Local Life - Wigan - October 2021

LocalLife 

Wigan Edition 

October 2021 

Christmas 

Light Trails 

Pages 17-20 

Hindley’s Bad Boy? 

Pages 70-71 

Beecham’s Brush-Off 

Page 28-30 

© Lightopia 

Pendle Hill Walk 

(and a sculpture trail too!) 

Pages 73-76 

Education Section 

Pages 36-43 

LOCAL NEWS | EVENTS2GO | FOOD | HEALTH | WALks | competitions | home & garden SERVICES

2

3 

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ireplace 

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Telephone: 01942 583 558 

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Follow us: 

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REGISTER

4 

Autumn is a favourite time of year for home 

improvements, and whether it’s a coat of paint 

or a major makeover, you can bet that the 

latest looks and colours will influence your choices. 

Pinning down personal preferences, with half an eye 

on the latest trends, can leave you overwhelmed with 

choices and, as a result, we often take the easy way out 

and settle for dated rooms and furnishings. 

Local Life is full of experienced Wigan-based home 

improvement experts who are happy to advise you on 

your home improvements. Whatever you’re looking to 

do, there’s a local expert here who can help. 

If you’re struggling with your vision for improving your 

home, talking it through with the experts can help and 

can often provide inspirational thoughts. If lockdown 

has taught us anything, it’s the value of face-to-face 

communication – some things are just too important to 

be left to online recommendations from random people. 

See you next time… 

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 

17. Christmas Light Trails 

Contents 

24. Health 

Under pressure. 

38. Education 

Schools and the pandemic. 

44. Recipes 

Indonesian chicken & roast beef fillet. 

54. Home 

A rug for every room. 

28. Beecham’s Brush-Off 60. Fan the Flames 

63. Look Back In Time 

Events of the last 125 years. 

66. Puzzle Pages 

Try these brainteasers for size! 

72. Finance 

Teaching kids to be savvy savers. 

73. Jack’s Tracks to Pendle Hill 

81. Home & Garden Services 

Find the best local traders for you. 

70. Hindley’s Bad Boy 78. Vauxhall Crossland 

Want to 

promote your 

business in 

LocalLife? 

Next Issue - November 

Advertising deadline - 11th October 

Published - 27th October 

01695 627 999 

www.locallife247.co.uk

6 

Standish Show 

Wigan Rotary Club are hosting ‘A Night at The Theatre’, 

a musical show starring Victor Michael and the Two 

Sopranos (Lisa Davis and Hayley Bowen), at the Standish 

Unity Club on Saturday 9th October. 

Their show includes classics such as Nessun Dorma and 

Time to Say Goodbye, alongside songs from famous 

musicals such as Les Misérables and Joseph and his 

Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. 

One of the performing trio, Lisa Davis, won’t have far to 

travel on the night. Wiganer Lisa told Local Life that she 

is “delighted to be singing in her hometown for all her 

family and friends”. 

Lisa studied Opera at Chetham’s School of Music in 

Manchester, before going on to perform in Sir Cameron 

Mackintosh’s ‘Hey Mr Producer’ amongst other shows. 

She’s spent much of singing career at sea, performing on 

cruise ships throughout the world. 

Tickets for the show are priced at £12 and can be booked 

via the Rotary Club’s website www.wiganrotary.co.uk 

Fright Night 

There’s a Friday Night with a difference taking place at 

Haigh Woodland Park on Saturday 30th October. 

Wigan Council and Fylde Coast Runners have joined 

forces to launch a brand-new series of night runs, and 

this is the inaugural event. 

The event is suitable for all abilities of runner or fast 

walkers and is held on a mix of trails and pathways within 

Haigh Hall, starting and finishing in the shadow of the 

hall. 

Entry is £25.00 per person which includes a glow in the 

dark finishers medal, a commemorative fright night 

technical t-shirt and digital event photographs! The 

minimum age is 15 and over on the day of the event. 

The event is strictly limited to 500 participants and 

entries are only accepted via web in advance of the 

event. Registration opens at 4pm on the day and the 

event starts at 6.30pm. 

To sign up, visit www.fyldecoastrunners.com 

Competition Winners 

The winners of the Local Life competition in our July and 

August issues have been confirmed as Megan Gallagher 

from Standish, Melvin Levick, also from Standish, 

Samantha Clinton from Highfield and Angela Fletcher 

from Billinge. 

The winners all received a pair of tickets for the recent 

Tom Jones concert at Haydock Park. Thank you to all 

those who entered.

7 

Phoenix Rises 

Coping with the COVID restrictions has been particularly 

tough for single people. If you, or your friends/family are 

in this position, then there’s a local solution to loneliness. 

The long-established Phoenix Club has risen from the 

ashes and is now operating fully again. This national 

organisation was established for friendship and social 

nights, and the Wigan branch is based out of St Wilfrid’s 

Parish Hall on Church Street in Standish. 

In addition to the weekly sequence dancing, members 

of the club enjoy days out, theatre trips and holidays. 

The sequence dancing events run every Saturday, with 

the doors opening at 7.30, and you are advised to bring 

your own drinks. For more information about the Wigan 

Phoenix Club, call 01257 421335 or 07971 956532. 

Having a Ball 

Fitness and fun don’t often go hand in hand but a ladies’ 

rounders team in Standish is putting a stop to that! The 

team is currently open to women of all abilities over 14. 

If you fancy having a go, then the team train once a week 

on Wednesdays between 6.15pm-7.30pm at Standish 

Cricket Club on Green Lane. 

The ladies play in the Wigan and Leigh league, focusing 

on staying active, making friends and having fun. 

For more information, please message the coaches by 

searching @StandishRoundersClub on Facebook 

Critters are Coming! 

Enjoy breakfast with a difference on 28th October at the 

Wild Mint Café at Golden Days on Back Lane in Appley 

Bridge. ‘Breakfast with the Critters’ will consist of a 

breakfast and drink, plus a chance to get up close and 

personal with bugs and beasts. The event is co-hosted 

by Curious Critters, and their handlers will be on hand to 

help. There are limited tickets available and pre-booking 

is essential. Call 01257 472533 to book. 

TIME 

coffee shop 

RElax and Enjoy dElIcIous dRInks and 

lITE bITEs In hoMEly suRRoundIngs. 

Our emphasis at Time is on high-quality customer 

service with a personal touch 

• Lavazza coffee, iced lattes, 

luxury hot chocolate 

• Fully licensed bar 

• Homemade cakes 

• Child friendly 

• Dog friendly 

• Lovely covered outside 

garden 

All our spaces are available to hire for business meetings, 

baby showers or any family celebration. 

nEw opEnIng houRs 

Monday to Thursday 8:00-4:30, Friday 8:00-9:00pm 

Saturday 8:00-9:00pm, Sunday 10:00-5:00pm 

Have a lovely glass of wine and enjoy a sharing platter 

from our evening menu 

Tuesday 

shevington 

Shevington Methodist Church, 1 Gathurst Road, WN6 8HA 

9am, 3.30pm, 5.00pm & 6.30pm 

Wednesday 

Billinge 

Bispham Methodist Church Hall, Crank Rd, WN5 7DT 

8.30am & 10.00am 

For further details call Karen on 

07789 227 871 

Christmas launch event with Akoya 

FridAy 22nd & SAturdAy 23rd OctOber 2021 

come and browse the lovely gifts and art work from Akoya and 

enjoy a complimentary glass of prosecco and canapés at time 

10% OFF All purcHASeS 

Phone: 01257 427397 Email: timewn6@outlook.com 

25, Preston Road • Standish • WN6 0JH 

www.timecoffeeshop.co.uk

8 

Healthwatch Appeal 

Are you worried about how to access your GP? How easy 

is it to get an appointment? Has your interaction with 

primary care changed because of the pandemic? If you 

want to share your views on the above questions, then 

Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh want to hear from you. 

The purpose of Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh is to 

represent local people who use health and social care 

services, and to make sure that those running services 

put people at the heart of care. They seek to understand 

the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use 

local health and social care services. 

All the information you provide will be heard 

confidentially and recorded anonymously to contribute 

to a report published later in the year. Here’s how you can 

contribute to that report: 

Contact Lisa Armstrong on 01942 834666 or text ‘GP’ 

to this number 07939 061 872 and someone will call 

you back, or you can email Lisa at Lisa.Armstrong@ 

healthwatchwiganandleigh.co.uk or alternately you can 

complete a short survey online at www.surveymonkey. 

co.uk/r/HWWLGPAccess. 

Stitch Group Forms 

A new creative stitch group has recently formed and is 

looking for new members. The Douglas Valley Creative 

Stitchers will be meeting on the second Saturday of each 

month at Parbold Village Hall. The next meeting is on 

Saturday 9th October and the activity is making a brooch 

or pendant. 

Newcomers with all levels of skill are welcome and the 

session opens at 2pm for a 2.30pm start and a 4pm 

finish. For more details about the group, contact Sue 

Chisnall-Sumner on 01772 461714 or email suechisnall@ 

btinternet.com. 

AB Playgroup 

Keeping the children entertained and finding it a 

struggle? All Saints Church on Finch Mill Lane hosts a 

playgroup every Thursday from 9.15-11am. The cost 

is just £1.50 a family and 50p extra for any additional 

kids, and you can expect a warm welcome along with 

tea, toast, biscuits and juice. Everyone is welcome. For 

more info, please search for Little Saints Playgroup on 

Facebook. 

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

9 

Green Homes Grant 

The Greater Manchester Green Homes Grant Local 

Authority Delivery Scheme is still open for applications. 

The grant allows homeowners who earn less than £30,000 

and whose home is energy inefficient to apply for grants 

of up to £10,000. 

The grant can be used for low carbon heating measures 

such as air source heat pumps as well as different types 

of insulation. The local authority scheme is delivered 

in partnership with E.ON. The scheme is also open to 

residential landlords to apply for grants of up to £5,000. 

To find out more about the scheme, visit www.eonenergy. 

com/greenhomesgrant 

Jewels May is a wonderful independent 

jewellers. The shop has recently expanded 

so as to offer customers more on site 

specialist services, one-to-one consultation, 

specialist design and re-modelling advice and 

manufacturing. 

Autumn Style Update 

Wear colours with confidence. 

Look fabulous and feel great. 

Their jewellery range is extensive from antique 

and vintage to modern and one-off bespoke 

luxury pieces, set with diamonds and precious 

stones. They also boast an impressive range of 

engagement and wedding rings as well as 

pre-owned luxury watches. 

Repairs & Alterations 

Rhodium Plating 

Cleaning & Polishing 

Design & Manufacturing 

Engagement & Wedding Ring Specialists 

Insurance Valuations 

Watch Servicing, Repairs, Refurbishing 

& Batteries 

Good Prices Paid For Your Scrap & 

Unwanted Jewellery 

My name’s Gina Dobson and I’m a 

Personal Stylist and Image Consultant 

From my St Helens studio, I offer; 

Colour Analysis Personal Styling 

Make Up Gift Vouchers 

Call me on 07598 367 552 to discover how 

I can help you discover your personal style. 

www.ginadobsoncolour.co.uk 

“Now offering on-site rhodium plating within an hour, 

Wednesday to Sunday. 

SPECIAL READER OFFER 

Rhodium plating of 2 rings for £80 (normally £90), 

just quote Local Life 247” 

Heskin Hall Shopping Village, 

Wood Lane, Heskin, PR7 5PA 

Tel: 01257 450448 Etsy: Jewelsmayuk 

www.jewelsmay.com

10 

Give it a Grow 

Local community group, Give it a Grow Wigan are looking 

for volunteers to help them tidy up the space for their 

new hub at Mesnes Park this Sunday, October 3. 

Members of the group have recently acquired some 

allotment space in the park but they need your help! 

The site has not been managed since before the Covid 

lockdown hit and it’s pretty overgrown to say the least. 

The volunteer clearing day starts at 11am, so if you would 

like to get your gardening gloves out and lend a hand, 

even if only half an hour, they’d really appreciate your 

help. Tasks for the day will include; weed pulling, moving 

pots, litter picking, restoring benches and strimming to 

clear paths. 

Please take strong gardening gloves, water and food as 

necessary, and wear good sturdy footwear. If you have any 

tools like pruning shears, trowels, forks and are comfortable 

using them, you’re welcome to take those as well. The 

allotment can be accessed at the top of Mesnes Park, by 

the exit to the Pagefield site of Wigan & Leigh College. 

Give it A Grow Wigan is a new non-profit community 

group with the aim of bringing greater biodiversity and 

wildlife to the urban spaces in Wigan Borough. The new 

allotment area is an exciting opportunity for members to 

grow plants to distribute, produce their own compost, 

and possibly even host workshops in the future. 

To find out more about the project and what the group 

get up to, please go online at www.giveitagrowwigan. 

co.uk. 

Christmas Fair 

The Woodlands Animal Sanctuary in Holmeswood will 

be hosting a Christmas Fair at Parbold Village Hall on 

Saturday, November 20. 

The fair will take place between 11am-3pm and will be a 

great way to help to raise funds for the cats, hedgehogs 

and ponies that will be living at the shelter this winter. 

At the event, there will be plenty of stalls to browse 

around, delicious festive treats and a Teddy Tombola. 

For more information about the fair or Woodlands 

Animal Sanctuary please go online at www. 

woodlandsanimalsanctuary.org.uk or call 01704 823293. 

McNulty’s Shoes 

Wide shoe fitting specialists 

• Correct foot 

measurement 

• Extra wide shoes 

& slippers 

• Home shoe 

fitting service 

• New boots & 

shoes now in, 

Don’t miss out! 

Looking for Staff? 

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we’ll also promote 

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Prices start from 

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01942 244100 

shaun@mcnultyshoes.co.uk 

31 Library Street | Wigan | WN1 1NN 


01695 627999 | www.locallife247.co.uk

11 

Picture House 

Parbold’s Picture House, based at the Village Hall on 

The Green in Parbold, has released their listings for their 

forthcoming Sunday night movie programme. 

Screening on Sunday 10th October is Minari, a tender 

and sweeping story about a Korean-American family 

that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own 

American Dream. 

Screening on Sunday 24th October is The Father. The 

film features an ageing Anthony (Sir Anthony Hopkins) 

struggling with memory loss as he begins to experience 

the symptoms of dementia. Refusing help from his 

daughter Anne (Olivia Colman), Anthony increasingly 

begins to lose his grip on reality as he experiences 

hallucinations, battles traumatic memories and struggles 

to identify his loved ones. 

Screening on Sunday 7th November is 1917, a World War 

1 drama directed and produced by Sam Mendes and 

starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth and Richard 

Madden. 

