Local Life - Wigan - April 2021

LocalLife 

Wigan Edition 

April 2021 

Jack’s Tracks - 

Ashurst’s Beacon 

Pages 70-73 

Wigan’s Civic Spirit 

Pages 14-17 

Local Vocals 

Page 24 

Helping the Hospice 

Pages 30-31 

Easter Fun for Kids 

Page 38 

Chiming In 

Pages 40-41 

Stepping Out for NWAA 

Page 50 

LOCAL NEWS | EVENTS2GO | FOOD | HEALTH | WALKS | COMPETITIONS | HOME & GARDEN SERVICES

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4 

New Season Online 

Hidden away behind the positive headlines 

of the Prime Minister’s road map, the one 

leading us to those sunny uplands, was the 

caveat that local or regional lockdowns may come into 

force if infections rise again. 

Here in Wigan, we’ve had a bellyful of lockdown 

restrictions and every single one of us has a part to play 

in making sure that this doesn’t happen again. Crucially, 

when you are asked to go for your jabs, for God’s sake, go. 

Affirming yourself as a proud anti-vaxxer might get you 

your 15 seconds of infamy on social media, but your 

actions could lead to you joining the many anti-vaxxers 

who have ended up in ICU, bitterly regretting their words. 

Whilst a healthy sense of scepticism is a necessary quality 

to have in this world of fake news, wilfully ignoring 

scientific facts that show how well the vaccines have 

performed is unacceptable behaviour, and could be 

downright dangerous for both you and the unfortunate 

people around you. 

Let’s just imagine being able to sink a pint at the local 

pub, meet with friends for a meal, hug your family, get 

your hair cut, cheer on Wigan at the DW, book a sunshine 

holiday and all the other pleasures that we used to take 

for granted - but will never do so again. 

The faster we all have the jab, the faster we’ll be able to do 

those things again. So when that call comes, get the jab! 

Come on Wigan, you can do it! 

Chris Pearce, Publisher 

chrisp@locallife247.co.uk 

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5 

This month’s highlights 

14. Wigan’s Civic Spirit 

Contents 

20. Travel 

The Sweet Life - discover Puglia. 

30. Help the Hospice 

40. Chiming In 

26. Home Interiors 

Growing in style. 

42. Tech 

Tracking your outdoor exercise 

56. Home 

Create a cosy retreat! 

60. Puzzles Pages 

Try these brainteasers for size! 

64. Food 

Tartiflette and a lovely lemon tart. 

66. Health 

Self help for sore knees. 

70. Jack’s Tracks visits Ashurst’s Beacon 

75. Motoring 

Fiat 500 - hybrid power. 

79. Home & Garden Services 

Find the best local traders for you. 

46. Passion for Plants 50. Walking for NWAA 

Want to 

promote your 

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LocalLife? 

Next Issue - May 2021 

Advertising deadline - 7th April 

Published - 21st April 

01695 627 999 

www.locallife247.co.uk

6 

Survey Results 

The editorial and survey in the last issue of Local Life 

magazine about the future of the stadium in Edge Hall 

Road in Orrell prompted a huge response from readers. 

The stadium once homed Orrell RU and until last year was 

the training ground for Wigan Warriors. 

Tracy Monckton, the Press Officer at Orrell RU, 

commented “We had a massive response to our survey 

and 929 people took the time and trouble to complete the 

survey (either electronically or the paper based version); 

which is amazing and shows the high level of interest the 

community has in the future of Edge Hall Road. 

‘We are in the process of analysing all the results – 

especially all the comments and suggestions people 

have included with their survey answers – which again 

highlights the fact that, should the project come to 

fruition, it would be a well-loved and well used facility!” 

“Brighter Better Orrell and Orrell RUFC would like to say 

thank you to each and everyone of you who took the time 

to complete the survey; we look forward to updating you 

with more information and details in the very near future.” 

Cleaner Poolstock 

A road improvement scheme has started on Poolstock 

and Poolstock Lane. The objective of the scheme is to 

move motorists from this congested traffic corridor onto 

the new A49 link road. The works will include creating 

new parking bays, a zebra crossing and enhanced walking 

and cycling facilities, which will transform the route as an 

attractive residential road. 

Cllr. David Molyneux, leader of Wigan Council said: 

“Poolstock and Poolstock Lane make up one of the 

borough’s busiest areas, often seeing queues in peak 

periods, which caused environmental impacts like poor 

air quality. 

“The planned improvements will also make Poolstock 

and the immediate surrounding areas more attractive 

and accessible to residents.” 

Wigan Council has been allocated £800,000 of funding 

to make the changes, which will take place over the next 

four months. 

Easter Scarecrows 

The Standish-based charity, My Life, is hosting a scarecrow 

competition to be held over the Easter Bank Holiday. 

Organisers are asking anybody who would like to take 

part to design and make their own scarecrow before 

Good Friday on 2nd April. 

Entrants can bring their creations to the Thomson House 

Equestrian Centre, off Pepper Lane in Standish, where 

there will be a prize for the best scarecrow. 

Your scarecrow design will also be helping the charity 

to keep bigger birds away from the site to protect the 

goslings, ducklings and chicks that are due to be born 

this spring. 

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please contact My Life on 01257 472900 or email info@ 

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7 

Camp Out for The Brick 

The Brick is inviting the community to come together 

again on Saturday 27 March for the Big Back Garden Sleep 

to raise much-needed funds for those facing poverty due 

to the pandemic. 

The charity has experienced a 142% increase in demand 

for emergency food parcels over the last 12 months, and 

a significant upturn in calls to the helpline looking for 

support during these extremely difficult times. 

During the lockdowns, the charity has closed its shops and 

most regular fundraising activities have been cancelled. 

As a result, The Brick is calling for the community to help 

raise £10,000 which will enable the charity to provide the 

emergency food parcels and emergency accommodation 

that are needed now more than ever before. 

Louise Green, CEO at The Brick, said: “Last year, we had to 

cancel the annual town centre sleepout and instead held 

the first Big Back Garden Sleep in April. We were humbled 

by how quickly the community came together and the 

£24,000 that was raised has helped The Brick to continue 

to provide support to the community over the last 12 

months. 

‘This year we want to encourage even more families to 

join us to not only raise more money than last year but 

to have a wonderful night together. Our community 

has shown incredible support to The Brick over the last 

12 months and without their help, we simply wouldn’t 

be able to continue to support families facing poverty 

throughout the pandemic”. 

Staff and volunteers at The Brick will be releasing a host of 

activities, games and fire pit recipes to make the evening a 

really special one for all who take part. The Brick has asked 

that all those who take part in the Big Back Garden Sleep 

to donate via the Just Giving page or raise sponsorship for 

sleeping outside for the night. 

To join The Brick’s Big Back Garden Sleep, people can 

register their interest on The Brick’s Facebook page to 

ensure that they are notified when new activities are 

released: https://www.facebook.com/TheBrickWigan

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11 

World Book Day 

To mark World Book Day on March 4th, The Friends’ of 

Appley Bridge All Saints have organised a free walking 

trail which is running until Sunday March 28th. 

The trail consists of 12 posters hidden around Appley 

Bridge, all designed by children at the school. 

There is a choice of two activities for children to complete: 

either a scavenger hunt for ages 0-7, or a crossword 

puzzle for ages 7+. Simply follow the map around the 

village to find the posters and complete the activities. You 

could really get into the spirit by dressing up as characters 

from your favourite books! 

Kate Hayes, The Chair of the Friends’ said, “Thank you to all 

the teachers for organising the artwork, and to the local 

businesses and organisations who are displaying posters 

for us. We hope you enjoy the trail and don’t forget to 

share your pictures with us via our social media sites!” 

Kate added, “Please ensure that you follow all COVID-19 

regulations and advice from the UK Government whilst 

taking part in our trail. There are a few ‘rules’ to follow 

listed on the information pack.” 

To access the activities and map, just register for free at 

bit.ly/ABAS-WBD-trail and you will receive links to 

download the information pack.

12 

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Church Branches Out 

An ancient Upholland church is 

ease. The community gardeners’ 

planning to deliver more than just 

religious services. 

From 15th March, St Thomas the 

Martyr on Church Street will open 

part of the church as a Post Office 

branch, almost six years after the 

village’s Post Office closed. The Post 

group is now up and running from 

the church, and the Hub group also 

has long term plans to stage concerts 

and open a visitors’ centre, also at the 

church. Volunteers are the lifeblood 

of this project and are needed to 

help make all this grow and flourish. 

Office will operate between the 

Member Helen Foster said “No 

hours of 9am-5.30pm from Monday 

matter what your circumstances and 

to Friday and from 9am-1pm 

background, skills and abilities are, 

Saturday. 

During the pandemic, personnel 

from the church and the wider 

Upholland community including the 

parish council and schools have come together to create 

there is a volunteering opportunity 

for you”. 

If you’d like to volunteer for the 

community hub, you can download 

an applidation for from the website here www. 

a new community hub, and the Post Office is just one of uphollanddalton.org.uk/up-holland-community-hub or 

the changes planned for the church. 

email info@uphollandcommunityhub.org.uk. 

A new café called Becket’s Café and a community cinema 

will open at the church as soon as lockdown restrictions 

The Upholland Community Hub is also on Facebook as @ 

UphollandCH 

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14 

Wigan’s 

Civic Spirit 

by Nicola Gray 

Civic buildings have been used for generations as central 

landmarks, symbols of power, dominance and authority, 

providing public services and meeting points for local 

people. Over the years buildings under the civic umbrella 

have come to include libraries, town halls, concert halls, 

theatres, public squares, government buildings and schools. 

There are civic buildings in Wigan which are still being 

used for their original purpose whilst others have 

undergone a merry-go-round of re-purposing over the 

years. Some are iconic and recognisable in equal measure 

and a few are hidden in plain sight. 

on the corner of Rodney Street and King Street at a cost 

of £12,000. Initially used as the borough’s courts, civic 

leaders moved their offices into the building in 1882 

after the demolition of the Shambles. This was used as 

a Town Hall until 1990, when the council moved its staff 

to the current Town Hall, on Library Street. Despite being 

a Grade II listed building, Wigan’s second town hall was 

eventually demolished and turned into a car park. 

The present Town Hall, designed by Briggs and 

Wolstenholme in the Baroque style, was originally the 

Mining and Technical College until the college moved 

Local Life takes a closer look at some of Wigan’s best 

examples of civic buildings, to try and understand the 

history behind them and how important they were, and 

still are, to our community. 

Town Hall 

The first Wigan Town Hall came into being in 

1720. This two-storey building, known as the 

Shambles, was built in Market Place for 

£2,000 and the town’s MPs footed the 

bill. It was demolished in 1882. 

In 1866, an Italianate style 

building with large round 

headed doorways 

and windows 

was built 

Wigan Mining & Technical College 

now the Town Hall, Library Street

Wigan Little Theatre, Crompton Street 15 

to new facilities in Walkden Avenue in 1990. The Grade II 

listed Town Hall is most noticeable for its red brick with 

terracotta dressings and green slate roofs, and its most 

recognisable feature are the steps that lead up to the 

central porch. It was officially opened by the Princess of 

Wales on 25th November 1991. 

During a renovation in 2016, contractors discovered 

a hidden network of tunnels, thought to be part of a 

heating system, as well an ornate mosaic floor and an 

antique stained-glass window. The Town Hall is still 

a central Wigan landmark today and as well as being 

home to the borough’s councillors it plays host to 

wedding ceremonies, civil partnerships and citizenship 

ceremonies. 

Wigan Little Theatre 

Wigan Little Theatre started life in 1893 as the Alliance 

Hall, home to the Salvation Army and a local meeting 

point for residents. It later became the Alliance Picture 

House, known locally as Canada Pictures, before closing 

its doors and remaining derelict for many 

years. 

After World War 2, Wigan Little Theatre Group 

made the Crompton Street premises their 

new home, raising £3,500 to transform the 

building into a 250-seat theatre. 

Old Town Hall, Rodney Street 

Curtains opened on the group’s first 

production on Wednesday 10th March, 

1947 with a rousing performance of Oliver 

Goldsmith’s ‘She Stoops to Conquer’. And as 

they say, the rest is history, the red-bricked 

building has been at the centre of the town’s 

entertainment scene for more than 70 years.

16 

Museum of Wigan Life 

This beautiful, red-bricked building started life as Wigan 

Public Library on 7th May 1878. The Grade II listed building 

was designed by noted architect, Alfred Waterhouse in 

an Elizabethan style and it was built on the site of the old 

Wigan Grammar School. It is said that this is where George 

Orwell researched his book, The Road to Wigan Pier, in 1936. 

In 1990 the library was relocated to the Town Hall (and 

later to the Life Centre). In 1992, the newly formed Wigan 

Heritage Services opened the History Shop, hosting 

exhibitions and the Wigan local history collection, parish 

registers and census returns on the first floor. 

The History Shop was closed in 2009 and following 

a £1.6million Heritage Lottery Fund refurbishment, 

reopened as the Museum of Wigan Life in 2010. The 

building was given a new lease of life and new features 

included an extra staircase, family study area and a 

refurbished reception area, meeting room and shop. At 

the time we went to press, the Museum is temporarily 

closed due to the pandemic but the team are still 

providing online events. 

Civic Buildings 

This imposing, red-bricked building on the corner of 

Parson’s Walk and New Market Street was originally a food 

and grain warehouse called Rushton Mill. The Mill was 

built in 1900, extended in 1905 and still proudly carries 

the Rushton name atop its three storeys. 

The building was later renamed the Civic Buildings 

but ask any Wiganer to tell you name of the building, 

and the answer will come back loud and clear, ‘the gas 

showrooms’. The building overlooked the constant stream 

of people waiting with their suitcases to go on day trips 

and holidays with local coach companies. 

The building underwent a £5m refurbishment in 2013 

for the Wigan UTC, and the former grain store became 

a pioneering vertical farm and process hall. After the 

Museum of Wigan Life 

(formerly Wigan Public Library), Rodney Street entrance

Civic Buildings, 

Parsons Walk 

17 

closure of Wigan UTC, Wigan & Leigh College announced 

at the end of 2020 they are to take on the building and 

open a Centre for Advanced Technical Studies. 

The Royal Court 

Theatre 

The Royal Court Theatre on King 

Street opened its doors on the 

22nd of November 1886. Designed 

by architect Richard T. Johnson, 

who was also responsible for the 

redesigns of the Theatre Royal and 

Empire Theatres, the Royal Court 

was widely believed to be one of the 

most attractive playhouses in the 

area, costing £18,000. 

The Royal Court Theatre entertained 

the people of Wigan and beyond 

with live entertainment for the next 

forty years until 1930, when 

projection 

was 

and 

installed, 

the 

equipment 

silver screen took over. The Theatre reopened as the Court 

Cinema in December 1930. In spring 1974 the cinema 

closed and since that time, the building as acted as a 

bingo hall and, more recently, a bar called The Hub. 

The team behind The Old Courts bought it at auction 

in 2018. The Grade II Listed building retains many of its 

original features including the circle, complete with seats, 

which was closed off to the ceiling with a plasterboard 

partition. In addition, the original orchestra pit still exists 

beneath the floor of what were the cinema stalls. The 

team at The Old Courts plan to restore and reinstate 

the Royal Court Theatre to its former glory and 

make it a place of entertainment once 

again. 

