ask my wife 

and friends! Getting lost in the Vatican, falling down the 

steps of Cologne Cathedral, drunkenly singing Karaoke

16 

in Hamburg to a German language song, is that enough? 

“Still though, not as embarrassing as the time my wife and 

I were on a guided tour in Edinburgh with a large family 

group. The host of the tour said, ‘Now this next bit is for 

the little children...’ before pointing to a small boy stood 

directly in front of me and saying, ‘would you like to come 

forward?’ 

“Thinking he meant me, I excitedly stepped out and the 

whole group sniggered. My wife quickly shot the words 

‘Simon! He said CHILDREN’ at me!” 

When it comes to travel inspiration, Simon draws in the 

wealth of knowledge from Michael Palin, Bill Bryson, Paul 

Theroux and Mark Twain. Simon adds, “I prefer to read the 

adventures of others and in particular the 19th Century 

tales of Isabella Lucy Bird. She was quite the adventuress 

and a complex character. I mostly enjoy reading travel 

writing from the distant past, as the author takes you to a 

place that you can never experience first-hand; the fusion 

of travel and history is largely what my blog is all about.” 

Simon also tells me that alongside his blog, his camera is 

actually something he can’t do without, “I need to be able 

to capture every moment. When it comes to what I need 

when travelling, I look at this in a less literal sense, I can’t 

travel without adequate research and planning being 

done beforehand. Don’t waste hours getting lost trying 

to find places or queuing for tickets. Get it all organised 

before you go!” 

Simon continues, “I always strive to tell people that 

travelling isn’t all about how far you’ve been or how many 

miles you’ve clocked up, it’s all about leaving your front 

door and taking those all-important first steps. 

“Day to day life is travelling. Going to the next town 

is travelling. A day out with your children in the park is 

travelling! Don’t see travel as something that requires 

large amounts of money to realise. Start small and aim 

big if you wish to.” 

This sentiment has been real-life for the past 12 months, 

with the national lockdown restricting not only foreign 

but also regional travel; people have had to rediscover 

their local area. Simon tells me, “The pandemic has 

crippled the travel industry, but I believe that peoples 

love of visiting new places hasn’t diminished. 

“Once confidence in safety is restored, I can envisage 

normality returning pretty quickly by 2023. I think the 

next couple of years will see a slow build up as companies 

struggle to recoup their losses, particularly the aviation 

industry. We’ll see both cheap fares and price hikes. 

Travellers will need to be alert to these changes and 

spend wisely.” 

To keep up to date with Simon and his travels please go 

to Facebook and search @sitravels2018 

Karl Marx Allee - Berlin 

Rabbit Rocks - Ince

17

18 

Wigan in Bloom 

Local communities are being encouraged to take part 

in one of the UK’s longest running environmental 

competitions this summer. Wigan In Bloom returns for 

2021 with lots of opportunities for residents. 

The aim is to improve surroundings through the 

imaginative use of trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping. 

It also helps to create a more sustainable environment. 

Running alongside In Bloom is It’s Your Neighbourhood, 

a non-competitive scheme for groups who want to help 

revamp disused areas or community gardens. 

Bernard Pendleton, Chairman of North West in Bloom 

said: “For many years we have received numerous In 

Bloom and It’s Your Neighbourhood entries from Wigan 

Borough and its surrounding areas. These have been very 

successful and have supported many improvements to 

greener and cleaner communities”. 

The categories are based on the size of the entry which 

could range from entire towns and villages to hotels, 

pubs and shopping centres. The closing date for Wigan in 

Bloom entries is April 30. 

Applications forms can be downloaded at www. 

northwestinbloom.com, or if any groups would like to 

speak to a council officer for more information or support 

please email Paul Gallagher inbloom@wigan.gov.uk. 

Players Wanted 

Wanderers F.C are looking to create three brand new 

football teams - an under 14’s girls’ team, an open age 

men’s team and a Vets over 35’s team. 

So, whether you’re looking to get the kids active again 

after lockdown or you want to become a valued team 

member, then this is the club for you. All members will be 

trained by a Qualified Level 1 F.A Coach, all with first aid 

and safeguarding qualifications. 

The club is committed to developing each player, with fair 

and equal playing time on match days. The anticipated 

start date is June 2021, training will take place on 

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6pm-7pm at Whelley Labour 

Club. For more information message the Facebook page 

by searching for @wanderersfc2018. 

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20 

Rein It In 

A Billinge horse owner is asking 

members of the public not 

to feed horses whilst out and 

about. 

With country walks on the 

increase during the pandemic, 

horse owners across the UK 

have reported incidents where 

horses and ponies have suffered 

and died due to well-meaning 

passers-by feeding them 

without permission. 

Jenny Walsh, along with fellow 

horse owners on the same 

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owner to take action to stop 

these incidents happening. 

Jenny said, “We have put new 

signs on the field fences and 

gates and have posted messages about this issue on 

local community blogs, but some people continue to 

disregard all this.” 

“Horses have delicate digestive systems and are unable 

to be sick, so ingesting something that their body cannot 

deal with can often lead to a very painful and distressing 

death”. 

“Just as you wouldn’t give a child some sweets without 

permission or feed a dog a treat 

without asking its owner, don’t 

feed a horse or pony”. 

“Look at the horses and take 

pictures, but please don’t touch 

or feed them. I know people 

mean well but, whilst they can 

just walk away after feeding 

horses, owners can be left 

with vet’s bills for thousands of 

pounds because of their actions”. 

Fellow horse owner Tracey 

Holland, pictured with 11-yearold 

Troy, also warned against 

petting horses. “If you pet horses 

at the gate, they think that 

they are being fed, so they can 

bite your fingers”, said Tracey, 

admitting that her own horse 

Troy had even bitten her a few times. 

The campaign to stop the public from feeding horses 

gathers momentum, with extensive coverage in national 

magazine, Horse and Hound, and the campaign has 

also reached social media. ‘Stop Feeding our Horses’ is a 

Facebook group consisting of almost 10,000 members 

and was created by former horse-owner Hannah 

Johnstone whose Welsh gelding Lightning died after he 

was fed a raw potato. 

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22 

Great gadgets for cleaning 

everything outdoors 

The return of brighter days means you’ll notice the 

windows need a good clean, and there are plenty of 

gadgets to help. We love the Karcher WV5 handheld 

window washer (£83; other models are cheaper), 

which sucks up the washing liquid and squeegees 

the glass clean, while for difficult to reach windows 

Lakeland has a long Window Trigger Spray Mop for 

£19.99. 

If you really hate cleaning outside windows and have 

£200 to spare, the Gladwell Gecko Robot Window 

Cleaner is exactly what it sounds like. It uses suction 

to attach itself to your window and while it’s fairly 

slow it’s safer than perching on a ladder. 

For tougher cleaning tasks consider a handheld 

steam cleaner such as Hoover’s Steamjet Handy 

(£49), which gives you 20 minutes of steam from 

a single tank. It’s great for cleaning everything 

from textiles to tiles, and is particularly useful for 

refreshing metal garden furniture and for gently 

removing stains from painted surfaces a pressure 

washer might be too harsh for. 

Pressure washers can be handy, of course and are 

a powerful way to clean everything from muddy 

bikes to muddy boots. But even those with long 

cables need to be plugged in, which limits where 

they can go. Wouldn’t it be great – and better for 

the environment – to have a pressure washer that 

didn’t need plugging in at all? The award-winning 

£45 Mud Daddy does uses water pressure instead 

of a motor so is silent and portable, and is perfect 

for bikes, muddy dogs and outdoor cleaning. It uses 

much less water than a hose or pressure washer too. 

What about drying? Things like bikes and motorbikes 

are fiddly to dry, and car fanatics need a scratch-free 

way to dry their newly cleaned paintwork. Step 

forward the £99 BigBoi Buddy, a portable dryer 

delivering warm air that is twenty-five degrees 

warmer than the surrounding environment, and it 

filters the air to prevent blasting any dust or dirt. 

Sadly it isn’t portable, but with a 1,000W motor it 

makes quick work of any drying task. 

WINDOW TRIGGER MOP 

Lakeland’s clever 2-in-1 

enables you to squirt, wipe 

and squeegee windows 

that would normally be 

too high to reach without 

a ladder. 

£19.99 from Lakeland.co.uk 

KARCHER WV5 

Karcher’s window washers are 

essentially a squeegee and a 

vacuum cleaner joined together, 

so as you wipe the window clean it 

automatically catches the dirty water. 

£83 from Halfords.com 

BIGBOI BUDDY 

Professional valets use air dryers to 

deliver a perfect finish to washed 

vehicles, and the Buddy’s powerful 

motor does a brilliant job of drying 

bikes and motorbikes. 

£99 from theultimatefinish.co.uk 

MUD DADDY PORTABLE 

WASHING BRUSH 

With a 5 litre capacity the Mud 

Daddy is great for even the 

muddiest pets or bikes. No 

motor means no noise and no 

need to plug it in. 

£44.99 from Amazon.co.uk 

GECKO ROBOT WINDOW CLEANER 

The Gecko sticks to the outside of 

your window and slowly works its way 

around the glass, cleaning every inch 

of it while you do something more 

interesting. 

£199 from Amazon.co.uk

23

24 

Great 

Impressions 

Impressions Uniforms 

(formerly Standish 

Sports and Uniform) is 

a local family business 

that now provides 

uniforms to schools 

far and wide! Mum 

and daughter team, 

Caeryn and Katie have 

owned the business 

for 11 years and have 

developed a range 

of hassle-free ways 

to shop for uniform 

during that time. 

The Standish shop is well stocked and has its own car 

park. However, the range of services they provide means 

that you can shop with Impressions without ever having 

to visit the shop. Not only do they have a website, but 

you can also take advantage of their innovative ‘Take Two’ 

service. Where you can order and pay for uniform in the 

size you think you need but have another size delivered 

at the same time. 

We can hear the mum and dads taking a collective sigh of 

relief – gone are the days of dragging your children 

to try on uniforms, try on there and then in the 

comfort of their own home and you can give the 

size you don’t need back. There is no need to pay for 

the additional sizes, returns or alternative deliveries! 

Deliveries are carried out at pre-arranged times to 

make sure there is someone in to try on. It couldn’t 

be simpler! 

The new string to 

Impressions goes 

deeper than the 

services they currently 

offer to stressed-out 

parents all over the 

borough. Caeryn 

explains, “Quality and 

durability has always 

been important to us, 

so we work hard to 

make sure the brands 

we sell are the best 

value on the market. 

We have always tested 

our garments ourselves (on our own kids) but this year we 

also established a customer panel to test garments too.” 

You also get the added benefit of knowing that your 

uniform purchase won’t harm the planet or people. 

Impressions is committed to helping ‘save the planet – 

one uniform at a time’. They source ethically made and 

sustainable uniforms, actively promote re-using and recycling 

and ensure protecting the planet comes into all 

its business decisions. 

Even in the shop the experience is made less 

stressful with things like toys for the younger ones to 

play with, sweeties to bribe shy little ones, tissues for 

emotional parents and a photographer to capture 

the moment! Caeryn is extremely passionate about 

what she does, and she is always trying to help 

however she can.

25 

This year Impressions decided to launch their brand-new 

VIP scheme. Customers can join a mailing list and be the 

first to hear about exclusive discounts, promotions and 

have priority booking for the well-loved appointment 

scheme. Appointments run from May to August and 

allow customers to experience a one-of-a-kind service; 

and more importantly, avoid the queues! https://bit.ly/ 

NewStarterSignUp 

The 12th April not only saw the reopening of the current 

two shops but of their new shop in Leyland. All of the 

current services will be available in Leyland and Caeryn 

and Katie can’t wait to meet lots of new customers over 

the coming months. 

In 2020 the duo also launched their social enterprise. 

The new shop has meant an exciting new venture for 

the duo. In March Caeryn and Katie launched their social 

enterprise. Smart Futures is a CIC set up to increase the 

social inclusion of children across our borough living in 

poverty by providing school uniform packages. They do 

this by collecting donations of uniform from selected 

drop off points around the borough, helping people in 

need and helping to cut waste and the amount of clothes 

going into landfill. 

The pre-loved uniform will be repurposed and then be 

put on sale in the Impressions shops, on their website and 

at pop up shops in the borough. The money raised from 

the sale of the uniforms will then be used to provide full 

packages for children whose families can’t afford uniform. 

Caeryn and Katie want schools to get involved by 

collecting donations from parents twice a year that they 

then collect. They then work with that school providing 

free uniform packages for those in need. For more 

information on any of the services offered by Impressions 

please call any store on the information below. 

31-33 High Street, 

Standish, 

WN6 0HL 

Tel: 01257 400010 

83 High Street, 

Golborne, 

WA3 3BU 

Tel: 01942 587487 

250 Leyland Lane, 

Leyland, 

PR25 1XL 

Tel: 01772 431431 

www.impressionsuniform.co.uk

Cover photo © Ian Bonnell Photograpthy 

Education spEcial 

WoodvalE Walk 

26 

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27 

Orrell’s 

First Hub? 

by Chris Pearce 

In this magazine a few months ago, we carried a message 

from community groups and a local councillor about the 

possibility of using the former Warriors training ground on 

Edge Hall Road in Orrell as a community hub and urged 

local residents for their views. 