The films all start at 7pm, with doors opening at 6.30pm. 

Please note that the café is still closed at present. 

The friendly place in 

the heart of Standish village 

The Unity Club 

• large function room or cosy 

lounge room available for hire 

• games room with a full-size 

snooker table, pool table, 

darts & dominoes 

Cask Ale Club of the Year 

awarded by CAMRA 

11 Years running 2010-21 

Open: Sun-Thurs: 7.30-11pm 

Fri & Sat: 5.30pm-12am 

If you are interested in becoming a member, hiring the function room 

or using the facilities for meetings please call for further details. 

01257 424007 

Cross Street, Standish, WN6 0HQ 

www.standishunityclub.com

Interior Design Services 

Bay Window Specialists 

Bespoke Curtains & Blinds 

Upholstery Services 

Home Consultations Available 

Proud stockists of

Visit our showroom 

to view our 

fine selection of... 

Fabrics, Wall Coverings, 

Paint and much more 

Millan Interiors, 5/7 Mill Lane, Parbold WN8 7NW 

T: 01257 46 34 77 www.millaninteriors.co.uk 

Opening Hours: Mon, Tues ,Weds, Fri 10am - 4pm • Thurs 10am - 1pm 

Please call 01257 46 34 77 for out of hours appointments

14 

Pumpkin Fun 

Windmill Animal Farm in Burscough will be getting 

into the Halloween spirt with their pumpkin picking 

adventure from Saturday 9th to Sunday 31st October. 

Farmer Chris has planted more than 20,000 plants in the 

pumpkin field, and you could be taking one home for the 

family this Halloween. 

Tickets cost £15.95 for adults and £16.95 for children 

under 15, with under 1’s free. Each ticket includes a full 

day of fun on the farm and access to the pumpkin patch, 

where you get to pick your own pumpkin. Wheelbarrows 

will be provided and don’t forget your wellies! 

For more information or to book your tickets, please go 

online at www.windmillanimalfarm.co.uk 

Samaritans Shout Out 

Charities such as the Samaritans have helped thousands 

of people through the difficulties of the past eighteen 

months, particularly those without family and friends. 

The services that the Samaritans provide are funded by 

retail shops throughout the UK and the Wigan shop is 

desperately short of volunteers. 

Can you spare any time, even just a couple of hours a 

week, to help at the Wigan shop, which is located at 39 

Hallgate? If so, the Shop Manager Jean Ashby would love 

to hear from you. Please give Jean a call on 01744 894122. 

Gym for Kids 

Gymnastic sessions are available for pre-school children 

at Robin Park Leisure Centre. 

The sessions are a perfect introduction to gymnastics, 

teaching kids how to do forward rolls, handstands and 

splits, and then move onto using the vault, beams and 

trampolines in subsequent sessions. 

Your child will build strength, learn to develop their 

hand-eye co-ordination and, most importantly, have lots 

of fun along the way. 

These structured lessons are taught by friendly qualified 

coaches across a block of 8 weeks at a cost of £34.40. 

For more information or to book your child’s place, please 

call 01942 828550 or email gymnastics@bewellwigan.org 

WE ARE NOW OPEN 

AGAIN... 

7 DAYS A WEEK!!!

15 

Free 

wildflower 

seeds 

with every order 

Harmony 

Your satisfaction is our future 

NEW! Eco blinds - let us transform your home! 

Blinds | Shutters | Perfect Fit | Remote control blinds 

01942 311342 

01204 657127

16

Christmas Light Trails 

171 

Christmas is all about traditions. From dressing a Christmas tree to putting 

out a mince pie or two for Santa, for most of us Christmas represents 

enjoying the same activities with the same people, year in, year out. 

Because it’s such a busy time, new Christmas activities that are quickly 

adapted as a mainstream activity by all the family rarely come along, but 

one notable exception is the Christmas light trail. 

There’s nothing more uplifting in the cold winter months than illuminations 

and that’s why we think Christmas light trails are one of the most magical festive 

experiences for the entire family at this time of year. 

Don’t delay in booking your tickets though, these festive light experiences will sell out fast. 

Chester Zoo 

www.chesterzoo.org/lanterns 

Chester Zoo has revealed its plans for its wintertime 

celebration, The Lanterns, which runs from Friday 12 

November - Thursday 23 December. 

Now in its tenth year, visitors to the event are given the 

unique opportunity to experience the zoo after hours on 

a set trail in the dark – taking them through spectacular 

illuminations and colourful lanterns, encountering 

enchanting, costumed characters along the way. 

Among the many new elements at this year’s festivities 

will be brand new illuminated characters, featuring 

orangutans, butterflies, caterpillars and wolves as well as 

a 90th birthday light show, taking visitors on a journey 

through time as they explore the zoo’s history. 

Senior Admissions and Retail Manager at Chester Zoo, 

Gemma Bamford, said: 

“We can’t wait to welcome visitors back to our very 

special Christmas event, The Lanterns. It’s become a firm 

favourite and something of a family tradition for so many 

people now and this year will be more magnificent and 

magical than ever”. 

The Lanterns has been created by the zoo in partnership 

with multi award-winning outdoor arts producers, Wild 

Rumpus.

18 2 

Lightopia www.lightopiafestival.com 

The award-winning Lightopia will return with its 

flagship event in Manchester, for the third year on the 

18th November until the 3rd January, with a brandnew 

enchanting light and lantern festival; presenting a 

Christmas Fantasy at Heaton Park. The never-before-seen, 

illuminated trail will feature magical and multi-sensory 

interactive lights, lanterns and installations, illustrating a 

story of an imaginative and fantasy festive world. 

This immersive experience is the perfect Christmas 

adventure for family and friends, filled with wondrous 

light installations and mythical creatures. From the 

moment Lightopians step through the magical gates, the 

fantasy land journey begins… 

This year, the entry points to Lightopia will be via the Gate 

of Guardians, protecting the enchanted land that awaits. 

Shimmering walkways, decorative lights and projections 

will guide the way, marking the familiar route direction 

for this new make-believe wonderland. 

A Christmas spectacular can be discovered at the Grade 

I-listed Heaton Hall. Marvel at the 9ft bauble-inspired 

Christmas tree and the immersive stand-alone giant 

bauble, which Lightopians can walk inside. A fairy tale 

awaits at this unique festive land, as the characters and 

lights tell the tale of good vs evil, with the festive heroes 

protecting Christmas. Thousands of immersive lights will 

illuminate the Christmas land with a collection of vibrant 

colours. 

Lightopia 2021 will also feature a fantastical Magic 

Circus display, a Time Travel zone, Fantasy Forest, Fantasy 

Universe and Lakeside Water Show!

Bolesworth 

193 

www.bolesworth.com/christmas 

Bolesworth near Chester will be transformed 

into an illuminated winter wonderland this 

Christmas. The magical 1.2 mile trail, which 

runs for 30 nights in between 26th November 

to 24th December, promises a dazzling afterdark 

experience for all of the family. 

You’ll travel alongside the lakeside with the 

backdrop of the castle lit to spectacular 

effect, then you’ll follow the winding 

pathways through the woods where you 

may spot a reindeer or two, travelling 

over bridges and through the spectacular 

grounds. 

Pick up glistening gifts at the Christmas Market, wander 

round the food stands as you sip on mulled wine or 

hot chocolate, whilst soaking up the heart-warming 

atmosphere of the evening. Or get your skates on and 

head onto the Ice Rink with your friends and family. Set 

against the iconic backdrop of Bolesworth Castle, you can 

spin around to the soundtracks and afterwards head to 

the bar for a warming drink. 

Those looking for a dash of class with plenty of 

champagne can visit Champagne Island, and you surely 

won’t be disappointed by this very special and unique 

experience. You’ll have a secret hideaway on a hidden 

island where you can sit and watch the world go by. 

And Bolesworth offer a very special experience where 

the children are able to meet the man himself, leave their 

Christmas present list and have their photo taken so you 

can take home a memento of these magical moments.

20 4 

Delamere Forest www.forestryengland.uk/christmas-at-delamere 

A brand-new Christmas trail featuring enchanting 

illuminations and Christmas tunes, will illuminate Forestry 

England’s Delamere Forest in Cheshire, from 26 Nov – 31 

Dec 2021. 

Wrap up warm and be transported into a winter 

wonderland where you will discover sparkling tunnels 

of light, walk under giant baubles and beneath trees 

illuminated in Christmas colours. 

Spend time together and create everlasting memories as 

you wander between the specially chosen illuminations, 

all choreographed to a soundtrack of Christmas classics. 

Pause at the mesmerising flickering flames in the fire 

garden and don’t forget to glimpse Father 

Christmas along the way. 

Independent street food vendors bring 

a delicious twist to tasty treats on offer. 

Have yourself a holly, jolly Christmas and 

complete your walk under the stars with a 

spiced winter warmer or a hot chocolate 

shared with someone special. 

Christmas at Delamere Forest provides a 

special way to celebrate the festive season 

with an unmissable outdoor experience. 

The trail is designed for visitors of all ages 

to enjoy. 

Christmas at Delamere Forest is brought 

to you by Sony Music in partnership with 

Forestry England. The trail is created by 

Culture Creative.

21 

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Packing boxes, sofa & mattress covers and 

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22 

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 

Job Search 

If you’re looking for a change of career, then My Life in 

Standish might just have the opportunity you need. 

You can get paid for sharing your skills with the people 

they support. The charity is on the lookout for musicians, 

gardeners, woodworkers, artists, screen printers, 

warehouse operatives, hospitality workers, upcyclers 

and more, get in touch and tell them about your skill set. 

There are full and part time roles available, and contracts 

are available for staff, freelance and flexible roles. A good 

rate of pay is being offered along with full training and 

development opportunities. 

For more information, please call My Life on 01942 

233422 or email hr@my-life.org.uk 

Memory Walk 

BeWell Wigan will be hosting a memory walk on Sunday, 

October 10 to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. 

Walk for a world without dementia and take the time to 

remember the loved ones who are no longer with us. 

You can join organisers on a 10-mile walk or a 1-mile 

accessible walk, both starting at the Haigh Woodland 

Park Visitors Centre. Registration will open at 10.15am 

and the walks will begin at 11am, both walks are 

signposted and walk leaders will be supporting people 

throughout. 

Donations can be made by going to www.justgiving. 

com/fundraising/MWOYO21-TracyMorris 

Boogie Bingo 

Eyes down and get your dabbers ready for the ultimate 

bingo event on Saturday November 6. 

Boogie Bingo, organised by Lisa McAllister from the 

Professionals of Wigan networking group, will take place 

at the DW Stadium from 7pm till late in a bid to raise 

much needed funds for Wigan and Leigh Hospice. 

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 

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You can look forward to an exciting combination of 

fun, a live show, a raffle and a serious game of bingo! 

Tickets cost £25 per person, and this includes light bite 

refreshments on the night. 

For more information or to book your tickets go online to 

www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/20737

23 

Back with a Bang 

The Old Courts is back with a bang this autumn, bringing 

Wiganers live music, comedy, films, theatre and poetry 

events to make up for the past 18 months of living with 

COVID. 

The 2020 film Supernova, starring Colin Firth and Stanley 

Tucci, will be screened on 10.30am on Wednesday 6th 

October. The pair play Sam and dementia-stricken 

Tusker, partners of twenty years who are travelling across 

England in their old campervan visiting friends, family 

and places from their past. 

Court and Spark – The Joni Mitchell Songbook will be 

performing at the Old Courts on Friday 8th October at 

8pm. The act brings together five of the North West’s top 

musicians to celebrate the kaleidoscopic musical world 

of Joni Mitchell. 

Described by Classic Rock magazine as ‘The most 

authentic sounding Zep tribute in the UK’, the band 

Mothership comes to town on Saturday 9th October with 

their brand-new stage show celebrating the music of 

the greatest rock band in history. You can expect all the 

classics, but expect the unexpected, too! 

You can come along and celebrate the 50th anniversary 

of the children’s’ classic film Charlie and the Chocolate 

Factory with a special screening at the Old Courts on 

Sunday 10th October at 10.30am. This is an adaption of 

the Roald Dahl book which tells the story of how a young 

boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate 

factory in the world, led by the world’s most unusual man. 

An award-winning musical comedian whose songs have 

been heard on BBC Radio 4 and The One Show, arrives at 

the Old Courts on Wednesday 27th October at 2.30pm. 

Jay Foreman presents ‘Disgusted Rhymes for Revolting 

Children’’, a devilishly cheeky hour of songs, poems and 

comedy for children of all ages in this family friendly 

show. 

And on Tuesday 2nd November at 8pm, the writer, poet 

and TV Producer Henry Normal performs The Escape 

Plan, an evening of pure escape with stories, jokes and 

poems. 

There’s something for everyone at The Old Courts. For 

more details and to buy tickets for these and other shows 

this autumn, visit the www.theoldcourts.com.

24 

Under 

Pressure 

It’s responsible for 60% of strokes and half of all heart 

attacks, yet most people with high blood pressure 

have no idea they are at risk. That’s because high blood 

pressure typically has no symptoms. The British Heart 

Foundation estimates there are up to 4.8 million people 

living with undiagnosed high blood pressure in the UK. 

It’s sometimes referred to as a silent killer because most 

people don’t know they have it until they get their blood 

pressure measured by a healthcare professional. 

In good news, there’s now an easy way to get your blood 

pressure checked and that’s via your local chemist. Every 

NHS pharmacy in England will offer the free checks to 

people aged 40 and over as part of a new deal between 

pharmacies and the NHS. This will undoubtedly help to 

increase detection of undiagnosed hypertension in the 

community. 

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a level that’s 

consistently at or above 140/90 and it’s something that 

affects one in three adults in the UK. In most cases, it’s 

not clear exactly what causes hypertension but there 

are factors that can increase your risk of getting it. These 

include: 

• Being overweight 

• Eating too much salt and not eating enough fruit 

and vegetables 

• Not doing enough exercise 

• Drinking too much alcohol or coffee 

• Smoking 

• Being a poor sleeper 

• Being aged 65 and over 

• Family history of high blood pressure or heart 

disease 

• Ethnicity – being of black African or black 

Caribbean descent 

• Living in a deprived area 

In around one in twenty cases, high blood pressure 

happens as a result of an underlying health condition or 

due to taking a certain medicine. Health conditions that 

can lead to high blood pressure include kidney disease, 

diabetes, a long-term kidney infection, obstructive 

sleep apnoea, lupus and those experiencing hormonal 

problems such as an underactive or overactive thyroid. 

Medicines that can impact on your blood pressure 

include the contraceptive pull, steroids, non-steroidal 

anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and 

naproxen, some cough and cold remedies and certain 

antidepressants such as venlafaxine. 

