35th World Worm Charming Championship

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

The ‘35th World Worm Charming Championship’ - http://www.wormcharming.com/ - took place on the afternoon of Saturday 28th June 2014 within the grounds of Willaston Primary School http://www.willastonprimary.co.uk/ , Willaston, near Nantwich, Cheshire. The Championship started at 2pm and participants in each of the 144 plots had 30 minutes to collect as many worms as possible from their 3x3 metre plot. There were 'traditional' plots for teams of two and 'tag-team' plots for teams who wished to change their pairings throughout the charming period. Techniques included vibrating a garden fork, singing and playing a musical instrument.

The Chief Wormer's trophy for youngest wormer with 64 worms in plot 19 was won by 29 day old Arwyn Davies.

Most Promising Newcomer Award with 184 worms in plot 36 was won by Lucas and Melvyn Mostran.

The Heaviest Worm trophy was won by Liam and Patrick Martin in plot 27 with 5.84g.

The Championship trophy for Most Worms with an impressive haul of 394 worms in plot 83 was won by the Bowden’s with Dad Andy, son Dale and nine year old daughter Georgia. Mum provided verbal support. They live in the village of Tarleton near Preston and it was the second year running that they had competed in the Championship. Once presented with their trophy they were filmed and interviewed by a news crew from Russian 24/7 English-language news channel 'RT' - http://rt.com/ - so will receive global recognition for their achievement. They were also raising money via sponsorship for Addaction http://www.addaction.org.uk/ , which offers a residential rehabilitation service to help people beat their problems with drugs and alcohol.

The championships also included representatives from Australia (259 worms), the Philippines (81), Holland (202), Switzerland (114) and India (84). The International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes (IFCWAP) charmed 48 worms.

Willaston Primary School Headteacher Clare Grehan gave her sincere thanks to event organiser Mike Forster, all the volunteers and visitors for their continued support of the event.

Events in the arena and playground area included the a performance by the Willaston School Percussion band, the Willaston Scouts Ninja Poi Display Team, dancing by the X Academy of Performing Arts, and singing by TheFunkyChoir.com. The arena and adjacent areas were surrounded by charity stalls, an inflatable slide and food and drink outlets.

Fortunately, the rain stayed away and was enjoyed by several hundred people.

 

I’ve uploaded all my photos to a Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathanawhite/sets/72157645455908873/

Diabetes UK Garden Party

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

Sheena & Ken Sambrook of the Crewe and South Cheshire Voluntary Group of Diabetes UK - http://crewe-and-south-cheshire.diabetesukgroup.org - are once again opening up their garden for a fund-raising Garden Party. The event will take place on Wednesday 9th July 2014, from 7pm, at their house at 6 Westfield Drive, Wistaston. Entrance is 50p and includes tea and biscuits. Strawberries & cream, cakes and plants will be available for sale. There will also be a bring & buy stall and a raffle stall. The Wistaston Rose Queen and Mayor will be in attendance. Please contact Ken for further information: Tel. 01270 662455.

Strawberry and Cream Tea Concert

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

A ‘Strawberry and Cream Tea Concert’ takes place on Saturday 12th July 2014 (3pm) at St Stephen’s Methodist Church, Gainsborough Road, Crewe. Cream tea and strawberries during the interval. Parking available at Ruskin Road School. Tickets = £6. Proceeds in aid of Church and Choir funds. For further information please contact Choir Secretary Jill Oakes Tel: 01270 662940.

The Wistaston Singers

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

The Wistaston Singers took their talents on the road recently when they travelled to Elworth. They performed a fundraising concert in the evening of Saturday 21^st June 2014 at St Peter’s Church Hall http://www.stpeters-elworth.org.uk/ .

Phil Houghton was the Musical Director and also introduced each song and soloist. Ann Farrington was the accompanist. The choir sang 42^nd Street (Warren), a Phantom of the Opera medley (Lloyd Webber), All in the April Evening (Roberton), Can You Feel the Love Tonight (John), The heavens are telling (Haydn), One Voice (Manilow), Oliver (Bart) and Love Changes Everything (Lloyd Webber). There was a duet from Liz Wood and Linda Walker of I Know Him So Well (Andersson et al).

Chris White (ukulele), accompanied by Phil Houghton (piano), performed four songs that were all popular during World War I to mark the centenary of the war: Keep the Home Fires Burning (Novello), Goodbye Dolly Gray (Barnes), Pack Up Your Troubles (Powell) and If You Were the Only Girl In The World (Ayer). The audience were given the lyrics to the songs and were encouraged to join in for each chorus. Jay Robinson (guitar) performed solo with the choir for the first time and sang A Giver in Life, which he had written himself.

Refreshments were served during the interval.

Proceeds from the concert will go to Christian Aid http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ .

Musical Director Phil Houghton said, "The choir had a wonderful visit to Elworth and are most appreciative to the audience for coming to watch us perform at this charity concert."

The Wistaston Singers were originally formed by members of the choir at St Mary's Parish Church, Wistaston in May 2000 and now number over forty members singing four-part harmony music. The choir perform a variety and eclectic choice of music ranging from choral church music and anthems, Gilbert and Sullivan items, music from the shows, music from modern composers such as John Rutter encompassing from the 15th century to the 20th century. They perform up to five concerts a year at various venues in south Cheshire. The choir is also available to perform at weddings in the area. The choir rehearse weekly in the parish rooms of St Mary's Church, Nantwich on a Wednesday evening from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. New members are welcome and further details may be obtained from Choir Secretary Jill Oakes, Tel: 01270 662940 and email: jillandjohnoakes@uwclub.net

Their next concert will be a ‘Strawberry and Cream Tea Concert’ at St Stephen’s Methodist Church, Gainsborough Road, Crewe on Saturday 12^th July 2014 (3pm). Cream tea and strawberries during the interval. Parking available at Ruskin Road School. Tickets = £6. Proceeds in aid of Church and Choir funds.

The Wistaston Singers perform at St Peters Church Hall Elworth.JPG

Three Attacks by Fishermen on Swans in Queens Park

After the horrific Death of the mother swan who had 7 signets in the Queens Park which is still a mystery more attacks have happened this week. We heard disturbing news off a bailiff fisherman. He has witnessed twice in one day, two males fishing who purposely dangled bait in front of the cygnets and caught them up. The bailiff had to untangle them and threaten the males involved. Another witness told me how he had seen a fisherman hitting a swan with a keep net so that is a total of 3 attacks in one day. The mothers death is still a mystery as its claimed by the press that the RSPCA have no knowledge of it but it was quoted on Face Book that the park had called them and it was the wardens who had made the call but speaking to them this week they said they hadn't made a call and knew nothing about the dead swan. The body has disappeared and a request to the park were it went hasnt been answered. A vet who specialises in swans looked at our photo and said with out the body he cant be sure but it looked like a human attack from the photo as there were no canine teeth marks.

Legal status

As native wild birds, swans enjoy statutory protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to intentionally injure, take or kill a wild swan. 

The Act similarly protects the eggs and nests of swans. It is an offence to take or possess the egg of a wild mute swan, or to damage or destroy the nest of a mute swan whilst in use or being built. Unfortunately, swans and their nests are sometimes a target for vandals. 

Anyone seeing an offence against swans or other wildlife is encouraged to contact their police Wildlife Liaison Officer through their local police station.

There is history at the Queens Park of swan abuse with vandals stealing and smashing their eggs and no one does anything about it but now a new wildlife conservation group has been formed and the first meeting will be in the Queens Park pavilion Sun 6th July if you want to help save the wildlife in the park come along. You may wish to ask your local councillor why the CEC isnt doing anything to protect the wildlife as they have a duty of care. Since the attacks they have taken no action to patrol the park or get the Police in to investigate

Council warns residents over Council Tax ‘refund’ scam

 

Cheshire East Council is warning residents to be on their guard against a Council Tax ‘refund’ scam.

