Health cuts: no point
in being “dishonest”
by David Skentelbery
HEALTH chiefs at Warrington have admitted they did not consult with voluntary groups before axing grants totalling ?99,000.
But the reason, according to John Gartside, chairman of Warrington Primary Care Trust, is that had they done so, it would have been a ?dishonest consultation.”
He says the PCT had little choice but to make the cut-backs because it has a duty to balance its books.
As reported by Warrington-Worldwide earlier this month, the PCT has cut grants to a number of community and voluntary groups ? some of who claim they now face closure.
The Warrington Volunteer Centre and the 152-year-old Warrington YMCA have both indicated that unless they can find grants from other sources, they will be forced to close.
Mr Gartside said the cut-backs were regrettable. Excellent organisations doing extremely good work in the community were affected.
But the Trust had been forced to carry out a review of all grants to voluntary organisations because savings had to be made.
The decision had been taken to end grants being paid to organisations for services which were not strictly speaking related to health.
In these circumstances it would have been dishonest to consult the groups concerned as a consultation was only of any value if it could influence the outcome.
The PCT will still pay out grants totalling ?221,000 to voluntary groups ? indeed some groups may receive an increased grant. The grants to be cut would have a minimal impact on clinical services.
Groups that will lose their grants are the Volunteer Bureau (?22,000), Age Concern (?22,000), Warrington Advocacy (21,000), Council for Voluntary Service (?20,000), Ethnic Welfare (?8,000) and Care and Repair (?6,000).
Grants will still be made to the Deafness Support network (?6,000), Bereavement Support Counselling (?15,000), Warrington Disability Partnership (?4,500), Dysphasia Support – The Stroke Association ? (?27,000), Red Cross (?40,000), The Butterfly Project for very sick children (?33,000), The Centre for Independent Living (?57,000) and Crossroads (?39,000).
In future, the PCT will budget to make a surplus so that there is money to invest in new services which meet the health needs of the population. Any organisation providing a health related service will be able o bid for funding from March 2007.
Speedway brothers
in the fast lane
by Lesley Wilkinson
TWO Lymm youngsters are living life in the fast lane and are following in their father’s footsteps as grasstrack and speedway riders.
The Cornes brothers, Jack, nine, and Max, seven, both started riding motorcycles when they were four years old on a 60cc Yamaha quad around a field near their home.
They are both pupils of Oughtrington Primary School and spend most nights practicing their sport.
Their mother Paula Cornes said her husband Andrew and his sister Joanne Locke both raced and knew Lymm’s speedway champion Peter Collins.
Jack, who has finished in high places at competitions throughout the country, is in his second season and is currently the Lancashire Junior Rider Cadet Champion and also runner-up in the British National Championship.
He starts the 2007 season going up a class to the 200cc with a new engine Honda RTS Viper.
Max has ridden in his first season and has come third in the Yorkshire Club Championship and Lancashire championship.
Proud father Andrew said: “In a competition in Kent in an attempt for second place in the final he came off the bike in a big way and somersaulted off the track at high speed but was ok to tell the tale.”
Max also goes up a class this year into cadet class and is racing a 60 cc Kawasaki.
Paula said: “We are very proud of them both. Jack is just amazing with so much natural ability. But their safety is paramount and we make sure they are well protected.”
Musician lands
“dream” concert
by John Hendon
A YOUNG Warrington conductor realised a dream when he was chosen to conduct the world famous London Symphony Orchestra.
After 10 years of working with Warrington’s own concert band – the North Cheshire Concert Band – Mark Heron was selected to conduct the orchestra as one of three young conductors to take part in a mentoring programme with LSO principal conductor Sir Colin Davis.
But Mark has not forgotten his roots. He will be returning to Warrington to conduct the North Cheshire Concert Band for their “Musical Stories” concert on March 31 at the Pyramid Warrington.
Mark studied as a brass player at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and worked for a number of years with a small brass ensemble and as a freelancer with orchestras like the Halle and BBC Philharmonic.
He said: “One day I saw an advert on a notice board at the RNCM saying that this concert band in Warrington was looking for a conductor. Obviously nobody else saw it because I got the job!”
Mark believes the LSO is probably one of the top five orchestras in the world at the moment so he found conducting it both thrilling and terrifying.
He said: “Sir Colin Davis is a legend in the classical music business so it was a real pleasure to have the chance to work with him and learn from his vast experience.
” He’s been conducting professional orchestras since about 30 years before I was born so there is so much to learn from someone like that.
” The players in the orchestra were also very helpful and positive. The LSO used to have a bit of a reputation for being nasty to young conductors but I think that has changed now. For me, as a “retired” brass player, it was also amazing to conduct the LSO brass players who are some of the best in the world.”
However, Mark believes conducting the North Cheshire Concert Band can, in some ways, be just as rewarding.
He said: “For example, the performance of the opera Bandanna which we did in the Parr Hall last year was a fantastic experience for me because putting on something like that with non-professional players and singers was such an enormous project for everybody and they all rose to the challenge so magnificently.”
Musical Stories is a light hearted evening of music for everyone. The concert includes favourites from Saint-Saens? ever-popular Carnival of the Animals and William Walton?s Suite from Fa?ade.
There will also be a series of spooky musical pictures ranging from the Polish Sailor to the haunted Blackpool Tram.
?150,000 grant for
extend village hall
by staff reporter
A GRANT of ?150,000 has been made to the village hall at Whitley near Warrington.
The money will be used to construct an annex to, and modify, the existing hall including all internal and external fittings and fixtures.
This will provide dedicated accommodation for infants, children, teenagers and young adults. The project will also provide a more suitable space for the 19 community groups that use the hall. Total cost of the project is ?323,400.
The grant is from Vale Royal Council?s Rural Recovery Programme, an initiative designed to help rural communities preserve their distinctiveness and conserve the countryside. The programme also provides funding to improve the delivery of rural services and help communities gain better access to services.
Lymm man is head
of top ICT centre
by David Skentelbery
A LYMM man is heading up a futuristic virtual environment centre ? one of the most advanced in the world ? which is to be officially launched by MP Hazel Blears at the University of Salford on Friday, February 16.
Professor Peter Brandon, of Lymm an expert in the field of construction, is in charge of the university?s Think Lab – a state-of-the-art facility that harnesses leading ICT developments to solve current and future challenges of industry, commerce and the community.
At the opening, delegates including leading nati
onal business figures will be given demonstrations of the centre?s latest technology, including cutting edge video conferencing, 3D visualisation, robotics and an optical tracking system capable of identifying human motion and marked objects within its workspace.
On display will be a tele-operated robot hand and a robotic gorilla capable of playing football.
Prof Brandon said: ?These unique facilities are capable of revolutionising the way we interact and do business. The Think Lab is already engaged in some of the world?s leading research in fields such as virtual urban planning, creative games design and workspace technology. The possibilities for industry are huge.? Researchers at the Think Lab are already planning collaborative projects with other virtual environment centres worldwide and are looking for business partners who will benefit from the facilities.
Prof Brandon said: ?The Think Lab offers a wealth of opportunities for cutting edge research in the international arena. It is designed for interaction and collaboration and we look forward to applying its innovative technology to industry.?
Runners wanted
THE Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Trust based at Warrington Peace Centre has places reserved in the BUPA Great Manchester 10k run on May 20.
If anyone would like to take part on behalf of the Trust please contact Wendy on 01925 581234.
