talking - Cheshire West and Chester Council

Delivered FREE, three times a year, to every home in West Cheshire
Winter 2014
talking
together
In this issue
Vibrant historic
Chester p3
Choose West Cheshire’s
great outdoors for winter
walks, entertaining
events and family fun p8
Stay well this
winter p7
Win panto tickets for
Dick Whittington p9
Top of the league for
cutting carbon dioxide p14
Page 2 | Talking Together | Winter 2014
What you have been saying online...
Top tweets
outdoorswithdad
@outdoorswithdad
Boys enjoyed #diwaliparade in
#chester @Chester_Culture
@Go_CheshireWest
@stephen_mosley
Leader’s welcome
In this issue we are looking at what’s
happening in Chester. It’s an exciting time
for the city with the Council and key
partners delivering a fabulous programme
of improvements as part of the One City
Plan – a fifteen year strategy to guide the
future economic regeneration of Chester.
Chester has a great many positive things
going for it – but we recognise that the city
centre would benefit significantly from
being reinvigorated. The regeneration and
development projects that you can read
about on the opposite page are just some of
the investments being made, with work
having commenced on the new
theatre/cultural centre, to ensure the city is
a distinctive and desirable place in which to
live, invest, do business, visit and study.
Chester at Christmas time is a magical place
with lights, markets and special events
making it a relaxing destination for shopping
and socialising. And I know that all the
exciting events and festivals planned
across the borough will be even better than
ever and attract thousands of you to take
part in the fun.
I would really like to encourage you to
support your local town and city by buying
your Christmas presents and festive treats
in the borough. We have a broad and
diverse range of shops, markets and artisan
makers, and buying locally really helps
protect what these businesses can offer us
all in the future.
There are plenty of things to enjoy during
the lead up to Christmas, during the festive
break and into the New Year. You can find
out what events are going on across the
borough in the What’s On section of this
paper and at: www.visitchester.com.
tit4tat @titfortatjmc
Thanks @Go_CheshireWest for
#traffic update faster than
@BBCNews on #radio! #Chester
Chester Vol Action @ChesterVol
Over £3,400 raised at Chester’s first
Memory Walk @Go_CheshireWest
@alzheimerssoc @DementiaFriends
anne boyd @CEOactivechesh
thank you @ChesterChron for
supporting @newbalance and
@ActiveCheshire
@Go_CheshireWest to get important
message out #kidsgetactive
MCPC Systems (UK)
@MCPCSystems
Parks we like: Hoole Alexandra
Park #Hoole @Go_CheshireWest
#Parks #Hoole #grounds
#maintenance #mcpcsystems #DTE
Matthew Lanham
@MatthewLanham
Great safeguarding workshop with
superb actors at Ellesmere Port.
Thanks @Go_CheshireWest
#verythoughtprovoking
Datatank @DatatankLTD
Congratulations
@Go_CheshireWest for winning
the category of Excellence in Social
Inclusion @the_irrv Performance
Awards last night #IRRV
Kris Hopkins @khopkinsmp
Well done @hantsconnect
@Go_CheshireWest & Triborough:
creating #BetterServices & sharing
best practice with others
Matthew Lanham
@MatthewLanham
Superb Safeguarding Wkshp made
real by @GeeseTheatre &
@Go_CheshireWest in E Port this
wk. Will be re-telling the scenarios
for a long time
Andy Scargill @andyscargill
@Go_CheshireWest: Item 7, the
application for a new @uochester
rowing & fitness facility in Chester,
has been approved, well run
Tweet @Go_CheshireWest
Royals' Tour Manager
@melashley
@Go_CheshireWest thanks for the
free dog poo bags this morning in
#saughall, much appreciated
Groundwork Cheshire
@Gwk_Cheshire
@NorthwichBID
@NorthwichNews
@Go_CheshireWest Great to
see the Northwich Town Centre
improvements today
See the back page for links to our websites and social media channels.
Contact the Council
Go direct
It’s quick and easy to get access to the
Council’s news, information and services.
You can find it, report it, and pay it –
all online.
The Council’s website: www.cheshire
westandchester.gov.uk – has a powerful
navigation to carry the user direct to
the information or application you want.
The site also uses a list of top tasks on
the homepage, which change seasonally,
to help you find what you’re looking for
straightaway.
Quick links to the Council’s comprehensive
social media presence also let you
explore its facebook, twitter, flickr and
YouTube profiles. Find out what’s
happening in your neighbourhood by
clicking on the links to:
www.yourwestcheshire.co.uk – the
locality website.
The Contact Centre hours of service are Monday to
Friday, 8am to 7pm and on Saturday, 9am to 12.30pm.
To contact the Council by
telephone, customers can call:
General Enquiries
0300 123 8 123
Benefits
0300 123 7 021
Blue Badges
0300 123 7 040
Fraud Hotline 0300 123 7 030
Highways 0300 123 7 036
Parish Council Hotline
0300 123 7 049
Parking Enquiries and Fines
0300 123 7 024
Payments
0300
123 7 029
Business Rates 0300 123 7 023
Community Wardens
0300 123 7 033
Planning
0300 123 7 027
Concessionary Travel
0300 123 7 025
Registration of Births, Deaths
and Marriages 0300 123 7 037
Council and Democracy
0300 123 7 028
Schools 0300 123 7 039
Council Tax 0300 123 7 022
Streetscene 0300 123 7 026
Environmental Health and
Pest Control 0300 123 7 038
Waste Permits 0300 123 7 042
I wish you all a fantastic Christmas, a restful
festive season and a great 2015.
See the back page of this newspaper
for direct links to all the online channels
for the public sector organisations that
produce Talking Together.
Cllr Mike Jones
Leader, Cheshire West and Chester Council
Front cover: looking across the mere at Marbury Country Park, Comberbach, Northwich
Winter 2014 | Talking Together | Page 3
Your vote matters make sure you’re in
The way you register to vote
has changed.
The registration system changed in June
2014, and the new system is called
Individual Electoral Registration.
Previously, the ‘head of household’ was
responsible for registering everyone
who lived at an address, but now every
individual is responsible for their own
voter registration.
Chester - a vibrant
historic city
Chester is already an exciting city to
live in, work in and visit, and things are
getting even better.
A partnership between Cheshire West and
Chester Council and Chester Renaissance manages the
city’s master plan. Its five objectives cover Chester’s
development as a regional economic centre, a place to
live, a place to shop and visit, a place where heritage is
celebrated and a city enjoying its waterways and parks.
Right now there’s progress all around.
Take the exciting plans for the Northgate development,
alongside Chester Town Hall. New shopping,
restaurants, cafés, a multi-screen cinema and a new
market will create 1,600 permanent jobs and bring in
extra spending of £82m a year. There’s an attractive new
setting for the refurbished Town Hall too, and the
Government has earmarked £13.5m for an improved
bus interchange to meet new demand - a detailed
planning application goes in soon.
Nearby, work transforming the former Odeon cinema
into a £37m cultural centre and theatre is moving
ahead. The main theatre, studio theatre, library and
cinema complex will open in autumn 2016, see:
www.renewchester.co.uk for details.
509 city centre businesses recently voted to join a
Business Development District (BID) scheme, with a
£2.5m a year budget. “The hard work starts now,” says
chair of the BID board, Paul Daniels.
“We’ll bring dedicated
marketing campaigns,
bigger events and
festivals, a world class
welcome for visitors,
cheaper bills for BID
businesses, a strategy
for car parking and a
joined-up approach to
city centre life.”
Next year a funding bid to regenerate The Rows will go to
The Heritage Lottery Fund. Proposals to help our unique shops
thrive include opening up the narrow steps, an interpretation
centre to bring Chester’s medieval history to life, an activity
programme, and improved painting, signs and lighting.
