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Local Life - Wigan - October 2021

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<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

<strong>Wigan</strong> Edition<br />

<strong>October</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />

Christmas<br />

Light Trails<br />

Pages 17-20<br />

Hindley’s Bad Boy?<br />

Pages 70-71<br />

Beecham’s Brush-Off<br />

Page 28-30<br />

© Lightopia<br />

Pendle Hill Walk<br />

(and a sculpture trail too!)<br />

Pages 73-76<br />

Education Section<br />

Pages 36-43<br />

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


2


3<br />

The<br />

ireplace<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong><br />

INC<br />

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New house? No chimney? No problem!<br />

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Our reputation is your guarantee!<br />

Rated: 5 star on Facebook 4.6 star on Google<br />

Telephone: 01942 583 558<br />

721 Ormskirk Road, Pemberton, <strong>Wigan</strong> WN5 8AQ<br />

Follow us:<br />

Plenty FREE parking to the rear of the showroom<br />

wiganfiresandfireplaces.co.uk<br />

REGISTER


4<br />

Autumn is a favourite time of year for home<br />

improvements, and whether it’s a coat of paint<br />

or a major makeover, you can bet that the<br />

latest looks and colours will influence your choices.<br />

Pinning down personal preferences, with half an eye<br />

on the latest trends, can leave you overwhelmed with<br />

choices and, as a result, we often take the easy way out<br />

and settle for dated rooms and furnishings.<br />

<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> is full of experienced <strong>Wigan</strong>-based home<br />

improvement experts who are happy to advise you on<br />

your home improvements. Whatever you’re looking to<br />

do, there’s a local expert here who can help.<br />

If you’re struggling with your vision for improving your<br />

home, talking it through with the experts can help and<br />

can often provide inspirational thoughts. If lockdown<br />

has taught us anything, it’s the value of face-to-face<br />

communication – some things are just too important to<br />

be left to online recommendations from random people.<br />

See you next time…<br />

Chris Pearce, Publisher<br />

chrisp@locallife247.co.uk<br />

Keep in touch with the<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong> Team!<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

Telephone: 01695 627 999<br />

info@locallife247.co.uk<br />

locallifemagazine247@locallifemedia<br />

<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> 247 Ltd, PO Box 779, <strong>Wigan</strong> WN1 9UB<br />

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

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

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

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


5<br />

This month’s highlights<br />

17. Christmas Light Trails<br />

Contents<br />

24. Health<br />

Under pressure.<br />

38. Education<br />

Schools and the pandemic.<br />

44. Recipes<br />

Indonesian chicken & roast beef fillet.<br />

54. Home<br />

A rug for every room.<br />

28. Beecham’s Brush-Off 60. Fan the Flames<br />

63. Look Back In Time<br />

Events of the last 125 years.<br />

66. Puzzle Pages<br />

Try these brainteasers for size!<br />

72. Finance<br />

Teaching kids to be savvy savers.<br />

73. Jack’s Tracks to Pendle Hill<br />

81. Home & Garden Services<br />

Find the best local traders for you.<br />

70. Hindley’s Bad Boy 78. Vauxhall Crossland<br />

Want to<br />

promote your<br />

business in<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong>?<br />

Next Issue - November<br />

Advertising deadline - 11th <strong>October</strong><br />

Published - 27th <strong>October</strong><br />

01695 627 999<br />

www.locallife247.co.uk


6<br />

Standish Show<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong> Rotary Club are hosting ‘A Night at The Theatre’,<br />

a musical show starring Victor Michael and the Two<br />

Sopranos (Lisa Davis and Hayley Bowen), at the Standish<br />

Unity Club on Saturday 9th <strong>October</strong>.<br />

Their show includes classics such as Nessun Dorma and<br />

Time to Say Goodbye, alongside songs from famous<br />

musicals such as Les Misérables and Joseph and his<br />

Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.<br />

One of the performing trio, Lisa Davis, won’t have far to<br />

travel on the night. <strong>Wigan</strong>er Lisa told <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> that she<br />

is “delighted to be singing in her hometown for all her<br />

family and friends”.<br />

Lisa studied Opera at Chetham’s School of Music in<br />

Manchester, before going on to perform in Sir Cameron<br />

Mackintosh’s ‘Hey Mr Producer’ amongst other shows.<br />

She’s spent much of singing career at sea, performing on<br />

cruise ships throughout the world.<br />

Tickets for the show are priced at £12 and can be booked<br />

via the Rotary Club’s website www.wiganrotary.co.uk<br />

Fright Night<br />

There’s a Friday Night with a difference taking place at<br />

Haigh Woodland Park on Saturday 30th <strong>October</strong>.<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong> Council and Fylde Coast Runners have joined<br />

forces to launch a brand-new series of night runs, and<br />

this is the inaugural event.<br />

The event is suitable for all abilities of runner or fast<br />

walkers and is held on a mix of trails and pathways within<br />

Haigh Hall, starting and finishing in the shadow of the<br />

hall.<br />

Entry is £25.00 per person which includes a glow in the<br />

dark finishers medal, a commemorative fright night<br />

technical t-shirt and digital event photographs! The<br />

minimum age is 15 and over on the day of the event.<br />

The event is strictly limited to 500 participants and<br />

entries are only accepted via web in advance of the<br />

event. Registration opens at 4pm on the day and the<br />

event starts at 6.30pm.<br />

To sign up, visit www.fyldecoastrunners.com<br />

Competition Winners<br />

The winners of the <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> competition in our July and<br />

August issues have been confirmed as Megan Gallagher<br />

from Standish, Melvin Levick, also from Standish,<br />

Samantha Clinton from Highfield and Angela Fletcher<br />

from Billinge.<br />

The winners all received a pair of tickets for the recent<br />

Tom Jones concert at Haydock Park. Thank you to all<br />

those who entered.


7<br />

Phoenix Rises<br />

Coping with the COVID restrictions has been particularly<br />

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

in this position, then there’s a local solution to loneliness.<br />

The long-established Phoenix Club has risen from the<br />

ashes and is now operating fully again. This national<br />

organisation was established for friendship and social<br />

nights, and the <strong>Wigan</strong> branch is based out of St Wilfrid’s<br />

Parish Hall on Church Street in Standish.<br />

In addition to the weekly sequence dancing, members<br />

of the club enjoy days out, theatre trips and holidays.<br />

The sequence dancing events run every Saturday, with<br />

the doors opening at 7.30, and you are advised to bring<br />

your own drinks. For more information about the <strong>Wigan</strong><br />

Phoenix Club, call 01257 421335 or 07971 956532.<br />

Having a Ball<br />

Fitness and fun don’t often go hand in hand but a ladies’<br />

rounders team in Standish is putting a stop to that! The<br />

team is currently open to women of all abilities over 14.<br />

If you fancy having a go, then the team train once a week<br />

on Wednesdays between 6.15pm-7.30pm at Standish<br />

Cricket Club on Green Lane.<br />

The ladies play in the <strong>Wigan</strong> and Leigh league, focusing<br />

on staying active, making friends and having fun.<br />

For more information, please message the coaches by<br />

searching @StandishRoundersClub on Facebook<br />

Critters are Coming!<br />

Enjoy breakfast with a difference on 28th <strong>October</strong> at the<br />

Wild Mint Café at Golden Days on Back Lane in Appley<br />

Bridge. ‘Breakfast with the Critters’ will consist of a<br />

breakfast and drink, plus a chance to get up close and<br />

personal with bugs and beasts. The event is co-hosted<br />

by Curious Critters, and their handlers will be on hand to<br />

help. There are limited tickets available and pre-booking<br />

is essential. Call 01257 472533 to book.<br />

TIME<br />

coffee shop<br />

RElax and Enjoy dElIcIous dRInks and<br />

lITE bITEs In hoMEly suRRoundIngs.<br />

Our emphasis at Time is on high-quality customer<br />

service with a personal touch<br />

• Lavazza coffee, iced lattes,<br />

luxury hot chocolate<br />

• Fully licensed bar<br />

• Homemade cakes<br />

• Child friendly<br />

• Dog friendly<br />

• Lovely covered outside<br />

garden<br />

All our spaces are available to hire for business meetings,<br />

baby showers or any family celebration.<br />

nEw opEnIng houRs<br />

Monday to Thursday 8:00-4:30, Friday 8:00-9:00pm<br />

Saturday 8:00-9:00pm, Sunday 10:00-5:00pm<br />

Have a lovely glass of wine and enjoy a sharing platter<br />

from our evening menu<br />

Tuesday<br />

shevington<br />

Shevington Methodist Church, 1 Gathurst Road, WN6 8HA<br />

9am, 3.30pm, 5.00pm & 6.30pm<br />

Wednesday<br />

Billinge<br />

Bispham Methodist Church Hall, Crank Rd, WN5 7DT<br />

8.30am & 10.00am<br />

For further details call Karen on<br />

07789 227 871<br />

Christmas launch event with Akoya<br />

FridAy 22nd & SAturdAy 23rd OctOber <strong>2021</strong><br />

come and browse the lovely gifts and art work from Akoya and<br />

enjoy a complimentary glass of prosecco and canapés at time<br />

10% OFF All purcHASeS<br />

Phone: 01257 427397 Email: timewn6@outlook.com<br />

25, Preston Road • Standish • WN6 0JH<br />

www.timecoffeeshop.co.uk


8<br />

Healthwatch Appeal<br />

Are you worried about how to access your GP? How easy<br />

is it to get an appointment? Has your interaction with<br />

primary care changed because of the pandemic? If you<br />

want to share your views on the above questions, then<br />

Healthwatch <strong>Wigan</strong> and Leigh want to hear from you.<br />

The purpose of Healthwatch <strong>Wigan</strong> and Leigh is to<br />

represent local people who use health and social care<br />

services, and to make sure that those running services<br />

put people at the heart of care. They seek to understand<br />

the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use<br />

local health and social care services.<br />

All the information you provide will be heard<br />

confidentially and recorded anonymously to contribute<br />

to a report published later in the year. Here’s how you can<br />

contribute to that report:<br />

Contact Lisa Armstrong on 01942 834666 or text ‘GP’<br />

to this number 07939 061 872 and someone will call<br />

you back, or you can email Lisa at Lisa.Armstrong@<br />

healthwatchwiganandleigh.co.uk or alternately you can<br />

complete a short survey online at www.surveymonkey.<br />

co.uk/r/HWWLGPAccess.<br />

Stitch Group Forms<br />

A new creative stitch group has recently formed and is<br />

looking for new members. The Douglas Valley Creative<br />

Stitchers will be meeting on the second Saturday of each<br />

month at Parbold Village Hall. The next meeting is on<br />

Saturday 9th <strong>October</strong> and the activity is making a brooch<br />

or pendant.<br />

Newcomers with all levels of skill are welcome and the<br />

session opens at 2pm for a 2.30pm start and a 4pm<br />

finish. For more details about the group, contact Sue<br />

Chisnall-Sumner on 01772 461714 or email suechisnall@<br />

btinternet.com.<br />

AB Playgroup<br />

Keeping the children entertained and finding it a<br />

struggle? All Saints Church on Finch Mill Lane hosts a<br />

playgroup every Thursday from 9.15-11am. The cost<br />

is just £1.50 a family and 50p extra for any additional<br />

kids, and you can expect a warm welcome along with<br />

tea, toast, biscuits and juice. Everyone is welcome. For<br />

more info, please search for Little Saints Playgroup on<br />

Facebook.<br />

aqua:<br />

Established 2006<br />

bathroom - kitchen<br />

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

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


9<br />

Green Homes Grant<br />

The Greater Manchester Green Homes Grant <strong>Local</strong><br />

Authority Delivery Scheme is still open for applications.<br />

The grant allows homeowners who earn less than £30,000<br />

and whose home is energy inefficient to apply for grants<br />

of up to £10,000.<br />

The grant can be used for low carbon heating measures<br />

such as air source heat pumps as well as different types<br />

of insulation. The local authority scheme is delivered<br />

in partnership with E.ON. The scheme is also open to<br />

residential landlords to apply for grants of up to £5,000.<br />

To find out more about the scheme, visit www.eonenergy.<br />

com/greenhomesgrant<br />

Jewels May is a wonderful independent<br />

jewellers. The shop has recently expanded<br />

so as to offer customers more on site<br />

specialist services, one-to-one consultation,<br />

specialist design and re-modelling advice and<br />

manufacturing.<br />

Autumn Style Update<br />

Wear colours with confidence.<br />

Look fabulous and feel great.<br />

Their jewellery range is extensive from antique<br />

and vintage to modern and one-off bespoke<br />

luxury pieces, set with diamonds and precious<br />

stones. They also boast an impressive range of<br />

engagement and wedding rings as well as<br />

pre-owned luxury watches.<br />

Repairs & Alterations<br />

Rhodium Plating<br />

Cleaning & Polishing<br />

Design & Manufacturing<br />

Engagement & Wedding Ring Specialists<br />

Insurance Valuations<br />

Watch Servicing, Repairs, Refurbishing<br />

& Batteries<br />

Good Prices Paid For Your Scrap &<br />

Unwanted Jewellery<br />

My name’s Gina Dobson and I’m a<br />

Personal Stylist and Image Consultant<br />

From my St Helens studio, I offer;<br />

Colour Analysis Personal Styling<br />

Make Up Gift Vouchers<br />

Call me on 07598 367 552 to discover how<br />

I can help you discover your personal style.<br />

www.ginadobsoncolour.co.uk<br />

“Now offering on-site rhodium plating within an hour,<br />

Wednesday to Sunday.<br />

SPECIAL READER OFFER<br />

Rhodium plating of 2 rings for £80 (normally £90),<br />

just quote <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> 247”<br />

Heskin Hall Shopping Village,<br />

Wood Lane, Heskin, PR7 5PA<br />

Tel: 01257 450448 Etsy: Jewelsmayuk<br />

www.jewelsmay.com


10<br />

Give it a Grow<br />

<strong>Local</strong> community group, Give it a Grow <strong>Wigan</strong> are looking<br />

