'Wheels of War: Past & Present'

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston.

The annual 'Wheels of War: Past & Present' military vehicle show took place on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th September 2018 at Crewe Heritage Centre on Vernon Way in Crewe.

The show featured military vehicle displays including a replica Spitfire fighter aircraft and a replica V-1 flying bomb, trade stalls, model displays, and a tombola.

There was musical entertainment on Saturday daytime from the South Cheshire George Formby Ukulele Society and on Sunday daytime from vintage vocalist Ruth Washington.

On the Saturday night a 1940's themed big band dance party took place in the Centre’s Exhibition Hall with live music from the 22-piece Wychcraft Big Band.

Numerous people wore 1940’s clothing over the weekend.

Crewe Heritage Centre was open to visitors including its three signal boxes, the Advanced Passenger Train, model railway displays and layouts, static locomotive displays and miniature railway rides http://creweheritagecentre.org/ .

The event was organised by Crewe & District Military Vehicle Club in support of Help for Heroes http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ .

Crewe & District Military Vehicle Club meet on the last Tuesday evening of each month at Hops Belgium Bar in Crewe. New members are always welcome. For further information please visit http://www.cdmvc.co.uk/

Hall Quiz

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

The annual ‘Hall Quiz’ for the Fred Lorimer trophy takes place on Tuesday 23rd October 2018 (starting at 7pm) at Wistaston Memorial Hall, Church Lane, Wistaston, CW2 8ER.

Entry fee is £12 per team of four including light refreshments.

There will also be a raffle

Team tickets available from Diane 07795 821678 or pay at the door.

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker - http://www.hackgreen.co.uk/ - near Nantwich took visitors back in time over the weekend of Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September 2018. It was the first time that Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker had hosted two ‘Soviet Threat’ events in the same year.

‘Soviet Threat’ recreated how lives were lived by both Western and Eastern forces either side of the Berlin Wall during the Cold War.

There was a display of military vehicles outside the bunker, but due to an ‘Amber’ weather warning of rain and wind the Soviet Army Forces and British Army re-enactors moved inside the bunker. This also allowed them to keep a check on each other and monitor any possible nuclear attacks. There were also re-enactors from the Malayan Emergency and the Gulf War.

Several re-enactors were interviewed for a forthcoming episode of the ‘Cold War Conversations’ podcast, produced in conversation with those that experienced the Cold War and those who are fascinated by it: https://coldwarconversations.wordpress.com/

The event was organised by Lucy Siebert the Museum Director at Hack Green Nuclear Bunker, Eleanore Hill-Bruce of Event Plan who specialise in historical events across the country and keen local historians.

Bicycle ride from London to Paris

Reporter Jonathan White
Work colleagues complete gruelling charity bicycle ride from London to Paris.
Twelve work colleagues from Tarporley-based temporary car insurance company ‘Dayinsure’ cycled from London to Paris to raise thousands of pounds for charity ‘The Joshua Tree’, https://www.thejoshuatree.org.uk/
They completed the 200-mile journey from Wednesday 12th to Saturday 15th September 2018. They cycled from Greenwich in London to Newhaven, caught the ferry to Dieppe, then rode into the centre of the French capital finishing at the Eiffel Tower. Two of the riders (Ant Breen and Pete Robinson) started two days earlier from the company’s headquarters in Tarporley – adding an extra 216 miles to their journey! The twelve riders were: Stephan Bamber, Barry Bown, Ant Breen, Jamie Hatfield, John Hatfield, Kieran Morralee, Patrick O’Grady, Robert Parry, Pete Robinson, Nicholas Shaw, Sam Welsh and Holly White.. Thus far they have collectively raised over £9,000.
The workers chose The Joshua Tree for their fundraising after receiving a moving talk at their workplace from Peter and Sara from the charity. The Joshua Tree supports families across the North West living with the life-changing experience of childhood cancer. The charity offers support to the whole family – patient, parents, siblings and grandparents, with 1-2-1 support, practical and therapeutic help to ensure that life remains as normal as possible during an incredibly traumatic time.
Cyclist Pat O’Grady, from Nantwich, who works at Dayinsure said, “The London to Paris challenge was a daunting one, it was a tough journey but the group camaraderie made it an unforgettable experience. We’re immensely proud to have raised money for The Joshua Tree, we’ve all been touched by their commitment to helping families struggling with childhood cancer. I’m sure it will be an emotional moment for a lot of our riders when we hand over the cheque. All that’s left is to find a bigger challenge for next year!”
To add to their fundraising total please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dayinsure-tarporley

Immigration is one of the biggest concerns of the British people.