In this issue we take you back a century or so, to what 

could be called Orrell’s first ever community hub. Tucked 

away on a most unpaved side street off Winstanley Road, 

lies a plot of land that many today know 

as the entrance to the Cricket Club, 

the bowling green and the children’s 

nursery. 

acres of land from G.H Bankes, the owner of Winstanley 

Hall, the original YMCA building was erected in 1920 and 

was opened by Her Highness Princess Marie Louise, a 

granddaughter of Queen Victoria, on 22nd January 1921. 

Orrell was a much smaller place in those days. The census 

figure for 1921 puts the village’s population at 6,773, 

compared with the 12,663-population recorded in the 

census of 2011. 

Turn back the clock to the 1920’s 

though, and this area was the very heart 

of the village’s activities. 

Made possible by a donation of two

28 

ways to have a good time’ at the 

YMCA in Orrell. 

This selection of images 

from the aforementioned 

programme illustrates just a 

few of the breadth of activities 

on offer at the YMCA back in 

the 1920’s. Space prevents 

us from printing the entire 

programme, but a common 

theme throughout the years 

at the YMCA has been the 

quality of sport on offer. 

The Orrell YMCA Cricket 

Club plied their trade in 

the Ormskirk and District 

League, whilst Orrell Red 

Triangle Cricket Club played 

in Division 2 of the same 

league. Red Triangle also 

had two football teams to 

their name; the first eleven 

played in the Wigan JOC 

Welfare League, whilst the 

reserve side played in the 

league below. Amongst the 

more sedate sports on offer 

were billiards, tennis and, of 

course, crown green bowls 

on the green that remains 

part of the site today. 

Despite that, the first YMCA Building was constantly 

in use, six days a week, from 10am through to 10pm 

Monday to Friday, 10am-10.30pm on Saturdays and also 

on intermittent Sunday evenings. Annual membership 

fees ranged from 3 shillings for children over 12 to 7 

shillings and sixpence for adult men. 

The noble aim of the organisation was stated clearly in 

the 1926/27 programme: 

Our Aim is to promote the welfare of Orrell and District, 

especially among the young people, and to provide a 

centre of amenity for all people of goodwill, irrespective 

of creed, political opinion, or social position. 

And just as the famous song promises, there were ‘many 

Whilst there was no 

mention of rugby in the 

programme, it’s well known that Orrell RU played on 

many open spaces in the area at one time or another. A 

quick look at the history of Orrell RU confirms that from 

1937-1949 the club leased a ground and hut from Orrell 

YMCA for the princely sum of £4 a year! The club then 

moved to their spiritual home of Edge Hall Road at this 

point. 

In the 1950’s the YMCA made a further commitment to 

their Orrell site when they bought the freehold of the 

remainder of the site from the Winstanley Park Estate. This 

was approximately four acres in total and was bought in 

1953 for the sum of £157. 

The 1980’s was a busy decade for the YMCA. The Cricket

29 

Sir Clive Lloyd opening new clubhouse in 1986 

Original YMCA Building in 1992 

Club built a brick pavilion 

in 1981 and just five years 

later, extended it to include a 

clubhouse, which was opened 

by Sir Clive Lloyd, captain of 

Lancashire and of the West 

Indies. 

Sir Clive brought with him 

a Lancashire X1 consisting 

of luminaries such as David 

Lloyd, Jack Simmons and 

Graeme Fowler to play an 

Orrell Red Triangle team. 

A decision was made in 1989 

to replace the original YMCA 

building with a brand-new 

building. The foundation 

stone for the new building 

was laid by the Earl of Derby 

M.C. in June 1993 and the 

new building was officially 

opened in October 1994 

by the Rev. Canon Frank 

Wright. 

The building was used as a 

youth club until 1990, for 

dominoes and whist drives 

until 2000, and is currently 

used as a children’s nursery 

and after school centre,

30 

Supercaligragilisticeexpialidocious. The Orrell Red 

Triangle Cricket Club is thriving with five senior teams 

playing in the Liverpool and District Cricket leagues, 

the popular junior section has ten teams across six age 

groups and the club also runs a ECB-sponsored All Stars 

section for children between 5-8 years. 

And last, but not least is the Orrell YMCA Crown Green 

Bowling Club. This is open seven days a week from 10am 

to 8pm during the bowling season. New members are 

always welcome to join the club at a annual cost of £25 

subscription. For details, contact Brian Atherton on 01695 

622138 or Harold Preston on 01942 519042. 

One hundred years on, the original Orrell Hub can no 

longer claim to have the scale of different activities that 

it used to, but it’s still the base of Orrell’s strongest cricket 

set-up, the main centre for crown green bowls and hosts 

the village’s biggest social events of the year – Orrell 

Proms and the annual bonfire. 

The Earl of Derby laying foundation stone in 1993 

G.H. Bankes 

George Hildyard 

Bankes inherited 

the Winstanley Park 

estate in 1907, from 

his mother Eleanor. 

His grandfather and 

great-grandfather, 

both named Meyrick 

Bankes, had built up 

the family’s finances 

by investing in the 

area’s coal industry 

and owned numerous 

coal mines in the 

Wigan area. 

G.H. Bankes pictured outside Winstanley Hall - 

© Wigan & Leigh Archives 

Both George and his 

wife Amy became 

local magistrates and 

George became the Sheriff of Lancaster in 1921. Both 

were heavily involved with local community groups, and 

organised and hosted fund-raising events for charities. 

George donated land to enable the original YMCA 

building to be erected and sat as the President of the 

Orrell and District Red Triangle Club. He died in 1949. 

Local Life would like to thank David Unsworth for his assistance and most of the images.

31

32 

Garden Scheme 

The National Garden Scheme, initially set up in 1927 to 

raise money for district nursing, offers visitors access to 

over 3,500 private gardens in the UK. The scheme scaled 

down somewhat in 2020, but is back with a bang this year. 

Funds are raised via donations in gardens and from sales 

of plants and refreshments, notable beneficiaries of the 

fund raising are MacMillan, Marie Curie and Hospice UK. 

Two gardens to visit locally are based at Derian House 

Children’s Hospice on Sunday 9th May and Sunday 8th 

August, and also Wigan and Leigh Hospice on Sunday 

25th July. Other gardens to visit include private gardens 

in Mawdesley, Rufford and Burscough. For further details 

on the National Garden Scheme visit www.ngs.org.uk 

Haigh Up - it’s Back! 

The popular Haigh Hall Artisan Market is back and 

promises to be bigger and better than ever! 

Following the huge success of the first markets, additional 

dates have now been confirmed and will consist of over 

50 of the very finest artisan market traders. 

So, if you are after an afternoon of food, drink and stall 

browsing this is the place for you. The markets take place 

on the third Sunday of the month and the next market 

date is Sunday May 16 from 10am-4pm. 

For more information about the markets and the stall 

holders, please go online to www.themarketco.co.uk and 

search for Haigh Woodland Park.

33 

Specialists in: 

• Family Law • Personal Injury 

• Wills & Probate 

Call us today to arrange a 

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44 High Street, 

Standish, 

Wigan, 

WN6 0HF 

Donna Gamble 

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01257 228027 / 01942 409154 

www.rjtsolicitors.co.uk 

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Wills, Trusts and Legal POA’s 

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FUNERALS LTD 

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Independent Funeral Directors 

Monumental Masons 

A local family run business, R. Banks & Son 

are one of the largest independent funeral 

directors in the Wigan Area 

ESTABLISHED 1921 

Golden Charter Pre Arrangement Funeral Plans 

and Memorial Plans available 

FINANCE AVAILABLE on Funerals & 

Memorials Subject to status, written details on request 

24 hour service • Caring family firm 

Branches: Standish 01257 422011, 

Beech Hill 01942 829200, Bryn 01942 271392, 

Scholes 01942 820526, Leigh 01942 261415, 

Coppull 01257 793880, Upholland 01695 622099, 

Platt Bridge 01942 863936, Atherton 01942 318025 

Head Office: 

Halliwell House, 758/768 Ormskirk Road 

Pemberton, Wigan WN5 8BB 

www.rbanksandson.co.uk T: 01942 222156

34 

Rhubarb Sponge Slice 

Makes 12 slices 

Ready in 1 hour 10 minutes, 

plus cooling 

Ingredients 

300g rhubarb, trimmed and chopped 

(see Tips) 

25g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 

175g unsalted butter, softened, plus 

extra for greasing 

175g caster sugar 

3 large eggs 

175g self-raising flour 

1 tsp baking powder 

50g ground almonds 

1 tbsp milk 

This easy all-in-one almond-flavoured sponge with a sweet and tangy 

rhubarb topping can be served warm with cream or custard or enjoy a 

slice with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm square 

shallow cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. Toss 

the rhubarb and icing sugar together in a bowl and set aside. 

2. Place the butter, caster sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Sift 

over the flour and baking powder. Using a handheld electric mixer, 

beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Fold in the ground 

almonds and milk. 

3. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and gently level the surface 

with a palette knife. Scatter the rhubarb evenly over the top. 

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cake is risen 

and springy to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes then 

transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold dusted with icing sugar. 

TIP: Choose thin stems of pink forced rhubarb for this recipe and chop into small even-sized pieces. 

Add 1-2 tbsp drained and chopped stem ginger to the sponge mixture, if liked.

35 

Stay 

Warm 

keep 

dry 

enjoy 

food & 

drink! 

Our delicious menu includes; 

Come and visit our large, outside, 

undercover, socially-distanced, 

comfortable seating areas with new heaters 

Antipasto 

Milk Shakes 

Cream Tea 

Feta Salad 

Ploughman’s 

Café Opening Times: 9.30am-4.30 Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm Sunday 

Last food orders 30 minutes before closing – except cake, coffee and ice cream. 

Gorgeous gifts 

and unique 

glass art 

Gallery open: 

9.30am-5pm Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun. 

Love It Gallery, Winstanley Road, 

Billinge WN5 7XG 

Telephone: 01695 622 332

36 

FREE COFFEE! 

Buy a slice of homemade cake 

and get a ‘Café BON BON’ coffee 

absolutely FREE! * 

Artisan Coffee ~ Waffles ~ 

Ice Cream ~ Brunch & more 

Open 

Mon-Friday 

8.30-5pm 

Saturday 

9-6pm 

Sunday 

10-4.30pm 

3 Dingle Road • Upholland • WN8 0EN • 07885 377 886 

*Offer applies only to regular-sized coffee. Original voucher only – no photocopied 

vouchers accepted. Collection only. Expiry date 14/05/21 

Beautifully furnished 

Stone Cottage 

Holiday Let 

– sleeps up to 4 

Situated near Sedbergh, 

in the Yorkshire Dales, 

and also within easy 

reach of the Lake District 

Children & pets welcome 

Call 01942 216 058 

www.millthropcottage.co.uk 

Ice Cream & Coffee Parlour 

Coffee | Cakes 

food | drinks 

noW oPen aT: 

747 Ormskirk Road, Pemberton 

neW ouTdoor seaTing aT: 

6 Church Street, Orrell 

Now available for private functions 

Call 01695 627600 for details 

oPening hours: 

10am-5pm Mon-Thurs 

10am-Midnight Weekends 

Open 7 days 

from 

10.30am 

Fully licenced and available 

for private functions and events 

Call for details - 07745 898 406 

www.lovemadisons.co.uk 

Also home to Madisons Lakes Fishery 

www.madisonslakes.co.uk 

Orrell Water Park, 

Lodge Rd, Orrell WN5 7AT

37 

ModerniseYourStairs 

Bespoke Staircases & Staircase Renovations 

Add value to your home by modernising 

your stairs in just 2 days! 

• Wood, glass or chrome 

• Traditional or contemporary styles 

• Local company, established 1998 

Download our brochure from 

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DESIGN SURVEY 

FREE WITH NO OBLIGATION Call 01942 246553 

Or pop into our Wigan showroom 

Rear Mill, Wood Street, off Chapel Lane, Wigan, WN3 4HL 

NexT LefT afTeR THE RANGE 

info@moderniseyourstairs.com

38 

Asparagus & Salmon 

Mini Frittatas 

Gluten 

Free 

Dairy 

Free 

Serves 4 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 23 minutes, plus cooling 

Ingredients 

125g/4½ oz asparagus 

1 handful of frozen peas (30g) 

2 spring onions, chopped 

60g/2¼ oz smoked salmon, cut into 

small strips 

4 eggs, beaten 

Sea salt and ground black pepper 

These colourful savoury muffins are easy to make and are delicious 

served warm for breakfast or cold for lunch with a salad. Asparagus is a 

fabulous healthy seasonal food to include, being rich in B vitamins and 

antioxidants like vitamin A, C and E. For a vegetarian option swap the 

salmon for some feta cheese. 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and grease and line 8 cups 

of a muffin tray with paper muffin cases. Blanch the asparagus in a 

saucepan of boiling salted water for 2–3 minutes until just soft. Drain, 

then cut into 1 cm/½ in pieces using scissors. 

2. Divide the asparagus, peas, spring onions and smoked salmon 

among the paper cases – they should be three-quarters full. Beat the 

eggs in a jug with some salt and pepper, then pour into the paper 

cases. 

3. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes or until the muffins are 

golden and just firm in the centre. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before 

removing them from the tray. Serve hot or cold. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: (2 frittatas) 110kcal, fat 6.3g carbohydrates 1.6g, protein 11.2g

39

40 

Chilli Glazed Salmon 

With Cucumber, Herb & Lime Salad 

Serves 2 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook time: 7 minutes 

Wild Alaskan salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fats and protein. 

In this dish, fillets of salmon are marinated in a tangy Asian-style dressing 

and accompanied by a light refreshing cucumber and bean sprout salad. 

Accompany with some seasonal leafy greens. 

Ingredients 

1 pickled chilli (or ½ fresh deseeded chilli) 

2 garlic cloves, crushed 

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

1 tbsp tamari soy sauce 

2 tbsp xylitol or honey 

2 boneless salmon fillets, skin on 

2 tbsp lime juice 

1 tbsp xylitol or honey 

1 tbsp mirin 

Handful of bean sprouts or sprouted seeds 

1 cucumber, halved and thinly sliced 

Small handful fresh mint leaves, chopped 

Small handful of coriander leaves, chopped 

2 spring onions, finely sliced 

1 tbsp chopped cashews 

Method 

1. Place the chilli, garlic, vinegar, tamari, xylitol or honey in a food 

processor and process to combine. Put the salmon fillets in a shallow 

dish, pour over the marinade and set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

2. Make up the dressing by mixing the lime juice, xylitol or honey and 

mirin together (if using xylitol make sure it has dissolved). Put the 

bean sprouts, cucumber, mint, coriander, spring onions, cashews and 

the dressing in a bowl and toss until well combined. 

3. Preheat the grill to high. Remove the salmon from the marinade. Place 

the salmon on a lined baking tray. Grill for 7 minutes or until the fish 

is golden and just cooked through. Place the remaining marinade in a 

small pan and simmer to form a glaze. Pour over the cooked salmon. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: calories 305kcal, protein 23.4g, carbohydrates 26.9g (of which sugars 

24.4g), total fat14.9g(of which saturates 2.6g).

41 

Libraries Update 

Most libraries across Wigan have now reopened in line 

with the Government’s easing of lockdown restrictions. 

Initially all libraries will operate on reduced opening 

hours to allow staff to carry out additional work in relation 

to operating in a Covid safe environment. 

Wigan and Leigh libraries, including Life Centres, will be 

open between 10am and 2pm, Monday to Friday, while 

the Borough’s community libraries will be open between 

10am and 2pm Monday to Wednesday and 1pm until 

5pm Thursday and Friday. 

Community run libraries in Aspull and Marus Bridge 

(Hope) will also remain closed until further lifting of 

restrictions have been applied and Ince Library will 

remain closed, whilst extensive refurbishment works are 

carried out at the community centre. 

Lesley O’Halloran, Director of Customer and Culture, said: 

“We are really excited to welcome residents back to our 

libraries and we are ensuring that we are doing it as safely 

as possible and in line with government guidance. 

“The libraries will initially be operating on reduced hours 

but members will continue to have access to all the 

services they would do under normal circumstances.” 

Going forward there will be regular reviews of opening 

hours in line with government guidance. 

Hospice Shop Re-Opens 

Willowbrook Hospice will be reopening the Billinge shop 

on Saturday 1st May at 10am and volunteers are looking 

forward to welcoming back shoppers. 

The shop will also be accepting donations, so whether 

you are looking for a bargain or wanting to have a clear 

out, don’t forget about the Main Street shop. 

The shop will open with a sale so there will be plenty of 

bargains to snap up, and there will also be an extra day’s 

opening - Bank Holiday, Monday 3rd May at 10am. 

For more information about opening times, collections 

and drop offs, please contact volunteers on 01744 893782 

or email shops@wbhtrading.co.uk. 

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42 

The best gadgets for 

every kitchen 

Now that many of us are cooking so much more at 

home, there are lots of gadgets that promise to make our 

kitchen time better. Some of them enable you to do much 

more with much less washing up; others ensure brilliant 

results for every meal; and still others enable you to cook 

like the pros. 

One of our favourite kitchen gadgets is the electric 

pressure cooker. The most famous one is the Instant Pot, 

but there are lots of rivals. It’s a one-pot machine that you 

can use to make soup, stews, casseroles and even yogurt, 

and unlike many multi-cook devices it’s good at all of 

them. One of the best things about it is that it enables you 

to slow cook quickly: pressure cooking means you get all 

the flavour and tenderness of slow cooking in less than an 

hour. And when you’re done, there’s only one dishwashersafe 

pot to clean. 

Another firm favourite in our kitchen is the air 

fryer, which gives you deep fried taste 

without the mess, smell 

or unhealthiness. They’ve come a very long way in just a 

few years and they’re brilliant for fantastic fried chicken, 

amazing chips and quickly reheating takeaways: the only 

thing they’re not great at is food with lots of runny batter, 

which just falls off. 

If you’re feeling really fancy, a Thermomix can do pretty 

much everything: it can vacuum cook meat, fish and 

vegetables for sous vide cooking; it can slow cook; it can 

caramelise, brown, blend, boil, knead, emulsify and more. 

It even has a display to show you video tutorials. It’s very 

expensive but it’s an incredible device. 

If you prefer to cook manually we’d thoroughly 

recommend the Thermapen, an instant thermometer 

that enables you to test the temperature of things like 

large roasts. It takes the guesswork out of cooking times, 

ensuring that every roast is perfectly done, and it’s also 

really useful in barbecue season when you 

don’t want to risk giving people 

undercooked meat. 

THERMOMIX TM6 

The TM6 is incredibly expensive but it’s a truly 

extraordinary intelligent cooking machine that’ll 

replace many of your existing appliances. 

£1,145, Vorwerk.co.uk 

THERMAPEN 

This instant-read digital 

thermometer takes the 

guesswork out of cooking 

meat, fish and bread, and 

while clones are cheaper 

they’re not as accurate. 

£51, Thermapen.co.uk 

ANOVA PRECISION 

COOKER NANO 

Sous Vide – gently 

cooking food for hours 

in warm water – delivers 

incredible tenderness 

and flavour, and the 

Anova enables you to do 

it in any big pot. It’s appcontrolled, 

easy to use 

and produces amazing 

results. 

£129, Anovaculinary.com 

PHILIPS AVANCE COLLECTION 

AIR FRYER 

Philips’ air fryers are easy to use, 

easy to clean and deliver excellent 

results. This is one of the larger 

models, with a 1.2kg capacity that 

makes it ideal for families. 

£250, Amazon.co.uk 

INSTANT POT DUO 

EVO PLUS 

This isn’t the cheapest Instant 

Pot – the Duo is half the price 

– but this is more flexible and 

has a brilliant display that 

makes it even easier to use. 

£129.99, Amazon.co.uk

Moving forwards 

43 

Where Hope Comes From – Nikita Gill 

Nikita Gill’s poems take the reader on a journey through the stages of grief, onwards to hope. Gill is at 

high risk from Covid-19 and lives thousands of miles away from her family. Her poems helped her to 

find a way forward. As she explained on Instagram, “When I realised that I needed to honour my grief 

and anger, I finally began to work my way through them.” The result is a truly beautiful collection of 

short poems to help the reader “… come away with a little more joy and hope than before.” 

One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot – Marianne Cronin 

A book about two terminally ill friends may not seem like the most uplifting of reads, yet somehow 

One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot manages to be just that. seventeen-year-old Lenni and 

eighty-three-year-old Margot meet in hospital. They set themselves a challenge of painting a 

hundred pictures, one for every year of their lives. As they grow closer, they reveal the stories behind 

the paintings. While the original focus in on Lenni, it’s Margot’s life, with all its ups, downs and loves 

lost, that ends up taking centre stage. 

The Atlas of Happiness – Helen Russell 

Helen Russell explores traditions, practices and beliefs from around the world, from the Italian ‘dolce 

far niente’ (the joy of doing nothing) to Japan’s ‘wabi-sabi’ (appreciating things as they are, with all 

their imperfections). She also offers advice for embracing some of these practices in everyday life. 

An enjoyable read to dip in an out of, The Atlas of Happiness might just help you to see life a little 

differently.

44 

Property Report 

2011 vs 2021 

With all of us completing the Census in the last few weeks it 

is a good time to review what has happened in the Wigan 

Property Market over the last 10 years. Just to remind you, 

2011 saw the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, 

Mr Cameron was the PM, there was the last flight of the 

Space Shuttle and Game of Thrones premiered. 

Detached 

The average price paid for a Wigan detached home in the last 

12 months has been £273,500. The average value of a Wigan 

detached home has risen by 38.6% in the last 10 years. 

That’s an increase in value of £80,400. 

Semi-Detached 

• The average price paid for a Wigan semi-detached home 

in the last 12 months has been £150,100. The average 

value of a Wigan semi-detached home has risen by 31.8% 

in the last 10 years. 


Terraced Home/Town House 

• The average price paid for a Wigan town house/terraced 

home in the last 12 months has been £110,500. The 

average value of a Wigan town house/terraced home has 

risen by 31% in the last 10 years. 


Apartment/Flat 

• The average price paid for a Wigan apartment/flat in the 

last 12 months has been £102,500. The average value of a 

Wigan apartment/flat has risen by 32.2% in the last 10 years. 


And what about Rental Values? 

Whether you are a winner or loser in terms of rental 

values depends on whether you are a Wigan landlord or 

a Wigan tenant. 

The average rent for a property in Wigan currently stands 

at £654 per month, whilst a decade ago, it was £595 per 

month. That’s an increase of 9.9%. 

This means private rents have increased by 50p a month 

for the past ten years. Interesting, when compared to the 

national average of 98p a month whilst in London, rents 

have grown by £4.64 a month. 

What will the next ten years bring? 

Irrespective of any dip in Wigan house prices or transactions 

when the Stamp Duty Holiday ends in the autumn, the 

increase in property values is a trend that looks set to 

continue, Part of the reason for this is that the supply of 

new homes is nowhere near keeping pace with demand. 

There have only been 2,303 new properties built in Wigan 

in the last 10 years, that’s less than 19 a month. Nationally, 

the UK has only built just over 180k homes a year over the 

last decade, 120k less than the national target of 300k. In the 

meantime, the population has grown by more than 4 million. 

To try and predict exactly how much property and rental 

values will rise over the next ten years be a fool’s game. 

After all, who would have believed what the Wigan 

property market has done in the last 12 months since the 

start of Lockdown 1.0. 

The number of transactions and UK house prices having 

risen so much in the last year ... all during a worldwide 

pandemic and at a time of such mayhem and havoc in the 

UK and world economy, is nothing short of remarkable. 

But is it sustainable? That remains to be seen. 

If you’d like to find out how much your house has 

increased in value, call me now on 01942 233999. 

Alan Batt is a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has 

worked within the Wigan property market for over 30 years. 

Alan Batt 

For more of Alan’s tips, guidance and analysis on the Wigan property market, check out his blog at 

www.alanbatt.co.uk

Computers 

for Schools 

An industry-wide initiative by estate agents 

to supply laptops/tablets to children without 

access to a PC at home has been enthusiastically 

supported in Wigan by Alan Batt Estate Agents. 

The Computers for Schools initiative was spearheaded 

by industry figures Stephen Brown at Stephen J Brown 

Consultancy and Jerry Lyons at Estate Agent Content 

and has raised more than £61,000 since being launched 

in January this year. The money is being used to provide 

free laptops and tablets to schools around the UK, 

helping children without access to a home computer. 

So far, 486 free laptops have been delivered to schools 

throughout the UK, and Alan has already delivered free 

laptops to Standish and Shevington High Schools, and 

has 10 more tablets to deliver to these Wigan high 

schools in the next few days - The Deanery, Dean Trust, 

Hawkley Hall, St Peter’s and Upholland. 

Wigan Office 

78 Market Street, Wigan WN1 1HX • 01942 233 999 

www.alanbatt.co.uk

46 

Working from home may not be 

all fun and games, but there is no 

reason why your home office has to 

be dull. Add some personal touches 

and transform it into a space in 

which you actually enjoy spending 

time. 

To take your home office to the 

next level, add some abstract 

art, with prints featuring organic 

shapes and complementary 

monochrome colours 

Selection of framed prints, all 

Desenio. 

Give your Home 

Office an Uplift 

Working from home at least gives you more 

time to tend to your plant collection. If you 

haven’t got one, now’s the time to start. 

Terracotta plant pots, from £2 each, 

Scaramanga. 

Combine support and style 

with an office chair that raises 

and lowers to a comfortable 

position, swivels easily and 

looks good enough to fit into 

your overall room scheme. 

Calgary office chair in faux 

leather, £164.99, Lakeland 

Furniture. 

A home office need never 

be drab. Add some colour 

with well-chosen shades 

of paint. 

Shown here: Greek Blue, 

Louis Blue, Giverny, 

Napoleonic Blue and 

Athenian Black, all £5.95 per 

120ml, Annie Sloan. 

Add a spot of cheerful colour in the 

form of an adjustable desk lamp. 

Ginaz table lamp, £25, B&Q. 