for volunteers to help them tidy up the space for their<br />

new hub at Mesnes Park this Sunday, <strong>October</strong> 3.<br />

Members of the group have recently acquired some<br />

allotment space in the park but they need your help!<br />

The site has not been managed since before the Covid<br />

lockdown hit and it’s pretty overgrown to say the least.<br />

The volunteer clearing day starts at 11am, so if you would<br />

like to get your gardening gloves out and lend a hand,<br />

even if only half an hour, they’d really appreciate your<br />

help. Tasks for the day will include; weed pulling, moving<br />

pots, litter picking, restoring benches and strimming to<br />

clear paths.<br />

Please take strong gardening gloves, water and food as<br />

necessary, and wear good sturdy footwear. If you have any<br />

tools like pruning shears, trowels, forks and are comfortable<br />

using them, you’re welcome to take those as well. The<br />

allotment can be accessed at the top of Mesnes Park, by<br />

the exit to the Pagefield site of <strong>Wigan</strong> & Leigh College.<br />

Give it A Grow <strong>Wigan</strong> is a new non-profit community<br />

group with the aim of bringing greater biodiversity and<br />

wildlife to the urban spaces in <strong>Wigan</strong> Borough. The new<br />

allotment area is an exciting opportunity for members to<br />

grow plants to distribute, produce their own compost,<br />

and possibly even host workshops in the future.<br />

To find out more about the project and what the group<br />

get up to, please go online at www.giveitagrowwigan.<br />

co.uk.<br />

Christmas Fair<br />

The Woodlands Animal Sanctuary in Holmeswood will<br />

be hosting a Christmas Fair at Parbold Village Hall on<br />

Saturday, November 20.<br />

The fair will take place between 11am-3pm and will be a<br />

great way to help to raise funds for the cats, hedgehogs<br />

and ponies that will be living at the shelter this winter.<br />

At the event, there will be plenty of stalls to browse<br />

around, delicious festive treats and a Teddy Tombola.<br />

For more information about the fair or Woodlands<br />

Animal Sanctuary please go online at www.<br />

woodlandsanimalsanctuary.org.uk or call 01704 823293.<br />

McNulty’s Shoes<br />

Wide shoe fitting specialists<br />

• Correct foot<br />

measurement<br />

• Extra wide shoes<br />

& slippers<br />

• Home shoe<br />

fitting service<br />

• New boots &<br />

shoes now in,<br />

Don’t miss out!<br />

Looking for Staff?<br />

Place your<br />

advertisement<br />

in <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> and<br />

we’ll also promote<br />

your advert FREE<br />

via our social<br />

media channels.<br />

Prices start from<br />

£125 + VAT<br />

01942 244100<br />

shaun@mcnultyshoes.co.uk<br />

31 Library Street | <strong>Wigan</strong> | WN1 1NN<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

01695 627999 | www.locallife247.co.uk


11<br />

Picture House<br />

Parbold’s Picture House, based at the Village Hall on<br />

The Green in Parbold, has released their listings for their<br />

forthcoming Sunday night movie programme.<br />

Screening on Sunday 10th <strong>October</strong> is Minari, a tender<br />

and sweeping story about a Korean-American family<br />

that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own<br />

American Dream.<br />

Screening on Sunday 24th <strong>October</strong> is The Father. The<br />

film features an ageing Anthony (Sir Anthony Hopkins)<br />

struggling with memory loss as he begins to experience<br />

the symptoms of dementia. Refusing help from his<br />

daughter Anne (Olivia Colman), Anthony increasingly<br />

begins to lose his grip on reality as he experiences<br />

hallucinations, battles traumatic memories and struggles<br />

to identify his loved ones.<br />

Screening on Sunday 7th November is 1917, a World War<br />

1 drama directed and produced by Sam Mendes and<br />

starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth and Richard<br />

Madden.<br />

The films all start at 7pm, with doors opening at 6.30pm.<br />

Please note that the café is still closed at present.<br />

The friendly place in<br />

the heart of Standish village<br />

The Unity Club<br />

• large function room or cosy<br />

lounge room available for hire<br />

• games room with a full-size<br />

snooker table, pool table,<br />

darts & dominoes<br />

Cask Ale Club of the Year<br />

awarded by CAMRA<br />

11 Years running 2010-21<br />

Open: Sun-Thurs: 7.30-11pm<br />

Fri & Sat: 5.30pm-12am<br />

If you are interested in becoming a member, hiring the function room<br />

or using the facilities for meetings please call for further details.<br />

01257 424007<br />

Cross Street, Standish, WN6 0HQ<br />

www.standishunityclub.com


Interior Design Services<br />

Bay Window Specialists<br />

Bespoke Curtains & Blinds<br />

Upholstery Services<br />

Home Consultations Available<br />

Proud stockists of


Visit our showroom<br />

to view our<br />

fine selection of...<br />

Fabrics, Wall Coverings,<br />

Paint and much more<br />

Millan Interiors, 5/7 Mill Lane, Parbold WN8 7NW<br />

T: 01257 46 34 77 www.millaninteriors.co.uk<br />

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

Please call 01257 46 34 77 for out of hours appointments


14<br />

Pumpkin Fun<br />

Windmill Animal Farm in Burscough will be getting<br />

into the Halloween spirt with their pumpkin picking<br />

adventure from Saturday 9th to Sunday 31st <strong>October</strong>.<br />

Farmer Chris has planted more than 20,000 plants in the<br />

pumpkin field, and you could be taking one home for the<br />

family this Halloween.<br />

Tickets cost £15.95 for adults and £16.95 for children<br />

under 15, with under 1’s free. Each ticket includes a full<br />

day of fun on the farm and access to the pumpkin patch,<br />

where you get to pick your own pumpkin. Wheelbarrows<br />

will be provided and don’t forget your wellies!<br />

For more information or to book your tickets, please go<br />

online at www.windmillanimalfarm.co.uk<br />

Samaritans Shout Out<br />

Charities such as the Samaritans have helped thousands<br />

of people through the difficulties of the past eighteen<br />

months, particularly those without family and friends.<br />

The services that the Samaritans provide are funded by<br />

retail shops throughout the UK and the <strong>Wigan</strong> shop is<br />

desperately short of volunteers.<br />

Can you spare any time, even just a couple of hours a<br />

week, to help at the <strong>Wigan</strong> shop, which is located at 39<br />

Hallgate? If so, the Shop Manager Jean Ashby would love<br />

to hear from you. Please give Jean a call on 01744 894122.<br />

Gym for Kids<br />

Gymnastic sessions are available for pre-school children<br />

at Robin Park Leisure Centre.<br />

The sessions are a perfect introduction to gymnastics,<br />

teaching kids how to do forward rolls, handstands and<br />

splits, and then move onto using the vault, beams and<br />

trampolines in subsequent sessions.<br />

Your child will build strength, learn to develop their<br />

hand-eye co-ordination and, most importantly, have lots<br />

of fun along the way.<br />

These structured lessons are taught by friendly qualified<br />

coaches across a block of 8 weeks at a cost of £34.40.<br />

For more information or to book your child’s place, please<br />

call 01942 828550 or email gymnastics@bewellwigan.org<br />

WE ARE NOW OPEN<br />

AGAIN...<br />

7 DAYS A WEEK!!!


15<br />

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16


Christmas Light Trails<br />

171<br />

Christmas is all about traditions. From dressing a Christmas tree to putting<br />

out a mince pie or two for Santa, for most of us Christmas represents<br />

enjoying the same activities with the same people, year in, year out.<br />

Because it’s such a busy time, new Christmas activities that are quickly<br />

adapted as a mainstream activity by all the family rarely come along, but<br />

one notable exception is the Christmas light trail.<br />

There’s nothing more uplifting in the cold winter months than illuminations<br />

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

experiences for the entire family at this time of year.<br />

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

Chester Zoo<br />

www.chesterzoo.org/lanterns<br />

Chester Zoo has revealed its plans for its wintertime<br />

celebration, The Lanterns, which runs from Friday 12<br />

November - Thursday 23 December.<br />

Now in its tenth year, visitors to the event are given the<br />

unique opportunity to experience the zoo after hours on<br />

a set trail in the dark – taking them through spectacular<br />

illuminations and colourful lanterns, encountering<br />

enchanting, costumed characters along the way.<br />

Among the many new elements at this year’s festivities<br />

will be brand new illuminated characters, featuring<br />

orangutans, butterflies, caterpillars and wolves as well as<br />

a 90th birthday light show, taking visitors on a journey<br />

through time as they explore the zoo’s history.<br />

Senior Admissions and Retail Manager at Chester Zoo,<br />

Gemma Bamford, said:<br />

“We can’t wait to welcome visitors back to our very<br />

special Christmas event, The Lanterns. It’s become a firm<br />

favourite and something of a family tradition for so many<br />

people now and this year will be more magnificent and<br />

magical than ever”.<br />

The Lanterns has been created by the zoo in partnership<br />

with multi award-winning outdoor arts producers, Wild<br />

Rumpus.


18 2<br />

Lightopia www.lightopiafestival.com<br />

The award-winning Lightopia will return with its<br />

flagship event in Manchester, for the third year on the<br />

18th November until the 3rd January, with a brandnew<br />

enchanting light and lantern festival; presenting a<br />

Christmas Fantasy at Heaton Park. The never-before-seen,<br />

illuminated trail will feature magical and multi-sensory<br />

interactive lights, lanterns and installations, illustrating a<br />

story of an imaginative and fantasy festive world.<br />

This immersive experience is the perfect Christmas<br />

adventure for family and friends, filled with wondrous<br />

light installations and mythical creatures. From the<br />

moment Lightopians step through the magical gates, the<br />

fantasy land journey begins…<br />

This year, the entry points to Lightopia will be via the Gate<br />

of Guardians, protecting the enchanted land that awaits.<br />

Shimmering walkways, decorative lights and projections<br />

will guide the way, marking the familiar route direction<br />

for this new make-believe wonderland.<br />

A Christmas spectacular can be discovered at the Grade<br />

I-listed Heaton Hall. Marvel at the 9ft bauble-inspired<br />

Christmas tree and the immersive stand-alone giant<br />

bauble, which Lightopians can walk inside. A fairy tale<br />

awaits at this unique festive land, as the characters and<br />

lights tell the tale of good vs evil, with the festive heroes<br />

protecting Christmas. Thousands of immersive lights will<br />

illuminate the Christmas land with a collection of vibrant<br />

colours.<br />

Lightopia <strong>2021</strong> will also feature a fantastical Magic<br />

Circus display, a Time Travel zone, Fantasy Forest, Fantasy<br />

Universe and Lakeside Water Show!


Bolesworth<br />

193<br />

www.bolesworth.com/christmas<br />

Bolesworth near Chester will be transformed<br />

into an illuminated winter wonderland this<br />

Christmas. The magical 1.2 mile trail, which<br />

runs for 30 nights in between 26th November<br />

to 24th December, promises a dazzling afterdark<br />

experience for all of the family.<br />

You’ll travel alongside the lakeside with the<br />

backdrop of the castle lit to spectacular<br />

effect, then you’ll follow the winding<br />

pathways through the woods where you<br />

may spot a reindeer or two, travelling<br />

over bridges and through the spectacular<br />

grounds.<br />

Pick up glistening gifts at the Christmas Market, wander<br />

round the food stands as you sip on mulled wine or<br />

hot chocolate, whilst soaking up the heart-warming<br />

atmosphere of the evening. Or get your skates on and<br />

head onto the Ice Rink with your friends and family. Set<br />

against the iconic backdrop of Bolesworth Castle, you can<br />

spin around to the soundtracks and afterwards head to<br />

the bar for a warming drink.<br />

Those looking for a dash of class with plenty of<br />

champagne can visit Champagne Island, and you surely<br />

won’t be disappointed by this very special and unique<br />

experience. You’ll have a secret hideaway on a hidden<br />

island where you can sit and watch the world go by.<br />

And Bolesworth offer a very special experience where<br />

the children are able to meet the man himself, leave their<br />

Christmas present list and have their photo taken so you<br />

can take home a memento of these magical moments.


20 4<br />

Delamere Forest www.forestryengland.uk/christmas-at-delamere<br />

A brand-new Christmas trail featuring enchanting<br />

illuminations and Christmas tunes, will illuminate Forestry<br />

England’s Delamere Forest in Cheshire, from 26 Nov – 31<br />

Dec <strong>2021</strong>.<br />

Wrap up warm and be transported into a winter<br />

wonderland where you will discover sparkling tunnels<br />

of light, walk under giant baubles and beneath trees<br />

illuminated in Christmas colours.<br />

Spend time together and create everlasting memories as<br />

you wander between the specially chosen illuminations,<br />

all choreographed to a soundtrack of Christmas classics.<br />

Pause at the mesmerising flickering flames in the fire<br />

garden and don’t forget to glimpse Father<br />

Christmas along the way.<br />

Independent street food vendors bring<br />

a delicious twist to tasty treats on offer.<br />

Have yourself a holly, jolly Christmas and<br />

complete your walk under the stars with a<br />

spiced winter warmer or a hot chocolate<br />

shared with someone special.<br />

Christmas at Delamere Forest provides a<br />

special way to celebrate the festive season<br />

with an unmissable outdoor experience.<br />

The trail is designed for visitors of all ages<br />

to enjoy.<br />

Christmas at Delamere Forest is brought<br />

to you by Sony Music in partnership with<br />

Forestry England. The trail is created by<br />

Culture Creative.


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22<br />

Tell Us Your Story!<br />

<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> is<br />

always on the<br />

look out for<br />

news stories<br />

from the local<br />

communities we<br />

serve. Are you<br />

raising money<br />

for charity? Are<br />

you a member<br />

of a community<br />

group with<br />

something to<br />

shout about?<br />

Maybe you’ve got an unusual talent, or have a<br />

claim to fame? If so, let us know and you could be<br />

appearing in the next edition!<br />

Simply contact us on editorial@locallife247.co.uk<br />

or call us on 01695 627999<br />

Job Search<br />

If you’re looking for a change of career, then My <strong>Life</strong> in<br />

Standish might just have the opportunity you need.<br />

You can get paid for sharing your skills with the people<br />

they support. The charity is on the lookout for musicians,<br />

gardeners, woodworkers, artists, screen printers,<br />

warehouse operatives, hospitality workers, upcyclers<br />

and more, get in touch and tell them about your skill set.<br />

There are full and part time roles available, and contracts<br />

are available for staff, freelance and flexible roles. A good<br />

rate of pay is being offered along with full training and<br />

development opportunities.<br />

For more information, please call My <strong>Life</strong> on 01942<br />

233422 or email hr@my-life.org.uk<br />

Memory Walk<br />

BeWell <strong>Wigan</strong> will be hosting a memory walk on Sunday,<br />

<strong>October</strong> 10 to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.<br />

Walk for a world without dementia and take the time to<br />

remember the loved ones who are no longer with us.<br />

You can join organisers on a 10-mile walk or a 1-mile<br />

accessible walk, both starting at the Haigh Woodland<br />

Park Visitors Centre. Registration will open at 10.15am<br />

and the walks will begin at 11am, both walks are<br />

signposted and walk leaders will be supporting people<br />

throughout.<br />

Donations can be made by going to www.justgiving.<br />

com/fundraising/MWOYO21-TracyMorris<br />

Boogie Bingo<br />

Eyes down and get your dabbers ready for the ultimate<br />

bingo event on Saturday November 6.<br />

Boogie Bingo, organised by Lisa McAllister from the<br />

Professionals of <strong>Wigan</strong> networking group, will take place<br />

at the DW Stadium from 7pm till late in a bid to raise<br />

much needed funds for <strong>Wigan</strong> and Leigh Hospice.<br />

Beautifully furnished<br />

Stone Cottage<br />

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– sleeps up to 4<br />

Situated near Sedbergh,<br />

in the Yorkshire Dales,<br />

and also within easy<br />

reach of the Lake District<br />

Children & pets welcome<br />

Call 01942 216 058<br />

www.millthropcottage.co.uk<br />

You can look forward to an exciting combination of<br />

fun, a live show, a raffle and a serious game of bingo!<br />

Tickets cost £25 per person, and this includes light bite<br />

refreshments on the night.<br />

For more information or to book your tickets go online to<br />

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


23<br />

Back with a Bang<br />

The Old Courts is back with a bang this autumn, bringing<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong>ers live music, comedy, films, theatre and poetry<br />

events to make up for the past 18 months of living with<br />

COVID.<br />

The 2020 film Supernova, starring Colin Firth and Stanley<br />

Tucci, will be screened on 10.30am on Wednesday 6th<br />

<strong>October</strong>. The pair play Sam and dementia-stricken<br />

Tusker, partners of twenty years who are travelling across<br />

England in their old campervan visiting friends, family<br />

and places from their past.<br />

Court and Spark – The Joni Mitchell Songbook will be<br />

performing at the Old Courts on Friday 8th <strong>October</strong> at<br />

8pm. The act brings together five of the North West’s top<br />

musicians to celebrate the kaleidoscopic musical world<br />

of Joni Mitchell.<br />

Described by Classic Rock magazine as ‘The most<br />

authentic sounding Zep tribute in the UK’, the band<br />

Mothership comes to town on Saturday 9th <strong>October</strong> with<br />

their brand-new stage show celebrating the music of<br />

the greatest rock band in history. You can expect all the<br />

classics, but expect the unexpected, too!<br />

You can come along and celebrate the 50th anniversary<br />

of the children’s’ classic film Charlie and the Chocolate<br />

Factory with a special screening at the Old Courts on<br />

Sunday 10th <strong>October</strong> at 10.30am. This is an adaption of<br />

the Roald Dahl book which tells the story of how a young<br />

boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate<br />

factory in the world, led by the world’s most unusual man.<br />

An award-winning musical comedian whose songs have<br />

been heard on BBC Radio 4 and The One Show, arrives at<br />

the Old Courts on Wednesday 27th <strong>October</strong> at 2.30pm.<br />

Jay Foreman presents ‘Disgusted Rhymes for Revolting<br />

Children’’, a devilishly cheeky hour of songs, poems and<br />

comedy for children of all ages in this family friendly<br />

show.<br />

And on Tuesday 2nd November at 8pm, the writer, poet<br />

and TV Producer Henry Normal performs The Escape<br />

Plan, an evening of pure escape with stories, jokes and<br />

poems.<br />

There’s something for everyone at The Old Courts. For<br />

more details and to buy tickets for these and other shows<br />

this autumn, visit the www.theoldcourts.com.