Everyone with high blood pressure is advised to make 

healthy lifestyle choices. These include reducing your 

salt intake, eating a low-fat balanced diet with plenty 

of fruit and vegetables, being active, cutting down on 

alcohol, losing weight, drinking less caffeine and quitting 

smoking. Medication to control high blood pressure can 

also be prescribed in some instances. If you’re under 

55, you’ll usually be offered an angiotensin-converting 

enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotensin-2 receptor 

blocker (ARB). If you’re over 55 or are of African or 

Caribbean origin at any age, you’ll usually be offered a 

calcium channel blocker. 

Speaking about the new high street pharmacy blood

25 

about five minutes to complete. Knowing your blood 

pressure levels will also mean you can discuss the 

risks with a healthcare professional, who will signpost 

you to the most effective source of treatment and 

onward management of your condition. Prevention 

is always better than cure, so it’s important that you 

know your numbers and check your blood pressure.” 

It’s also possible to have hypotension or low blood 

pressure. Having a blood pressure check can help 

to diagnose this too. A low blood pressure reading 

is one that’s less than 90/60. Symptoms that might 

indicate your blood pressure is too low include lightheadedness, 

dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, generally 

feeling weak, confusion and fainting. 

pressure check scheme, the charity’s director of policy and 

influencing, John Maringay, added: “This breakthrough 

programme will also help with the devastating burden 

of backlog of care left by the Covid-19 pandemic, which 

could see the number of people waiting for heart care 

and diagnosis peak at around 550,385 in January 2024, 

according to our latest report. 

“Having your blood pressure checked by your local 

pharmacist is a simple and quick test that will only take 

Our blood pressure can vary depending on what time it is, 

as it gradually increases throughout the day. What we’re 

doing and how we’re feeling can also affect it. There’s a 

number of possible causes of low blood pressure. For 

example, it can be low because you’re fit and healthy or you 

may have inherited hypotension from your parents. Some 

people will also find they naturally develop low blood 

pressure as they get older. In addition, being pregnant, 

having certain medical conditions such as diabetes and 

some medications can cause low blood pressure too.

26 

Wellie Walk 

Join the team at Windy Arbour Farm in Billinge this 

October for the returning Hallowe’en ‘Wellie Walk’ event! 

Stroll the tracks of Windy Arbour, a farm dating back over 

150 years, collecting puzzle answers, meeting special 

‘guests’ and looking out for some spooky surprises! Plus 

you can choose two pumpkins to take home and carve. 

This is a family event so there’s nothing too scary or 

dangerous, its perfect for everyone. Simply go to the 

website, choose an event day and pick a time slot, it 

couldn’t be easier! Refreshments will be available for 

purchase back at the farm. This is a ticket-only event and 

one ticket entitles you to bring one vehicle on site. 

Tickets are now on sale and are priced at £25, including 

a premium goodie bag containing special treats, 

some local offers, a route map and more. The walk will 

take around an hour and is suitable for small children, 

however toddlers may need to be carried as the walk is 

not suitable for prams or bikes. Well behaved dogs on 

short leads are welcome. 

For more information or to make a booking please go 

online at www.windy-arbour.shop 

Halloween Party 

There will be some spooky goings on down at the Wigan 

Armed Forces HQ on Saturday, October 30! 

A Halloween party will take place at the HQ on School 

Lane from 1pm-5pm. There will be a disco, games, food 

and crafts for all the family to enjoy. There will also be a 

prize for the best fancy dress. 

Tickets are £3.50 per person or a family ticket costs £15 

and can be purchased from HQ reception. For more 

information please call 01942 821 293. 

Fostering in Wigan 

Do you have a spare bedroom, and time and 

commitment? Then why not consider fostering and 

change a child or young person’s life. Sunbeam Fostering 

urgently need more foster carers to help provide loving 

and safe environments for children and young people. 

If you are considering fostering or would like some more 

information, please contact the recruitment team on 

02087 990 930 or visit www.sunbeamfostering.com 

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27

28 

The Beecham’s 

Brush-Off 

by Nicola Gray 

Wigan’s connection to ‘Big Retail’ 

is well known throughout the 

town. Michael Marks of M&S 

fame is an ex-Wallgate resident 

and opened a Penny Bazaar in 

the Market Hall in 1891, before 

he launched M&S with business 

partner Thomas Spencer in 1894. 

Less well-documented is Wigan’s 

connection with ‘Big Pharma’ fifty 

years earlier. Thomas Beecham 

made his home in the town and, if 

his wife hadn’t miss-sold a remedy 

to a child, the town could have 

enjoyed the long-term benefits 

of being home to Beechams. This 

month we look at the Beecham 

Bust of Thomas Beecham - courtesy of 

GlaxoSmithKline plc 

dynasty and their humble 

beginnings in the town. 

The founder of Beechams, 

Thomas Beecham, was born in 

Oxfordshire on 3rd December 

1820. It seems hard work was 

always in his blood, and when he 

had to leave school at the age of 

8, he started work as a shepherd’s 

boy. As fate would have it this is 

where he first learned about 

herbal medicines, and he quickly 

became interested in curing 

sick animals and the occasional 

person. By his mid-teens he had 

established quite a reputation 

Men & women in the pill making 

section - courtesy of GlaxoSmithKline plc

29 

as an herbalist, one who could treat all 

types of ailments. 

By 1840 he had already developed the 

formula for his own brand of laxative 

pills but was still working as a postman 

and gardener. In 1847 Thomas made 

his way North to Liverpool where 

he met and married Jane Evans, a 

Welsh woman who was eight years 

his senior. They did appear to have 

a lot in common and hit it off when 

Beecham discovered that Jane was 

the maid to a chemist. It was soon 

after he decided to set up in business 

selling his herbal remedies but at 

the time Liverpool was deemed too 

poor and the couple moved to Wigan. 

Towards the end of 1847 the newlyweds rented a room in a 

slum on Wallgate and sold their wares, gradually building 

up custom through family and friends, later moving onto 

local market stalls. Thomas regularly referred to himself 

as ‘Dr Beecham’ much to the displeasure of the qualified 

professionals in the town. 

The Beechams welcomed their first child, Thomas on 8th 

June 1848, followed by daughter Sarah two years later. 

The family was going up in the world and thanks to a great 

few years in business they moved to a house on Hallgate 

and again to a much bigger property on Standishgate. 

Beecham, ever the entrepreneur, wasn’t satisfied with the 

market stalls and he opened his first shop at 120 Wallgate 

in 1858, where they sold groceries, pills and medicines. 

The Beecham’s services were very popular in the town, 

in part down to the belief held by Thomas that his pills 

could cure any ailment. The couple continued to sell 

their homemade laxatives at local markets and in the 

shop, with an unrivalled sales patter that included a jar of 

intestinal worms as a visual aid. 

By 1858 the couple now had four children; two boys and 

two girls, life was running smoothly until the unthinkable 

happened and rumour has it that Jane, who was known 

to be illiterate, dispensed a mislabelled bottle containing 

opium to a customer. The contents of the bottle had the 

potential to be fatal for children and tragedy struck when 

a local boy was given a spoonful of the opium by his 

mother, believing it to be his regular medicine. As a result, 

the young boy died from convulsions, and the coroner 

returned a verdict of accidental death. 

Although the Beechams were cleared of any charges, 

Advertisement for Beechams Lung Syrup - courtesy of GlaxoSmithKline plc 

public feeling and tightening legislation throughout 

the country made it impossible for Thomas to continue 

trading in Wigan. The locals weren’t forgiving, and the 

couple had no choice but to sell up and move out of the 

town, it isn’t clear why but Thomas put the shop along 

with all its contents up for auction and in 1860 they set up 

home in St Helens - the rest, as they say is history. 

And history is exactly what Thomas made; he continued 

to produce his pills at home, and it is around this time 

the famous ‘guinea’ Beecham slogan was born, when a 

customer approached Thomas at his market stall to tell 

him that his pills had done her the world of good and 

were indeed ‘worth a guinea a box’. 

Thomas was a great believer in the power of advertising, 

and records show that by 1890 his new factory was 

making one million pills a day and spending upwards of 

£100,000 a year on advertising; a massive £12 million in 

today’s money; and at the turn of the century, he was the 

largest advertiser in the country. 

Going back, 1863 was a momentous year for the Beechams 

in more ways than one; Jane and Thomas separated, and 

their son Joseph had joined the family enterprise. Joseph 

was responsible for ramping up the advertising and was 

publishing full-page adverts in newspapers, plastering 

posters on billboards, popular songs were given out as 

sheet music and educational pamphlets were delivered 

to schoolchildren to help with times tables, to really drive 

home the Beecham name. 

In 1876, Thomas started to take a less active role in the 

business; after the death of Jane in 1872, he remarried in 

1873 to Sarah Pemberton and got married again to Mary

30 

Sewell in 1979. Thomas moved away to Buckinghamshire 

with Mary and left the business, but it wasn’t long before 

he moved back to the North and resumed his business 

duties. 

By 1894 Thomas had left his wife and had moved to 

Southport, within three years he had fully retired and in 

1889 Thomas gave Joseph a half share in the business. He 

died at his home in Southport on 6th April 1907 at the age 

of 86 and is buried in St Helens Cemetery, Windle. 

Joseph continued to run the family business and he 

died in October 1916 having outlived his father Thomas 

by a mere 10 years. After Joseph’s death, the firm was 

managed by executors and in 1924 the firm was sold to 

entrepreneur Philip Hill. 

The Beechams products continued to expand both at 

home and overseas and under Philip’s leadership the 

business began to buy up other companies acquiring 

products and brands such as Lucozade, Macleans and 

Brylcreem. Philip took the company forward by improving 

their research and development by building a laboratory 

in Surrey and the company was named Beecham Group 

Ltd. 

Notoriety was never far away where Beechams was 

concerned and they hit the headlines again in 1959 

when their scientists discovered a new penicillin nucleus, 

allowing them to focus on pharmaceutical development 

and go on to sell antibiotics worldwide to treat a wide 

range of bacterial infections. 

In 1989 the Beecham Group and SmithKline Beckman 

merged to form SmithKline Beecham and in 2000 

they merged again to form what we now know as 

GlaxoSmithKline. So embedded is the Beecham brand, 

that GSK still uses its name for their over-the-counter cold 

and flu products. 

Key Beecham Dates: 

1840 Thomas Beecham developed the formula for his herbal laxatives 

1842 Thomas Beecham went into business with Beecham’s Pills. 

Thomas became a travelling salesman, offering his pills in 

different parts of the country. 

1847 The Beechams moved to Wigan 

1858 Beecham open his first chemist on Wallgate, Wigan. 

1860 The Beechams were forced out of Wigan and moved to St Helens 

1876 Beechams opened its first factory in St. Helens – the factory was 

the first to be opened solely to produce medicines. 

1875 Beecham was exporting his remedies to Africa and Australia. 

1907 Thomas Beecham died, and his sons Joseph and William took 

over the running of the business. 

1924 The business was sold to Philip Hill 

1926 Beecham’s Flu Powders were launched. 

Westfield Street looking towards the Beecham’s 

Factory - courtesy of St Helens Archive Service 

1944 The company was renamed Beecham Group Ltd. 

1957 Company scientists discovered the penicillin nucleus 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA). 

1959 Beecham Group Ltd signed an agreement with Bristol-Myers to market the medicines in the USA 

1961 A 35-acre complex was at Worthing to produce 6-APA and there are 14,450 people now employed in the 

business. 

1989 The Beecham Group plc and SmithKline Beckman merged to form SmithKline Beecham plc. 

1998 Production of “Beecham’s Pills” ceased. 

2001 SmithKline Beecham and Glaxo Wellcome merged to form GlaxoSmithKline. 

With thanks to St Helens Archive Service. The Archive Service collects, preserves and provides access to unique historic materials that relate to 

different aspects of life across the borough of St Helens. Find out more information here - www.sthelens.gov.uk/libraries/archive-service/

31

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33 

It’s Coming Home 

Council bosses have approved plans for football hubs at 

two locations – William Foster playing fields in Ince and 

Laithwaite Park in Wigan - as part of a national initiative 

led by the Football Foundation. 

There will be five full-size floodlit third generation (3G) 

pitches across the two sites along with changing rooms 

and community facilities. 

Councillor Nazia Rehman, cabinet member for resources, 

finance and transformation, said: “Providing facilities like 

these will have a significant health and wellbeing impact 

in our communities and making sport available to all is an 

important part of the Deal 2030.” 

Cabinet members voted in favour of the schemes at a 

meeting earlier this month, meaning the council and the 

Football Foundation will share the development costs. 

Works are expected to start next month with a provisional 

opening date of September 2022. 

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football 

Foundation, said: “Funding from the Premier League, 

The FA and the Government, through Sport England, has 

played a vital role in making this project a reality”. 

The hubs will be managed on a charitable basis by a new 

national football trust, with council representation at a 

local level.

34 

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36

37

38 

Schools 

and the 

Pandemic 

The pandemic has been incredibly challenging for the 

education sector. There was no blueprint for schools to 

follow, no guide telling head teachers how to provide 

remote learning. Some schools were at a digital 

disadvantage, unable to deliver lessons to pupils remotely, 

either because the school did not have the resources, or 

because pupils did not have the right devices or reliable 

internet access. 

Those schools that were able to deliver remote learning 

successfully still faced challenges. Laura Castree, a 

secondary school teacher, told us, “A huge part of teaching 

is deciphering what your pupil needs and planning 

accordingly; this became incredibly difficult when 

teaching remotely, and we had to overhaul resources, 

teaching styles and priorities practically overnight.” 

Many children fell behind with their schoolwork during 

the lockdowns. When pupils returned to school, teachers 

were then faced with classrooms of children all at different 

stages of their learning. Disadvantaged children fell even 

further behind their peers. 

Even more worrying was the effect of the pandemic on 

children’s mental health. When surveyed, most schools 

said that some of their pupils were suffering from Covidrelated 

anxiety. OFSTED found that some children had 

lost physical fitness, others showed signs of mental 

distress, and there was an increase in eating disorders 

and self-harm. 

It hasn’t just been pupils who have struggled with 

mental health. The pandemic came on the back of years 

of per-pupil spending cuts, increased class sizes and 

numerous curriculum changes, so thousands of teachers 

were already suffering from work-related stress. A 2019 

survey by the teachers’ union NASUWT found that 70% of 

teachers felt their job had adversely affected their mental 

health. By September 2020, more than half of teachers 

said that their mental health had declined further. By April

39 

2021, 43% of teachers were experiencing 

all four of the main symptoms of burnout. 

