Students win prizes for
breastfeeding posters
by staff reporter
THREE students from Priestley College, Warrington won prizes for posters and publicity materials they designed to highlight breastfeeding.
The trio turned their hands to design as part of Breastfeeding Awareness Week – and received their prizes from Margaret Bennett, health team co-ordinator for Sure Start North, Warrington.
They were Hanna Forster, aged 18 from Woolston, Laura Blayney, aged 17 from Runcorn and Gemma Hodgkinson aged 18 from Frodsham.
Mrs Bennett thanked the students for their efforts and presented them with prizes which included portable CD players and also set up an information point where the aims and objectives of Breastfeeding Awareness Week were discussed with other students.
Many of the interested students came from the college’s highly successful Early Years, Education and Health and Social Care Department.
The campaign aims to encourage both mothers and mothers-to-be to give breastfeeding a go by highlighting its benefits as opposed to using bottled milk.
Lynda Bond from the college’s Early Years, Education and Health and Social Care Department said: “It was great to welcome Mrs Bennett on to campus. I congratulate the students on their achievements in winning the competition and am sure that the information which our students were able to receive on the subject of breastfeeding was priceless.”
Town’s population
to peak next year
by David Skentelbery
EXPERTS are predicting that Warrington’s population, which has been increasing in recent years, will peak at around 194,200 next year, and then decline gradually until 2021 to about 190,500.
This is due to a forecast drop in the birth rate due to decreasing fertility and a fall in the number of women of childbearing age and an increasing death rate due to increased numbers of older people.
By 2021, the experts forecast there will be fewer children. They are predicting a 25 per cent decrease in the 10-14 age group, a 24 per cent decrease among 5-9 year-olds and a 19 per cent drop in the number of 0-4 year-olds There will a significant increase in the number of older people leading to an increased death rate.
The number of people aged 65-74 is expected to rise by 41 per cent, there will be 38 per cent more 75-84 year-olds and 22 per cent more people aged 85 and over.
Experts expect the population by 2021 to be within one per cent of what it was in 2003.
A dream comes true
for woodland kids
by staff reporter
A SPARK of imagination has resulted in a dream coming true for children at Great Sankey, Warrington.
Members of the Kids Committee – youngsters from Great Sankey High School and St Phillips’ Primary – have won backing from local businesses to help create a community beauty spot, Our Wood.
The youngsters, under the Kids Committee banner, have single-handedly secured support from numerous businesses across the borough to create a haven for wildlife and a centre for children to learn more about the environment.
On Thursday May 26 the new Mayor of Warrington, Coun Hans Mundry and Andrew Taylor, planning director of land owners David Wilson Homes, will be unveiling the newly commissioned Our Wood sign with the children. The sign will then be erected at the woodland in the following week.
Sarah Bradley, aged 12, from the Kids Committee designed the ‘Our Wood’ logo which will be featured on the sign. She said: “I’m really excited about seeing my design and am looking forward to meeting the Mayor.” Brenda Bradley, chairman of Great Sankey North Residents Association, said: “The Kids Committee and ‘Our Wood’ are great examples of what can be accomplished if you follow your dreams. When children are given an opportunity – it’s amazing to see what can be achieved.
“Our Wood will be part of the local community for years to come and hopefully many generations will be able to enjoy the space created by the children of today.
“We hope that in encouraging children to start thinking about their environment at an early age, it will enable them to understand the cost and time involved with making the area around them a nice place to be and will, in turn, teach them to respect their community.”
Support has come from businesses far and wide and includes Warrington Borough Council, David Wilson Homes, Great Sankey Parish Council, Asda, Living Spaces, HSBC, Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, United Utilities, Warrington West Scout and Cub Group, and Community Champions.
MP says “thanks”
to her voters
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has thanked the voters of the constituency for their continued support following her re-election to Parliament.
She said: “I would like to thank the people of Warrington North for their support at the General Election. It is an honour to represent this constituency and I pledge to continue to do so to the best of my ability over the coming years.”
Ms Jones will resume her 2005 surgery programme which was suspended for the period of the General Election. Details are available by phoning her office – 01925 232480.
Commenting on the Queen’s Speech which contains 45 new bills, a flying start to Labour’s third term of office, Ms Jones said: “Following Labour’s historic third term victory the government have outlined an ambitious programme in the Queen’s Speech.
“Along with measures to further improve our schools and hospitals I was particularly pleased to see a Work and Families Bill which will include extending maternity leave and pay and measures to deliver greater flexibility and parental choice in childcare.
“In addition tougher laws to reduce violent crime, make our roads safer and improve the safety of children are most welcome.”
[ 23.05.2005, 11:45: Message edited by: DS ]
