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Lancashire News

PEOPLE flocked to Chorley town centre at the weekend to enjoy some delicious treats at A Taste of Chorley, the town’s annual food and drink showcase. Organised by Chorley Council and local traders, over 50 stalls lined the town centre streets offering everything from local grub and desserts to homemade cakes to food from around the world. Visitors also got the chance to enjoy a whole array of drinks, including a cocktail masterclass from Cosmopolitan, Proseccos from Copa Fizz and the locally made Cuckoo Gin from Brindle Distillery.

There was also the chance to pick up some top cooking tips with everyone from The Bees Country Kitchen to Gobins Family Butchers to Brinscall Baker taking a turn in the demonstration kitchen to cook up a range of dishes that delighted the crowds.

The Great Chorley Bake Off also saw some fantastic entries with prizes awarded in all three categories and The Body Coach, Joe Wicks, talked about his new book and offered advice later in the evening at St Michael’s Academy. Councillor Alistair Bradley, Leader of Chorley Council said:

“This weekend showed off the brilliant range of food and drink businesses we have here in Chorley, and it was fantastic to see so many people enjoying everything on offer, despite the wet weather on the Saturday. “The quality of food and drink was outstanding, and people got to learn how to make some delicious dishes with local businesses sharing their knowledge and giving advice in the demonstration kitchen.

“Extending A Taste of Chorley to two days worked really well, giving us a platform to continue building on the event and making it even bigger next year. We’ve had lots of great feedback and we’re hoping everyone will come back next year with even more varieties of food and drink added to the line-up.” The event was free to attend with people getting some top tips from local chefs, bakers and butchers who gave cooking demonstrations, alongside local artisan producers.

There was also some great family fun, including face painting, a climbing wall and small children’s rides. The trails around the town centre also proved popular, including the taste trail where participants sampled local foods and a children’s ‘fiver fest’ trail where the younger ones searched for the hidden Totally locally Chorley £5 notes. To find out more about events happening in the Chorley area, visit checkoutchorley.com

Nottingham News

No one knows exactly how many carved mice are hidden in the pulpit and pews at All Saints Church, Babworth. Or at least, if they do, they are not telling!

What is known, is that the carved oak mice are the trademark of Yorkshireman, Robert Thompson, born in 1876, who dedicated his life to the craft of carving and joinery in English Oak. It was he who carved the oak fittings in beautiful Babworth Church.

The famous mouse symbol, found on every item crafted by Robert Thompson’s has an uncertain history. The story told by Robert Thompson himself was that one of his craftsmen remarked that they; “were all as poor as church mice”, whereupon Robert carved a mouse on the church screen he was working on. That particular mouse has never been found but it has continued as a trade mark of quality and dedication to craftsman ever since.

Babworth Church is known as the spiritual home of the Mayflower Pilgrims as it was here that William Bradford of Austerfield and William Brewster of Scrooby came to hear Reverend Richard Clifton preach. When he lost his livelihood at Babworth, Clifton held secret meetings at Scrooby Manor, and the beginnings of the Separatist movement were born.

To commemorate the forthcoming 400th anniversary of the Mayflower journey in 2020, Bassetlaw District Council and Sally Outram, Director of Mayflower Pilgrims jointly commissioned a bespoke collection plate from Robert Thompson’s company, complete with mouse, to present to Reverend Cora Yarrien, of the Benefice of Idle and Sand, which includes Babworth Church.

Cllr Jo White, Deputy Leader of Bassetlaw District Council said; “We wanted to present this plate to Babworth as a symbol of our thanks to the Reverend and church wardens at All Saints Church who have gone out of their way to make visitors welcome.

“We have seen a marked increase in Mayflower descendants, tour operators and journalists coming to this area as interest in the 2020 anniversary builds, and we appreciate that Babworth is first and foremost a much loved place of worship with a very loyal congregation. This gift is as much to Babworth’s parishioners as it is to Reverend Yarrien.”