The fraud works by an email being sent from REFUND@direct.gov.uk claiming individuals are eligible for a Council Tax refund and asks for confidential bank and credit card details and passwords. The email also implies association with local government.
Cheshire East Council never texts or emails residents to request personal information. If refunds are due or there is any change to a resident’s bill then statements will be sent through the post.
The Council is urging residents to not give out their bank or credit card details, as this potentially gives unscrupulous people access to your money.
Councillor Peter Raynes, Cheshire East Cabinet member in charge of finance, said: “This is a total scam. We are warning residents not to get sucked into filling in forms and giving away financial or personal information to unscrupulous conmen.

“Unfortunately, some people may be taken in. However, Cheshire East Council never texts or emails residents in this way to request personal or financial information.

“If refunds are due, or there is any change in your bill, then statements will be sent through the post. We either refund the money direct if you pay by direct debit or by cheque sent to the bill payer's address.

“We have alerted Cheshire police to this issue and would urge people to be vigilant. If you receive this scam email you should delete it and not complete the form and contact the police.”

Anyone who receives such a message should not reply to it. Scams like this should be reported at www.actionfraud.police.uk which is the Police's dedicated website for reporting fraud and internet crime. You can also contact them on 0300 123 2040.
If you suspect you have been the victim of a Council Tax scam telephone the Citizen’s Advice Consumer Service on 08454 04 05 06 to report it and to get advice.

South Cheshire store director has a mountain to climb as he faces his fears for Diabetes charity

 

A BRAVE South Cheshire opticians’ store director, with a ‘severe hatred of both heights and the freezing cold’, is in training to face his fears and take on a gruelling charity mission to climb Mont Blanc.

Michael Elleray, store director at Crewe Specsavers in Market Street for the past 22 years, admits he is also a complete climbing novice. But despite being anxious about facing some of the world’s most treacherous conditions, Michael insists he is all set to take on the six-day challenge.

Setting off to the Alps with a team of eight people on Saturday 28 June, Michael and the group plan to reach the summit by Friday 4 June, and, having already paid for the trip in full, every penny donated in support of their challenge will go directly to the Insulin for Life, a global diabetes charity.

Diabetes is one of the leading cause of blindness in UK’s working age population. People with diabetes are 20 times more at risk of going blind than someone without the condition. Regular eye examinations can prevent eye damage associated with diabetes as early detection and treatment prevents sight loss.

Michael, aged 52, who is also store director of Specsavers Nantwich in High Street, says: ‘I’m a little nervous but very excited about the challenge. I make no secret of the fact that I don’t like heights or the cold so, I’ll be honest, I can’t wait to get to the summit.

‘I’ve bought myself a pickaxe and my training is going really well so I’m as prepared as I’ll ever be.

‘We’ve chosen to support Insulin for Life with this challenge and it is certainly a cause that all of the team at Specsavers are very familiar with.

‘An eye examination can detect signs of diabetes among people who don’t even realise they have it, which is why we urge everyone to have an eye test at least every two years’

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are life-long conditions that if left untreated can lead to heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and blindness.

Diabetes affects the eye in a number of ways; the unusual changes in blood sugar levels seen in diabetics can affect the lens inside the eye leading to blurred vision. This can lead to cataracts if undetected.

All Specsavers optometrists are trained to spot the signs of diabetes during a regular eye examination.  Eye tests are free under the NHS to the over 60s and those under 19 in full-time education, as well as to people already diagnosed with diabetes. 

To sponsor Michael’s challenge and donate to Insulin for Life pop into Specsavers in Crewe or Nantwich.

To book your next appointment at Specsavers Crewe call 01270 250707 or visit www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/Crewe.  To book your next appointment at Specsavers Nantwich call 01270 621660 or visit www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/Nantwich.

For more information about Insulin for Life visit http://www.insulinforlife.org/

Council Leader welcomes Chancellor’s call for new ‘HS3’ to create powerhouse of the North

 

The Leader of Cheshire East Council has warmly welcomed the Chancellor’s call for a third high-speed rail line to boost connectivity and the economy of the North of England.

A so-called HS3 high-speed rail link between Manchester and Leeds could help to create a ‘northern global powerhouse’, George Osborne said today (Monday, June 23).

He said better road and rail links would allow cities across northern England ‘to take on the world’, as London has done.

The Chancellor said the plan could cost up to £7bn – but could be cheaper if existing rail lines were updated.

Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council, who is pushing for the creation of a multi-million pound strategic HS2 transport hub at Crewe, said: “This is great news and I warmly welcome the Chancellor’s support for greater high-speed rail connectivity in the North.

“This is the right strategic solution – not just for Crewe and Cheshire East – but for the North and the country as a whole. And we need to act now to get it right and unlock the potential of high-speed rail to rebalance our country’s economy.

“Let’s be clear: ‘business as usual’ is not an option. What we need is the transformational change that HS2 and a strategic transport hub at Crewe and now HS3 will bring.”

Mr Osborne said the building of the east-west link should be considered as part of a review into the second phase of the £50bn HS2 high-speed rail project.

The Chancellor’s announcement follows on the back of two major reports (the Higgins and Deighton reports) that backed the benefits of HS2 for the North of England and which called for the creation of a major strategic transport hub at Crewe.

A new strategic HS2 hub station at Crewe would create up to 60,000 jobs and deliver an estimated £1.5bn in transport benefits, with potential for a further £1bn of wider economic benefits.

The Deighton Report (in March) said Crewe was ‘ideally placed to act as a hub station to connect HS2 into the surrounding regions’.

The report said the extra capacity released by HS2 provides an opportunity to reconfigure services and better utilise the strategic location of Crewe to serve major centres in the North West, such as Liverpool, Warrington and Chester and also Stoke, Stafford and all the local stations, which form part of the commute into bigger cities – supporting regeneration in the process.

The report further said Crewe is a natural gateway to North Wales. Additional connectivity at Crewe into North Wales also supports the proposed strategic European freight corridor through to Dublin, via Holyhead.

This helps unlock investment in North Wales’ growing advanced manufacturing sector.

On March 17, Sir David Higgins, CEO of HS2 Ltd, published a report which called on the Government to speed up high-speed rail delivery and create a strategic transport hub for the North at Crewe.

Sir David said a 43-mile stretch of HS2 to Crewe should be built by 2027, rather than 2033 as planned, to extend the benefits to the North more quickly.

Consultation Launched On Garden Waste Winter Shutdown

 

Cheshire East Council has launched a consultation to find the best time to start the seasonal shutdown of garden waste collections.

If follows a full public apology made by the Council over the issue when the Council trialled suspending brown bin collections between the months of October and March this year.

An unusually mild autumn meant that the brown bins were considered to be still required by some residents when collections were suspended in October.

The Council acknowledges that it got it wrong which is why a consultation has now been launched to find out what residents think is the best solution.

Residents are being urged to take part in the consultation, in preparation for the 2014/2015 autumn and winter period.

Cabinet portfolio holder David Topping said: “Shutting down the garden waste service over the coldest months of the year makes complete sense.

“The policy is designed to ensure efficient use of Council resources and, of course, save money. Demand at this time of year is low and the shutdown reduces carbon emissions.

“The consultation is all about getting the views of our residents and putting them first. We want to know when residents consider is the best time to shut down the service, the length of the shutdown and what’s the best way to get the message out to them.”

The consultation runs until July 23, 2014, and can be accessed on-line by visiting: http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/consultations.aspx

For those residents who do not have internet access at home, they can complete a survey at their local library or customer service centre.

Residents who normally purchase additional garden waste bins will not be asked to pay for their bin until after the consultation.