It’s hardly surprising that teachers 

struggled, considering the additional 

pressures they were under. Geoff Barton, 

General Secretary of the Association of 

School and College Leaders, commented, 

“Our teachers have had to rapidly adapt 

to changing circumstances on many 

occasions. They have: rapidly become 

experts in delivering remote learning; run 

on-site provision for the children of key 

workers and vulnerable children during 

lockdowns; managed complex Covid safety 

measures; set up testing stations to enable 

pupils to return to classrooms; and, most 

recently, taken responsibility for assessing 

students following the cancellation of public exams.” 

It may take years before we understand the long-term 

effects of the pandemic on children. However, there is a 

sense of optimism in the education sector. Both pupils 

and teachers experienced a much more normal return to 

school this year. Extra-curricular clubs have restarted and 

children have more freedom to socialise again. 

As Laura Castree explains, “It has been apparent that 

some pupils fared better than others during lockdowns, 

but it was wonderful to see them back in the classroom, 

and actually the majority returned with a new and 

positive attitude towards school and their teachers that 

endured throughout the year and made the catch-up 

process much easier.” 

Could you be one of tomorrow’s 

outstanding teachers? 

Individuals who are 

passionate about working 

with young children. 

Join us at our open evenings 

Monday 1st November 2021 4-5:30pm 

Monday 22nd November 2021 4-5:30pm 

Monday 6th December 2021 4-5:30pm 

Monday 17th January 2022 4-5:30pm 

Monday 7th February 2022 4-5:30pm 

Monday 14th March 2022 4-5:30pm 

Monday 25th April 2022 4-5:30pm 

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Accredited 

Study days will be at Liverpool Hope University leading to a PGCE and QTS in primary teaching. 

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To search the course please visit the ‘get into teaching’ website https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/ 

and search using the following provider and course codes. 

Provider code 2A4 Primary course code (Age 5-11) 2XT7 EYFS course code (Age 3-7) AP55

40 

Limited number of places available in all year groups – 

Wigan & Lancashire families are welcome to apply. 

Ofsted 2017: 

‘This school continues to be good.’ 

‘The curriculum provides a genuinely enriching experience for all 

pupils.’ 

SIAMS 2017: 

‘The distinctiveness and effectiveness of Appley Bridge All Saints 

as a Church of England school are outstanding.’ 

Parent Quote: 

‘A positive environment for children to learn. Led by approachable 

and experienced staff.’ 

Attainment in reading, writing and maths is consistently higher than the 

national average at both the expected and the higher standard. 

For a tour of school during 

a normal school day, 

please call on 

01257 252647 

Email enquiries to: 

bursar@appleybridgeallsaints.lancs.sch.uk 

Visit our website at: 

www.appleybridgeallsaints.lancs.sch.uk 

Follow us on Twitter: 

@AppleySaintsCE 

Appley Bridge All Saints’ CE Primary School 

Finch Lane, Appley Bridge, WN6 9DT 

Telephone: 01257 252 647 

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The parents of our students tell us they see huge 

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attending Top Grades classes. Our child-centred 

approach supports children to be more assured in their 

ability. We know confident learners achieve their top 

grades. 

Learn from the best 

Our fantastic team of fully qualified, specialist teachers 

have many years of experience. We have worked with 

every type of learner and can effectively guide your 

child to develop their skills and confidence while 

enthusing them with their passion for their subject. 

We offer expert tuition in the core subjects of English, 

Maths, Science, and we also offer tuition in Spanish 

and French. 

English: A qualification in English opens doors to 

further study and supports children to access every 

other subject. We develop literacy skills; focusing 

on spelling, punctuation, grammar and expanding 

vocabulary. We will develop 

your child’s skills in reading, 

writing and spoken language 

and prepare children for English Language and 

English Literature GCSE. We can even take the fear 

out of Shakespeare! 

Mathematics: Increasing confidence is the key to 

improvement in Maths. We often encounter children 

with a ‘fear of getting it wrong’, we provide a safe 

space to develop understanding and make the errors 

that unearth key misconceptions. Our assessment 

identifies the key topics that will support your child to 

improve, each child works on their individual areas for 

development. 

Science: In our science classes your child will gain 

confidence and deepen their understanding of 

scientific fundamentals; application of scientific 

methods and skills to help them progress and achieve 

their best grades. Lessons are now available across 

foundation and higher tier, double and triple award. 

Languages: Our French and Spanish classes are a 

truly immersive experience, learners will communicate 

in their chosen language and explore the key elements 

of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Your 

child’s confidence with bloom as they try new words 

and phrases in a fun, friendly environment. 

NEW Adult Spanish Conversation Classes: 

Would you like to learn to speak Spanish so 

that you can understand the locals and have a 

conversation on holiday? Spanish is the second 

most spoken language in the world. Imagine 

how many more people you could speak to with 

one of our adult Spanish conversation classes. 

Home-educated Children: We cater for 

home-educated children and can provide 

sessions in English, Maths and Languages 

during the day. We can cater for individuals 

or small groups and tailor the curriculum for 

each child. We offer a Book Club specifically for 

Home-educated children.

Testimonials: 

43 

‘My daughter started Maths tuition with Top Grades Education just after Easter 

and the results are already beginning to show. She has gained confidence in her 

Maths and has actually started to enjoy it thanks to Richard.’- Year 9 Parent 

‘Richard is an excellent teacher but most of all motivates and inspires my son 

in maths. He really enjoys the sessions, and I can see his confidence grow with 

every lesson that he attends.’ – Year 10 Parent 

‘Emma is an inspirational and fantastic teacher. Top Grades Education is the 

premier league of tutoring.’ – Year 10 Parent 

‘I can’t thank you enough for all of your enthusiasm, your skills in bringing the 

subject alive and making the subject interesting. That’s a tall order indeed with 

a teenage boy, yet you do it effortlessly. It was the best decision I made to come 

to Top Grades.’ – Year 10 Parent 

If you have a child that could benefit from our expertise, please get in touch and see how we can help. 

There are limited places available for this term, so book your child’s free assessment today! 

Call emma on 07824 776 510 or email us at hello@topgradeseducation.co.uk 

15 Cross Street, Standish, 

Wigan WN6 0HQ 

hello@topgradeseducation.co.uk 

www.topgradeseducation.co.uk 

topgradeseducation 

topgradeseducation

44 

Indonesian Chicken 

with Buckwheat Noodles 

Serves 2 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Marinate: at least 1 hour 

Cook time: 18 minutes 

Ingredients 

1 lemongrass stalk, chopped 

Handful of coriander leaves 

1 small onion, chopped 

2 garlic cloves, crushed 

2 cm piece of root ginger, grated 

1 tbsp coconut sugar or honey 

1 tbsp tamari soy sauce 

1 tbsp fish sauce 

½ tsp turmeric 

1 tsp garam masala 

400ml coconut milk 

Salt and pepper 

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or 

2 chicken breasts, cut into large chunks 

1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil 

1 red chilli, deseeded and diced 

1 bunch of pak choi cut into strips 

100g mangetout 

4 shitake mushrooms, sliced 

60g cooked buckwheat noodles or rice 

noodles 

Handful of bean sprouts 

2 spring onions, chopped 

A hearty meal in a bowl, lightly spiced and packed with nutrient-rich 

vegetables. This dish contains a wealth of anti-inflammatory ingredients, 

including ginger, garlic and turmeric together with immune-supporting 

shitake mushrooms and coconut. Buckwheat noodles, also called soba, 

are a nutritious staple in Asian dishes. 

Method 

1. Place the lemongrass, coriander, onion, garlic, ginger, coconut sugar 

(or honey), tamari soy sauce, fish sauce, turmeric, garam masala and 

coconut milk in a blender and process until smooth. Pour over the 

chicken. Season with a little salt and pepper. Marinate for at least one 

hour. 

2. Heat the coconut or olive oil in a wok or frying pan. Drain the chicken, 

reserve the marinade and stir fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes. Add the 

chilli, pak choi, mangetout and mushrooms and cook for a further 

minute. Add the marinade and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the 

chicken is cooked. Toss in the noodles. Sprinkle over the bean sprouts 

and spring onions to serve. 

Nutritional information per serving: 394kcal, fat 16.5g (of which saturates 7g), carbohydrate 29.2g (of 

which sugars 24.1g), protein 32.3g.

Roast Beef Fillet 

with Roasted Garlic, 

Tomato and Herb Sauce 

45 

Serves 4 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Marinate: 2-3 hours or overnight 

Cook time: 65 minutes 

Succulent beef served with a delicious rich 

and tangy garlic and herb sauce makes a 

sensational feast. Any leftover meat can be 

served cold with salad the following day. 

Ingredients 

500g beef fillet (one piece) 

1 tbsp oil, for searing 

Marinade 

1 tsp ground cumin 

1 tbsp oil 

2 garlic cloves, crushed 

Herb Sauce 

1 bulb garlic 

1 tbsp olive oil and a little for drizzling 

1 shallot, diced 

250g cherry tomatoes, halved 

4 anchovy fillets 

1 tsp caster sugar 

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

25g sultanas 

1 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed 

50g blanched almonds 

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

100ml passata 

Sea salt and black pepper to taste 

Small bunch of parsley, chopped 

Small bunch basil, leaves picked, to garnish 

Bag of baby spinach leaves, to serve 

Method 

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together and rub all over the fillet. 

Leave to marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight. 

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4. 

3. Slice off the top quarter of the garlic bulb. Put the bulb on a piece of 

foil, drizzle over a little oil and season. Wrap up in the foil and roast 

for 40 minutes. Cool slightly then squeeze out the garlic bulb into a 

food processor. 

4. For the sauce, heat the oil and sauté the shallot, tomatoes, anchovy 

fillets with the caster sugar and vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes. Add to 

the food processor with the remaining sauce ingredients except the 

herbs and blend to form a thick sauce. Add a little water, if needed, 

to thin the sauce slightly. Place in a pan and add the parsley. 

5. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas mark 6. 

6. Remove the beef from the marinade. Heat the oil in a heavy based 

frying pan and sear the beef on all sides. Place in an ovenproof 

roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes until cooked through. Allow to 

rest for 10 minutes before carving. 

7. Heat the sauce and spoon over the beef to serve. Accompany with 

spinach and basil leaves. 

Nutritional information per serving: 442kcal, fat 31g (of which saturates 6.4g), carbohydrate 9.6g (of 

which sugars 8.6g), protein 31.3g.

46 

Best Home for your Money? 

In the UK, private renting is fast becoming the norm. The 

rental sector has more than doubled since the dawn of the 

new millennia, rising from 2.03 million to a massive 4.44 

million privately rented households in the UK in 2020. 

And this trend is predicted to continue, with a further 1.8 

million households becoming private renters by 2025. 

So with ‘Generation Rent’ on the rise, is it time you gave 

serious thought to becoming a landlord? 

Investing in property can be a great way to make the 

most of any money you have to invest. Granted, it’s best 

if you’re prepared to invest over a long period of time, 

but as you can see from the table below, owning a rental 

property can be a fantastic home for your money. 

The table illustrates the increase in value of a 2 bedroomed 

terraced house in the Wigan Borough area over a twentyyear 

period from 2001-2021. 

House Value – 2 Bed Terraced - Wigan 

£130,000 

£127,080 

£120,000 

£100,000 

£90,000 

£93,852 

£96,334 

£80,000 

£81,890 

£70,000 

£60,000 

£50,000 

£40,000 

£36,394 

£30,000 

July 2001 July 2006 July 2011 July 2016 July 2021 

https://landregistry.data.gov.uk/ 

So, why is right 

now a great 

time to get 

into property? 

High Demand 

According to 

Propertymark, 

a respected 

estate agent 

industry organisation, the latest stats from May 2021 

showed that numbers of prospective tenants continue 

to increase. The average number of tenants per Letting 

Agent has jumped from 82 up to 97. In 2020, the highest 

average number in May was 70. 

Lower Supply 

The average number of properties managed by each 

letting agency branch for this year was at 203 in May. The 

year before, it was 208. This seems like a small reduction 

per branch but that’s an average and multiplied across 

the whole of the UK, it has a significant impact. 

Where demand is high and supply is low, there’s only one 

direction that rental prices will go and that’s upwards. 

Mark Hayward, the Chief Policy Adviser for Propertymark, 

said: “Yet again, we continue to see incredible demand 

from home seekers. There has been a record-breaking 

number of people registered per branch for the month 

of May. This demonstrates the continuation of a booming 

rental market”. 

If you’ve accrued savings during the past year or so, or 

you want to move your money into property but are 

not sure where to begin, please give me a call for a free, 

no-obligation chat about how to take the first step in 

developing a property portfolio. 

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

Give me 

40 minutes 

of your time 

And I will give you 

40 years 

of my experience

48 

Artisan Market 

Apple Cast in Newburgh will be holding an artisan market 

this weekend, Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October from 

10am-4pm. 

As well as over 20 stalls selling a variety of hand-crafted 

products and gifts, you can also look forward to getting 

up close to the resident birds of prey. The bravest amongst 

the visitors will have a chance to handle the birds and 

purchase framed photographs of your experience. 

Making an appearance on both days will be Jasper, a 

Malaysian wood owl, Burdock, an African spotted eagle 

owl and Gizmo, an Indian scops owl. There is no need 

to book, just simply turn up on either day, but for more 

information please contact Apple Cast on 01257 463012. 

Crowdfunder for Church 

All Saints Church in Appley Bridge has launched a 

crowdfunding page to help repair the church car park. 

The car park needs to be resurfaced, and there is a 

shortfall in funds available to carry out the work. The 

target is to raise £4,000 which will be matched by the 

Diocese of Blackburn. 

Whilst maintenance is primarily the responsibility of the 

church, the car park is made freely available to the local 

community, including the school. Any support towards 

the fund would be greatly appreciated, and if you would 

like to donate, please go online at www.justgiving.com/ 

crowdfunding/allsaints-cofe 

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49 

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50 

Standisher up for Award 

Alex Winstanley, a social 

entrepreneur from Artisan 

Close in Standish, has 

been shortlisted for the 

Entrepreneur for Good 

Award category in the 

Regional Finals of the Great 

British Entrepreneur Awards. 

Alex has been recognised 

for the positive impact that 

his not-for-profit social 

enterprise, Happy Smiles Training CIC, and his bestselling 

children’s books has had on communities. 

Founded in 2013, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 

acknowledges the hard work and inspiring stories of 

entrepreneurs and businesses in the UK. Previous winners 

include the founders of Grenade, Tangle Teezer, The LAD 

Bible, Clearscore & The Cambridge Satchel Company. 