A HOME OFFICE ‘GLOW UP’ 

Colour is important. If a particular colour makes you 

feel happy – add it! If you don’t want to go as far 

as painting the whole room, just refresh the wall 

behind the desk (that you spend the majority of 

your time looking at) with a small pot of emulsion. 

You can also add colour in the form of furniture and 

accessories, from an office chair to the essential 

adjustable desk lamp, as well as pen holders, clocks 

or paperweights. 

Personalise the walls with your favourite prints, 

posters, paintings and photographs. For a formal 

look, frame them identically and hang them 

symmetrically. Alternatively, you could peg small 

pictures to a string, stick postcards to a corkboard 

with coloured drawing pins or prop them, facing 

outwards, on a narrow shelf. 

It’s all about comfort, so make sure you’re working 

at the right temperature. A small desk fan for the 

summer may be useful, while in the winter a heater 

can be an essential. For an even cosier feel, choose a 

woolly throw that looks pretty and feels soft. 

A few plants dotted here and there go a long way 

to making an office feel more homely. Increase the 

sensory experience with a vase of fresh flowers, 

scented candles or an aromatic diffuser.

47 

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48 

Create great 

Clear jars are useful for identifying what’s inside. 

These are made from glass, with bamboo lids. 

Audley storage jars, £8 and £10, Garden Trading. 

Bathroom Storage 

Find a place for everything and make your bathroom both tidy and beautiful. 

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING 

• Bathrooms look their best – and function most 

efficiently – when clutter is kept out of sight. If 

you don’t already have a vanity cupboard below 

your basin, you’ll have to think creatively. Can you 

mount a slim cupboard on the wall somewhere? If 

it has mirrored doors, then above the basin works 

perfectly. Inside, adjustable shelving is useful, and it 

may even be handy to add a hook or two on one or 

both sides. If you have young children and plan to 

keep medicines inside, it is best to add a lock. 

• Other options for walls – ideal for items you’re 

happy to have out on display – include shelves, 

racks, hooks and peg rails – all useful options 

depending on what you need to store. You could 

also add a rack to the back of the door, where its 

contents will be a little more hidden away. 

• When space is tight, think tall and slender. Ladder 

shelves, caddies (perhaps on wheels) and tallboy 

cupboards can be squeezed into small spaces and 

will hold a surprisingly large amount of bathroom 

kit. For very small items, use baskets or small acrylic 

boxes to subdivide the storage conveniently. 

• Bathrooms tend to be full of glossy white 

sanitaryware, so variations of colour and texture can 

be very welcome. It’s easy to add these in the form 

of small storage items – woven baskets, terrazzo 

pots, glass tumblers, wooden boxes and so on – 

which can be replaced quite cheaply 

when you feel like a change. 

A mirror can also function as 

a useful small shelf. 

Metal mirror with shelf, £99, 

Salt and Steel. 

Baskets and smaller 

containers are handy when 

you need to sub-divide 

shelving. 

This new PEP&CO range is in 

Poundland stores now. 

Go for dark colours and 

interesting textures – 

they look great against 

white sanitaryware. 

Charcoal grey ceramic 

storage pot, £28, Ella 

James.

A slim, wall-mounted cupboard 

with mirrored doors is invaluable 

in a bathroom. 

Rochester mirror cupboard, 

£290, The Dormy House. 

49 

Match pretty storage pots to toothbrush 

holders and soap dispensers for a coordinated 

look. 

Dorma porcelain lotion dispenser, £12; 

tumbler, £10; small storage trinket, £10; 

and soap dish, £8, all Dunelm. 

Peg rails can be used for more than coats – 

why not add some useful wall storage to your 

bathroom? 

Oak hanging hooks, £15, Kinfolk Décor. 

The terrazzo look is all the rage, and small 

pieces such as this concrete tumbler can 

really add character. 

Speckled concrete tumbler, £10, House of Flora. 

aqua: 

Established 2006 

bathroom - kitchen 

Aqua (NW) Ltd, 16/18, Market Street, Standish, WN6 0HN T: 01257 425 812 

E: info@aquabathrooms.co.uk www.aquabathrooms.co.uk

50 

This hybrid bath is designed for smaller rooms, allowing luxury, 

comfort and choice to fit into even a modest space. 

Mini Ebb shower bath, £1,495, Waters Baths of Ashbourne. 

12 ways to make your bathroom a 

Relaxing Oasis 

Functionality comes first in the bathroom, but there’s no 

reason why you can’t combine efficiency with aesthetics 

– and gain all the benefits of a space that looks good and 

feels good at the same time. Here are a dozen ideas to 

start you off: 

• Lighting is vital. Check that the bulbs in your light fittings 

are giving off the light you prefer, though try not to mix 

different light temperatures (warm or cool) in the same 

room. Smart bulbs can be switched on and off and the 

colour temperature changed or dimmed using a remote 

control or an app. Or, if you have a light switch outside the 

bathroom door, consider swapping it for a dimmer. 

• Sort out your storage. Slim wall cupboards, shelves, 

ladders, caddies, peg rails and over-door hooks are 

options, while small storage items – such as wicker 

baskets, pretty ceramics or bright plastic tubs – bring 

texture, colour and interest. 

• If your shower is pathetic, investigate whether you can 

add a pump to make it more powerful. 

• Add a large mirror – it’s not only useful and a focal point 

but increases the feeling of light and space in the room. 

• Buy a set of coordinating towels. The fluffier the better, in 

clean, bright, hotel-white or a colourful pattern. 

• Add plants, large and small, high and low – they usually 

thrive in a bathroom’s humid atmosphere. Choose pots 

that complement your overall scheme. 

• Lay a woven cotton or ‘outdoor’ rug on the floor – it can 

easily be washed or wiped down and will introduce a 

softer feel, adding colour, pattern and texture, too. 

• Change a dated pair of taps for some good-looking, 

modern ones. Check that they will suit your water 

pressure, and make sure the new spout extends the 

correct amount over the bath or basin – they should 

reach about as far as the plug hole. 

• A chair or stool is always useful in a bathroom, even if it’s 

just to throw clothes over or to hold soap and books next 

to the bath. 

• Get rid of the grunge and scrape out the old grout and 

silicone between and around your tiles, especially if there’s 

any mould. Redoing them will make an extraordinary 

difference. 

• Replace a shower curtain with a shiny glass shower 

screen – the look is clean and minimally efficient (and 

won’t need replacing regularly). 

• Jazz up your windows. Options include decorative 

window film, a beautiful blind (Roman or roller) or some 

minimal wooden louvres. 

Wooden blinds are elegant and practical, and 

come in a range of natural colours, or brighter, 

painted shades. 

Luxury Clay Brown wooden Venetian blinds 

with tapes, price depends on size, English Blinds.

51

52 

Struggling for Storage Space? 

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EstablishE d 1982

53 

Plastic Challenge 

The ‘Your River Douglas’ group are backing a national 

campaign to clean up our local beaches, rivers and parks. 

The public is being urged to clear plastic and litter from 

public places as part of a million-mile clean-up to help 

combat the litter that has been left during lockdown. 

The ‘Your River Douglas’ group was set up to reduce 

pollution, to bring plants, insects, fish, birds and animals 

back into their habitats, and to make the environment 

more resilient to the future effects of climate change. 

The group will be organising a host of clean ups. For more 

information, search Facebook for 

@douglasriversassociationcic. 

Free Talk 

The Old Courts would like to invite you to join them for a 

talk; Philosophy in Quarantine on Thursday April 29. 

Facilitated by the engaging Paul Halfpenny, these sessions 

are gently structured in such a way that they feel relaxed, 

inviting and easy to participate in. It’s a great way to meet 

like-minded people and encourage healthy debate. 

All you have to do is log on to The Old Courts Zoom 

meeting at 7pm and away you go. Bring your thoughts 

to the table for a chat and hear what others have to say. 

There is no charge for this event, but places are limited to 

30 so email holdingl@theoldcourts.com, to reserve your 

place! 

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Address: 434 Ormskirk Road, Wigan, WN5 9DF 

Phone: 01942 221 221 

Email: info@premiergas.com 

Website: premiergas.com

54 

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 

• traditional service, state of the art results • 

• Carpets • Rugs • Fabric & Leather Upholstery 

The most thorough clean, or its free! 

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5 star rating with Wigan Trading Standards Good Trader Scheme 

Have your carpets cleaned the only thorough way 

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55 

PROTECT YOuR HOME wITH 

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Earn extra 

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Local Life require distributors 

for the following areas; 

Upholland 

College Rd, Hallbridge Gdns, & Rivington Dv area 

443 copies £29.90 + leaflet pay 

Ashton in Makerfield 

Low Bank Rd, Ellesmere Rd & Tenbury Dv area 


Alexandra Rd & Edward Dv area 


Interested? 

Please email your name, address, 

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Facials ~ Nails ~ Brows ~ Lashes 

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Monday to 

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106a Church Street • Orrell • WN5 8TQ 

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*Just cut out this advert or mention Local Life when booking. 

Expiry date 30th June 2021. Offer restricted to one visit only, though multi treatments 

can be booked for that visit. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with another offer.

56 

Prince’s Trust 

If you’re aged 16 to 25, not currently employed or in full 

time education – the Prince’s Trust team can help! 

You can take part in an action-packed 12-week, free 

personal development course, where you’ll take part in 

several exciting challenges. You’ll meet new people and 

gain all sorts of new skills that will change the way you 

think about your future. 

Most participants end up entering employment, 

education or training within three months of completion. 

The next programme starts on Monday April 26th. To 

find out more, text the word PRINCE to 80 800 or call the 

Wigan team on 07713 565 442. 

Tell Us Your Story! 

Local Life is always on the 

look out for news stories 

from the local communities 

we serve. Are you raising 

money for charity? Are you 

a member of a community 

group with something to 

shout about? Maybe you’ve 

got an unusual talent, or 

have a claim to fame? If so, let us know 

and you could be appearing in the next edition! 

Simply contact us on editorial@locallife247.co.uk 

or call us on 01695 627999 

family fun 

advEntuRE 

luXuRy 

City BREaK 

Rail EXPlORE 

CRuiSE/RivER CRuiSE 

Call your personal travel expert 

01942 912334 / 07786 311 282 

julie.moss@notjusttravel.com 

@NJTJulieM 

www.juliemoss.notjusttravel.com 

WEddinG/HOnEymOOn

57 

Luxury Coach Holidays & Excursions 

Here’s a small sample of our luxury coach holidays and day excursions 

Luxury HoLidays 

Isle of Wight 

5 days £355 

12th July ~ Dinner, B&B 

Ocean View Hotel is an 

attractive 3 star hotel 

situated in a prime cliff top 

location looking out across 

Sandown Bay. 

What’s included: 

3 Home Pick Up 

3 Executive Coach Travel 

3 Indoor swimming pool 

3 Entertainment every night 

3 Excursions to Newport, 

The Needles, Yarmouth and 

Godshill 

Luxury HoLidays 

Norfolk 

5 days £539 

6th June ~ Dinner, B&B 

Located in the picturesque 

seaside town of Old Hunstanton 

on the North Norfolk coast, 

Le Strange Arms Hotel is the 

perfect venue for the ultimate 

relaxing seaside break. 

What’s included: 

3 Home Pick-up 

3 Executive Coach Travel 

3 Norfolk Broad Cruise 

3 Coach excursions to Wells- 

Next-the-Sea, Sheringham and 

Thursford 

3 Train Journey to Sandringham 

for more details about our luxury coach holidays, call 01942 728 960 

for a holiday brochure or visit www.memorylanetravel.co.uk 

Our SPaCIOuS aND COMfOrTaBLE 

LuxurY COaCHES HavE; 

3 Full air-conditioning 

3 Onboard entertainment system with DVD screens and WiFi 

3 Individual Reclining Seats fitted with Seat Belts, Foot & Arm Rests 

3 Toilet facilities, fridge, sink and boiler 

3 Huge luggage space with driver assistance 

day Excursions 

Springtime in York 

Sunday 30th May ~ £20 p.p. 

Arriving in this beautiful city 

arriving at 10.30, we’ll have lots 

of time to visit the attractions and 

shops before leaving at 4pm. 

day Excursions 

Liverpool Bay 

Cruise & Shop 

Sunday 4th July ~ £29.50 p.p. 

We start the day at Liverpool One 

shopping centre and from there, we’ll make our way to 

the Pier Head for the Liverpool Bay Cruise. 

for more details about our day excursions, call 01942 728 960 

for an Excursion Supplement or visit www.memorylanetravel.co.uk 

All excursions will pick up from the closest main road to your home. 

Please note that this is a tiny selection of our luxury coach holidays and day excursions 

available – for more details call 01942 728 960 or visit www.memorylanetravel.co.uk 

01942 728960 • www.memorylanetravel.co.uk 

Moss Industrial Estate, 

William Way, 

Leigh WN7 3PT 

Memory Lane Holidays is a trading name of Ashcrofts Mini Travel Ltd. Company Number 06950361

58 

ROAD 

TRIPS 

UK 


With foreign travel still very 

much in the balance for 2021, the 

race is on to find suitable holiday 

destination in the UK. According to 

the Conde Nast Traveller website, 

many UK tour operators are 

experiencing a surge in booking, 

around 400 per cent higher than 

last year in some cases. 