Save the wildlife at the Queens Park

 

There are still 6 signets left and we have lots of people watching out for them after the mysterious death of the mother. The controversy roles on with claims made by the press that the RSPCA no nothing about the death  even though the park made this statement on  Face book  Sadly Swan found dead on the lake this morning. RSCPA notified. All indications are eaten, possibly by a fox, no indication of being ravished by dog. Hence previous assumption removed off the web as unnecessary. However, mum may possibly find it difficult to look after all her young, so please all keep monitoring them and help. She has plenty of food thank you to all. Thank you Waynne also for your prompt call.

Queens Park wildlife conservation group

The group was setup after the death of a swan and other wildlife the aims and objectives are.

Urgent need for ramps onto all islands on the lake so wildlife can escape onto them away from human and natural predators

Islands to be planted with wildlife friendly plants to provide cover and suitable nesting

Lake plants need to be planted to provide to oxygenate the water and provide nesting for wildlife reed beds are needed in the middle of the lake for protected species that cant nest on land ie Grebe

Make the park more wildlife friendly by planting suitable bushes and plants to encourage wild life which fits in with the schools education programme

After a serious dog attack last year we were promised a dog control order which hasn’t been actioned dogs off the lead are a major problem as they attack wildlife and children the order is of no use unless dog wardens enforce it. The remaining swan was attacked last week by a dog off the lead.

Small water holes to be placed around park for wildlife to drink from as most can drink from the lake.

Log piles and bee hotel to get more insects in the park cost nothing and helpful for children’s education.

There will be a meeting in the park pavilion on Sunday 6th July 2pm all invited

There has been a lot of dead fish in the lake estimates between 50-100 and experts say this is down to failure of the CEC not providing plants for the lake or a fountain to oxygenate the lake. Its believed they all died due to lake of oxygen. This is all despite Cllr Jones promising last year to do all he could to protect the wildlife in the park they have failed to get the dog control order requested last year and no effort has been made to do anything for wildlife 

D-Day commemorations in Normandy.

Photos courtesy of Robert Richardson. Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

The Corps of Drums of The Cheshire Constabulary Band http://www.cheshirepoliceband.co.uk/Corps_of_Drums.htm combined with the West Yorkshire Police Brass Band http://www.westyorkshirepoliceband.org.uk/ to perform at the recent D-Day commemorations in Normandy, France.

 

They played in front of tens of thousands of spectators, Veterans of the D-Day landings, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Prince of Wales during a five day tour of the British and Canadian sectors of the beaches and were based in Benouville.

On 5th June they led the march across Pegasus Bridge before playing to the Prince of Wales at the Pegasus Memorial Museum, then led the 9th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment after their commemorative jump.

On 6th June - "D-Day" 70th anniversary - in the morning they played at Gold Beach and gave a stick lifting rendition of the Royal Marines Regimental March when leading former Marines at Juno Beach. In the afternoon of the same day they led the parade into Arromanches and played in front of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and Kate Middleton) at a concert broadcast on BBC One.

Wistaston resident, Robert Richardson, aged 42 who is a drummer with The Corps of Drums said, “It was the opportunity of a lifetime to perform in front of members of our Royal Family and to meet with some of the gentleman who landed on the beaches of Normandy. It was a privilege and an honour to perform during the commemorations.”

The Corps of Drums can be seen at the Kings Shilling Walk commemorations in Queens Park, Crewe on Sunday 3rd August and at a World War I commemoration concert at Nantwich Civic Hall on Sunday 5th October.

Warm welcome for Cheshire Show

 

The Cheshire Show attracted more than 80,000 visitors this year, with temperatures averaging a comfortable 20C over the two-day show.

More than 600 trade stands filled the 200-acre site at Tabley, stretching across five kilometres of open countryside.

Cheshire East Council hosted a business stand, highlighting why Cheshire East is officially the ‘best place to live in the North West’.

Council Leader Councillor Michael Jones said: “The Cheshire Show is part of our heritage and it is a great showcase for our farming community and a brilliant day out for families.

“It has also been a great opportunity to promote Cheshire East as officially ‘the best place to live in the North West’, as well as shout about the regeneration happening in Crewe and Macclesfield, our vision for an HS2 hub at Crewe, our aspiration to tap into geothermal energy and so much more.

“Well done to all those who make this show a success year after year and to all the exhibitors who really make the event special to the Borough.”

The Cheshire Show was first held in 1838 and was historically an agricultural event. Today exhibitors range from TV stars to owners of vintage farming machinery.

Food and Farming Minister George Eustice MP also attended the event on Wednesday to discuss current issues with local farmers.

Nigel Evans, executive director of the Cheshire Show, said: “The Cheshire Show is a wonderful celebration of all things country…and was a perfect opportunity for thousands of visitors to enjoy a flavour of rural life. It was two brilliant days with something for everyone – thank you to all our volunteers, supporters and visitors.”

Plans for Lifestyle Centre take shape

 

Ambitious plans for a state-of-the-art £15m lifestyle centre in Crewe have taken a major step forward.

To prepare the way for construction, Cheshire East has issued a series of statutory notices in and around the Christchurch car park area.

From early August, motorists who normally park their cars at Christchurch car parks will need to find alternative parking arrangements. Alternative car parks include Oak Street and Chester Street.

There will be no access along Crewe Street and Forge Street from this time, although access to Chancery Court and Lyon Street will remain.

The lifestyle centre, which will include health facilities as well as adult and social care services, will act as a catalyst for the Crewe civic and cultural quarter vision and make the town centre a more attractive proposition for commercial investors.

Council Leader Councillor Michael Jones said: “This is all part of the exciting build-up to actually putting a spade in the ground and making Crewe’s lifestyle centre a reality.

“Some people will see the initial preparations as an inconvenience but we will do everything we can to ensure that residents come first and know exactly what is happening and when.

“The project realises a bold vision to combat alarming health inequalities in areas of Crewe, meaning many people actually die a whole decade earlier compared to other areas in the borough.

“That is a situation that we cannot allow to continue and it is a huge motivating factor in getting the centre built as soon as is possible.”

The lifestyle centre will house an eight-lane, 25-metre pool, plus a large teaching pool, sports courts, state-of-the-art fitness suites, new library facilities, and children and adult social care services.

It is anticipated that construction will begin on the lifestyle centre in August and will be up-and-running for the public to use towards the end of 2015.

Council Leader welcomes Chancellor’s call for new ‘HS3’ to create powerhouse of the North

 

The Leader of Cheshire East Council has warmly welcomed the Chancellor’s call for a third high-speed rail line to boost connectivity and the economy of the North of England.

A so-called HS3 high-speed rail link between Manchester and Leeds could help to create a ‘northern global powerhouse’, George Osborne said today (Monday, June 23).

He said better road and rail links would allow cities across northern England ‘to take on the world’, as London has done.

The Chancellor said the plan could cost up to £7bn – but could be cheaper if existing rail lines were updated.

Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council, who is pushing for the creation of a multi-million pound strategic HS2 transport hub at Crewe, said: “This is great news and I warmly welcome the Chancellor’s support for greater high-speed rail connectivity in the North.

“This is the right strategic solution – not just for Crewe and Cheshire East – but for the North and the country as a whole. And we need to act now to get it right and unlock the potential of high-speed rail to rebalance our country’s economy.

“Let’s be clear: ‘business as usual’ is not an option. What we need is the transformational change that HS2 and a strategic transport hub at Crewe and now HS3 will bring.”

Mr Osborne said the building of the east-west link should be considered as part of a review into the second phase of the £50bn HS2 high-speed rail project.

The Chancellor’s announcement follows on the back of two major reports (the Higgins and Deighton reports) that backed the benefits of HS2 for the North of England and which called for the creation of a major strategic transport hub at Crewe.

A new strategic HS2 hub station at Crewe would create up to 60,000 jobs and deliver an estimated £1.5bn in transport benefits, with potential for a further £1bn of wider economic benefits.

The Deighton Report (in March) said Crewe was ‘ideally placed to act as a hub station to connect HS2 into the surrounding regions’.