Images courtesy of Archives: 

Wigan & Leigh 

The Royal Court, 

King Street

18 

Dreams Come True 

Local social enterprise company Daffodils Dreams has to be given a big storage space to sort out the appeal. 

launched an Easter appeal to provide Easter gifts for Social workers and schools have been contacted for their 

disadvantaged youngsters. 

referrals and will distribute them to children before Easter”. 

Daffodils Dreams ran a similar appeal at Christmas to 

provide disadvantaged children with gift boxes on 

Christmas Eve, and the appeal was widely supported by 

both businesses and members of the public, bringing 

Christmas cheer to hundreds of youngsters. 

The organisation was set up two years ago to create 

opportunities for children and their families who find 

themselves living in hardship in the Wigan area. Daffodils 

Dreams provided Easter gifts 

in previous years via selected 

schools to those in need, but 

this year the appeal has widened 

thanks to the number of bighearted 

local businesses who 

have again offered to help. 

Maureen Holcroft from Poolstock, 

who runs Daffodils Dreams, said: 

“We have been lucky enough 

Can you help? Eggs and other Easter-based gifts for 

children, such as bonnets or cuddly toy chicks can be 

donated before Easter at the following drop-off points; 

Alan Batt Estate Agents on Market Street in Wigan, Faith 

Boutique on Cross Street in Standish, Chorley Nissan on 

Pottery Road and The Balcarres Arms in Haigh. The closing 

date for donations is Friday 26th March in order for them 

to be distributed by Easter. 

For more information about 

Daffodils Dreams, visit the 

website at www.daffodilsdreams. 

org or their Facebook page @ 

daffodilsdreamswigan or call 

Maureen on 07896 811178. 

Pictured is Maureen with 

members of staff at Alan Batt 

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A new community grocery store 

is on a mission to make food 

accessible to anyone in the town 

who needs help with their weekly 

grocery bills. 

The Edge Community Grocery 

Store recently opened to help 

struggling residents bridge the 

gap between food banks and 

supermarkets. 

Based on Riveredge, off Pottery Road in Wigan (WN3 

5AB), the Community Grocery is an initiative of UK charity, 

The Message Trust. The new Wigan store, being run in 

partnership with Today’s Community Church, hopes to 

help feed hundreds of families every week. 

Members can shop from 9am-4pm every weekday and 

will be able to bag a potential saving of up to £40 on a 

regular supermarket visit. Memberships cost £5 for the 

year and then you pay £3 for each shop, where you can 

select up to 20 grocery items, twice a week. 

In the store you will find the same range of products 

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19 

you would expect to see in your 

local supermarkets, including 

fresh fruit and vegetables, tinned 

goods, baked items, frozen food, 

sanitary and household items, all 

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supermarkets. 

The Community Groceries are 

about more than just food. 

Members will also have access to a range of other services 

including employment clubs, debt advice, and cookery 

courses. 

Andy Hawthorne OBE, Chief Executive and Founder of 

The Message Trust said: “Community Groceries are all 

about making it easier for our members to put food on 

the table, whilst also providing them with support and 

courses too. We can’t wait to welcome people to the new 

Community Grocery.” 

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20 

The 

Sweet Life 

Where are you going for your first holiday AC (After Covid?). 

A holiday is the top of everyone’s to do list for 2021, ideally to 

a destination with sunshine, good food and the new ‘must 

haves’ - access to good health facilities and close enough to 

get home quickly should we need to. 

After much deliberation, we plumped for Italy. After a 

year like 2020, a bit of la dolce vita is much required and 

very welcome, thank you. Italy sounds like a safe bet, but 

rather than face the crowds of Rome, Florence and Milan 

(and the prices in Venice), we’ve opted to travel south 

to the Mezzogiorno to discover the little known and 

ruggedly beautiful region of Puglia. 

Situated in the boot heel of Italy, Puglia offers everything 

the Italophile craves: ancient towns steeped in the history 

of many cultures; extravagant architecture, food to die 

for and the olive green seas of the Adriatic. The senses 

of travellers, which may have dulled by frequent visits to 

Italy, will once again awaken as they find release in places 

like Lecce, known as the Florence of the South, and other 

beautiful Pugliese towns and villages. 

But it is perhaps outside of its cities that Puglia shines 

brightest. From the ancient countryside to its dramatically 

broken coastlines, and above all, its proud and generous 

people, eager to share the delights of Puglia with you. 

Let us start in the baroque splendour of Lecce, where 

buildings of beauty and interest are to be discovered 

almost around every corner. The Lecce Cathedral, 

originally built back in 1144, is just one of numerous 

religious buildings of note which are over 500 years old 

in compact Lecce. The city’s amphitheatre, built by the

21 

Romans, is situated near 

Sant’Oronzo Square and was 

once able to seat more than 

25,000 people. 

The city has a long traditional 

affinity with Greek culture 

and the Messapians who 

founded the city are said to 

have been Cretans. Even to 

this day, a group of nearby 

towns not far from Lecce, 

the griko language is still 

spoken. Whilst visiting in this 

gorgeous baroque grandeur, 

you can soak up the ambience 

of Leece’s streets, cosy cafes and elegant boutiques. 

Most visitors pass by the port of Bari on the way to Lecce, 

but bustling Bari doesn’t lack history or culture. The old 

town contains the bones of St Nicholas (aka Santa Claus 

– yes, that Santa Claus!) in its Basilica di San Nicola, and 

there’s an excellent archaeological museum. Superb 

seafood and a bustling street food scene in Bari appeals 

to all foodies. Bari’s port is a point of departure for those 

adventurous travellers departing across the Adriatic for 

the shores of Croatia, Montenegro, Albania or Greece. 

Strategically placed atop the steep Pizzomunno cliffs 

between two sweeping sandy beaches is Vieste. 

Surrounded by the Parco Nazionale del Gargano, 

Vieste is perfect for cycling and hiking and all things 

considered, it is one of the south’s most complete all-inone 

destinations for the whole family. 

Discover Undiscovered 

Italy! 

Fly/Coach Tour of Puglia 

including Lecce & Vieste 

£1,169 p.p. 

8 days in 4* hotels 

Most meals included 

Price based on 2 sharing – single passenger price is £1,344. 

Depart from Manchester on 4/4/22 – other dates available 

Independent Travel Specialist 

Riviera offer over 100 global escorted fly/coach tours. 

Call us today or pop in to collect a Riviera brochure. 

200 Main Street, Billinge, WN5 7PE | Tel: 01744 893291 | www.markentravel.co.uk

22 

Lonely Planet describes the town as ‘a cross between 

Naples and Dubrovnik, with a bit of Puglian magic mixed 

in’. Some of the finest vistas at Vieste though are actually 

at sea, as the nearby coastline is made up of grottoes and 

arches, their calcareous rock shaped by water and wind, 

so do take in a boat trip whilst visiting Vieste. 

Otranto is Puglia’s and Italy’s eastern-most town, and 

is one of the region’s most charming and picturesque 

towns; a fascinating mix of history, architecture, sea-front 

promenades and an amazing white sandy beach with 

turquoise waters. 

But it wasn’t always like this – when 18,000 Turkish 

soldiers landed in 1480, they laid waste to the town and its 

population. 800 survivors barricaded themselves inside 

the Cathedral with their bishop, Stefano Agricoli, to pray 

for deliverance. Divine intervention was not forthcoming, 

however, and they were beheaded whilst their bishop 

was cut to pieces and his head paraded round the town 

on a pike. Years later, a Papal decree formally beatified 

the 800, who became known as the Blessed Martyrs of 

Otranto. 

Just beyond the borders of Puglia, but often visited by 

tourists is Matera, the jewel of neighbouring Basilicata, 

which is reputed to be the world’s third-longest 

continuously inhabited human settlement. 

Natural caves in the tufa limestone attracted the first 

inhabitants perhaps 7,000 

years ago. In the 1950’s, 

Matera’s clustered sassi 

(cave dwellings), were 

little more than one-room 

caves containing appalling 

poverty and unthinkable 

living conditions, and the 

town was denounced as the 

‘Shame of Italy’. Today, the 

value of this extraordinarily 

built environment has been 

recognised, and in 2019 the 

city was recognised as a 

European Capital of Culture. 

The sweet life in Puglia is just 

waiting for you…

23 

One final word... 

If there is one thing that the pandemic has painfully illustrated, it 

is the very real value of booking via a travel agent. Many of those 

who booked independently without cover sadly lost money, whilst 

others struggled to get to where they need to be. 

Whilst booking via a travel agent can be more expensive sometimes, 

in todays’ current travel climate it’s worth using a travel agent, if 

only to have an experience and knowledgeable person on your side 

should the unexpected happen whilst you are on holiday. 

family fun 

advEntuRE 

luXuRy 

City BREaK 

Rail EXPlORE 

CRuiSE/RivER CRuiSE 

Call your personal travel expert 

01942 912334 / 07786 311 282 

julie.moss@notjusttravel.com 

@NJTJulieM 

www.juliemoss.notjusttravel.com 

WEddinG/HOnEymOOn

24 

A brand-new online choir, based in Wigan, has been 

singing their way through the latest lockdown. Since 

forming in January, 120 voices have joined the Local 

Vocals choir, taking in people as far as Preston, Lytham 

and Chorley. But how does an online choir work? 

Choir leader, Laura Bennett, said, “We deliver two live 

tutorials a week to help with mastering the harmony part 

and then we host two live Zoom sessions each week as 

well. This format helps our Local Vocals to attend the live 

session feeling more prepared. The live sessions are also 

a much-needed opportunity to socialise with each other, 

check in and have a good laugh!” 

Sessions currently run on Mondays & Wednesdays, but 

once COVID restrictions are lifted the choir hopes to 

have meeting points in Wigan, St Helens, and Leyland. 

Meanwhile Laura will still be offering online help to those 

who aren’t comfortable with face-to-face group meetings. 

LeafLet Distribution 

service 

Your leaflets delivered alongside this magazine 

to up to 39,000 local homes 

Flexible service for all businesses, large and small 

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

Call or email us for a Leaflet Coverage List 

then simply chose the postcode areas 

you want to target 

Call us on 01695 627999 

Email chrisp@locallife247.co.uk 

www.locallife247.co.uk 

Local Vocals 

During lockdown 3.0, the 

choir decided to put their 

vocal cords to the test 

and help to raise funds for 

Wigan Stars, releasing their 

online recording of ‘Best of 

My Love’ by the Emotions. 

Wigan Stars is a charity 

that offers young people 

and adults with learning disabilities the opportunity to 

develop social skills through planned activities. 

Like many local charities over the past year, Wigan Stars 

has been affected by Covid-19 restrictions and the aim is 

to raise £500 to go towards the much-needed service. At 

the time we went to press, the choir had raised more than 

£300 through Facebook video shares alone. 

Laura added, “Working with local musicians, supporting 

local charity, and celebrating the local community 

we have here across Lancashire & Greater 

Manchester is especially important to us. We are 

delighted that we can support such a wonderful 

cause through the joy of singing together, 

especially during this difficult time.” 

GPs 

Tracked 

Distribution 

DesiGn 

& Print 

services 

also available 


To watch the online recording, donate to the 

fundraiser or to find out more information about 

the choir, please visit www.localvocalschoir. 

com or find Local Vocals on Facebook at www. 

facebook.com/localvocalschoir.

25 

Don’t Miss Out 

on the Staycation 

Boom! 

We are now taking bookings from 17th May 

2021 and UK holidays are going FAST! 

Call us on 01942 728960 now 

for your Free 2021 brochure 

or download a copy from 

www.memorylanetravel.co.uk 

TheSe exTrA hOliDAyS FOr 2021 Are nOT in The 2021 BrOchUre 

Devon Delights Diner Tour 

27th June – only £389 

5 nights dinner, bed & breakfast 

Queens Hotel, Paignton 

Entertainment every night, day excursions to 

Totnes, Buckfast Abbey, Exmouth & Dartmouth 

lake District Diner Tour 

28th October – only £299 

4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast 

Cumbria Grand Hotel, Grange-over-Sands 

Day excursions to Ambleside, Bowness 

& Ulverston 

Diner Tours include; A hostess serving coffees, light lunches and snacks - see website or brochure for full details 

DAy excUrSiOnS re-STArT 17Th MAy 2021 See WeBSiTe FOr DeTAilS 

holidays ~ Short Breaks ~ Day excursions 

Why TrAvel WiTh MeMOry lAne? 

3 Home pick-up for holidays 3 Executive coach travel 3 Quality hotels 3 Local well-established operator 

Moss industrial estate, 

William Way, 

leigh Wn7 3PT 

01942 728960 • www.memorylanetravel.co.uk 

Memory Lane Holidays is a trading name of Ashcrofts Mini Travel Ltd. Company Number 06950361

26 

Growing in Style 

Show off your house plants and keep them happy and healthy 

with these great accessories. 

FOLLOW A FEW BASIC PRINCIPLES AND YOUR 

INDOOR GARDEN IS BOUND TO FLOURISH. 

• Regular watering is crucial, but choose an indoor 

watering can that doesn’t take up too much space 

and looks nice on display. The narrow spout and 

high handle help when watering hanging pots, 

plants on high shelves or tabletop terrariums. 

• Use pruners to remove spent leaves or take off live 

stems in order to reshape your plant or encourage 

bushier, dense growth. Those with stainless steel 

blades are rust-resistant and easy to keep clean. 

• Check whether your plant will benefit from 

regular misting. Leaf curling, yellowing and brown 

leaf edges are all signs that it needs a bit of extra 

humidity. Choose a mister with a fine, gentle spray 

– the aim is not to make the leaves soaking wet, but 

to keep them clean (it helps them photosynthesise) 

and change the air quality around them. 

Grow your own indoor kitchen 

garden with herbs in recycled 

planters on a sunny window sill. 

Seeds and compost from Dobbies. 

Made in London out of Jesmonite 

in collaboration with homeware 

designer Salt Studios, this handmade 

propagation station comes with 

a glass test tube to display your 

cutting, plus a bookmark with useful 

instructions. 

Propagation station, £35, Leaf Envy. 

Water plants and herbs with a 

galvanised steel watering can. 

Garden Trading indoor watering can, 

£16, Heavenly Homes and Gardens. 

A pruner helps maintain healthy, 

happy plant growth. 

Burgon & Ball house plant pruner, 

£12.50, Leaf Envy. 

• If you are short on sunlight, try indoor growing 

lights, which are more intense than ordinary light 

bulbs. They also have a range of colour spectrums 

optimised to aid plant growth. Look for all-in-one 

kits or separate bulbs or tube lights. 

Stylish round 

metal hanging 

lamp and plant 

pot in sleek gold 

and black. 

£95, Cult 

Furniture. 

Perfect for orchids and succulents, this plant 

mister makes a pretty addition to a kitchen 

or bathroom windowsill. 

Botanical-style plant mister, £14, Ella James. 

This planter combines two styles of 

natural rattan. The upper pot includes a 

waterproof liner, keeping the lower shelf 

(and floors) safe and dry. 

Mayfield plant stand, £75, Garden Trading. 

These seagrass baskets are tactile and 

soft without being floppy. 

Redford round baskets, from £40 each, 

Neptune. 

Try a plant subscription – you’ll be sent 

a new plant monthly, with information 

and care instructions. A Plant Doctor is 

on hand to help with any problems. 

Plant & Pot monthly plant subscription, 

£35, Leaf Envy.