24<br />

Under<br />

Pressure<br />

It’s responsible for 60% of strokes and half of all heart<br />

attacks, yet most people with high blood pressure<br />

have no idea they are at risk. That’s because high blood<br />

pressure typically has no symptoms. The British Heart<br />

Foundation estimates there are up to 4.8 million people<br />

living with undiagnosed high blood pressure in the UK.<br />

It’s sometimes referred to as a silent killer because most<br />

people don’t know they have it until they get their blood<br />

pressure measured by a healthcare professional.<br />

In good news, there’s now an easy way to get your blood<br />

pressure checked and that’s via your local chemist. Every<br />

NHS pharmacy in England will offer the free checks to<br />

people aged 40 and over as part of a new deal between<br />

pharmacies and the NHS. This will undoubtedly help to<br />

increase detection of undiagnosed hypertension in the<br />

community.<br />

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a level that’s<br />

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

affects one in three adults in the UK. In most cases, it’s<br />

not clear exactly what causes hypertension but there<br />

are factors that can increase your risk of getting it. These<br />

include:<br />

• Being overweight<br />

• Eating too much salt and not eating enough fruit<br />

and vegetables<br />

• Not doing enough exercise<br />

• Drinking too much alcohol or coffee<br />

• Smoking<br />

• Being a poor sleeper<br />

• Being aged 65 and over<br />

• Family history of high blood pressure or heart<br />

disease<br />

• Ethnicity – being of black African or black<br />

Caribbean descent<br />

• Living in a deprived area<br />

In around one in twenty cases, high blood pressure<br />

happens as a result of an underlying health condition or<br />

due to taking a certain medicine. Health conditions that<br />

can lead to high blood pressure include kidney disease,<br />

diabetes, a long-term kidney infection, obstructive<br />

sleep apnoea, lupus and those experiencing hormonal<br />

problems such as an underactive or overactive thyroid.<br />

Medicines that can impact on your blood pressure<br />

include the contraceptive pull, steroids, non-steroidal<br />

anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and<br />

naproxen, some cough and cold remedies and certain<br />

antidepressants such as venlafaxine.<br />

Everyone with high blood pressure is advised to make<br />

healthy lifestyle choices. These include reducing your<br />

salt intake, eating a low-fat balanced diet with plenty<br />

of fruit and vegetables, being active, cutting down on<br />

alcohol, losing weight, drinking less caffeine and quitting<br />

smoking. Medication to control high blood pressure can<br />

also be prescribed in some instances. If you’re under<br />

55, you’ll usually be offered an angiotensin-converting<br />

enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotensin-2 receptor<br />

blocker (ARB). If you’re over 55 or are of African or<br />

Caribbean origin at any age, you’ll usually be offered a<br />

calcium channel blocker.<br />

Speaking about the new high street pharmacy blood


25<br />

about five minutes to complete. Knowing your blood<br />

pressure levels will also mean you can discuss the<br />

risks with a healthcare professional, who will signpost<br />

you to the most effective source of treatment and<br />

onward management of your condition. Prevention<br />

is always better than cure, so it’s important that you<br />

know your numbers and check your blood pressure.”<br />

It’s also possible to have hypotension or low blood<br />

pressure. Having a blood pressure check can help<br />

to diagnose this too. A low blood pressure reading<br />

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

indicate your blood pressure is too low include lightheadedness,<br />

dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, generally<br />

feeling weak, confusion and fainting.<br />

pressure check scheme, the charity’s director of policy and<br />

influencing, John Maringay, added: “This breakthrough<br />

programme will also help with the devastating burden<br />

of backlog of care left by the Covid-19 pandemic, which<br />

could see the number of people waiting for heart care<br />

and diagnosis peak at around 550,385 in January 2024,<br />

according to our latest report.<br />

“Having your blood pressure checked by your local<br />

pharmacist is a simple and quick test that will only take<br />

Our blood pressure can vary depending on what time it is,<br />

as it gradually increases throughout the day. What we’re<br />

doing and how we’re feeling can also affect it. There’s a<br />

number of possible causes of low blood pressure. For<br />

example, it can be low because you’re fit and healthy or you<br />

may have inherited hypotension from your parents. Some<br />

people will also find they naturally develop low blood<br />

pressure as they get older. In addition, being pregnant,<br />

having certain medical conditions such as diabetes and<br />

some medications can cause low blood pressure too.


26<br />

Wellie Walk<br />

Join the team at Windy Arbour Farm in Billinge this<br />

<strong>October</strong> for the returning Hallowe’en ‘Wellie Walk’ event!<br />

Stroll the tracks of Windy Arbour, a farm dating back over<br />

150 years, collecting puzzle answers, meeting special<br />

‘guests’ and looking out for some spooky surprises! Plus<br />

you can choose two pumpkins to take home and carve.<br />

This is a family event so there’s nothing too scary or<br />

dangerous, its perfect for everyone. Simply go to the<br />

website, choose an event day and pick a time slot, it<br />

couldn’t be easier! Refreshments will be available for<br />

purchase back at the farm. This is a ticket-only event and<br />

one ticket entitles you to bring one vehicle on site.<br />

Tickets are now on sale and are priced at £25, including<br />

a premium goodie bag containing special treats,<br />

some local offers, a route map and more. The walk will<br />

take around an hour and is suitable for small children,<br />

however toddlers may need to be carried as the walk is<br />

not suitable for prams or bikes. Well behaved dogs on<br />

short leads are welcome.<br />

For more information or to make a booking please go<br />

online at www.windy-arbour.shop<br />

Halloween Party<br />

There will be some spooky goings on down at the <strong>Wigan</strong><br />

Armed Forces HQ on Saturday, <strong>October</strong> 30!<br />

A Halloween party will take place at the HQ on School<br />

Lane from 1pm-5pm. There will be a disco, games, food<br />

and crafts for all the family to enjoy. There will also be a<br />

prize for the best fancy dress.<br />

Tickets are £3.50 per person or a family ticket costs £15<br />

and can be purchased from HQ reception. For more<br />

information please call 01942 821 293.<br />

Fostering in <strong>Wigan</strong><br />

Do you have a spare bedroom, and time and<br />

commitment? Then why not consider fostering and<br />

change a child or young person’s life. Sunbeam Fostering<br />

urgently need more foster carers to help provide loving<br />

and safe environments for children and young people.<br />

If you are considering fostering or would like some more<br />

information, please contact the recruitment team on<br />

02087 990 930 or visit www.sunbeamfostering.com<br />

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27


28<br />

The Beecham’s<br />

Brush-Off<br />

by Nicola Gray<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong>’s connection to ‘Big Retail’<br />

is well known throughout the<br />

town. Michael Marks of M&S<br />

fame is an ex-Wallgate resident<br />

and opened a Penny Bazaar in<br />

the Market Hall in 1891, before<br />

he launched M&S with business<br />

partner Thomas Spencer in 1894.<br />

Less well-documented is <strong>Wigan</strong>’s<br />

connection with ‘Big Pharma’ fifty<br />

years earlier. Thomas Beecham<br />

made his home in the town and, if<br />

his wife hadn’t miss-sold a remedy<br />

to a child, the town could have<br />

enjoyed the long-term benefits<br />

of being home to Beechams. This<br />

month we look at the Beecham<br />

Bust of Thomas Beecham - courtesy of<br />

GlaxoSmithKline plc<br />

dynasty and their humble<br />

beginnings in the town.<br />

The founder of Beechams,<br />

Thomas Beecham, was born in<br />

Oxfordshire on 3rd December<br />

1820. It seems hard work was<br />

always in his blood, and when he<br />

had to leave school at the age of<br />

8, he started work as a shepherd’s<br />

boy. As fate would have it this is<br />

where he first learned about<br />

herbal medicines, and he quickly<br />

became interested in curing<br />

sick animals and the occasional<br />

person. By his mid-teens he had<br />

established quite a reputation<br />

Men & women in the pill making<br />

section - courtesy of GlaxoSmithKline plc


29<br />

as an herbalist, one who could treat all<br />

types of ailments.<br />

By 1840 he had already developed the<br />

formula for his own brand of laxative<br />

pills but was still working as a postman<br />

and gardener. In 1847 Thomas made<br />

his way North to Liverpool where<br />

he met and married Jane Evans, a<br />

Welsh woman who was eight years<br />

his senior. They did appear to have<br />

a lot in common and hit it off when<br />

Beecham discovered that Jane was<br />

the maid to a chemist. It was soon<br />

after he decided to set up in business<br />

selling his herbal remedies but at<br />

the time Liverpool was deemed too<br />

poor and the couple moved to <strong>Wigan</strong>.<br />

Towards the end of 1847 the newlyweds rented a room in a<br />

slum on Wallgate and sold their wares, gradually building<br />

up custom through family and friends, later moving onto<br />

local market stalls. Thomas regularly referred to himself<br />

as ‘Dr Beecham’ much to the displeasure of the qualified<br />

professionals in the town.<br />

The Beechams welcomed their first child, Thomas on 8th<br />

June 1848, followed by daughter Sarah two years later.<br />

The family was going up in the world and thanks to a great<br />

few years in business they moved to a house on Hallgate<br />

and again to a much bigger property on Standishgate.<br />

Beecham, ever the entrepreneur, wasn’t satisfied with the<br />

market stalls and he opened his first shop at 120 Wallgate<br />

in 1858, where they sold groceries, pills and medicines.<br />

The Beecham’s services were very popular in the town,<br />

in part down to the belief held by Thomas that his pills<br />

could cure any ailment. The couple continued to sell<br />

their homemade laxatives at local markets and in the<br />

shop, with an unrivalled sales patter that included a jar of<br />

intestinal worms as a visual aid.<br />

By 1858 the couple now had four children; two boys and<br />

two girls, life was running smoothly until the unthinkable<br />

happened and rumour has it that Jane, who was known<br />

to be illiterate, dispensed a mislabelled bottle containing<br />

opium to a customer. The contents of the bottle had the<br />

potential to be fatal for children and tragedy struck when<br />

a local boy was given a spoonful of the opium by his<br />

mother, believing it to be his regular medicine. As a result,<br />

the young boy died from convulsions, and the coroner<br />

returned a verdict of accidental death.<br />

Although the Beechams were cleared of any charges,<br />

Advertisement for Beechams Lung Syrup - courtesy of GlaxoSmithKline plc<br />

public feeling and tightening legislation throughout<br />

the country made it impossible for Thomas to continue<br />

trading in <strong>Wigan</strong>. The locals weren’t forgiving, and the<br />

couple had no choice but to sell up and move out of the<br />

town, it isn’t clear why but Thomas put the shop along<br />

with all its contents up for auction and in 1860 they set up<br />

home in St Helens - the rest, as they say is history.<br />

And history is exactly what Thomas made; he continued<br />

to produce his pills at home, and it is around this time<br />

the famous ‘guinea’ Beecham slogan was born, when a<br />

customer approached Thomas at his market stall to tell<br />

him that his pills had done her the world of good and<br />

were indeed ‘worth a guinea a box’.<br />

Thomas was a great believer in the power of advertising,<br />

and records show that by 1890 his new factory was<br />

making one million pills a day and spending upwards of<br />

£100,000 a year on advertising; a massive £12 million in<br />

today’s money; and at the turn of the century, he was the<br />

largest advertiser in the country.<br />

Going back, 1863 was a momentous year for the Beechams<br />

in more ways than one; Jane and Thomas separated, and<br />

their son Joseph had joined the family enterprise. Joseph<br />

was responsible for ramping up the advertising and was<br />

publishing full-page adverts in newspapers, plastering<br />

posters on billboards, popular songs were given out as<br />

sheet music and educational pamphlets were delivered<br />

to schoolchildren to help with times tables, to really drive<br />

home the Beecham name.<br />

In 1876, Thomas started to take a less active role in the<br />

business; after the death of Jane in 1872, he remarried in<br />

1873 to Sarah Pemberton and got married again to Mary


30<br />

Sewell in 1979. Thomas moved away to Buckinghamshire<br />

with Mary and left the business, but it wasn’t long before<br />

he moved back to the North and resumed his business<br />

duties.<br />

By 1894 Thomas had left his wife and had moved to<br />

Southport, within three years he had fully retired and in<br />

1889 Thomas gave Joseph a half share in the business. He<br />

died at his home in Southport on 6th April 1907 at the age<br />

of 86 and is buried in St Helens Cemetery, Windle.<br />

Joseph continued to run the family business and he<br />

died in <strong>October</strong> 1916 having outlived his father Thomas<br />

by a mere 10 years. After Joseph’s death, the firm was<br />

managed by executors and in 1924 the firm was sold to<br />

entrepreneur Philip Hill.<br />

The Beechams products continued to expand both at<br />

home and overseas and under Philip’s leadership the<br />

business began to buy up other companies acquiring<br />

products and brands such as Lucozade, Macleans and<br />

Brylcreem. Philip took the company forward by improving<br />

their research and development by building a laboratory<br />

in Surrey and the company was named Beecham Group<br />

Ltd.<br />

Notoriety was never far away where Beechams was<br />

concerned and they hit the headlines again in 1959<br />

when their scientists discovered a new penicillin nucleus,<br />

allowing them to focus on pharmaceutical development<br />

and go on to sell antibiotics worldwide to treat a wide<br />

range of bacterial infections.<br />

In 1989 the Beecham Group and SmithKline Beckman<br />

merged to form SmithKline Beecham and in 2000<br />

they merged again to form what we now know as<br />

GlaxoSmithKline. So embedded is the Beecham brand,<br />

that GSK still uses its name for their over-the-counter cold<br />

and flu products.<br />

Key Beecham Dates:<br />

1840 Thomas Beecham developed the formula for his herbal laxatives<br />

1842 Thomas Beecham went into business with Beecham’s Pills.<br />

Thomas became a travelling salesman, offering his pills in<br />

different parts of the country.<br />

1847 The Beechams moved to <strong>Wigan</strong><br />

1858 Beecham open his first chemist on Wallgate, <strong>Wigan</strong>.<br />

1860 The Beechams were forced out of <strong>Wigan</strong> and moved to St Helens<br />

1876 Beechams opened its first factory in St. Helens – the factory was<br />

the first to be opened solely to produce medicines.<br />

1875 Beecham was exporting his remedies to Africa and Australia.<br />

1907 Thomas Beecham died, and his sons Joseph and William took<br />

over the running of the business.<br />

1924 The business was sold to Philip Hill<br />

1926 Beecham’s Flu Powders were launched.<br />

Westfield Street looking towards the Beecham’s<br />

Factory - courtesy of St Helens Archive Service<br />

1944 The company was renamed Beecham Group Ltd.<br />

1957 Company scientists discovered the penicillin nucleus 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA).<br />

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

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

business.<br />

1989 The Beecham Group plc and SmithKline Beckman merged to form SmithKline Beecham plc.<br />

1998 Production of “Beecham’s Pills” ceased.<br />

2001 SmithKline Beecham and Glaxo Wellcome merged to form GlaxoSmithKline.<br />

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

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<br />

It’s Coming Home<br />

Council bosses have approved plans for football hubs at<br />

two locations – William Foster playing fields in Ince and<br />

Laithwaite Park in <strong>Wigan</strong> - as part of a national initiative<br />

led by the Football Foundation.<br />

There will be five full-size floodlit third generation (3G)<br />

pitches across the two sites along with changing rooms<br />

and community facilities.<br />

Councillor Nazia Rehman, cabinet member for resources,<br />

finance and transformation, said: “Providing facilities like<br />

these will have a significant health and wellbeing impact<br />

in our communities and making sport available to all is an<br />

important part of the Deal 2030.”<br />

Cabinet members voted in favour of the schemes at a<br />

meeting earlier this month, meaning the council and the<br />

Football Foundation will share the development costs.<br />

Works are expected to start next month with a provisional<br />

opening date of September 2022.<br />

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football<br />

Foundation, said: “Funding from the Premier League,<br />

The FA and the Government, through Sport England, has<br />

played a vital role in making this project a reality”.<br />

The hubs will be managed on a charitable basis by a new<br />

national football trust, with council representation at a<br />

local level.


34<br />

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35<br />

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36


37


38<br />

Schools<br />

and the<br />

Pandemic<br />

The pandemic has been incredibly challenging for the<br />

education sector. There was no blueprint for schools to<br />

follow, no guide telling head teachers how to provide<br />

remote learning. Some schools were at a digital<br />

disadvantage, unable to deliver lessons to pupils remotely,<br />

either because the school did not have the resources, or<br />

because pupils did not have the right devices or reliable<br />

internet access.<br />

Those schools that were able to deliver remote learning<br />

successfully still faced challenges. Laura Castree, a<br />

secondary school teacher, told us, “A huge part of teaching<br />

is deciphering what your pupil needs and planning<br />

accordingly; this became incredibly difficult when<br />

teaching remotely, and we had to overhaul resources,<br />

teaching styles and priorities practically overnight.”<br />

Many children fell behind with their schoolwork during<br />

the lockdowns. When pupils returned to school, teachers<br />

were then faced with classrooms of children all at different<br />

stages of their learning. Disadvantaged children fell even<br />

further behind their peers.<br />

Even more worrying was the effect of the pandemic on<br />

children’s mental health. When surveyed, most schools<br />

said that some of their pupils were suffering from Covidrelated<br />

anxiety. OFSTED found that some children had<br />

lost physical fitness, others showed signs of mental<br />

distress, and there was an increase in eating disorders<br />

and self-harm.<br />

It hasn’t just been pupils who have struggled with<br />

mental health. The pandemic came on the back of years<br />

of per-pupil spending cuts, increased class sizes and<br />

numerous curriculum changes, so thousands of teachers<br />

were already suffering from work-related stress. A 2019<br />

survey by the teachers’ union NASUWT found that 70% of<br />

teachers felt their job had adversely affected their mental<br />

health. By September 2020, more than half of teachers<br />

said that their mental health had declined further. By April


39<br />

<strong>2021</strong>, 43% of teachers were experiencing<br />

all four of the main symptoms of burnout.<br />

It’s hardly surprising that teachers<br />

struggled, considering the additional<br />

pressures they were under. Geoff Barton,<br />

General Secretary of the Association of<br />

School and College Leaders, commented,<br />

“Our teachers have had to rapidly adapt<br />

to changing circumstances on many<br />

occasions. They have: rapidly become<br />

experts in delivering remote learning; run<br />

on-site provision for the children of key<br />

workers and vulnerable children during<br />

lockdowns; managed complex Covid safety<br />

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recently, taken responsibility for assessing<br />

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It may take years before we understand the long-term<br />

effects of the pandemic on children. However, there is a<br />

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As Laura Castree explains, “It has been apparent that<br />

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but it was wonderful to see them back in the classroom,<br />

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Monday 6th December <strong>2021</strong> 4-5:30pm<br />

Monday 17th January 2022 4-5:30pm<br />

Monday 7th February 2022 4-5:30pm<br />

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

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


40<br />

Limited number of places available in all year groups –<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong> & Lancashire families are welcome to apply.<br />