The report said the extra capacity released by HS2 provides an opportunity to reconfigure services and better utilise the strategic location of Crewe to serve major centres in the North West, such as Liverpool, Warrington and Chester and also Stoke, Stafford and all the local stations, which form part of the commute into bigger cities – supporting regeneration in the process.

The report further said Crewe is a natural gateway to North Wales. Additional connectivity at Crewe into North Wales also supports the proposed strategic European freight corridor through to Dublin, via Holyhead.

This helps unlock investment in North Wales’ growing advanced manufacturing sector.

On March 17, Sir David Higgins, CEO of HS2 Ltd, published a report which called on the Government to speed up high-speed rail delivery and create a strategic transport hub for the North at Crewe.

Sir David said a 43-mile stretch of HS2 to Crewe should be built by 2027, rather than 2033 as planned, to extend the benefits to the North more quickly.

WISTASTON WARD COUNCILLORS INTRODUCE DOG WATCH AT JOEY THE SWAN

Cheshire East Wistaston Councillors Margaret Simon and Jacquie Weatherill have launched their community Dog Watch scheme in the Joey the Swan area of Church Lane.

Dog Watch aims to encourage responsible dog ownership by engaging both dog owners and members of the public.  They are supported by Hillside Veterinary Centre, Crewe Road, Nantwich, who have donated hundreds of ‘poo bag dispensers’ for distrubution to dog walkers.  The Councillors, with Hillside Vet Nurse Bev Richards Community Warden Tim Beckett and Dog Warden Keith Massey, have put up ‘Dog Watch’ signs in the Joey the Swan area and handed out leaflets and wallet sized cards containing useful contact phone numbers enabling residents to report dog fouling incidents, report a straying dog, discuss dog related issues and a number of other Council services including general enquiries.

Margaret Simon says;

“Dog Watch is a very positive way of engaging the public and dog owners in addressing and taking responsibility for keeping our streets and open spaces free from dog fouling.   I have two dogs of my own and, whilst I am out walking them, other dog owners often grumble about the amount of dog mess in certain parts of our local area.   The idea of Dog Watch was mentioned to me by a fellow dog walker who was keen to see us implement an initiative to tackle the problem in a positive way.  We chose to start at the Joey the Swan area because we have recently had a number of complaints about its public pathways.  So far everyone who has taken the time to stop and speak to us about Dog Watch has been very pleased that we are doing something to try to reduce the problem of dog fouling.  They have also suggested other areas close by that would benefit from Dog Watch.  Clearly we are on the right track with this scheme.”

Jacquie Weatherill says;

“Perhaps unbelieveably, complaints about dog fouling are amongst the most common reason for residents to contact their Councillor.  The Council often gets criticised for the small number of penalty notices it gives out for dog fouling but most residents would understand that our Wardens are unlikely to be ‘on the spot’ to witness every incidence.  That’s why we need to work proactively with our residents. Our Ward covers a very large area, we have the Connect 2 pathways in our Ward and also the linear pathways and open spaces by Wistaston Mill, we intend to roll out Dog Watch in those areas in the very near future.”

“Vet Nurse Bev Richards, from Hillside says;

Everyone at Hillside is delighted to support Cllrs Simon and Weatherill in their Dog Watch scheme, responsible dog ownership is key to keeping our streets and open spaces clean.  Picking up after your dog helps us to have  clean and safe places for everyone to enjoy whether you are a dog owner or not.  We are happy to donate the ‘poo bag dispensers’ to the Councillors to give away to dog owners.  We would like to think that most dog owners already carry poo bags and we would also hope that all owners have their dogs microchipped so that their pet can be returned to them if it gets lost or strays.  Hillside is working with the Dog’s Trust at the moment and is offering free microchipping for your dog until the end of the year.”

Community Warden Tim Beckett says;

“I think Dog Watch is a brilliant way to engage the public in a positive way.  Joey the Swan is the ideal area to start this scheme as it is widely used by children, families, walkers and dog walkers.   I’m looking forward to working with Cllrs Simon and Weatherill when they roll Dog Watch out to other areas in their Ward.” 

“Whilst we were on the Joey the Swan pathway we came across a lost dog.  It came to Cllr Simon and her two dogs but we quickly realised that his owner was not with him.  Fortunately we were able to use the Microchip scanner on him and we were able to start the process trying to reunite him with his owner.  Bev’s message about getting your dog microchipped is a very important one.”

The important Cheshire East contact numbers contained in the Dog Watch literature are:

To report a dog fouling incident or

To report a straying dog or

To discuss dog related issues – 0300 123 5021

For all other enquiries 0300 123 5500

If you would like to have your dog microchipped free, under the Dog’s Trust  microchipping scheme, phone

Hillside Veterinary Centre on 01270 625310.

The Wistaston Village Fete

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

The Wistaston Village Fete took place on the afternoon of Saturday 21st June 2014. This annual event is organised by the Wistaston Community Council and took place within the grounds of St Mary's Church Rectory, Church Lane, Wistaston.

The event began with a procession from Wistaston Memorial Hall led by Scottish Piper John Beattie, followed by the 35th South West Cheshire Scout group with Union Jack flag, St Mary’s Guides, Brownies & Rainbows, and a Chinese Dragon. The procession also included the retiring Wistaston Rose Queen (Naomi Barker) and her Attendant (Poppy Bellingham) in an open-top sports car and this year’s Wistaston Rose Queen (Lucy Rowland) and her Attendant (Charlotte Shaw) in an open-top vintage car.

Once the procession had arrived within the Arena at the Rectory the retiring Rose Queen (Naomi Barker) thanked Wistonian's for their support and stated that over £2,700 had been raised for Alder Hey Children's Hospital during her year of office. St. Mary's Wistaston Rector Mike Turnbull then passed the crown from Naomi to this year's Rose Queen (Lucy). Lucy stated that her chosen charities this year are Cancer Research UK and the Wistaston Scout Group. This year’s Wistonian of the year, Eileen Bamber, then officially opened the Fete.

John White and Ken Sambrook were the Master of Ceremonies and introduced each event in the Arena. John White gave a tribute in memory of Sheila and Geoff Armitage who have both sadly passed away within the past year. They were strong pillars of Wistaston’s community for many years and will be greatly missed.

Eileen Bamber and a previous Wistonian of the year, Laurie Clough, presented prizes to the winners in the Laurie Twiss Award for Journalism. Eileen thanked Rector Mike Turnbull for allowing the Wistaston Community Council to use the Rectory for the Fete.

Several children took part in the fancy dress competition and entries included a cowboy, a cowgirl, a strongman, a Superman, a pirate, a nurse, a Ninja turtle, a footballer and several princesses. The winner was 5 year old Stirling Marsh from Wistaston for his Rocket Man costume, with his 2 year brother Samson receiving second prize for his Robin (Batman's sidekick) costume complete with racing bike. They received their prizes from judges Eileen Bamber and Laurie Clough. All of the children who entered received a bag of sweets.

The Arena also had displays by the 35th South West Cheshire Scout group, TheFunkyChoir.com, the Hartford Gymnastics Display Team, and Miss Caroline’s School of Dance. Entertainer Twizzle Gumboot the friendly scarecrow kept children and adults entertained throughout the day.

There were over 30 stalls representing local organisations and charities, plus a bouncy castle and refreshments stands. Stalls were each allocated a country participating in this year’s FIFA World Cup. The best dressed stall award went to Shavington Drama Group for their stall themed on Costa Rica. They received their prize from Mayor of Cheshire East Council, Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald and Mayoress, Mrs Joan Fitzgerald. Refreshments were also available across the road in St Mary's Church Hall.

The event took place in sunny weather and was enjoyed by several hundred people.

Admission to the Fete was by donation and proceeds from the gate receipts and Wistaston Community Council stalls will go towards other Wistaston village events, such as the Flower and Produce Show, Spring and Christmas Concerts, and the November Fireworks Display. The Wistaston Community Council desperately requires new members to help organise next year’s Fete, as well as the other Wistaston-based events. Please visit http://www.wistastoncommunity.co.uk for further information if you would like to join.