27

28 

READY 

in 1hr 30mins 

plus cooling 

Serves 8 

Orange 

and apricot loaf 

Get the kettle on and enjoy a slice of this delicious fruity loaf cake. 

Ingredients 

175g unsalted butter, softened 

175g caster sugar 

175g self-raising flour 

3 medium eggs 

Grated zest and juice from 1 small 

orange, plus extra zest to decorate 

75g ground almonds 

125g ready-to-eat dried apricots, 

chopped 

Icing sugar, to dust 

Method 

1 Preheat the oven to 170C / fan 150C / gas mark 3. Grease a 900g (2lb) 

loaf tin and line the base and two long sides with baking paper. 

2 Place the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and the orange rind and juice in a 

bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until thoroughly combined. Toss 

together the ground almonds and apricots and fold into the mixture. 

3 Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and gently level the surface. 

Bake for 50 minutes - 1 hour 10 minutes until risen and golden and a 

skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes 

then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Serve 

dusted with icing sugar and decorated with the extra orange zest. 

TIP: If the top of the cake starts to over-brown before the end of the cooking time, cover loosely with a piece of foil.

29 

A Home away from Home 

The past year has undoubtably been one of the most 

challenging times for families across the UK. We have seen 

families separated and shielded from their support network 

for almost a year and although many of us live in hope that 

these times are coming to an end we continue to live under 

the most difficult circumstances we have experienced in 

some time. 

For the vulnerable and older people it has been an 

exceptionally difficult and distressing time as their lives 

have been so greatly disrupted with many being left 

feeling a sense of confusion and loneliness during long 

periods of isolation. 

There is, however, a source of respite and relief for those 

who are particularly vulnerable, providing much-needed 

companionship as well as support for their families. 

Bridgewater Day Care is an adult day care service held 

at their centre in Golborne, providing a lifeline for those 

who are unable to manage independently at home, and 

for their family members who have caring responsibilities. 

The day care centre is part of a wider service offering 

with Bridgewater Home Care, one of the leading home 

care providers across the North West winning numerous 

awards for the quality of care they provide. 

The aim of the Day Centre is to provide a ‘home away from 

home’ for clients where they can socialise, interact with 

others in the local community and receive the support 

and stimulation that they cannot currently receive from 

home. It is also a service that aims to give back some 

time to the family members that have daily caring 

responsibilities and provide a form of respite from the 

ongoing challenges of everyday life. 

The Centre is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 

4pm and provides a variety of activities such as games, 

reminiscence therapy, cognitive stimulation, nutritious 

meals, arts & crafts, physical activities, armchair aerobics, 

refreshments throughout the day and engagement in 

technology; all of which aim to improve mental health, 

wellbeing and quality of life. 

The Day Centre has been fully operational since the 

outbreak of the pandemic, implementing full COVID-19 

guidelines with social distancing measures in place 

including clients sitting 2 meters apart and staff members 

wearing full PPE, so clients and their families can rest 

assured they are in safe hands. 

The services Bridgewater Day Care provide really do 

make such an important difference to people’s lives and 

for many it has become something they would find it 

difficult to live without. Some clients visit the centre one 

day a week, whereas others attend the centre every day, 

with services being flexible around the needs of clients 

and their family members. 

For further information about Bridgewater Day Care 

or to arrange a visit to the Centre please call the Day 

Centre Manager, Lisa, on 01942 723 115. 

A privately funded Day Care service providing high quality care 

Call us today: 

01942 723115 

Welcoming new clients 

• Activities & entertainment 

• Socialisation with others 

• Nutritious meals & refreshments 

• A stimulating environment 

We welcome private clients and those who receive funding for their care 

To arrange a consultation, call our centre Manager Lisa on 01942 723 115 

Find us on Queen Street, Golborne, Wigan, WA3 3AF 

www.bridgewaterdaycare.co.uk 

Open 10am-4pm Monday-Friday 

info@bridgewaterdaycare.co.uk

30 

Help the Hospice! 

By Nicola Gray 

2020 was an unprecedented time for most of us, with many 

people and businesses facing financial hardship. Wigan 

Hospice and the dedicated staff and volunteers have found 

themselves in the same position. The charity has had to 

cancel fundraising events, close shops for several months 

and lottery collectors can no longer collect subscriptions 

door to door. 

Additionally, fundraising events held by other 

organisations, such as the London Marathon, which 

also raises funds for the hospice, have also been put on 

hold or cancelled. Hospice income has been hit hard by 

the COVID-19 pandemic; they are facing a substantial 

financial deficit for the year and now, more than ever, they 

need your help. 

Wigan and Leigh Hospice has been providing palliative 

and end of life care for adult patients across Wigan 

Borough for almost 40 years. The team annually cares for 

around 1,200 people with a life-limiting illness including 

cancer, neurological and respiratory conditions. 

The hospice needs to raise £3.5million every year to carry 

on providing all of its services including community 

nursing teams, the Inpatient Unit, complementary 

therapy, counselling, bereavement support and their 

education service, Hospice in your Care Home. 

Kate Gaynor, Head of Income Generation for the hospice, 

said: “Income generation has been hit incredibly 

hard by COVID-19 and our year has been practically 

unrecognisable. We are doing everything we can to 

innovate and come up with new ways of generating 

funds that won’t be so severely impacted by the ongoing 

restrictions but I fear in spite of all our best efforts we are 

going to see a drastic drop in income in 20/21.”

31 

Here’s 5 ways you can raise money for 

Wigan and Leigh Hospice this year. 

Come dine with me competition 

Everyone has seen the TV programme, so why not 

invite a group of friends to set themselves against each 

other. Get 4 groups of 4 to compete, with everyone 

putting in £25. The winner from each group of 4 then 

plays in a final, the winner receives a cash prize, and the 

rest goes to the hospice. Set up now for a date later in 

the year to comply with COVID safe regulations. 

Car Boot Sale 

If you can gather enough sellable items from your 

loft or the children’s rooms, you can raise a decent 

amount by taking it to the local car boot. Instant cash 

for the hospice and you get to de-clutter. 

Promise Auction 

Ask friends, family and your local community to write 

down a promise of what they could do for someone 

else, from a years’ worth of garden maintenance and 

car valeting to walking your dog and the promise of 

time in a holiday home. Auction off the promises to the 

highest bidder and donate the money to the hospice. 

Foreign Coin Exchange 

With foreign holidays off the agenda for the time 

being, seize the moment and let all your friends 

and family know that you will be collecting foreign 

coins to give the money to charity. Foreign currency 

can be exchanged back into pounds to add to your 

fundraising and the feeling of helping the hospice 

will be better than any exchange rate available. 

And for those who want to help but 

don’t want the faff of organising events 

– here are 3 suggestions on how you 

can help the hospice. 

Play the lottery 

Sign up via the hospice website www.wlh.org.uk for 

just £4.34 per month. There are 30 prizes to be won 

every week including a top prize of £1,000 

Donate 

Commit to making a regular donation by joining the 

‘Daisy Chain’. Sign up at www.wlh.org.uk 

Small Change 

Every little helps and all adds up. Get a copper box 

for your loose change and send it back once it is full! 

Hold a Scavenger Hunt 

This one is great at Easter or Christmas time and to 

get the kids and their school involved. Charge for 

entry and hide some themed, edible treats and give 

each team some clues to try and find them. The 

fastest team to gather the most items wins and gets 

to eat what they have found. 

Wigan and Leigh Hospice, Kildare Street, Hindley, WN2 3HZ 

01942 525566 

Email: fundraising@wlh.org.uk 

www.wlh.org.uk

32 

Book to Dip Into 

Sometimes we just can’t face a whole novel or autobiography. 

With these books, you can dip in and out whenever you have a spare five minutes. 

Dear NHS: 100 Stories 

to Say Thank You 

Adam Kay 

Adam Kay brings us a series of 

essays and musings from a range 

of household names, from Malala 

Yousafzai to Dame Julie Walters and 

Johnny Vegas. Each tale is about how 

the NHS has stepped in to help the 

writer. There’s a story of a suspected heart attack that 

turned out to be trapped wind, several about household 

accidents (often involving kitchen knives) and plenty of 

sentimental stories to boot. Plus, all profits go to charity. 

Encounters: A 

Photographic Journey 

Levison Wood 

Award-winning reportage photographer 

Levison Wood has travelled to more 

than 100 countries. Encounters brings 

together 140 of his images, along 

with text about each one. You’ll meet 

a young shepherd girl in Ethiopia, 

resourceful teenagers in the Congo, stranded nomads, 

fishermen in Yemen and families in war-torn regions. 

Sapiens: A Graphic 

Novel 

Yuval Noah Harari et al. 

The original Sapiens is fascinating, 

but there’s an awful lot of 

information to take in. If you’re 

interested in the origin of humans, 

but want something a little easier to 

digest, try this instead. It’s the first volume in a graphicnovel 

adaptation of the global bestseller. Full-colour 

illustrations and straightforward text take the reader on a 

journey from the very birth of humankind. It’s absorbing, 

suitable for older children as well as adults and has a 

good spattering of humour throughout. 

Toksvig’s Almanac 2021 

Sandi Toksvig 

Fancy ‘An Eclectic Meander Through 

the Historical Year’? The main focus 

is on women that have been all but 

forgotten. There’s Begum Samru – an 

Indian dancer who led an army of 

mercenaries, Ida B. Wells – an activist 

and suffragist who co-founded the 

largest civil rights organisation in the United States, and 

Annette Kellerman, whose stunts including diving from 

60 feet into a pool of crocodiles. There are also poems, 

trivia and other fascinating snippets. 

Back to Nature: How to 

Love Life and Save It 

Chris Packham and Megan 

McCubbin 

Whether you’re an avid nature lover 

and wondering how to stop the 

catastrophic decline in biodiversity, 

or you’re feeling disconnected 

from the wild and want to reap the 

benefits of it once again, this is a great book to help you. 

There are lots of interesting titbits to digest over a coffee 

(ever wondered how trees communicate?) and plenty of 

ideas for how to take action. 

The Repair Shop: Tales 

from the Workshop of 

Dreams 

If you love the TV series about expert 

craftspeople restoring much loved 

family heirlooms, you won’t want 

to miss the accompanying book. It 

goes into more detail about some 

of the most interesting items shown 

in the series, from a rusty miner’s helmet to a circus 

performer’s dress. It’s the book version of a mug of tea 

and hot buttered crumpet.

33 

Windows | | | | 

T: 

T: 

01772 

01772 

601200 

601200 

E: info@select-windows.com 

E: info@select-windows.com 

W: www.select-windows.com 

W: www.select-windows.com 

Towngate Works, Dark Lane, Mawdesley L40 2QU 

Towngate Works, Dark Lane, Mawdesley L40 2QU

34 

UNIVERSITY CENTRE ST HELENS 

OUR DIGITAL 2021 HIGHER EDUCATION GUIDE IS NOW LIVE! 

Discover a variety of higher-level qualifications and degrees, studied on 

a full and part-time basis, with smaller class sizes and lower tuition fees. 

Stay local and study a degree right in the heart of St Helens! 

• Applied Chemistry 

• Applied Microbiology 

• Business Management 

• Computing 

• Criminal Justice 

• Early Years 

• Engineering 

• Exercise, Health and Fitness 

• Fine Art Painting 

• Foundation Diploma in Art, 

Design and Media Practice 

• Game Art 

• Graphic Design 

• Media Production 

• Social Policy, Health 

and Housing 

• Teacher Training 

• Theatre and Performance 

Download your copy at: 

sthelens.ac.uk/applynow





Cover photo © Ian Bonnell Photograpthy 


Zero Waste Shop Opens 

Shops that minimise the 

small changes to our shopping 

environmental impact of our 

consumer habits are springing 

up across the UK, and the latest 

one has opened in Parbold. The 

idea behind zero waste shops is 

that shoppers buy just what you 

need, making it easy for you to 

stock and re-stock your everyday 

habits can make a big difference.“ 

Rachel’s sister Katie Street added, 

“A couple of years ago we had 

the idea to open a zero-waste 

shop but the timing didn’t feel 

right, but lockdown has given us 

the opportunity to do it and the 

feedback we’ve had is incredible. 

household items without 

A Greener Weigh is the shop our 

wasteful packaging. 

A Greener Weigh is now open 

and is using a multi-purpose 

space within The Wayfarer. The family who owns the 

restaurant, which is based on Alder Lane in the village, 

hopes that the new refill shop will inspire and enable the 

local community to be more sustainable. 

Rachel Birkett from the Wayfarer said “We want to make 

it easy for customers to stock and re-stock everyday 

household items without wasteful packaging. Making 

community has been waiting for”. 

Those Wayfarer customers eager 

to sample the food and drink 

again need not worry. The new shop is not replacing 

the restaurant but will be located in the conservatory, 

and this space will switch between shop and restaurant 

seamlessly. 

The opening times are Wednesday – Saturday from 10am 

until 4pm.For more details please visit the shop’s website 

www.agreenerweigh.co.uk. 

35 

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36 

Members Appeal 

A popular community group is looking for members to 

join them. The Upholland & District u3a enters its 16th 

year in 2021 and now has an impressive 770 members. 

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, the group had over 

50 different interest groups meeting on a regular basis. 

Groups facilitated the learning of skills and knowledge 

in addition to taking every opportunity to socialise with 

other members. 

The organisation went from being a busy, enthusiastic, and 

active group of people, to all having to stay at home and 

embrace technology to stay in touch with other members. 

Now the restrictions are easing, the group is preparing 

for the time when members can meet up and continue 

to enjoy all the usual activities. If you are no longer in 

full time employment and want more information about 

joining the Upholland u3a or the activities they offer, then 

please contact Barb Beesley on 01744 603304 or email 

bbeesleyu3a@gmail.com. 

You can contact other local u3a groups here; Wigan 

(01942 324430), Parbold & Newburgh (01772 300407) 

and Ashton-in-Makerfield (ashtoninmakerfieldu3a@ 

outlook.com). 

Houses Plan 

Plans have been submitted to Wigan Council to transform 

the former site of Abraham Guest High School on Orrell 

Road into a housing development consisting of 61 homes. 

The proposed Morris Homes development consists of 27 

four bedroomed houses, 19 three bedroomed houses 

and 15 two bedroomed houses, along with 163 parking 

spaces. Proposed road access to the development would 

be via Orrell Road, and there would also be pedestrian/ 

cycle access via Redwood Park/Bankes Avenue. 

The school was relocated to Greenhey in 2010 and 

the site has remained derelict since then. Back in 2015, 

planning permission was granted to develop the site into 

an elderly care facility consisting of 101 apartments and 

30 bungalows, but this scheme fell through. 

Further details can be found on www.wigan.gov.uk, 

using the planning application reference A/20/90543/ 

MAJOR. The final date for neighbourhood consultations 

is 20/3/21. 

Earn extra 

cash! 

Local Life require distributors 

for the following areas; 

Newburgh 

Ash Brow, Course Lane, Sandy Lane 

& Cobbs Brow Lane areas 

369 copies £26.76 + leaflet pay 

Beautifully furnished 

Stone Cottage 

Holiday Let 

– sleeps up to 4 

Situated near Sedbergh, 

in the Yorkshire Dales, 

and also within easy 

reach of the Lake District 

Children & pets welcome 

Call 01942 216 058 

www.millthropcottage.co.uk 

Ashton-in-Makerfield 

Alexandra Rd & Edward Drive areas 

335 copies £24.29 + leaflet pay 

Interested? 