The church at Babworth is one of eight sites where new Pilgrims Trail interpretation boards are to be installed as part of the £750,000 Heritage Lottery supported Pilgrim Roots project led by Bassetlaw District Council. The trail complements a new Pilgrims Gallery at Bassetlaw Museum, scheduled to open in August 2019.

Lancashire News, Lancs Leisure

Animals, birds, and all things natural are being carved into new entrance features for Woodnook Vale Local Nature Reserve, inspired by the ideas of local school children.

Working alongside local residents, children and young people from the local schools, Fern Gore Residents Association and Hyndburn Council – Community Interest Company Proffitts – Investing in Communities are leading a project to improve three of the main entrances at Woodnook Vale Local Nature Reserve.

The project gives local families the opportunity to get involved in planting trees, shrubs and bulbs and produce environment themed artwork which will define the entrances and make them more welcoming. Year 5 children from Woodnook Primary School worked alongside local artist Rick Goodwin from Stump Art to design a new, carved seat for one of the entrances close to their school. The children were given an exciting carving demonstration and have designed a seat that has a fox and a deer at either end, with other creatures being included such as hedgehogs, squirrels, butterflies and bees. It was a fantastic workshop that gave the children the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors and get back to nature.

Joanne Fisher, of Woodnook Primary School, said; “The children were amazed at the skill. strength and imagination needed to create animals out of wood. They were thrilled as they saw a fox being created before their very eyes. Rick’s talent and enthusiasm sparked their interest and created a new appreciation for the work of artists and their local area. They can’t wait to see their ideas actually take shape. “

Cllr Miles Parkinson, Leader of Hyndburn Council, said; “I’m so pleased to see the involvement of children from Woodnook Primary School and see their interest in the nature reserve grow. It’s a great outdoor learning space for all the schools in the surrounding area”.

Martin from Proffitts – Investing in Communities said; “The children are really excited to see their design ideas come to life. Rick from Stump Art gave a fantastic demonstration and it’s great to see outdoor projects like this inspiring the next generation of woodland workers and nature lovers.’’ The pupils will return to the nature reserve later in the year to see the seat in place and plant some bulbs there. And in the coming months, improvements will have been completed at 3 entrances from Perth St, Miller Fold and Royds St, Accrington. For more information about the scheme visit: http://www.proffittscic.com/community-projects/woodnook-local-nature-reserve-entrances/
https://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/woodnook-vale/ or contact Martin Proffitt at Proffitts (CIC) on 07989928038 or martin.proffitt@proffittscic.com.

Nottingham News, Notts What's On

A new ‘Super Kitchen’ has been launched in Cotgrave to help tackle food waste and reduce social isolation in its communities. Rushcliffe Borough Council and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing are working with volunteers to source and create delicious meals for local residents at the kitchen using left over food from surplus food charity Fareshare.

The kitchen is open every Thursday at Cotgrave Welfare Centre from 12pm to 2pm, where attendees pay just £2.50 for a healthy balanced meal and have the chance to make friends and socialise with fellow attendees. The initiative forms part of the Rushcliffe Roots campaign, which aims to celebrate healthy, locally sourced and sustainable food whilst connecting residents with their food roots.

Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Deputy Leader Cllr Debbie Mason said: “We hope the Super Kitchen will bring people together with nutritious food at a low cost, providing social and health benefits.

“It’s vital we give as many residents as possible in Rushcliffe the chance to access healthy food and learn more about why a balanced diet is so important.” Local GP Dr Richard Stratton from Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group, Operations Manager at PartnersHealth Nikki Lucas also attended the event to lend their support to the campaign.

Dr Stratton said: “There is a really strong community feel in Cotgrave and these events can really benefit vulnerable groups such as those who are socially isolated or at risk of food poverty. “Attending these events can provide residents with a mental boost and it’s great that surplus food is used giving environmental benefits too.”