Bollards to be erected to stop dangerous parking

 

Willaston and Rope Ward UKIP Councillor Brian Silvester has been campaigning for a long while to get action to stop dangerous parking at the junction of Meadow Close and Wistaston Road,Willaston Brian said, " The developers of Meadow View have now instructed contractors to erect bollards on the grassed area on the left hand side of the road as you drive in.(See below)This will physically stop the double parking at the junction,which makes it impossible for emergency vehicles and other vehicles from gaining access. Also I have had confirmation that Meadow View will be adopted by the Council in the matter of weeks.This will mean that it will come under the control of the Council so further improvements should be easier to achieve.

I am also pleased that, after a request from me, the overgrown grassed areas in the cul de sac have been cut by the Council."

Best wishes

Brian Silvester
Cllr Brian Silvester BA (Hons)

Willaston and Rope Ward UKIP Councillor

Cheshire East Council

11 Rimsdale Close

Rope,Crewe

CW2 6RS

Tel/fax 01270 567757

Twitter @CllrBSilvester

Facebook Cllr Brian Silvester

From: SKATES, Simon
Sent: 20 June 2014 15:21
To: SILVESTER, Brian (Councillor)
Subject: Meadow View

Dear Brian

I have received confirmation form Thomas Jones and sons that they are contacting their contractors and will let me know a date for installation of the bollards on Meadow View.

Formal adoption will be relatively quick on this site and should be concluded within 5 – 8 weeks of final approval following the installation.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards

Simon Skates

Principal Development Engineer

Call to fly the Cheshire County Flag in Cheshire East

Willaston and Rope Ward UKIP Councillor Brian Silvester is calling on Cheshire East Council (CEC) to periodically fly the Cheshire County Flag over its Council buildings

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Cheshire

He said," We should be proud that we live in a geat historic County like Cheshire which dates back to 38,000 BC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Cheshire

I am amazed that CEC does not fly the County flag at all.(See below) At times the County flag is flown over the Department of the Environment buiding in London alongside the Union Jack. To celebrate the important place counties play in the nation’s cultural heritage Secretary of State for the Environment, Eric Pickles has asked that English county standards be flown alongside the Union Flag outside DCLG’s Eland House headquarters in Victoria, London

It is bizarre and perverse that the Cheshire County flag is flown in our capital city but not in Cheshire itself. We should be doing everything we  can to promote our historic, beautiful, rural County. Most people have a good impression of Cheshire as a place to live, work and visit. We should be proud of our County and take every opportunity to bring it to the attention to everybody far and wide."

Work begins on key £11m road improvements scheme

 

Work is getting under way on a multi-million-pound scheme to improve the A500 near Crewe – that will help unlock growth, jobs and better connectivity.

The £11.2m joint scheme between Cheshire East Council and the Highways Agency will see the installation of traffic signals on Junction 16 and the widening of the A500 to two lanes approaching the junction.

Funding for this joint scheme has been received from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) ‘pinch point’ programme and the project will be managed by the Highways Agency under agreement with the Council. 

The Junction 16 scheme will help ease traffic congestion to the proposed Basford East and West development sites.

These are strategic employment sites that are a key part in the council’s vision to help create up to 12,500 jobs over the next two decades as part of the ambitious ‘All Change for Crewe’ programme.

Contractors have already been doing preparatory work, while laybys and two footpaths affected by the project will be closed on July 1. Major construction work will begin shortly after this. The footpaths will reopen when the scheme is complete.

Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “This is fantastic news for Crewe and for Cheshire East as a whole. Getting this key scheme under way is yet another massive boost for future job creation and the economic regeneration of Crewe and beyond.

“The project is the culmination of years of hard work and lobbying by the Council and is the latest in a series of successful road bids for this authority, which aims to put residents first and deliver better connectivity and jobs-led, plan-led growth for the people of Cheshire East.

“Improving connectivity between our communities and the M6 is one of the cornerstones of the Council’s vision for a less-congested and better-integrated road network that will help transform Crewe and surrounding areas into an economic powerhouse by 2030.

“This Council is continuing to deliver on that ambition and will be monitoring the success of the Highways Agency’s traffic management to ensure the best results for our local roads.

“One of our key aims is for Cheshire East to have a strong and resilient economy and improving the roads in and around the Borough ensures that we will gain an even greater reputation as an excellent place to live, visit and do business. Cheshire East is the best in the North West and the place to be.”

The A500 scheme will see a 600 metre-long widening of the A500 on the approach to the M6 at junction 16 on the Crewe side.

This will create an additional full-length lane along that stretch of the A500, which will then taper into a shorter third lane.

The scheme is due for completion by Christmas. 

For safety reasons, construction work will be carried out under a 50mph speed limit restriction and overnight closures, which will be co-ordinated with other road schemes planned on the wider road network to minimise disruption to traffic.

Care will be taken to coordinate works to minimise disruption. Regular updates on the progress of the construction and on disruption to traffic will be provided via media bulletins, social media and the Council’s website at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk

Recent successful bids by Cheshire East to the DfT include:

● £3.2m of funding to help tackle congestion and safety issues at Junction 17 of the M6. The proposals include the installation of traffic signals on the Congleton and a new roundabout at the top of the slip roads on the Sandbach side;

● £2.7m of ‘local pinch point’ funding towards the Basford West spine road linking the A500 at Shavington with Gresty Road in Crewe, with work proposed to begin in summer 2014;

● £15.7m of approved funding for the Crewe Green Link Road South scheme, which will further improve access to Crewe’s strategic investment sites;

● £6m investment at Crewe Rail Exchange to improve pedestrian access and provide a new entrance, parking and improved retail facilities at the rail station.

Wistaston Village Fete

Reporter Jonathan White, Crewe

Wistaston Village Fete takes place this Saturday 21st June. A procession will leave Wistaston Memorial Hall at 1:30pm. The procession will head to the grounds of St Mary's Church Rectory (Church Lane, Wistaston, CW2 8HA) where the opening and crowning of the Rose Queen will take place. Visitors can watch the crowning ceremony, enjoy a number of performances, and browse numerous stalls. There will also be more entertainment and a restaurant in the Church Hall. Admission to the Fete is by donation and proceeds go towards other Wistaston village events.

 

Corrie star lends support to dementia awareness event

 

A former Coronation Street star is lending her support to a Cheshire East Council drive to raise awareness of dementia.

Cheshire East Council organised the event at Tatton Park (on Friday), which aimed to encourage businesses and organisations to become dementia-friendly.

Actress Judy Holt who appeared in ‘The Street’ as dementia Lesley Kershaw, attended a recent seminar organised by Cheshire East in her role as a dementia ‘befriender’.

At the event, Council Leader Michael Jones issued a challenge to all businesses and organisations in Cheshire East to “do all they can to become dementia-friendly”.

Councillor Jones explained why increasing understanding of dementia is so important: “As we live longer, more and more of us are exposed to the problems of dealing with a friend, colleague or loved one who suffers from dementia. It’s a reality that now affects nearly all families – including my own.

“Unfortunately, there is still a lot of stigma and misinformation out there about people living with dementia. This event is a call to action, urging companies and organisations to do all they can to become dementia-friendly.

He added: “We are offering practical leadership by creating a new Dementia Action Alliance Co-ordinator to establish a series of events across Cheshire East to break down barriers and spread understanding about the challenges of dealing with dementia and how we can all play a part in helping people with the condition to still lead fulfilling lives.”

One of the key speakers at the event was Dr Trevor Jarvis MBE, who spoke about living with dementia. Having been diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2001, Trevor uses his personal experience along with his talent for public speaking to highlight the day-to-day difficulties of living with dementia and how to make communities a better place for those that live with the condition.