Over two thirds of Brits would like it to be reduced but under all the other parties it keeps on going up.

When Enoch Powell made his famous immigration speech 50 years ago the level of net population was 30,000 a year.

It is now a net 270,000 a year,nine times higher and that is just the official figure,

The actual figure, when you look at the number of national Insurance numbers that are handed out each year, is much higher,

MigrationWatch estimate that EU immigration into the UK may have been under-counted by as much as 50,000 a year.

And it is not just in the UK where electors are concerned about growing immigration.

Ever since Mrs Merkel unbelievably decided to open Germany's borders in 2015 and a million immigrants came in, immigration has been the main concern across Europe.

Countries like the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary have rightly refused the EU's demand to take in Muslim migrants.And now Italy are following their lead, with their new populist Government.

Last year in Hungary 98% voted to stop EU forcing them to take migrants they didn't want.

The turnout was 44% , which is higher than we get in local elections in the UK The Hungarian PM was then re-elected for the THIRD time with 67% of the vote.

The party in second place got just 13% of the vote. Viktor Orban is a true democrat but all the parties in UK Parliament and the EU call him a fascist, racist, Islamophobe, all the usual words of abuse from the left.

Orban is not a fascist.He is a democrat.

The fascists are those in the EU and the UK Parliament who are trying to overturn the biggest democratic vote in the history of our great country.

As Winston Churchill once said the "fascists of the future, will call themselves anti-fascists ."

So what would 'For Britain' do about immigration?

We would freeze immigration for a period of 5 years (this will not affect travel for business or leisure and temporary work visas may be issued during this time, if in the interests of the British people)

This has to be done. And the beauty of a freeze is that our critics cannot say it is aimed at certain countries or religions because everybody will be covered by the freeze.

This is the type of policy that the British people are crying out for but no other party, not even UKIP, will deliver.

The Tories talk tough on immigration. But for the last three General Elections they have promised  to get net immigration down to 100,000, but have failed miserably.

It has continued to rise.

The other parties,Labour Liberals,Scot Nats,Plaid and the Greens all quite openly state they want open door immigration to the UK. They would fling open the doors, like Merkel did in Germany, and tell anyone in the world they can just walk in and use our NHS, schools,social services etc

And millions more would come in.

If adding a city the size of Sunderland to the population of the UK each year was not bad enough it is estimated that there are over two million illegal immigrants in the UK.

Migration Watch estimate that each year as many as 150,000-250,000 foreign nationals fail to return home when they should or enter illegally, thus adding still further to the illegal migrant population of over 2 million.

Illegal immigrants should be deported and we must defend our borders from illegal immigration.

Yours faithfuly,

Cllr.Brian Silvester

For Britain Party

Chairman 'For Cheshire'

Crewe and Cheshire old school BMX’

Reporter J White

‘Crewe and Cheshire old school BMX’ group held a social ride on Saturday 22nd September 2018.

Over forty old school BMX bike fans met up at Crewe railway station in the morning for a social ride in and around the town.

They rode from the station to Ye Olde Manor on Nantwich Road for breakfast, then onto the Wonderful Wistaston path to The Rising Sun Inn on Middlewich Road.

Participants then followed the Crewe-Nantwich Greenway cycleway to the Platform 1 skatepark and the Shanaze Reade BMX track at Tipkinder Park, where they showed off their impressive BMX skills. The ride finished in the afternoon at The Hop Hole on Wistaston Road in Crewe.

They rode racing and freestyle vintage BMX bikes as well as modern BMX bikes. BMX brands represented included Aero Reflex, BH California, Falcon Pro, GT, Haro, Hutch, Kuwahara, Mongoose, Piranha, Raleigh, SE Racing, Superfox, Torker and Yamaha. Size of bikes ranged from the standard 20-inch wheel bike to a 26-inch wheel cruiser.

The star bike was ridden and is owned by Ian Hollands from Milton Keynes with his Yamaha ‘Moto-Bike’ racing bike. The bike, which Ian especially imported from New Zealand, was built circa 1975 and has a front and rear suspension. It was recently signed at a BMX event by BMX legends Bob Haro, Mike Buff, Matt Hoffman, Mike Dominguez, and Bob Morales.

There was also a commemorative sticker featuring the group’s new logo designed especially in time for the event by Mark Daniels of the ‘Crewe and Cheshire old school BMX’ group. Each rider received a sticker as a memento.