For more information on setting up your own Super Kitchen initiative, visit www.superkitchen.org

Lancashire News, Lancs What's On

“There are 57 varieties of guided walks for the 2019 Pendle Walking Festival, announced Tom Partridge, Pendle Council’s Countryside Access Officer. “And this year we are delighted to see more women volunteering to lead walks than ever before.”

Walks being led by women include an easy three miler exploring Nelson’s industrial heritage along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal with Andrea Smith from Barrowford. And a tough 13 mile stage of The Pendle Way under Kelbrook Moor will be led by local rambler Kath Edmundson, from Earby.
An eight mile Colne Water walk led by Hungarian Marianna Borbely who lives in Wigan will climb Knarrs Hill and descend to Wycoller.

Walkers will get the chance to explore Wycoller’s atmospheric ruined hall, the inspiration for Ferndean Manor in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. A gentle-paced five mile walk with Helen Thompson will explore Water Meetings.

This Iron Age site is the place where Pendle Water gathered from Pendle Hill meets Blacko Water, with views of intriguing Blacko Tower.
Jennifer Little from Colne, a walk leader for the last eight festivals, said: “It’s an opportunity to meet people from further affield including walkers from abroad.”

Helen Thompson, who lives in Clitheroe and works for The Ribble Rivers Trust, will be leading a walk for the first time. She said: “I’ve enjoyed getting to know Pendle better and I’ve been really inspired by the views on my walk.”

Tom, who organises the annual walking event said: “Our festival is one of the largest free walking festivals in the UK and takes the strain out of map reading and route- finding. “Enjoy breath taking views around every corner as you follow our friendly and experienced guides. “Many of our walk leaders have taken part in our Pendle Walking Festival for years and are keen to share their knowledge of the area, including Pendle’s fascinating history,” he added.

“And 53 out of the 57 walks are completely free of charge. “Take a look at our programme at www.visitpendle.com/walks or pick up a copy from the Pendle Heritage Centre in Barrowford or from the Visit Pendle info point at Boundary Mill in Colne,” he said.

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council said: “We’re so proud of Pendle and this year’s Walking Festival focuses on the people and places which make our area unique. “We are grateful to our walks leaders for offering a warm welcome and a special insight into our history. Mike Williams, Pendle’s Tourism Officer said: “Pendle is a fantastic place to explore and enjoy some of the most stunning countryside views in the north of England including Pendle Hill, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“Our wild and wonderful landscape has inspired generations of free thinkers over hundreds of years. “And this year we have a number of walks which introduce our area’s radical thinkers,” he said. They include 17th century mathematician Sir Jonas Moore – the father of time – who established Greenwich Mean Time.

The classic climb up Pendle Hill with Tom Partridge will follow in the footsteps of George Fox whose famous vision on Pendle Hill in 1652 led him to found the Quaker movement. “Not forgetting the Sabden Chartists and walks which explore the dramatic landscape of the Pendle Witches of 1612,” added, Mike.

Council Leader, Councillor Iqbal added: “As well as being good for the health and wellbeing of our local residents and visitors, walking is also serious business in Pendle. “Over 2.7 million day and overnight visitors bring over £119 million into Pendle’s economy each year and our network of 100s of miles of footpaths are a big attraction.

“Latest figures from Visit Lancashire show that overnight visitors brought nearly £32 million into Pendle in 2017. This shows that our visitor economy is healthy and growing,” he said.

Nottingham News, Notts Health & Care

An increasing demand for skilled healthcare professionals has led to a shortage of allied healthcare workers, especially phlebotomists – the skilled healthcare professionals who take your blood. Demand is at an all-time high with hospitals, clinics and GP Surgeries offering a golden opportunity for that “longed for” career change! If you have good people skills and manual dexterity, and like the idea of working in a busy healthcare environment, a phlebotomist job may be just the job for you!