Please email your name, address, 

contact number and date of birth to 

sallyb@locallife247.co.uk

37

38

39

40 

Pulling Off - Standish St Wilfrid’s 

Chiming In! 


The distinctive sound of church bells ringing is deeply rooted 

in our culture, the peal of a church bell is the soundtrack 

to many of our lasting memories; they add joy to our 

celebrations and empathise with our grief. 

The melodies we hear from bells today is called ‘change 

ringing’. During the sixteenth century church bells began 

to be hung with a full wheel, enabling the bell to swing 

in a full circle and back again. This gave ringers much 

more control of their bell, which allowed sets of bells to 

be rung in a continuously changing pattern. The music is 

created by moving bells up and down the ringing order in 

a sequence known as a method. 

There are believed to be around 40,000 bellringers in 

the UK, and Wigan has several dedicated groups across 

the borough. They fall under the Wigan branch of the 

Lancashire Association of Change Ringers and they are 

always on the lookout for new members. 

Chris Barr, the assistant Ringing Master for the Wigan 

Peal Band - Parbold 

branch told Local 

Life, “Ringing is 

great fun and 

really is an activity 

that anybody of 

any age can start 

to learn. I got into 

ringing because 

it was something 

that my Mum 

started up when 

we moved to 

Standish in 1994. 

I started learning Sophie Barr - Learner - 8 Years Old 

towards the end 

of primary school 

and I’ve been involved in one way or another ever since.” 

Chris currently holds the post of Ringing Master for two 

towers in the branch; Standish, St Wilfrid’s & Coppull, 

St Johns, as well as being the Assistant Ringing Master 

for the whole branch which takes in towers including 

Hindley and Newton-le-Willows all the way to Rainford 

and Southport. 

Chris added, “At the moment we aren’t meeting to ring, but 

once COVID restrictions are lifted we’d love to hear from 

new ringers. So, if anyone wants to have a go at ringing, 

or would even just like to have a look at what’s going on, 

then they’re welcome to contact me. We have a number of 

people across the area who have been on training courses 

and would love to teach people how to ring.” 

For more information about how to get into ringing please contact Chris 

by emailing assistantringingmaster@lacrwiganbranch or go online at www.lacr.uk/branch/wigan-branch

41 

Ringing Myths Explained: 

• There is a lot more to 

ringing than just pulling 

a rope. Controlling a bell 

takes physical skill, whilst 

change ringing needs 

mental skill to keep up. 

• English bells are hardly 

ever rung by machine. 

When you hear bells 

ringing, there is a band 

of skilled ringers in 

the tower who have 

practiced and honed Standish - St Wilfrid’s - 7th Bell 

their skills. 

• Ringers can be male and female, old or young, and 

from all walks of life. Skill is the key when it comes to 

bell ringing. 

• You do not have to be a member of the church to ring. 

Many ringers do it for the satisfaction that they get 

from ringing, for services and being part of a group. 

R BANKS & SON 

FUNERALS LTD 

Brian Halliwell Dip F.D M.B.I.E. 

Independent Funeral Directors 

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A local family run business, R. Banks & Son 

are one of the largest independent funeral 

directors in the Wigan Area 

ESTABLISHED 1921 

Golden Charter Pre Arrangement Funeral Plans 

and Memorial Plans available 

FINANCE AVAILABLE on Funerals & 

Memorials Subject to status, written details on request 

24 hour service • Caring family firm 

Branches: Standish 01257 422011, 

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Coppull 01257 793880, Upholland 01695 622099, 

Platt Bridge 01942 863936, Atherton 01942 318025 

Head Office: 

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Pemberton, Wigan WN5 8BB 

www.rbanksandson.co.uk T: 01942 222156 

• Ringers do not need to be strong, once you have 

learnt the technique you will be in full control of the 

bell. And don’t worry about being taken up by the 

rope, this is so rare that most ringers have never seen 

it happen! 

Bells - Coppull St Johns

42 

SIGMA ROX 7.0 CYCLE 

COMPUTER 

If you prefer pedalling to 

pounding pavements, Sigma’s 

GPS cycle computer can 

track your performance on 

every ride and deliver every 

conceivable kind of statistic. 

£59, Wiggle.co.uk 

Track your outdoor 

Exercise 

Great gadgets from simple trackers to the smartest smartwatches 

One of the simplest and cheapest exercise trackers 

is the pedometer, which tells you how many steps 

you’ve walked in a given period. There are lots of them 

around for very little money: for example, the Omron 

Walking Style One Step Counter, a pocket-sized digital 

pedometer, is around £16. 

However, if you’d like to track more than just steps 

you’ll need to look at a dedicated fitness tracker. These 

aren’t necessarily much more expensive – you can get 

Huawei’s attractive and effective Huawei Band 4 for less 

than £30 – but they’re more useful, as they typically add 

heart rate monitoring, activity tracking, calories burned 

and other key data. Some also offer sleep tracking. 

Although they’re battery-powered they usually last 

much longer than smartwatches, typically going for 

over a week between charges and not needing long to 

recharge. There are versions designed for kids, too, such 

as the Fitbit Ace, which track activity but not calories. 

The next step up from fitness trackers is the smart 

watch. Apple’s watch is the market leader here, but it’s 

also one of the most expensive, and you can get good 

smartwatches such as the Samsung Galaxy (£159) or 

the Huawei GT2e (£99) for a lot less. These devices offer 

a wider range of fitness tracking features and usually 

connect to your smartphone to share data with your 

health and/or fitness apps. 

In many cases the line between fitness trackers is blurred. 

For example, the Fitbit Versa Lite is a smartwatch, but 

really it’s a super-powered fitness tracker and unlike 

more expensive devices you can’t install your own apps. 

The latest generation of the Apple Watch is really 

impressive, both as a smartwatch and as a fitness 

tracker. It isn’t cheap – the latest model, the Series 6, 

starts at £379 – but the more affordable Apple Watch 

SE starts at £269. The older Apple Watch Series 3 is £199, 

although we think the SE is more capable and worth 

paying slightly more for. 

HONOR BAND 5 SMART 

FITNESS TRACKER 

A fully featured fitness tracker 

for under £30? That’s what 

this little marvel from Honor 

delivers. It’s a great little device 

available in a range of colours. 

£29.99, Amazon.co.uk 

OMRON 

WALKING STYLE 

ONE 2.0 STEP 

COUNTER 

APPLE WATCH SE 

This is the current 

mid-range Apple 

Watch and it’s 

effectively a cut-down 

version of the rangetopping 

Series 6. It’s 

packed with fitness 

features. 

£269, Apple.com 

This pocket-sized 

device contains 

the same kind of 

3D accelerometer sensor you’ll find in smartphones, enabling you 

to track your steps, kilometres and miles. 

£15.99, Argos.co.uk 

FITBIT INSPIRE HR 

This Fitbit is cheap but that 

doesn’t mean it’s lacking in 

features. It has a workout 

monitor and heart rate 

sensing as well as step 

and calorie counting, and 

it syncs nicely with Fitbit’s 

phone app. 

£59, Fitbit.com

43 

Quiz 

Theme: Happy 

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as the title character, who discovers a talent for 

golf after struggling to find success at which 

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2. “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers” 

is part of a famous speech from which William 

Shakespeare play? 

3. Also the title of a well known TV show, what 

word meaning “extreme happiness” can also 

refer to a type of song that originated in 18thcentury 

England and is sung by three or more 

unaccompanied voices? 

4. The TV sitcom Happy Days was set in which city 

in Wisconsin? 

5. Who famously sang Happy Birthday Mr. 

President at a birthday celebration of John F. 

Kennedy held at Madison Square Garden in 

1962? 

6. In March 2020, which country was named 

the happiest country in the world for a third 

consecutive year?... a) Switzerland; b) Finland; 

or c) Thailand? 

7. Is the first note sung in the song Happy Birthday 

To You higher or lower in pitch than the last 

note sung in the song? 

8. In 2014, which internet-based company 

launched a new marketing campaign that 

featured the slogan “find your happy”? 

9. Which 2019 film was advertised with the tagline 

“put on a happy face”? 

10. In 1982, what became the first UK number one 

hit single to have the word “happy” in its title? 

Quiz solutions can be found on page 93 of this magazine

44 

The Perfect Buy-to-Let 

Buy-to-Let Guide 

With investment 

properties on the rise 

and an ever-growing 

demand for rental 

properties, it’s clear 

that we haven’t lost our 

appetite for buy to let. 

Here’s a few essential tips 

in our mini guide to the 

world of property rental: 

Know your Market - 

Who is your ideal tenant? 

If you’re after a single 

professional, you might consider a small flat or studio, in 

a good, central area. If you want a family, for a longer-term 

let, you might look at three-bedroom properties in the 

suburbs. 

How Much to Invest - So you’ve got a bit of money in 

the bank and it’s not gathering much interest. Do your 

homework. Research mortgage options and calculate 

your likely profit. Only then are you ready to go out and 

start spending. 

Location, Location, Location - Key to a great buy-to-let 

is having it somewhere where people want to live. A city/ 

town centre location, close to transport links or handy for 

shops – all these will help drive tenants to your door. 

Layout - Most modern apartments and houses will have 

straightforward layouts. If you have an older property, 

check if you can change the layout easily because that’s a 

good way to increase its appeal to tenants. 

Add Value - Even if it’s not going to add to your rental 

income, it’s often worth making improvements such as 

double glazing, a new 

bathroom or kitchen. 

They’ll add value when 

you come to sell, and 

they’ll make the house 

easier to let. 

DIY or GSI? – Are you 

planning to do the 

renovation yourself or 

will you Get Someone 

In? Weigh up the cost, 

the time it will take and 

whether you are capable. 

Remember that skilled 

workers can often do the work in a fraction of the time. 

Decoration - Don’t spend too much money on the 

decoration – you won’t be living there. New carpets 

throughout can change the feel of the property. You might 

get away with new kitchen cupboard doors and fresh 

grout in the bathroom, rather than starting from scratch. 

Presentation - Give everything a good clean. Bathrooms 

and kitchens should be sparkling. If there’s a garden, clear 

it. Kerb appeal is crucial when you are selling a house and 

tenants are no different to buyers in their responses. 

Hidden Costs - You need to be able to cover your costs if 

the property is left empty for a couple of weeks or months, 

or if the tenant gets into rent arrears. You can get landlord 

insurance to cover this. 

These tips are just a small selection of things to 

consider when you’re thinking of buying a buyto-let. 

For more information and for a sample of 

perfectly suited buy-to-let homes in the Wigan area, 

call me now on 01942 233 999. 

Alan Batt is a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has 

worked within the Wigan property market for over 30 years. 

Alan Batt 

For more of Alan’s tips, guidance and analysis on the Wigan property market, check out his blog at 

www.alanbatt.co.uk

45 

Ravencrag, Hall Lane, Wrightington, WN6 9EL £600,000 

Dating back to the early 1900’s, this magnificent, detached house occupies a large plot near Parbold 

Hill and offers stunning internal presentation. Comprising of 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 reception 

areas, conservatory and breakfast kitchen, inspection is essential to truly appreciate this stunning 

residence. 

229 Wigan Lane, Standish, WN1 2RF £280,000 

This immaculate penthouse apartment with breath-taking views is located in an impressive building 

with delightful communal gardens. A short stroll away from Standish centre, this exceptional 

property comprises of an open plan living/dining area with kitchen, a private balcony, bathroom, 

shower room and two bedrooms. 

Wigan Office • 78 Market Street, Wigan WN1 1HX • 01942 233 999 

www.alanbatt.co.uk

46 

Go green in style with our guide to creating 

a beautiful indoor garden in any room 

Passion 

for House Plants 

House plants look amazing, adding colour, pattern, texture, 

interesting forms and a feeling of vibrancy. They can fill a dull 

corner, provide soft screening and help dampen noise. The Royal 

Horticultural Society reports that indoor plants have been shown to 

lower blood pressure and reduce fatigue and headache. Intriguingly, 

patients in hospital rooms containing plants report decreased postoperative 

pain. The psychological benefits include the satisfaction 

of nurturing a small seedling to a healthy, mature plant, as well as 

the pleasure of watering, misting and pruning, while the RHS says 

that house plants have been shown to reduce stress levels, improve 

mood, increase productivity and potentially lengthen attention 

span. Plants make us feel good. 

What plants to choose? 

Select plants suited to homes, where it is shadier and temperature 

fluctuations are greater than in their normal habitat. Good 

examples include the spider plant, the Boston fern, several 

varieties of dracaena, Sansevieria trifasciata, rubber plants, peace 

lilies, aspidistra and ivy. Succulents and cacti tend to be easy to 

care for and come in a range of shapes and sizes. 

Personalise a home work space 

with a series of small plants, 

placed at different heights for 

variety. 

Gerry Floor lamp, £161; Drax 

desk lamp in black, £137: both 

Pooky. 

Many plants thrive on humidity, so placing 

them in a bathroom is a great idea. 

Ionian bath in copper, £5,082; Sherwood 

porcelain replica-wood flooring in Rowan, 

£71.88 per 80x80 cm panel; both Fired Earth: 

01295 812 088; firedearth.com.

47 

For fashion followers, the most-discussed 

plants on Reddit in 2020 included the pothos, 

monstera, philodendron, hoya and peperomia. 

Where to put your plants 

Generally plants need good light (but not 

bright, direct sunlight) and should be away 

from heat sources, draughts and cold. Darker 

rooms like bathrooms need shade-tolerant 

plants. Provide a stable, waterproof base, and 

keep harmful plants away from children and 

pets. Huge statement plants look incredible in 

hallway, living room or dining room corners, 

or group several plants together for a similar 

effect. Place smaller plants on tables or use 

tall planters, or put a row of small plants on 

a mantelpiece, shelf or window ledge, or dot 

them among books and vases in a bookcase. 

Hang them from the ceiling, stage them in 

steps, or pop them on wall racks. Grouping in 

odd numbers looks best, and a range of widths 

and heights looks relaxed. Opt for varying shades of leaf 

colours or try a more regulated appearance, and contrast 

leaf shapes for natural variety. 

Huge plants make a grand statement in a living room, especially 

combined with bold colours and architectural fittings. 

Charlotte Chandelier, £380, with 18cm pendant shades in Posh Pink 

velvet, £35 each, Pooky. 

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48 

Mum & Son Write a Book! 


A mother’s love knows no bounds, and this couldn’t have 

been truer for Winstanley mum-of-two Lynsey Gregory. After 

coming to terms with her cancer diagnosis she set about 

helping those dearest to her by publishing a book called 

‘Mummy goes to Hospital’, whilst also raising money for 

charity. 

Lynsey has so far managed to raise £2,300 to spilt between 

The Christie Foundation Trust and Mummy’s Star, a charity 

dedicated to helping women and their families who have 

been diagnosed with cancer during their pregnancies, up 

to 12 months after birth. With books still left to sell she’s 

hoping that she will be able to donate more. 

In January 2019, Lynsey’s world fell apart when she was 

diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. She 

was taken to Manchester to have immediate treatment 

at Christies Hospital and eventually needed stem cell 

treatment. 

Lynsey told Local Life, “I was so upset thinking about the 

children. I asked at the hospital about books that might 

help them to understand or if there was anybody that 

could go out and speak to them.” 