The event was open to all and bikers ranged in age from children to adults. There were participants from Crewe along with visitors from further afield including Reading, Milton Keynes, Salford and Whitchurch.

The event was organised by John Collins from Crewe, who was riding a Raleigh Super Tuff Burner Mark 2. John also organises the group’s popular annual ‘Chesh-Air’ event in May that is open to riders from all over the UK, which has attracted people from as far afield as Scotland.

John Collins said, “It was great to have a social get-together of so many old skool BMX enthusiasts and to see such a wide range of BMX bikes. I hope everyone enjoyed the ride and chat. We are always looking for new members, so please get in touch and join us on our next ride."

For further information relating to the ‘Crewe and Cheshire old school BMX’ group please search Crewe and Cheshire old school BMX on Facebook.

Old school BMX rides take place throughout the United Kingdom and around the world. For further information relating to the UK old school BMX scene visit: http://www.radbmx.co.uk/

Borough’s road repairs programme moves on apace

Cheshire East Council’s road repairs programme is moving on apace with many more potholes and defects treated in recent weeks as well as more extensive patching and resurfacing.

Repair work is categorised in three different levels according to the status of the road and the type of vehicle usage.

Since April, the council’s highways team has dealt with 10,233 potholes, while patching repairs have extended to more than 80,000 square metres.

Level three surface treatment – the most extensive form of treatment and investment – has been carried out at various locations across the borough and Cheshire East’s highways team has now treated more than 84 kilometres (52.4 miles) of road surface to this high standard in recent months.

Further carriageway and footway resurfacing works will continue into the autumn.

Councillor Glen Williams, Cheshire East Council deputy cabinet member for environment, said: “I have personally observed some of our gangs at work in Goostrey and Macclesfield and it is extremely impressive to see the professional and efficient way they go about the task of resurfacing our roads to make them safe for our residents and road users.

“I was amazed at how quickly the job is done, so that any inconvenience to residents and road users is minimised.  

“The council is investing more than £20m in its highways improvement programme and, as well as road repairs, we are also mending bridges, introducing speed management initiatives and completing the four-year LED street lighting switch.”

To view the full programme of scheduled works and how it will benefit the roads and footways in your area visit: https://bit.ly/2ATfykI

Don’t forget, you can report a pothole and track its repair here: https://bit.ly/1J3f8mz

Council welcomes government funding to support authority’s homelessness strategy

Cheshire East Council is stepping up its policy to tackle homelessness in the borough.

A rough sleeping coordinator is to be appointed and beds made available in Macclesfield and Crewe to prevent people resorting to sleeping on the streets and in doorways.

Government funding, announced recently, will help to support the measures the council has in place to reduce the number of rough sleepers and prevent people becoming homeless.

The borough has a relatively low number of rough sleepers, compared with many other authorities, but the council is aware of an increase in rough sleeping and is committed to tackling the issue before winter.

The council is working with several community groups and organisations – including Crewe Town Council, the voluntary sector, charities and faith groups – to develop ways to reduce the problem and provide the right services for people sleeping on the streets.

Cheshire East is one of 83 councils who will share in a £30m pot of government cash to help boost the support offered to people sleeping rough or who are at risk of becoming homeless. The council will receive more than £250,000 as its share of the fund.

New measures to be introduced include:

· Outreach workers to seek out, assess and support rough sleepers, and signpost them to relevant support services;

· 39 beds to be made available through partner organisations; and

· The appointment of a rough sleeping co-ordinator to plan services, ensure a coherent first-stage approach and monitor the effectiveness of interventions and remove barriers.

Councillor Ainsley Arnold, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, said: “Thankfully, we have a low number of people sleeping rough in the borough – but one person sleeping on the streets is still one too many.

“Homelessness is an issue that we are determined to deal with in the most positive and sensitive way and the council is eager to tackle the harmful effects of homelessness, such as the impact on family life and children, the potential harm to an individual’s physical and mental health, their self-esteem, confidence and loss of employment.

“A number of factors can contribute to homelessness.  However, we are pleased that the measures we have in place are leading to more cases of successful prevention, with a year-on-year rise in numbers of people avoiding homelessness.”

The council launched its homelessness strategy earlier this year, following a period of public consultation and detailed discussions with statutory bodies, the voluntary sector, charities and faith groups, as well as local businesses.

The strategy was introduced to coincide with the new Homelessness Reduction Act, which came into effect in April.

To view the Cheshire East Homelessness Strategy 2018-21 visit:

https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/pdf/housing/homelessness-strategy-2018-2021.pdf

While the council’s homelessness team will attempt to assist anyone found to be sleeping rough, the authority has no powers to remove them but would encourage anyone who wishes to report a person sleeping rough to do so by calling 0300 123 5017.