In Chester Central Business Quarter work is going on transforming
the public realm, and pedestrian routes to and from the
railway station. There’s construction too at 1 City Place - 70,000
sq ft of offices over six floors. Across the canal, reachable via the
new bridge alongside the new Waitrose (opening November),
stands the Shot Tower redevelopment, another scheme set to
start early 2015.
Chester’s Waterways Strategy is releasing the potential of
the River Dee and Shropshire Union Canal. There are discussions
too about a new community watersports hub on the Dee. And
back in July, The Duke of Westminster opened the multi-million
pound refurbishments at Grosvenor Park.
It’s an exciting time to live in, work in, study in, and visit Chester.
Follow all the developments at:
www.chesterrennaisance.co.uk.
Meeting dates are now online
A list of dates and times of full Council meetings and committee meetings can be found at: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk in the
Your Council section. If you would like this publication in an alternative format or in another language please email:
[email protected] or tel: 0300 123 8 123.
Give us your feedback on this issue of Talking Together by emailing: [email protected] or writing to
Marketing and Communications, Cheshire West and Chester Council, First Floor, HQ, 58 Nicholas Street, Chester, CH1 2NP. Talking
Together is published in partnership by, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire Police, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Police & Crime
Commissioner for Cheshire, NHS Vale Royal Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group.
To register people now need to provide
a few more details, including their
National Insurance number and date
of birth. This helps make the electoral
register more secure against fraud.
The new system also means that, for
the first time, people are now able to
register online.
The Council has already written to
residents to tell them about the change
and advised people if they needed to
take further action. At the end of
October through to mid November
canvassers visited properties/households
from which the Council still needed
details about who should be registered.
The new register will now be published
on 1 December 2014.
Remember there are Council elections
on 7 May 2015 and you have to be
registered to vote. If you still need to
register where you live now or you move
address after 1st December, you can
register online under the new system at:
www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
To find out more, visit:
www.gov.uk/yourvotematters.
Page 4 | Talking Together | Winter 2014
Young people shape
services
Six students from Winsford
Academy are playing a key role
in making changes to Council
services for all young people in
their area. The first task for
members of this youth council
was to take part in a consultation
to help Catch 22 develop a
‘missing from home’ service.
They worked with Council and
youth service officers and
representatives of national charity
Catch 22. They looked at what
support young people at risk of
going missing from home might
need, either before or after they
had left home, and how best to
communicate with youngsters at
such an emotional and traumatic
time.
In future meetings the group will
think about how to be sure the
views of young people make an
impact on the Council services
that are planned for them in
Winsford, and how more people
can be encouraged to take part in
youth service activities.
West Cheshire Care Record
A COLLABORATIVE project is
underway to support improved
and secure sharing of
information between health
and social care professionals,
but only where consent has
been provided.
The development of the West Cheshire
Care Record is a partnership between
NHS West Cheshire Clinical
Commissioning Group, Countess of
Chester Hospital, Cheshire and Wirral
Partnership, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
and Cheshire West and Chester Council.
Medical Director at The Countess
of Chester Hospital Ian Harvey
explained: “We plan to start
piloting use of the record in November,
initially in the Accident and Emergency
department.
The record will only be accessible to
health and social care professionals
providing direct care, and only when
an individual has given their consent
to do so.
Historically access to this information
has been reliant on paper, fax and
telephone often constrained by hours
of work or limited information
provided by friends and family.”
Access to a person’s health and social
care record in the right place at the
right time will help doctors, nurses,
GP’s and social workers make
important decisions about diagnosis,
treatment and care planning.
For further information contact:
Patient Advice and Liaison Service on
01244 650 368 or email:
[email protected]
Behind the scenes at The Lion Salt Works
One of Britain’s newest heritage attractions, the Lion Salt Works in Marston, Northwich, will open
at Easter 2015. The Salt Works closed in 1986 with work starting in August 2012 on the restoration of
the country’s last remaining open-pan salt making site into a fascinating new public attraction. The
£8.8 million project has been funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund, Cheshire West and Chester Council
and the European INTERREG Manage+ project.
In 1894 Henry Ingram Thompson constructed
a salt works in the coal yard of the Red Lion
Hotel, and the works became known as the
Lion Salt Works. The new company built a
series of pan and stove houses between the
hotel and the canal. A brine shaft was sunk in
the yard of the hotel and a brine tank was built
that still stands today.
Photo: from left Emma Burn, Natalie Boulton and
Laura Merchant
The transformation of the site has included
rebuilding Stove House 5 as a new visitor
centre with conference facilities and restoring
the surrounding buildings. West Cheshire
Museums’ learning team will be working
closely with local schools to build an engaging
and creative formal learning programme.
Teachers Laura Merchant, Emma Burn and Natalie Boulton from
Witton Church Walk CE Primary School were given a behind the
scenes tour of the site.
Laura said: “Our lower Key stage 2 classes are learning about the
local area as part of their topic on Northwich.
“Throughout this topic we aim to bring history alive by taking
learning outside the classroom and into the heart of Northwich
and the neighbouring boroughs. This will allow us to put into
context how the past has impacted on Northwich today. The Lion
Salt Works will be a valuable site for our children to gain an
understanding of what life was like for their ancestors and
provide firsthand experiences of events that have shaped
Northwich today.”
Details about the project, including photographs and a blog from
the site archaeologist, are available at: www.lionsaltworks.org.
Winter 2014 | Talking Together | Page 5
A true centre for the arts
A family of their own
The largest independent art venue in
Cheshire has a sparkling, revitalised
gallery. “This heralds a new chapter in
our quest to be recognised as a unique
place to engage with all aspects of the
arts,” said Peter Vickery, Chairman at the
Castle Park Arts Centre in Frodsham.
In May this year Cheshire West and Chester couple, David
and Leanne, featured in ITV’s four-part series Wanted:
A Family of My Own. Presenter Nicky Campbell introduced
a moving insight into adoption, following the experiences of
children and potential adopters at close-quarters. Now David
and Leanne can bring Talking Together up-to-date.
“Our two little girls have been with us for 10 months,”
explained Leanne. Soon there’ll be a final court hearing.
“After that, all that’s left is to wait for a date for our
celebration day!”
“We started out thinking adoption would take years and
become very intrusive,” David reflected. “But that hasn’t
been the case. Some elements are very personal, but you
expect that - to be vetted correctly and to ensure the best
possible match.”
David and Leanne (pictured) turned to adoption after several
years of unsuccessful IVF treatment. Once they’d started the
adoption process social worker Les told them about two
sisters she was trying to place, who she thought might be a
good match for the couple. Les showed them photos of the
girls and it began to look like they’d get the family they’ve
always dreamed of.
The Council’s caseworker has a key role. “We get on very
well,” Leanne said. “You build a close relationship, you spend
a lot of time together and they end up knowing your whole
life. You need that support - we can ring anytime with a
problem or question and she doesn’t hesitate in helping us.”
Steve’s story
David said it had been an emotional experience:
“We’ve had many times of excitement, and plenty of
‘are we doing this right?’ moments too.” But both
agree it’s been worth it.
“Adoption means everything to us. Having our own
family is something we always wanted and, at times,
thought we’d never get. Now, we’re a family - day in,
day out – sometimes you have to pinch yourself to
believe it’s happened.”
Cheshire West and Chester Council’s adoption service
is rated quickest in the North West at finding homes
for children that desperately need them. Find out
more at: www.smileadoptionandfostering.co.uk or
by texting SMILE to 80010.