Lynsey added, “Theo was young and Tillie was a baby, 

so I really wanted a resource that was heavily illustrated, 

with a simple message that my mum and husband, Chris, 

could use to try 

and explain why 

I wasn’t at home. 

“So, I set about 

writing notes 

and taking 

screenshots of 

our video calls 

to send home 

to the children. 

I even sent 

home a little 

plastic cannula 

attached to a 

teddy bear, 

so that if the 

children saw me with one, it was a little bit more familiar 

to them.” 

Lynsey continued, “My friend suggested that her Aunt 

could pull together some illustrations for me, and the 

book was born from there. I could see that it was helping 

my family and that it might be able to help others.” 

Local Dad, Matt Bacon, stepped in and his Wigan printing 

firm, LMB Publications, along with a few generous 

donations meant that Lynsey could publish and print 

her book and start to raise much needed funds for two 

charities close to her heart. 

Lynsey added, “We have had enough printed to be able 

to gift books to charities and have already sent them to 

hospitals, health centres and schools. If anyone would 

like to donate in return for a book, or knows of anywhere 

in need of this resource, they can get in touch on our 

Facebook page ‘Mummy goes to Hospital’.” 

“I would like to thank all of our family, friends and the 

wider community for supporting us with the book and 

other charity events. The more awareness there is the 

more we can raise for these essential charities.” 

If anyone would like more information about becoming 

a stem cell donor, please go online at www.dkms.org.uk.

49 

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50 

Stepping Out for NWAA 

A keen walker has pledged 

to raise funds for the North 

West Air Ambulance by 

completing 80 North West 

walking routes. 

The popular Jack’s Tracks 

walks have been published 

in Local Life magazine for the 

past ten years and Michelle 

Bradshaw, the owner of 

Wrinkles Out Ironing Service 

in Wigan, has pledged to do 

the entire set of walks by the 

end of October 2021. 

Local Life met with Michelle 

Bradshaw, along with 

husband Dave, at Orrell 

Water Park where she was 

introduced to Jack, the 

Border Collie who inspired our series of walks, Jack’s 

Tracks. 

And as you can see from the newspaper clipping, it’s not 

the first time that Michelle Bradshaw, who is originally 

from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, has pulled on her 

walking boots to raise money for charity. In 1968, aged 

just 3½, she once walked 19 miles with her dad to raise 

money for the homeless. 

The efforts of the emergency 

services during the pandemic 

have been the inspiration 

behind Michelle’s decision to 

take on the challenge, as she 

explains, “All the emergency 

services have been amazing 

during the past year, but 

because the North West 

Air Ambulance receives no 

central funding, I decided to 

try and raise £500 for them”. 

Jennifer Berry, the Regional 

Fundraiser for NWAA 

applauded Michelle’s efforts, 

“We are delighted that 

Michelle and others like her 

take on challenges to raise 

money for us here at North 

West Air Ambulance Charity. It is thanks to supporters 

like this that we are able to raise the £9.5 million we need 

each year to operate our life-saving service. 

We wish Michelle the best of luck and hope that she has 

inspired other Local Life readers to take on challenges 

for us! For more information about North West Air 

Ambulance, please visit our website www.nwaa.net.” 

Michelle aims to do two or three walks a week, 

accompanied by various members of her immediate 

family as and when restrictions ease. 

She admits that there is another motive to take on the 

walking challenge, “I really do want to get fit. I’ve recently 

lost some weight with Slimming World and I would like to 

lose some more and get toned up.” 

You can donate towards Michelle’s efforts to raise £500 

North West Air Ambulance here; 

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/catherine-bradshaw25 

All Jack’s Tracks walks are 

available to download free from 

the Local Life website here; 

www.locallife247.co.uk/freestuff/

51 

Designs for Life 

STUDIO 

BATHROOM & KITCHEN CENTRE 

COVID 19 UPDATE: 

As an essential supplier, our 

Showroom remains open. 

Please help us to keep our 

customers & staff safe by following 

safety guidelines whilst in store. 

We are continuing to do 

installations and measures, whilst 

adhering to all safety guidelines. 

TOTAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT from START to FINISH 

We offer a range of fitted 

wardrobes & sliding doors 

tel: 01942 274844 

TRADE WELCOME 

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• Full service from design to fitting 

• Over 20 bathroom & kitchen displays 

• Wide choice from many famous brands 

• Boiler Upgrades and Central Heating installations 

• Friendly family run business 

• Large showroom with ample free parking 

Open: Monday to Friday 8.30am-5.30pm, Saturday 9am-2pm 

Designs for Life 

290 Church Road, Haydock, St. Helens WA11 0LF

52 

YOUR LOCAL BLINDS, CURTAINS & SHUTTERS SPECIALIST 

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• traditional service, state of the art results • 

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53 

Keeping Wigan families safe for almost 40 years 

British Made alarms fitted 

For a FREE, no-obligation security survey of your 

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Expo Link Alarms • County House • 35 Knowsley Road 

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sales@expolinkalarms.co.uk 

EstablishE d 1982

54 

Oxbridge Achievement 

17-year-old Ben Ledwith from Worsley Mesnes 

is celebrating after confirmation that he is one 

of 31 Winstanley College students to get an 

offer for a place at Oxbridge in September. Ben 

holds an offer to read Law at Oxford University 

and hopes to become a barrister in the future. 

What makes the former Dean Trust pupil’s 

achievement even more impressive is that 

he applied for Oxford as an aspirational target since his 

GCSEs, although good, did not match the usual profile 

required. Ben also has dyslexia and receives support from 

the college’s supported learning team. 

Ben said: “With my GCSEs and background I thought I had 

no chance of getting an interview never mind 

an offer! The support I received from college 

definitely helped to make this achievement 

possible. Because of my dyslexia, college 

confirmed my extra time in exams which really 

helps me to put down everything I need to in 

order to get top marks”. 

Ben’s Personal Tutor at Winstanley, Kerry 

Hetherington, commented: “I am so happy for Ben he is 

just brilliant and really hard working. This achievement 

is very much deserved and he is an inspiration to others 

proving if you aim high and work hard, anything is 

possible, no matter what your background is”. 

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55 

ModerniseYourStairs 

Bespoke Staircases & Staircase Renovations 

Add value to your home by modernising 

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56 

Create a 

Full-length curtains help block out light, sound and 

draughts. Curtains and headboard in Knot Garden Grey, 

£75 per metre, James Hare: 0113 243 1204; james-hare.com. 

Cosy Retreat 

Warm and quiet, dark and comfortable – ensure your bedroom 

has all the ingredients for a great night’s sleep. 

Lack of sleep has a profound effect 

on our physical Lack of sleep affects 

our physical and mental health, 

and as many as one in three of us 

suffer from poor sleep. So, make 

your bedroom sleep-friendly: dark, 

quiet, tidy and comfortably warm. 

Start with the mattress 

First, decide whether you would 

prefer a sprung or non-sprung 

mattress. Sprung mattresses are 

filled with lots of springs and 

the best are individually ‘pocket’ 

sprung to adjust to the body and 

eliminate ‘roll-together’. An option 

is a sprung mattress ‘zoned’ across 

the middle to give extra support 

for heavier hips and shoulders, 

or made ‘half and half’, to provide 

different tensions on each side 

of the bed. Another solution for 

sleeping partners of very different 

weights is a ‘zip and lock’ system of 

two different mattresses fastened 

together. 

Sprung mattresses can be filled 

with a variety of materials and 

tufted construction is generally 

considered better than quilting. In 

cheaper mattresses, fillings usually 

come in compact pads, while in 

better quality mattresses there 

will be layers of loose fillings in 

greater volumes. Look for a highquality 

mattress cover with hand 

stitching on the sides and sturdy 

handles to help with turning. 

Non-traditionalists might consider 

a non-sprung mattress where the 

A handmade bed frame with an entirely natural, 

organic mattress. Eva bed with storage, from 

£1,470 for a small single, Naturalmat: 01392 877 

247; naturalmat.co.uk. 

A soft, curving headboard could help your bed 

feel enclosed and cosy. Matilda Dove Grey bed, 

from £549; Amazonia Toile duvet cover set, £28; 

Farrah Palm Leaf ceiling fitting, £65; all Dunelm: 

0845 165 65 65, dunelm.com. 

choice of materials includes latex, 

memory foam, polyurethane foam 

and gel. These mattresses mould 

to the sleeper’s shape and are often 

warmer than sprung mattresses. 

Alternatively, ‘hybrid’ 

mattresses 

provide the traditional support and 

comfort of springs with a pressurerelieving, 

non-sprung top layer. 

What about the windows? 

Windows can be a source of earlymorning 

light, and noise, heat 

loss and draughts at any time. For 

regularly opened single-glazed 

sash windows, specialist seals fitted 

into a rebate will improve draughtproofing, 

while secondary glazing 

is ideal for seldom-used windows. 

Well-fitting timber shutters can 

be at least as effective as double 

glazing. The traditional solution 

is a thick, floor-to-ceiling curtain 

with a thermal or blackout lining. 

Extend the curtain pole beyond the 

window edges so that light cannot 

creep in. If using blinds, thick, 

blackout versions fitted close to the 

wall are best. 

Don’t forget about the 

floor 

A fitted carpet with thermal 

underlay deadens sound and 

prevents draughts from suspended 

timber floors. If you prefer original 

timber floorboards, seal any gaps at 

the base of the skirting boards and 

add thick bedside rugs for extra 

comfort. Insulation added below 

the boards is also effective.

57 

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58 

What is Ethical 

investing? 

Over the years many investors have become frustrated 

that their investments do not take into consideration 

the environmental impact or corporate behaviour of the 

underlying companies in the funds. To answer this demand 

an increasing number of ethically focussed investment funds 

are now available, which invest only in companies that are 

environmentally and socially responsible. 

Environmental and socially responsible policies are more 

central to our everyday lives and so investing according 

to these principles is becoming more mainstream. The 

challenge with ethical investing is in the detail. The 

easiest method to build ethical investments is to simply 

avoid firms or funds that are active in activities such as the 

sale of arms or the production of fossil fuels, for example. 

This is called negative screening. 

The flip side of this approach – positive screening – 

seeks investments that set out to make a difference, in for 

example, renewable energy or technology infrastructure. 

The combination of avoiding sectors with poor ethics and 

supporting those that make positive contributions to the 

environment and socially responsible practices, ensures 

that investors money is being used to only support 

business that are aligned with their outlook for the future. 

Prosper’s ethical portfolios invest in best-of-breed ethical 

funds that have standards similar to those we aspire to for 

our portfolios and can also deliver attractive performance 

to investors. 

Prosper’s approach to ethical investing 

Within our portfolios, we select fund managers who 

can demonstrate that they can successfully balance 

ethical strategies and investment outlooks to create a 

harmonious investment portfolio that can create growth 

potential without adding investment risk. 

Investing ethically adds another layer of scrutiny since 

investment selections must also work from an ethical 

perspective too. One of the challenges is that, currently, 

there is no industry standard or rulebook as to how 

ethical criteria are applied. There is considerable overlap 

in approach but much is based on interpretation, 

therefore two ‘ethical’ funds can appear to be similar but 

differ significantly in their approach. 

Our portfolios combine a sophisticated investment 

process with a set of negative and positive ethical 

screens, meaning that we can exclude any companies or 

industries that ethical investors would rather avoid, but 

also can seek out those companies who are committed to 

sustainable and socially responsible practices. 

Investing ethically does not mean sacrificing investment 

performance, it is possible to achieve long-term growth 

by investing in businesses that contribute to the 

wellbeing of society. 

For clients looking to adopt 

an ethical approach to 

investing I am delighted to 

report that we offer a range 

of risk rated portfolios that provide investors 

with a full ethical investment strategy at 

a very competitive price. Please call us on 

01257 423800 if you would like to discuss. 

The value of your investments can go down as well as up 

and you may get back less than you invested. 

David Barton 

APFS Cert CII (MP) 

Chief Executive Officer 

Remember all investments can fall as well as rise in value so investors could get back less than they invest.

60 

Puzzle Pages 

CROSSWORD 

DOWN 

1. Item of food associated with Christmas (5,3) 

2. Divisions of the school year (5) 

4. Female reproductive cells (3) 

5. Vehicle of extraterrestrial origin (6,6) 

6. Land area, especially of a farm (7) 

7. Flip (a coin, for example) (4) 

8. Popular tourist area in north-western 

England (4,8) 

12. Unemotional person (5) 

13. Graveyard (8) 

15. Horse’s bit (7) 

19. Mammary gland of bovids (5) 

20. Tori ___, singer whose albums include 

American Doll Posse (4) 

22. Quoits target (3) 

ACROSS 

1. Traditional story (4) 

3. Woman’s hairstyle in which the hair has a puffy appearance (8) 

9. Place of complete bliss, delight and peace (7) 

10. Imperial units of length (5) 

11. Day in spring on which the Resurrection is celebrated (6,6) 

14. Uncertainties, doubtful factors, ___ and buts (3) 

16. Devotional paintings of Christ or other holy figures (5) 

17. To stretch out (3) 

18. Trend-setting fashions (5,7) 

21. Civilian dress worn by a military person (5) 

22. Lever operated with the foot (7) 

23. Climbing garden plant having fragrant flowers (5,3) 

24. Land force of a nation (4) 

WORDWHEEL 

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten 

minutes to find as many words as possible, none of 

which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. 

Each word must be of three letters or more, all must 

contain the central letter and letters can only be used 

once in every word. There is at least one word that uses 

all of the letters in the wheel. 

R 

C 

D 

P 

O 

TARGET 

EXCELLENT: 36 or more words 

U 

E 

GOOD: 28 words 

FAIR: 25 words

61 

WORDSEARCH 

GOLF WORDSEARCH 

APPROACH 

BALL 

BIRDIE 

BOGEY 

BUNKER 

CART 

CHIP 

CONDOR 

COURSE 

DIVOT 

DRIVER 

EAGLE 

FAIRWAY 

FORE 

GREEN 

GRIP 

HOLES 

HOOK 

IRON 

PAR 

PUTTER 

ROUGH 

RULES 

SHOT 

SLICE 

STROKE 

SWING 

TEE OFF 

TREES 

WEDGE 

WOOD 

SUDOKU 

WIGGLE WORDS 

CLUE: have a private 

reason for doing or 

being involved in 

something. 

Trace a path through all 

the letters to find the 

word or phrase that fits 

the clue. 

D H N A 

N A A X 

I V E E 

R G O T 

NUMBER BLOCK 

The numbers in each row add up to totals to the 

right. The numbers in each column add up to the 

totals along the bottom. 

The diagonal lines also add up the 

totals to the right. 

5 

2 9 

4 3 

8 1 

18 21 13 

15 

21 

14 

21 

16 

16 

11 

All the puzzle solutions can be found 

on page 93 of this magazine

62 

Keeping Busy 

by Chris Alcock - CMA Accountancy 

Tradespeople are busy people, often working six or 

seven days a week. On any given week, you’ll be visiting 

potential customers, preparing quotes, moving from job 

to job, submitting and chasing invoices and dealing with 

the occasional emergency call-out too. 

It doesn’t leave a lot of time for you and your family, so 

the last thing you want to be doing at the weekend is 

sorting out essential tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll, 

managing cashflow or getting on top of your accounts 

and tax returns ahead of the deadlines. 

