Emma, aged eight, forges
link with Zulu school
by David Skentelbery
AN eight-year-old girl from Lymm, near Warrington spent a day at a South African school – and helped forge what is expected to become a permanent link between the school and her own school.
By a coincidence, Emma Antonelli, a pupil at Oughtrington Primary, Lymm was on holiday with her father in South Africa when a twinning arrangement was being set-up between the two schools.
Arrangements were made for Emma to spend a day at Empangeni Preparatory School, at Empangeni, Kwazulu, Natal. Again by coincidence, the headteacher of the South African school was in this country and actually visited Oughtrington while Emma was in South Africa.
Sue Cameron, headteacher at Oughtrington, said: “Emma really enjoyed her visit and was able to return to tell us all about it. She had lots of photographs to show us what Empangeni is like.
“We have discussed the twinning arrangement which we are sure will prove beneficial to both schools.
“The two schools are totally different, of course, but we are sure we can learn a lot from each other. The two lots of pupils will be able to share each other’s cultures and learn each other’s languages.”
Jayne Martin, of High Legh, who runs the Afritwin organisation which sets up twinning arrangements between schools in this country and South Africa, was delighted with the success of Emma’s visit.
She said: “She was very brave to go into a school in a foreign country and spend a day with the pupils. She was made very welcome, but it must have been a bit scary for her at first.”
It is hoped to arrange staff exchanges with the South African school – and possibly in the long term, some pupil exchanges. In the meantime the two schools can communicate via the internet.
Hospital leads the way
on tonsil operations
by Lesley Wilkinson
YOUNGSTERS in Warrington who face the common childhood operation of having their tonsils out will be home and snuggling in their own beds quicker than ever.
For North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the first in the country to switch tonsillectomies to day case surgery, from the more traditional procedure of staying in overnight.
So children in Warrington and Halton can now recuperate in their own beds – being discharged just six hours after surgery with pain relief and full support, providing they pass a stringent health assessment to show recovery is progressing.
As well as offering extra convenience and comfort for families, the scheme means that all 13 beds set aside for planned surgery in the children’s ward at Warrington are available each day, meaning that more youngsters can be treated.
Sue Stewart, paediatric surgical nurse specialist, said the feedback from families has been very positive and it is hope to expand the procedure to adult patients.
“By changing to a day case, the operation helps everyone cope with what can be a stressful experience for their child. Most children do not want to stay in hospital overnight, while families where both parents work or with more than one child can also find it inconvenient,” she said.
“We are constantly looking at ways to modernise and improve our service to patients and switching to day case tonsillectomies is another example of our service improvements for children and their families. We are one of only a few trusts to be doing this,” she added.
Sue said she has been working to develop the new service with staff nurses Ann Skinner and Debra-Lee Lloyd, and the Ear, Nose and Throat consultants.
Patients are assessed before their operation to ensure they are suitable as day cases and the procedure explained to children and their families.
Sue said: “The children can build up a rapport with hospital staff, because having a friendly face next to you helps a lot. That way they know exactly what is going on. When they come in for their operation and are not nervous or unsettled.”
On the day the 25-minute operation is followed by a short recovery period. If they are recovering normally, eating and drinking, and there are no problems, they are discharged.
There is 24-hour support and arrangements can be made for children to be re-admitted if there are complications.
Students’ tale of
working class life
by Lesley Wilkinson
A TALE of working-class life told through a series of holidays in Blackpool, was performed to sell-out audiences by Warrington students.
Priestley College’s Performing Arts Department staged the kitchen-sink drama, September in the Rain, by John Godber, which follows the lives of Jack and Liz.
The youngsters from the first year AVCE Performing Arts pathway performed the play for their final practical examination piece. It contributed to a module called Movement Skills and students were assessed on how they depicted their characters, relationships, emotions and situations through the way they moved on stage.
Audiences were also treated to dance performances by both AS and A2 students.
Sarah Mawson, head of performing arts, said: “I congratulate everybody who played their part in another splendid college production. The students did themselves proud when in front of a live audience and we now look forward to our next event.”
Taxman runs the marathon
for hospital baby unit
by John Hendon
TAXMAN Rory Pritchard had 500 reasons to complete the London Marathon.
By completing the course in just over three hours, the Veteran 50-year-old runner raised ?500 for Warrington Hospital’s Neonatal Unit.
Rory, who works at the Tax office in Warrington, was raising money for the Unit as a thank you for the care received by his grandson Matthew.
Now aged one, Mathew was born five weeks prematurely and spent two weeks in hospital with a small hole in the heart and breathing difficulties.
Rory said: “Thankfully Mathew is fine now, but the staff at the Neonatal Unit were tremendous. In the time we were there I got to know the staff and what they do and I can’t thank them enough.
“They are giving so many children who need their help a fantastic start in life, so they can go on to do great things.”
Rita Jones, the senior nurse on the Neonatal Unit, said the money Rory raised will go towards replacing Phototherapy Units, which are used for the treatment of jaundice.
She added: “We are delighted that Mathew has made a full recovery and that Rory and his family thought so much of what we do. We’re also very grateful for his efforts in raising money. We are always trying to improve our service and every donation we get – no matter the amount – helps us to do that.”
Wolves bring “Girl
Power” to town
by Lesley Wilkinson
GIRL power comes to Warrington with an innovative scheme to encourage them to “get off the couch” and take part in a variety of sports.
Warrington Wolves are holding a “Girl Guides Get Off The Couch” Sports Festival at Victoria Park on Saturday May 14 as part of their Girl Power scheme.
Competitors from Cumbria to Crewe will take part in a range of sports from dance and athletics to football and rugby league.
Assisting with the organisation is Warrington Borough Council’s community development officer and Great Britain International Jane Banks.
She said: “Hopefully this event will encourage girls to get off the couch and get involved in activities in a fun way. We will have the Powergen Rugby Skills Zone and lots of football activities that will help to raise awareness in Euro 2005 that will be played across the North West in June, including Warrington’s own Halliwell Jones Stadium.
The festival marks the start of a busy time for the Wolves Community Team with three other festivals involving local school children at Burtonwood, Woolston and the showpiece Major’s Tag Festival.
Liberal Democrats claim:
“Only we made progress”
by staff reporter
LI
BERAL Democrats are claiming they were the only party to make any progress in the General Election in Warrington South.
Parliamentary candidate Ian Marks – also leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Warrington Borough Council, said: “The quoted swing of 4.37 per cent from Labour to Conservative doesn’t do justice to the result.
“Compared to 2001, the Labour share of the vote went down by nearly 9 per cent. But the Conservative position was static at 33 per cent. This was despite the vast sums of money they poured into the campaign with all their letters, billboard posters and the Tory grandees who visited the constituency.
“In contrast, I achieved a 7.4 per cent increase in the share of the vote. We are very pleased with this and it gives us a firm base to build for the future.
“I would like to thank everyone who supported me and I know that many more would have also done so if they had believed I would win. Over the next few years we must break down this credibility gap.
“We now have a three party system and the stranglehold of the other two parties is being broken at last. I am delighted that the Lib Dems did well in the North West and that we gained three extra seats.”
Tyres blaze
FIRE crews were called to open land at the rear of the Speedkarting centre in Slutchers Lane, Warrington after vandals set fire to a large quantity of old tyres.
A thick black plume of smoke covered the area until firefighters extinguished the blaze. There was no damage to property.
