Campus coach ensures
girls are on the ball
by Mark Hemmings
YOUNG girl footballers will be able to compete with their male counterparts for a little bit longer thanks to a campaign supported by a coach based at the Warrington campus of the University of Chester.
Campaigners are celebrating after the Football Association agreed to trial a new policy, which will allow girls to play alongside boys until they are 14 years old.
Previous FA rules prevented girls from playing mixed football beyond the age of 11, and supporters argued that this was hindering the development of the most talented players, by relegating them to the sidelines and forcing them to compete at an inferior level.
The scheme, which was recommended by the FA Women?s Football Committee and approved by the FA Council, follows a concerted drive to secure a better deal for female footballers.
Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching, Wendy Owen, is a long-term backer of the campaign. A former England International and squad member for the country?s inaugural women?s international against Scotland in 1972, Wendy was one of the experts called to give evidence last year at a Parliamentary inquiry into the state of the women?s game.
Wendy became involved in the campaign after meeting one of the girls affected by the old rule, Hannah Dale, during a book-signing session to promote her autobiography, Kicking against Tradition: A Career in Women?s Football.
At the time, Hannah was approaching the age of 12 and was going to be prevented from playing for Warrington-based Crosfield Juniors, despite being one of the best players in the team.
Hannah?s father, Paul, asked for support for the campaign from Warrington South MP, Helen Southworth, who sat on the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport.
After an initial meeting with Hannah and Paul, the Select Committee decided to call the special inquiry at which Wendy was invited to give evidence.
Wendy said: ?Matching children for weight, height and ability should be the way forward, with players and coaches deciding themselves whether an individual should be playing mixed football.
?Although this is only a trial, I believe it is a step in the right direction and I hope the FA will begin to take further notice of what we have to say.?
The campaign received further support recently in the shape of Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe who met Hannah and Helen Southworth at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Five stars for
Masonic Hall
by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON’S Masonic Hall has scooped two prestigious awards including a five star rating for cleanliness and hygiene.
After months of hard work ensuring that the kitchen and cellars are in pristine condition and that the food on offer met many high standards, the hall has been given the Warrington Food Award 2007 with Distinction.
It has also achieved a five-star rating in the Department of the Environment initiative to raise standards of hygiene and nutritional health foods throughout the country?s catering industry.
The Warrington Food Awards are the first of their type in the country.
Hall manager/chef Dave Harding was accompanied by maintenance director Tony Rowbottom when he went to the Gateway Centre to receive the award from the Deputy Mayor of Warrington, Coun Graham Welborne.
Tony said: ?The ?scoresonthedoors? initiative shows how catering establishments have been assessed and rated by the Food Hygiene Inspectors during their unexpected site visits. Subsequent to a visit and inspection of our kitchens by the Environment Inspector last March we were awarded a four-star rating. This was a very good result but the hall decided it wanted to improve standards and cleanliness and be reassessed for a five-star rating.
This decision received the backing of the staff and the kitchen and cellar areas were virtually redecorated by them.?
A further inspection resulted in the hall being told it was being given a five-star rating and that it had won the Warrington Food Award with Distinction.
Off licence robbed
by Lesley Wilkinson
A MASKED man wielding a knife stole a quantity of cash from a Warrington shop on Tuesday night (Sept 18).
The robbery, at Threshers, Lodge Lane, Culcheth, took place at 8.20pm when the man demanded cash from staff.
He is described as a white male, 5ft 7in, wearing a dark jacket and trousers and with his face covered.
Police are asking for witnesses to contact them and are particularly keen to hear from three youths who were outside the store at the time.
Anyone with information should ring police on 0845 458 0000, contact DC Elaine Duddle on 01244 613831 or call the confidential Crimestoppers number on 0800 555 111.
Launch of Light
for Love campaign
by staff reporter
Warrington-Worldwide’s charity of the year Claire House Children’s Hospice is launching its Christmas Light for Love campaign.
Celebrity suppoter, Radio City presenter Pete Price will be at Claire House at the special event on December 1 to switch on the lights.
A Light for Love is a special way of remembering the people you love at what can sometimes be a difficult time of year for bereaved families.
Pete said ?Claire House is a magical place for children with life limiting conditions; I fully support their ?Light for Love? campaign and look forward to a wonderful evening on December 1 when we can help Claire House raise vital funds.?
The event starts from 4pm, with mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas carols around the tree. The service will combine an annual Christmas Fayre. The hospice will be open from midday for tours and Christmas cards & Christmas gifts and decorations can be purchased.
Claire House invites people to make a donation that will light a light on the tree dedicated to a loved one or a Claire House child. Please ring 0151 343 0883 or email [email protected] for more information.
Election hopeful
backs green policy
by Lesley Wilkinson
A SPEECH on Zero Carbon Britain was given to a conference by Warrington South election hopeful Dr Jo Crotty.
Warrington South Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary candidate Dr Crotty spoke to the party’s Autumn Conference in Brighton.
She urged fellow party members to fulfil their pledges on the issue and discussed green policies.
After the debate she said: “I am very pleased to have been called to speak on the Lib Dem environmental policy. We have a comprehensive plan in place while the other parties are still running around looking for expensive photo opportunities, and only paying lip service to the environmental crisis facing us.”
Sponsored shoot
by John Hendon
A WARRINGTON company is sponsoring a clay pigeon shooting tournament on Sunday (Sept 23) to help raise funds for two charities.
Engineering solutions company Boulting Group is organising the event at Leighton Hall near Carnforth in Lancashire. It will include an individual high gun stand and charity pool shoot followed by an auction.
All proceeds will be divided between Derian House’s Children’s Hospice, near Chorley and Cancer Care’s Slynedales House, Lancaster.
Two of the eight teams taking part have been sponsored by Boulting Group.
Sales and marketing manager Bob Bianchi said: “We hope to raise as much money as possible for these very deserving causes. Everyone at Boulting Group places great emphasis on working with respected businesses to assist the local community.”