New campaign opens the door on unhealthy relationships

A campaign to help people spot the signs of domestic abuse and know where to get help has been launched in Cheshire at The Georges Community Centre in Crewe. 

‘Open the Door’ aims to equip people with the tools to feel safe and confident having a conversation about unhealthy relationships. It has been developed by a partnership of a local domestic abuse survivor group, Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Halton and Warrington borough councils, the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Cheshire Constabulary and Public Health England.

The partnership aims to encourage victims, perpetrators, friends and family to get information about how to spot the signs and access early help. It is the first time that police and all four local authorities have joined forces to provide support for residents about what is available to them locally.

The campaign encourages friends and family to trust their instincts, as many of the initial signs and symptoms of abuse can be tricky to spot from the outside. These signs include:

· Undermining you, so you lose confidence;

· Isolating you from your friends and family;

· Making all the decisions in your life, including what you wear, who you talk to and where you go and when;

· Making you do things that you don’t want to do;

· Controlling your money;

· Following you when you go out; and

· Needing to know where you are at all times.

A survivor group helped inform the campaign sharing their experiences and the support they received.  One member of the group, Amy, said: “It was my abuser’s mum who handed me the domestic abuse helpline number. People had told me before ‘he’s no good for you, you need to get away. You’ll be happier without him’. When she handed me that card, I knew it was time. I needed to get myself back, I’d lost myself.”

Councillor Jos Saunders, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “Domestic abuse can happen to anyone – no matter who you are, your gender, background, what you do or where you live. It can cause serious harm to victims and their families, especially to children who witness it.

“We have been working hard with our partners across the county to help ensure that no-one has to live in fear, providing services that enable survivors and those close to them to be safe and recover. We also work with those who harm, to try and help them change their behaviour.

“Tackling domestic abuse remains one of our top priorities and everyone can play a vital role in opening the door on unhealthy relationships. We want to work with our communities to develop the skills and knowledge they need so they can spot signs of abuse earlier and feel able to start a conversation about it.”

Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane said: “Cheshire’s Open the Door campaign will be promoting self-help and early intervention for people who are experiencing domestic abuse and those who care abut them. It will encourage residents to recognise the signs and be confident in speaking openly about it, in order to get help either for themselves or to help someone who is in an abusive relationship.

“It is very often family members or close friends who can see when a relationship is not healthy, or doesn’t seem quite right, so this campaign is encouraging friends and family to understand how to spot abuse and then have the confidence to have the right conversation to support someone they are worried about. Encouragingly, research carried out reveals that, once support has been received, 80 per cent of people felt safer.”

If you are affected by domestic abuse or concerned for someone else, call 0300 123 5101 at any time or visit www.openthedoorcheshire.org.uk  but in an emergency, always call 999.

Council acts to reduce single-use plastics

Cheshire East Council has made a significant commitment to reduce the impact of single-use plastic – and is urging you to do the same.

If you are passionate about waste reduction, Cheshire East will get you connected with like-minded people and team up with our own waste reduction volunteers to make a real contribution to this huge modern problem.

To help make this more manageable, the council, through its wholly-owned waste and recycling company Ansa, has produced a community toolkit to give people handy tips on how they can make a difference.

The campaign is called ‘Life with less plastic’ and is open to anyone to get involved. There are so many ways that the community can reduce their reliance on single use plastic but here are some of the easy wins to get you started:

● The UK uses 8.5 billion plastic straws a year – stop using them and use environmentally-friendly alternatives such as steel and glass straws instead;

● Invest in canvas or cotton bags for your shopping and keep them handy;

● Use a razor with replaceable blades rather than a disposable one; and

● Carry your own drink container with you and refill it instead of purchasing new bottled water.

Why not let us know what you are doing to cut out single use plastic by joining the conversation online at: #lifewithlessplastic

Recycle week starts on Monday and, to celebrate this important recycling date in the calendar, the council is no longer providing plastic cups at its water coolers in all corporate buildings. Staff are required to make their own provision – but this is by no means a one off.

Councillor Glen Williams, Cheshire East Council deputy cabinet member for environment, said: “Reduction of single-use plastic is something that the council is committed to for the long term. Most of us have seen those harrowing images of beautiful sea mammals caught up in plastic and it’s all our collective responsibility to say that enough is enough.”