Ofsted 2017:<br />

‘This school continues to be good.’<br />

‘The curriculum provides a genuinely enriching experience for all<br />

pupils.’<br />

SIAMS 2017:<br />

‘The distinctiveness and effectiveness of Appley Bridge All Saints<br />

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Parent Quote:<br />

‘A positive environment for children to learn. Led by approachable<br />

and experienced staff.’<br />

Attainment in reading, writing and maths is consistently higher than the<br />

national average at both the expected and the higher standard.<br />

For a tour of school during<br />

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please call on<br />

01257 252647<br />

Email enquiries to:<br />

bursar@appleybridgeallsaints.lancs.sch.uk<br />

Visit our website at:<br />

www.appleybridgeallsaints.lancs.sch.uk<br />

Follow us on Twitter:<br />

@AppleySaintsCE<br />

Appley Bridge All Saints’ CE Primary School<br />

Finch Lane, Appley Bridge, WN6 9DT<br />

Telephone: 01257 252 647<br />

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41


42 ADVERTISEMENT<br />

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43<br />

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44<br />

Indonesian Chicken<br />

with Buckwheat Noodles<br />

Serves 2<br />

Prep time: 15 minutes<br />

Marinate: at least 1 hour<br />

Cook time: 18 minutes<br />

Ingredients<br />

1 lemongrass stalk, chopped<br />

Handful of coriander leaves<br />

1 small onion, chopped<br />

2 garlic cloves, crushed<br />

2 cm piece of root ginger, grated<br />

1 tbsp coconut sugar or honey<br />

1 tbsp tamari soy sauce<br />

1 tbsp fish sauce<br />

½ tsp turmeric<br />

1 tsp garam masala<br />

400ml coconut milk<br />

Salt and pepper<br />

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or<br />

2 chicken breasts, cut into large chunks<br />

1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil<br />

1 red chilli, deseeded and diced<br />

1 bunch of pak choi cut into strips<br />

100g mangetout<br />

4 shitake mushrooms, sliced<br />

60g cooked buckwheat noodles or rice<br />

noodles<br />

Handful of bean sprouts<br />

2 spring onions, chopped<br />

A hearty meal in a bowl, lightly spiced and packed with nutrient-rich<br />

vegetables. This dish contains a wealth of anti-inflammatory ingredients,<br />

including ginger, garlic and turmeric together with immune-supporting<br />

shitake mushrooms and coconut. Buckwheat noodles, also called soba,<br />

are a nutritious staple in Asian dishes.<br />

Method<br />

1. Place the lemongrass, coriander, onion, garlic, ginger, coconut sugar<br />

(or honey), tamari soy sauce, fish sauce, turmeric, garam masala and<br />

coconut milk in a blender and process until smooth. Pour over the<br />

chicken. Season with a little salt and pepper. Marinate for at least one<br />

hour.<br />

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

reserve the marinade and stir fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes. Add the<br />

chilli, pak choi, mangetout and mushrooms and cook for a further<br />

minute. Add the marinade and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the<br />

chicken is cooked. Toss in the noodles. Sprinkle over the bean sprouts<br />

and spring onions to serve.<br />

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

which sugars 24.1g), protein 32.3g.


Roast Beef Fillet<br />

with Roasted Garlic,<br />

Tomato and Herb Sauce<br />

45<br />

Serves 4<br />

Prep time: 15 minutes<br />

Marinate: 2-3 hours or overnight<br />

Cook time: 65 minutes<br />

Succulent beef served with a delicious rich<br />

and tangy garlic and herb sauce makes a<br />

sensational feast. Any leftover meat can be<br />

served cold with salad the following day.<br />

Ingredients<br />

500g beef fillet (one piece)<br />

1 tbsp oil, for searing<br />

Marinade<br />

1 tsp ground cumin<br />

1 tbsp oil<br />

2 garlic cloves, crushed<br />

Herb Sauce<br />

1 bulb garlic<br />

1 tbsp olive oil and a little for drizzling<br />

1 shallot, diced<br />

250g cherry tomatoes, halved<br />

4 anchovy fillets<br />

1 tsp caster sugar<br />

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar<br />

25g sultanas<br />

1 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed<br />

50g blanched almonds<br />

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />

100ml passata<br />

Sea salt and black pepper to taste<br />

Small bunch of parsley, chopped<br />

Small bunch basil, leaves picked, to garnish<br />

Bag of baby spinach leaves, to serve<br />

Method<br />

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together and rub all over the fillet.<br />

Leave to marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight.<br />

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

3. Slice off the top quarter of the garlic bulb. Put the bulb on a piece of<br />

foil, drizzle over a little oil and season. Wrap up in the foil and roast<br />

for 40 minutes. Cool slightly then squeeze out the garlic bulb into a<br />

food processor.<br />

4. For the sauce, heat the oil and sauté the shallot, tomatoes, anchovy<br />

fillets with the caster sugar and vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes. Add to<br />

the food processor with the remaining sauce ingredients except the<br />

herbs and blend to form a thick sauce. Add a little water, if needed,<br />

to thin the sauce slightly. Place in a pan and add the parsley.<br />

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

6. Remove the beef from the marinade. Heat the oil in a heavy based<br />

frying pan and sear the beef on all sides. Place in an ovenproof<br />

roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes until cooked through. Allow to<br />

rest for 10 minutes before carving.<br />

7. Heat the sauce and spoon over the beef to serve. Accompany with<br />

spinach and basil leaves.<br />

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

which sugars 8.6g), protein 31.3g.


46<br />

Best Home for your Money?<br />

In the UK, private renting is fast becoming the norm. The<br />

rental sector has more than doubled since the dawn of the<br />

new millennia, rising from 2.03 million to a massive 4.44<br />

million privately rented households in the UK in 2020.<br />

And this trend is predicted to continue, with a further 1.8<br />

million households becoming private renters by 2025.<br />

So with ‘Generation Rent’ on the rise, is it time you gave<br />

serious thought to becoming a landlord?<br />

Investing in property can be a great way to make the<br />

most of any money you have to invest. Granted, it’s best<br />

if you’re prepared to invest over a long period of time,<br />

but as you can see from the table below, owning a rental<br />

property can be a fantastic home for your money.<br />

The table illustrates the increase in value of a 2 bedroomed<br />

terraced house in the <strong>Wigan</strong> Borough area over a twentyyear<br />

period from 2001-<strong>2021</strong>.<br />

House Value – 2 Bed Terraced - <strong>Wigan</strong><br />

£130,000<br />

£127,080<br />

£120,000<br />

£100,000<br />

£90,000<br />

£93,852<br />

£96,334<br />

£80,000<br />

£81,890<br />

£70,000<br />

£60,000<br />

£50,000<br />

£40,000<br />

£36,394<br />

£30,000<br />

July 2001 July 2006 July 2011 July 2016 July <strong>2021</strong><br />

https://landregistry.data.gov.uk/<br />

So, why is right<br />

now a great<br />

time to get<br />

into property?<br />

High Demand<br />

According to<br />

Propertymark,<br />

a respected<br />

estate agent<br />

industry organisation, the latest stats from May <strong>2021</strong><br />

showed that numbers of prospective tenants continue<br />

to increase. The average number of tenants per Letting<br />

Agent has jumped from 82 up to 97. In 2020, the highest<br />

average number in May was 70.<br />

Lower Supply<br />

The average number of properties managed by each<br />

letting agency branch for this year was at 203 in May. The<br />

year before, it was 208. This seems like a small reduction<br />

per branch but that’s an average and multiplied across<br />

the whole of the UK, it has a significant impact.<br />

Where demand is high and supply is low, there’s only one<br />

direction that rental prices will go and that’s upwards.<br />

Mark Hayward, the Chief Policy Adviser for Propertymark,<br />

said: “Yet again, we continue to see incredible demand<br />

from home seekers. There has been a record-breaking<br />

number of people registered per branch for the month<br />

of May. This demonstrates the continuation of a booming<br />

rental market”.<br />

If you’ve accrued savings during the past year or so, or<br />

you want to move your money into property but are<br />

not sure where to begin, please give me a call for a free,<br />

no-obligation chat about how to take the first step in<br />

developing a property portfolio.<br />

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

worked within the <strong>Wigan</strong> property market for over 30 years.<br />

Alan Batt<br />

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

www.alanbatt.co.uk


Give me<br />

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And I will give you<br />

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48<br />

Artisan Market<br />

Apple Cast in Newburgh will be holding an artisan market<br />

this weekend, Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th <strong>October</strong> from<br />

10am-4pm.<br />

As well as over 20 stalls selling a variety of hand-crafted<br />

products and gifts, you can also look forward to getting<br />

up close to the resident birds of prey. The bravest amongst<br />

the visitors will have a chance to handle the birds and<br />

purchase framed photographs of your experience.<br />

Making an appearance on both days will be Jasper, a<br />

Malaysian wood owl, Burdock, an African spotted eagle<br />

owl and Gizmo, an Indian scops owl. There is no need<br />

to book, just simply turn up on either day, but for more<br />

information please contact Apple Cast on 01257 463012.<br />

Crowdfunder for Church<br />

All Saints Church in Appley Bridge has launched a<br />

crowdfunding page to help repair the church car park.<br />

The car park needs to be resurfaced, and there is a<br />

shortfall in funds available to carry out the work. The<br />

target is to raise £4,000 which will be matched by the<br />

Diocese of Blackburn.<br />

Whilst maintenance is primarily the responsibility of the<br />

church, the car park is made freely available to the local<br />

community, including the school. Any support towards<br />

the fund would be greatly appreciated, and if you would<br />

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

crowdfunding/allsaints-cofe<br />

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49<br />

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50<br />

Standisher up for Award<br />

Alex Winstanley, a social<br />

entrepreneur from Artisan<br />

Close in Standish, has<br />

been shortlisted for the<br />

Entrepreneur for Good<br />

Award category in the<br />

Regional Finals of the Great<br />

British Entrepreneur Awards.<br />

Alex has been recognised<br />

for the positive impact that<br />

his not-for-profit social<br />

enterprise, Happy Smiles Training CIC, and his bestselling<br />

children’s books has had on communities.<br />

Founded in 2013, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards<br />

acknowledges the hard work and inspiring stories of<br />

entrepreneurs and businesses in the UK. Previous winners<br />

include the founders of Grenade, Tangle Teezer, The LAD<br />

Bible, Clearscore & The Cambridge Satchel Company.<br />

Happy Smiles Training CIC was inspired by Alex’s<br />

experiences as a teacher and carer, where he grew tired<br />

of seeing disabled people he knew being undervalued<br />

and stigmatised. Alongside one of the young men he<br />

supported outside of his teaching role, Alex developed a<br />

team of Inclusion Champions, all disabled young adults,<br />

to deliver diversity and inclusion training to schools,<br />

community groups, businesses and more.<br />

On top of this, Alex has written a series of children’s books<br />

about a range of long-term health conditions, with his<br />

first book, ‘My Grandma Has Dementia’, recently winning<br />

©<strong>Wigan</strong> Council<br />

Leaflet Distribution<br />

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Your leaflets delivered alongside this magazine<br />

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Flexible service for all businesses, large and small<br />

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Call or email us for a Leaflet Coverage List<br />

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a Dementia Hero Award. The<br />

books are informed by real<br />

people and experiences,<br />

written in rhyme and use<br />

engaging illustrations by<br />

Adam Walker-Parker, to open<br />

up conversations about<br />

topics such as depression,<br />

cancer and cerebral palsy.<br />

Alex said: “It is an<br />

unbelievable honour to have<br />

our work recognised on such a scale. It is a dream come<br />

true – for people to value the important work that we are<br />

doing in empowering people with a platform to use their<br />

experiences in order to create positive social change.<br />

Hopefully this recognition will help us to increase the<br />

impact that we can have!”<br />

Founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards,<br />

Francesca James, said: “We have seen some incredible<br />

finalists over the years, and this year is no exception. It<br />

really is one of the strongest shortlists we’ve ever had,<br />

and the fact that so many exceptional people have<br />

applied during such a tough year is a testament to the<br />

resolve and entrepreneurial talent that exists across the<br />

UK.”<br />

For more information about Happy Smiles Training<br />

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co.uk or through Facebook (@happysmilestrainingcic @<br />

alexwinstanleyauthor)<br />

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51<br />

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52<br />

Hole in One for Houghwood<br />

Houghwood Golf in Crank has achieved the SafeGolf club<br />

accreditation from England Golf.<br />

The 18-hole course has just received the SafeGolf<br />

accreditation, demonstrating the club’s commitment<br />

to safeguarding children and young people, as well as<br />

adults in risk in the sport of golf.<br />

The Ladies Section at Houghwood led by Lady Captain,<br />

Dee Griffiths, and Charter Champion, Ali Starrett, have<br />

recently initiated a successful drive to introduce new lady<br />

members and girls to the game and the club.<br />

Tony Mather, Welfare Officer at Houghwood said,<br />

“Houghwood is a great club, it’s very friendly, welcoming<br />

and forward-thinking. This award helps us to spread that<br />

message and to tell people that children are safe and<br />

secure here and that we understand about beginner<br />

golfers.”<br />

The SafeGolf partnership consists of members from the<br />

golfing bodies across Great Britain & Ireland and has<br />

been established to help golf respond to the issue of<br />

child protection in sport.<br />

Anyone with a concern about the welfare of a player, or<br />

the behaviour or practice of a coach, volunteer, organiser,<br />

parent or a player, can contact the lead safeguarding<br />

officer at their national governing body by going online<br />

at www.safegolf.org.<br />

Transform<br />

your old<br />

flight into an<br />

elegant sight!<br />

With Transform Staircases<br />

Celebrating 25 years<br />

in the Staircase Industry<br />

With a staircase refurbishment by Transform we can create<br />

a whole new look to your home, bringing a contemporary<br />

modern feel with a more open and light appearance.<br />

The choice is yours!<br />

Visit us in our<br />

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126 Frog Lane<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong><br />

WN6 7DS<br />

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Telephone Bernard: 01942 323980<br />

Mobile: 07947 413246<br />

Email: bernard@transformstaircases.co.uk<br />

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


53<br />

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54<br />

A rug for<br />

every room<br />

It’s quick and easy to add softness<br />

underfoot while introducing a stylish<br />

element of colour and pattern.<br />

Add bohemian style<br />

to your living room,<br />

dining room or bedroom<br />

with this hand-tufted,<br />

unusual wool/cotton<br />

rug.<br />

Dutchbone round pix<br />

rug with tassels, £389,<br />

Cuckooland.<br />

Get cosy with a<br />

cream, textural rug<br />

that’s perfect for<br />

enjoying a fireside<br />

mug of hot chocolate<br />

while wrapped in a<br />

blanket.<br />

Teddy rug, £395, Loaf.<br />

Spark a little one’s<br />

imagination with a softer<br />

take on the popular<br />

rainbow motif, complete<br />

with boho tassels.<br />

Earth Rainbow rug with<br />

tassels, £13, Sass & Belle.<br />

Tap into the trend for<br />

geometric statement<br />

rugs with this<br />

fashionable pure wool<br />

rug, available in three<br />

colours and two sizes.<br />

Hackney handwoven<br />

rug, wool/cotton blend,<br />

Yellow Diamond, £159,<br />

Cult Furniture.<br />

Handwoven by Berbers in the Atlas Mountains, this soft and luxurious<br />

rug is fully customisable to create your dream design.<br />

Lozenge rug, jet black on natural wool, £899, Cosy Coco.<br />

The Lowdown on Rugs<br />

• Rugs look beautiful on wooden, stone and tiled<br />

floors (always use an underlay to keep them safely<br />

in place) and add welcome softness. Texture is<br />

important, in terms of both material and weave –<br />

piled wool or flat-woven cotton (which is thinner<br />

but more easily put through the washing machine),<br />

or perhaps nubby jute or sisal, tougher on the toes,<br />

but durable and with a certain rugged charm.<br />

• Gone are the days of choosing between only<br />

rectangular or circular rugs. These days, anything<br />

goes, from oval to rainbow-shaped and even<br />

irregular outlines. Tufted rugs, too, play with<br />

different heights of pile to introduce an intriguing<br />

textural element.<br />

• Add extra interest with some boho tassels (very<br />

on trend) or a more restrained finishing edge.<br />

This works well with a neutral rug that picks up a<br />

contrast border colour from elsewhere in the room.<br />

• Don’t make the mistake of buying a rug that is too<br />

small for a room. In general, it is best to go as big as<br />

possible, so that all the furniture (or at least its front<br />

legs) can sit on the rug.<br />

• For global glamour, look no further than a rug.<br />

From Indian dhurries and Greek flokatis to Middle<br />

Eastern kilims and French Aubussons, they each<br />

provide wonderful style, colour, pattern and texture.