Many people enter this profession when they are looking for a career change or a fresh start and they often have no previous qualifications or experience in healthcare. Phlebotomists can work part time (usually mornings) but also may choose to work full time as well as weekends, holidays and bank work. Blood samples are usually collected before mid-day and then analysed in your local hospital’s Path Lab in the afternoon.
“We train people from all walks of life and all ages” explains Amy, Geopace office manager. “We’ve had school leavers, shop assistants, receptionists, beauticians and dental nurses, as well as telesales staff, unemployed and the retired who are looking for a challenge. We also have referrals from JobCentres (DWP), who can sometimes pay for your course in full if you are eligible” says Amy.

Once you are on the healthcare career ladder there are often opportunities to progress into other areas, such as working in the hospital path lab or other departments. Promotion is much easier once you are “on the ladder” and have some experience behind you.

Many Geopace students are now working as phlebotomists throughout the UK and a few have even chosen to work abroad where there is often a similar shortage and growing demand for this specialised skill. An interesting booklet featuring student’s “Success Stories” is written by the student’s themselves and looks at how they have made the move from wide and varied backgrounds to find themselves now working as phlebotomists. A copy can be downloaded from the Geopace website’s testimonials page.
If you like the idea of a challenging career in healthcare and particularly in phlebotomy then this may be the perfect move for you! The comprehensive training course last a full two days and culminates in the award of a nationally recognised and accredited certificate. “We practice taking blood from artificial arms”, says Lauren “and everyone on our course has a lot of fun! We get a great deal of satisfaction later on when we hear from our students that they are working for their local GP surgery or in their local hospital.”

Upcoming courses are running in Lincoln, Leicester and Nottingham.
If you would like to know more about phlebotomy as a career or to book a place on the course visit Geopace Training’s website at www.geopace.net

Lancashire News

Owners of a new 65-apartment residential development in Chorley are looking for a business to take on a new café let on its site in the heart of the town centre.

Chorley Council, which owns the Primrose Gardens extra care scheme, is looking for a local business to operate the café, which will serve the residents and the wider community. It comes with a fully-fitted kitchen, space to seat around 50 people and the potential to expand outdoors.
Councillor Alistair Bradley, Leader of Chorley Council, said: “It’s an exciting time as we see another of our major town centre developments near completion and we are now looking to get a local business to occupy the café.

“There is lots of potential with a dance hall and bookable conference room on site, which means there will be a lot of natural footfall, not withstanding its excellent location in the town centre. “It’d be great to see a borough-based business take on this opportunity and make a success of it as this will become part off the community, not just an ordinary café.”

The £9 million development, off Fleet Street, has been built by Chorley Council with support from Lancashire County Council and Homes England.
The café is ready for someone to move in straight away and the council is looking for a first-class business to take it on. “If people want to know a bit more about what’s available then the can get in touch with us and we’ll show them around,” said Councillor Bradley. “The facilities inside are top quality and we think this could be a very profitable business for the right business.”

The first residents will be moving into the development in the summer and anyone wanting more information about the café let should visit primrose-gardens.com or call 01257 515151.

Nottingham News

Rushcliffe residents can now make their properties even greener by applying for free trees for their homes and communities within the Borough. Crab Apple and Rowan trees are now available free of charge to all residents as part of Rushcliffe Borough Council’s strategy to provide sustainable environments as part of the Borough’s significant housing and employment growth in the next decade. Households can apply for up to two trees by visiting www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RushcliffeFreeTrees2019 and submitting an application before September 30.

Cllr Rob Inglis Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety said: “We are very pleased to be running this scheme again, after such a great response from residents last year where we handed out over 1,600 trees. “There is also an opportunity for residents to join our tree warden scheme, to protect and help trees to flourish in our towns and villages. “We hope that by increasing the number of trees in the Borough, as our communities grow, our green environments will continue to do so and improve the quality of life for current and future residents.” Successful applicants will be able to collect the trees from the Council in November. The Crab Apple, or Malus Sylvestris, can grow to 12 metres and suit areas of partial shade, whilst the Rowan trees, or Sorbus Aucuparia, grow best in full sunlight and can reach up to eight metres.

