May Queen Festival
bounces back in style!
by Gary Skentelbery
GLORIOUS sunshine ensured Lymm village’s annual Lymm May Queen Festival was a bumper success as thousands of people lined the streets and paraded through the area.
With the event coinciding with the Queen’s “official birthday” many entered into the spirit of the right Royal occasion.
But with temperature reaching 80 degrees on the May Queen field there were a few “casualties” as youngsters fainted in the heat.
More than 20 floats took part in the procession around the village as 13-year-old May Queen Lauren Kerfoot was paraded to the May Queen field where she was crowned by Su Williams, from the Lymm Festival committee.
Eight-year-old Rose Queen Emma Timmins was crowned by former Rose Queen Barbara Allan.
Local councillor Ian Marks said: “It was pleasing to see so many villagers turn out and support the event.
“There has been some concern in recent years that the event was dwindling but thanks to the good weather and a lot of hard work by the organisers it was a great success.
“Well done to all those who took part and helped out.” warrington-worldwide’s online TV channel www.warrington.tv created a little bit of history by broadcasting the event for the first time.
To view a video news report with interviews by presenter James Balme with Council leader Ian Marks, Town Crier Peter Powell and Lymm Festival Director Honor Giles click on the TV screen above.
Campaign starts to save
schools from closure
by Gary Skentelbery
COUNCIL education chiefs have started a programme of consultations to help determine the future of secondary education in central and eastern Warrington.
With the prospect of Woolston High School and Padgate High School merging, resulting in the closure of one of the schools, campaigners are busy drawing up battle plans to save the schools.
Birchwood Community High School, and William Beamont Community High School are also included in the review, although neither is under threat of closure.
But all four schools have been particularly affected by falls in pupil student numbers, which is happening borough-wide and are predicted to fall further still over the next few years. The review provides options that will avoid jeopardising the success and high standards in Warrington’s secondary education.
The options being considered are:
Keep all four schools open but close the sixth form at Woolston Community High School from September 2008,
Keep all four schools open but close the sixth form at Padgate Community High School from September 2008,
Keep three schools open, closing Padgate Community High School in August 2012 and retaining Woolston including the sixth form,
Keep three schools open, closing Woolston Community High School in August 2012 and retaining Padgate including the sixth form.
The consultation programme will seek the views of schools, parents, pupils and all members of the community on these options. There are a number of events that everyone is invited to attend.
Coun Sheila Woodyatt, Executive Board Member for Children’s Services, said: “Reductions in pupil numbers is a problem. School size is a major factor in a school’s ability to deliver the curriculum and unfortunately, more pupils mean more money – with fewer pupils and less money there is a reduced chance of being able provide a wide range of opportunities that pupils should expect and deserve.”
She also urges everyone to attend the consultation events and have their say: “The council is committed to full and open consultation with the whole community, which is why we are embarking on this exercise to allow you to have your say and help us make the right choice. I hope you will all attend and look forward to hearing from you. ”
MP pledges support
for town’s carers
by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON South MP Helen Southworth has teamed up with former Miss Great Britain, Preeti Desai, and pledged her support for Carers Week 2007 (11-17th June) which starts today, Monday.
Helen and Preeti are drawing attention to the UK?s six million carers ? people who look after a loved one who is either ill, frail or disabled ? to help them gain the recognition and support they desperately need.
?My Life as a Carer? is the theme for Carers Week, and a survey of 3,500 carers has revealed the immense impact caring can have on every aspect of their life including, health, finances, career and relationships.
Two out of every three carers (66%) admitted that their personal relationships had suffered as a direct result of caring, with 60% revealing they have little quality time together with their partners. Two thirds (67%) admitted to being financially worse off, with a quarter (28%) unable to support their family properly. An alarming three-quarters of carers had not had a break from their caring role in the past 12 months.
Helen said: ?I am delighted to be supporting Carers Week. There are six million carers in the UK, including many in Warrington. On top of worrying about a loved one?s needs, it must be terrible if carers themselves feel they have nowhere and nobody to turn to.
?I hope that by supporting Carers Week, more of my constituents who are dedicated to looking after someone will find out what services and support are available to them locally.?
Helen has also signed up to a Parliamentary Early Day Motion which calls for an updated and improved National Carers Strategy.
Preeti Desai, crowned Miss Great Britain 2006-07, adds: ?I?m thrilled to be able to support Carers Week. I wanted to be involved due to my own personal experience as a carer, which came when my mother was ill and I took a year off to care for her. I hope that Carers Week will raise awareness about the vital role carers play in our society and help them achieve the recognition and support they deserve.”
Bear boost for
childcare
by Gary Skentelbery
YOUNGSTERS visiting Golden Square Warrington helped make bears for charity at the grand opening of the Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Local children made special bears for the Sure Start Children?s Centres in the town.
These centres offer local families healthcare, advice, support, early education, family fun and childcare.
The first 100 teddy bears made have been donated to the Sure Start Children?s Centres in Warrington. The Warrington Sure Start Centres are part of the Sure Start For All and Every Child Matters strategies run by Warrington Council and its partners. Every community in Warrington will have access to Children?s Centre Services by 2010. There are currently four Sure Start Children?s Centres in Warrington, located at Latchford, Dallam, Orford and Padgate.
Shopping centre
evacuated
by staff reporter
THOUSANDS of shoppers and staff from town centre stores were evacuated from Golden Square, yesterday (Sunday), when a fire alarm went off.
But it turned out to be a false alarm and shoppers were soon allowed back in.
Chance to quiz
Wolves chief
by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON Wolves fans have a chance to quiz Warrington Wolves owner Simon Moran and club Chief Executive Andy Gatcliffe at a special event tonight (Monday).
Warrington Wolves Supporters’ Trust is holding its Annual General Meeting at 7:15pm in the Platinum Suite, North Stand, followed by a Question & Answer session with Mr Gatcliffe and Mr Moran.
The event is free to members and ?3 for non-members.
This will be your opportunity ask about how the running of the club.
Jo shows green
credentials
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON South Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson Jo Crotty is encouraging the people of Warrington to join her in making a promise to the environment to marking World Environment Day 2007 (June 5) last
week.
Dr Crotty said:?Climate change is a global issue. But tackling it starts at home.
?Over a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions come from heating, lighting and running power supplies in our homes.
?Small actions, such as saving water and switching off the lights can, when taken together, make a big difference.
?If everyone in the developed world makes even one small change to their daily life to reduce their energy use, such as not leaving the TV on stand-by or overfilling the kettle, that would make a huge difference to our global energy use and the amount of carbon we emit. ?Of course there is more the government should be doing. We have set out plans for radically improving home energy efficiency, producing greener electricity and switching taxes from income to pollution and energy use. That is what we would do if we were in government,? she said.