55<br />

Spooktacular deals<br />

now on at Jorgus Carpets!<br />

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Visit Jorgus Carpet Factory Shop for a genuine Factory Shop Price at :<br />

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


56<br />

Students Celebrate<br />

Students and staff at <strong>Wigan</strong> & Leigh College celebrated<br />

an outstanding 100% pass rate in A Levels this year with<br />

51% achieving the coveted A*-A grade.<br />

Combined with an excellent 99% pass rate in vocational<br />

courses (BTECs) students secured the very best places<br />

at university, or the most competitive apprenticeship<br />

vacancies.<br />

During the second year of assessments being adapted<br />

because of COVID 19, students excelled with the<br />

opportunity to raise their grades in a variety of ways.<br />

Unlike last year, they were able to attend College in person<br />

to collect their results and celebrate their achievements<br />

with friends and teachers.<br />

A Level student Rebecca Duffy achieved an A* in<br />

Psychology, A in Sociology and A in Biology. The former<br />

Ladybridge High School pupil is off to The University<br />

of Manchester to study Cognitive Neuroscience and<br />

Psychology.<br />

Rebecca said, “I’m really excited, I wasn’t expecting to do<br />

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

been really good, all the tutors are super willing to talk to<br />

you about university opportunities and give advice.”<br />

There was more success for BTEC Level 3 Health & Social<br />

Care student Bethany Neafcy who achieved the highest<br />

grade of Distinction Star.<br />

The former Standish Community High School pupil is<br />

planning for a career as a radiographer and has accepted<br />

a place at University of Liverpool to study Therapeutic<br />

Radiography and Oncology.<br />

Bethany said, “I worked very hard, and our tutors were<br />

amazing. I couldn’t be happier with my results – I’m over<br />

the moon!”<br />

Principal, Anna Dawe, added, “The class of <strong>2021</strong> have<br />

studied their A levels and BTECs in the most difficult and<br />

testing of circumstances. They have been without doubt<br />

exceptional, showing great resilience, working hard<br />

and remaining focused on their career aspirations and<br />

next steps. We are immensely proud of them and their<br />

teachers.”


57<br />

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58


59


60<br />

E NEO3C Electric Stove:<br />

£1,135, www.acrstoves.com<br />

Fan the Flames<br />

Even though 95% of UK homes are<br />

centrally-heated and a fire isn’t necessary,<br />

there is something mesmerising and cosy<br />

about a flickering flame.<br />

Deco Fireplace: £1,395, www.haddonstone.com<br />

An open fire or a wood burner will give the best aesthetic,<br />

but both options come with a number of downsides:<br />

wood-burning is the single biggest source of smallparticle<br />

air pollution in the UK, you need to store wood<br />

and coal, there’s the mess and you will need to do a<br />

certain amount of maintenance e.g. chimney sweeping.<br />

Modern technology to the rescue then!<br />

Traditional<br />

If you have a fireplace and chimney breast, the fire<br />

surround is going to be an important feature in your<br />

room. This should reflect the style of your house, with<br />

Victorian and Georgian styles best suited to homes from<br />

that period, and less fussy contemporary styles better in<br />

more recently built homes.<br />

There are many homes with chimneys in the UK so the<br />

corresponding large number of fireplace buyers means<br />

there’s a plethora of options. You can certainly gain<br />

inspiration from looking at choices on the internet, but<br />

for such a prominent feature in your living room, a visit to<br />

a fireplace retailer is a must.<br />

For the fire itself, both gas and electric options are<br />

available to replicate the real fire look and many are<br />

incredibly realistic, with some even making crackling<br />

sounds and emitting steam to replicate smoke.<br />

Modern<br />

The beauty of modern electric fires is that you don’t have<br />

to have a chimney at all. They don’t create any emissions<br />

and therefore do not need to be vented like gas and<br />

wood fireplaces.<br />

These modern designs aren’t intended to pass for a real<br />

fire at all and many are sleek and minimalist. It’ll be very<br />

obvious that you haven’t been piling up logs and coal, but<br />

you will still have a similar ambience and they are very<br />

effective. Particularly in well-insulated modern homes, a<br />

real fire can overheat the room and it’s only the flame that<br />

you want.<br />

A further benefit has to be the safety aspect. If the flame is<br />

just an effect and isn’t emitting significant heat, there are<br />

no concerns about young children touching the fire or a<br />

spark setting the carpet alight.


Luxury Home Media Cabinet & Display:<br />

www.brayerdesign.co.uk<br />

61<br />

Look, No Walls<br />

One further idea is to move your fire<br />

away from the wall completely. With a<br />

bioethanol option you won’t need an<br />

electric connection, so you can have<br />

flames on your coffee table or in a corner of<br />

the garden, and even have more than one.<br />

Media Walls<br />

Mix 850 Bioethanol Fire Pit: £,1495, www.limelace.co.uk<br />

Media walls are very ‘on-trend’. This is where you have<br />

a television and speakers installed above an electric<br />

fire. One advantage of this design is that you will just<br />

have one focal point in the room. If you are very costconscious<br />

you can buy predesigned media walls, but<br />

if you have one built for your room you will then have<br />

complete freedom in the size of TV and style of fire<br />

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62<br />

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Daniel has over 18 years of carpentry experience,<br />

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Funky Timber, Unit 17b, Wharton St, St Helens, WA9 5AA<br />

www.funkytimber.co.uk<br />

10% off<br />

Quote: local10<br />

Valid until<br />

30th November <strong>2021</strong>


Look<br />

Back<br />

in Time<br />

125<br />

YEARS<br />

The first non-stop trans-Pacific flight took<br />

place. American aviator Clyde Pangborne<br />

and co-pilot Hugh Herndon, Jr. flew from<br />

Japan to Washington, USA in 41 hours.<br />

65<br />

YEARS<br />

The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896<br />

came into effect in the UK. It raised the<br />

speed limit for motor vehicles from 4mph<br />

to 14mph.<br />

Remembrance poppies were sold for<br />

the first time to commemorate military<br />

personnel who died in the war. In the UK<br />

they are sold by the Royal British Legion to<br />

raise funds for current and former members<br />

of the British Armed Forces. Around 30 million<br />

are sold each year.<br />

90<br />

YEARS<br />

70<br />

YEARS<br />

Winston Churchill<br />

became British<br />

prime minister for the<br />

second time.<br />

Premium Bonds went on sale in the<br />

UK, with the first one being sold to<br />

the Lord Mayor of London. They were<br />

designed to encourage people to<br />

save and offered cash prizes instead<br />

of interest. As of early <strong>2021</strong> there were around 107.75<br />

billion bonds held, each worth £1.<br />

50<br />

YEARS<br />

A man using the alias Dan Cooper hijacked<br />

a plane flying between Portland, Oregon<br />

and Seattle, Washington, USA. After<br />

extorting a $200,000 ransom he parachuted<br />

from the plane. He has never been located<br />

or formally identified.<br />

Project Gutenberg was founded. The volunteer organisation<br />

digitises out-of-print books and makes<br />

them available to the public at little<br />

or no cost.<br />

The Montreux Casino in Switzerland<br />

was destroyed by fire when a fan set<br />

off a flare gun during a concert by<br />

Frank Zappa. The band Deep Purple – who<br />

were there at the time – wrote ‘Smoke<br />

on the Water’ based on this incident.<br />

25<br />

YEARS<br />

20<br />

YEARS<br />

The first Tamagotchi<br />

handheld virtual pets<br />

were released by<br />

Bandai in Japan and six<br />

months later in Europe.<br />

General Motors released the EV1 electric<br />

car. It was the first modern electric car<br />

from a major manufacturer. 1,117<br />

cars were produced but production<br />

ceased in 1999 and the majority of<br />

them were taken back and crushed.<br />

This means the car is now one of the<br />

rarest in the world.<br />

Apple released the first iPod. A<br />

combination of long battery life<br />

(approximately ten hours), small form<br />

factor, excellent<br />

design and good marketing meant<br />

that within three years Apple had<br />

70% of the portable media market in<br />

the US, despite the iPod’s hefty initial<br />

price tag of $399.<br />

10<br />

YEARS<br />

63<br />

Death of Steve Jobs (56 years old),<br />

co-founder of Apple Inc.


64<br />

Bouncing Back<br />

<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> recently caught up with David<br />

Barton, Chief Executive Officer of Prosper<br />

Wealth Management in Standish to ask<br />

him about how the Covid pandemic<br />

affected his business.<br />

David, talk us through those first<br />

few weeks when Covid hit;<br />

“We secured new investment to grow<br />

the business in January 2020, and<br />

within a few weeks of that happening,<br />

we were forced to close the doors and<br />

rethink our working practices.<br />

“Despite the early challenges from<br />

a tech perspective of engaging with<br />

new and existing clients via Zoom etc, and setting our<br />

staff up to work from home, we did manage to operate<br />

reasonably efficiently, and everyone did a fantastic job of<br />

adapting to the challenges”.<br />

And how has it changed since restrictions have<br />

eased?<br />

“It’s been great welcoming staff and customers back<br />

through the doors, and I can honestly say that it’s been<br />

a real tonic hearing laughter and general office banter<br />

around the place.<br />

“There are customers who are still shielding and others<br />

who are understandably nervous about being out<br />

and about, so it’s handy that many people have now<br />

experienced communicating via Zoom etc, because we<br />

can offer video conferencing and a telephone service for<br />

those clients”.<br />

“I was delighted when David agreed<br />

to join us - his skill set will be hugely<br />

beneficial to the team and will enable<br />

us to broaden our advisory capacity”<br />

How has the pandemic affected<br />

your plans to expand Prosper<br />

Wealth Management?<br />

“As you can imagine, talking with<br />

business owners has been difficult over<br />

the past 16 months or so, but despite<br />

that, we have recently completed<br />

the purchase of another North-West<br />

based wealth management business<br />

which will be integrated into the<br />

Prosper Wealth Management Group, bringing our total<br />

funds under management to just over £435 million.<br />

“We are currently talking to other IFA’s, and I would<br />

anticipate that our growth will accelerate towards our<br />

objectives of achieving £1 billion under management<br />

within the next three years as restrictions continue to lift”.<br />

And finally, what are your wishes for the coming 12<br />

months?<br />

“My real hope is that everyone can start to live their lives<br />

again without the constant Covid shadow hanging over<br />

them.<br />

“The travel and hospitality sectors in particular have had<br />

a torrid time, and the sooner these sectors can start to<br />

function again properly, the sooner the smiles will appear<br />

on people’s faces and we can start to enjoy life again.”<br />

Did Covid impact on your staffing levels?<br />

“We actually managed to take on two new administrative<br />

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

and although it was very difficult to bed them in, they<br />

adapted to their new roles well and are now valuable<br />

members of the team.<br />

“More recently, we have strengthened our advisory team<br />

within the last couple of weeks with the appointment of<br />

David Wilson (pictured with David Barton above) who had<br />

previously worked for Standard <strong>Life</strong> in a senior role for the<br />

last 20 years.<br />

If you would like more<br />

information, please feel free to<br />

get in touch on 01257 423800.<br />

David Barton<br />

APFS Cert CII (MP)<br />

Chief Executive Officer<br />

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


66<br />

Puzzle Pages<br />

CROSSWORD<br />

down<br />

1. Collection of facts (4)<br />

2. Sacred word or syllable repeated in prayer (6)<br />

3. Wither, especially due to loss of moisture (7)<br />

4. Sediment that has settled at the bottom of<br />

a liquid (5)<br />

5. Crescent-shaped yellow fruit (6)<br />

6. Raging and rapidly spreading conflagration (8)<br />

11. Item used to dry dishes (3,5)<br />

13. Meat chopper (7)<br />

15. Metal ring for lining a small hole (6)<br />

17. Carpenter’s tool (6)<br />

18. Projection at the end of a piece of wood (5)<br />

21. Shallow basket used when gardening (4)<br />

across<br />

7. Miscellaneous articles needed for a particular<br />

operation or sport (13)<br />

8. Pre-decimal coin worth one quarter of a penny (8)<br />

9. Verdi opera with an Egyptian theme (4)<br />

10. Cooking utensil (7)<br />

12. Point directly opposite the zenith (5)<br />

14. Smooth surface (as of a cut gemstone) (5)<br />

16. Piece of cloth sewn under a zip or a pocket (7)<br />

19. Hemispherical roof (4)<br />

20. Grow thin and waste away physically (8)<br />

22. Diverse in character or content (13)<br />

Wordwheel<br />

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten<br />

minutes to find as many words as possible, none of<br />

which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns.<br />

Each word must be of three letters or more, all must<br />

contain the central letter and letters can only be used<br />

once in every word. There is at least one word that uses<br />

all of the letters in the wheel.<br />

target<br />

Excellent: 40 or more words<br />

Good: 38 words<br />

R<br />

M<br />

O A<br />

R<br />

U T<br />

B<br />

E<br />

Fair: 30 words


67<br />

WORDSEARCH<br />

Chess<br />

ATTACK<br />

BISHOP<br />

BLOCKED<br />

CAPTURE<br />

CASTLING<br />

CENTRE<br />

CHECKMatE<br />

ENDGAME<br />

FILE<br />

FISCHER<br />

FORK<br />

GAMBIT<br />

JUMP<br />

KIBITZING<br />

KING<br />

KNIGHT<br />

LOSE<br />

OPENING<br />

PAWN<br />

PIECE<br />

PROMOTION<br />

QUEEN<br />

ROOK<br />

STALEMatE<br />

WIN<br />

SUDOKU<br />

word LADDER<br />

Change one letter at a time (but not the position<br />

of any letter) to make a new word - and move from<br />

the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the<br />

bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided.<br />

WARM<br />

WIGGLE WORDS<br />

CLUE: cause a difficult<br />

situation to worsen<br />

Trace a path through all<br />

the letters to find the<br />

word or phrase that fits<br />

the clue.<br />

E R I F<br />

U F D E<br />

E A D H<br />

L T O T<br />

SEAS<br />

All the puzzle solutions can be found<br />

on page 83 of this magazine


68<br />

CMA Accountancy<br />

The Benefits of Xero & Add-Ons By Kieran Fitzgerald AATQB<br />

We’re often asked by customers why we champion the<br />

popular accountancy software Xero so much. There are<br />

clear benefits to using Xero itself, but there are also a vast<br />

array of external 3rd party software and apps that can<br />

integrate effortlessly with Xero, ensuring that you have<br />

the tools to manage your entire businesses accounting<br />

and operations as efficiently as possible.<br />

Here is a selection of our favourite apps that our<br />

customers use, and we are always on the lookout for more<br />

on the Xero App Store!<br />

Bills and Expenses – Convert your receipts and<br />

invoices into Xero data seamlessly!<br />

• Dext Prepare: Scan, sort and publish<br />

paperwork directly into Xero, using the smart<br />

tools the software offers to analyse the tax,<br />

supplier details and payment timing.<br />

• Hubdoc: Reduce data entry by accurately<br />

capturing information from bills and<br />

receipts and publishing it to Xero making<br />

it easy to match transactions to your bank<br />

transactions.<br />

• AutoEntry: Automates data entry, analysis<br />

and document storage of all of your bills,<br />

receipts, sales invoices, bank and credit card<br />

statements.<br />

Invoicing and Jobs – Simplify managing your tasks,<br />

teams and invoicing!<br />

• ServiceM8: Ideal for trade contractors &<br />

service businesses. It streamlines the process<br />

from a client’s first call to scheduling, quoting,<br />

documenting and invoicing & payment, all<br />

whilst integrating with directly with Xero!<br />

• Tradify: The complete job management<br />

solution for tradesmen & contractors. Easy<br />

to learn, simple to use and accessible on site<br />

via a phone or desktop. Handles quoting,<br />

invoicing, job scheduling and tracking,<br />

timesheets & pushes all of this information to<br />

Xero automatically.<br />

Credit Control – Get paid on time without the headache!<br />

• Chaser: Automate invoice chasing, streamline<br />

your accounts receivable process and get paid<br />

faster, all whilst maintaining great customer<br />

relationships without losing the human-touch.<br />

• Fluidly: Fluidly gives you all things cash<br />

flow in one place and the tools to get cash in<br />

the bank. Build a forecast, estimate VAT, chase<br />

invoices, apply for a loan & more.<br />

Payments – Get paid quickly and easily, online!<br />

• GoCardless: End late payments.<br />

Automatically debit your customer’s bank<br />

account whenever your Xero invoices are<br />

due. Lower-cost alternative to card payments.<br />

• Stripe: Accept direct debit, credit card, and<br />

Apple Pay payments online and get paid up<br />

to twice as fast when using Stripe in Xero.<br />

Whenever you receive payments via Stripe,<br />

you’ll automatically see the transaction<br />

data flow into Xero and can reconcile each<br />

payment with one click.<br />

Moving your software package is a big step<br />

and that’s why we have an expert team of<br />

Xero advisors ready to help with converting your data<br />

from another product into Xero, and we can also advise<br />

you on the best apps to empower you to make the<br />

right decisions to take your business to the next level.<br />

Check out our website at www.cma-accountancy.<br />

com for more tips on Xero, and you might want to<br />

sign up to our weekly newsletters whilst you’re there!<br />

Give us a call now for a FREE consultation to discuss<br />

how we can help your company benefit from working<br />

with Xero.<br />

Kieran Fitzgerald – CMA Accountancy<br />

39 Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge, <strong>Wigan</strong>, WN6 9DR<br />