Angie added: “In the last two months of his life, the cancer spread
to the bottom of Steve’s spine and he lost the use of his legs. He
vowed he would never let it beat him, that’s why he wanted a
mobility scooter. He just didn’t want to be still.
Stephen Croasdale from Ellesmere Port
was diagnosed with a rare form of
kidney cancer when he was 21. “Steve
wasn’t a typical teenager, he loved
extreme sports and living life to the full,”
explains Steve’s mum, Angie. “He was
passionate about meeting people and
finding out about different cultures.
When he was 16 he went to Africa to see
the Maasai People and came back with a
new view on life and, as a student,
became heavily involved with the
Kefalonian Animal Trust where they called
him the Dog Whisperer.
“We went to DICE, a local organisation that loans wheelchairs
and mobility scooters, and they provided Steve with a scooter and,
from that point, he was able to be more independent.
“Even after Steve was diagnosed with
cancer and had surgery and radiotherapy
he showed no signs of slowing down, he
went mountain biking in The Alps and
spent a year in Granada in Spain. He was a
remarkable young man.”
Cheshire West and Chester Council provides funding to DICE to
deliver a range of services, including Shopmobility, to disabled
people living in and visiting Ellesmere Port.
“Every day he was out on the ‘Marley-Mobo’, the nickname his
friends gave his scooter. They called him Marley because he loved
reggae music and had black dreadlocks. He wanted his friends and
other people in the neighbourhood to understand how the mobility
scooters could give him such freedom, and they weren’t just for
older people.
“I am convinced the scooter played a significant part in extending
his life and giving Steve enjoyment during his last few weeks.
He passed away at home this year surrounded by family and friends
and all five of his Greek rescue dogs. He was 25.”
For more information about DICE and the services it can offer
including benefits advice for people with disabilities, and mobility
items, visit: www.diceinfo.co.uk or tel: 0151 3551420.
During the summer Gallery 2 and an
adjoining room have been extensively
refurbished thanks to grants from
Cheshire West and Chester Council’s
Rural Support Fund and from the Biffa
Award, a national environmental fund.
“We can now accommodate more
emerging and established artists wishing
to display their work, and host more
workshops, lectures, demonstrations,
group meetings and musical evenings,”
Peter continued.
Castle Park Arts Centre is a charitable
trust, managed and manned by
volunteers. Its three galleries host a sixweek rolling programme of exhibitions,
often by local artists. Currently on show
is the annual Open Art Exhibition until 4
January 2015.
The Centre also provides a whole range
of other art related activities, visit:
www.castleparkarts.co.uk for details
about events, facilities and exhibitions.
Page 6 | Talking Together | Winter 2014
Out of the woods
“Since we started we have been
out in the freezing cold, soaked
to the skin and stuck in the mud.
It’s great fun though, and two
days are never the same.” Lorraine
and Martin Brannan (pictured)
have been sharing their experiences
of the journey to becoming
wood allotmenteers.
Cheshire West and Chester has a wealth
of green and open spaces and, delivered
by the Council together with The Mersey
Forest, Wood Allotments is a great
example of partnership working to
sustainably manage woodlands with local
people in local spaces.
Could you be a
firefighter?
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is
looking to recruit part-time
firefighters at several of its Cheshire
West and Chester fire stations.
The Service is asking people who live
within five minutes of the fire stations in
Winsford, Tarporley, and Malpas to get
involved.
Part-time firefighters, known as on-call,
play a vital role within the fire and rescue
service and are trained to the same level
as full-time firefighters. They also get
involved in a wide variety of situations as
well as fighting fires, such as floods, road
accidents, chemical spills and attending
community events.
Paul Hancock, Cheshire Fire and Rescue's
Chief Fire Officer, said: "Working with the
Fire and Rescue Service is a thoroughly
rewarding experience. It gives individuals
the opportunity to work with people from
different backgrounds and meet people in
the community as well as responding to
emergency incidents within Cheshire."
On-call firefighters come from all walks of
life including shopkeepers, stay at home
mums, builders, plumbers, farmers,
secretaries, company directors and people
who may not currently be employed and
work alongside their whole-time (fulltime) colleagues.
If you would like to come along to one
of the open days please call Sarah on,
tel: 01606 868451 or email:
sarah.dornford-may@
cheshirefire.gov.uk for full information.
Lorraine said: “We saw a sign up in
Marbury Park near Northwich advertising
the scheme but we didn’t really know
what it was- we then read more about it
in the FOAM (Friends of Anderton and
Marbury) newsletter and, even though we
hadn’t done anything like this before, we
knew we wanted to get involved.
Lorraine and Martin went to see the
countryside ranger at Marbury Park, near
Northwich, to express their interest. “It
costs £10 a year to become a wood
allotmenteer - for this we completed the
paperwork, received all our health and
safety training including how to cut and
trim the trees using manual tools, and we
have ongoing use of protective clothing,”
continued Martin.
Chester takes
a breath
The wood allotmenteers work from
October to March, felling the trees
in their own plot and cutting
the wood into manageable sizes.
They cut down approximately
Areas of woodland are broken into
20 trees a year to dry out and keep
plots and the ranger marks the trees
for firewood that is suitable for
to be cut down. Usually it is because
open fires, wood-burning stoves
there are too many trees in one
and kindling.
area, or some might be damaged or
Lorraine said: “In the last two
diseased and not likely to grow to
winters we have made new friends,
their full potential. Sometimes
rediscovered parks we have been
these trees are left to grow for the
purposes of encouraging woodland walking through for years, and given
biodiversity - a healthy environment back to our local community by
helping manage the woodland for
for flowers and animal species.
future generations.”
Each year the management of the
wood is rotated, giving trees in some
places the chance to grow and
others the chance to be thinned out.
Find out how you can get involved
with Wood Allotments at:
www.woodallotments.com.
In October, Chester Police Officers ran the’ Take a Breath’ initiative
aimed at keeping the people of Chester safe when they were out on
the town.
The initiative involved supplying door staff at licensed premises including
Off the Wall, Rosie’s and Cruise with breath testing equipment to test the
levels of alcohol on anyone they believed had too much to drink.
As on any other night, if a member of the door staff felt that a person
trying to enter had already had too much to drink they would stop them.
However with the ‘Take A Breath’ initiative, if the customer complained
saying they were not drunk, the staff, instead of turning them away would,
offer them a chance to be breathalysed to find out how much alcohol was
in their system
John Dwyer, Police & Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, said: “I am
delighted the Constabulary has risen to my challenge to implement this
initiative as tackling alcohol related crime is a key part of my Police &
Crime Plan.
‘Take a Breath’ will do so much to encourage responsible drinking and to
educate people about alcohol related harm. I didn’t want to spoil anyone’s
fun but at the same time I want everyone that lives, works, or studies in
Chester to feel safe and be safe as they enjoy going out in the city.”
Winter 2014 | Talking Together | Page 7
Staying well and looking after yourself this winter
NHS Commissioners in Vale Royal and West Cheshire want to support you to self-care for life and understand how to take better care of yourself and your
family members, especially during the winter months, when seasonal illnesses increase.
About 80 per cent of all care in the UK is self care. The majority of people feel comfortable managing everyday minor ailments themselves, such as coughs and colds;
particularly when they feel confident in recognising the symptoms and have successfully treated using an over-the-counter medicine previously.
Look after yourself this winter
We want to help you stay healthy
this winter
Most people recover from minor
illnesses without needing to see a
doctor. A combination of rest, fluids
and the right over-the-counter
medication will usually get you back on
your feet – but there is lots of medical
help and advice close at hand if you are
worried or are not getting better:
By being prepared and making the
right choices this winter, you will be
better placed to stay healthy, be in
control of your health and wellbeing
and get the right care for you and
your family when you need it. The
NHS will feel better too.