If you would like to meet like-minded people with a passion for reducing the use of plastic, get in touch by visiting: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/recycling

Alert- Fake Tv Licensing Refund Offers

Alert- Fake Tv Licensing Refund Offers

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Plain Text:
Watch out for these fake TV Licensing emails.
We’ve seen a sharp increase in reports about fake TV Licensing emails claiming to offer refunds. The emails state that the refund cannot be processed due to “invalid account details”. The links provided in the emails lead to phishing websites designed to steal personal and financial details.
Always question unsolicited requests for your personal or financial information in case it’s a scam. Never automatically click on a link in an unexpected email or text.

SEAN'S 999 CHALLENGE FOR CHARITY

Sean Savage, a swimmer at Seahorse Swimming Club, has recently completed a gruelling 999 challenge by swimming 9 miles, walking 9 miles and taking on a 9 mile bicycle ride. He is fundraising for the N.W. Air Ambulance and has already been pledged £350.

He carried out his 9 mile swim over several weeks during his weekly swimming sessions at Seahorse. His 9 mile walk took place along part of the Sandstone Trail, and he clocked up 9 miles on his bike starting at Nantwich’s Barony Park and then along the Greenway to Queen’s Park in Crewe, where he rode three laps of the Park before returning to Nantwich.

Sean, who is aged 36 years and on the autistic spectrum, has been swimming at Seahorse for over six years. He has completed several sponsored swims at Seahorse in recent years, including for St. Luke’s Hospice and Sports Relief. Sean was encouraged by Alan Corbin, Terry Howard and Gareth Roberts during each of his challenges.

“Sean put lots of effort to complete this challenge. Although he is a strong swimmer and covered the walk with relative ease, riding a bike didn’t come easy for him, so to cycle nine miles was a fantastic achievement.” – Gareth Roberts, Seahorse Secretary.

Anyone who would like to support Sean’s 999 challenge can visit the Lifestyle Centre on Thursday evenings (7pm) during Seahorse’s swimming session or contact Gareth Roberts on 01270 629958.

The annual Duck and Boats’ races

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

The annual Duck and Boats’ races were postponed on 8th September because of the inclement weather – too wet for ducks!

The 23rd ‘Annual Community Duck Race and Children's Model Boat Race’ took place on Saturday 15th September 2018, at the Joey the Swan Recreation ground in Wistaston. The guests of honour were the Rose Queen and her Consort.

The event is organised by members of the Wistaston Community Council. The main sponsor was iWear Opticians - an independent opticians based in Nantwich and Tarporley.

The event was officially opened by the Wistaston Rose Queen (Poppy Bellingham).

65 model boats were entered into the Children's Model Boat Race and 800 plastic duck race tickets (£1 each) were sold and entered into the Duck Race.

Proceeds will go to the funds of Wistaston Community Council, Wistaston Memorial Hall & Community Centre, and several local charities.

There were also 15 stalls featuring local charities and organisations, selling an assortment of goods or advertising their activities.

Several hundred people attended the event, which took place in warm sunshine.

Here are the results in full:

Children's Model Boat Race (65 model boats entered):

a) Best designed children's model boat (judged by Wistaston Rose Queen, Poppy Bellingham and her brother/Consort Joe Bellingham):

1st – ‘Pirate ship Wood’ by Oliver Wood who won £10 and a trophy.

2nd place – ‘The Red Arrow’ by Tom & Harriet Burdett.

3rd place – ‘Ashley’ by Ashley Reeves.

b) Children's Model Boat Race:

1st – ‘Jessie’ by Jessie Tomkinson who won £10, plus a trophy donated by Herbert Locke MBE.

2nd place – ‘Mischievous Red’ by Henry Wrighton who won £8.

3rd place – ‘HMS Orla’ by Orla Dawson who won £6.

Duck Race (800 tickets sold):

1st – No.106 – Gaz Owen who won £100, plus a trophy donated by Les Fothergill, a past Wistonian of the Year.

2nd – No.514 – The Saving family - £50.

3rd – No.118 – Bronwyn Dean - £25.

There was an enthusiastic commentary on both races by Dane Chaplow, with ongoing excitement and incident around every corner as ducks and boats bobbed and weaved along the obstacle course.

A representative from Wistaston Community Council said, “We thank all the visitors and volunteers for making the event such a quacking success. We were pleased that it was a sunny day, following the wet postponement on 8th September. We are also very grateful to the sponsors - iWear Opticians.”

Entries in the Best designed childrens model boat competition.JPG

Best designed childrens model boat judged by Wistaston Rose Queen Poppy Bellingham and her brother-Consort Joe Bellingham.JPG