01257 255521 info@cma-accountancy.com<br />

www.cma-accountancy.com


69<br />

Do you need<br />

help and<br />

guidance with;<br />

Company Accounts?<br />

Auto Enrolment?<br />

Self Assessment?<br />

Cloud-based Software?<br />

Payroll Services?<br />

Making Tax Digital?<br />

AE<br />

SA deadline<br />

VAT<br />

Benefits<br />

SA<br />

FREE<br />

INITIAL<br />

CONSULTATION<br />

Call CMA Accountancy today<br />

www.cma-accountancy.com<br />

info@cma-accountancy.com<br />

Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge. 01257 255521


70<br />

Hindley’s<br />

Bad Boy?<br />

by Nicola Gray<br />

This month, <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Life</strong> goes all the way back to the 1850’s to<br />

chronicle the colourful world of Hindley’s original romantic<br />

rogue, Richard Pennington. This story of wealth, love,<br />

adultery and his ultimate heartbreak created a backdrop<br />

worthy of an episode of Downton Abbey, and shocked both<br />

his family and the local community to the core.<br />

Richard Pennington was born into a wealthy <strong>Wigan</strong> family<br />

who made their fortune employing handloom weavers<br />

and later went on to build cotton mills. Richard grew up<br />

to work in the family business and eventually became the<br />

sole owner of both the Hindley Twist Company at Lowe<br />

Mill and Worthington Mill in Hindley.<br />

Richard’s road to the head of the family company was<br />

a bumpy ride to say the least and much of his early life<br />

was steeped in scandal. Richard had a promising future<br />

of his own to look forward to, when in 1853 he qualified<br />

as a magistrate for the county. However, in 1857 he was<br />

ordered by his family to find a suitable residence away<br />

from his hometown. Richard was advised to move away to<br />

set up home after he started a relationship with Elizabeth<br />

Cash, a young mill girl he had fallen in love with.<br />

The couple already had a child they moved to Rainford<br />

later in the same year, and their second child was born<br />

at School Brow in January 1858. To accommodate<br />

their growing family, Richard and Elizabeth bought a<br />

farmhouse known locally as Mount Pleasant in <strong>October</strong><br />

1859, and their third child was born shortly after. The<br />

Muncaster Hall & Pennington Family - courtesy of St Helens Archives<br />

Hindley Lodge, Market Street from<br />

inside grounds, 1900 - courtesy of<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong> & Leigh Archives<br />

story goes that Richard’s mother disapproved of the<br />

relationship and so the couple had to wait four years until<br />

her death before getting married in Liverpool in 1861.<br />

Throughout this time Richard continued the management<br />

of the family cotton mills in Hindley and during the next<br />

five years he bought several farms and houses in Rainford<br />

and entertained his wealthy friends with shooting parties<br />

on his land. In a bid to keep up appearances, Richard<br />

started to build a grand stone mansion house on the site<br />

of Mount Pleasant and used his neighbouring land to set<br />

out the gardens, lake and parkland surrounding it.<br />

The work on the hall was completed in 1866 and<br />

Muncaster Hall came into existence. Muncaster Hall<br />

lived up to the Victorian stereotype in its styling and<br />

architecture, including flowery wallpaper, carpets, wellmade<br />

furniture, a lake and extensive gardens.<br />

Although he now lived in Rainford, Richard always<br />

maintained his strong links with Hindley and throughout<br />

his lifetime, he worked tirelessly on behalf of the<br />

community and was generous with both his time and his<br />

money.<br />

He was instrumental in the creation of Hindley <strong>Local</strong><br />

Board, serving as Chairman for 20 years. The town saw<br />

significant progress during his time in office, acquiring<br />

its own gas facilities, water supply, a library and public<br />

park. Richard was also Chairman of Hindley Board of


71<br />

Worthington Mill - courtesy<br />

of <strong>Wigan</strong> & Leigh Archives<br />

Quiz<br />

Health, Chairman of Rainford <strong>Local</strong> Board and Chairman<br />

of Hindley Conservative Club. Records also show that<br />

Richard was largely responsible for the building of<br />

Hindley Parish Church where he held the post of senior<br />

churchwarden.<br />

Richard and Elizabeth had seven more children<br />

throughout their marriage, but the couple separated in<br />

December 1874. Three years later, Richard discovered that<br />

Elizabeth had formed a new relationship with a former<br />

gamekeeper of the estate, and they were divorced in 1878.<br />

He subsequently moved back to Hindley and the 1881<br />

census show him living at Hindley Lodge on Market Street.<br />

Richard died at the age of fifty-seven on the 10th of July<br />

1887 leaving all his estate in trust for his children until<br />

they reached the age of twenty-one. However, in January<br />

1895 the Hindley and Rainford properties were put up for<br />

auction and the whole of the Rainford estate including<br />

Muncaster Hall, the farms, cottages & houses totalling 315<br />

acres were bought by the Earl of Derby for £37,000.<br />

In February of the same year, one month after the hall<br />

was acquired by the Earl of Derby, the furniture and other<br />

belongings at Muncaster Hall were auctioned off in a<br />

three-day sale which left the house empty and with no<br />

trace of the family who once occupied it.<br />

Richard’s empire may have been no more, but he left a<br />

rich legacy in the communities that he called home. His<br />

eulogy referred to ‘his affection for his native places and<br />

his lavish expenditure of time and money on behalf all<br />

good objects’.<br />

With thanks to <strong>Wigan</strong> & Leigh Archives and St Helens Archive<br />

Service. The Archive Service collects, preserves and provides<br />

access to unique historic materials that relate to different<br />

aspects of life across the boroughs. Find out more information<br />

here – www.archives.wigan.gov.uk and<br />

www.sthelens.gov.uk/libraries/archive-service/<br />

Magic<br />

1. According to the lyrics of the 1989 hit single The<br />

Magic Number by De La Soul, what is the magic<br />

number?<br />

2. In a TV series first broadcast in 1997, who<br />

worked as a creative consultant to a stage<br />

magician called Adam Klaus?<br />

3. What sport do Orlando Magic play?<br />

4. Who would often tap his magic wand to<br />

perform magic when he heard the catchphrase<br />

“izzy wizzy, let’s get busy”?<br />

5. What was the title of the 2015 sequel to the<br />

2012 film Magic Mike?<br />

6. In the story of Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves, a<br />

cave full of treasure was sealed by magic. What<br />

two-word phrase allowed access to this cave?<br />

7. In the Harry Potter novels, what magical object<br />

can change all metals to gold, and can also be<br />

used to make a potion called the elixir of life<br />

that makes anyone who drinks it immortal?<br />

8. In the fairy tale Jack And The Beanstalk, what<br />

does Jack exchange to get the magic beans that<br />

cause the beanstalk to grow?<br />

9. Who recorded the album 24K Magic, which<br />

won seven awards in total at the 2018 Grammy<br />

Awards?<br />

10. On the TV show The Magic Roundabout,<br />

Zebedee would often close the show by saying<br />

what threeword phrase?<br />

Quiz solutions can be found on page 83 of this magazine


72<br />

Money<br />

Matters<br />

TEACHING KIDS TO<br />

BE SAVVY SAVERS<br />

Most of us have made mistakes with<br />

money at some point. Help your<br />

children to avoid the same financial<br />

pitfalls by giving them the knowledge<br />

and skills to build on in the future.<br />

Teach them the value of money<br />

Rather than buying your children sweets each week, give<br />

them pocket money, some of which they can use to buy<br />

sweets and some of which they can save for a bigger<br />

treat. It’s good for children to earn at least part of their<br />

pocket money by doing chores. They’ll learn that money<br />

doesn’t come for nothing and be less likely to waste it. To<br />

make life easier, you could use an app and debit card like<br />

RoosterMoney or Go Henry, which were created to help<br />

children get to grips with their finances and earn money<br />

through chores.<br />

Help them to budget<br />

Encourage children to save up for something they really<br />

want rather than just waiting for Christmas or their<br />

birthday. You could start by explaining how much they’d<br />

need to save each week to achieve their goal. Younger<br />

children tend to need quicker results, so start with a small<br />

goal that can be achieved in a few weeks rather than<br />

months.<br />

Give them responsibility<br />

Part of appreciating the value of<br />

money is learning through mistakes.<br />

It’s tempting to step in and stop your<br />

child from spending their pocket<br />

money on things that you know they<br />

will quickly discard. Offer advice but<br />

let them make their own decisions on<br />

low-value items. They may well then think<br />

twice next time they want to buy a blind bag or an<br />

expensive T-shirt. When older children are ready, you<br />

could give them more responsibility for budgeting for the<br />

things they need by giving them an allowance for clothes,<br />

school dinners, travel expenses, toiletries, days out and<br />

so on, and helping them to work out a monthly budget.<br />

Again, they can earn more through chores if they want to<br />

save up for high-value items.<br />

Discuss money<br />

Don’t be afraid to talk about money with your children.<br />

You could share how much you’re setting aside each<br />

month for next year’s holiday for example, and talk about<br />

your own experiences with money. You can also help<br />

your child to see that, while it’s good to shop around for<br />

the best price, cheap doesn’t always mean best value.<br />

However, try not to make your child worried about family<br />

finances. It’s fine to talk about not being able to afford<br />

something or how you’re saving up for a big purchase,<br />

but you don’t want your child to lose sleep worrying that<br />

you won’t be able to pay the bills.<br />

Learn from the experts<br />

Make the most of children’s love for online games. MyBnk<br />

is a UK charity on a mission to help children build good<br />

money habits. It has created a series of fun online courses<br />

for ages 5 to 21. You can access them for free at learning.<br />

mybnk.org/our-courses.


73<br />

Pendle Hill<br />

by Chris Pearce<br />

Distance: 3.9 miles Difficulty: Hard<br />

The Pendle area is well known for its connection to witchcraft<br />

and the supernatural, and the story of the Pendle witches is<br />

a prominent example how England viewed witchcraft back<br />

in the 17th century.<br />

However, Pendle Hill itself is the stage of a more uplifting<br />

story from the same period. The founder of the Quakers,<br />

George Fox, was so moved by his climb up Pendle Hill in 1652<br />

that he created the religion, and, in his autobiography, he<br />

wrote, ‘From the top of this hill the Lord let me see in what<br />

places he had a great people to be gathered’.<br />

Though we can’t guarantee you’ll have an epiphany like<br />

George’s, the views from the top of Pendle Hill on a clear<br />

day will provide you with stunning views of the North West<br />

coastline.<br />

At a shade under 4 miles long, this Jack’s Tracks starts from<br />

the main car park (BB12 9JX) in the pretty village of Barley.<br />

Exit the car park via the path behind the café/toilets and<br />

within a few yards you’ll be on the main road through<br />

Barley. Turn right along this road and you’ll pass the<br />

village’s two pubs, Pendle Inn on the left and the Barley<br />

Mow on the right.<br />

Look out for the Methodist church by a small bridge over<br />

the stream. You’ll need to turn left up the footpath that<br />

runs parallel to the stream. Follow the path for 300 yards<br />

and just past the oddly shaped tree (see picture), you’ll<br />

cross the stream again and arrive on a single-track road.<br />

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

take the right fork. Within seconds, you’ll see the entrance<br />

to the footpath on the right, so turn up this cobbled<br />

path. Follow this well-defined path for ¾ mile, uphill past<br />

Brown House Farm and Pendle House, and in clear view of<br />

the steep ascent awaiting you next.<br />

As you go through the gate to start to<br />

climb the hill, there is a curvier, longer<br />

(but less steep) route to the top<br />

on the left hand side, but we’ve<br />

gone for the steeper and<br />

shorter route taking you up<br />

the right hand side of the<br />

Big End, as Pendle<br />

Hill is known in<br />

these parts.


74<br />

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

the climb is made easier by the fact that the many steps<br />

are robustly built and help a safer ascent. It’s certainly a<br />

challenge, but when you stop, turn and look at the views<br />

behind you, you’ll want to take a photo break or three!<br />

Once the sharp gradient subsides, you’ll be faced with a<br />

drystone wall. Turn left just before you get to the wall and,<br />

shortly afterwards, you take the left fork of a path away<br />

from the wall towards the trig point uphill in the distance.<br />

When you’ve posed for the obligatory selfie at the trig<br />

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

a mile. You’ll reach the signpost indicating a dog-leg<br />

left turn to Barley (down the curvier route mentioned<br />

previously). Ignore this and go straight on. The path’s<br />

gradient gets steeper, but never overbearingly so as you<br />

descend for a further ½ a mile, enjoying great views of the<br />

Ogden reservoirs on the way down.<br />

Barle<br />

You arrive at some wooden gates. Take a 90-degree left<br />

turn and then, almost immediately, take the right fork and<br />

follow that path downhill until you reach a small wooden<br />

gate. Go through the gate and follow the path downhill<br />

along the left-hand perimeter of the field. Carry on in the<br />

same direction down a track that joins up with a second<br />

track.<br />

At this point the path becomes less well-defined, but<br />

head straight on in the same direction, initially towards<br />

the field to the left-hand edge of the wooded area and<br />

then carrying on in that direction up Barley Hill and<br />

through a succession of fields for 1/3 of a mile.<br />

Once you get to the field just past the end of the Lower<br />

Ogden reservoir, look out for a wooden gate on the right<br />

hand side. Go through the gate and straight downhill,<br />

looking out for the footpath sign on the left. Follow the<br />

footpath through another gate and you’ll end up by the<br />

village hall. Turn left and then first right into the car park<br />

from where you started the walk.


75<br />

Big End<br />

Pendle<br />

Hill<br />

Beacon<br />

Pendle House<br />

Windy<br />

Harbour<br />

Farm<br />

Barley Lane<br />

Foot House<br />

Gate Farm<br />

Lower Black<br />

Moss Reservoir<br />

Upper Black<br />

Moss Reservoir<br />

Stang Top<br />

Moor<br />

y Moor<br />

Aitken<br />

Wood<br />

PENDLE<br />

SCULPTURE<br />

TRAIL<br />

Pendle Way<br />

Barley<br />

Under Pendle<br />

Cottage<br />

Barley Hill<br />

P<br />

Barley<br />

Green<br />

Buttock<br />

Lower Ogden Reservoir<br />

Upper Ogden<br />

Reservoir<br />

Fell Wood<br />

Cross Lane<br />

For those with the OS Maps<br />

app on your desktop, mobile<br />

or tablet, this walk is named:<br />

JT-Pendle-Hill<br />

Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the<br />

walk is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to<br />

loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause.<br />

Elevation<br />

400m<br />

Lowest 215m<br />

Highest 556m<br />

200m<br />

Total ascent 346m<br />

0.0km 2.0km 4.0km 6.3km


76 4<br />

Pendle Sculpture<br />

Trail<br />

The other main attraction in the Barley area, on the<br />

opposite slopes to Pendle Hill, is the Pendle Sculpture<br />

Trail. Contained within Aitken Wood, this family tourist<br />

attraction brings together art, nature, and the history<br />

of the Pendle area.<br />

There are fifteen unique and intriguing sculptures<br />

located on the wooded trail along with ten plaques<br />

symbolising the ten witches of Pendle. The sculpture<br />

trail was inspired by Pendle’s infamous association<br />

with witchcraft, culminating in the trial of the Pendle<br />

Witches at Lancaster Castle in August 1612.<br />

Nineteen prisoners stood trial – nine from Pendle,<br />

eight from Samlesbury, one from Padiham and one<br />

from St Helens. The prisoners were not allowed to have<br />

defence counsel to plead for them, nor could they call<br />

any witnesses to speak on their behalf.<br />

All nine defendants from the Pendle area, along with<br />

Isobel Robey from St Helens, were sentenced to death<br />

and were subsequently hanged on the moors above<br />

the town.<br />

The Pendle Sculpture Trail is located in Aitken Wood,<br />

near the Black Moss Reservoirs. The nearest parking is<br />

about a mile away in the main car park in Barley – it’s a<br />

fairly easy walk to the wood, but the start of the trial is<br />

a short, fairly steep climb.<br />

For more information about the Pendle Sculpture<br />

Trail in Barley, you can visit www.visitpendle.com<br />

and download a trail map.