That’s where CMA Accountancy can help you - we work 

with the full range of trades such as plumbers, electricians, 

gas engineers, plasters, painters and almost any other 

trade you can think of. 

All businesses need the support of an accountant who 

knows their industry well. 

By specialising in this sector, CMA Accountancy have an 

extensive experience of how to; 

• Select the best cloud accounting software and 

associated apps to use 

• Understanding the Construction Industry Scheme so 

you are fully compliant 

• Manage your VAT and Making Tax Digital reporting 

• Understand the Domestic Reverse Charge VAT 

changes being implemented by HMRC and how 

these will impact your business 

• Pay your staff 

• Structure your business in the most tax-efficient 

manner 

We can help with all of that and advise on how you can 

scale-up your business using cloud accounting software 

such as Xero and QuickBooks for on-the-go financial 

recording and reporting. This will enable you to invoice 

clients as soon as the work is completed and help you stay 

on top of your cashflow. 

Whilst we have a selection of packages for the trades, we 

also understand that not every business is the same. After 

an initial meeting or call between us, we will be able to 

tailor our services to suit your individual requirements 

and allow you to retain as much control over your 

bookkeeping and accounts as you would like. 

If your business is just you, operating as sole trader, we can 

handle your end of year tax return and advise on ways to 

reduce your tax bill overall. But if you employ a number of 

staff, we can look after your payroll, workplace pension’s 

administration and give advice on how to structure your 

business for ultimate tax efficiency. 

If you have any questions regarding the any of the topics 

covered in this article or would like to see how switching 

to online software such as Xero can make your business 

life easier then please do get in touch. 

Chris Alcock ACMA - CMA Accountancy 

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

01257 255521 chris@cma-accountancy.com 

www.cma-accountancy.com

63 

Do you need 

help and 

guidance with; 

Company Accounts? 

Auto Enrolment? 

Self Assessment? 

Cloud-based Software? 

Payroll Services? 

Making Tax Digital? 

AE 

SA deadline 

VAT 

Benefits 

SA 

FREE 

INITIAL 

CONSULTATION 

Call CMA Accountancy today 

www.cma-accountancy.com 

info@cma-accountancy.com 

Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge. 01257 255521

64 

READY 

in 1 hour 

Serves 4 

Tartiflette 

This rich and cheesy potato gratin makes a fabulous warming supper. 

Serve with salad and crusty bread. 

Ingredients 

1kg Charlotte potatoes, halved 

1 tbsp olive oil 

2 small onions, peeled and thinly sliced 

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 

4 smoked bacon rashers, finely chopped 

100ml dry white wine 

100ml double cream 

4 tbsp crème fraiche 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

150g Reblochon cheese, rind removed 

and sliced 

Sprig of parsley, to garnish 

Method 

1 Boil the potatoes in a large pan of lightly salted water until just tender. 

Drain well, cool for 10 minutes then cut into thin slices. Preheat the 

oven to 200C / fan 180C / gas mark 6. 

2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the 

onions and garlic for 5-6 minutes, stirring. Add the chopped bacon 

and continue cooking until the onions are golden and tender. Pour the 

wine into the pan and bring to the boil. Boil until the liquid has almost 

evaporated. 

3 Layer the potatoes and onion mixture in a large square baking dish. Mix 

together the cream and crème fraiche and season with salt and freshly 

ground black pepper. Pour over the potatoes. 

4 Lay the cheese slices on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 

minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve garnished with parsley. 

TIP: Use any other cheese you prefer. Try mature Cheddar, taleggio or Gruyere.

READY 

in 1hr 30mins 

plus cooling 

Serves 8 

65 

Lemon Tart 

This divine dessert has a crisp and buttery pastry case 

filled with a tangy lemon cream filling. 

Ingredients 

300g ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry 

Flour, for dusting 

Grated zest and juice from 3 large lemons 

100g caster sugar 

2 medium eggs 

2 medium egg yolks 

150ml double cream 

Lemon slices and mint leaves, to decorate 

Method 

1 Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 23cm 

loose-based fluted flan tin. Trim the edges and prick the pastry base all 

over with a fork. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins. 

2 Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan / gas mark 6.Place a baking sheet 

in the oven to heat up. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and 

baking beans. Bake on the hot baking sheet in the preheated oven for 

10 mins. Remove the lining paper and beans and bake for a further 5-10 

mins until the pastry is pale golden. 

3 Reduce the oven temperature to 170C / 150C fan / gas mark 3. In a 

large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, sugar, eggs and egg yolks. 

Gradually whisk in the double cream and lemon juice. Leave the mixture 

to stand for 10 mins. 

4 Pour the lemon mixture into the pastry case and bake for 30-40 mins 

until the filling is just set – it should still be a little wobbly in the centre. 

Leave to cool in the tin. To serve, carefully remove the tart from the tin 

and decorate with lemon slices and mint leaves. 

TIP: Allow the pastry to come to room temperature for about 30 mins before rolling out, otherwise it may crack.

66 

Self Help for 

Sore Knees 

Are you one of the ten million UK residents suffering from osteoarthritis (OA)? This painful 

condition affects around one-third of people aged 45 or above. Although it can affect any joints, 

around half of sufferers have arthritis in their knees. 

The WHO regards osteoarthritis as a ‘priority disease’. It 

ranks in the top ten of most disabling conditions and as the 

population ages, along with the growing issue of obesity, 

numbers of OA sufferers are set to rise. 

What is osteoarthritis? 

When you bend a joint, the two bone surfaces rub against 

each other. Cartilage pads on the ends of your bones 

cushion the movement. The joint is enclosed in a capsule 

and lubricated with synovial fluid. 

WIth OA, the joint is gradually destroyed. The cartilage 

becomes thin and roughened, the bone surfaces become 

irregular, and debris collects within the joint space. 

The joint is supported by muscles and ligaments. If these 

become weakened through age or accident, there is too 

much pressure on the joint. 

OA causes 

Outside of an accident such as damage to a cruciate 

ligament, the exact cause of OA is unknown, but it’s linked 

to your genetics, ageing and obesity. It’s more common 

in females and is associated with other chronic diseases, 

such as diabetes. 

OA symptoms 

Pain, stiffness, and joint swelling are the most common 

symptoms. Your knees may look deformed. 

OA treatments 

Exercise is very important, even when your knees are 

hurting, plus using the joint helps reduce stiffness and 

encourages blood flow. Not using your knees worsens the 

problem as it encourages the thinning and softening of 

the cartilage. Exercise reduces chronic inflammation – a 

metabolic process that exacerbates cartilage breakdown. 

A physiotherapist can help. Cycling and swimming are 

good options as they cushion the knee from direct weight 

bearing, and hydrotherapy is also worth considering. 

Medical studies confirm that weight loss and exercise 

result in significant benefits. For example, in a 2013 

randomised trial, 399 participants aged 55 and over and 

with BMIs between 27 and 41 were randomised into three 

groups: diet; exercise; or both diet and exercise. They 

were then followed up for 18 months. 

The diet and exercise group did the best, losing an 

average of 10.6Kg – 11.4% of their body weight. This 

group also had significant reductions in pain, better knee 

function and improvement in quality of life compared to 

the other two groups. 

Lose weight 

Losing weight may seem an impossible task. However, 

it can be done and studies prove this often leads to a 

significant reduction in pain and improved mobility. 

In a 2007 review (Christensen R. et al) of four studies 

involving 454 patients with OA, those who lost 5% of their 

body weight over twenty weeks demonstrated a marked 

improvement in pain and much improved mobility. 

Pain relief 

Try paracetamol along with non-steroidal anti- 

Inflammatory (NSAID) drugs such as ibuprofen, 

diclofenac and naproxen. NSAIDS reduce inflammation in 

the arthritic joint.

67 

Take them regularly – don’t wait for the pain to build-up. 

An NSAID gel rubbed into the joint may be helpful. If you 

suffer with gastritis, these are sometimes prescribed with 

medication to protect your stomach lining. 

Your GP will discuss other medication options with you: 

• Drugs called COX-2 inhibitors, such as celecoxib, are 

very effective anti-inflammatories. Sometimes opiates 

such as co-codamol are advised. 

• Capsaicin cream can be applied to the knee joint. 

• A steroid can be injected directly into the joint. Steroids 

are powerful anti-inflammatories and can be very 

effective. 

• Alternatively, try Transcutaneous electrical nerve 

stimulation (TENS). 

• The efficacy of hyaluronic acid injections has not been 

substantially proven but may have benefits for some. 

Other lifestyle tips 

• Try to reduce the strain on your knees and spread your 

weight evenly by using a stick. 

• Start the day with a hot bath or shower – the heat eases 

joint stiffness. 

• Try using hot pads or an ice pack on the sore joint. 

• Massage has been found to be helpful for pain relief. 

• Sometimes your doctor may suggest use of a knee 

brace. 

Complementary and Alternative 

therapies 

Glucosamine, curcumin, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty 

acids all appear safe, but there is a lack of medical 

evidence for their efficacy. 

Mindfulness, meditation and acupuncture have all been 

advocated and can help improve symptoms. 

Surgery 

The NHS no longer recommends arthroscopy for arthritic 

knees. Research studies found this failed to improve 

symptoms for most patients. 

However, you may be referred for a knee replacement if 

your symptoms are severe. Knee replacement surgery is 

highly effective and greatly improves symptoms, mobility 

and quality of life.

68 

Brain aging: what are the signs? 

Lost your keys again? Feeling accident-prone? Does it seem 

harder to concentrate these days? 

While these signs could just be indications that you’re unwell 

or feeling stressed, they are also symptoms of an aging 

brain, and some scientists believe that evidence of neural 

decline may reveal itself from the age of just thirty. 

Invisible changes 

While grey hair, stiff joints and laughter lines are all 

clear signs that our bodies are aging, the chemical and 

structural alterations happening inside our heads are 

completely unseen. While our skull size remains the same, 

our grey matter reduces in size, with some areas of the 

brain shrinking more, and faster, than other parts. 

The biggest losses appear in the prefrontal cortex, the 

cerebellum and the hippocampus, areas associated with 

attention focus, memory, speech, muscle co-ordination 

and learning. The wrinkled outer layer of the brain, known 

as the cerebral cortex, also thins as we age and this is also 

more pronounced in some parts than others. 

Other symptoms of an aging brain include decreased 

blood flow, less communication between nerve cells and 

an increase in inflammation. 

Wandering attention 

An older person taking a test or doing a job that requires 

concentration will probably be more easily distracted 

than someone younger. Youngsters have more ability to 

‘zone out’ when they are doing an important task (think 

about the teenager who does homework while listening 

to music and using social media). It’s all linked to our 

reduced ability to handle emotional arousal, which means 

the more important the task is to us, the more we find 

ourselves distracted by outside noises and interruptions. 

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69 

Clumsiness 

If you’ve been more accident-prone than usual recently, 

or have found it harder to deal with fiddly tasks like fitting 

a key into a lock, that could be due to brain aging. 

Research carried out in America suggests that as we 

age, we become less able to judge distance when we 

encounter nearby objects. We also concentrate more on 

the objects we are interested in and less on any obstacles 

that lie in the way of our goal: typically that might mean 

reaching for the pepper grinder and knocking over a 

glass of wine on the way. 

Losing your sense of smell and taste 

If things don’t smell or taste as good as they did when 

you were young, don’t blame the cook. We are all born 

with around 9,000 taste buds on our tongues. These buds 

are very good at regenerating, which is why, when you 

burn your tongue, your sense of taste returns so quickly. 

But as we age, our taste buds become less able to replace 

themselves and we lose the sensitivity that helps us 

identify different flavours. 

The senses of smell and taste are closely linked and age can 

be a factor in the loss of both, but if you notice a sudden 

change in your sense of smell, there may be other causes, 

such as nasal polyps, blocked sinuses or seasonal allergies. 

Forgetfulness 

You may have noticed that as you age, it becomes 

harder to remember names, or recall something that 

you have learned. The ability to remember learned facts, 

life events and the names of people you have met is 

called ‘declarative memory’, while remembering how to 

tie a shoelace or ride a bike is part of your ‘procedural 

memories’, which don’t tend to fade as quickly. 

Another aspect of brain function affected by age is 

‘working memory’: the ability to hold information such as 

phone numbers, or where you have parked, in your head. 

Working memory also applies to problem solving and the 

speed at which you can process information. 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle 

A study of over two thousand people, published in 

America last year, reported that signs of brain aging were 

more obvious in participants who smoked, had thicker 

waists or who had health issues related to cardiovascular 

disease or inflammation. 

It’s clearly important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, 

but this research also suggests that symptoms of brain 

aging could arise from a medical condition, either a 

current illness or one that is yet to be diagnosed. If your 

symptoms came on quickly or are causing you distress, it 

may be advisable to see a doctor. 

Thankfully it’s not all a downhill spiral for our brains. 

Neuroscientists are discovering that even old brains 

have ‘plastic’ qualities that allow us to reroute neural 

connections so we can adapt to new challenges. It’s good 

to know that a healthy lifestyle, paired with activities that 

keep your brain alert, can boost cognitive abilities and 

ward off the signs of aging. 

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70 

Ashurst’s 

Beacon 

by Chris Pearce 

Distance: 3.1 miles 

Difficulty: Medium 

Beacon Country Park in Up Holland is a popular 

local facility. 300 acres of rolling countryside and 

woodlands, the park is used throughout the year 

for walking, golfing, picnics, kite flying, sledging 

and occasional events. However, because the 

main car parks and much of the activity takes 

place well away from the Beacon that the 

park is named after, Ashurst’s Beacon, many 

people don’t even know it is there. 

This 3.1 mile route starts from a small 

public car park just downhill on the left 

from The Beacon Inn (WN8 7RR). Once 

parked up, exit the car park and turn 

left by the roadside for 150 yards. 

Just before you reach Beacon 

Villa – turn left and head 

downhill. 

Great views of Merseyside and Cheshire here as you head 

on the path through the golf course. Just before the path winds 

left to cross the bridge, you need to head straight on over a 

smaller bridge straight into a copse. 

Follow the path in the same direction running parallel to the 

brook until you exit opposite Beacon Cottage on the single- track 

Elmers Green Lane. Turn right and follow the lane up a gentle 

incline for 500 yards until you arrive at a crossroads dominated by 

St Michaels and All Angels Church. 

Cross over and walk by the front entrance of the church down

71 

Dalton 

Beacon Covert 

Beacon Villa 

Beacon House 

Farm Stopforths 

Farm 

Edward Henry 

Plantation 

Cricket Ground 

Chisnall’s Farm 

Long Heys Lane 

Ashurst’s Hall 

Ashleigh 

Farm 

Long Heys Lane 

Ashurst’s Beacon 

Barker’s 

Farm 

Atherton’s 

Farm 

Bangham’s 

Farm 

Stone Hall 

For those with the OS Maps 

app on your desktop, mobile 

or tablet, this walk is named: 

JT-Ashursts-Beacon 

P 

Beacon Lane 

A577 Stannanought Road 

Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure 

that the walk is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability 

to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause. 

Higher Lane 

A577 Stannanought Road 

Beacon Lane

72 

Higher Lane. Take the next right turn - a shared entrance 

to the church car park and a cobbled road to the Grade 2 

listed Ashurst’s Hall – you need to turn into the car park 

and then pick up the path on the left that runs parallel to 

the cobbled road. 