But if the thought of spending your summer holiday in 

Blackpool, Bognor or Bournemouth doesn’t fill you with 

joy, then there are, quite literally, other roads to explore. 

We’ve pulled together three of the UK’s top road trips, 

along with some stunning visuals on what to expect from 

each. 

Sand Bay, Applecross 

Brough Harbour near Dunnet Head, Caithness

59 

Wester Ross 

NORTH 

COAST 

500 

The daddy of UK road trips since its launch in 2014, the 

NC500 takes in 500 miles of stunning scenery, hugging 

the northern coastline of the Scottish Highlands. 

Described as a jaw-droppingly beautiful road trip route, 

the route takes in some of the most picturesque scenery 

in the world. 

Deserted sandy beaches with Caribbean blue waters, 

scrumptious fresh seafood, whisky distilleries, amazing 

castles, scenic lochs, , wonderful walking routes, a diverse 

range of wildlife and enough activities to tire out even the 

most active tourist. 

It’s recommended you spend 7-10 days driving the NC500 

to experience the route properly. Please note that the 

single-track roads that make up much of the route aren’t 

that caravan-friendly and that the NC500 is especially 

popular in July and August. 

For further details, visit www.northcoast500.com 

Gruinard Bay, Wester Ross

60 

Port Issac Beach, Cornwall 

THE 

ATLANTIC 

HIGHWAY 

The A39 is a road that meanders from Georgian Bath 

down to the south coast of Cornwall, and a 70-mile 

section of the A39 between Barnstaple in Devon through 

to Fraddon, near Newquay has been dubbed the Atlantic 

Highway. 

This long and winding road passes through Bude, 

Tintagel, Camelford and Wadebridge and you’ll pass near 

pretty fishing villages, incredible beaches, and dramatic 

clifftop castles as well as some stunning sea views on the 

route. 

Tintagel Castle, Cornwall 

Those viewers of the long running ITV series Doc Martin 

will recognise Port Isaac, and foodies will love the 

offerings in this pretty village and nearby Padstow. You 

can also discover the legend of King Arthur at Tintagel 

Castle, enjoy a cream tea in Bideford and even picnic on 

Bedruthan Steps Beach, a dramatic stretch of coastline 

where colossal stacks rise from the waves. 

www.cornwalls.co.uk/atlantic-highway-a39 

Bude, Cornwall

61 

Portbradden, near Ballintoy, County Antrim 

CAUSEWAY 

COASTAL 

ROUTE 

Explore the northern coast of Northern Ireland, from 

Belfast to Derry/Londonderry by following the 120-mile 

Causeway Coastal Route, where you can experience 

seashores to mountain tops and from busy cities to small 

hamlets. 

Start at Titanic Belfast, an interactive museum, before 

moving onto Glenarm Castle, one of Ireland’s oldest 

estates. After an overnight stay in Ballycastle, you can set 

sail to nearby Rathlin Island to see a variety of wildlife. 

Pluck up the courage to walk over a rope bridge between 

Carrick Island and County Antrim, before visiting 

Bushmills, Ireland’s oldest whiskey distillery. 

The magical landscape of Giant’s Causeway itself is 

an essential stop for tourists, before unwinding in the 

popular seaside resorts of Portrush and Portstewart, with 

their championship golf courses, or in the walled city of 

Londonderry/Derry itself. 

For further details, visit www.causewaycoastalroute.com

62 

Look before 

you Leap 

With businesses taking 

action to re-organise 

their staff to adapt to 

new post-COVID trading 

patterns, it’s expected 

that more people than 

normal will be leaving 

the UK workforce in 2021. 

Since the pandemic hit 

in early 2020, we’ve seen 

an increase in clients 

needing advice around 

the multitude of options 

that are now available for 

retirees when looking to 

draw their pensions. 

Specifically, we had approaches by clients that had been 

offered and had accepted very attractive early retirement 

and redundancy terms from their employers. Heinz, 

Royal Bank of Scotland, British Aerospace to name 

just a few... and for most of them this was the first time 

in their lives that they been in possession of such large 

capital sums. 

Without exception, they all needed to make very 

important decisions as to how best they should invest 

their lump sums (£200,000 plus in some instances) to 

meet their needs in retirement. Unfortunately, quite a few 

approached us too late which ended up costing them 

many thousands of pounds in unnecessary tax as they 

had already taken their redundancy payments. 

Any element of redundancy over and above £30,000 

will be taxed at the employees marginal rate of tax. 

Consequently a redundancy payment of say £100,000 to 

a 40% tax payer is likely to result in a net payment of just 

£72,000 after tax has been deducted. With some forward 

thinking and sensible planning it is likely that in many 

instances this tax liability could be avoided or at the very 

least significantly reduced. 

Additionally, many employees are normally presented 

with a number of options as to how they want to draw 

their pensions. 

Pension with a tax-free lump sum? 

Pension without a lump sum? 

Annuity - Fixed or escalating with/without widows 

pension? 

Flexible access drawdown? 

It is extremely important that individuals ‘look before you 

leap’ as the wrong decision going into retirement could 

cost them tens of thousands of pounds. 

As soon as you receive your 

retirement paperwork from 

your pension provider or 

you are approached by your employer with 

a potential deal to finish, either through 

retirement, redundancy or both - you 

should contact a financial adviser before 

committing to a course of action. 

Should you not have a professional adviser and you 

would like to speak with one of the team just give us a 

call on 01257 423800. The initial consultation is at our 

expense and is without obligation. 

David Barton 

APFS Cert CII (MP) 

Chief Executive Officer 

Remember all investments can fall as well as rise in value so investors could get back less than they invest.

64 

Puzzle Pages 

CROSSWORD 

DOWN 

1. Father or mother (6) 

2. Daphne du Maurier novel (7) 

3. River which flows through Paris (5) 

5. Fishermen (7) 

6. Follower of a major religion (5) 

7. Rough shelter at the side of a house (4-2) 

8. Root used in the preparation of a sharp-tasting 

condiment (11) 

14. Underground prison (7) 

15. Japanese paper-folding art (7) 

16. French sweet blackcurrant liqueur (6) 

17. With hands on hips and elbows extending 

outward (6) 

19. Compass point at 180 degrees (5) 

21. Unprocessed thick sap from a tree (5) 

ACROSS 

1. Local church community (6) 

4. US artist, Andy ___ (6) 

9. Leader of a Jewish congregation (5) 

10. Fabric made of silk (7) 

11. Centre of an atom (7) 

12. Spew forth lava and rocks (5) 

13. Mythical container enclosing all human ills (8,3) 

18. Malicious burning to destroy property (5) 

20. Framework erected over an oil well (7) 

22. Receptacles for cups (7) 

23. Medieval and Renaissance wind instrument resembling 

an oboe (5) 

24. Statue with the body of a lion and the head of a man (6) 

25. Colour of the rainbow (6) 

WORDWHEEL 

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten 

minutes to find as many words as possible, none of 

which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. 

Each word must be of three letters or more, all must 

contain the central letter and letters can only be used 

once in every word. There is at least one word that uses 

all of the letters in the wheel. 

TARGET 

EXCELLENT: 24 or more words 

GOOD: 18 words 

M 

T 

A 

R 

O 

L 

FAIR: 15 words

65 

WORDSEARCH 

INSECTS 

ANTS 

APHID 

BEDBUG 

BEETLE 

BUMBLEBEE 

CATERPILLAR 

CICADA 

COCKROACH 

CRICKET 

EARWIG 

FIREFLY 

FLEA 

FLIES 

HORNET 

LADYBIRD 

LICE 

LOCUST 

MAYFLY 

MOSQUITO 

MOTH 

SILKWORM 

TERMITE 

TICKS 

WASP 

WEEVIL 

SUDOKU 

WORD LADDER 

Change one letter at a time (but not the position 

of any letter) to make a new word - and move from 

the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the 

bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided. 

HAND 

WIGGLE WORDS 

CLUE: an implausible 

story used as an 

explanation or excuse. 

Trace a path through all 

the letters to find the 

word or phrase that fits 

the clue. 

T O R Y 

S C O C 

L B D K 

L U N A 

FOOT 

All the puzzle solutions can be found 

on page 79 of this magazine

66 

The Road to 

Financial Recovery 

By Kieran Fitzgerald – CMA Accountancy 

As we pass the anniversary of the first lockdown there 

finally appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel for 

business owners. Now is the time to take an in-depth look at 

your business and form a plan on how you envisage moving 

forward in to a Post-COVID economy. 

There are a number of support schemes that are now 

available to businesses: 

• Job Retention Scheme – The furlough scheme will be 

continued for pay periods up to the end of September. The 

government will continue to pay 80% of your employee’s 

unworked hours until the end of June. From July employers 

will have to continue 10% towards this, increasing to 20% 

from August until the scheme’s end in September. 

• Self-Employment Income Support Scheme – In a 

continuation of the SEISS, a fourth grant will be issued 

covering the February to April period, with a fifth grant 

covering May to September. Eligibility has increased 

to support individuals who have filed their 2019/20 tax 

returns who were previously ineligible. 

• Time to Pay – If you think that you may struggle to pay 

your tax bills on time, you can avoid penalties and interest 

by arranging a payment plan with HMRC before the tax 

is due to be paid. However, if you have still not paid 

the 2019/20 tax bill that was due on 31st January 2021, 

it is too late to arrange a payment plan - an immediate 

payment should be made to avoid further penalties. 

• Recovery Loans – A new recovery loan scheme 

launched on 6th April 2021, which will allow loans of 

between £25,001 and £10million, 80% of which will be 

government-backed. For loans less than £250,000 there 

will be no personal guarantee. 

The continued existence of these schemes has benefitted 

businesses extensively over the previous 12 months and 

will continue to do so. 

Who are CMA and what can we do for you? 

Through our partnerships and extensive knowledge of 

cloud-based accounting solutions, CMA Accountancy are 

able to deliver a hands on, proactive services to our client 

base. We specialise in cloud-based systems so clients can 

access real-time information and can then liaise with us to 

track your cash positions, review the need for a payment 

plan with HMRC and apply for any additional business 

support. 

At CMA Accountancy we are adept at using the powerful 

cloud-based tools that our clients love. We offer a service 

combining the Xero accounting software with Dext, an 

intuitive online receipt capturing software. Utilising a 

combination of Xero and Dext will provide you with many 

advantages: 

• Automated Bookkeeping – by linking Dext directly 

to Xero, your purchase invoices can be automatically 

captured and transferred into your Xero account. The 

software reads the data on the receipt, and over time 

builds up a knowledge of how you previously categorized 

the expenditure to produce further time savings. 

• Invoice Fetching – connect your Dext account with your 

online supplier accounts and each week the software will 

sign in to your account and automatically retrieve all of 

the invoices issued to you in the past week, pulling them 

straight into your Dext platform. 

• 24/7 Access, from anywhere – Readily available 

mobile apps allow you to capture receipts on the go, 

without the worry of accidentally misplacing them, and 

create a digital record in the cloud. Say goodbye to boxes 

of invoices in your loft for years to come! 

• Online Sales invoices, automatically chased – 

Create simple, professional looking Sales invoices within 

Xero, which are able to be sent digitally directly to your 

customers. Avoid the delays and awkward phone calls 

to chase up payment by utilising automatic reminder 

e-mails, taking the stress away from you. 

If you have any questions regarding Xero, Dext, other 

cloud-based accounting solutions, or the various means 

of COVID support on offer at present, please get in touch. 

Kieran Fitzgerald – CMA Accountancy 

39 Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge, Wigan, WN6 9DR 

01257 255521 kieran@cma-accountancy.com 

www.cma-accountancy.com

67 

Do you need 

help and 

guidance with; 

Company Accounts? 

Auto Enrolment? 

Self Assessment? 

Cloud-based Software? 

Payroll Services? 

Making Tax Digital? 

AE 

SA deadline 

VAT 

Benefits 

SA 

FREE 

INITIAL 

CONSULTATION 

Call CMA Accountancy today 

www.cma-accountancy.com 

info@cma-accountancy.com 

Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge. 01257 255521

68 

Stress and Anxiety 

Are you feeling stressed and anxious about the future? 

During the pandemic, we are experiencing more stress and 

anxiety than ever before. This is caused by uncertainty and 

ever-changing information. According to the mental health 

charity Mind, 60% of adults said their mental health became 

worse during lockdown. 

Stress and anxiety can manifest itself in many different 

ways. Physical symptoms can include an increased 

heart rate or muscle tension, ‘jelly’ legs or tingling in the 

hands and feet, breathing too heavily or dizziness. You 

may experience feelings that you might lose control, 

faint, think people are looking at you and noticing your 

anxiety. Dave Smithson from Anxiety UK says “Those who 

are usually outgoing may become withdrawn or those 

who are reserved may become erratic. 

Everyone is different and anxiety can 

be triggered by a range of things.” 

Other symptoms can include 

lack of concentration, 

catastrophic thoughts, 

poor memory, excessive 

alcohol intake, under 

or overeating, a short 

temper and tearfulness. 

