Parents and grandparents
helping to teach children
by David Skentelbery
PARENTS and grandparents are playing an increasingly important part in educating children in Warrington?s blackspot areas for poor levels of communication, language and literacy.
One school is offering adult learning courses in subjects such as literacy and numeracy which has enabled parents to get involved not only in the education of their children, but also in the life of the school.
Another school is piloting a scheme for involving grandparents in children?s education ? and the response has been very positive.
A working group set up by the borough council to investigate early years education across Warrington says it is delighted with the work going on in schools and nurseries in Bewsey and Whitecross.
Six primary schools and two nurseries have been involved in the study.
The working group, headed by Coun Maureen Banner (pictured) was set up in September last year. It decided to target the Bewsey and Whitecross area to keep the study manageable and achievable and also because of significant levels of deprivation in the area and below average results.
They found the two wards were among the most deprived in the country and that tables showing children?s progress among 4-5 year-olds showed consistently lower scores than the Warrington average ? particularly for communication, language and literacy.
There was extensive evidence of a need for parents to become more involved in their children?s learning.
The working group was, however, heartened to see the emphasis schools and nurseries were placing on getting parents more involved and also in the positive response from parents.
Speech therapy has been identified as a problem area because although the quality of services provided is good, the quantity is insufficient and this means it takes too long for children referred to the service to be seen.
A number of teaching assistants have been trained in speech therapy, however, and this is having a positive effect. There were worries, however, that funding which had made the work possible was due to run out in three years and it was not clear how it could continue after that.
Motor cycle raider
grabs supermarket cash
by David Skentelbery
POLICE are hunting a raider who got away with a substantial amount of cash when he he held up a security man outside the Sainsbury store in Church Street, Warrington.
The man – wearing a high visibility jacket and a crash helmet – made off on a moped after the raid.
It was shortly before 2pm yesterday (Thursday) when a security van parked outside the supermarket. A security man got out of the van and was confronted by the offender who threatened him with a weapon.
The man snatched a cash box the guard was carrying and made off on a blue Yamaha moped.
Later, the moped and the empty cash box were found in nearby Claude Street.
The security guard was badly shaken but was unharmed.
Police are anxious to speak to anyone who may have seen the moped or a white box van with black lettering.
They would also like to hear from anyone who was shopping at the Sainsbury store or was in the vicinity at the time.
Anyone who can help should call DC Dave Griffiths on 01244 613831 or call the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.
Gun law – and the risks
posed by breaking it
by staff reporter
YOUNG people in Warrington can learn about firearms law ? and the risks of breaking it.
A firearms officer from Cheshire Police is offering to visit schools and youth organisations with a special presentation targeting children.
Firearms Support Unit officer PC Neal Miller is using a special presentation to spell out his message ? triggered by changes in legislation and his experiences of dealing with incidents involving real and imitation firearms.
PC Miller said: “Changes in legislation make it an offence to possess a firearm or anything that looks like a firearm in a public place.
“In 2005, the force’s Armed Response Vehicle was sent to deal with hundreds of firearms incidents. Around half of these involved a replica, a BB gun or an air weapon. I attended many of these incidents and lots of them involved young people.
“It was clear these youngsters weren’t aware of the law and they honestly didn’t know they were doing wrong. I thought to myself “If the youths don’t know about the laws, how can they possible conform to them? “I decided the young people of Cheshire needed educating not only in terms of laws but also on the dangers of firearms and of being confronted by a firearms police officer while in possession of a replica weapon.” So far, PC Miller has delivered presentations to more than 2,200 young people.
He uses DVDs, replica and real guns as part of his work.
The talk focuses on three main topics – how not to get arrested by PC Miller and his firearms trained colleagues, how not to get shot at by them and the role of equipment used by the Armed Response Vehicle.
Youngsters get actively involved throughout by running through situations armed officers regularly deal with. They discuss the challenges they face and the decisions they would make if they were in the same situation, some of these decisions taking only a split second.
“I’ve been told by teachers they have never seen the pupils sitting so quietly and concentrating so hard! The best response was when I did a talk at a youth club and the following day two boys surrendered four replica weapons to their local Community Action Team officer. The message clearly got through.