Happy Smiles Training CIC was inspired by Alex’s 

experiences as a teacher and carer, where he grew tired 

of seeing disabled people he knew being undervalued 

and stigmatised. Alongside one of the young men he 

supported outside of his teaching role, Alex developed a 

team of Inclusion Champions, all disabled young adults, 

to deliver diversity and inclusion training to schools, 

community groups, businesses and more. 

On top of this, Alex has written a series of children’s books 

about a range of long-term health conditions, with his 

first book, ‘My Grandma Has Dementia’, recently winning 

©Wigan Council 

Leaflet Distribution 

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Your leaflets delivered alongside this magazine 

to up to 39,000 local homes 

Flexible service for all businesses, large and small 

Prices from £27.50 per thousand (minimum 4,000 leaflets) 

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a Dementia Hero Award. The 

books are informed by real 

people and experiences, 

written in rhyme and use 

engaging illustrations by 

Adam Walker-Parker, to open 

up conversations about 

topics such as depression, 

cancer and cerebral palsy. 

Alex said: “It is an 

unbelievable honour to have 

our work recognised on such a scale. It is a dream come 

true – for people to value the important work that we are 

doing in empowering people with a platform to use their 

experiences in order to create positive social change. 

Hopefully this recognition will help us to increase the 

impact that we can have!” 

Founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, 

Francesca James, said: “We have seen some incredible 

finalists over the years, and this year is no exception. It 

really is one of the strongest shortlists we’ve ever had, 

and the fact that so many exceptional people have 

applied during such a tough year is a testament to the 

resolve and entrepreneurial talent that exists across the 

UK.” 

For more information about Happy Smiles Training 

CIC and Alex’s books, go to www.happysmilestraining. 

co.uk or through Facebook (@happysmilestrainingcic @ 

alexwinstanleyauthor) 

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51 

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52 

Hole in One for Houghwood 

Houghwood Golf in Crank has achieved the SafeGolf club 

accreditation from England Golf. 

The 18-hole course has just received the SafeGolf 

accreditation, demonstrating the club’s commitment 

to safeguarding children and young people, as well as 

adults in risk in the sport of golf. 

The Ladies Section at Houghwood led by Lady Captain, 

Dee Griffiths, and Charter Champion, Ali Starrett, have 

recently initiated a successful drive to introduce new lady 

members and girls to the game and the club. 

Tony Mather, Welfare Officer at Houghwood said, 

“Houghwood is a great club, it’s very friendly, welcoming 

and forward-thinking. This award helps us to spread that 

message and to tell people that children are safe and 

secure here and that we understand about beginner 

golfers.” 

The SafeGolf partnership consists of members from the 

golfing bodies across Great Britain & Ireland and has 

been established to help golf respond to the issue of 

child protection in sport. 

Anyone with a concern about the welfare of a player, or 

the behaviour or practice of a coach, volunteer, organiser, 

parent or a player, can contact the lead safeguarding 

officer at their national governing body by going online 

at www.safegolf.org. 

Transform 

your old 

flight into an 

elegant sight! 

With Transform Staircases 

Celebrating 25 years 

in the Staircase Industry 

With a staircase refurbishment by Transform we can create 

a whole new look to your home, bringing a contemporary 

modern feel with a more open and light appearance. 

The choice is yours! 

Visit us in our 

New 

Showroom 

126 Frog Lane 


WN6 7DS 

www.transformstaircases.co.uk 

Telephone Bernard: 01942 323980 

Mobile: 07947 413246 

Email: bernard@transformstaircases.co.uk 

We specialise in: Traditional Timber • Toughened Glass Panels • Chrome or Brushed Nickel fittings

53 

DON’T REMOVE... 

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VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR OPENING TIMES 

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info@gordonsmakeovers.co.uk

54 

A rug for 

every room 

It’s quick and easy to add softness 

underfoot while introducing a stylish 

element of colour and pattern. 

Add bohemian style 

to your living room, 

dining room or bedroom 

with this hand-tufted, 

unusual wool/cotton 

rug. 

Dutchbone round pix 

rug with tassels, £389, 

Cuckooland. 

Get cosy with a 

cream, textural rug 

that’s perfect for 

enjoying a fireside 

mug of hot chocolate 

while wrapped in a 

blanket. 

Teddy rug, £395, Loaf. 

Spark a little one’s 

imagination with a softer 

take on the popular 

rainbow motif, complete 

with boho tassels. 

Earth Rainbow rug with 

tassels, £13, Sass & Belle. 

Tap into the trend for 

geometric statement 

rugs with this 

fashionable pure wool 

rug, available in three 

colours and two sizes. 

Hackney handwoven 

rug, wool/cotton blend, 

Yellow Diamond, £159, 

Cult Furniture. 

Handwoven by Berbers in the Atlas Mountains, this soft and luxurious 

rug is fully customisable to create your dream design. 

Lozenge rug, jet black on natural wool, £899, Cosy Coco. 

The Lowdown on Rugs 

• Rugs look beautiful on wooden, stone and tiled 

floors (always use an underlay to keep them safely 

in place) and add welcome softness. Texture is 

important, in terms of both material and weave – 

piled wool or flat-woven cotton (which is thinner 

but more easily put through the washing machine), 

or perhaps nubby jute or sisal, tougher on the toes, 

but durable and with a certain rugged charm. 

• Gone are the days of choosing between only 

rectangular or circular rugs. These days, anything 

goes, from oval to rainbow-shaped and even 

irregular outlines. Tufted rugs, too, play with 

different heights of pile to introduce an intriguing 

textural element. 

• Add extra interest with some boho tassels (very 

on trend) or a more restrained finishing edge. 

This works well with a neutral rug that picks up a 

contrast border colour from elsewhere in the room. 

• Don’t make the mistake of buying a rug that is too 

small for a room. In general, it is best to go as big as 

possible, so that all the furniture (or at least its front 

legs) can sit on the rug. 

• For global glamour, look no further than a rug. 

From Indian dhurries and Greek flokatis to Middle 

Eastern kilims and French Aubussons, they each 

provide wonderful style, colour, pattern and texture.

55 

Spooktacular deals 

now on at Jorgus Carpets! 

Carpets manufactured locally, so come & check out 

the choice & quality, I’m sure we will leave you 

screaming for 

more 

Managers 

Specials 

£10.99 yds 

/ £13.14m 2 

Carpeting for any room in 

your home. 

Jorgus Classic 

80/20 Wool Twist 

£14.99 yds 

/ £17.93m 2 

Wool Twist 

50oz 80/20 

£17.99 yds 

/ £21.52m 2 

Natural Coir 

Matting 

100% Wool 

Hard Wearing 

Loop Pile 

entrance matting 

Fantastic Value 

/ £34.67m 2 

Herdwick 

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£21.32 m2 

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Call our team now for a Free Home 

Measure & Estimate on: 

Tel: 01257 482636 

Opening Times: 

Mon to Fri 

8am - 5pm 

Weekend: 

Sat 10am - 3pm 

Sun 11am - 3pm 

www.jorgus.co.uk 

Visit Jorgus Carpet Factory Shop for a genuine Factory Shop Price at : 

Grimeford Mill | Grimeford Lane | Anderton | Chorley | PR6 9HL | Open 7 days a week

56 

Students Celebrate 

Students and staff at Wigan & Leigh College celebrated 

an outstanding 100% pass rate in A Levels this year with 

51% achieving the coveted A*-A grade. 

Combined with an excellent 99% pass rate in vocational 

courses (BTECs) students secured the very best places 

at university, or the most competitive apprenticeship 

vacancies. 

During the second year of assessments being adapted 

because of COVID 19, students excelled with the 

opportunity to raise their grades in a variety of ways. 

Unlike last year, they were able to attend College in person 

to collect their results and celebrate their achievements 

with friends and teachers. 

A Level student Rebecca Duffy achieved an A* in 

Psychology, A in Sociology and A in Biology. The former 

Ladybridge High School pupil is off to The University 

of Manchester to study Cognitive Neuroscience and 

Psychology. 

Rebecca said, “I’m really excited, I wasn’t expecting to do 

so well, and I can’t wait to start university. The course has 

been really good, all the tutors are super willing to talk to 

you about university opportunities and give advice.” 

There was more success for BTEC Level 3 Health & Social 

Care student Bethany Neafcy who achieved the highest 

grade of Distinction Star. 

The former Standish Community High School pupil is 

planning for a career as a radiographer and has accepted 

a place at University of Liverpool to study Therapeutic 

Radiography and Oncology. 

Bethany said, “I worked very hard, and our tutors were 

amazing. I couldn’t be happier with my results – I’m over 

the moon!” 

Principal, Anna Dawe, added, “The class of 2021 have 

studied their A levels and BTECs in the most difficult and 

testing of circumstances. They have been without doubt 

exceptional, showing great resilience, working hard 

and remaining focused on their career aspirations and 

next steps. We are immensely proud of them and their 

teachers.”

57 

Save £000’s on your home improvements 

Kitchens ~ Bedrooms ~ Studies ~ Media Units 

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Showroom now Open 8-5pm Monday Thursday: 8-4pm Friday: 10-2pm Saturday

58

59

60 

E NEO3C Electric Stove: 

£1,135, www.acrstoves.com 

Fan the Flames 

Even though 95% of UK homes are 

centrally-heated and a fire isn’t necessary, 

there is something mesmerising and cosy 

about a flickering flame. 

Deco Fireplace: £1,395, www.haddonstone.com 

An open fire or a wood burner will give the best aesthetic, 

but both options come with a number of downsides: 

wood-burning is the single biggest source of smallparticle 

air pollution in the UK, you need to store wood 

and coal, there’s the mess and you will need to do a 

certain amount of maintenance e.g. chimney sweeping. 

Modern technology to the rescue then! 

Traditional 

If you have a fireplace and chimney breast, the fire 

surround is going to be an important feature in your 

room. This should reflect the style of your house, with 

Victorian and Georgian styles best suited to homes from 

that period, and less fussy contemporary styles better in 

more recently built homes. 

There are many homes with chimneys in the UK so the 

corresponding large number of fireplace buyers means 

there’s a plethora of options. You can certainly gain 

inspiration from looking at choices on the internet, but 

for such a prominent feature in your living room, a visit to 

a fireplace retailer is a must. 

For the fire itself, both gas and electric options are 

available to replicate the real fire look and many are 

incredibly realistic, with some even making crackling 

sounds and emitting steam to replicate smoke. 

Modern 

The beauty of modern electric fires is that you don’t have 

to have a chimney at all. They don’t create any emissions 

and therefore do not need to be vented like gas and 

wood fireplaces. 

These modern designs aren’t intended to pass for a real 

fire at all and many are sleek and minimalist. It’ll be very 

obvious that you haven’t been piling up logs and coal, but 

you will still have a similar ambience and they are very 

effective. Particularly in well-insulated modern homes, a 

real fire can overheat the room and it’s only the flame that 

you want. 

A further benefit has to be the safety aspect. If the flame is 

just an effect and isn’t emitting significant heat, there are 

no concerns about young children touching the fire or a 

spark setting the carpet alight.

Luxury Home Media Cabinet & Display: 

www.brayerdesign.co.uk 

61 

Look, No Walls 

One further idea is to move your fire 

away from the wall completely. With a 

bioethanol option you won’t need an 

electric connection, so you can have 

flames on your coffee table or in a corner of 

the garden, and even have more than one. 

Media Walls 

Mix 850 Bioethanol Fire Pit: £,1495, www.limelace.co.uk 

Media walls are very ‘on-trend’. This is where you have 

a television and speakers installed above an electric 

fire. One advantage of this design is that you will just 

have one focal point in the room. If you are very costconscious 

you can buy predesigned media walls, but 

if you have one built for your room you will then have 

complete freedom in the size of TV and style of fire 

you can install. 

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62 

ADVERTISEMENT 

1 

Give your home the 

Timber treatment 

Wood has always been a reliable, durable and 

functional choice for home furnishings, and recently 

it has had a bit of a design rejuvenation; forget dated 

and drab flatpack furniture, modern timber is all 

about showcasing its many other features, including 

style and versatility. 

Local business, Funky Timber, based in Wharton 

Street in St Helens, is a perfect example of how 

sleek, neat, timber finishes can add a warming earthy 

tone to your home. And with over 50 years of trade 

experience under their belts, you’re in safe hands! 

Funky Timber is a family run business, established 

in July 2019 by Daniel Slater and partner Lauren 

Wareing. Since then, the business has continued to 

grow and they now employ a team of dedicated staff, 

including joiners and fabricators, to offer customers 

the finest bespoke furniture, timber cladding and 

home accessories. 

Daniel told Local Life, “We offer our clients a wide 

range of products from internal and external timber 

cladding with various colour and design options, 

to bespoke Funky Timber branded furniture and a 

fabrication unit where all aspects of steelwork can 

be offered. Every piece of furniture is handcrafted 

in house meaning each single item is individual to 

that customer.” 

Mismatched cladding may sound like a questionable 

style for a feature wall, but as this portfolio shows, 

it’s certainly effective. The selection or new timber 

or reclaimed timber creates an eye-catching 

update, brimming with coolness and character, it 

even caught the eye of designers from DIY SOS and 

the Funky Timber team were called in to help on a 

recent project. 

Daniel has over 18 years of carpentry experience, 

and he prides himself on being able to offer quality 

products to transform any room at competitive 

prices. Daniel added, “We source top quality 

materials with wood and steel, and every item 

is prepared in our warehouse. We also offer a full 

fitting service for all our products and all our work 

is carried out to the highest standards. We offer all 

aspects of joinery for home and commercial jobs 

including shop fitting. 

“We will provide a free quote on request, all you 

need to do is send over your measurements, address 

and what colours you are thinking of, and our team 

will send over your quote as soon as possible.” 

Alternatively, customers can come to our unit and 

go through their designs or bespoke requests. 

Funky Timber is a vibrant company serving all 

corners of the UK with their stunning designs; so, 

whether you’re looking to revamp your home, garden 

or business premises with a stunning wooden wall or 

bespoke furniture, you can rest assured that Funky 

Timber will offer that to you and much more! Pop 

into the showroom and see how the team can make 

your designs come to life. 

Main Office - 01744 747 787 Lauren - 07800 580 532 

sales@funkytimber.co.uk 

Funky Timber, Unit 17b, Wharton St, St Helens, WA9 5AA 

www.funkytimber.co.uk 

10% off 

Quote: local10 

Valid until 

30th November 2021

Look 

Back 

in Time 

125 

YEARS 

The first non-stop trans-Pacific flight took 

place. American aviator Clyde Pangborne 

and co-pilot Hugh Herndon, Jr. flew from 

Japan to Washington, USA in 41 hours. 

