John’s on top
of the world!
by Gary Skentelbery
DESPITE six consecutive nights without sleep and suffering from altitude sickness company director John Duggan completed the biggest challenge of his life by reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro – the highest ‘free standing’ mountain in the World.
During his marathon effort John who runs Four Seasons air conditioning in Lymm, near Warrington, experienced severe weather conditions with the temperature plunging from 90 degrees to minus 15 degrees.
Out of a part of 14, John was one of eleven to complete the challenge, with one suffering a broken leg, another retiring with altitude sickness and a third “losing their bottle.”
On reaching the summit of the African mountain John experienced “white out” blizzard conditions and wasn’t even able to record his achievement on film!
But he helped raise in excess of ?4,000 for Claire House Children’s Hospice.
He had been planning to tackle the mountain last year but had to postpone the expedition for 12 months to recover from a back injury and he is in no rush to repeat the challenge.
“You will not find many 5ft 8 inch and-a-half, 16-and-a-half stone 49-year-olds completing this challenge,” said John. “I can honestly say it was the most gruelling experience of my life and not one person who completed the climb has any ambition to repeat it. I was so exhausted when I got to the top that I had no sense of elation – and I couldn’t see anything because it was in the middle of a white out in blizzard conditions.
“Now with hindsight I recognise a sense of achievement but it was no walk in the park.”
John’s challenge involved trekking for six days at high altitude, covering 50-60 miles, through all of the geographical zones on earth. The trek started in the lush rain forests of the lower slopes and then took him through increasing amounts of vegetation, finally ending on a barren and windswept ice cap summit at 19,340 ft.
By paying for his own travelling costs every single penny John raised will go to Claire House Children’s Hospice – which cares for children 0 – 18 years with life threatening or life limiting conditions, providing respite care for their families from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man.
Claire House is a registered charity and relies entirely on donations for all its income and running costs. They need to raise ?2 million a year to provide respite care for terminally ill children and their families.
Anyone wishing to donate further funds in recognition of John’s achievement can do so through www.justgiving.com/johnduggan
Donating through the site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor him: Claire House Children’s Hospice will receive the money faster and for UK taxpayers, an extra 28% in tax will be added to the gift at no cost to the donor.
Scout hut plan
splits a village
by David Skentelbery
PLANNING chiefs at Warrington are to try a second time to reach a decision over a controversial plan to build a scout hut on a village green.
The scheme at Hollins Green has split the local community with the parish councillor and local borough councillors opposing it, but other villagers giving it strong support.
Plans have been drawn up for the scout by the 22nd Warrington East Scout group. The hut would replace an earlier one destroyed in a disastrous fire two years ago.
The scheme was due to be considered by Warrington?s development control committee last month and a coach load of villagers turned up on the night. But although planning officers were recommending the scheme be approved, councillors decided they wanted to see the site before reaching a decision.
Rixton-with-Glazebrook Parish Council says the development would be inappropriate on a designated village green. They argue that there are no parking facilities, that the scout hut would generate noise problems for nearby homes and that there is inadequate access to the site for the disabled.
They say they support the principle of a scout hut – but not on this site. They claim it would be bigger than the previous hut and would therefore incorporate land designated as a village green.
Planners say the visual impact of the building would be minimal and, like the previous hut, it would not erode the role of the recreation ground. It would be a low key community facility capable of co-existing with the nearby residential area.
Puppet parrots
to the rescue!
by Mark Hemmings
AN exotic bird event at Warrington Museum had to be cancelled ? because of bird flu.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) placed a travel ban on a number of parrots due to visit the museum because of the outbreak of Avian Flu in Suffolk.
It was one of a number of measures designed to prevent the spread of the virus.
However museum staff came to the rescue with puppet versions of the parrots so as not to disappoint children who planned to visit the event during the half-term holiday.
A spokesman for the museum said: “We knew that many children would be looking forward to handling the birds and felt that this move was better than them having nothing at all.
“The children seemed to understand why the birds couldn’t be with us and liked the alternative all the same.”
Crackdown on
drugs in village
by Lesley Wilkinson
LICENSEES in Stockton Heath are on alert to ensure illegal drug use does not take place.
Coun Graham Roughsedge told the Parish Council that the subject had been discussed at a recent Pub Watch meeting, for licenced premises in South Warrington.
Police had passed round sealed containers of a variety of drugs, to raise awareness among licensees.
“Licensees were urged to ban people who they suspect of using drugs,” he said. “They were also advised to look out for signs of drug taking on the premises.”
Car showrooms plan
for empty warehouse
by David Skentelbery
PLANS to convert a warehouse and office complex into major car showrooms are to be studied by Warrington planning bosses.
The scheme involves vacant premises in Europa Boulevard, on the Gemini Business Park at Westbrook which were previously use by a distribution company.
Planning officers are recommending the proposal be approved, but Coun David Earl, a member of the borough council?s executive board, has lodged an objection. An earlier proposal to convert the premises into a restaurant was thrown out three years ago.
Planners say the most contentious aspect of the scheme is the removal of landscaping in front of the building and the construction of raised platforms on which cars would be displayed.
Coun Earl says he has serious concerns about the proposed layout of the site. The raised area for displaying cars would face directly onto Cromwell Avenue, which would be visually harmful and could distract motorists on a busy road.
He believes the development would set an unacceptable precedent as it would involve the removal of trees which were planted to create a n attractive settling along Cromwell Avenue.
But planning officers say conditions can be imposed requiring new trees to be planted to compensate for those lost and also controlling the height of the raised display area.
Warning for
“stunt” drivers
by Lesley Wilkinson
A WARNING has been issued to drivers who use a car park at Stockton Heath, near Warrington, for motoring stunts, that they risk penalties.
After hours drivers have been using the car park at the Forge shopping centre for racing.
Police Community Support Officer Peter Crellin said following complaints he had warned drivers who do “wheel spins” on the site that they risk penalties, including having their cars taken away and crushed.
Kitchen fire
A MAN was treated for the effects of smoke after attempting to put out a fire in the kitchen at his home in St Stephen’s Street, Longford, Warrington.
Fire crews from Warrington and Birchwood attended the blaze, caused by an unattended chip pan. Two hosereels were used and the occupier was treated by paramedics.
In a separate incident, firefighters went to Reynolds Street, Latchford to tackle a small fire at a nursery. But the blaze had been extinguished by the occupiers by the time they arrived.
News in brief
Residents’ meeting
RESIDENTS of the Wilderspool area of Warrington are being invited to an open meeting to try and answer the question: “Does Wilderspool need a resident’s group?”
The meeting will be at St John’s United Reformed Church on Sunday, March ll at 3pm and will be chaired by borough councillor Ted Finnegan.
Hospital lottery
WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 3, 5, 7 and 8. The ?544 jackpot prize went unclaimed which means it will be “rolled over” to next week. A ?25 consolation prize was awarded, however.
Playground vandals
VANDALS have wrecked a see-saw in a determined attack on a playground in Greystone Road, Penketh, Warrington.
Longer hours
WARRINGTON Disability Partnership’s Centre for Independent Living in Beaufort Street is to open from 9am to 12 noon on Saturdays.