“A response I always get is that students had no idea they were committing offences. I think this shows there is clearly a need for the type of work I’m delivering,” said PC Miller.
Year Seven is the age group PC Miller is most keen to deliver his talks to and over the coming months he’s visiting as many schools as possible.
Any youth organisation is free to make a request for a presentation by PC Miller. To make a request contact 0845 458 0000 and ask to speak to a Schools Liaison Officer.
Canal road closure
decision deferred
by David Skentelbery
HIGHWAYS chiefs have put off reconsideration of the controversial decision to permanently close Stockton Lane, Grappenhall – the road where two teenagers died when their car plunged into the Bridgewater Canal.
Warrington Borough Council’s traffic committee deferred a debate on the issue and the matter will now be back on the agenda on April 17.
The road has been subject to a temporary closure since the deaths of 17-year-olds Gemma Biggin and Stephen Abbott in 2004.
But last year, the council decided to make the closure permanent.
A number of residents have objected – and some councillors are also opposed to the idea.
They say the road should be made safe – not closed.
But officers are recommending that the original decision to make the closure permanent should stand.
The council employed consultants to study installing crash barriers on the bend where the fatal accident happened, but they concluded barriers would not be effective due the angle of impact and limited space. Objectors say the road should be moved further from the canal at that point – but the council believes the cost would be prohibitive.
Euro MP in fight to
ban dog and cat fur
by John Hendon
WARRINGTON-based Euro MP Brian Simpson has played a leading role in helping to outlaw the importing of dog and cat fur into the European Union.
Mr Simpson ? the Socialist Group spokesperson on the issue within the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee ? joined forces with and working with Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson from Scotland.
They devised a number of amendments which were accepted unanimously by the committee, the effect of which is to impose a total ban and introduce sanctions against people dealing in th
e trade.
Mr Simpson said: “Many people were rightly appalled when this trade in domestic dog and cat fur was highlighted some time ago.
?Struan Stevenson has done wonderful work in highlighting the issue and getting the European Commission to come forward with proposals to outlaw the importation of domestic dog and cat fur, but even then, I felt there was a need to close loop holes and strengthen the law and I am delighted that the Agriculture Committee agreed.”
In China and Korea, domestic dogs and cats are reared for their fur and this is sold either in clothing or as fireside rugs and imported into the EU without labels, so that people were unaware of what they were buying.
At the Agriculture Committee, a rug made of golden Labrador fur and a mat made from cat fur were shown to MEPs “This report is crucial in not only banning this appalling trade but also tightening up labelling laws and in calling for tough sanctions against any importer, including the revoking of import licences. I know people feel very strongly about this issue and now hopefully we have taken the first steps in outlawing this trade.”
The report now goes back to the full European Parliament for their approval.
Grant boost for
for credit union
by staff reporter
APPLETON Parish Council has pledged ?600 towards the setting up of a South Warrington Credit Union.
This follows an earlier decision by Stockton Heath Parish Council to make a similar pledge.
The credit union will now be set up ? when suitable premises are found.
An expansion of the successful Westy Credit Union in Warrington, the new union will offer an alternative way of saving and borrowing to help the less well off avoid loan sharks who charge inflated interest rates.
The parish council contributions will help with set-up costs.
News in brief
Library closure
DUE to building works, Padgate library will be closed on Monday April 2. During the closure Orford and Woolston libraries will be open 9.30am-1pm and 2-7pm. Padgate library will be open at 9am as usual on Tuesday 3rd April.
Change of use
PLANS to change the use of the sports hall at Long Lane Primary School, Clough Avenue, Warrington to office accommodation have been Submitted to the borough planning department.
Hospital lottery
WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 1, 5, 8 and 15. The ?463 jackpot prize went unclaimed and will be “rolled over” to next week. A ?25 consolation prize was awarded.
Horse riding
A PROPOSAL to use land adjoining Alder Cottage, in Alder Lane, Burtonwood near Warrington for horse riding, with the erection of a tack room and stables, is to be considered by the borough council?s development control committee.