Stabbing in Underwood Lane

At 4 o'clock the police closed the road in Underwood Lane Crewe. This was from an incident at 2 o'clock when Police and ambulance were called to a 23 year old name with injures he was taken to the hospital. The Police closed the road and then round the back of the houses were forensic teams went around the area they were still there at 9:30. Any witnesses to the incident are asked to contact Cheshire police on 101 quoting incident 546 of June 15.

'Rockin’ for St Luke’s' (Sun 15-6-14).

reporter Jonathan White, Crewe

'Rockin’ for St Luke’s' took place at Nantwich Town Football Club on Sunday 15th June 2014.

The event began at 12:45pm following the arrival of a charity cavalcade from Winsford of several hundred motorcycles and scooters led by the St Luke's Hospice Routemaster double-decker bus.

The event at The Weaver Stadium was free via donation and included the opportunity to browse the motorcycles and scooters, a charity auction, trade and club stands, and a Bikezone (Crewe) trials riding display.

Indoors there was live music from numerous bands (The Eyres, Green Bullet, Moby Duck, Brazen).

All proceeds will go to St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice: http://www.stlukes-hospice.co.uk/

Rockin’ for St Luke’s

Rockin’ for St Luke’s takes place at Nantwich Town Football Club this Sunday 15^th June 2014, from 12:45pm, following the arrival of a charity cavalcade from Winsford of several hundred motorcycles and scooters led by the St Luke's Hospice Routemaster double-decker bus. The event at The Weaver Stadium is free via a donation and includes the opportunity to browse the motorcycles and scooters, a charity auction, trade and club stands, and Bikezone (Crewe) trials riding display. Indoors there will be live music from numerous bands from 1:30pm to 10pm (1.30pm The Eyres, 3.15pm Green Bullet, 5.15pm Moby Duck, 8.00pm Brazen). Proceeds to St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice.

MP’s 151st news bulletin

Friday, 13 June 2014

Welcome

Welcome to this, my 151st news bulletin.

Getting your foot inside the door of the world of work is a vital first step to a life of earning and learning, and increasingly many people both here in Crewe & Nantwich and elsewhere are turning to high-quality, employer-led apprenticeships to help them on their way.

That’s why, in light of the 51 new apprenticeships announced by Bentley in Crewe, I wanted to update you on important, further progress with apprenticeships reform.

Since 2010 the number of apprenticeships has doubled, and apprenticeships are becoming a new norm for many more school-leavers who see the value that many local businesses do in a solid vocational training background.

However, I know that locally when I talk to small businesses who haven’t yet taken the plunge and hired an apprentice, their main worry is whether they will be buried in paperwork.

The good news is that under this Government employing an apprentice is now simpler than ever. Not only that but we have also put employers in the driving seat; designing new apprenticeships so that in future they will work even better for both employees and apprentices.

As a result we’ve seen real progress in boosting apprenticeships, both in terms of quality and quantity:

• 1.7 million apprenticeships have been delivered, and we are on track for two million over the course of this Parliament.
• There has been an increase of 103,300 in the number of employers taking on apprentices since 2009/10 (representing an increase of 45.2%).
• And the number of high-quality, full apprenticeships has doubled among young people aged between 16 and 18, from 53,600 in 2009/10 to 110,900 in 2012/13.

The next step in this process is reforming the way apprenticeships are paid for, so that employers can take the lead on both standards and training.

This will mean that colleges, training providers and universities will need to provide the training employers need to fulfil the standards they have set. It will also dramatically simplify the funding rules and processes.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here is what 35 leading trade organisations and businesses wrote in a letter to a leading national newspaper: "Apprenticeships build the country’s skills base, support industries and create opportunities for young people leading to well-paid jobs."

With our strong local economy able to offer a diverse range of apprenticeship opportunities, backed up by a growing mix of training routes to choose from, let’s get behind apprenticeships and the employers who offer them, make the process simpler, and get our young people into the skilled jobs we need and they deserve.

Edward Timpson MP
Member of Parliament for Crewe and Nantwich and Minister of the Year

Please remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me, or if there is anything I can do to assist you.

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Locally, I have...

• Taken part in the family fun day, at Total Fitness gym in Crewe (pictured, right)
• Cut the ribbon at the official opening of the new entrance at Crewe Station.
• Spoken at the first Nantwich Youth Drama Festival, hosted by the Nantwich Players.
• Visited Swansway Garage, in Crewe.  This local, family-run business is now approaching its tenth birthday, and was South Cheshire Chamber's Employer of the Year 2013.
• Rolled the first pie at the Wybunbury Fig Pie Wakes.
• Held two of my regular constituency advice surgeries, including my first at the YMCA in Crewe.
• Been interviewed by the pupils of Class 6 at Weaver Primary School, about my job as a Member of Parliament, as part of their film project, "The People of Nantwich".
• Attended the opening and blessing of two new classrooms at St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Crewe.
  Met with Jasbir Dhesi, who this year has taken up the position of Principal at South Cheshire College.

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Community Notices

Home Start Central Cheshire Summer Soiree - Click here, or on the image for a larger poster.

• If you have community news that you would like to share, please get in touch, and your information could appear here!

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Station is on track for the future

Crewe Chronicle: Crewe Station’s new £7m entrance was officially opened today [30 May] – with the promise that this was just the beginning of the changes for the town.

Cheshire East leader Michael Jones praised the efforts of all involved and said the combination of private sector, government and Cheshire East had worked well to bring about the £7m investment.

“Really, it’s great thanks to this man, our local MP Edward Timpson, who has backed us on all the things we’ve moved forward,” he said.

Mr Timpson thanked everyone who had worked so hard on the project – including ‘Patrick McLouglin and his team’ at the Department for Transport.

“We’ve worked hard to make sure they understand the significance of this station, not just for this project but what’s going to come in the future,” he said.  And he said the support and confidence the Transport Secretary had shown in Crewe was ‘extremely welcome’.

The scheme involved the bulldozing of the former Royal Mail buildings to construct a the new entrance, 244 space car park and refurbishment of an existing subway.

Mr Timpson also thanked Cheshire East, Network Rail Virgin Trains, station manager Sheila Breeze and contractors Balfour Beatty for their work.

“This is only just the start and with the likes of Pete (Waterman) working hard to convince people of the maturity in coming to a view that Crewe should be a fully integrated hub on the HS2 network – even, hopefully, bringing it forward by six years as well –  it’s going to be a huge boost to Crewe and the surrounding area,” said the Conservative MP.

“We need to use this as a staging post, a mark on the ground, we can say we’ve achieved this now and move on to the next project.”

Station manager Sheila Breeze said passengers had already commented on how much more convenient the Weston Road entrance is. “They can park here, walk straight down the stairs and straight on to platform five for London,” she said.

Pete Waterman said Crewe was looking to the 22nd century not just dealing with 21st. He said that with amount of trains that come through Crewe now ‘it’s proof of our argument that Crewe is the right place for a hub station.’

“We couldn’t wait til 2030 to get a new station so we had to do something and this was the last parting gift from a former transport secretary, Philip Hammond,”  said Mr Waterman.

“We fought hard to explain we couldn’t wait until a decision on HS2 because the station was feeling tired and it was difficult to park, so now we’ve got it and we move on from here. This is a statement which says Crewe is here to stay for the 22nd century, not for the 21st.”

When asked why he felt so passionately about Crewe and the HS2 bid he said: “It’s easy to champion a great cause when you know you can win.”

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Photo News: Wybunbury Fig Pie Wakes 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I again had the privilege of rolling the first fig pie, at this year's Fig Pie Wakes.

Thanks to the organisers, the Wybunbury Tower Preservation Trust, and congratulations to the winners, Daniel McKenna (Under-10's, 54 metres), Joe Wright (Under-16's, 50 metres) and Mike Guilliard, who won the adult competition with an impressive roll of 113 metres.

