Wednesday 6, June 2012
Welcome ...
Welcome to this my 122nd news bulletin.
The Queen is a mirror of our nation – resilient, realistic, intelligent, curious, enterprising and unswerving. And this weekend she did what she does best – brought us together as a nation.
I am delighted to congratulate Her Majesty the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee, and I hope everyone in Crewe and Nantwich celebrating her wonderful milestone had a great Jubilee weekend.
It has been a fantastic opportunity to remember the Queen’s steadfastness, hard work, duty and dedication to our country over the last 60 years.
She doesn’t represent one part of Britain, but all Britons, and that is why communities like ours hold her in such affection.
Indeed, we can be proud that the steam train whistling from Battersea Bridge as the Queen passed through on her barge was none other than No. 6201, London Midland and Scottish Railway lot number 99, which was built at Crewe for the sum of £11,675 and named Princess Elizabeth. She left Crewe Works on November 3rd 1933.
And of course, the State Bentley gifted to the Queen for her Golden Jubilee has played its part in the celebrations.
So once again, I hope everyone has enjoyed coming together to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s remarkable milestone, and that you will all be just as supportive of her for the rest of her equally remarkable reign.
God save the Queen!
Please remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me.
You can forward the bulletin on to your friends and family, who can sign up themselves by clicking here for my website.
Best wishes,
Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich
I have recently...
- Joined the crowds to support the Olympic Torch Relay as it travelled through Crewe on it's way to London.
- Attended the making of Cllr Peggy Martin as Mayor of Crewe at the Municipal buildings.
- Supported the Royal National Institute for Blind People Save Our Sight Campaign.
- Held a Constituency Surgery at my office in Crewe.
- Celebrated the Diamond Jubilee at a special lunch at Brierley Primary School with pupils, parents & staff.
- Helped plant a tree for the Diamond Jubilee for Station House care home, in Crewe.
- Opened a new sensory garden at at Primrose House care home, in Crewe.
- Met with head teachers from Nantwich primary schools to learn more about how their innovative and creative partnership working across all Nantwich schools is helping raise educational standards.
- Joined local businesses, Cheshire MPs and local food producers for the Cheshire Day in Parliament - the first time any county has held such an event.
Westminster Report
Read my most recent Westminster Report
Click here or on the image
Photos & Video ...
Edward at the Crewe & Nantwich Jobs Fair with co-organisers the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce
You can still donate to this year's charity, Climb, click here
You can view all my photos and video at edwardtimpsonmp.com
Community News
One in Eleven Appeal
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust launched their 'One in Eleven' appeal to raise funds for a new neonatal unit at Leighton Hospital, Crewe.
Patrons of the appeal include Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire David Briggs & Edward Timpson MP.
To find out more click here. To donate click here.
Do you have community news to share? Email me and it could be here too!
Nantwich town square hosts Jubilee beacon celebration
Nantwich News
Hundreds of Nantwich children, teachers and parents crammed into the town square to mark the start of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
They danced and sang to music, listened to speeches by dignitaries and watched as a special floral beacon was lit up.
Despite the damp conditions, the event was well attended and organisers hailed it a triumph for everyone involved.
Nantwich Mayor Cllr Graham Fenton, MP Edward Timpson and the Queen’s Cheshire representative Lord Lieutenant David Briggs were among those attending.
Children from eight primary schools in the town – including Weaver Primary, Stapeley Broad Lane, Pear Tree, Wyche, Highfields, Millfields, and St Anne’s – danced and waved Union Jack flags to brighten up the occasion.
And the only two “Elizabeths” among the children – Libby and Betty, pupils of Pear Tree - were chosen to help light the beacon.
Doug Butterill, of Nantwich in Bloom, and his wife Penny, a Nantwich Town councillor, were instrumental in organising the event.
Cllr Fenton said: “It’s fantastic to see. There’s been a real buzz in the town with the music and the children, a great atmosphere. There’s a real sense of the community coming together. I congratulate Doug and Penny for their hard work on this.”
Mr Timpson added: “It’s great to see children from seven or eight schools make the effort and joining in, creating a real buzz.
“I know having been to some of the schools in the last few months that they are really embracing the whole Jubilee event.
“It engenders a sense of togetherness, bringing the town together.
“On the back of the Olympic Torch, Crewe Alex winning at Wembley, Nantwich Town winning the Cheshire Cup, it’s a real filip for the region.”
Lord Lieutenant David Briggs said: “It’s fantastic to see so many people enjoying themselves and the enthusiasm there is for the Jubilee celebrations throughout the county.
“It has been quite extraordinary, and really shows the affection in which the Queen is held.”
Music at the event was provided by members of The Cat community radio station.
Nantwich in Bloom to unveil floral tribute for Queen’s Jubilee
Nantwich News
Nantwich in Bloom is to unveil a unique Flaming Floral Beacon as part of the town’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
The floral tribute will be placed in the bed behind the Cenotaph in Nantwich town square, said Nantwich in Bloom coordinator Doug Butterill.