Talk to your GP surgery
Use your local pharmacist
Did you know that you can speak
to your pharmacist about over the
counter medicine for the following
ailments, so that you don’t need a
GP appointment?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cold, sore throat, cough and flu
Diarrhoea and vomiting
Fever
Head lice
Hayfever
Vaginal Thrush (16-60)
Worms
Conjunctivitis
Cystitis
If your symptoms last more than a
week or you are worried, contact your
GP surgery. The doctors, practice
nurses and other members of the team
are there to help. If you phone at a
particularly busy time they may need
to take a message and arrange to call
you back later.
If more people are able to meet their
own needs, this will ease the pressure
on health services and help to make
sure the right care is available when
people really need it.
Get your flu vaccine – the flu jab is
available free from your GP if you are
over 65, pregnant or have a long-term
condition such as heart failure,
diabetes or respiratory disease.
Dr Jonathan Griffiths, Chair, NHS Vale Royal
CCG, said, “Making sure you stock up on some
essentials that can help you and your family to
cope with common complaints such as colds,
coughs, stomach upsets, flu and earache, will
mean that you are better prepared.
“There is a lot that people can do to care for
themselves when they have common health
complaints, without needing to go to a GP.
Dr Huw Charles Jones, Chair of NHS West
Cheshire CCG added: “The majority of people
with colds or stomach bugs will begin to feel
better within three to four days. Your local high
street chemist can give you advice on the best
medicines to take for you and your family.
“It’s important to choose the right service for
your need. That way, you’ll spend less time
waiting for treatment and will get the best
treatment for your symptoms. You’ll also be
freeing up A&E to treat those with the most
serious injuries and illnesses.”
Use NHS advice at your fingertips
When you need help quickly but it’s
not an emergency, call 111 and you
will be directed to the best service for
your needs. NHS 111 is available 24
hours a day, 365 days a year and is
free to call from landlines or mobile
phones. You can also call NHS 111 for
health advice - and health information
is available around the clock at:
www.nhs.uk.
If you have a long term condition, prepare for
winter by ensuring you don’t run out of your
medication, many pharmacists offer repeat
prescription services without the need to see
your GP.
This year the vaccine is also available
to children aged two, three and
four as a nasal spray. If you are not in
one of these groups you can pay
for the vaccine - ask your pharmacist
for details.
Chester celebrates Diwali
To find your nearest pharmacy and their
opening hours visit: www.nhs.uk or for help
and advice with medical queries, call 111.
Get webchatting
The family festival also featured fascinating workshops
including Rangoli Diwali art cards, Diya Indian candles,
peacock art, henna hand painting, Indian head
massage, face painting and Indian food tasting.
Cheshire West and Chester’s
website now comes with online
support to assist visitors looking
to self serve. The site’s new
Webchat feature allows you to
talk with a member of the
Customer Services team who can
help you locate the information
that you need, and guide you to
the quickest ways to access Council services online – just one
more way the Council is making it easier for residents.
Visit: www.flickr.com/cheshirewest for photos from
the event. The Council’s flickr site features more than
4,700 images showing different events as well as
beautiful countryside and wildlife shots, and pictures
from the latest news stories.
After a successful pilot on waste disposal and streetscene pages,
the webchat service has been extended to include planning,
highways and schools issues too. When you visit:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk, look out for the
webchat tool on the right hand side of the pages concerned.
A colourful parade featuring traditional Indian
dance displays took to the streets of Chester in
October to celebrate Diwali. The event, organised
by Sanjhi Indian Association and supported by the
Council and an Awards For All lottery grant, celebrated
the Hindu festival of lights.
Page 8 | Talking Together | Winter 2014
App helps smart travel
Travelling around Cheshire West has got a lot easier with the help
of a free mobile travel App called itravelsmart. The new app,
available from the App Store and Google Play, is the perfect travel
companion while on the move, having access to bus timetables, cycle
routes, route planner and flexible bus services.
Cyclists can plan a journey
using the quickest or quietest
route. The app will also let you
find out which buses serve the
stops nearest to you at any
point in time within the
borough.
Since its launch in the summer,
the app has helped to plan
over 1,000 journeys, some of
the reviews received include:
Furnishing lives
Tables, chairs, sofas, beds, wardrobes,
washing machines, refrigerators…
a long list of items goes to make
up a family home. And that’s a
real challenge for households on
low incomes.
Across Cheshire over 10,000 families a
year are being helped by small not-forprofit community groups which join
together in the Cheshire Furniture Re-use
Forum (CFRF). Forum members include
the Blacon Furniture Project, Winsfordbased Changing Lives in Cheshire, St
Vincent de Paul in Ellesmere Port and
Reviive in Chester.
Furniture projects provide recycled
quality furniture at little or sometimes no
cost to households in need. They collect
reusable furniture and appliances at no
charge and so help prevent these
unwanted items going to landfill. Some
collect bikes too, and others have
workshops to mend broken appliances.
CFRF is supported by both Cheshire
West and Chester and Cheshire East
councils. Forum members work with
councils, housing associations and
training associations.
As well as employing permanent
staff, they create opportunities for
volunteers to gain skills including
warehousing, retail, driving, new media,
furniture restoration, and bike and
appliance maintenance.
Visit: www.cfrf.org.uk to find out more
about donating reusable items, buying
pre-loved furniture, volunteering or
partnership working.
“Provides an easy to use menu for public transport. Journey Planning is
a great addition and useful.”
“It’s a great app, easy access to local bus services and train times.”
“Brill app, soooo easy to use and it’s got a cycle planner. Love it.”
The app, developed by Cheshire West and
Chester Council, includes:
• Near me - locates you on the map,
showing train departures, bus stops and
Park & Ride sites
• Cycle planner – plan a journey using a
range of route characteristics
• Public transport planner - with clear
results screen and routes plotted on a map
or as a list
• Bus timetables - list of departures,
route numbers and times, a mix of live and
timetabled information dependant on the
coverage area selected
• City car club - find out where your
nearest vehicle is and visit the online
booking portal to hire a car by the hour
• Bus stop damage - report vandalism and
maintenance issues
• Twitter - stay up-to-date with all the latest
tweets for travel in the Cheshire West and
Chester region.
For more details visit: www.itravelsmart.co.uk or visit the App Store and Google Play to download the app.
Choose West Cheshire
There are more than 150 exciting reasons to
wrap up warm and enjoy the green and open
spaces across West Cheshire this winter.
Whether your goal is to boost your fitness,
entertain or educate the family, volunteer as a
guardian of our beautiful parks and woodlands, or
simply enjoy being outside - there's something for
all ages and abilities.
With seven urban parks and formal spaces, 19
country parks, woodlands and nature reserves and
128 play areas, all maintained and cared for by
your Council, there's every incentive to explore the
treasures on your doorstep. Lots of our outdoor
spaces host regular events and festivals and have
great sporting facilties too.
West Cheshire boasts an impressive seven Green
Flags, the national award that recognises the very
best green spaces in the country.
Why not take the opportunity to visit one of the
Green Flag winning sites- Westminster Park in
Chester, where picturesque gardens are
complimented by a wide range of recreational and
sports facilities. Also in the city is Caldy Nature
Park, with wetland, woodland and meadows
teaming with wildlife.
In the north of the borough Ellesmere Port’s
Whitby Park is ideal for family picnics and dog
walking, with Stanney Fields Park in the heart of
Neston town centre offering plenty of outdoor
activities, including sports coaching sessions, an
annual fun day and a dog show.
Castle Park in Frodsham has stunning gardens and great sports and
recreational facilities, and nearby Helsby Quarry is a thriving nature
reserve, the ideal setting for a family day out.