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Fine performances grace inaugural Nantwich Youth Drama Festival

Crewe & Nantwich Guardian: The inaugural Nantwich Youth Drama Festival saw local schools and drama groups stage an array of fine entertainment over three consecutive evenings.

Hosted by The Nantwich Players amateur dramatics group, contributions included performances by Sir William Stanier High School in Crewe.

Edward Timpson MP, Minister for Children, attend the final night to lend his support to the initiative, which saw prizes awarded for the best productions.

He said: “It’s fantastic to see so many youngsters taking advantage of the first Nantwich Players Youth Drama Festival, which brings such a great opportunity for them to build their confidence on stage. “I hope that The Players can make this an annual event for the town.”

Awards went to:

• Best Production: Wistaston Young Drama Group for their play, Blackout.
• Best Junior Performance: Matthew Medovnikov playing Tommo in Nantwich Players’ Youth Section’s extract from the play, Private Peaceful.
• Best Senior Performance: Cameron Chalmers, playing Charlie in Private Peaceful.
• Adjudicator’s award: Anastasia Banks and Hannah Smith for their performance of ‘Tell Me it’s Not True’ in the Stagecoach Theatre School of Nantwich’s abbreviated version of Blood Brothers.

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Crewe bowling alley spared after Government ruling

Crewe & Nantwich Guardian:  A bowling alley has been spared closure after a developer’s plans hit the gutter.

Cheshire East Council refused Albermarle Property Opportunities’ plan to replace Lakeside Superbowl’s sixteen lanes with new restaurants in October 2013.  Albermarle asked to the Secretary of State to review the decision, but on Monday, June 2, Government planning inspector Mrs AL Fairclough threw out the appeal.

She said the loss of the facility would have a ‘significantly adverse impact’ and considered submissions that revealed the nearest bowling alley would be 15 miles away in Hanley, Stoke.

“From the written evidence before me, I understand that the bowling alley is used by many local people of different ages including the elderly, disabled persons and young people,” she said.

“I have noted the numerous letters and petition from local residents, backed by their MP Edward Timpson, in support of the retention of the bowling facility.”

The decision comes as a reprieve for the Crewe 10 Pin Academy club, and bowling staff who feared for their jobs when the plans first emerged last July.

Mrs Fairclough added: “The appellant states that the bowling facility is not necessarily a community facility with an important social function and that it is not a sporting activity.

“However, given that bowling is an activity which involves physical movement and a great deal of interaction between participants and that the bowling facility provides a social base for meeting and events such as leagues competitions and social club play for all ages and abilities, including special needs as well as pool tables and amusement machines, I consider that it does provide an important social, health and community facility.”

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5 ways to contact Edward Timpson

• By e-mail: timpsone@parliament.uk
• On the web: www.edwardtimpson.com
• By phone: 01270 501 725
• By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
• In person: Click here to see surgery times

New Short-Break House Opens

 

A ‘home-from-home’ for children with disabilities and complex medical health issues has opened up in Congleton

Up to eight young people can stay at the specially-adapted home at any one time, providing guardians with a much-needed break away from their responsibilities.

The home has been jointly developed and funded by Cheshire East Council, Plus Dane Housing Association and a local specialist carer.

Councillor Rachel Bailey, Cabinet member in charge of children and families, said the home represented a milestone for all involved and was aimed at putting our young residents first.

She said: “This is a wonderful project, created by people coming together with a shared vision, and it has finally been realised.

“Eight children, with complex care needs, can have a wonderfully comfortable time here, while carers or guardians have some much-needed respite.

“Caring for a child with disabilities or complex care needs is incredibly hard work and we, as a Council, wanted to address the added pressure this places on families.”

Renovations to the house started last September, and were completed four months later at a total cost of £75,000.

There is a designated bedroom downstairs with an adapted bed and lifting hoist and adjoining shower wet room.

There is also a sensory room for all children with visual impairments or children who are not mobile. The house also offers a safe garden area for the children to play in.

Specialist carer Jenny Goodwin created the vision for a respite home at her property after the amazing satisfaction she received caring for one child.

She said: “This is a wonderful ‘home-from-home’ environment and will be of huge benefit to the children, as well as providing respite and peace of mind to the parents, whose children have such complex needs.

“Cheshire East Council and Plus Dane have supported me throughout this project and the Council’s fostering team has even provided us with a wheelchair- accessible vehicle, for which I’m really grateful.”

Sharon Smith, support services manager at Plus Dane, said when they met Jenny they were instantly keen to help.

She said: “We immediately saw a fantastic opportunity to provide bespoke facilities for children, with very specific needs, who traditionally travel out of the county for specialist respite care.

“We were able to completely redesign the downstairs of the property and acquire more land to create a bigger garden for the children, and we are absolutely delighted with how the project has turned out.

“Having this amazing new facility will ensure that Cheshire East Council’s fostering service can offer a significant resource for children with complex health needs.”

Enjoy a fun family day out Willaston Fete

 

The Village of Willaston will be holding their annual fete day on Sunday 20th July 2014 on the Lettie Spencer playing field. This year’s event kicks off at the village green at 12.30pm headed by this years voted Rose Queen Miss FFion Owen with her two attendants Greta Piasecica and Janista Harding.

It again promises  to be a fantastic day for all the family with many events planned, which will include Dog shows, Dances, Sports races, Classic cars and Motorbikes, Children’s Face painting, Children’s rides and many other stalls. Hot and cold food will be available during the day, as well as teas coffees and cakes, music on the day will be supplied by our  favourite local Crewe and Nantwich radio station “The Cat Radio”

Please come along and enjoy a fun family day out.

Dead Swan

This is an upsetting image of the dead swan but it is evidence of what has happened. It is claimed on Facbook that it was found on the lake headless and a carcass on Tuesday am. But this photo was taken at 7:45 on Monday by 5 witness to its death. Its claimed its a fox. But the facts are its very rare for a fox to come out in the day when people are about and this happened in broad day light between 4-7 o'clock.    Foxes and swans have lived in the park for years and its never happened before. Why would a fox take on a swan when there is easy picking with other wildlife special lots of rabbits which would not put up a fight?

Foxes normally only kill for food and take the head straight away as its the most nourishing part. If it was a fox in daylight doing this are children safe? We know this was in the bushes the swans have never ever gone in the bushes.

But look at the swan it has a single hole in  the neck a bite from a fox or a dog would look like the above with the two canine teeth 25mm apart and a dog similar but wider so if there isnt the two bite marks it suggest it wasnt done by a dog or fox everyone who has seen the picture agrees with this. So what has killed it? As the body has disappeared we may never know and cant find out but a single hole suggests a shot or a arrow or something like that we will never know. If anyone saw the swans on monday let us know we know it was ok up till 4 oclock so if you saw it after then alive we can narrow down the time if you saw anything else or heard anything let us know. We have sent the images to experts to see if they can provide any more evidence as to what did this

Residents warned over ‘bogus email’ scam

 

Cheshire East Council has issued a warning over a ‘scam’ email which tells people that the withdrawal of the spare room subsidy (‘bedroom tax’) has been axed.

The hoax email has a Council form attached – asking them to complete it and send it back.

The Council is urging people who have received such an email to delete it immediately and to not complete the form.

The claims the email make are false. No changes are being made to the withdrawal of the spare room subsidy – it will stay the same.

People have also received Facebook messages with similar information, falsely claiming the ‘tax’ was abolished in April 2014.

Councillor Les Gilbert, Cheshire East Cabinet member in charge of communities and regulatory services, said: “We want people to be aware of this scam to ensure that they are not conned into filling in forms and giving away personal or financial information to unscrupulous fraudsters.

“Our contact centre has received a number of queries from members of the public about this email and Facebook message. We are urging people to ignore these as the information is incorrect.

“We have alerted Cheshire police to this issue and would urge people to be vigilant. If you receive this scam email you should delete it and not complete the form. We do not know who is sending this email and it could contain a potentially-harmful computer virus.”