The town starts the jubilee celebrations on Thursday May 31 at 10.30am when around 600 school children will come to see the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire David Briggs light the Beacon for the first time.
He will be joined by the town’s MP Edward Timpson and new Town Mayor Cllr Graham Fenton.
The children, to be dressed in red,white and blue are coming from primary schools in and around Nantwich.
They will be waving their union flags, singing and dancing and set the spirit for the celebrations to come over the weekend.
On Sunday June 3, the town square will be hosting entertainment all afternoon after the morning parade to St Mary’s Church from the Civic Hall (10.30am) and the church service (10.45)am)
There will be lunch on the lawns in the square, punch and judy, face painting and balloon wyzzard. Live music will be provided by The Cat radio.
Both the Nantwich Young Voices and X Academy will perform live, there will be “Merrie Noyse” live Elizabethan music by Nantwich Museum, a rock ‘n roll fancy dress competition, shop dress competition and more.
All the fun starts at 1pm and is expected to run until about 5pm.
Following this the town Mayor will again light the beacon on Monday June 4 at 10.26amas agreed with the Queen’s Pageant Master in line with other beacons being lit up and down the country.
£2m road upgrade to help create jobs
The Sentinel
PLANS to improve access to the M6 have been unveiled as part of proposals to open up swathes of land for development.
The work on the A500, near junction 16 of the M6, will unlock the 55-hectare Basford West site to the south of Crewe, owned by developer Goodman.
The firm is now working with Cheshire East Council and the Highways Agency to secure permission for the road improvements.
Once the works are completed, the development of Basford West can go ahead with the promise of hundreds of new jobs.
Goodman won permission to develop a logistics and employment hub at Basford West in 2008.
As part of the conditions of the planning approval, the motorway slip roads and roundabout at junction 16 will be upgraded.
The A500 approach from Crewe will also be widened to deal with increased traffic from the development site.
The design also includes:
new traffic lights to better manage traffic flow around the junction 16 roundabout;
the roundabout widened to three lanes;
provision of additional lanes on the eastbound A500 approach to junction 16;
and a new built road from the A500 dual carriageway at its Shavington junction, through the Basford West site and linking into the B5071, Gresty Road.
The works could ease congestion problems which have dogged the single carriageway section of A500 for years.
Community leaders say the roadworks are the catalyst for economic growth in the area.
Councillor Jamie Macrae, cabinet member in charge of prosperity and economic regeneration, said: "Basford West is a key investment site in Crewe which will eventually deliver jobs for the town.
"We are working with Goodman to put in place the necessary highway agreements, which would then allow them to fund and deliver the road works."
Ian Pritchard, development director for Goodman, said: "Market conditions continue to be challenging over the period since we received our planning approval back in 2008.
"We welcome the commitment from the council and the Highways Agency to assist us in moving our development plans forward.
"But, with a planning framework and highways approvals in place, we believe we will be in a position to commit to the highway works over the coming months."
More than £2 million will be spent on the improvements and it is hoped work will start in the autumn.
The project is expected to take nine months to complete.
The council is writing to Crewe and Nantwich Conservative MP, Edward Timpson, to ask for his support with the design.
Taxi driver Joe Dennis, aged 50, from Crewe, who used to be a bus driver, said: "It should be done as soon as possible. It will make my job easier if I'm not sat in traffic.
"That stretch from Weston to Junction 16 can be a nightmare."
© 2012 Trinity Mirror
COMMUNITIES Secretary Eric Pickles is urging housing associations to treat the elderly with 'enormous dignity' after the controversy surrounding Wulvern Housing
Crewe Chronicle
COMMUNITIES Secretary Eric Pickles is urging housing associations to treat the elderly with ‘enormous dignity’ after the controversy surrounding Wulvern Housing’s proposals to close Linden Court in Crewe.
Mr Pickles, who visited the sheltered accommodation complex a few years ago with Edward Timpson, was responding in the House of Commons to a question from the Crewe and Nantwich MP.
Mr Timpson told Mr Pickles how he had been helping the Linden Court residents after Wulvern Housing attempted to move them out “on just a few months’ notice in order to redevelop the site’.
“Will my right honourable friend the Secretary of State use his good offices to encourage housing associations to treat the elderly with the care, courtesy and respect that they deserve, particularly those whom they are considering moving out of their homes?” he asked.
Mr Pickles (Con) replied: “I am not sure that I need to use those powers, because my honourable friend has used his considerable influence and I now understand that the housing association is having a rethink and looking into other ways of dealing with Linden Court which I visited with him a few years ago.”
Mr Pickles added: “It is important that, when elderly persons are being moved out of their homes, they should be treated with enormous dignity, and local authorities and housing associations need to go about that task at a leisurely pace.”
Two weeks ago Wulvern Housing announced it had paused plans to bulldoze Linden Court and was going to explore further options.
Last week an independent survey was carried out.
Wulvern has promised to meet with residents within a month for a full update.
2,000 People Turn out to Jobs Fair at Crewe Alex stadium
Crewe Chronicle
MORE than 2,000 people from all walks of life turned out in force to get a leg-up on to the employment ladder at the Alexandra Stadium in Crewe on Thursday.