65 

YEARS 

The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 

came into effect in the UK. It raised the 

speed limit for motor vehicles from 4mph 

to 14mph. 

Remembrance poppies were sold for 

the first time to commemorate military 

personnel who died in the war. In the UK 

they are sold by the Royal British Legion to 

raise funds for current and former members 

of the British Armed Forces. Around 30 million 

are sold each year. 

90 

YEARS 

70 

YEARS 

Winston Churchill 

became British 

prime minister for the 

second time. 

Premium Bonds went on sale in the 

UK, with the first one being sold to 

the Lord Mayor of London. They were 

designed to encourage people to 

save and offered cash prizes instead 

of interest. As of early 2021 there were around 107.75 

billion bonds held, each worth £1. 

50 

YEARS 

A man using the alias Dan Cooper hijacked 

a plane flying between Portland, Oregon 

and Seattle, Washington, USA. After 

extorting a $200,000 ransom he parachuted 

from the plane. He has never been located 

or formally identified. 

Project Gutenberg was founded. The volunteer organisation 

digitises out-of-print books and makes 

them available to the public at little 

or no cost. 

The Montreux Casino in Switzerland 

was destroyed by fire when a fan set 

off a flare gun during a concert by 

Frank Zappa. The band Deep Purple – who 

were there at the time – wrote ‘Smoke 

on the Water’ based on this incident. 

25 

YEARS 

20 

YEARS 

The first Tamagotchi 

handheld virtual pets 

were released by 

Bandai in Japan and six 

months later in Europe. 

General Motors released the EV1 electric 

car. It was the first modern electric car 

from a major manufacturer. 1,117 

cars were produced but production 

ceased in 1999 and the majority of 

them were taken back and crushed. 

This means the car is now one of the 

rarest in the world. 

Apple released the first iPod. A 

combination of long battery life 

(approximately ten hours), small form 

factor, excellent 

design and good marketing meant 

that within three years Apple had 

70% of the portable media market in 

the US, despite the iPod’s hefty initial 

price tag of $399. 

10 

YEARS 

63 

Death of Steve Jobs (56 years old), 

co-founder of Apple Inc.

64 

Bouncing Back 

Local Life recently caught up with David 

Barton, Chief Executive Officer of Prosper 

Wealth Management in Standish to ask 

him about how the Covid pandemic 

affected his business. 

David, talk us through those first 

few weeks when Covid hit; 

“We secured new investment to grow 

the business in January 2020, and 

within a few weeks of that happening, 

we were forced to close the doors and 

rethink our working practices. 

“Despite the early challenges from 

a tech perspective of engaging with 

new and existing clients via Zoom etc, and setting our 

staff up to work from home, we did manage to operate 

reasonably efficiently, and everyone did a fantastic job of 

adapting to the challenges”. 

And how has it changed since restrictions have 

eased? 

“It’s been great welcoming staff and customers back 

through the doors, and I can honestly say that it’s been 

a real tonic hearing laughter and general office banter 

around the place. 

“There are customers who are still shielding and others 

who are understandably nervous about being out 

and about, so it’s handy that many people have now 

experienced communicating via Zoom etc, because we 

can offer video conferencing and a telephone service for 

those clients”. 

“I was delighted when David agreed 

to join us - his skill set will be hugely 

beneficial to the team and will enable 

us to broaden our advisory capacity” 

How has the pandemic affected 

your plans to expand Prosper 

Wealth Management? 

“As you can imagine, talking with 

business owners has been difficult over 

the past 16 months or so, but despite 

that, we have recently completed 

the purchase of another North-West 

based wealth management business 

which will be integrated into the 

Prosper Wealth Management Group, bringing our total 

funds under management to just over £435 million. 

“We are currently talking to other IFA’s, and I would 

anticipate that our growth will accelerate towards our 

objectives of achieving £1 billion under management 

within the next three years as restrictions continue to lift”. 

And finally, what are your wishes for the coming 12 

months? 

“My real hope is that everyone can start to live their lives 

again without the constant Covid shadow hanging over 

them. 

“The travel and hospitality sectors in particular have had 

a torrid time, and the sooner these sectors can start to 

function again properly, the sooner the smiles will appear 

on people’s faces and we can start to enjoy life again.” 

Did Covid impact on your staffing levels? 

“We actually managed to take on two new administrative 

staff in February/March of 2020 at the height of the crisis, 

and although it was very difficult to bed them in, they 

adapted to their new roles well and are now valuable 

members of the team. 

“More recently, we have strengthened our advisory team 

within the last couple of weeks with the appointment of 

David Wilson (pictured with David Barton above) who had 

previously worked for Standard Life in a senior role for the 

last 20 years. 

If you would like more 

information, please feel free to 

get in touch on 01257 423800. 

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.

66 

Puzzle Pages 

CROSSWORD 

down 

1. Collection of facts (4) 

2. Sacred word or syllable repeated in prayer (6) 

3. Wither, especially due to loss of moisture (7) 

4. Sediment that has settled at the bottom of 

a liquid (5) 

5. Crescent-shaped yellow fruit (6) 

6. Raging and rapidly spreading conflagration (8) 

11. Item used to dry dishes (3,5) 

13. Meat chopper (7) 

15. Metal ring for lining a small hole (6) 

17. Carpenter’s tool (6) 

18. Projection at the end of a piece of wood (5) 

21. Shallow basket used when gardening (4) 

across 

7. Miscellaneous articles needed for a particular 

operation or sport (13) 

8. Pre-decimal coin worth one quarter of a penny (8) 

9. Verdi opera with an Egyptian theme (4) 

10. Cooking utensil (7) 

12. Point directly opposite the zenith (5) 

14. Smooth surface (as of a cut gemstone) (5) 

16. Piece of cloth sewn under a zip or a pocket (7) 

19. Hemispherical roof (4) 

20. Grow thin and waste away physically (8) 

22. Diverse in character or content (13) 

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: 40 or more words 

Good: 38 words 

R 

M 

O A 

R 

U T 

B 

E 

Fair: 30 words

67 

WORDSEARCH 

Chess 

ATTACK 

BISHOP 

BLOCKED 

CAPTURE 

CASTLING 

CENTRE 

CHECKMatE 

ENDGAME 

FILE 

FISCHER 

FORK 

GAMBIT 

JUMP 

KIBITZING 

KING 

KNIGHT 

LOSE 

OPENING 

PAWN 

PIECE 

PROMOTION 

QUEEN 

ROOK 

STALEMatE 

WIN 

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. 

WARM 

WIGGLE WORDS 

CLUE: cause a difficult 

situation to worsen 

Trace a path through all 

the letters to find the 

word or phrase that fits 

the clue. 

E R I F 

U F D E 

E A D H 

L T O T 

SEAS 

All the puzzle solutions can be found 

on page 83 of this magazine

68 

CMA Accountancy 

The Benefits of Xero & Add-Ons By Kieran Fitzgerald AATQB 

We’re often asked by customers why we champion the 

popular accountancy software Xero so much. There are 

clear benefits to using Xero itself, but there are also a vast 

array of external 3rd party software and apps that can 

integrate effortlessly with Xero, ensuring that you have 

the tools to manage your entire businesses accounting 

and operations as efficiently as possible. 

Here is a selection of our favourite apps that our 

customers use, and we are always on the lookout for more 

on the Xero App Store! 

Bills and Expenses – Convert your receipts and 

invoices into Xero data seamlessly! 

• Dext Prepare: Scan, sort and publish 

paperwork directly into Xero, using the smart 

tools the software offers to analyse the tax, 

supplier details and payment timing. 

• Hubdoc: Reduce data entry by accurately 

capturing information from bills and 

receipts and publishing it to Xero making 

it easy to match transactions to your bank 

transactions. 

• AutoEntry: Automates data entry, analysis 

and document storage of all of your bills, 

receipts, sales invoices, bank and credit card 

statements. 

Invoicing and Jobs – Simplify managing your tasks, 

teams and invoicing! 

• ServiceM8: Ideal for trade contractors & 

service businesses. It streamlines the process 

from a client’s first call to scheduling, quoting, 

documenting and invoicing & payment, all 

whilst integrating with directly with Xero! 

• Tradify: The complete job management 

solution for tradesmen & contractors. Easy 

to learn, simple to use and accessible on site 

via a phone or desktop. Handles quoting, 

invoicing, job scheduling and tracking, 

timesheets & pushes all of this information to 

Xero automatically. 

Credit Control – Get paid on time without the headache! 

• Chaser: Automate invoice chasing, streamline 

your accounts receivable process and get paid 

faster, all whilst maintaining great customer 

relationships without losing the human-touch. 

• Fluidly: Fluidly gives you all things cash 

flow in one place and the tools to get cash in 

the bank. Build a forecast, estimate VAT, chase 

invoices, apply for a loan & more. 

Payments – Get paid quickly and easily, online! 

• GoCardless: End late payments. 

Automatically debit your customer’s bank 

account whenever your Xero invoices are 

due. Lower-cost alternative to card payments. 

• Stripe: Accept direct debit, credit card, and 

Apple Pay payments online and get paid up 

to twice as fast when using Stripe in Xero. 

Whenever you receive payments via Stripe, 

you’ll automatically see the transaction 

data flow into Xero and can reconcile each 

payment with one click. 

Moving your software package is a big step 

and that’s why we have an expert team of 

Xero advisors ready to help with converting your data 

from another product into Xero, and we can also advise 

you on the best apps to empower you to make the 

right decisions to take your business to the next level. 

Check out our website at www.cma-accountancy. 

com for more tips on Xero, and you might want to 

sign up to our weekly newsletters whilst you’re there! 

Give us a call now for a FREE consultation to discuss 

how we can help your company benefit from working 

with Xero. 

Kieran Fitzgerald – CMA Accountancy 

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

01257 255521 info@cma-accountancy.com 

www.cma-accountancy.com

69 

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

70 

Hindley’s 

Bad Boy? 

by Nicola Gray 

This month, Local Life goes all the way back to the 1850’s to 

chronicle the colourful world of Hindley’s original romantic 

rogue, Richard Pennington. This story of wealth, love, 

adultery and his ultimate heartbreak created a backdrop 

worthy of an episode of Downton Abbey, and shocked both 

his family and the local community to the core. 

Richard Pennington was born into a wealthy Wigan family 

who made their fortune employing handloom weavers 

and later went on to build cotton mills. Richard grew up 

to work in the family business and eventually became the 

sole owner of both the Hindley Twist Company at Lowe 

Mill and Worthington Mill in Hindley. 

Richard’s road to the head of the family company was 

a bumpy ride to say the least and much of his early life 

was steeped in scandal. Richard had a promising future 

of his own to look forward to, when in 1853 he qualified 

as a magistrate for the county. However, in 1857 he was 

ordered by his family to find a suitable residence away 

from his hometown. Richard was advised to move away to 

set up home after he started a relationship with Elizabeth 

Cash, a young mill girl he had fallen in love with. 

The couple already had a child they moved to Rainford 

later in the same year, and their second child was born 

at School Brow in January 1858. To accommodate 

their growing family, Richard and Elizabeth bought a 

farmhouse known locally as Mount Pleasant in October 

1859, and their third child was born shortly after. The 

Muncaster Hall & Pennington Family - courtesy of St Helens Archives 

Hindley Lodge, Market Street from 

inside grounds, 1900 - courtesy of 

Wigan & Leigh Archives 

story goes that Richard’s mother disapproved of the 

relationship and so the couple had to wait four years until 

her death before getting married in Liverpool in 1861. 

Throughout this time Richard continued the management 

of the family cotton mills in Hindley and during the next 

five years he bought several farms and houses in Rainford 

and entertained his wealthy friends with shooting parties 

on his land. In a bid to keep up appearances, Richard 

started to build a grand stone mansion house on the site 

of Mount Pleasant and used his neighbouring land to set 

out the gardens, lake and parkland surrounding it. 

The work on the hall was completed in 1866 and 

Muncaster Hall came into existence. Muncaster Hall 

lived up to the Victorian stereotype in its styling and 

architecture, including flowery wallpaper, carpets, wellmade 

furniture, a lake and extensive gardens. 

Although he now lived in Rainford, Richard always 

maintained his strong links with Hindley and throughout 

his lifetime, he worked tirelessly on behalf of the 

community and was generous with both his time and his 

money. 

He was instrumental in the creation of Hindley Local 

Board, serving as Chairman for 20 years. The town saw 

significant progress during his time in office, acquiring 

its own gas facilities, water supply, a library and public 

park. Richard was also Chairman of Hindley Board of

71 

Worthington Mill - courtesy 

of Wigan & Leigh Archives 

Quiz 

Health, Chairman of Rainford Local Board and Chairman 

of Hindley Conservative Club. Records also show that 

Richard was largely responsible for the building of 

Hindley Parish Church where he held the post of senior 

churchwarden. 

Richard and Elizabeth had seven more children 

throughout their marriage, but the couple separated in 

December 1874. Three years later, Richard discovered that 

Elizabeth had formed a new relationship with a former 

gamekeeper of the estate, and they were divorced in 1878. 

He subsequently moved back to Hindley and the 1881 

census show him living at Hindley Lodge on Market Street. 

Richard died at the age of fifty-seven on the 10th of July 

1887 leaving all his estate in trust for his children until 

they reached the age of twenty-one. However, in January 

1895 the Hindley and Rainford properties were put up for 

auction and the whole of the Rainford estate including 

Muncaster Hall, the farms, cottages & houses totalling 315 

acres were bought by the Earl of Derby for £37,000. 

In February of the same year, one month after the hall 

was acquired by the Earl of Derby, the furniture and other 

belongings at Muncaster Hall were auctioned off in a 

three-day sale which left the house empty and with no 

trace of the family who once occupied it. 

Richard’s empire may have been no more, but he left a 

rich legacy in the communities that he called home. His 

eulogy referred to ‘his affection for his native places and 

his lavish expenditure of time and money on behalf all 

good objects’. 

With thanks to Wigan & Leigh Archives and St Helens Archive 

Service. The Archive Service collects, preserves and provides 

access to unique historic materials that relate to different 

aspects of life across the boroughs. Find out more information 

here – www.archives.wigan.gov.uk and 

www.sthelens.gov.uk/libraries/archive-service/ 

Magic 

1. According to the lyrics of the 1989 hit single The 

Magic Number by De La Soul, what is the magic 

number? 

2. In a TV series first broadcast in 1997, who 

worked as a creative consultant to a stage 

magician called Adam Klaus? 