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78<br />

First Drive: Vauxhall Crossland<br />

Vauxhall has tweaked its popular crossover, but is it for the better?<br />

What is it?<br />

Crossovers are big business for just about all car<br />

manufacturers these days – not least Vauxhall, with<br />

its high-riding Crossland X, Mokka X and Grandland X<br />

models all proving hugely popular and even stealing sales<br />

from traditional bestsellers like the Astra and Insignia.<br />

It’s the Crossland X that’s the most affordable Vauxhall<br />

model of this kind, taking a more practical stance than<br />

the similarly sized Mokka, which instead favours design.<br />

Yet despite the Crossland X’s impressive sales, it actually<br />

was one of the worst cars in its segment, with a poor<br />

driving experience and low-quality cabin letting the<br />

side down. Can Vauxhall improve it as part of this midlife<br />

facelift, though?<br />

What’s new?<br />

One of the first things to note here is that it’s now called<br />

the Crossland – the ‘X’ part of its name being dropped<br />

for simplicity, though there are various places where this<br />

letter still appears…<br />

But most notable is the updated design, especially the<br />

front end, which gets Vauxhall’s new ‘Vizor’ design – as<br />

seen on the new Mokka – that wraps the badge and<br />

headlights behind one main panel. Changes to the<br />

steering and damping also aim to improve the way the<br />

Crossland drives.<br />

What’s under the bonnet?<br />

The engine choice remains the same as before, with an<br />

option of naturally-aspirated and turbocharged petrol<br />

engines, as well as a turbo diesel – quite a rarity these<br />

days in the small crossover class.<br />

Our test car uses the Crossland’s most powerful engine –<br />

a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine that<br />

produces 128bhp and 230Nm of torque. Power is sent<br />

to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. This<br />

allows for a 0-60mph time of 9.5 seconds and a top speed<br />

of 125mph.<br />

Though the diesel is the most efficient Crossland available,<br />

this model still offers decent efficiency – Vauxhall claim<br />

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

What’s it like to drive?<br />

The previous Crossland X’s driving experience was really<br />

what let the side down before, and though changes here<br />

aren’t huge, they certainly improve things.<br />

It’s now a far more accomplished cruiser at higher speeds<br />

with a more comfortable ride and more refined driving<br />

manners, while around town – where these Crosslands are<br />

more likely to be found – good visibility and light steering<br />

will tick plenty of boxes for buyers. This turbocharged petrol<br />

engine is also a good match, and though it can sound quite<br />

coarse at times, it delivers a decent amount of shove that<br />

enables the Crossland to get up to speed quite quickly.<br />

Facts at a glance<br />

Model: Vauxhall Crossland<br />

Base price: £19,355<br />

Model as tested: Vauxhall<br />

Crossland SRi Nav 1.2<br />

Turbo 130PS Manual<br />

Price as tested: £24,040<br />

Engine: Turbocharged<br />

1.2-litre petrol<br />

Power: 128bhp<br />

Torque: 230Nm<br />

Max speed: 125mph<br />

0-60mph: 9.5 seconds<br />

MPG: 48.7-49.5mpg<br />

Emissions: 130-132g/km


79<br />

While the Crossland’s lifeless steering and rolypoly<br />

handling fall quite significantly short of<br />

the class best, these updates are certainly a<br />

step in the right direction, if not bringing the<br />

model in line with the segment rivals.<br />

How does it look?<br />

Vauxhall is going bold for this new Crossland.<br />

The appealing Vizor helps to bring a far more<br />

modern design, but there are also new standardfit<br />

LED headlights and a new silver-effect front<br />

bumper that give a more rugged look.<br />

At the rear, Vauxhall have the new ‘Crossland’<br />

name sprawled out across the boot, while a new glossblack<br />

panel around the badge and lights also gives the<br />

model a more stylish look. It’s certainly a successful<br />

facelift, to our eyes at least.<br />

What’s it like inside?<br />

Inside, Vauxhall has added extra flair with new redpainted<br />

dashboard trim, while our SRi-spec test car got<br />

some appealing red stitching and dual orange stripes<br />

for the seats. However, nothing else has really changed,<br />

with the same familiar layout and displays being used<br />

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

touchscreen with smartphone mirroring included, along<br />

with an ergonomic layout. But ultimately it continues to<br />

lag behind rivals when it comes to technology and quality.<br />

The Crossland is one of the more practical cars in this<br />

class. Adults can sit quite comfortably in the rear, while<br />

sliding rear seats let you adjust occupant and boot space<br />

as needed. The boot measures up to 520 litres with the<br />

seats slid fully forward.<br />

What’s the spec like?<br />

Regardless of version, all Crosslands get a decent amount<br />

of equipment, with entry-level SE models still coming<br />

with a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and<br />

Android Auto, cruise control and 16-inch alloy wheels.<br />

Our mid-spec SRi Nav delivers the best blend of value and<br />

equipment, adding a larger eight-inch touchscreen with<br />

satellite navigation, rear parking sensors and dual-zone<br />

climate control, along with styling changes like larger<br />

alloys, a contrast-colour roof and tinted windows.<br />

There are notable omissions on the safety side of things,<br />

though, with even autonomous emergency braking<br />

being optional across the range – disappointing given it’s<br />

basically fitted to all new cars on sale now.<br />

As for pricing, the Crossland starts from £19,355, or<br />

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

the lethargic 83bhp engine, though, which knocks the<br />

price up further, our test car being available from £24,040.<br />

Verdict<br />

This Crossland is better to look at and is improved behind<br />

the wheel, too. A relatively low starting price and plenty<br />

of cabin space add to the appeal – especially for families.<br />

But despite these changes, it still doesn’t excel in any<br />

real area<br />

and remains<br />

a middleof-the-road<br />

choice. Given “ Do they make<br />

the huge<br />

shopping trolleys<br />

Crossland has<br />

range of<br />

rivals the<br />

out of magnets?”<br />

We don’t judge, we just fix it.<br />

in this popular<br />

sector, this<br />

Vauxhall just<br />

doesn’t quite<br />

deliver. While<br />

not a bad<br />

choice, there<br />

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80<br />

Pots of style<br />

by Angie Barker<br />

Award Winner<br />

People often underestimate the impact<br />

that pots can have on your outside space.<br />

Whether your garden is big or small, or even<br />

a balcony, then pots can really enhance the<br />

look of it by introducing colour and style,<br />

in terms of the pots you choose and the<br />

planting.<br />

There are a few things to remember though<br />

with container gardening. First of all think<br />

big. Two or three large pots look so much<br />

better than a large collection of small<br />

ones – and they will need less watering.<br />

Then choose your style. If your garden<br />

is more of a cottage garden with lots of<br />

perennial planting in an informal style,<br />

then terracotta is the obvious choice. If however you have<br />

a contemporary, sleek garden perhaps with decking, then<br />

stainless steel or black ceramic would fit in perfectly.<br />

You also have to bear in mind that plants in containers rely<br />

on you for their water. Don’t be fooled into thinking that<br />

the rain will keep them watered. In summer especially<br />

you will need to water<br />

regularly to stop the plants drying out. Adding water<br />

retentive gel to your compost can really help preserve<br />

water content.<br />

Hubby’s favourite is an Acer palmatum ‘Butterfly’ we<br />

have growing in a pot by our conservatory door. Acers<br />

of all descriptions do well in pots because they are slow<br />

growing. Just site them somewhere protected from harsh<br />

winds in part shade and they should do well. If you have a<br />

sunny patio, Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ is one of the few<br />

Acers which can withstand full sun.<br />

It is especially lovely to have a pot or two by your front door<br />

to cheer you up when you come home – even more so in<br />

winter when there is little happening in garden borders.<br />

Sarcoccoca confusa is a small evergreen shrub which will<br />

thrive in a shady spot and has the most wonderful scent<br />

during late winter to welcome you home.<br />

I have even grown a Silver Birch tree in a pot! My plan<br />

is that by keeping it in a pot it will stay relatively small<br />

but enables me to site it close to the house where I can<br />

appreciate its lovely bark and fine foliage. When it comes<br />

to pots, all you need is your imagination.<br />

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Mob: 07857 008 383<br />

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16. Placket, 19. Dome, 20. Emaciate, 22. Heterogeneous.<br />

DOWN: 1. Data, 2. Mantra, 3. Shrivel, 4. Dregs, 5. Banana, 6. Wildfire, 11. Tea towel,<br />

13. Cleaver, 15. Eyelet, 17. Chisel, 18. Tenon, 21. Trug.<br />

WORDWHEEL<br />

aNSWER:<br />

ARBORETUM<br />

O A<br />

R B<br />

R<br />

M E<br />

U T<br />

WORDSEARCH SUDOKU WIGGLE<br />

WORDS<br />

PUB QUIZ<br />

Add Fuel to the Fire<br />

WORD<br />

LADDER<br />

Here is one possible<br />

solution (others may exist)<br />

WARM<br />

wars<br />

bars<br />

bats<br />

bets<br />

sets<br />

SEAS<br />

1. Three<br />

2. Jonathan Creek<br />

3. Basketball<br />

4. Sooty<br />

5. Magic Mike XXL<br />

6. Open Sesame<br />

7. The Philosopher’s Stone<br />

8. A cow<br />

9. Bruno Mars<br />

10. Time for bed


84<br />

Trading Standards has a directory of local traders you<br />

can rely on.<br />

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

or phone 03454 040506<br />

and ask for <strong>Wigan</strong> Council’s Good Trader Scheme.<br />

Call Paul<br />

Locksmiths<br />

Established 2000<br />

A Registered Insured NCFE Certified Company<br />

Call Paul for a Fast, Reliable, Professional Service<br />

• UPVC & WOODEN DOOR SPECIALIST<br />

• Emergency Door Opening<br />

• UPVC Door Lock Repairs<br />

• UPVC Door Lock Changes<br />

• UPVC Door Lock Upgrades<br />

• Wood Door Lock Changes<br />

• All Work Guaranteed<br />

TELEPHONE<br />

01942 901103<br />

MOBILE<br />

07932 718362<br />

WWW.CALLPAULLOCKSMITH.CO.UK


£29 for a fu l day<br />

rural Vi lage<br />

NUrSErY<br />

FUNDED LANgUAgE<br />

A l sta f<br />

We cater for<br />

PLACES & SPortS<br />

paediatric<br />

CHILDrEN<br />

Available for LESSoNS<br />

& first aid<br />

3 months<br />

2/3/4<br />

for<br />

QUALIFIED<br />

- 4 years<br />

year olds pre-schoolers<br />

oPEN<br />

Mon-Fri<br />

8AM-6PM<br />

£37.50<br />

per day<br />

www.cranknursery.co.uk<br />

rated by<br />

oFStED<br />

as<br />

oUtStANDINg<br />

Large NEWLY<br />

outdoor rEFUrBISHED<br />

PLAY ArEA in 2019<br />

85<br />

we do<br />

oven<br />

repairs<br />

too!<br />

prices start from £45<br />

let us clean your oven so you don’t have to!<br />

professional oven cleaning<br />

environmentally friendly<br />

we’ll restore your oven to near showroom condition!<br />

call Steven today on 07393 818 392<br />

www.ovenrescue.co.uk/wigan<br />

Get your oven<br />

looking like new!<br />

We clean ovens, hobs,<br />

microwaves and fans for over<br />

500 regular customers.<br />

Single ovens only £50<br />

We only use non-caustic,<br />

totally safe liquids.<br />

0151 430 0766<br />

0770 256 6393<br />

www.theovencleanersgroup.co.uk<br />

GARAGE DOOR<br />

REPAIRS<br />

All garage<br />

doorS<br />

repaired:<br />

Springs, Cables,<br />

Locks, Rollers etc.<br />

Doors of all ages<br />

repaired<br />

01744 894939 / 07891 330214<br />

NO FIX, NO CHARGE!<br />

Strawberry Cottage,<br />

Pimbo Lane, Upholland<br />

WN8 9QL<br />

www.garagedoorandlock.co.uk<br />

• Professional Carpet, Rug<br />

& Upholstery Cleaning<br />

• Leather Cleaning & Restoration<br />

• FREE Pre-Inspection Visit & Quotation<br />

T: 01942 409401<br />

M: 07881 816839<br />

helen@carrolls-cleaning.co.uk<br />

New Name -<br />

Same Fantastic Cleans!<br />

• Carpets - Quick Drying<br />

includes moving furniture for you<br />

• Upholstery - Fabric & Leather<br />

• Hard floors - Tile/Stone/Vinyls<br />

FREE Test clean to see the results<br />

• Curtains - Hassle free<br />

Cleaned where they hang<br />

• Rugs<br />

Collection & delivery service<br />

Call us<br />

today for<br />

a free quote<br />

01942 470 081<br />

www.alliancecleaningsystems.co.uk<br />

e: sales@alliancecleaningsystems.co.uk<br />

Design & Print<br />

Flyers, postcards, brochures<br />

and distribution service.<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

Little Acorns Nursery<br />

QUALITY CHILDCARE YOU CAN TRUST!<br />

Open Mon-Fri: 8am ti l 5.30pm term time<br />

We operate a b oking system for the<br />

holidays which saves you money<br />

We deliver 30 hours fr e entitlement<br />

Flexible se sions available<br />

We take children from 2 years old<br />

Ca l Sarah on 01744 86166 for more information or admin@cranknursery.net<br />

Li tle Acorns Nursery is situated in a beautiful woodland<br />

se ting. It is a safe and vibrant place for your child to gain<br />

lots of wonderful educational experiences.<br />

We are big on the great outd ors & being down in the forest<br />

which is g od for your child’s health and we l-being<br />

Li tle Acorns Nursery<br />

www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

A l Saints’ Primary Sch ol | Finch Lane | A pley Bridge | WN6 9DT<br />

01257 252647<br />

www.li tleacorns-daynursery.com<br />

Quality Upholsterer<br />

required for<br />

these pages<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

Carpet & Upholstery<br />

Cleaning<br />

• traditional service, state of the art results •<br />

• Carpets<br />

• Rugs<br />

• Fabric & Leather<br />

Upholstery<br />

5 star rating with <strong>Wigan</strong> Trading<br />

Standards Good Trader Scheme<br />

Call today for a free consultation<br />

& no obligation quote<br />

Call - 01257 251221<br />

Mobile - 07908 770808<br />

www.manorhousecleaning.co.uk


for<br />

as<br />

86<br />

Total Cleaning North West<br />

www.totalcleaningnorthwest.co.uk<br />

Unit 6a,<br />

1 Miry Lane,<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong><br />

WN3 4AG<br />

One-stop cleaning jobs for your home and garden<br />

• Clean your dirty Driveway or Patio<br />

• Clear out your blocked gutters with our video SkyVac<br />

• Make your Conservatory sparkle • Render cleaning<br />

• Clean Gutters, Soffits and Fascias<br />

• We’ll leave Carpets & Upholstery clean and fresh<br />

Check out our fantastic 5* reviews on Facebook & Google<br />

Call or text David now for a no obligation quote<br />

£60<br />

FIXED PRICE<br />

GUTTER<br />

CLEARING<br />

ONLY<br />

01942 530483 • 07771 924 887 • www.totalcleaningnorthwest.co.uk<br />

Quality Upholsterer<br />

required for<br />

these pages<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong>’s premier domestic<br />

cleaning service<br />

Over 70<br />

Lancashire<br />

walks<br />

BOOK ONLINE 24/7<br />

www.mr-soot.com<br />

Stoves & Fireplaces Swept<br />

Flues Tested<br />

Liners Installed<br />

Professional & Reliable<br />

Call Today<br />

01942 387079<br />

PAY BY<br />

CARD<br />

We only use<br />

reliable, vetted<br />

staff<br />

Cleaning in the<br />

<strong>Wigan</strong> area for<br />

10+ years<br />

• £11.95 per hour<br />

minimum 2 hrs<br />

• Same cleaner each visit<br />

• All domestic duties provided<br />

Call or email Joanne<br />

Quality Flooring Fitter<br />

required<br />

01942<br />

for these pages<br />

203442<br />

joanne@acleanbreak.co.uk<br />

www.acleanbreak.co.uk/wigan<br />

Quality Flooring Fitter<br />

required for<br />

these pages<br />

FREE to download at<br />

locallife247.co.uk<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

Design & Print<br />

• Earwax Removal<br />

• FREE Hearing Tests<br />

• Hearing Aids & Repairs<br />

• FREE 1 Week Hearing Aid Trial<br />

Drop in or contact Darren on:<br />

01942 215 391<br />

8-10 Gathurst Road, O re l, WN5 8QH<br />

www.wiganhearing.co.uk<br />

10% off<br />

Presen<br />

Flyers, postcards, brochures<br />

and distribution service.<br />

Put your<br />

hearing<br />

first with<br />

Ask us about our wide range of hearing aids<br />

this voucher for 10% OFF your next<br />

hearing test or earwax removal.<br />

Contact us today for further information. Terms and conditions a ply<br />

rural Vi lage<br />

NUrSErY<br />

A l staff<br />

paediatric<br />

& first aid<br />

QUALIFIED<br />

oPEN<br />

Mon-Fri<br />

8AM-6PM<br />

FUNDED<br />

PLACES<br />

Available for<br />

2/3/4<br />

year olds<br />

£37.50<br />

per day<br />

LANgUAgE<br />

& SPortS<br />

LESSoNS<br />

pre-schoolers<br />

Large<br />

outdoor<br />

PLAY ArEA<br />

rated by<br />

oFStED<br />

oUtStANDINg<br />

We cater for<br />

CHILDrEN<br />

3 months<br />

- 4 years<br />

NEWLY<br />

rEFUrBISHED<br />

in 2019<br />

Ca l Sarah on 01744 886166 for more information or admin@cranknursery.net<br />

www.cranknursery.co.uk<br />

For more information<br />

Little Acorns Nursery<br />

QUALITY CHILDCARE YOU CAN TRUST!<br />

Open Mon-Fri: 8am ti l 5.30pm term time<br />

We operate a booking system for the<br />

holidays which saves you money<br />

We deliver 30 hours free entitlement<br />

£29 for a fu l day<br />

Flexible sessions available<br />

We take children from 2 years old<br />

Li tle Acorns Nursery is situated in a beautiful woodland<br />

se ting. It is a safe and vibrant place for your child to gain<br />

lots of wonderful educational experiences.<br />

We are big on the great outdoors & being down in the forest<br />

which is good for your child’s health and we l-being<br />

Little Acorns Nursery<br />

A l Saints’ Primary School | Finch Lane | Appley Bridge | WN6 9DT<br />

01257 252647<br />

www.li tleacorns-daynursery.com<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

www.locallife247.co.uk


87<br />

Call Clint for a free no obligation quote<br />

01257 543 021<br />

07834 241 642<br />

www.conservatorycleaningwigan.com<br />

get your<br />

gutters<br />

cleared<br />

Book any service<br />

FREE!<br />

ROOF CLEANING<br />

• Moss Removal & Bio-Treatment<br />

• Softwashing / Low Pressure<br />

POWER WASHING<br />

• Driveways & Patios etc.<br />

CONSERVATORIES<br />

• Exterior & Interior (Cleaning)<br />

UPVC CLEANING<br />

• Windows, Fascias,<br />

Gutters etc.<br />

SPECIAL OFFER - 20% OFF ALL CLEANING PACKAGES<br />

Having a Clear Out?<br />

Whatever you’re clearing – call us today!<br />

• House & garden<br />

• Garage or Shed<br />

Fast and friendly service<br />

Just call us today for a free quote<br />

northwestwaste<br />

• Office, Warehouse or Shop<br />

• Probate<br />

Our services are;<br />

4 Cheaper than a skip<br />

4 Fully licenced by local councils<br />

4 Completed by smart and<br />

friendly staff<br />

The Meadows, Ruskin Drive, St Helens, WA10 6RP<br />

01744 419 549 / 07557 764 940<br />

Email: transport@northwestwaste.co.uk<br />

www.northwestwaste.co.uk<br />

Want a<br />

Man & a Van<br />

to help you move<br />

house?<br />

Call us now for<br />

details.