The beautiful Northwich Woodlands embrace 350 hectares of
vibrant and accessible parkland including Marbury Country Park's
diverse wildlife, and the industrial past of the Flashes and Anderton
Nature Park. There is a packed timetable of year-round activities.
Share your photos of the wonderful outdoor spaces in the borough
on Twitter with the hashtag: #choosewestcheshire. Or email them
to: [email protected] and we’ll
share them on our Flickr and Facebook profiles.Please make sure you
have permission from everybody in the photo before you submit them.
Visit: www.yourwestcheshire.co.uk and click on your area to find
out what parks, woodlands and other outdoor spaces are near you.
If you are interested in volunteering opportunities, please email:
[email protected].
Winter 2014 | Talking Together | Page 9
Spot the difference
Spot the differences in the fun illustrations and
you could win family tickets to the festive
pantomime – Dick Whittington at Winsford
Lifestyle Centre. For the chance to win, simply
ring the five differences between the two
cartoons – cut out the cartoon and send it to:
Spot the Difference Competition, Marketing
Team, Cheshire West and Chester Council,
Wyvern House, Winsford, Cheshire CW7 1AH.
Don’t forget to include your name, address and
daytime telephone number.
The closing date for entries is Monday 15
December. The first five entries out of the hat
will win family tickets. The editor’s decision is
final and prizes will not be exchanged for a cash
equivalent. When you send your entry, why
not give us your views on this Talking Together
newspaper? We would welcome your views.
Library services at the
touch of a button
Following the success of The Sleeping Beauty at Winsford Lifestyle Centre last
Christmas, Make Believe Entertainment returns this year with a magical new
production of Dick Whittington.
Join Dick and his cat on their quest to find fame and fortune in the bright lights of old
London town in a spectacular show full of sing-a-long songs, silly slapstick and audience
participation. Shows 17 – 24 December. Ticket prices vary, for details or to book
tickets tel: 01606 550700 or visit: www.briolesiure.org
“I have a real love of books, and e-books are brilliant,”
Clare (pictured) said. “It’s so practical. I used to have to
order books I wanted if they weren’t available locally.
Now I can get hold of them straightaway, direct to my
e-reading device.”
Fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles can be
borrowed for 14 or 21 days, there are no late fees.
Users can download up to five titles at once, on top of
their 20 regular library items.
“The Library staff are always really helpful,” Clare
continued. “They’re so friendly and approachable and
are happy to help people become familiar with the
new e-resource collection.”
You can go online 24/7 for more than just e-books via
our hi-tech libraries. The wide range of free eResources
includes Firstclick Digital e-audiobooks, family history
research at Ancestry and Find My Past, The Times
Digital Archive and other local, regional and national
newspapers, Oxford English Dictionary, Naxos Music
Library, Which? Online and Britannica.
The libraries’ eResources can also help you prepare for
your driving test with Theory Test Pro, or work towards
the British Citizenship test via Go Citizen. You can even
delve into the Access to Research resource with more
than 8,600 articles from academic journals and
conference proceedings available for free to library
members.Your local library team will be happy to show
you how to get access.
Clare Riley of Vicars Cross, Chester, is a
keen library user, and now she can get
the book of her choice in the comfort
of her own home, even at bedtime.
That’s because Clare uses the new e-book
service which is free to all library
members who can now download titles to
a range of devices via the Overdrive app.
You can also take advantage of free Wi-fi at seven
local libraries – Chester, Ellesmere Port, Neston,
Winsford, Frodsham, Upton and Northwich. Just
sign up and start using Cheshire West Online
straightaway on any Wi-fi enabled device. Study or
work online in the library for as long as you like.
Check out all our library services at:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/libraries.
First café in Grosvenor Park Lodge
Chester's newly restored Grosvenor Park now has its first
ever café open seven-days-a-week, 9am - 5pm, with
delicious, freshly cooked food and an emphasis on locally
sourced ingredients.
Next to the Grosvenor Park Road entrance, the family friendly
café is on the ground floor of the Grade II listed gate lodge - the
first known example of the black and white style of Cheshire
architect John Douglas, who designed many of the buildings in
the city centre.
The Duke of Westminster re-opened the park in July after a
regeneration programme restored it to its former glory with the
help of a £3.6m in grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, CWAC
and WREN - the non profit-making company dedicated to
environmental improvement.
The café is run by ARCH, a third sector organisation that is
dedicated to enhancing health and wellbeing. Their Chief
Executive Steve Jones commented: "When the 2nd Marquis of
Westminster donated the park in 1867 he hoped it would
benefit the public's health and wellbeing. That fits perfectly with
ARCH's mission and the valuable training we offer to
disadvantaged people. The Lodge will help us to transform lives
and build brighter futures for staff, while enhancing the
community they serve."
Find out more about the cafe at: www.lodgecafe.co.uk,
Facebook page: fb.com/lodgecafechester and Twitter:
@thelodgecafe.
Page 10 | Talking Together | Winter 2014
What’s On in West Cheshire
Roman Torch Lit Saturnalia
Parade, Chester city centre
Thurs 18 December, 5.45pm 6.30pm, then 6.45pm - 8pm parade
The Chester Legion celebrate
this winter celebration with a
Torchlight Parade.
Christmas Market, Town Hall
Square, Chester
November – 14 December
Winter Wonderland, Chester
Racecourse
November 24 December
A magical festive fantasy land
filled with fun and excitement for
all. Visit: www.winterwonder
landchester.co.uk
Lantern Parade, Chester city
centre
Thurs 27 November, 7-8pm
Local schools take to the street
with their handmade lanterns.
Lantern Magic, Chester Zoo
Dates in December
Follow an enchanted, illuminated
trail leading to a spectacular
display of animal lanterns.
Visit: www.chesterzoo.org
Winter Watch Parade, Chester
Thurs 4 and Thurs 11 December,
7-8pm
Chester celebrates the Winter
Solstice with this colourful parade.
Visit:
www.midsummerwatch.co.uk
Christmas stalls and Carousel in
Civic Square, Ellesmere Port
17 - 21 December, 11.30am – 6pm
Carousel free of charge, for more
information contact the Our Place
Team on, tel: 0151 356 6450.
Noel: A Chester Christmas,
Chester Cathedral
Sat 20 December, 7.30 - 10pm
Join the Chester Cathedral Choir
and Nick Fry for seasonal readings
and carols. Visit:
www.chestercathedral.com
FOAM’S Christmas Decoration
Workshop, Marbury Country
Park, Northwich
Sun 14 December, 10am – 12noon
Annual workshop to create
stunning decorations for your
home using natural materials
gathered in the woodlands. For
details, contact Joanne Redley on,
tel: 01606 44728.
Aladdin, Ellesmere Port Civic Hall
Brio Leisure is pleased to welcome
Anton Benson Productions Ltd who
will present their record breaking
production of Aladdin at Ellesmere
Port Civic Hall from 16 to 20
December 2014. Coronation Street
star Bruce Jones, best known for his
role as Les Battersby, will be
starring as PC Pong. Ticket prices
vary. For details or to book tickets:
Tel: 0151 356 6890
Ellesmere Port Civic Hall CH65 0AZ
Tarvin Christmas Market and
Festival, Tarvin High Street
Sat 6 December, 5-9pm
For details, visit:
www.tarvinonline.org
Santa Dash, Chester city centre
Sun 7 December, 10am
Come along and run, walk or even
push a pram around the route to
raise funds for the Countess of
Chester Hospital, and the Hospice
of the Good Shepherd. For entry
details, visit:
www.chestersantadash.com or
tel: 01244 366240.
Visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/events or
www.visitchester.com
Christmas Grotto, Ellesmere Port
indoor market
18 – 22 December, 10am – 2pm
Free entry and a gift for every child,
for more information contact:
0151 356 6450.
The ESSAR Chester Round- the Walls Race
Fri 26 December
Chester's historic walls provide the
venue for a popular annual Boxing
Day race hosted by West Cheshire
Athletic Club. Visit:
www.westcheshireac.co.uk
ESSAR Four Villages Half
Marathon, starting at Helsby
Community Sports Club
Sun 18 January 2015
A scenic 13-mile road race through
rural countryside and passing
through Helsby, Dunham on the
Hill, Mouldsworth and Manley,
visit: www.helsbyrunning
club.org.uk/halfmarathon
Christmas Lights Events
Ellesmere Port Christmas Tree Lights
Switch On at Civic Square
Thurs 27 November, 6pm
Enjoy festive fun for all the family.
For details, email: ourplace@cheshire
westandchester.gov.uk or,
tel: 0151 356 6450.
Winsford Christmas Street Festival
and Lights Switch On at Old
High Street
Fri 28 November, 4-7pm
Father Christmas, lantern parade,
Christmas goodies, two music stages,
street entertainment, fairground rides,
refreshments and much more. Lights
Switch On 5pm.
Frodsham Christmas Festival, Station
Car Park, off Church Street
Sat 29 November, 12noon-9pm
Christmas market, fairground rides,
entertainment throughout the
afternoon and Father Christmas with his
reindeer. Lights Switch On at 6.30pm,
followed by a parade from Church
Street to Castle Park.
Visit: www.frodsham.gov.uk
Northwich Christmas Extravaganza,
Witton Street
Sat 29 November, 2-7pm
Father Christmas, street entertainment,
music, refreshments, fireworks and
much more. Lights Switch On 5pm.
Hearts of Northwich Community
Festival
Sat 14 February 2015
Come and join the party, for
details, email:
[email protected].
Neston Christmas Lights
Fri 5 December, 6pm–8pm
Lantern Parade from Market Square to
Neston Cross, Lights Switch On at
Neston Cross with choir and Father
Christmas.
Ellesmere Port Heart Town Day,
Civic Square
Thurs 26 February 2015
All proceeds go to the British Heart
Foundation. For details, email:
ourplace@cheshirewestandches
ter.gov.uk or, tel: 0151 356 6450
Note: Distribution of Talking Together
begins on 24.11.14. We have listed
event details after this date but, as
distribution takes up to two weeks,
some information may be out-of-date
when it reaches you.
Winter 2014 | Talking Together | Page 11
We come to you
Cheshire Constabulary has reviewed the way it
responds to calls from the public to deliver the best
possible service. When Assistant Chief Constable
Mark Roberts was appointed in July, one of his first
tasks was to look at the service the Constabulary
provides to those contacting police for assistance in
relation to emergency and non-emergency incidents.
ACC Roberts said: “We are making a strong commitment to respond
to all emergencies within 15 minutes and, as a result, we are getting to
people faster when they really need us.
“The improvements are about us working more effectively from the
moment a member of the public calls, until the officer arrives. It is
about intelligently understanding our demand and organising ourselves
to meet it in the most efficient way possible. By continuing to do this we
will continue to improve.”
It was found that by changing the way the Constabulary interacts with
the public, it could find a solution both timely and convenient. Now, the
Constabulary offers appointments for non-emergency call-outs, such as
victim care, witness interviews and raising general concerns.
“The introduction of appointments into the response service has
allowed us to further improve our service to the public. They have told
us that they want to see us at a time that is convenient for them, and
we need to meet their expectations. If they want to see an officer, then
under our ‘we’ll come to you’ commitment, we will visit them.”
Ellesmere Port Market keeping it in the family
The appointments system
works by having set ‘blocks’
of available time allocated in
advance. When a member
of the public requests an
appointment they are logged
on to a calendar for frontline
officers to manage.
ACC Roberts added: “The
system for appointments is
working well across the
Force and has been received
with praise by members of
the public.”
If you wish to speak to an
officer, please contact the
non-emergency 101 number.
Today the Council runs markets in Chester, Northwich,
Winsford and Ellesmere Port, with other popular
markets in Neston and Frodsham. They are still a
source of everything a household needs from fruit and
veg to the latest fashions.
Sean Roberts took over his parents watch, clock and
jewellery repair stall at Ellesmere Port and is now joined
by his son, Dan. Sean said: “We’ve had the market stall
since 1979. Less people come to markets these days but
we have lots to offer and also do repairs from high
street stores across the country. Many of my customers
are now friends, and every customer is the most
important person in the world.”
Long before supermarkets, the street market was the
main source for household shopping. Chester’s market
traces back to 1139, it was located by St. Peter’s Church
and only Chester men were allowed to trade there. In
1728 King George II granted a Royal Charter for a weekly
market to be held in Neston.
Photo: from left Sean and Dan Roberts
The newest market trader to Ellesmere Port is Suzie
Kincla, selling Gothic, Steampunk, Faerie, Hippy Metal
and alternative wares. Suzie has spent the last two years
travelling around the country attending festivals and
fairs. Suzie commented: “I’ve brought my own piece of
Petticoat Lane to Ellesmere Port. My mission is to help
people feel beautiful inside and out.”
Markets are the perfect way to start trading or testing
an idea. A market stall can be run for a single day for
just £5 offering a no risk opportunity to test your ideas,
which could lead to a full time stall, shop or maybe the
next supermarket chain.
For details of opening days, times and locations, visit:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/markets.
Forum office closes
Cheshire West and Chester Council will
close its offices in the Forum in Chester
by the end of the year, as part of plans
to keep the amount of costly office
space the Council uses to a minimum.
The customer service centre on the
ground floor of the Forum will stay open.
Residents will be able to call in and get
the same advice and support as before.
The Council is now doing more of its
business through working with partners,
buying in services from suppliers, direct
contact with customers online and by
encouraging staff to work flexibly and
without a fixed office base - so less office
space is required overall.
The planned Northgate development will
soon bring a major boost to this part of
Chester. The Council is working hard to
bring new stores in to the Forum
shopping centre and so increase numbers
of potential customers for the existing
shops and cafés, and the market too.
Page 12 | Talking Together | Winter 2014
Snow Angels in West Cheshire
There’s now more help and support available for older people preparing for the winter as the Snow Angels
start to expand their networks.
The Keeping Well programme, delivered by Age UK Cheshire and Snow Angels Community Interest Company (CIC),
provides advice, information and encourages volunteering to support older people.
Director of Snow Angels, Cathy Boyd, said: “We aim to help people who may be vulnerable during extreme weather,
develop local partnerships and provide a calling and visiting service.
“We have schemes up and running across Cheshire West with new projects in Neston, Upton and Great Boughton in
Chester. If you would like to receive help and support from an Angel volunteer or know a friend, colleague or
neighbour who you feel could benefit, then please contact: 01606 813 348 to register or become a volunteer.” Cathy
offers the following advice for keeping well.
Residents urged to
lock up their bins
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging
Cheshire West and Chester residents to
help prevent wheelie bin fires. People are
being encouraged to lock them away and
only put them out on the morning of
collection to avoid them becoming a target
for would be arsonists.
Colin Heyes, the Service’s Arson Reduction
Manager, said: “We would just like people to
take extra care. This sort of fire can pose a
real threat to people's safety and property.
Firefighters want to prevent further incidents
and so we are urging people to follow our
advice. We need residents to keep their bins
locked away until the morning of collection
and not put them out overnight.”
The following tips can help prevent wheelie
bin fires.
Keeping well
• Review how you use your medicines (most pharmacies
can help with this).