3. What sport do Orlando Magic play? 

4. Who would often tap his magic wand to 

perform magic when he heard the catchphrase 

“izzy wizzy, let’s get busy”? 

5. What was the title of the 2015 sequel to the 

2012 film Magic Mike? 

6. In the story of Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves, a 

cave full of treasure was sealed by magic. What 

two-word phrase allowed access to this cave? 

7. In the Harry Potter novels, what magical object 

can change all metals to gold, and can also be 

used to make a potion called the elixir of life 

that makes anyone who drinks it immortal? 

8. In the fairy tale Jack And The Beanstalk, what 

does Jack exchange to get the magic beans that 

cause the beanstalk to grow? 

9. Who recorded the album 24K Magic, which 

won seven awards in total at the 2018 Grammy 

Awards? 

10. On the TV show The Magic Roundabout, 

Zebedee would often close the show by saying 

what threeword phrase? 

Quiz solutions can be found on page 83 of this magazine

72 

Money 

Matters 

TEACHING KIDS TO 

BE SAVVY SAVERS 

Most of us have made mistakes with 

money at some point. Help your 

children to avoid the same financial 

pitfalls by giving them the knowledge 

and skills to build on in the future. 

Teach them the value of money 

Rather than buying your children sweets each week, give 

them pocket money, some of which they can use to buy 

sweets and some of which they can save for a bigger 

treat. It’s good for children to earn at least part of their 

pocket money by doing chores. They’ll learn that money 

doesn’t come for nothing and be less likely to waste it. To 

make life easier, you could use an app and debit card like 

RoosterMoney or Go Henry, which were created to help 

children get to grips with their finances and earn money 

through chores. 

Help them to budget 

Encourage children to save up for something they really 

want rather than just waiting for Christmas or their 

birthday. You could start by explaining how much they’d 

need to save each week to achieve their goal. Younger 

children tend to need quicker results, so start with a small 

goal that can be achieved in a few weeks rather than 

months. 

Give them responsibility 

Part of appreciating the value of 

money is learning through mistakes. 

It’s tempting to step in and stop your 

child from spending their pocket 

money on things that you know they 

will quickly discard. Offer advice but 

let them make their own decisions on 

low-value items. They may well then think 

twice next time they want to buy a blind bag or an 

expensive T-shirt. When older children are ready, you 

could give them more responsibility for budgeting for the 

things they need by giving them an allowance for clothes, 

school dinners, travel expenses, toiletries, days out and 

so on, and helping them to work out a monthly budget. 

Again, they can earn more through chores if they want to 

save up for high-value items. 

Discuss money 

Don’t be afraid to talk about money with your children. 

You could share how much you’re setting aside each 

month for next year’s holiday for example, and talk about 

your own experiences with money. You can also help 

your child to see that, while it’s good to shop around for 

the best price, cheap doesn’t always mean best value. 

However, try not to make your child worried about family 

finances. It’s fine to talk about not being able to afford 

something or how you’re saving up for a big purchase, 

but you don’t want your child to lose sleep worrying that 

you won’t be able to pay the bills. 

Learn from the experts 

Make the most of children’s love for online games. MyBnk 

is a UK charity on a mission to help children build good 

money habits. It has created a series of fun online courses 

for ages 5 to 21. You can access them for free at learning. 

mybnk.org/our-courses.

73 

Pendle Hill 

by Chris Pearce 

Distance: 3.9 miles Difficulty: Hard 

The Pendle area is well known for its connection to witchcraft 

and the supernatural, and the story of the Pendle witches is 

a prominent example how England viewed witchcraft back 

in the 17th century. 

However, Pendle Hill itself is the stage of a more uplifting 

story from the same period. The founder of the Quakers, 

George Fox, was so moved by his climb up Pendle Hill in 1652 

that he created the religion, and, in his autobiography, he 

wrote, ‘From the top of this hill the Lord let me see in what 

places he had a great people to be gathered’. 

Though we can’t guarantee you’ll have an epiphany like 

George’s, the views from the top of Pendle Hill on a clear 

day will provide you with stunning views of the North West 

coastline. 

At a shade under 4 miles long, this Jack’s Tracks starts from 

the main car park (BB12 9JX) in the pretty village of Barley. 

Exit the car park via the path behind the café/toilets and 

within a few yards you’ll be on the main road through 

Barley. Turn right along this road and you’ll pass the 

village’s two pubs, Pendle Inn on the left and the Barley 

Mow on the right. 

Look out for the Methodist church by a small bridge over 

the stream. You’ll need to turn left up the footpath that 

runs parallel to the stream. Follow the path for 300 yards 

and just past the oddly shaped tree (see picture), you’ll 

cross the stream again and arrive on a single-track road. 

Turn left and shortly after, you’ll reach a fork in the road, so 

take the right fork. Within seconds, you’ll see the entrance 

to the footpath on the right, so turn up this cobbled 

path. Follow this well-defined path for ¾ mile, uphill past 

Brown House Farm and Pendle House, and in clear view of 

the steep ascent awaiting you next. 

As you go through the gate to start to 

climb the hill, there is a curvier, longer 

(but less steep) route to the top 

on the left hand side, but we’ve 

gone for the steeper and 

shorter route taking you up 

the right hand side of the 

Big End, as Pendle 

Hill is known in 

these parts.

74 

The bad news is it’s very steep indeed, but on the plus side, 

the climb is made easier by the fact that the many steps 

are robustly built and help a safer ascent. It’s certainly a 

challenge, but when you stop, turn and look at the views 

behind you, you’ll want to take a photo break or three! 

Once the sharp gradient subsides, you’ll be faced with a 

drystone wall. Turn left just before you get to the wall and, 

shortly afterwards, you take the left fork of a path away 

from the wall towards the trig point uphill in the distance. 

When you’ve posed for the obligatory selfie at the trig 

point, carry on walking in the same direction for 1/3 of 

a mile. You’ll reach the signpost indicating a dog-leg 

left turn to Barley (down the curvier route mentioned 

previously). Ignore this and go straight on. The path’s 

gradient gets steeper, but never overbearingly so as you 

descend for a further ½ a mile, enjoying great views of the 

Ogden reservoirs on the way down. 

Barle 

You arrive at some wooden gates. Take a 90-degree left 

turn and then, almost immediately, take the right fork and 

follow that path downhill until you reach a small wooden 

gate. Go through the gate and follow the path downhill 

along the left-hand perimeter of the field. Carry on in the 

same direction down a track that joins up with a second 

track. 

At this point the path becomes less well-defined, but 

head straight on in the same direction, initially towards 

the field to the left-hand edge of the wooded area and 

then carrying on in that direction up Barley Hill and 

through a succession of fields for 1/3 of a mile. 

Once you get to the field just past the end of the Lower 

Ogden reservoir, look out for a wooden gate on the right 

hand side. Go through the gate and straight downhill, 

looking out for the footpath sign on the left. Follow the 

footpath through another gate and you’ll end up by the 

village hall. Turn left and then first right into the car park 

from where you started the walk.

75 

Big End 

Pendle 

Hill 

Beacon 

Pendle House 

Windy 

Harbour 

Farm 

Barley Lane 

Foot House 

Gate Farm 

Lower Black 

Moss Reservoir 

Upper Black 

Moss Reservoir 

Stang Top 

Moor 

y Moor 

Aitken 

Wood 

PENDLE 

SCULPTURE 

TRAIL 

Pendle Way 

Barley 

Under Pendle 

Cottage 

Barley Hill 

P 

Barley 

Green 

Buttock 

Lower Ogden Reservoir 

Upper Ogden 

Reservoir 

Fell Wood 

Cross Lane 

For those with the OS Maps 

app on your desktop, mobile 

or tablet, this walk is named: 

JT-Pendle-Hill 

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. 

Elevation 

400m 

Lowest 215m 

Highest 556m 

200m 

Total ascent 346m 

0.0km 2.0km 4.0km 6.3km

76 4 

Pendle Sculpture 

Trail 

The other main attraction in the Barley area, on the 

opposite slopes to Pendle Hill, is the Pendle Sculpture 

Trail. Contained within Aitken Wood, this family tourist 

attraction brings together art, nature, and the history 

of the Pendle area. 

There are fifteen unique and intriguing sculptures 

located on the wooded trail along with ten plaques 

symbolising the ten witches of Pendle. The sculpture 

trail was inspired by Pendle’s infamous association 

with witchcraft, culminating in the trial of the Pendle 

Witches at Lancaster Castle in August 1612. 

Nineteen prisoners stood trial – nine from Pendle, 

eight from Samlesbury, one from Padiham and one 

from St Helens. The prisoners were not allowed to have 

defence counsel to plead for them, nor could they call 

any witnesses to speak on their behalf. 

All nine defendants from the Pendle area, along with 

Isobel Robey from St Helens, were sentenced to death 

and were subsequently hanged on the moors above 

the town. 

The Pendle Sculpture Trail is located in Aitken Wood, 

near the Black Moss Reservoirs. The nearest parking is 

about a mile away in the main car park in Barley – it’s a 

fairly easy walk to the wood, but the start of the trial is 

a short, fairly steep climb. 

For more information about the Pendle Sculpture 

Trail in Barley, you can visit www.visitpendle.com 

and download a trail map.

AIR-CON SERVICING 

77 

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Car Paintwork Repairs 

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WE NOW OFFER HYBRID SERVICING 

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78 

First Drive: Vauxhall Crossland 

Vauxhall has tweaked its popular crossover, but is it for the better? 

What is it? 

Crossovers are big business for just about all car 

manufacturers these days – not least Vauxhall, with 

its high-riding Crossland X, Mokka X and Grandland X 

models all proving hugely popular and even stealing sales 

from traditional bestsellers like the Astra and Insignia. 

It’s the Crossland X that’s the most affordable Vauxhall 

model of this kind, taking a more practical stance than 

the similarly sized Mokka, which instead favours design. 

Yet despite the Crossland X’s impressive sales, it actually 

was one of the worst cars in its segment, with a poor 

driving experience and low-quality cabin letting the 

side down. Can Vauxhall improve it as part of this midlife 

facelift, though? 

What’s new? 

One of the first things to note here is that it’s now called 

the Crossland – the ‘X’ part of its name being dropped 

for simplicity, though there are various places where this 

letter still appears… 

But most notable is the updated design, especially the 

front end, which gets Vauxhall’s new ‘Vizor’ design – as 

seen on the new Mokka – that wraps the badge and 

headlights behind one main panel. Changes to the 

steering and damping also aim to improve the way the 

Crossland drives. 

What’s under the bonnet? 

The engine choice remains the same as before, with an 

option of naturally-aspirated and turbocharged petrol 

engines, as well as a turbo diesel – quite a rarity these 

days in the small crossover class. 

Our test car uses the Crossland’s most powerful engine – 

a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine that 

produces 128bhp and 230Nm of torque. Power is sent 

to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. This 

allows for a 0-60mph time of 9.5 seconds and a top speed 

of 125mph. 

Though the diesel is the most efficient Crossland available, 

this model still offers decent efficiency – Vauxhall claim 

almost 50mpg, with CO2 emissions of 132g/km. 

What’s it like to drive? 

The previous Crossland X’s driving experience was really 

what let the side down before, and though changes here 

aren’t huge, they certainly improve things. 

It’s now a far more accomplished cruiser at higher speeds 

with a more comfortable ride and more refined driving 

manners, while around town – where these Crosslands are 

more likely to be found – good visibility and light steering 

will tick plenty of boxes for buyers. This turbocharged petrol 

engine is also a good match, and though it can sound quite 

coarse at times, it delivers a decent amount of shove that 

enables the Crossland to get up to speed quite quickly. 

Facts at a glance 

Model: Vauxhall Crossland 

Base price: £19,355 

Model as tested: Vauxhall 

Crossland SRi Nav 1.2 

Turbo 130PS Manual 

Price as tested: £24,040 

Engine: Turbocharged 

1.2-litre petrol 

Power: 128bhp 

Torque: 230Nm 

Max speed: 125mph 

0-60mph: 9.5 seconds 

MPG: 48.7-49.5mpg 

Emissions: 130-132g/km

79 

While the Crossland’s lifeless steering and rolypoly 

handling fall quite significantly short of 

the class best, these updates are certainly a 

step in the right direction, if not bringing the 

model in line with the segment rivals. 

How does it look? 

Vauxhall is going bold for this new Crossland. 

The appealing Vizor helps to bring a far more 

modern design, but there are also new standardfit 

LED headlights and a new silver-effect front 

bumper that give a more rugged look. 

At the rear, Vauxhall have the new ‘Crossland’ 

name sprawled out across the boot, while a new glossblack 

panel around the badge and lights also gives the 

model a more stylish look. It’s certainly a successful 

facelift, to our eyes at least. 

What’s it like inside? 

Inside, Vauxhall has added extra flair with new redpainted 

dashboard trim, while our SRi-spec test car got 

some appealing red stitching and dual orange stripes 

for the seats. However, nothing else has really changed, 

with the same familiar layout and displays being used 

as before. That’s not all bad, with the same easy-to-use 

touchscreen with smartphone mirroring included, along 

with an ergonomic layout. But ultimately it continues to 

lag behind rivals when it comes to technology and quality. 

The Crossland is one of the more practical cars in this 

class. Adults can sit quite comfortably in the rear, while 

sliding rear seats let you adjust occupant and boot space 

as needed. The boot measures up to 520 litres with the 

seats slid fully forward. 

What’s the spec like? 

Regardless of version, all Crosslands get a decent amount 

of equipment, with entry-level SE models still coming 

with a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and 

Android Auto, cruise control and 16-inch alloy wheels. 

Our mid-spec SRi Nav delivers the best blend of value and 

equipment, adding a larger eight-inch touchscreen with 

satellite navigation, rear parking sensors and dual-zone 

climate control, along with styling changes like larger 

alloys, a contrast-colour roof and tinted windows. 

There are notable omissions on the safety side of things, 

though, with even autonomous emergency braking 

being optional across the range – disappointing given it’s 

basically fitted to all new cars on sale now. 

As for pricing, the Crossland starts from £19,355, or 

£21,705 for the SRi Nav. You’ll want to spend more to avoid 

the lethargic 83bhp engine, though, which knocks the 

price up further, our test car being available from £24,040. 

Verdict 

This Crossland is better to look at and is improved behind 

the wheel, too. A relatively low starting price and plenty 

of cabin space add to the appeal – especially for families. 

But despite these changes, it still doesn’t excel in any 

real area 

and remains 

a middleof-the-road 

choice. Given “ Do they make 

the huge 

shopping trolleys 

Crossland has 

range of 

rivals the 

out of magnets?” 