Head past the pond on the right and very shortly 

afterwards, look for the ancient path up Ashurst Hill, 

which is totally enclosed by trees. This pathway is 250 

yards long and is rough with uneven cobbles. Once you 

pass through the wooden gate at the end of the path, 

you’ll have a short steep climb to a plateau with four 

different pathways – go straight on and you’ll soon see 

the shape of the tower at the top of the Beacon. 

Once you’re at the top of the hill, look for the directional 

plaque set in stone to the left. Using the directions on 

the plaque, take the path in the direction of Winter Hill. 

Go down the slope, through the wooden gate and head 

diagonally across the field. 

Cross the brook via the footbridge and follow the path 

round the field until you exit onto Long Heys Lane. Turn 

left and follow this single track road downhill for 350 

yards and then turn right at the entrance to Banghams 

Farm. Pass though the garden gate to the right of the 

main farmhouse gate, and follow the path round and 

away from the farm. 

At the farm’s boundary, you’ll cross The Dingle stream 

and arrive at the dirt track known as Stone Hall Lane. 

Turn right and follow the track uphill bearing left for 400 

yards, bearing left towards a rather handsome Grade 2* 

listed building called Stone Hall. Bear right through the 

farmyard when you arrive and go through a couple of 

gates to exit. 

Keep left as the track splits and take the next opening 

on the left near the stone stile, heading uphill along field 

perimeters for 0.4 mile until you again reach Long Heys 

Lane. Turn right and head past Stopforths farm and the 

entrance to Bradshaws Farm. Look for a set back footpath 

to the left just before The Manor House and follow this 

rather slender footpath for 325 yards across a field, a 

driveway and then an enclosed wooden area. Once you 

hop over the final stile into a wooden area, you’re back 

at Ashurst’s Beacon. Turn left and follow the path to the 

main road. The starting point is just across the road to the 

right.

73 

A history of 

Ashurst’s 

Beacon 

The tower at Ashurst’s Beacon was built in 1798 by Sir 

William Ashurst to act as a watch tower in preparation for 

the Napoleonic War. However, there was a previous tower 

at the site, which was used as part of a relay of beacons 

stretching from Liverpool to Lancaster during the Anglo- 

Spanish war of 1585. 

The land surrounding Ashurst Beacon was acquired in 

the 1920’s by Thomas Meadows, the Editor of the Wigan 

Observer, who apparently twice restored the tower at 

his own expense. In 1962, his widow Florence Meadows 

donated the 17 acres of land to Wigan Corporation on 

condition that ‘this land should forever remain a beauty 

spot for the enjoyment of the people of Wigan’.

for 

as 

74 

Pet Vaccines 

Dogs and cats are just as prone as humans to 

picking up viruses, albeit different ones to us! 

This means that vaccinations and boosters 

are essential part of caring for your pet. 

For Cats 

Core vaccinations include one for feline 

parvovirus and others to prevent cat flu. As 

with people, flu can spread rapidly and has 

many different strains, which means that it 

will never be completely wiped out. A cat 

flu vaccine – given from around eight weeks 

of age – will boost immunity. A booster 

vaccine should be given a year later. 

For Dogs 

There are many diseases that dogs should be vaccinated 

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75 

UK Drive: Hybrid power keeps the 

Petrol Fiat 500 

going a little longer 

Charming it may be, but Ted Welford finds the Fiat 500’s age has now got the better of it. 

What is it? 

As recognisable and as loved as a Mini or Land Rover 

Defender, the 500 was Fiat’s icon throughout a big part of 

the twentieth century until 1975, followed by a revival of 

the model in 2007. 

That reincarnation was a hit and Fiat still sells 400,000 of 

these city cars every year, despite a multitude of rivals. 

What’s new? 

This year saw the introduction of a new electric 500. 

It looks similar to the petrol car but is rather different 

underneath, and should be yet another hit as it’ll be 

one of the cheapest EVs around thanks to a sub-£20,000 

starting price. 

There is also Fiat’s new 500 Hybrid. It’s not a full hybrid, but 

rather a petrol engine with a small electric motor, battery 

and belt-integrated starter-generator that improves 

efficiency and aims to allow for a smoother drive. So does 

it succeed? 

What’s under the bonnet? 

If you want a manual 500, the only option is this new mildhybrid 

petrol, with automatic models using the 1.2-litre 

unit that Fiat has been using for years. 

With just 69bhp, 0-60mph takes 13.6 seconds, but around 

town it’s more than up to the task. A six-speed manual 

gearbox is also a pleasant surprise for a car of this size. 

The mild-hybrid system is also noticeable with the 

regenerative braking when you take your foot off the 

accelerator, though the engine can ‘switch off’ while 

coasting in order to improve fuel economy. 

What’s it like to drive? 

It’s in urban areas where the Fiat excels. It bucks the trend 

of city cars growing in size, as at 3.5m-long it remains tiny 

and an absolute doddle to park, helped by great visibility. 

The steering is also brilliantly light, and even gets a ‘City’ 

mode to make it even lighter. 

But elsewhere the 500 shows both its age and its flaws. The 

ride quality is poor while the driving position leaves a lot to 

be desired – you feel like you sit on the car, rather than in 

it. Refinement is also poor, even by city-car standards. Next 

to rivals like the Volkswagen Up!, it’s well behind the pace. 

How does it look? 

It’s likely buyers choose the Fiat 500 because of the way 

it looks. And with its scope for personalisation, bubblelike 

shape and cool retro-inspired design, it offers bags 

of charm and appeal in this respect. A range of trim and 

liveries add to the appeal. 

It’s more impressive just how fresh the 500 looks 

considering it’s been around since 2007 in its current 

guise – the only real design changes in that time being

76 

some new lights at the front and rear, fresh alloy wheel 

designs and updated bumpers. Some subtle ‘Hybrid’ 

badging is also fitted as part of this update, however. 

What’s it like inside? 

The interior also has charm – not least with the cool colourmatched 

dashboard, which is a particular highlight. 

There’s a clear instrument cluster, with an optional seveninch 

TFT display in the middle. A seven-inch touchscreen 

is also fitted, and while not the best system you can get 

today, it’s simple to use and gains Apple CarPlay and 

Android Auto. A panoramic glass roof is also a nice touch. 

But the colourful dash and technology can only go so 

far with the Fiat 500, as other areas feel especially cheap, 

with hard and scratchy plastics littering the cabin. It’s also 

small even by city-car standards, with a dinky 185-litre 

boot and compromised rear space. 

What’s the spec like? 

Prices for the Fiat 500 start from £13,020 and for that you 

get a Pop-spec car. It’s not especially well-equipped but 

gains air conditioning, a DAB radio and a speed limiter. 

But our choice is the £14,750 Lounge model, which adds a 

touchscreen, leather steering wheel, rear parking sensors 

and a glass roof. 

Prices rise through to £17,150 for the top-spec Launch 

Edition, which includes sat nav, 16-inch alloy wheels and 

special seats made from recycled materials. But at that 

price, you can buy a far more accomplished supermini. 

Verdict 

It’s a testament to the 500’s cool retro design, easy-to-drive 

nature and quirky interior that this Fiat continues to be as 

popular as it is. Used around the city it’s really appealing, 

and the Hybrid system has added greater efficiency to the 

package – meaning it will be very cheap to run. 

But none of these traits can hide some glaring weaknesses 

of the 500, which are really just down to its ageing design. Its 

poor driving experience away from town and cheap cabin 

make it fall off the pace of rivals, and given it’s not especially 

cheap, it means this Fiat – is tough to recommend. Consider 

the electric model instead… 

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78 

Sloping Gardens 

Award Winner 

by Angie Barker 

There can be many challenges to deal with 

when faced with designing a garden. It may 

be north facing so it does not get much 

sun, it may be an odd shaped plot or it may 

have terrible clay soil filled with rubble left 

behind by the builders – or indeed all three! 

With all of these issues there are solutions 

but I’m finding that more and more plots 

have yet another challenge, and that is a 

sloping garden, whether this be sloping 

down away from the house or more usually 

sloping up from the house. This comes about 

as developers look to build on every piece 

of ground they can lay their hands on and 

as long as they can build a decent house, it 

seems that the homeowner is left to their own devices 

when it comes to tackling the sloping garden. 

The best piece of advice I can give is to work with the lay 

of the land as much as possible. This is because whatever 

amount of soil you move to achieve a level surface, 

say for a patio, the slope and/or the soil that you have 

excavated will need a retaining wall. Rather than have a 

high structural wall it is usually more pleasing to the eye 

to have a series of smaller walls, some of which can be 

planted up thereby softening the hard landscaping. This 

also gives you the opportunity of making a feature of the 

walls themselves, perhaps setting some lights into them 

or some interesting stone work. 

Having a sloping garden will mean you need steps to 

safely navigate your plot. These can be made into a 

feature in their own right and if the budget allows, the 

wider the better. If you have the space you may also want 

to think about having a gently sloping path somewhere, 

just so that you can move a wheel barrow about the 

garden or should you need disabled access. 

Our gardens have been a sanctuary for many of us over 

the last 12 months and as we move into spring and the 

warmer weather comes, we will want to make the most of 

them again. Hubby asked me only the other day whether 

it was warm enough to sit out on the decking, not yet I 

said (brr) but hopefully it won’t be long before it is and 

when it is we’ll be there with a glass of wine to toast the 

prospect of a better 12 months for all of us. 

Angie is a qualified awardwinning 

garden designer 

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Call Angie now for your free consultation! 

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

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Tel: 01942 522 405 

Mob: 07857 008 383 

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01257 252647 



Carpet & Upholstery 

Cleaning 

• traditional service, state of the art results • 

• Carpets 

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• Fabric & Leather 

Upholstery 

5 star rating with Wigan Trading 

Standards Good Trader Scheme 

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today for 

a free quote 

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www.alliancecleaningsystems.co.uk 

e: sales@alliancecleaningsystems.co.uk 

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• Professional Carpet, Rug 

& Upholstery Cleaning 

• Leather Cleaning & Restoration 

• FREE Pre-Inspection Visit & Quotation 

T: 01942 409401 

M: 07881 816839 

helen@carrolls-cleaning.co.uk 

Call today for a free consultation 

& no obligation quote 

Call - 01257 251221 

Mobile - 07908 770808 

www.manorhousecleaning.co.uk 

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rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 


A l sta f 


paediatric 


& first aid 

2/3/4 

for 

QUALIFIED 


oPEN 

Large 

£37.50 

Mon-Fri 

outdoor 

per day 

8AM-6PM 

PLAY ArEA 


rated by 

oFStED 

as 

oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

CHILDrEN 

3 months 

- 4 years 

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rEFUrBISHED 

in 2019 


rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 


A l sta f 


paediatric 


& first aid 

2/3/4 

for 

QUALIFIED 


oPEN 

Large 

£37.50 

Mon-Fri 

outdoor 

per day 

8AM-6PM 

PLAY ArEA 


rated by 

oFStED 

as 

oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

CHILDrEN 

3 months 

- 4 years 

NEWLY 

rEFUrBISHED 

in 2019 

Convert your bath to a 

Walk-In Shower 

AJC 

WALK IN SHOWERS 

Typical price 

£1800 

Fully guaranteed 

One day installation 

No mess - no fuss 

Easy to clean & maintain 

Call Anthony on 

07919 876 825 

Workshop address: 

Bulldog Tools Ind. Est. 

Darlington Street East Wigan WN1 3BT 

We also fit full bathrooms! 

Bathroom Installation, 

Full Bathrooms & 

En-Suites 

Plumbing Services 

Wall & Floor Tiling 

Ceiling Panelling 

01942 397173 

07803 057940 

Douglas Drive, Orrell, Wigan 

www.ljplumbingandbathrooms.co.uk 




Call 01695 627 999 



















01257 252647 


Elite 

Bathrooms 

& Wet Room Installation 

• Bathrooms • Wet Rooms 

• Wall & Floor Tiling 

Please call for a FREE Estimates 

07703 448890 

01942 208926 

Promote your 



Call 01695 627 999 



Great Value 

Bathrooms! 

Full Bathrooms 

& En-Suites 

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C L Bathrooms 

01942 749085 

or 07801 295483 

www.clbathrooms.co.uk 











87 

AGBathrooms.net 

Quality bathrooms at 

reasonable prices 

Complete bathroom 

installations from design 

to completion. 

For free quotes, call Adrian on 

07816 394 292 

Check out our work on 

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Call 01695 627 999 











Central Heating Systems 

Boilers & Gas Appliances 

General Plumbing 

Gas Safety Certificates 

01257 252647 


Installation ~ Repairs ~ Service 

Call Andy for a free quote on 

01942 564 226 

07397 391 935 

acampbellheatingandgas 

597379

for 

as 

88 

ShOwROOM NOw OpEN at 19 Preston Road, Standish WN6 0HP 

All plumbing services 

including services & repairs 

• Bathrooms/Wet Rooms designed and fitted 

• Specialists in Disability 

Installations & Conversions 

• Emergency Call outs welcome 

BOILER 

SERVICING 

FROM 

£60 

www.gphwigan.co.uk 

No Obligation Quotes – Call Mark on 

01257 473026 

07515 894281 

527090 

EmErgEncy call outs 

wElcomEd 

4 Installations, Services 

& Repairs 

4 Boilers 

4 Central Heating 

Bathrooms 

4 573747 

Call nico for a free quote on 

07818 335 441 







01942 215 391 



10% off 

Presen 



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hearing 

first with 






rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 

A l staff 

paediatric 

& first aid 

QUALIFIED 

oPEN 

Mon-Fri 

8AM-6PM 

FUNDED 

PLACES 

Available for 

2/3/4 

year olds 

£37.50 

per day 

LANgUAgE 

& SPortS 

LESSoNS 

pre-schoolers 

Large 

outdoor 

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rated by 

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oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

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- 4 years 

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in 2019 




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01257 252647 



StoveS 

by Andy 

Save £££’s on 

your install 

• InStallatIonS 

• MaIntenance 

• ServIcIng 

For a free quote and expert 

advice call Andy on 

01257 369 685 

07899 752 225 

stovesbyandy@gmail.com 

A Genuine Family Run Business 

With Friendly & Courteous Staff 

SPECIALISTS IN CENTRAL HEATING INSTALLATION, BOILER REPLACEMENTS AND UPGRADES 

• Annual Boiler Servicing 

• Landlord & Home Owner Gas Safety Checks 

• Mechanical Power Flushing 

• Thermostatic Valves Radiators Fitted 

• All-in-One Air Conditioning & Heating Units for Home & Work 

Telephone: 01942 504 429 

TEL: 01257 421 660 MOB: 07515 505 501 

Accredited Installer & Service Partner 

WE REPAIR ALL 

MAKES OF BOILERS! 

Registration No. 