• Keep a well-stocked medicine cabinet for minor
illnesses and injuries
• Pharmacies can provide expert advice and over the
counter remedies to help treat minor illnesses
• Call 111 for medical help fast when it’s not a 999
emergency. 111 Is a fast and easy way to get the right
help, 24-hours-a-day, calls are free from landlines and
mobiles, pay as you go mobiles need 1p credit.
• Only attend Accident and Emergency for emergencies
and life threatening conditions.
The programme is funded through Cheshire West and Chester Council, Vale Royal Clinical Commissioning Group and
West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group. Visit: www.westcheshirelocaloffer.co.uk or:
www.snowangels.org.uk, or follow the twitter profile: @snowangelscic.
Become a road care reporter
Looking after the Cheshire West and Chester
highways network is an ongoing commitment
that costs £24 million a year. And one of the top
tasks on our daily to do list is repairing potholes.
• Do not store rubbish or wheelie
bins/refuse containers by windows or
doors - any fire in the bin could easily
spread to your property.
These small troublemakers can crop up literally
overnight, causing annoyance and risk for all road
users. With our pothole repair plus approach,
we’ve set aside an extra £1.5 million to tackle
potholes this year.
• Do not store your wheelie bin/refuse
containers in close proximity to a building.
• Do not overfill your wheelie bin/refuse
containers or leave loose rubbish
around them.
You can help us keep our roads safe to use become a Road Care Reporter. Report new potholes
using our interactive map at: www.cheshirewest
andchester.gov.uk/roadcare.
• Whenever possible, wheelie bins/refuse
containers should be stored securely
behind locked gates.
• Only place your wheelie bin out on
collection day. Return it to your property
as soon as possible after collection. Do
not leave your wheelie bin out at night.
• Do not allow bins or rubbish to block
escape routes.
Colin added: "We would urge anyone with
information about people deliberately setting
fires to report it by calling Crimestoppers,
which can be done anonymously, on: 0800
555 111 or Cheshire Police on 101.”
For further safety information visit:
www.cheshirefire.gov.uk.
Keeping warm
• Have your heating checked and serviced.
• Check if you are entitled to any help with
heating your home (call the Home Heat Helpline
on 0800 336699)
• Keep your living room temperature at
70F (21C).
• Keep bedroom at 65F (18C).
• Keep your bedroom window closed at night
when the weather is cold.
• Have hot meals and drinks throughout the day.
• On cold days try and stay indoors when possible.
• Tune in to local news and radio to check weather
conditions.
The Cheshire West and Chester highways
team looks after:
• 2,266km roads
• 2,629km footways
• 387 bridges and culverts over 1.5m diameter
• 58 retaining walls
• 110 City Wall structures
• 43,668 lighting columns
• 4,077 illuminated signs
• The walls of Chester
You can also download our Smyle app for iPhones,
iPads and Android devices. With Smyle you can
report potholes, plus problems such as graffiti, flytipping, litter, blocked drains, broken streetlights and
dog fouling, straight to the people who can put
things right.
How do we fix a pothole? First, we try to be prompt
with a temporary repair where safety is at risk.
Then we have three techniques to choose from
depending on suitability. There’s a cut out and patch
approach, an infrared heat treatment and what’s
known as micro-asphalt patching. You can watch a
video about the process at:
www.vimeo.com/cheshirewest/potholes.
Winter 2014 | Talking Together | Page 13
Cameras roll around Chester
The Chester Film Co-op was launched in September
2013 as part of the Council’s development of the
former Odeon building into a new Cultural Centre.
The Film Co-op has become a vibrant and exciting
place for filmmakers and artists to meet, discuss,
screen and make films.
Monthly networking events help to grow and develop
grassroots filmmaking in Chester. As well as making a
series of films documenting events at the Co-op, two
exciting films have so far been produced by members.
There are a hundred reasons not to make a film - but one
great one to inspire you to actually do it. As soon as you
start shooting, you are a filmmaker.”
Work has now started on the conversion of the former
Odeon building into the new Cultural Centre including a
theatre, library and cinema screen. It is scheduled to open
in autumn 2016.
Visit: www.chesterfilmco-op.co.uk, or follow on Twitter
and Facebook.
‘Ghosts of the Odeon’ follows a boy’s exciting adventure
through the long forgotten cinema. Exploring the
building, he encounters echoes of the past as iconic
movies come to life. The film features Co-op member
and local actor Nathan Head and introduces 11-yearold acting talent Jack Clayton as the boy on the
adventure of a lifetime.
‘A Life at the Pictures’ is a short documentary featuring
Chester resident Joyce Cook as she recounts memories
of the Odeon from its opening in 1936, through a
lifetime of viewing movies, up to the present day and
looking ahead. Both films were produced by Mark
Ellingham and Daniel J. Fox of Neston-based Chat Noir
Productions Ltd.
Asked what advice he would give to budding
filmmakers, Daniel said: “Get out there and make films.
The first few will be weak or even bad, but every time
you make something you will learn from mistakes and
build on your strengths.
Photo: Film Co-op members left to right - Nathan Head,
Daniel Fox (back), Mark Smith and Mark Ellingham
Shopping around between the energy
giants to find the best price for your gas
and electricity can feel like an endless
task. But what if you could club together
with your friends and neighbours, even with
other householders across the area, to get
a better price from the suppliers? Then
you’d be able to switch with confidence.
That’s exactly how the ‘Ready to Switch’
scheme works. Backed by Cheshire West
and Chester Council, it’s helping local people
get good value.
The scheme is quick, easy, free and without
obligation. To take the hassle out of
comparing and switching suppliers you need
to register before midnight on Monday,
2 February 2015. Enter your contact details,
your current supplier and details of your
energy usage and tariff - you’ll need a copy
of your latest fuel bill handy.
On 3 February, energy companies will bid to
supply everyone who has registered. You’ll
get a personal offer a week later and can
decide whether to go ahead. If you do
switch, it will all be taken care of for you.
Get Ready to Switch online at:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/
readytoswitch
Up to five people can be registered on the
same email address so why not register
friends and family who don’t have access to
the internet? For more information call:
0800 088 5007.
Free childcare for twoyear-olds
GGO-getters get more
It’s ‘all systems GGO’ in West Winsford, where three neighbourhoods are taking unprecedented direct control
over services for local people. GGO stands for Greenfields Park, Glebe Green and Over, where a group of residents
dubbed ‘GGO-getters’ are trailblazers in the Government’s Our Place programme.
Since 2009 organisations and local people have worked together through
GGO with a shared vision to ‘… empower everyone to create a better and
safer neighbourhood for all’.
Now, after winning further government cash, GGO West Winsford intends
to tackle another priority identified by residents - to make it easier for local
people to access local jobs.
“GGO West Winsford is a fantastic project, with organisations and residents
working together to make a real difference,” says Emma Gilpin,
neighbourhood manager for Weaver Vale Housing Trust. “The funding
means we can work more with residents and local employers to develop a
new project around the GGO priority of training and job support.”
GGO-Getter Beverley Cross agrees: “This is brilliant news, we now need to
build on what we already have, with more volunteers working on more
activities that all help to make a difference.”
Photo: from left GGO Getters Ida Warburton
and Beverley Cross with Emma Gilpin
Switch with confidence
GGO West Winsford is co-ordinated by Weaver Vale Housing Trust, working
with Cheshire West and Chester Council and Muir Group Housing and
others including Groundwork Cheshire. Find out more by searching for GGO
West Winsford on Twitter and Facebook.
Families on low incomes are being urged
not to miss out on free childcare for their
two-year-olds. A scheme offering up to
15 hours of free childcare a week is now
available to hundreds more working
families across the borough.
