Care home scheme
rejected by planners
by David Skentelbery
PLANS for a three-storey, 50-bed care home have been thrown out by Warrington planners ? despite officers recommending they be approved and the project being supported by Social Services.
Members of the borough council?s development control committee decided the massing and scale of the proposed care home in Delenty Drive, Birchwood, would be too great.
The scheme had been strongly opposed by Birchwood Town Council and by local residents.
An earlier version of the plan was withdrawn last January when officers said the massing of the building was excessive.
The new version had been scaled down and officers now considered it acceptable. But the committee was still not happy.
At present, the site is occupied by a semi-derelict house and is overgrown with trees and shrubbery.
The committee was told the home would have 10 staff on duty during the day and five or six at night. No ?day care? provision was proposed.
Coun Jill Bolton said in principle she would welcome additional care facilities in Birchwood. But she believed the proposals were too large and constituted over-development of the site.
She believed there would be harm to the residential amenity of nearby residents and danger from increased traffic.
Birchwood Town Council argued that very few changes had been made from the original plan and some of those changes gave rise for concern ? including reductions in the sizes of the lounges on the first and second floors.
They questioned whether local roads would be able to cope with increased traffic ? and pointed out that Delenty Drive flooded during heavy rain.
The Town Council said a 20-bed home would be more appropriate on the site.
Festival ticket sales
off to a “flying start”
by Lesley Wilkinson
TICKET sales for this year?s Lymm Festival have got off to a ?flying start?, according to organisers.
More than 50 events are lined up over a 10-day period starting on Thursday, June 28.
Festival spokeswoman Anna Leaver said: “Ticket sales got off to a flying start when the booking opened and this year’s programme looks set to break all records with a range of exciting new activities and events!”
Programmes for the festival are available from village traders or by visiting the website www.lymmfestival.org.uk
Ms Leaver said organisers were hoping for sunshine for all of the outdoor events, starting with the ?Street Fun and Food Fest? on June 28.
One of the popular shows is expected to be a return by popular request to the festival by nationally acclaimed Oddsocks Productions, offering a fun introduction to Shakespeare.
Their set will create the distant, mystical city of Ephesus, from where Shakespeare’s most farcical story “The Comedy of Errors” will unfold.
Ms Leaver said: “Oddsocks will manage to let Shakespeare shine through, and it is an excellent introduction to his work for children aged seven and over. A summer Turkish delight not to be missed!”
The performance will be in the grounds of Cotebrook House on Friday June 29, where there will also be an exhibition of arts and crafts work throughout the festival.
There has been a date change for Lymm’s Festival Choir and Orchestra Concert, which is one of the musical highlights of the festival.
Due to work commitments, Lymm resident Nick Cox, principal clarinetist with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, has had to change the date of the concert at St Peter’s Church to Sunday the July 1.
Under his direction, music by Shubert and Brahms as well as Faure’s Requiem, will be performed by members of many of the region’s major orchestras, and a choir.
Fond memories of one
of town’s oldest schools
by Lesley Wilkinson
FORMER pupils and teachers have shared their memories of one of Warrington’s oldest schools and helped produce a commemorative book.
“Our School?, compiled by Brian Mercer and Roy Thorniley of Latchford History Group, is described as “a fond look back” at St James’ C of E School, Latchford.
The school was first opened as a Sunday School on April 4 1779. The building, in Old Road, Latchford, retained the name of St James until its amalgamation with St Werburgh’s School in 2001, when it was renamed Latchford Church of England Aided Primary School.
Brian said: “After 200 years the familiar name of St James’ was about to become a memory. But memories have a habit of fading with each passing year, until they become totally forgotten.”
He and Roy contacted former pupils and people from the area who shared photographs and memories of the school, which have been collated in the book.
And it is sure to bring back fond memories for many former pupils. There are many pictures of both staff and pupils with captions of names and dates, including pictures of school outings, concerts and sports teams.
Head teachers including Tom Thorniley, Harry Boscow. William Stansfield and Miss Lucy Walker and ‘Baby’ Miss Dorothy Walker are pictured, and all admissions from 1940 to 1960 are listed.
There is a section devoted to memories from pupils including the two-seater desks with lifting lids and inkwells, little bottles of school milk and assembly with prayers and hymns in the large hall.
The book is on sale at the Warrington Book Loft on Lythgoes Lane or direct from Latchford History Group, contact Brian on 838071.
Schools join the
fight against crime
by staff reporter
TEACHERS at two Warrington schools have joined forces to launch a new School Watch scheme.
St Barnabas Primary and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary are working together to help reduce crime in the Whitecross area of the town.
Signs have been put up at both schools to act as a visible deterrent warning against criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. They were produced by the company Evolvecreative and funded by Cheshire Police Authority.
The schools will share information as part of the scheme and liaise closely with their local police officers. School Watch was introduced by Police Community Support Officer Kath Harkin, who has also helped to introduce Shop Watch schemes in the area.
Insp Alex Kane said: “Crime committed on school premises has a significant impact on pupils, staff and the community as a whole and puts a considerable strain upon limited school budgets, in terms of the costs to repair such damage or to replace stolen property.
“PCSO Kath Harkin has worked very hard to get School Watch up and running in Whitecross and it demonstrates the commitment of the police to reducing this type of crime, to increase reassurance in Whitecross and to introduce the scheme in other areas of Warrington.”
Pictured from left to right are: PCSO Kath Harkin, Insp Alex Kane, Anna Collins and Peter Walker from Cheshire Police Authority, Ian Wright from Evolvecreative, PCSO Vicky Rimmer, Michael Mullin, headteacher of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and Penny Johnson, headteacher, St Barnabas Primary School.
Recruitment drive
for local carers
by Lesley Wilkinson
PEOPLE interested in working in the care industry are invited to a recruitment event at The Gateway Centre, Sankey Street, Warrington, on Thursday (June 7).
Crossroads Caring for Carers in Warrington has organised the day for those looking to enter the industry as a carer support worker. It will be at the centre from 10am to 3pm.
There will be the chance to find out more about what the role involves, chat with Crossroads employees, and learn of the benefits, satisfaction, training and qualifications gained by working with the organisation.
The organisation provides practical help, support and specialised quality care to thousands of people throughout the town looking after a sick or disabled friend or relative.
The event is organised to mark N
ational Carers Week and further information is available from the Crossroads team on 0845 051 1970.
Euro MP welcomes
anti-violence funding
by Lesley Wilkinson
EXTRA funding to help prevent violence against women and children throughout Europe has been welcomed by Warrington-based Euro MP Brian Simpson.
The European Parliament voted to increase the funding for programmes aiming to prevent violence against women and children by over 13 per cent, to Euros 116,850,000.
The aim of the third phase of the programme, Daphne III, is to prevent and combat all form of violence against children, young adults and women.
It will include preventative measures, provide support for victims and groups most at risk, raise public awareness of violence and address its root causes.
The MEP said: “I welcome the increase in funding for projects tackling violence against children, young adults and women.
“This programme will address the often hidden issue of violence in our homes as well as in public and provide much needed support for children, young adults and women.”