A key indicator is 

blowing things out of 

proportion. As Lorraine 

Collins, psychodynamic 

counsellor, psychotherapist, 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapist 

and member of the British 

Association for Counselling and 

Psychotherapy (BACP), says 

“If you’re stressed, how you 

view situations can become 

altered and distorted due 

to the brain not being able 

to process information in 

a more balanced way. It 

can also be a cry for help 

in communicating distress 

that can be difficult to put into words, so is ‘acted out’ by 

slamming doors, banging around, road rage and so on.” 

If you are under threat of redundancy as a result of the 

pandemic, this is additional stress as a job provides selfesteem, 

purpose and a social network. Losing your job 

unexpectedly affects all this, so stress accumulates. 

Lorraine says “If there is a threat of redundancy, it’s quite 

normal to feel stressed and anxious about your security 

and future. It can be like a constant feeling of dread and 

impending doom. You may experience a sinking feeling 

in the stomach. There may be a tendency for catastrophic 

thoughts about what the future might hold.” 

If you are suffering from extreme stress, it may be difficult 

to recognise it. Lorraine advises checking your 

‘internal dialogue’, which will reduce the risk of 

stress and tension building up. By that she 

means asking yourself “Am I tired and 

wired?” as a kind of self-monitoring. 

“I often suggest to my patients 

to use the HALT method – am 

I hungry, angry, lonely or 

tired? Getting into the habit 

of addressing these things 

can help to monitor your 

levels of stress and keep a 

more balanced sense of wellbeing,” 

she says. 

How To Manage 

Stress and Anxiety 

The good news is there are 

plenty of practical and useful 

tools to manage anxiety and 

reduce stress: 

• Getting back into nature is a 

great way of calming your anxiety. 

This can be a local park, woodland, 

nature reserve or your garden. 

Lorraine says “You can practice 

naming what’s around you, the

69 

things you see and hear, and this will interrupt 

the constant looping of anxious thoughts.” 

• Looking after mind and body: “Go to bed 

at a reasonable time without screens and 

mobiles or other things that will decrease 

the winding-down time we need to settle 

into a relaxed state and leave the day behind,” 

says Lorraine. “Watch your diet, as excessive 

caffeine and refined sugars will only stimulate 

an already stimulated body and mind.” 

• Learning to relax: relaxation techniques can 

include exercises to release the tension in your body by 

easing your muscles. The Mind web site lists plenty of 

options. 

• Switch off the news: if you find it difficult coping with 

news coverage, it may make you feel better if you limit 

what you read, watch and listen to for a while. 

• Connecting with other people: “Plan to have regular 

chats with friends and family over the phone,” says 

Stephen Buckley from Mind. “This is a vital way of 

maintaining wellbeing.” 

• Sharing the problem: talking to someone you trust 

about what is making you stressed can be helpful. If this 

isn’t possible, you could call a confidential helpline such 

as Mind’s Infoline or those run by Anxiety UK and the 

Samaritans. You could also join a support or self-help group 

– talking to people in the same boat can be reassuring. 

If these self-care techniques don’t work, it’s best to talk to 

your GP about treatment options. This can include talking 

therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). 

www.lccounselling.com 

www.mind.org.uk 

www.anxietyuk.org.uk

70 

Should you be taking 

supplements? 

We should be able to get all 

the vitamins and minerals our 

bodies need from the food we eat. 

However, modern day life is making 

it increasingly difficult to achieve 

a balanced diet. That’s where 

supplements come in. 

Supplements are considered ‘topups’ 

for the vital vitamins and 

minerals our bodies require to 

function. They can take the form of vitamins, probiotics, 

herbal products, powders, drinks – and more. 

There is still much debate surrounding their effectiveness. 

However, although medical professionals insist that 

supplements aren’t a substitute for a healthy diet, it’s proven 

that some could have a positive effect on your health. 

For example, many vegetarians and vegans will benefit 

from iron and vitamin B-12 supplements, while those trying 

for a baby are advised to take folic acid supplements until 

twelve weeks into their pregnancy. It’s also recommended 

that children aged between six months and five years take 

vitamin A, C and D supplements every day. 

Other supplements, however, could be a waste of money. 

If you’re wondering whether supplements could benefit 

your diet, it’s worth speaking to your doctor or nutritionist 

first. But to start you off, we’ve put together a list of the 

top five supplements people take in the UK, and what 

they are taken for. 

Vitamin D 

A vital vitamin for regulating our bodies’ calcium and 

phosphate content, vitamin D is a key contributor to 

healthy bones, teeth and muscles. 

We get most of our vitamin D from the sun, but living in 

the UK means we have limited daylight hours during the 

autumn and winter. For this reason, many people in the 

UK choose to take vitamin D supplements between late 

September and early April, when the sunlight is weaker. 

Zinc 

Best known for its ability to boost 

immunity and fight off bacteria and 

viruses, zinc is another vital mineral 

our bodies need to function. 

Red meat, shellfish and dairy foods 

all have high levels of zinc, as do 

chickpeas, lentils and beans. In 

supplement form, you can top up 

your zinc levels with over-the-counter capsules, tablets 

and lozenges. 

Magnesium 

Found naturally in foods such as pumpkin, spinach, 

soy beans and brown rice, magnesium is important for 

bone health and energy production. It’s a known stressreliever 

too, and studies have proven that it can even help 

sleeping problems. 

Omega 3 

Swallowing fish oil first thing in the morning might not 

sound appetising. But, there’s solid evidence to suggest 

that omega 3 fatty acids can help contribute towards a 

healthy heart and brain, while also reducing inflammation. 

That’s why omega 3 supplements, often in the shape of 

fish oil capsules, are so popular. Vegans and vegetarians 

can also top up their intake with algae oil supplements. 

Iron 

Iron is responsible for making red blood cells, which 

transport oxygen around the body. It’s particularly 

important in younger women, but according to the 2018 

National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 27% of women are 

deficient. 

It’s predominantly found in red meat, which is why 

many vegans and vegetarians take iron supplements to 

make up for any potential deficiencies. However, smaller 

amounts can be found in beans, nuts and fortified cereals.





Cover photo © Ian Bonnell Photograpthy 


71 

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72 

Crank 


Distance: 7.5 miles Difficulty: Medium 

The landscapes of most walks have an element of ‘old’ 

and ‘new’ about them, and this latest Jack’s Tracks has 

more than most. Ancient country estates, old railway lines, 

attractive churches and beautiful countryside make this 7.5 

mile walk around the northern villages of St Helens a real 

treat for walkers. 

Park up on Crank Hill (WA11 7SD) near the bend at the 

higher end of Alder Lane. Follow the footpath away from 

the village and up an incline. You’ll pass the reservoir on 

the right as you arrive at the top of the hill; carry on in the 

same direction downhill. The path bends as you enter the 

wooded area and you’ll go slowly uphill again, rewarded 

with great views of Billinge as you exit the trees. 

Go through two stiles, pass Forsters Farm Shop and turn 

right when you arrive at Moss Bank Road. The handsome 

alms-houses appear soon after on the right, which date 

back to 1725, give you an idea of the rich history of the 

hilltop village, followed shortly after by Moss Bank Mission, 

which was built in 1855 and donated to the village by Lord 

Daresbury for the education of local children. 

Take the footpath that runs between the boundaries of 59 

and 61. Moss Bank Road, and as you exit through a metal 

turnstile you can expect to see great views from your lofty 

position. You’re now on the Rainford Hall estate, which 

is far off to your right and straight ahead on the top of

A570 

73 

For those with the OS Maps 

app on your desktop, mobile 

or tablet, this walk is named: 

Holiday Moss 

Farm 

King’s Moss Plantation 

JT-Crank 

Rainford 

Myer’s 

Farm 

Red Cat Lane 

Higher Lane 

Rookery 

Farm 

Mill House 

Farm 

Alderley 

Farm 

Rainford 

Delph Farm 

Rainford Road 

Mill Lane 

Farm 

Crank 

Alder Lane 

Farm 

Fir Wood 

Delph Cottage 

Crank Hall 

Farm 

Crank 

Farm 

Clay Wood 

Reed’s Moss 

Rainford Brook 

Crank House 

Rainford 

Hall 

Shoots Delph 

Farm 

Moss Bank Road 

Crank Road 

Winstanley 

Wood 

Moss Plantation 

Dagnals 

Bridge 

Farm 

Poverty Plantation 

Moss Bank 

Berrington Hall 

Golf Club 

A570 

Windle Park 

Wood 

Windle Hall 

that hillock, you can see the rooftops of Windle Hall. Both 

homes were once owned by members of the Pilkington 

family. 

Follow the path downhill and then turn right down the 

wide bridleway, which in years past was the track bed for 

the St Helens to Rainford Junction railway, opened in 1858 

and closed to passengers 93 years later. Other stations on 

the line included Crank Halt, Old Mill Lane, Rookery 1 & 2 

and Rainford Village. 

Follow the bridleway as it bends to the left and then 

cross Rainford Brook via the metal footbridge on the left. 

Follow the footpath to Crank Road, cross then turn left for 

50 yards, then turn right into Berrington’s Lane. 

Berrington’s Lane is just under a mile long and as you walk

74 

away from the noisy East Lancs Road, the lane becomes 

alive with wildlife. It was early morning when we did the 

walk and we were lucky enough to spot a couple of deer, 

a few rabbits and numerous songbirds. 

Pit Lane (the site for the old Rainford Village Station). Turn 

right here and walk up to the mini roundabout at the top 

of the road. Turn left and just after you pass the Rainford 

URC Church, turn right into Muncaster Drive. 

At the end of Berrington’s Lane, turn right and follow Mill 

Lane for 600 yards crossing Rainford Brook once more. 

Look closely for a path on the left-hand side once the 

Saint-Gobain site ends and in the vicinity of the bus stop. 

Follow the path, which takes you down the back of the 

industrial site, for ½ mile until you arrive at Rookery Lane 

in Rainford. Turn right, go straight 

past the junction for Derby Drive 

and then turn left into Rainford 

Linear Park. 

Once again, the walk returns to the 

track bed of the St Helens to Rainford 

Follow Muncaster Drive for 650 yards as the walk opens 

up to views of Billinge Hill. Once you reach the crossroads 

of paths, go straight on for a further ½ mile and then turn 

right at Fire Clay Farm and follow the path for a further 

400 yards until you emerge on Higher Lane. Turn left. 

Follow the road away from Rainford for just over ½ mile 

until you reach Mill Lane Farm on a 

dogleg bend. Just after the dogleg, 

turn right and follow the path at the 

side of the field. Hop over a couple 

of stiles, then turn left and follow the 

well-used path around the perimeter 

Junction railway. Rainford Linear Park 

runs straight through the village like 

an arrow, bringing a green sanctuary 

to the residents. The park is a real 

delight, it’s so well kept and is a haven 

for walkers and cyclists of all ages. 

Diploma Qualified by Diane 

of the field until you reach the 

driveway to Crank Hall Farm. Turn 

left to reach Crank Road and then 

turn left again towards Crank. Follow 

the road for 1/3 mile into the village. 

You’re going to follow the path 

until you reach a road called Cross 

Tel: 01695 624 098 

Mob: 07442 015 490 

Email: OrrellPoochParlour@gmail.com 

Facebook: Orrell Pooch Parlour 

Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. 

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the walk is accurate, neither the 

publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party 

to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause.

75 

Cycling 

with bionic legs! 

Cyrusher 

XF690 folding fat bike 

£1,799 from Cyrusher.co.uk 

An introduction to e-bikes 

E-bikes are like normal bikes given super powers: you still 

pedal them, but they have an electric motor that gives 

you some extra help. It feels rather like having bionic legs: 

you can pull away from traffic lights quickly and easily 

tackle steep hills. 

That makes them brilliant for commuting and urban 

cycling, and a great choice for people who want to 

improve their fitness and haven’t been on a bike for years. 

What kind of e-bikes are there? 

Commuter bikes are all-rounders while MTBs are 

mountain bikes and road bikes are racing bikes. The 

former have big tyres and great suspension, while the 

latter use super-light materials and aggressive geometry 

to achieve high speeds. Cargo bikes are for carrying loads 

that are too big for panniers or a backpack, and usually 

have bigger tyres and better brakes. 

How do I get the right e-bike size? 

E-bike sizes are usually expressed as S, M, L and XL. Small 

bikes are generally suitable for riders up to 5’5” while 

XL bikes are designed for six footers and above. Some 

e-bikes have very adjustable seats and handlebars that 

enable them to skip between sizes. 

Swifty E-Mountain Bike, 

£799 from Amazon.co.uk 

Volt Metro Folding Commuter 

Bike, 

£1,599 from Voltbikes.co.uk 

Is there more than one kind of 

e-bike motor? 

Crank drives connect directly to the bike chain, while hub 

drives sit in the wheel hub – usually the rear wheel. Crank 

drives are more energy efficient and feel more natural 

when pedalling but hub drives are usually much cheaper. 

What about gears? 

E-bikes come with the same kind of gear systems as 

ordinary bikes and the gears adjust how much pedalling 

is needed. 

With e-bikes you’ll usually be able to control the 

assistance level the motor gives you. You might choose 

Turbo for fast pulling away from traffic lights but Eco (or 

equivalent) when on a relaxing country ride. 

Which battery should I choose? 