88<br />

• Quality workmanship<br />

• Interior & exterior<br />

work<br />

• No job too<br />

big or too<br />

small<br />

01942 392398<br />

or 07707 321383<br />

Need a new<br />

look for your<br />

home?<br />

Skilled interior and<br />

exterior work undertaken<br />

at reasonable prices!<br />

Chris Smith - Painter and<br />

Decorator<br />

01257 415388<br />

or 07545 065119<br />

Shevington based business<br />

4 Exterior & Interior<br />

Decorating<br />

4 Domestic &<br />

Commercial work<br />

undertaken<br />

4 Competitive rate<br />

Award Winner<br />

Contact Graham now<br />

free estimate provided<br />

01257 426234<br />

07954 139069<br />

graham@topcoatdecoratingservices.co.uk<br />

www.topcoatdecoratingservices.co.uk<br />

J&P<br />

MOORCROFT<br />

LTD<br />

Professional Painting<br />

and Decorating<br />

• Domestic & Commercial<br />

Work<br />

• Interior & Exterior work<br />

welcomed<br />

• Old/listed buildings a<br />

speciality<br />

Call us today for a free quotation<br />

Home Service available<br />

Choose from 1000s of paint &<br />

paper samples in the comfort of<br />

our own home<br />

01942 212096<br />

07831 102 511<br />

www.jpmoorcroft.com<br />

Specialists in<br />

Replacement<br />

Double<br />

Glazed Units<br />

Ring with sizes for<br />

a FREE estimate<br />

Open 7 days 8am - 8pm<br />

Established <strong>Local</strong> Family Company<br />

01942 470 085<br />

0800 328 8573<br />

www.steamywindows.net<br />

HANDS ON<br />

Property Maintenance<br />

& Handyman Services<br />

3 Kitchens & Bathrooms<br />

3 Painting & Decorating<br />

3 Building & Joinery<br />

3 Electrical<br />

3 Paving, Decking<br />

& Fencing<br />

3 Tiling<br />

3 Plumbing<br />

Check out my work at<br />

Quality keith.anderton<br />

Flooring Fitter<br />

required for these pages<br />

Telephone Keith on<br />

07812 110476<br />

Quality Flooring Fitter<br />

required for<br />

these pages<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

• Conservatory repairs<br />

• Locks, handles and hinges<br />

• Replacement glass<br />

• Windows and doors installed<br />

• Replacement conservatory<br />

roofs<br />

Call MARK now on<br />

01942 737 381<br />

0776 315 1720<br />

conservatoryrepairs@gmail.com<br />

www.fixmyconservatory.com


£29 for a fu l day<br />

rural Vi lage<br />

NUrSErY<br />

FUNDED LANgUAgE<br />

A l sta f<br />

We cater for<br />

PLACES & SPortS<br />

paediatric<br />

CHILDrEN<br />

Available for LESSoNS<br />

& first aid<br />

3 months<br />

2/3/4<br />

for<br />

QUALIFIED<br />

- 4 years<br />

year olds pre-schoolers<br />

oPEN<br />

Mon-Fri<br />

8AM-6PM<br />

£37.50<br />

per day<br />

www.cranknursery.co.uk<br />

rated by<br />

oFStED<br />

as<br />

oUtStANDINg<br />

Large NEWLY<br />

outdoor rEFUrBISHED<br />

PLAY ArEA in 2019<br />

Convert your bath to a<br />

Walk-In Shower<br />

AJC<br />

WALK IN SHOWERS<br />

Typical price<br />

£2200<br />

Fully guaranteed<br />

One day installation<br />

No mess - no fuss<br />

Easy to clean & maintain<br />

Call Anthony on<br />

07919 876 825<br />

Workshop address: Bulldog Tools Ind. Est.<br />

Darlington Street East, <strong>Wigan</strong> WN1 3BT<br />

Microshop address: Hardshaw Centre,<br />

Church Street, St. Helens WA10 1EB<br />

We also fit full bathrooms!<br />

JJ Driveways<br />

Imprinted Concrete<br />

Specialists<br />

Huge range of colours<br />

& patterns<br />

• Resin Driveways<br />

• Block Paving<br />

• Indian Stone<br />

• Flagging<br />

We can also revive<br />

your old drive!<br />

Ask about our sealing<br />

service<br />

Call Joe for a<br />

free quotation on<br />

01942 621 959<br />

07867 697 972<br />

www.jjdriveways.co.uk<br />

AGBathrooms.net<br />

Quality bathrooms at<br />

reasonable prices<br />

Complete bathroom<br />

installations from design<br />

to completion.<br />

For free quotes, call Adrian on<br />

07816 394 292<br />

Check out our work on<br />

www.AGBathrooms.net<br />

Quality Tiler<br />

required for<br />

these pages<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

Great Value<br />

Bathrooms!<br />

Full Bathrooms<br />

& En-Suites<br />

Showers, Trays & Cubicles<br />

Relocation of Bathroom Suites<br />

25 years bathroom experience<br />

Call Chris now for a free quotation<br />

C L Bathrooms<br />

01942 749085<br />

or 07801 295483<br />

www.clbathrooms.co.uk<br />

Design & Print<br />

Flyers, postcards, brochures<br />

and distribution service.<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

Little Acorns Nursery<br />

QUALITY CHILDCARE YOU CAN TRUST!<br />

Open Mon-Fri: 8am ti l 5.30pm term time<br />

We operate a b oking system for the<br />

holidays which saves you money<br />

We deliver 30 hours fr e entitlement<br />

Flexible se sions available<br />

We take children from 2 years old<br />

Ca l Sarah on 01744 86166 for more information or admin@cranknursery.net<br />

Li tle Acorns Nursery is situated in a beautiful woodland<br />

se ting. It is a safe and vibrant place for your child to gain<br />

lots of wonderful educational experiences.<br />

We are big on the great outd ors & being down in the forest<br />

which is g od for your child’s health and we l-being<br />

Li tle Acorns Nursery<br />

www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

A l Saints’ Primary Sch ol | Finch Lane | A pley Bridge | WN6 9DT<br />

01257 252647<br />

www.li tleacorns-daynursery.com<br />

Arley Cabinet<br />

Company Ltd<br />

• Kitchens & Bedrooms since 1952 •<br />

We Measure ~ We Make ~ We Fit<br />

Drop into our<br />

showroom or call us<br />

for a free estimate<br />

214a Gidlow Lane, <strong>Wigan</strong>, WN6 7BN<br />

01942 246 190<br />

www.arleycabinets.com<br />

89


90<br />

Elite<br />

Bathrooms<br />

& Wet Room Installation<br />

• Bathrooms • Wet Rooms<br />

• Wall & Floor Tiling<br />

Please call for a FREE Estimates<br />

07703 448890<br />

01942 208926<br />

Quality Tiler<br />

required for<br />

these pages<br />

Call 01695 627 999<br />

<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

Bathroom Installation,<br />

Full Bathrooms &<br />

En-Suites<br />

Plumbing Services<br />

Wall & Floor Tiling<br />

Ceiling Panelling<br />

01942 397173<br />

07803 057940<br />

Douglas Drive, Orrell, <strong>Wigan</strong><br />

www.ljplumbingandbathrooms.co.uk<br />

Plumbing & Heating<br />

Specialist<br />

Complete Bathrooms<br />

Installation ~ Repairs ~ Service<br />

Central Heating Systems<br />

Boilers & Gas Appliances<br />

General Plumbing<br />

Gas Safety Certificates<br />

Call Andy for a free quote on<br />

01942 564 226<br />

07397 391 935<br />

acampbellheatingandgas<br />

4 Installations, Services<br />

& Repairs<br />

4 Boilers<br />

4 Central Heating<br />

Bathrooms<br />

597379<br />

Emergency call outs<br />

welcomed<br />

4 573747<br />

• Brand New Bathrooms<br />

• Boiler + Central Heating<br />

Installs, Servicing + Repairs<br />

Freephone:<br />

0300 3030121<br />

Dave: 07769 942218<br />

Matt: 07969 183809<br />

506515<br />

FINANCE<br />

OPTIONS<br />

AVAILABLE<br />

New showroom opening soon at:<br />

2a Gathurst Lane, Shevington WN6 8HA<br />

Email: info@orrellheating.co.uk<br />

www.orrellheating.co.uk<br />

John Bailey<br />

01942 495785<br />

or 07721 040620<br />

& 07710 153238<br />

Based in Kenyon Road, <strong>Wigan</strong><br />

Call Nico for a free quote on<br />

07818 335 441<br />

• Extended warranties<br />

available<br />

• 24 Hour Call-out<br />

0%<br />

• Domestic + Commercial Finance<br />

available<br />

651511<br />

Boiler Installation<br />

Boiler Servicing & Repairs<br />

Boiler Finance Available<br />

Landlords Gas Safety Reports<br />

Experienced, Reliable & Friendly Service<br />

Credit Cards accepted<br />

01942 221 996<br />

07769 203 056<br />

hartheatingwigan@gmail.com<br />

Winstanley-based


91<br />

Showroom now open at 19 Preston Road, Standish WN6 0HP<br />

All plumbing services<br />

including services & repairs<br />

• Bathrooms/Wet Rooms designed and fitted<br />

• Specialists in Disability<br />

Installations & Conversions<br />

• Emergency Call outs welcome<br />

BOILER<br />

SERVICING<br />

FROM<br />

£60<br />

www.gphwigan.co.uk<br />

No Obligation Quotes – Call Mark on<br />

01257 473026<br />

07515 894281<br />

527090<br />

A Genuine Family Run Business<br />

With Friendly & Courteous Staff<br />

SPECIALISTS IN CENTRAL HEATING INSTALLATION, BOILER REPLACEMENTS AND UPGRADES<br />

• Annual Boiler Servicing<br />

• Landlord & Home Owner Gas Safety Checks<br />

• Mechanical Power Flushing<br />

• Thermostatic Valves Radiators Fitted<br />

• All-in-One Air Conditioning & Heating Units for Home & Work<br />

Telephone: 01257 421 660<br />

TEL: 01942 504 429 MOB: 07515 505 501<br />

Accredited Installer & Service Partner<br />

WE REPAIR ALL<br />

MAKES OF BOILERS!<br />

Registration No.<br />

88604<br />

www.fgwelch.co.uk<br />

We’ve got you covered<br />

for all aspects of<br />

plumbing and heating<br />

Boilers Gas Heating Plumbing Drainage<br />

Installation • Maintenance • Repairs<br />

626792<br />

Want a new boiler with<br />

ZERO upfront cost?<br />

Pay monthly with servicing and warranty included.<br />

Call us now to find out how!<br />

01942 575730<br />

07565 060530<br />

166 Gidlow Lane • <strong>Wigan</strong> • WN6 7EA<br />

www.blueflameltd.co.uk<br />

craig@blueflameltd.co.uk<br />

Family run business with 20+ years experience.<br />

Check out our reviews:


92<br />

Alarm installations,<br />

repairs & upgrades<br />

Domestic and commercial<br />

work welcome<br />

Free security assessment provided<br />

Emergency lock openings<br />

Lock changes<br />

No call-out charges<br />

24-hour service<br />

60 mins response<br />

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www.uklocksandalarms.co.uk<br />

info@ianwalkerservices.co.uk<br />

JIB Approved Electrician<br />

All domestic electrical work<br />

24/7 call out service<br />

Friendly, reliable &<br />

professional<br />

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Electrical Ltd<br />

All types of<br />

Domestic & Commercial<br />

work undertaken<br />

• Inspection & Tests<br />

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Certificate of excellence winner<br />

2017, 2018 & 2019<br />

Total Electrics for your Home or Business<br />

Installation Service Maintenance Repairs<br />

Call us today for friendly<br />

advice and a free quotation<br />

01942 836 937<br />

www.ghewigan.co.uk<br />

4 Complete re-wires<br />

4 New/moving sockets<br />

4 All lighting needs<br />

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4 CCTV systems<br />

4 Security Light installations<br />

4 PAT testing & inspections<br />

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Call: 0800 6446100<br />

or 07904 127663<br />

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4 NAPIT part ‘P’ registered<br />

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Orrell based


£29 for a fu l day<br />

rural Vi lage<br />

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FUNDED LANgUAgE<br />

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rated by<br />

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Electrician ~ Standish<br />

• All types of electrical work<br />

• 30+ years experience<br />

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• 24 hour call out service<br />

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or 07821 139826<br />

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<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

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• Business Telephone<br />

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Quality Removals<br />

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W.Hurst & Son Ltd<br />

ELECTRIC<br />

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www.whurstandson.co.uk<br />

• All types of electrical work<br />

• 35+ years experience<br />

• No job too small<br />

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& advice call Jeff<br />

01695 622 191<br />

07850 622 191<br />

• TV Aerials Installed<br />

• TV Wall Mounting<br />

• Telephone Lines<br />

• Setup Service<br />

Ring Paul on<br />

01942 514 532<br />

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A.J.S.<br />

BAILEYS<br />

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All electrical work undertaken<br />

Free quotations<br />

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07739 709 005<br />

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<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />

Little Acorns Nursery<br />

QUALITY CHILDCARE YOU CAN TRUST!<br />

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Flexible se sions available<br />

We take children from 2 years old<br />

Ca l Sarah on 01744 86166 for more information or admin@cranknursery.net<br />

Li tle Acorns Nursery is situated in a beautiful woodland<br />

se ting. It is a safe and vibrant place for your child to gain<br />

lots of wonderful educational experiences.<br />

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which is g od for your child’s health and we l-being<br />

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www.locallife247.co.uk<br />

A l Saints’ Primary Sch ol | Finch Lane | A pley Bridge | WN6 9DT<br />

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Aerial & Sky<br />

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£75 supplied & fitted<br />

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Diagnostics<br />

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TT20778<br />

93<br />

www.aerialandskyservices.co.uk


94<br />

GDR Driveways<br />

ALL ASPECTS OF PAVING & turfing<br />

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Clean & Re-seal<br />

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Call Gareth for a FREE quotation: 01942 217 113 or 07715 177 754<br />

Handy<br />

Andy<br />

Building / Joinery<br />

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07899 752 225<br />

tradesbyandy@gmail.com<br />

All<br />

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All plastering work<br />

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• All types of rendering • Skimming<br />

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07802 710685<br />

Des Pilling<br />

Plastering<br />

• Plastering<br />

• Skimming<br />

• Artexing<br />

Coving & Cornice work<br />

also welcomed<br />

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07787 513 235<br />

www.lakelandplastering.co.uk<br />

www.despilling.org.uk<br />

Leaflet Distribution<br />

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Your leaflets delivered alongside this magazine<br />

to up to 39,000 local homes<br />

Flexible service for all businesses, large and small<br />

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<strong>Local</strong><strong>Life</strong>


95<br />

4 Extensions and House Refurbishment Works<br />

4 New Build Houses<br />

4 Groundworks, Drainage, External Paving<br />

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new bi-fold doors / open plan living etc<br />

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www.helixgroup.uk<br />

K Stone<br />

Building Services<br />

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work undertaken<br />

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• Driveways<br />

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by Andy<br />

Save £££’s on<br />

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advice call Andy on<br />

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Prices include<br />

supply & fit<br />

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from<br />

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£140<br />

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Call Mike for a free quote<br />

01942 590514 • 07988 260621<br />

www.orrelljoinery.co.uk<br />

ALPINE LTD<br />

Roofing & Building Services<br />

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96<br />

Quality Removals<br />

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Your<br />

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Call us now for ALL your roofline requirements!<br />

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97<br />

WILSON<br />

BROS<br />

• •<br />

Est. 1985<br />

Roofing & Roofline<br />

Specialists<br />

• All aspects of<br />

maintenance & repair<br />

• Fascia & soffit<br />

installation<br />

• Guttering and felting<br />

services<br />

Call us now for<br />

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Brian: 07760 160 988<br />

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First Class<br />

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UP HOLLAND<br />

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Day: 07961 516 677<br />

Eve: 01942 745 428<br />

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Berry<br />

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Specialists<br />

• All building work undertaken.<br />

• From a broken tile to a full<br />

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• Flat roofs renewed and<br />

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• Extensions, Alterations,<br />

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NEW ROOFS<br />

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M: 07894 687 384<br />

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BUILDER<br />

Can’t find a reliable local<br />

builder?...look no further<br />

brickwork<br />

joinery roofing<br />

plastering<br />

internal alterations<br />

all types of building work undertaken<br />

garden construction<br />

garden walls patios<br />

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flagging decking<br />

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98<br />

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99<br />

Come and visit the largest<br />

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

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28544

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