88604 

www.fgwelch.co.uk


rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 


A l sta f 

We cater for 


paediatric 

CHILDrEN 


& first aid 

3 months 

2/3/4 

for 

QUALIFIED 

- 4 years 


oPEN 

Mon-Fri 

8AM-6PM 

£37.50 

per day 


rated by 

oFStED 

as 

oUtStANDINg 

Large NEWLY 

outdoor rEFUrBISHED 

PLAY ArEA in 2019 

89 

Plumbing & Heating 

Specialist 

Complete Bathrooms 

John Bailey 

01942 495785 

or 07721 040620 

& 07710 153238 

Based in Kenyon Road, Wigan 

651511 

Boiler Installation 

Boiler Servicing & Repairs 

Boiler Finance Available 

Landlords Gas Safety Reports 

Experienced, Reliable & Friendly Service 

BOILER 

SERVICES 

FROM 

£60 

Credit Cards accepted 

01942 221 996 

07769 203 056 

hartheatingwigan@gmail.com 

Winstanley-based 

FULL BOILER 

SERVICE 

FROM JUST £58 

4 Boiler Servicing & Maintenance 

4 All aspects of plumbing and heating work. 

4 Gas Safety Inspection reports undertaken. 

Call MIKE on 0787 113 1012 

Established since 1967 ~ WIGAn BASEd 

10238 

HIVE HEATInG SYSTEM InSTALLEd COMPLETE FOR £205 

• Brand New Bathrooms 

• Boiler + Central Heating 

Installs, Servicing + Repairs 

• Extended warranties 

available 

• 24 Hour Call-out 

• Domestic + Commercial 

Freephone: 

0300 3030121 

Dave: 07769 942218 

Matt: 07969 183809 

FINANCE 

OPTIONS 

AVAILABLE 

Pay nothing upfront for 

your new boiler* 

• Boilers 

servicing, repairs & installation 

• Central Heating 

upgrades and energy saving 

• Smart Controls 

installations & upgrades 

*Subject to terms and conditions 

4622825 

Call Craig for a free quote; 

07469 185 776 

or email 

enquiries@warmconnections.co.uk 

• Most aspects of 

plumbing and heating 

• No job too small 

No 

• Quality work call out 

guaranteed fee 

• Local and reliable 

Ring Ken for a free quote 

01695 624769 or 

07909 734978 

21 Naburn Drive, Orrell wN5 8SB 

Email: info@orrellheating.co.uk 

www.orrellheating.co.uk 

506515 




Call 01695 627 999 



















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www.li tleacorns-daynursery.com

90 

Call Paul 

Locksmiths 

EstablishEd 2000 

• uPVC & WOOdEN dOOR sPECialist 

• Emergency door Opening 

• uPVC door lock Repairs 

• uPVC door lock Changes 

• uPVC door lock upgrades 

• Wood door lock Changes 

• all Work Guaranteed 

a Registered insured NCFE Certified Company 

call Paul for a Fast, Reliable, 

Professional service 

tELEPhoNE 

01942 901103 

moBiLE 

07932 718 362 

WWW.CALLPAULLOCKSMITH.CO.UK 

Your local friendly 

LOCKSMITH 

PROFESSIONAL 

Wigan-Based 

• ALL WORK GuARANTEEd 

• COMPETITIvE PRICES 

• RETAIL & COMMERCIAL WORK 

• FuLLy INSuREd • FREE QuOTES 

24/7 

LOCKSMITH 

T: 01942 356 311 M: 07477 110 410 

www.samedaysecurity.co.uk 

NO 

CALL OuT 

FEE 

a Installation & Maintenance 

a Inspection & Testing 

a Nest Pro Installer 

a CCTV & Alarms 

Orrell based 

Tel: 07738 117712 

gArAge door 

repAirS 

All gArAge 

doorS 

repAired: 

Springs, Cables, 

Locks, Rollers etc. 

Doors of all ages 

repaired 

01744 894939 / 07891 330214 

NO FIX, NO CHARGE! 

Strawberry Cottage, 

Pimbo Lane, Upholland 

WN8 9QL 

www.garagedoorandlock.co.uk 

Promote your company 

in this space 

This advert will 

cost from 

£42 + VAT 

4 Free artwork 

4 Pay monthly 

Call 01695 627 999 



Alarm installations, 

repairs & upgrades 

Domestic and commercial 

work welcome 

Free security assessment provided 

Emergency lock openings 

Lock changes 

No call-out charges 

24-hour service 

60 mins response 

Call 01942 669505 

www.uklocksandalarms.co.uk 

info@ianwalkerservices.co.uk

Jon Wright 

Electrical Ltd 

All types of 

Domestic & Commercial 

work undertaken 

• Inspection & Tests 

• Repairs 

• Solar PV 

• Alarms 

Call now on: 07983 387448 

Email: jonwrightelec@live.co.uk 

Certificate of excellence winner 

2017, 2018 & 2019 

J.Dillon 

Electrical Services Ltd 

Electrician ~ Standish 

• All types of electrical work 

• 30+ years experience 

• Friendly, fast and reliable 

• 24 hour call out service 

Call: 01257 424918 

or 07821 139826 

www.jdillonelectrical.co.uk 

A.J.S. 

BAILEYS 

ELECTRICAL 

91 

All electrical work undertaken 

Free quotations 

• Friendly reliable service 

• Mains board upgrades 

• Extra sockets to full rewires 

01942 215 769 

07739 709 005 

ToTal ElEcTrics for your HomE or BusinEss 

Installation Service Maintenance Repairs 

call us today for friendly 

advice and a free quotation 

01942 836 937 

www.ghewigan.co.uk 

4 complete re-wires 

4 new/moving sockets 

4 all lighting needs 

4 Burglar alarm systems 

check out our facebook reviews @ghe.info 

suite 1a, Kirkless industrial Estate, cale lane, Wigan, Wn2 1Hf 

4 ccTV systems 

4 security light installations 

4 PaT testing & inspections 

4 no Job too small 

07557 914 788 

Call: 0800 6446100 

or 07904 127663 

Covering all North West Areas 

4 NAPIT part ‘P’ registered 

4 JIB Approved Technician 

4 38 Years Experience 

4 Local, Honest & Reliable 

4 Domestic 

4 Industrial & Commercial 

W.Hurst & Son Ltd 

ELECTRIC 

CONTRACTOR 

www.whurstandson.co.uk 

• All types of electrical work 

• 35+ years experience 

• No job too small 

• Friendly and reliable 

For a free quote 

& advice call Jeff 

01695 622 191 

07850 622 191

for 

as 

92 

Promote your 



Call 01695 627 999 



J&P 

MOORCROFT 

LTD 

Professional Painting 

and Decorating 

• Domestic & Commercial 

Work 

• Interior & Exterior work 

welcomed 

• Old/listed buildings a 

speciality 

Call us today for a free quotation 

Home Service available 

Choose from 1000s of paint & 

paper samples in the comfort of 

our own home 

01942 212096 

07831 102 511 

www.jpmoorcroft.com 

• Quality workmanship 

• Interior & exterior 

work 

• No job too 

big or too 

small 

01942 392398 

or 07707 321383 

4 Exterior & Interior 

Decorating 

4 Domestic & 

Commercial work 

undertaken 

4 Competitive rate 

Award Winner 

Contact Graham now 

free estimate provided 

01257 426234 

07954 139069 

graham@topcoatdecoratingservices.co.uk 

www.topcoatdecoratingservices.co.uk 

Need a new 

look for your 

home? 

Skilled interior and 

exterior work undertaken 

at reasonable prices! 

Chris Smith - Painter and 

Decorator 

01257 415388 

or 07545 065119 

Shevington based business 

AJH DECORATORS 

Painting and Decorating 

Quality work 

assured 

Over 30 years 

experience 

Free quotes 

Mobile: 

07784 876 338 

Email: 

ajhdecorators66@gmail.com 

Quality work at a 

competitive price 

Arley Cabinet 

Company Ltd 

• Kitchens & Bedrooms since 1952 • 

We Measure ~ We Make ~ We Fit 

Drop into our 

showroom or call us 

for a free estimate 

214a Gidlow Lane, Wigan, WN6 7BN 

01942 246 190 

www.arleycabinets.com 







01942 215 391 



10% off 

Presen 



Put your 

hearing 

first with 





rural Vi lage 

NUrSErY 

A l staff 

paediatric 

& first aid 

QUALIFIED 

oPEN 

Mon-Fri 

8AM-6PM 

FUNDED 

PLACES 

Available for 

2/3/4 

year olds 

£37.50 

per day 

LANgUAgE 

& SPortS 

LESSoNS 

pre-schoolers 

Large 

outdoor 

PLAY ArEA 

rated by 

oFStED 

oUtStANDINg 

We cater for 

CHILDrEN 

3 months 

- 4 years 

NEWLY 

rEFUrBISHED 

in 2019 




















01257 252647 


Call 01695 627 999 



GDR Driveways 

ALL ASPECTS OF PAVING & tuRfING 

4 Block Paving 

Clean & Re-seal 

4 Indian Stone 

service available 

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93 

Winstanley-based 

www.gdrdriveways.com 

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

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94 

JJ Driveways 

Imprinted Concrete 

Specialists 

Huge range of colours 

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• Resin Driveways 

• Block Paving 

• Indian Stone 

• Flagging 

We can also revive 

your old drive! 

Ask about our sealing 

service 

Call Joe for a 

free quotation on 

01942 621 959 

07867 697 972 

www.jjdriveways.co.uk 

28 Years Experience 

Extensions & Refurbishments 

Kitchens & Bathrooms 

Conservatories & Orangeries 

Windows & Doors 

Roofs & Fascia Boards 

Decking & Balustrading 

All aspects of building works 

No job too small 

Call Peter for a free quotation 

Day: 07961 516 677 

Eve: 01942 745 428 

Cambridge Road, Orrell 

Prices include 

suPPly & fit 

Orrell 

based 

6 Doors 

from 

£350 

Oak Door 

from 

£130 

Joinery services include; 

gates, decking, flooring, skirting, 

handrails and balustrades, kitchen 

makeovers, loft boarding and 

ladders, fencing, external doors 

and garden buildings. 

call Mike for a free quote 

01942 590514 

07988 260621 

www.orrelljoinery.co.uk 

Number One for House 

Maintenance! 

• UPVC WINDOWS AND 

DOORS. 

• FASCIAS, SOFFITS AND 

GUTTERS. 

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07917 352 181 

Orrell based 

Promote your 



Call 01695 627 999 



Des Pilling 

Plastering 

• Plastering 

• Skimming 

• Artexing 

Coving & Cornice work 

also welcomed 

Orrell based – Established 1986 

Call Des on 

07787 513 235 

www.lakelandplastering.co.uk 

www.despilling.org.uk 

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Fully 

qualified 

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01257 413206 

or 07802 710685

95 

Quality Handyman Service from a qualified Joiner 

4 Flat-packs assembled 

4 Laminated Flooring laid 

4 Door Hanging 

Handy 

Andy 

Building / Joinery 

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Plumbing / Roofing 

Flatpack Assembly 

Call Handy Andy on 

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07899 752 225 

tradesbyandy@gmail.com 

All aspects of maintenance; 

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jobs 

considered 

4 Electrical appliances fitted 

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ALPINE LTD 

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OAP 

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Property Maintenance 

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3 Kitchens & Bathrooms 

3 Painting & Decorating 

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3 Tiling 

3 Plumbing 

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small! 

fixouse@gmail.com 

07812 110476 

SERVING 

CHORLEY, WEST 

LANCASHIRE & 

WIGAN 

Your local roofing company from repairs 

to re-roofs, fascia’s, soffits & gutters. 

Superior 

craftmanship at 

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• Home improvements 

• Loft conversions 

• Garage conversions 

& Extensions 

• Staircases 

• Windows & Doors 

For all aspects of renovations 

and maintenance - 

no job too small! 

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call MT Joinery now. 

01257 422317 

or 07852 202867 

www.mtjoinery.co.uk 

Promote your 



Call 01695 627 999 


• Flat roof specialists 

• Damp proof specialists 

• Quality workmanship 

• Affordable pricing 

• Quick response to all repairs 

FULLY INSURED 


Tel: 01942 410989 

Mob: 07730 351523 

www.alpineroofingandbuildingltd.co.uk

96 

Call us now for ALL your roofline requirements! 

Facias, soffits, cladding, dry verge and gutters 

K Stone 

Building Services 

All types of building 

work undertaken 

• Brickwork 

• Pointing 

• Garden Walls 

• Patios 

25 years 

experience 

• Roof Repairs 

• Flagging 

• Alterations 

• Driveways 

01942 495412 

07974 496676 

We specialise in seamless 

aluminium gutters. 

Clean, stylish and guaranteed 

for 25 years! 

Call: 07917 352 182 / 07917 352 183 

www.orrellroofline.co.uk 

PP 

Your 

Building services 

Joinery Specialists 

• Conservatories & Orangeries 

• Extensions 

• Refurbishments & Alterations 

• Fencing & Decking 

Home 

Improvements 

• Fitted Kitchens & Bedrooms 

• Garage & Loft Conversions 

• Floors, Doors & Windows 

• Composite Doors 

• Garden Gates 

For all your home 

improvement needs 

call David on... 

01942 203 804 

07851 225 876 

DS Joinery 

Reliable, Friendly, 

Professional & Honest 

Building & Joinery 

Specialists 

• Garage & Loft Conversions 

• Kitchens & Fitted Bedrooms 

• Doors & Windows 

• All aspects of joinery work 

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

Facebook Review, July 2018

First Class 

Workmanship 

4 All types of re-roofs 

4 Strip & re-slate or re-tile 

4 Built up felt/flat roofs, 

dormers etc. 

4 Insurance work undertaken 

4 Roofline uPVC 

fascias, soffits 

& guttering 

W.Newman 

ROOFING & REPAIRS 

01695 627 212 

MOBILE: 07774 943 706 

52 HALLBRIDGE GARDENS, 

UP HOLLAND 

Established Over 30 Years 

WILSON 

BROS 

• • 

Est. 1985 

Roofing & Roofline 

Specialists 

• All aspects of 

maintenance & repair 

• Fascia & soffit 

installation 

• Guttering and felting 

services 

Call us now for 

a free estimate 

01695 633173 

Colin: 07958 302 166 

Brian: 07760 160 988 

www.wilson-bros.co.uk 

All aspects of 

roofing & roofline 

NEW ROOFS 

REPAIRS 

FASCIAS, SOFFITS 

& GUTTERS 

Dormers and 

Garages 

Rubber Cover Roofing Specialist 

Guaranteed 50 years 

Call for free quote 

M: 07894 687 384 

• All aspects of home 

improvements 

• one stop for all the trades 

you require 

• Joinery, building, 

Kitchens & 

bathrooms 

We design and manage 

your project from 

start to finish 

Call Jonathan for a 

free quotation 

Tel: 01257 401 243 

Mob: 0777 602 4045 

SpeakmanpropertyServiceS.com 

B.A. 

Berry 

Building & Roofing 

Specialists 

• All building work undertaken. 

• From a broken tile to a full 

re roof. 

• Flat roofs renewed and 

repaired. 

• Extensions, Alterations, 

Structural repairs including 

Lintels. 

Your local fully 

qualified tradesman 

with 30 years experience 

Call us now for a free, 

no obligation quote 

01695 622 704 

07968 652 320 

www.baberry.co.uk 

NEIL SIMPSON 

BUILDER 

Can’t find a reliable local 

builder?...look no further 

No job too small 

Reasonable prices 

Quality work 

97 

brickwork 

joinery roofing 

plastering 

internal alterations 

all types of building work undertaken 

garden construction 

garden walls patios 

gravel gardens 

flagging decking 

pergolas 

Call Neil 

07939 961190 (day) 

or 01942 230402 (eve)

98 

Promote 

your 

business 

in 


All our magazine 



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Come and visit the largest 

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www.orrellwindows.co.uk 

28544

Local Life - Wigan - April 2021

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