Most manufacturers provide a battery range estimate, 

or you can calculate the range by dividing the battery’s 

power by 20 – a battery with a 400Wh rating should give 

about 20 miles on full assist, which is when the electric 

motor is operating at full power. Most e-bikes have a little 

bike computer that shows battery charge and the range 

remaining before recharging is needed. When the battery 

runs out of power, your e-bike behaves like a normal bike, 

albeit a heavier one. Typical recharge time is three to four 

hours and batteries typically last for two to four years. 

How much should I spend? 

You can get perfectly decent e-bikes for around £500, 

or you can spend over £4,000 on a carbon road bike. 

The more you spend the lighter the bikes become and 

the better the hardware: where cheaper e-bikes are 

designed for everyday use, the most expensive 

e-bikes are serious bits of sporting equipment 

with matching price tags. Whatever you buy, 

make sure you acquire a very good U-lock: 

sadly, all e-bikes are targets for bike thieves.

76 

Making 

the switch 

to an 

electric 

vehicle: 

what you need to know 

Government announcements mean more EVs will be on 

our roads, but what do you need to know about them? 

Last year’s announcement by Boris Johnson that sales of 

new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be phased out by 

2030 means that electric vehicles are going to become a 

more important part of our driving lives very shortly. 

But even with this change, there remains a level of 

mystery surrounding all things electric. Fortunately, 

we’ve got some of the key things you need to know about 

making the leap to an EV. 

How much range do you need? 

Range is a word which has great importance in the 

EV world, as it’s what governs how far you’ll be able to 

travel in between trips to the plug. However, 

there’s no need to get worried about a car’s 

range if you think carefully about how far 

you travel. 

If you’re someone who only does shorter 

trips around town and does fewer than 100 

miles a week, for instance, then a car with a 

shorter range will suit you down the ground. 

However, if you’re a driver who travels further 

afield, then a car with a bigger battery might 

make more sense. Don’t be scared of cars 

with shorter ranges, though, as they’ll still 

offer more than most people do on average 

each week. Plus, cars with smaller batteries 

offer quicker charge times.

77 

How do I add charge 

when I get home? 

Home charging is one of the crucial 

aspects of owning and running an 

electric car. Being able to add energy 

to the vehicle while it’s at your home 

really does make things a lot more 

flexible – and cheaper, too. 

Whenever you buy a new car, there 

are incentives in place for charging 

at home. Government grants and 

even manufacturer schemes will 

make installing a home wall box 

much cheaper. Yes, you can use a three-pin socket, but 

this isn’t as quick or as safe as having a wall box. 

Will it actually be cheaper to buy 

and run an electric car? 

Of course, the initial upfront cost for an EV is often more 

than an equivalent internal combustion-engined car. 

However, as the technology progresses, this is becoming 

less common. The new Renault Zoe, for instance, is priced 

from £26,495, which though still relatively expensive is 

more in line with the segment. 

The Prime Minister also outlined up to £582 million in 

extra grants to help those buying zero or low-emissions 

vehicles to lower the cost. 

It’s charging where the cost savings really come into play. 

As with petrol, the prices do vary between chargers, with 

some costing from around 25p/kWh up to around 35p/ 

kWh. For around 100 miles of additional charge, you’ll be 

looking at about £6-7. 

When it comes to charging at home, that really depends 

on your own energy tariff. Plenty of companies are now 

offering EV-friendly plans that take advantage of lowerpriced 

charging times, such as in the middle of the night. 

However, for an average EV with around 200 miles of 

range and a 60kWh battery, you’ll be looking at around 

£8.40 for a full charge. It represents good value compared 

with petrol and diesel. 

Are there any benefits that aren’t as 

obvious? 

Though the cost-saving benefits are quite easy to see, 

there are some other positives to owning an electric car. 

One of them is simply refinement – EVs are quiet and, 

therefore, relaxing to drive around in. You’ll notice quite 

a difference compared with a petrol or diesel car, in fact. 

Another positive is performance. Even lower-powered EVs 

really zip away from the line, and they give acceleration 

that regular cars simply can’t hope to match. 

But isn’t the UK lacking in charge 

points? 

The number of charging stations in the UK has grown 

enormously in recent years. According to ZapMap, there 

are over 35,000 connectors across the country, made 

up of around 20,000 charge points in about 13,000 

locations. 

In terms of how they’re spread out across the country, 26 

per cent are in central London alone, with 13.5 per cent in 

the south east and 12.3 per cent in Scotland. This figure is 

only set to rise, too, as government funding looks to make 

fast chargers more widespread across the country. 

Furthermore, the Prime Minister has stated that an extra 

£1.3 billion in investment will be rolled out in order to 

improve the country’s charging structure and thus make 

charging easier. 

Doesn’t the energy for electric cars 

only come from fossil fuels anyway? 

Of course, an electric vehicle is only as environmentally 

friendly as its energy source. However, many energy 

and charger unit suppliers are working to ensure that 

their energy comes from green suppliers. All of BP 

Chargemaster’s charging stations, for example, are 

certified as providing renewable energy, while home 

energy providers like Octopus Energy provide power that 

is completely green.

78 

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80 

Award Winner 

Small really can be 

beautiful 

by Angie Barker 

So many of us have small gardens 

these days but any outside space 

is a wonderful addition to a home 

which is why we should make the 

most of every inch of space and 

make our gardens attractive, as 

well as practical, outdoor rooms. 

Small gardens need extra 

consideration however and 

here are a few pointers when 

thinking about the design of a 

small space: 

Decide what style you are going 

for and stick to that theme. So a 

contemporary garden, choose plants which will complete 

the look – Phormiums and Bamboos for example and 

go with straight lines. A courtyard garden should use 

Buxus sempervirens (Box) hedges and topiary. A more 

traditional style can use sweeping curves and circles. 

Don’t try to cram too much into a small space – less is 

more! 

Plants need to earn their keep so choose specimens 

which have long seasons of interest and a good balance 

of evergreens. Also limit your colour palette because too 

many colours in a small garden will make the borders 

appear cluttered. 

If your garden is shady make the bold decision to remove 

the lawn as it will always struggle. There is a fantastic 

range of paving products 

available now and small cobble 

setts really suit a small space. 

You should incorporate a focal 

point - a large pot (unplanted) 

can do the trick perfectly. 

Similarly a bird bath, sun dial or 

sculpture. Including ornaments 

in your scheme will enhance 

that impression of the garden 

being another room and you 

can even buy outdoor rugs now 

to zone your seating area. 

Use the walls and fences to grow 

climbers which will green up the space and make it feel 

larger. 

There are lots of clever storage solutions available these 

days like benches with hinged seats and screening ideas 

to hide away those dreaded wheelie bins. 

And one of the best things about a small garden is that 

you can get close up and personal with your plants and 

really look at their beautiful detail. One of the best for May 

must be Dicentra spectabilis (Lamprocapnos spectabilis 

is the new name) or Bleeding Heart. There is a white form 

called ‘Alba’ which is simply stunning. 

I’m always telling Hubby that the best things come in 

small packages – he is not very tall at 5 feet 8 inches – but 

what there is of him is perfectly designed! 

Angie is a qualified awardwinning 

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to your needs from start to 

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Tel: 01942 522 405 

Mob: 07857 008 383 

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Award Winner

81 

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84 

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call steve on 

07874 352501 or 01744 368055 

www.billingeelctrical.co.uk 

W.Hurst & Son Ltd 

ELECTRIC 

CONTRACTOR 

www.whurstandson.co.uk 

• All types of electrical work 

• 35+ years experience 

• No job too small 

• Friendly and reliable 

For a free quote 

& advice call Jeff 

01695 622 191 

07850 622 191 

Jon Wright 

Electrical Ltd 

All types of 

Domestic & Commercial 

work undertaken 

• Inspection & Tests 

• Repairs 

• Solar PV 

• Alarms 

Call now on: 07983 387448 

Email: jonwrightelec@live.co.uk 

Certificate of excellence winner 

2017, 2018 & 2019


rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 

A l sta f 

paediatric 

& first aid 

QUALIFIED 

oPEN 

Mon-Fri 

8AM-6PM 

FUNDED 

PLACES 

Available for 

2/3/4 

year olds 

£37.50 

per day 


LANgUAgE 

& SPortS 

LESSoNS 

for 

pre-schoolers 

Large 

outdoor 

PLAY ArEA 

rated by 

oFStED 

as 

oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

CHILDrEN 

3 months 

- 4 years 

NEWLY 

rEFUrBISHED 

in 2019 

JIB Approved Electrician 

All domestic electrical work 

24/7 call out service 

FrIEndly, rElIABlE & 

proFEssIonAl 

Call 07557 795 892 

www.johnboughey-electrical.com 

Parbold/Wigan Areas 

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Call 01695 627 999 

• TV Aerials Installed 

• TV Wall Mounting 

• Telephone Lines 

• Setup Service 

Ring Paul on 

01942 514 532 

07709 490 095 

Aerial & Sky 

Services 

RX-12 Digital TV Aerials 

£65 supplied & fitted 

Aerial Multi-room System 

at £45 per room 

TV Wall Mounting Service 

Level 5 in Signal Path & Fault 

Diagnostics 

Domestic 

& Commercial 

work welcomed 

30+ years 

experience 

01942 257804 

07966 488585 

Call anytime for a quote or email: 

andy@aerialandskyservices.co.uk 

89 



www.aerialandskyservices.co.uk 

Having 

computer 

problems? 

• We come to you! 

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• Domestic and 

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We repair: 

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4 Laptops & PC’s 

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We also build 

gaming PC’s to all 

specifications. 


If we 

can’t fix it, 

no one 

can! 

QUALITY service 

FREE estimates 

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Call the Tech Guys on 01744 410554 

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Church Rd, Rainford, St. Helens WA11 8HB 




Call 01695 627 999 


COMPUTER 

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Bodtree Systems fix all types of PC problems 

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Call Catherine Now 

07540 222787 

Tel: 01744 778381 - 01942 418763 




We operate a b oking system for the 


We deliver 30 hours fr e entitlement 

Flexible se sions available 






We are big on the great outd ors & being down in the forest 

which is g od for your child’s health and we l-being 

Li tle Acorns Nursery 


A l Saints’ Primary Sch ol | Finch Lane | A pley Bridge | WN6 9DT 

01257 252647 

www.li tleacorns-daynursery.com

90 

Call Paul 

Locksmiths 

EstablishEd 2000 

• uPVC & WOOdEN dOOR sPECialist 

• Emergency door Opening 

• uPVC door lock Repairs 

• uPVC door lock Changes 

• uPVC door lock upgrades 

• Wood door lock Changes 

• all Work Guaranteed 

a Registered insured NCFE Certified Company 

call Paul for a Fast, Reliable, 

Professional service 

tELEPhoNE 

01942 901103 

moBiLE 

07932 718 362 

WWW.CALLPAULLOCKSMITH.CO.UK 

Alarm installations, 

repairs & upgrades 

Domestic and commercial 

work welcome 

Free security assessment provided 

Emergency lock openings 

Lock changes 

No call-out charges 

24-hour service 

60 mins response 

Call 01942 669505 

www.uklocksandalarms.co.uk 

info@ianwalkerservices.co.uk 

Your local friendly 

LOCKSMITH 

PROFESSIONAL 

Wigan-Based 

• ALL WORK GuARANTEEd 

• COMPETITIvE PRICES 

• RETAIL & COMMERCIAL WORK 

• FuLLy INSuREd • FREE QuOTES 

24/7 

LOCKSMITH 

T: 01942 356 311 M: 07477 110 410 

www.samedaysecurity.co.uk 

NO 

CALL OuT 

FEE 

Arley Cabinet 

Company Ltd 

• Kitchens & Bedrooms since 1952 • 

We Measure ~ We Make ~ We Fit 

Drop into our 

showroom or call us 

for a free estimate 

214a Gidlow Lane, Wigan, WN6 7BN 

01942 246 190 

www.arleycabinets.com 

gArAge door 

repAirS 

All gArAge 

doorS 

repAired: 

Springs, Cables, 

Locks, Rollers etc. 

Doors of all ages 

repaired 

01744 894939 / 07891 330214 

NO FIX, NO CHARGE! 

Strawberry Cottage, 

Pimbo Lane, Upholland 

WN8 9QL 

www.garagedoorandlock.co.uk


rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 

FUNDED LANgUAgE 

A l sta f 

PLACES & SPortS 

paediatric 

Available for LESSoNS 

& first aid 

2/3/4 

for 

QUALIFIED 

year olds pre-schoolers 

oPEN 

Large 

£37.50 

Mon-Fri 

outdoor 

per day 

8AM-6PM 

PLAY ArEA 


rated by 

oFStED 

as 

oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

CHILDrEN 

3 months 

- 4 years 

NEWLY 

rEFUrBISHED 

in 2019 

Great Value 

Bathrooms! 

Full Bathrooms 

& En-Suites 

Showers, Trays & Cubicles 

Relocation of Bathroom Suites 

25 years bathroom experience 

Call Chris now for a free quotation 

C L Bathrooms 

01942 749085 

or 07801 295483 

www.clbathrooms.co.uk 




Call 01695 627 999 



















01257 252647 


Elite 

Bathrooms 

& Wet Room Installation 

• Bathrooms • Wet Rooms 

• Wall & Floor Tiling 

Please call for a FREE Estimates 

07703 448890 

01942 208926 

Convert your bath to a 

Walk-In Shower 

AJC 

WALK IN SHOWERS 

Typical price 

£1800 

Fully guaranteed 

One day installation 

No mess - no fuss 

Easy to clean & maintain 

Call Anthony on 

07919 876 825 

Workshop address: 

Bulldog Tools Ind. Est. 