The Council are also offering to supply and plant up to 10 trees per parish this autumn and winter, on land identified by Parish Councils with the owner’s permission. Residents can find out more information on these locations by emailing media@rushcliffe.gov.uk

Nottingham News

Armed Forces Veterans and Reservists are now guaranteed an interview for job vacancies at Rushcliffe Borough Council if they meet the essential criteria for a role. The authority is continuing its commitment to signing the Armed Forces Covenant with extended opportunities for ex-service men and women to join the organisation.

If an individual applies for a vacancy and meets the essential criteria stated on the person specification, they will then be contacted to attend for interview to be considered for the post. If appointed to a role, the Council also now provide a buddy support system to help them to settle into their new work place. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Armed Forces Community Covenant Champion Cllr Debbie Mason expressed her delight at further supporting those back in civilian life who have served their country and those that are in the reserve forces.

She said:
“This is another reason why we pledged our support to the covenant so we could extend support not just in the community to those returning from duty or reservists but also with employment opportunities. “We are very aware of the variety of transferable skills reservists, veterans and current personnel develop throughout their careers that they could bring to the civilian workplace.

“The aptitudes and values many learn in the military can make them perfect candidates for roles in any sector but given the public element of the services we provide they may be well placed to fill roles with us.
“We would be delighted to receive more applications from those who state an interest in the wide ranging opportunities our Council services provide.”
Vacancies at the Council at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/jobs currently include roles in administration, as a driver/loader and as a caretaker and play attendant at Rushcliffe Country Park.

All vacancies are also advertised on the Career Transition Partnership website at www.ctp.org.uk/ a Ministry of Defence website aimed at alerting ex-service men and women to job opportunities nationally.

Lancashire News, Lancs Health & Care

Most have experienced it. A doctor says you need some blood tests and a half a dozen stabs and prods later – sometimes more – the doctor has your blood sample and the patient has a sore arm that resembles a pincushion.
Many healthcare institutions such as GP surgeries and hospitals now employ phlebotomists to perform the role of collecting blood from their in-patients and out-patients.

Skilled phlebotomists – the healthcare professionals who take your blood – are the experts who have been gradually replacing nurses and doctors and who specialise in just collecting blood samples. Phlebotomy posts are usually very flexible and can vary from full and part-time hospital posts to part time work in surgeries and clinics. Geopace Training has built a nationwide reputation for teaching phlebotomy the right way and Geopace tutors travel from across country and even internationally to be train phlebotomy students.

Each Geopace class lasts two full days and at the end of the course students will have attained an accredited certificate in phlebotomy. Students need no prior experience in healthcare and come from all walks of life and all ages. The Introduction to Phlebotomy Course provides a very thorough grounding in both theory and practical elements and prepares students up to the point of ‘live blood draws’.

“It’s also a lot of fun” says Amy, admin manager at Geopace Training. “Many students email us after completing the course to say how enjoyable it was whilst others email us to let us know that they have been accepted for phlebotomy jobs”.

Geopace instructors are some of the most elite in the industry and the training programme is constantly updated to keep up with new developments and changes, so students receive the most current information and training available. Students attending the course are very hands-on, practicing on artificial arms which pump fake blood, with a choice of veins to perform and practise on.

There is also a theory element to complete although there are no exams at the end. Students complete modules as they process through the course and it’s almost impossible for anyone to fail. Once completed the course awards a nationally recognised and accredited certificate in phlebotomy (accredited at Level 5 in Ireland). If you like the idea of working in the healthcare profession then why not visit the Geopace Training website for more information at: www.geopace.net

Places are very limited. Courses are scheduled for Lancaster in October and both Preston and Manchester in December.