We don’t judge, we just fix it. 

in this popular 

sector, this 

Vauxhall just 

doesn’t quite 

deliver. While 

not a bad 

choice, there 

are far better 

Quality, convenient and 

cost-effective repairs with 

options out 

a lifetime guarantee. 

there – the 

Ford Puma 

Call Marc today 07932 806171 

for a FREE estimate on repairs to 

and Skoda 

bumper scuffs, paint scratches, 

Kamiq being minor dents and alloy wheels. 

two far more Find out more at chipsaway.co.uk 

accomplished 

choices.

80 

Pots of style 

by Angie Barker 

Award Winner 

People often underestimate the impact 

that pots can have on your outside space. 

Whether your garden is big or small, or even 

a balcony, then pots can really enhance the 

look of it by introducing colour and style, 

in terms of the pots you choose and the 

planting. 

There are a few things to remember though 

with container gardening. First of all think 

big. Two or three large pots look so much 

better than a large collection of small 

ones – and they will need less watering. 

Then choose your style. If your garden 

is more of a cottage garden with lots of 

perennial planting in an informal style, 

then terracotta is the obvious choice. If however you have 

a contemporary, sleek garden perhaps with decking, then 

stainless steel or black ceramic would fit in perfectly. 

You also have to bear in mind that plants in containers rely 

on you for their water. Don’t be fooled into thinking that 

the rain will keep them watered. In summer especially 

you will need to water 

regularly to stop the plants drying out. Adding water 

retentive gel to your compost can really help preserve 

water content. 

Hubby’s favourite is an Acer palmatum ‘Butterfly’ we 

have growing in a pot by our conservatory door. Acers 

of all descriptions do well in pots because they are slow 

growing. Just site them somewhere protected from harsh 

winds in part shade and they should do well. If you have a 

sunny patio, Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ is one of the few 

Acers which can withstand full sun. 

It is especially lovely to have a pot or two by your front door 

to cheer you up when you come home – even more so in 

winter when there is little happening in garden borders. 

Sarcoccoca confusa is a small evergreen shrub which will 

thrive in a shady spot and has the most wonderful scent 

during late winter to welcome you home. 

I have even grown a Silver Birch tree in a pot! My plan 

is that by keeping it in a pot it will stay relatively small 

but enables me to site it close to the house where I can 

appreciate its lovely bark and fine foliage. When it comes 

to pots, all you need is your imagination. 

Angie is a qualified awardwinning 

garden designer 

who will plan your garden 

to your needs from start to 

finish, supplying reputable 

contractors and the ideal 

plants. 

Call Angie now for your free consultation! 

Angie Barker Dip GD (Inst GD) BA (Hons) 

Garden Design For All Seasons 

Tel: 01942 522 405 

Mob: 07857 008 383 

www.angiebarker.co.uk 

Award Winner

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• 

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24 Hour Emergency Tree Work 

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approved contractor 

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Eve: 01942 214 121 

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steve@smntrees.co.uk 

Quality Fencer 

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Call 01695 627 999 


81 


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82 

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U T 

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bars 

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84 

Trading Standards has a directory of local traders you 

can rely on. 

Find the borough’s best online at www.wigan.gov.uk/goodtrader 

or phone 03454 040506 

and ask for Wigan Council’s Good Trader Scheme. 

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A Registered Insured NCFE Certified Company 

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8-10 Gathurst Road, O re l, WN5 8QH 

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Presen 



Put your 

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first with 

Ask us about our wide range of hearing aids 

this voucher for 10% OFF your next 

hearing test or earwax removal. 

Contact us today for further information. Terms and conditions a ply 

rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 

A l staff 

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 

pre-schoolers 

Large 

outdoor 

PLAY ArEA 

rated by 

oFStED 

oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

CHILDrEN 

3 months 

- 4 years 

NEWLY 

rEFUrBISHED 

in 2019 



For more information 




We operate a booking system for the 


We deliver 30 hours free entitlement 


Flexible sessions available 





We are big on the great outdoors & being down in the forest 

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


A l Saints’ Primary School | Finch Lane | Appley Bridge | WN6 9DT 

01257 252647 


Call 01695 627 999 

Call 01695 627 999 




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87 

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HANDS ON 

Property Maintenance 

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3 Kitchens & Bathrooms 

3 Painting & Decorating 

3 Building & Joinery 

3 Electrical 

3 Paving, Decking 

& Fencing 

3 Tiling 

3 Plumbing 

Check out my work at 

Quality keith.anderton 

Flooring Fitter 

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Telephone Keith on 

07812 110476 


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these pages 

Call 01695 627 999 



• 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


rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 


A l sta f 

We cater for 


paediatric 

CHILDrEN 


& first aid 

3 months 

2/3/4 

for 

QUALIFIED 

- 4 years 


oPEN 

Mon-Fri 

8AM-6PM 

£37.50 

per day 


rated by 

oFStED 

as 

oUtStANDINg 

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Convert your bath to a 

Walk-In Shower 

AJC 

WALK IN SHOWERS 

Typical price 

£2200 

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 

Microshop address: Hardshaw Centre, 

Church Street, St. Helens WA10 1EB 

We also fit full bathrooms! 

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 

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 

Quality Tiler 

required for 

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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 


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 

89

90 

Elite 

Bathrooms 

& Wet Room Installation 

• Bathrooms • Wet Rooms 

• Wall & Floor Tiling 

Please call for a FREE Estimates 

07703 448890 

01942 208926 

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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 

Plumbing & Heating 

Specialist 

Complete Bathrooms 

Installation ~ Repairs ~ Service 

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 

4 Installations, Services 

& Repairs 

4 Boilers 

4 Central Heating 

Bathrooms 

597379 

Emergency call outs 

welcomed 

4 573747 

• Brand New Bathrooms 

• Boiler + Central Heating 

Installs, Servicing + Repairs 

Freephone: 

0300 3030121 

Dave: 07769 942218 

Matt: 07969 183809 

506515 

FINANCE 

OPTIONS 

AVAILABLE 

New showroom opening soon at: 

2a Gathurst Lane, Shevington WN6 8HA 

Email: info@orrellheating.co.uk 

www.orrellheating.co.uk 

John Bailey 

01942 495785 

or 07721 040620 

& 07710 153238 

Based in Kenyon Road, Wigan 

Call Nico for a free quote on 

07818 335 441 

• Extended warranties 

available 

• 24 Hour Call-out 

0% 

• Domestic + Commercial Finance 

available 

651511 

Boiler Installation 

Boiler Servicing & Repairs 

Boiler Finance Available 

Landlords Gas Safety Reports 

Experienced, Reliable & Friendly Service 

Credit Cards accepted 

01942 221 996 

07769 203 056 

hartheatingwigan@gmail.com 

Winstanley-based

91 

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 

A Genuine Family Run Business 

With Friendly & Courteous Staff 

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: 01257 421 660 

TEL: 01942 504 429 MOB: 07515 505 501 

Accredited Installer & Service Partner 

WE REPAIR ALL 

MAKES OF BOILERS! 

Registration No. 

88604 

www.fgwelch.co.uk 

We’ve got you covered 

for all aspects of 

plumbing and heating 

Boilers Gas Heating Plumbing Drainage 

Installation • Maintenance • Repairs 

626792 

Want a new boiler with 

ZERO upfront cost? 

Pay monthly with servicing and warranty included. 

Call us now to find out how! 

01942 575730 

07565 060530 

166 Gidlow Lane • Wigan • WN6 7EA 

www.blueflameltd.co.uk 

craig@blueflameltd.co.uk 

Family run business with 20+ years experience. 

Check out our reviews:

92 

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 

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 

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 

Total Electrics for your Home or Business 

Installation Service Maintenance Repairs 

Call us today for friendly 

advice and a free quotation 

01942 836 937 

www.ghewigan.co.uk 

4 Complete re-wires 

4 New/moving sockets 

4 All lighting needs 

4 Burglar Alarm systems 

Check out our Facebook reviews @ghe.info 

4 CCTV systems 

4 Security Light installations 

4 PAT testing & inspections 

4 No Job too Small 

07557 914 788 

Suite 1A, Kirkless Industrial Estate, Cale Lane, Wigan, WN2 1HF 

Call: 0800 6446100 

or 07904 127663 

Covering all North West Areas 

4 NAPIT part ‘P’ registered 

4 JIB Approved Technician 

4 38 Years Experience 

4 Local, Honest & Reliable 

4 Domestic 

4 Industrial & Commercial 

a Installation & Maintenance 

a Inspection & Testing 

a Nest Pro Installer 

a CCTV & Alarms 

Tel: 07738 117712 

Orrell based


rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 


A l sta f 

We cater for 


paediatric 

CHILDrEN 


& first aid 

3 months 

2/3/4 

for 

QUALIFIED 

- 4 years 


oPEN 

Mon-Fri 

8AM-6PM 

£37.50 

per day 


rated by 

oFStED 

as 

oUtStANDINg 

Large NEWLY 



J.Dillon 

Electrical Services Ltd 

Electrician ~ Standish 

• All types of electrical work 

• 30+ years experience 

• Friendly, fast and reliable 

• 24 hour call out service 

Call: 01257 424918 

or 07821 139826 

www.jdillonelectrical.co.uk 

Over 70 Lancashire 

Walks 




• Business Telephone 

Systems 

• Voip & Structured Cabling 

• Residential Extensions 

• Faults & Gen Enq 

Tel: 01942 441221 

Askus@LJTelecomServices.co.uk 

www.LJTelecomServices.com 

Quality Removals 

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these pages 

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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 

• TV Aerials Installed 

• TV Wall Mounting 

• Telephone Lines 

• Setup Service 

Ring Paul on 

01942 514 532 

07709 490 095 

A.J.S. 

BAILEYS 

ELECTRICAL 

All electrical work undertaken 

Free quotations 

• Friendly reliable service 

• Mains board upgrades 

• Extra sockets to full rewires 

01942 215 769 

07739 709 005 




Call 01695 627 999 



















01257 252647 


Aerial & Sky 

Services 

RX-12 Digital TV Aerials 

£75 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 

TT20778 

93 

www.aerialandskyservices.co.uk

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 

Winstanley-based 

www.gdrdriveways.com 

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

Handy 

Andy 

Building / Joinery 

Plastering / Tiling 

Plumbing / Roofing 

Flatpack Assembly 

Call Handy Andy on 

01257 369 685 

07899 752 225 

tradesbyandy@gmail.com 

All 

jobs 

considered 

Fully 

qualified 

& 

Insured 

Plasterer. 

NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL 

All plastering work 

undertaken including: 

• All types of rendering • Skimming 

• Dry lining • Basement tanking 

• Damp proof courses 

Call Westley Gillett for a 

FREE no obligation quote 

07802 710685 

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 

Leaflet Distribution 

Service 

Your leaflets delivered alongside this magazine 

to up to 39,000 local homes 

Flexible service for all businesses, large and small 

Prices from £27.50 per thousand (minimum 4,000 leaflets) 

Call or email us for a Leaflet Coverage List 

then simply chose the postcode areas 

you want to target 

Call us on 01695 627999 

Email chrisp@locallife247.co.uk 


GPS 

Tracked 

Distribution 

DESIGN 

& PRINT 

services 

also available 

LocalLife

95 

4 Extensions and House Refurbishment Works 

4 New Build Houses 

4 Groundworks, Drainage, External Paving 

and Landscaping 

4 Internal Structural works to accommodate 

new bi-fold doors / open plan living etc 

4 Full range of garden design and landscaping 

works including BBQ areas, garden offices, 

bars, games rooms etc 

4 Full Range of Commercial Building including 

Interior Designs and Fit Outs 

Contact us for further details on 01257 447 427 or enquiries@helixgroup.uk 

Blackthorn House | Skull House Ln | Appley Bridge | Wigan | WN6 9DB 

www.helixgroup.uk 

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 

Stoves 

by Andy 

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 

Prices include 

supply & fit 

Orrell 

based 

6 Doors 

from 

£370 

Oak Door 

from 

£140 

All aspects of joinery 

Call Mike for a free quote 

01942 590514 • 07988 260621 

www.orrelljoinery.co.uk 

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

96 

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PP 

Your 

Building services 

Joinery Specialists 

• Conservatories & Orangeries 

• Extensions 

• Refurbishments & Alterations 

• Fencing & Decking 

Reliable, Friendly, 

Professional & Honest 

Building & Joinery 

Specialists 

• Garage & Loft Conversions 

• Kitchens & Fitted Bedrooms 

• Doors & Windows 

• All aspects of joinery work 

Superior 

craftmanship at 

competitive rates 

• Home improvements 

• Loft conversions 

• Garage conversions 

& Extensions 

• Staircases 

• Windows & Doors 

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 

“Attention to detail is second to none. Can’t recommend Phil enough” 

Facebook Review, July 2018 

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 

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 

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 

28 Years Experience 

All aspects of 

roofing & roofline 

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 

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 

NEW ROOFS 

REPAIRS 

FASCIAS, SOFFITS 

& GUTTERS 

Dormers and 

Garages 

Rubber Cover Roofing Specialist 

Guaranteed 50 years 

Call for free quote 

M: 07894 687 384 

NEIL SIMPSON 

BUILDER 

Can’t find a reliable local 

builder?...look no further 

brickwork 

joinery roofing 

plastering 

internal alterations 

all types of building work undertaken 

garden construction 

garden walls patios 

gravel gardens 

flagging decking 

pergolas 

No job too small 

Reasonable prices 

Quality work 

Call Neil 

07939 961190 (day) 

or 01942 230402 (eve)

98 

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your 

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NEXT Issue 

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Come and visit the largest 

showroom in the North West 

Quality installations of windows, 

doors, fascias, soffits and gutters 

First for quality 

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No contractors 

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Transform 

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warmlightwindowsltd.co.uk • info@warmlightwindowsltd.co.uk 

Representative example: Total cash price £1164, deposit £0, amount borrowed £1164 over 12 months. 12 monthly repayments of £97. Interest 

rate 0%. Total repayable £1164. Credit is subject to the lenders T&C. Warmlight Windows, Doors and Conservatories Ltd is authorised and 

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Tomorrow’s Home Improvements Today! 

Quality ~ Choice ~ Value 

Windows 

Bi-Fold Doors 

Thermally-efficient conservatory roofs 

expertly fitted by accredited installers 

© 

Orangeries 

Don’t just lock it, 

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Conservatories 

Manufacturers and installers since 2004 

Contact us on 01744 891717 for a no obligation quote 

Visit our showroom/factory at; Crows Nest, Ashton Road, Billinge, WN5 7XX (near Windy Arbour crossroads) 

www.orrellwindows.co.uk 

28544

Local Life - Wigan - October 2021

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