Darlington Street East Wigan WN1 3BT 

We also fit full bathrooms! 

StoveS 

by Andy 

Promote your 



Call 01695 627 999 


Save £££’s on 

your install 

• InStallatIonS 

• MaIntenance 

• ServIcIng 

For a free quote and expert 

advice call Andy on 

01257 369 685 

07899 752 225 

stovesbyandy@gmail.com 


Promote your 



Call 01695 627 999 


91 

AGBathrooms.net 

Quality bathrooms at 

reasonable prices 

Complete bathroom 

installations from design 

to completion. 

For free quotes, call Adrian on 

07816 394 292 

Check out our work on 

www.AGBathrooms.net 


Bathroom Installation, 

Full Bathrooms & 

En-Suites 

Plumbing Services 

Wall & Floor Tiling 

Ceiling Panelling 

01942 397173 

07803 057940 

Douglas Drive, Orrell, Wigan 

www.ljplumbingandbathrooms.co.uk

for 

as 

92 

• Brand New Bathrooms 

• Boiler + Central Heating 

Installs, Servicing + Repairs 

• Extended warranties 

available 

• 24 Hour Call-out 

• Domestic + Commercial 

Freephone: 

0300 3030121 

Dave: 07769 942218 

Matt: 07969 183809 

FINANCE 

OPTIONS 

AVAILABLE 

21 Naburn Drive, Orrell wN5 8SB 

Email: info@orrellheating.co.uk 

www.orrellheating.co.uk 

651511 

Boiler Installation 

Boiler Servicing & Repairs 

Boiler Finance Available 

Landlords Gas Safety Reports 

Experienced, Reliable & Friendly Service 




0% 

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Credit Cards accepted 

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Winstanley-based 

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01942 215 391 



10% off 

Presen 

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rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 

A l staff 

paediatric 

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QUALIFIED 

oPEN 

Mon-Fri 

8AM-6PM 

FUNDED 

PLACES 

Available for 

2/3/4 

year olds 

£37.50 

per day 

LANgUAgE 

& SPortS 

LESSoNS 

pre-schoolers 

Large 

outdoor 

PLAY ArEA 

rated by 

oFStED 

oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

CHILDrEN 

3 months 

- 4 years 

NEWLY 

rEFUrBISHED 

in 2019 




Call 01695 627 999 

















01257 252647 


Central Heating Systems 

Boilers & Gas Appliances 

General Plumbing 

Gas Safety Certificates 

Call Andy for a free quote on 

01942 564 226 

07397 391 935 





acampbellheatingandgas 

597379 

FULL BOILER 

SERVICE 

FROM JUST £58 

4 Boiler Servicing & Maintenance 

4 All aspects of plumbing and heating work. 

4 Gas Safety Inspection reports undertaken. 

Call MIKE on 0787 113 1012 

Established since 1967 ~ WIGAn BASEd 

10238 

HIVE HEATInG SYSTEM InSTALLEd COMPLETE FOR £205 

Promote your company 

in this space 

This advert will 

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4 Free artwork 

4 Pay monthly 

Call 01695 627 999 



A Genuine Family Run Business 

With Friendly & Courteous Staff 

93 

SPECIALISTS IN CENTRAL HEATING INSTALLATION, BOILER REPLACEMENTS AND UPGRADES 

• Annual Boiler Servicing 

• Landlord & Home Owner Gas Safety Checks 

• Mechanical Power Flushing 

• Thermostatic Valves Radiators Fitted 

• All-in-One Air Conditioning & Heating Units for Home & Work 

Telephone: 01942 504 429 

TEL: 01257 421 660 MOB: 07515 505 501 

Accredited Installer & Service Partner 

WE REPAIR ALL 

MAKES OF BOILERS! 

Registration No. 

88604 

www.fgwelch.co.uk 

ShOwROOM NOw OpEN at 19 Preston Road, Standish WN6 0HP 

All plumbing services 

including services & repairs 

• Bathrooms/Wet Rooms designed and fitted 

• Specialists in Disability 

Installations & Conversions 

• Emergency Call outs welcome 

BOILER 

SERVICING 

FROM 

£60 

www.gphwigan.co.uk 

No Obligation Quotes – Call Mark on 

01257 473026 

07515 894281 

527090 

Pay nothing upfront for 

your new boiler* 

• Boilers 

servicing, repairs & installation 

• Central Heating 

upgrades and energy saving 

• Smart Controls 

installations & upgrades 

*Subject to terms and conditions 

4622825 

Call Craig for a free quote; 

07469 185 776 

or email 

enquiries@warmconnections.co.uk 

Plumbing & Heating 

Specialist 

Complete Bathrooms 

John Bailey 

01942 495785 

or 07721 040620 

& 07710 153238 

Based in Kenyon Road, Wigan 

EmErgEncy call outs 

wElcomEd 

4 Installations, Services 

& Repairs 

4 Boilers 

4 Central Heating 

Bathrooms 

4 573747 

Call nico for a free quote on 

07818 335 441


rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 

A l sta f 

paediatric 

& first aid 

QUALIFIED 

oPEN 

Mon-Fri 

8AM-6PM 

FUNDED 

PLACES 

Available for 

2/3/4 

year olds 

£37.50 

per day 


LANgUAgE 

& SPortS 

LESSoNS 

for 

pre-schoolers 

Large 

outdoor 

PLAY ArEA 

rated by 

oFStED 

as 

oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

CHILDrEN 

3 months 

- 4 years 

NEWLY 

rEFUrBISHED 

in 2019 

94 

GDR Driveways 

ALL ASPECTS OF PAVING & tuRfING 

4 Block Paving 

Clean & Re-seal 

4 Indian Stone 

service available 

4 Flagging 

4 Turfing 

4 Artificial Grass 

Quality Handyman Service from a qualified Joiner 

4 Flat-packs assembled 

4 Laminated Flooring laid 

4 Door Hanging 

All aspects of maintenance; 

And so much more.. 

4 Electrical appliances fitted 

4 TV Mounting 

4 Garden Maintenance 

01942 387 090 / 07568 195 033 

Fixouse Property Maintenance 

Handy 

Andy 

Building / Joinery 

Plastering / Tiling 

Plumbing / Roofing 

Flatpack Assembly 

Call Handy Andy on 

01257 369 685 

07899 752 225 

tradesbyandy@gmail.com 

Winstanley-based 

www.gdrdriveways.com 

Call Gareth for a fREE quotation: 01942 217 113 or 07715 177 754 

All 

jobs 

considered 

HANDS ON 

Property Maintenance 

& Handyman Services 

3 Kitchens & Bathrooms 

3 Painting & Decorating 

3 Joinery 

3 Electrical 

3 Building 

3 Paving, Decking 

& Fencing 

3 Tiling 

3 Plumbing 

Telephone Keith on 

No job 

too 

small! 

fixouse@gmail.com 

07812 110476 

JJ Driveways 

Imprinted Concrete 

Specialists 

Huge range of colours 

& patterns 

• Resin Driveways 

• Block Paving 

• Indian Stone 

• Flagging 

We can also revive 

your old drive! 

Ask about our sealing 

service 

Call Joe for a 

free quotation on 

01942 621 959 

07867 697 972 

www.jjdriveways.co.uk 




Call 01695 627 999 



















01257 252647 

www.li tleacorns-daynursery.com

Prices include 

suPPly & fit 

Orrell 

based 

6 Doors 

from 

£350 

Oak Door 

from 

£130 

Joinery services include; 

gates, decking, flooring, skirting, 

handrails and balustrades, kitchen 

makeovers, loft boarding and 

ladders, fencing, external doors 

and garden buildings. 

call Mike for a free quote 

01942 590514 

07988 260621 

www.orrelljoinery.co.uk 

Home 

Improvements 

• Fitted Kitchens & Bedrooms 

• Garage & Loft Conversions 

• Floors, Doors & Windows 

• Composite Doors 

• Garden Gates 

For all your home 

improvement needs 

call David on... 

01942 203 804 

07851 225 876 

DS Joinery 

Superior 

craftmanship at 

competitive rates 

• Home improvements 

• Loft conversions 

• Garage conversions 

& Extensions 

• Staircases 

• Windows & Doors 

95 

For all aspects of renovations 

and maintenance - 

no job too small! 

For a free quote, 

call MT Joinery now. 

01257 422317 

or 07852 202867 

www.mtjoinery.co.uk 

Promote your 



Call 01695 627 999 



Des Pilling 

Plastering 

• Plastering 

• Skimming 

• Artexing 

Coving & Cornice work 

also welcomed 

Orrell based – Established 1986 

Call Des on 

07787 513 235 

www.lakelandplastering.co.uk 

www.despilling.org.uk 

• Conservatory repairs 

• Locks, handles and hinges 

• Replacement glass 

• Windows and doors installed 

• Replacement conservatory 

roofs 

Call MARK now on 

01942 737 381 

0776 315 1720 

conservatoryrepairs@gmail.com 

www.fixmyconservatory.com 

Promote your 



Call 01695 627 999 



Specialists in 

Replacement 

Double 

Glazed Units 

Ring with sizes for 

a FREE estimate 

Open 7 days 8am - 8pm 

Established Local Family Company 

01942 470 085 

0800 328 8573 

www.steamywindows.net

96 

B.A. 

Berry 

Building & Roofing 

Specialists 

• All building work undertaken. 

• From a broken tile to a full 

re roof. 

• Flat roofs renewed and 

repaired. 

• Extensions, Alterations, 

Structural repairs including 

Lintels. 

Your local fully 

qualified tradesman 

with 30 years experience 

Call us now for a free, 

no obligation quote 

01695 622 704 

07968 652 320 

www.baberry.co.uk 

First Class 

Workmanship 

4 All types of re-roofs 

4 Strip & re-slate or re-tile 

4 Built up felt/flat roofs, 

dormers etc. 

4 Insurance work undertaken 

4 Roofline uPVC 

fascias, soffits 

& guttering 

W.Newman 

ROOFING & REPAIRS 

01695 627 212 

MOBILE: 07774 943 706 

52 HALLBRIDGE GARDENS, 

UP HOLLAND 

Established Over 30 Years 

WILSON 

BROS 

• • 

Est. 1985 

Roofing & Roofline 

Specialists 

• All aspects of 

maintenance & repair 

• Fascia & soffit 

installation 

• Guttering and felting 

services 

Call us now for 

a free estimate 

01695 633173 

Colin: 07958 302 166 

Brian: 07760 160 988 

www.wilson-bros.co.uk 

28 Years Experience 

Extensions & Refurbishments 

Kitchens & Bathrooms 

Conservatories & Orangeries 

Windows & Doors 

Roofs & Fascia Boards 

Decking & Balustrading 

All aspects of building works 

No job too small 

Call Peter for a free quotation 

Day: 07961 516 677 

Eve: 01942 745 428 

Cambridge Road, Orrell 

All aspects of 

roofing & roofline 

NEW ROOFS 

REPAIRS 

FASCIAS, SOFFITS 

& GUTTERS 

Dormers and 

Garages 

Rubber Cover Roofing Specialist 

Guaranteed 50 years 

Call for free quote 

M: 07894 687 384 

• All aspects of home 

improvements 

• one stop for all the trades 

you require 

• Joinery, building, 

Kitchens & 

bathrooms 

We design and manage 

your project from 

start to finish 

Call Jonathan for a 

free quotation 

Tel: 01257 401 243 

Mob: 0777 602 4045 

SpeakmanpropertyServiceS.com

K Stone 

Building Services 

All types of building 

work undertaken 

• Brickwork 

• Pointing 

• Garden Walls 

• Patios 

25 years 

experience 

• Roof Repairs 

• Flagging 

• Alterations 

• Driveways 

01942 495412 

07974 496676 

Call us now for ALL your roofline requirements! 

Facias, soffits, cladding, dry verge and gutters 

We specialise in seamless 

aluminium gutters. 

Clean, stylish and guaranteed 

for 25 years! 

Call: 07917 352 182 / 07917 352 183 

www.orrellroofline.co.uk 

97 

ALPINE LTD 

Roofing & Building Services 

OAP 

DISCOUNTS 

SERVING 

CHORLEY, WEST 

LANCASHIRE & 

WIGAN 

Your local roofing company from repairs 

to re-roofs, fascia’s, soffits & gutters. 

• Flat roof specialists 

• Damp proof specialists 

• Quality workmanship 

• Affordable pricing 

• Quick response to all repairs 

FULLY INSURED 

Tel: 01942 410989 

Mob: 07730 351523 

www.alpineroofingandbuildingltd.co.uk

Cover photo © Ian Bonne l Photograpthy 

98 

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your 

business 

in 


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Come and visit the largest 

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100 

Tomorrow’s Home Improvements Today! 

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www.orrellwindows.co.uk 

28544

Local Life - Wigan - May 2021

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