Students, job-hunters and young apprentices flocked to the all-day fair – organised by Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson – where more than 45 of the area’s leading companies were on hand to showcase their job opportunities and offer advice.
Mr Timpson hailed the jobs expo – backed by the Chronicle and The South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce – as a huge success and added that it emphasised the many opportunities available in South Cheshire’s vibrant economy.
Edward Timpson explained: “I am thrilled to see my initial idea to help boost employment and business confidence in Crewe & Nantwich become a reality.
“With more than 45 local businesses and around 2,000 job seekers attending on the day, the success of the jobs fair went way beyond expectations.
“The feedback we have had has been extremely positive and already people are asking when the next one will be held.
“There were some unexpected bonuses from the day too, including one business that created new local jobs exclusively on the back of the fair.
“Although the vast majority of job seekers were from the local Crewe &Nantwich area, we also saw people from as far afield as Stockport, Telford and North Wales, showing how the fair helped put Crewe on the map as a place that is definitely open for business.”
The fair featured a distinguished cast of the area’s biggest employers including Bentley Motors, BAE Systems and Mornflake whose staff were on hand to share their experiences and offer advice.
Bentley’s senior recruitment officer Nikki Elliot said: “I’ve been thrilled with the response. We have received some extremely well-prepared CVs from people with a vast variety of skill sets and our apprentices have also been very busy sharing their experiences.”
Alsager’s BAE System’s human resources manager John Stoodley said: “We have a massive commitment to the local economy and our four-year apprenticeship scheme is a big part of that.
“I think the turnout has been fantastic and it has been a fantastic opportunity for us, and many other firms, to meet people face to face and talk about the wide variety of roles we offer.”
Meanwhile, a number of firms were actively recruiting at the fair and by 11am Vicky Sugden, creative director of At One Communications in Crewe, already had an armful of CVs.
She said: “I have an admin position available and I’ve been delighted with the response. We were a late entry into the fair and I didn’t really have any expectations but it’s been really positive.
“There have been a number of people who fit the description of the employee I’m looking for perfectly.”
Meanwhile, one local firm had even created a number of posts and apprenticeships in anticipation of the fair.
Steve Floodgate, communications director of people and site management and health and safety specialist SG World in Crewe, said: “Apprenticeship really seems to be the buzz-word at the moment and it’s a great route for people to get experience and for businesses to find and even mould great employees.
“We already had one vacancy available but we thought with this in mind that we could create a few more in a variety of roles and hopefully find the right candidates.”
Cheshire East A-Team marketing apprentice Amy Rowe, 21, was on hand to tell other young job-seekers about the considerable benefits of learning on the job.
The former Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College student from Warmingham, said: “We all know young people often get knocked back for jobs because they don’t have enough experience or qualifications.
“Apprenticeships are an amazing way of achieving them both and getting a foot on the career ladder. I’ve loved every minute of it and it’s been a fantastic experience.
“There are 30 places available every year and above all, the council is looking for people who are determined to work hard and achieve.”
Job-seeker and college student David Baggaley, 17, said the fair had opened his eyes to a number of potential career paths.
He said: “I’m currently in my first year of college but I’m weighing up my options and, if I could, I’d get on the career ladder this year.
“I came here looking at manufacturing apprenticeships but after talking to a lot of other companies, I’m really spoilt for choice.
“I’m really glad I came and it has been really inspiring to find out I have so many more options than I thought I did.”
Reaseheath College construction student Sean Smythe, 19, said: “I heard about the fair from friends who saw it in the Chronicle.
“I’m going into my last year and I didn’t think I would find much here but I’ve been really pleased and found out a lot about apprentice schemes.”
The armed forces were represented including the air cadets as well as the territorial and regular Army.
Sergeant Glen Gittins insisted the fair was a great opportunity to meet potential applicants who may be put off or intimidated by walking into an army recruitment office.
He said: “There are more than 140 careers in the army so obviously we need a diverse range of people.
“The fair’s been a great opportunity for us to meet people and let them know actually what to expect if they then decide to sign up.
“It’s all about commitment and fitness is a major aspect which a lot of young people underestimate.”
South Cheshire Chamber’s acting chief executive Paul Colman was ‘delighted’ with the event.
He said: “The turnout has been fantastic and it’s great news for the area that jobs are available.
“There is obviously a national picture which reflects the difficult times we face but locally this sort of event inspires confidence and shows the rest of the country that South Cheshire has great foundations for investment.”
Edward Timpson, added: “I want to put on record my sincere thanks to all at Crewe Alex for providing such a great venue, to the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce for their full support of the event and to the Chronicle for making sure as many people as possible knew about the fair.
“Finally I want to thank all the local businesses and job seekers who embraced the fair and made the day so worthwhile.”
5 ways to contact Edward Timpson
- By email: timpsone@parliament.uk
- On the web: edwardtimpsonmp.com
- By phone: 01270 501 725
- By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
- In person: Click here to see surgery times
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