£80,000 boost for local First World War commemorations and community projects

 

Cheshire East Council is to provide an extra £30,000 to fund First World War commemorations – and a further £50,000 to boost community grants for local projects.

It comes after effective and robust management of budgets identified a one-off extra pot of cash from reserves.

The Council has already provided £100,000 to fund the restoration and refurbishment of First World War memorials across the Borough.

Now parish and town councils will also be able to apply for a slice of the First World War commemoration events fund. 

The upper limits on general community grants are also to increase, as a one-off for this year (2014/15), to up to £1,000 for events and activities and up to £5,000 for facilities. Previously, the limits were £250 for events, £500 for activities and £3,000 for facilities.

The Council is urging community groups to apply for the increased grants in next round of applications – which has a deadline of June 27. Further rounds of grants will also be held in September and December.

Councillor David Brown, Deputy Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “This is brilliant news and should give a real boost to communities across Cheshire East – and in particular for events to commemorate the First World War, as we approach the centenary of the outbreak of that cataclysmic conflict in August 1914.

“I am delighted that this Council has been able to substantially increase the pot for community grants and find another £30,000 for commemoration events on top of the £100,000 already committed to fund repairs and refurbishment of our important local community monuments to our war dead.

“The original £100,000 funding pot has already been used to help renovate and spruce up 11 war memorials. Now even more are set to benefit, as this scheme will be open to applications again until June 27.”

Council Leader Michael Jones announced the creation of the £100,000 fund at a meeting of full Council last December. 

The Council’s assets team is also completing separately-funded work on the 13 Cheshire East-owned war memorials across the Borough to ensure that they are in the best condition that they could be for this important commemoration period.

Cllr Brown added: “I would urge groups and local councils to put in grant applications as soon as possible to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”

Cheshire East Council gave general community grants totalling £96,000 in 2013/14 helping fund projects worth more than £800,000 to local communities.

For more information about applying for the new grant funding, visit the Council’s website at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk and enter ‘community grants’ or ‘war memorials’ in the search text box.

Alternatively, email communitygrants@cheshireeast.gov.uk or contact the Council’s partnership support manager, Tina Jones, on 01270 685811.

Mother Swan Killed in Queens Park

The two swans have had 7 signets in the Queens Park a few weeks ago. Last year they had four signets the first time in 10 years but they all disappeared in mysterious circumstances. This year members of the wildlife group from the park setup Swan watch so members would come in during opening times to keep an eye on the swans. Last night 5 June at 7:15 they found mother the swan dead in the bushes it had not been eaten which suggests it was a fox that did this as that would have only killed for food. We believe its the results of a dog attack as dogs off the lead have been a problem for along time. Witness saw a greyhound type dog attack the signets a few weeks ago until a member shouted at the owner.

So far the signets are ok as dad below is looking after them taken today

A photo taken today of a dog off the lead heading towards the swans at 1:30. On Sunday a dog off the lead caused havoc around the children's play area for over an  hour. The park and the dog wardens refuse to do their jobs and protect both children and wildlife.

The Park has tried to cover up this story and are lying about the incident below you can see on QP facebook they claim it was dead in the water and reported to the RSPCA when it was reported the night before by our members why are they lying and trying to cover up what has happen?

Queens Park Crewe

13 hours ago

Sadly Swan found dead on the lake this morning. RSCPA notified. All indications are eaten, possibly by a fox, no indication of being ravished by dog. Hence previous assumption removed off the web as unnecessary. However, mum may possibly find it difficult to look after all her young, so please all keep monitoring them and help. She has plenty of food thank you to all. Thank you Waynne also for your prompt call.

Problems in the past are highlighted by this incident the same German Shepard was in the park off the lead on the day in questions.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Dangerous dog attack puppy Jax in the Queens Park

Monday @ 2 oclock I was standing by the Gulf War memorial in the park talking to a lady with a Yorkshire terrier and another man watch by the gardeners. A larges German Sheppard came towards of the lead both are dogs were on leads. I explained to the owner dogs must be on the lead in the park. The next minute his dog savagely attacked the lady ran for her life fearing for her dogs safety. Fortunately my puppy is an Alaskan Malumute and was able to defend his self while the man made vain attempts to stop his dog. He eventual got hold of his dog but became abusive and still refused to put it on a lead despite being shouted at by the gardeners and walked off shouting abuse with it still off the lead there were 9 witness to the attack.

We went straight to the dog wardens office and explained what had happened and told them he was still in the park so they could catch him. In front of 4 witness they state.

Its not an offence for a dog to attacks a dog and wouldn’t do anything or call the Police.

The don’t patrol the park

The cant enforce not having a dog on the lead in the park even though its stated as a bylaw.

Its not the councils job to deal with this sort of problem.

We pointed to another dog running loose and they did nothing for 15 mins then drove round the dog was a 3 min walk away.

We want the dog wardens to undergo further training so they can do their job properly a quick look at the official Government site https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/overview

Shows it is a crime to have a dangerous dog loose, the council can enforce it and it is their responsibility. The site http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/controlling-your-dog-in-public

States Dogs which behave dangerously may be seized by the dog warden, and their owners prosecuted. The dogs may be destroyed if the magistrate considers that they are a danger to the public.

This man is a regular in the park and never has his dog on the lead he normally goes by the bandstand between 12:30 and 2 oclock as do many others off the lead. The posh man and women visit at these times of the day with a black Labrador off the lead and they claim the law doesn’t apply to them. As the children are off school still and the park is now used for young children for education purposes its vital the dog wardens get out of their offices and catch these people. If a child had been near when it attacked it could have easily been killed by such a big dog. Its noted by many users that a certain councillor visit the park every day and sets a bad example with her dog off the lead.

Overview From Government website

It’s against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control:

in a public place

in a private place where the dog isn’t allowed to be (eg a neighbour’s house or garden without permission)

The law applies to all dogs.

Some types of dogs are banned.

Out of control

Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:

• injures someone
• makes someone worried that it might injure them

A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if:

• it injures someone’s animal
• the owner of the animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal

A farmer is allowed to kill your dog if it’s worrying their livestock.

Penalties

You can be fined up to £5,000 and/or sent to prison for up to 6 months if your dog is out of control. You may also not be allowed to own a dog in the future.

If you let your dog injure someone, you can be sent to prison for up to 2 years and/or fined.

If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’. The maximum penalty is 5 years in prison.

Dog Control Orders

Local councils in England and Wales can issue Dog Control Orders (DCOs).

These mean that in public areas with DCOs, you may have to:

• keep your dog on a lead
• put your dog on a lead if told to by a police officer, police community support officer or someone from the council
• stop your dog going in certain places - like farmland or parts of a park
• limit the number of dogs you have with you (this applies to professional dog walkers too)
• clear up after your dog

DCOs don’t apply to private land if you have permission from the land owner or person who controls the land.

Penalties

If you ignore a DCO, you can be fined:

• £50 on the spot (a ‘Fixed Penalty Notice’)
• up to £1,000 if it goes to court

You can’t be fined if you’re a registered blind dog owner.

DCOs in your area

Local councils must let the public know where DCOs are in place.

Example If dogs aren’t allowed in a park, there must be signs saying so.

If the council plans to put a new DCO in place, it must put up a notice and publish it in a local newspaper and on its website.

The notice must tell you:

• where the new DCO will apply
• if there’s a map and where you can see it
• where you can write or email to have your say - you should have at least 28 days

After 28 days, your local council will decide whether to go ahead with the DCO or change it. If there are lots of changes, the council will publish another notice, with the same timescales.

Report a dog

Anyone can report a dog and their owner to the police.

You can report a dangerous dog to your council’s dog warden service.

You can also report dog fouling to your local council.

What makes the above more vital is the schools now use the park for teaching young children the photos below are of what they learn and a powerpoint document can be download