That’s 15 hours of playing, painting, reading,
cooking, climbing, singing, dancing,
dressing up, running around, building,
gardening… whatever they like doing.
Most of all, your child is learning with other
children.
Previously only open to people receiving
benefits, it has been extended to families
with a household income of less than
£16,190 per year, who receive Working Tax
Credits. Funding can be used at a nursery,
pre-school or with a childminder.
A father-of-four says it has improved his
children's communication skills: “We chose
to use the childcare because of the positive
results we have seen with our older children
as they have moved on to primary school.”
Further details are available on the Council’s
website:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/
2yearoldplaces
Page 14 | Talking Together | Winter 2014
High speed broadband
arrives for 17,000 more
homes and businesses
across West Cheshire
Connecting Cheshire, the partnership
bringing additional Superfast fibre
broadband coverage, has announced
that a further 17,000 premises now have
access to the high-speed technology
that can transform lives and businesses.
The latest areas in West Cheshire to benefit
include much of Frodsham, Tarporley,
Tarvin, Sandiway and Saughall. They follow
parts of Chester, Christleton, Tattenhall,
Guilden Sutton, Neston and Weaverham,
which went ‘live’ earlier in the year. Check
availability of fibre broadband by visiting
www.connectingcheshire.org.uk. If
available, contact your internet service
provider, shop around for the best deal and
order an upgrade to fibre broadband.
Bryan Evans of Tarvin, recently upgraded to
superfast fibre and his broadband speed is
now seven times faster. Bryan is enjoying
the ability to use online video links with
friends and relatives, TV catch-up services,
follow stock market trends and is a keen
eBay user.
He said: “I am much happier with my
broadband service since switching to fibre,
it is much faster, more consistent with no
drop-outs and the installation was very
simple, I would definitely recommend
upgrading!” Connecting Cheshire is a
partnership of four councils – Cheshire
West and Chester, Cheshire East, Halton
and Warrington – and BT,
with additional funding
from BDUK and the EU.
By the end of 2015
96% of premises
will have access
to fibre.
Photo: Tarvin resident
Bryan Evans.
Neston becomes
Dementia Friendly
There are currently over 800,000 people in the
UK with dementia and it’s estimated that 1 in 14
people over 65 will develop the condition.
Neston is the latest area to take up the challenge set
by Prime Minister David Cameron to have one
million UK Dementia Friends by 2015. A Dementia
Friendly Community is one that is more
understanding and welcoming of people living with
the condition, with shops, frontline workers and
residents learning more about the disease.
Dementia can affect memory loss - forgetting what
happened earlier in the day, not being able to recall
the reason for being in a shop, being repetitive
or forgetting addresses. It can cause confusion and
problems with everyday tasks, and in unfamiliar or
noisy environments, people with dementia may
become confused.
Neston Angels, a support service for older people,
is part of the campaign to make Neston a Dementia
Friendly Community. Project Manager Eileen Miller
explained: “Raising awareness of dementia ties
in nicely with the work of Neston Angels. Our
steering group brings together lots of different
organisations that are working to help promote and
develop the initiative.”
Dementia Champion Louise Irvine from Sainsbury’s
has run training sessions with Cheshire West and
Chester library staff and at Neston High School to
make as many people as possible aware of the issues
and how they can help.
Louise said: “Since I trained as a Dementia Friends Champion in
February I have held several awareness sessions for Sainsbury's
colleagues and members of the public. It’s very rewarding being
able to equip people with enough knowledge to make a positive
difference to people living with dementia in their community.”
Cheshire West and Chester Council is working in partnership with
Western Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group and the Countess
of Chester Hospital to raise awareness of dementia and to inspire
and help people to create dementia friendly communities. Find
out more at: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/dementia.
Photo: from left, Louise Irvine and Eileen Miller
Top carbon savers
Cheshire West and Chester residents – you
are top of the league when it comes to cutting
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through
recycling. According to a recent independent
report, we’re doing more in our council area
than anywhere else in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland to keep the lid on greenhouse
gas emissions.
Cheshire West and Chester Council’s dry recycling,
food waste and garden waste collection schemes
contributed to a CO2 saving of 105Kg per person,
beating North Somerset and Powys councils into
second and third places.
The report was produced by environmental consultancy
Eunomia. They analysed figures for 2012/13, the most recent
data available. While other councils may recycle more overall,
Cheshire West and Chester Council collects eight times more
textiles and three times more metal than, for example, one of
the ‘poor performers’ in the survey.
Because lots of energy is required to produce new textiles and
metals, recycling them makes a big contribution to keeping
down CO2 production.
According to the Eunomia experts, collecting food waste
separately so it can be sent for anerobic digestion is another
key to doing well in the table.
The 2012/13 saving in Cheshire West and Chester was up by
7kg per person (7.1 per cent) compared to the previous year,
but across the country as a whole those latest figures showed a
three per cent drop in CO2 saving.
Cheshire West and Chester Council environmental policies
include a commitment to increasing recycling rates and making
carbon savings. Find out more at: www.recyclefirst.info.
Winter 2014 | Talking Together | Page 15
Practical help from
Deafness Support
Network
More than 10 million people in the UK
cope daily with some form of hearing
loss – that’s one in six of the total
population. And, of those, 800,000
people are severely or profoundly deaf.
By 2031 it is estimated that there will
be 14.5 million people with hearing loss
in this country (source: Action Hearing
Loss).
The Council supports Deafness Support
Network (DSN) to deliver practical
services, advice and support to deaf people
and their families and carers. DSN delivers
a wide range of projects, the latest of
which is a course in lip reading and hearing
management designed to give people with
hearing loss tools to deal with
communication barriers, and improve
confidence and independence.
An eye on crime in Chester
Shoppers in Chester city centre are
being kept safer than ever thanks to
a crime-fighting organisation which
relies on the Council's dedicated
CCTV network.
The Chester Against Business Crime (CABC)
partnership aims to squeeze criminals out of the
city centre. It includes CCTV operators,
businesses, police, Community Safety Wardens,
Street Scene officers and community groups.
Around 10,000 incidents have been reported by
camera operators in the past 12 months, and
more than 300 radios are in operation to swiftly
relay messages about potential problems. This
network is an essential weapon in catching and
prosecuting criminals.
Lawrence Allen (pictured), manager of The Forum shopping centre,
is a member of the team. He says the number of visits from known
criminals has reduced dramatically since the creation of CABC. “A
succession of undesirables entering our malls during the shopping
day was causing my security team problems,” he commented.
“Shoplifters have always been the main issue but we have also had
problems with skateboarders in the past, which pose the potential
to injure our shoppers.”
CABC holds weekly meetings to share intelligence and discuss
individuals under the jurisdiction of the new enforceable exclusion
orders.
Lawrence added: “The ability of my security team to have direct
contact with Chester’s CCTV control room now enables us to be
aware in advance of known offenders seen heading towards
the city centre. Combined with our own CCTV, this has greatly
reduced the incidence of shoplifting here. And the Council street
patrols have also been really helpful in solving our out-of-hours
issues. For Chester city centre, I believe the combination is a real
success story.”
Public invited to meetings with chiefs
Police & Crime Commissioner John Dwyer and Chief Constable Simon
Byrne are inviting members of the public to tell them what they want
from the police at a series of engagement events across Cheshire.
The ‘Working Together’ events will take place in colleges, universities and
venues across nine of the county’s biggest towns. The idea is to allow the
community to speak to neighbourhood officers to discuss localised crime and
disorder issues, and receive crime prevention advice and information as well
as hearing the strategic vision from Mr Dwyer and Mr Byrne.
Mr Dwyer said: “I am dedicated to bringing the communities of Cheshire and
the police closer together. These consultation events will allow the public to
ask questions of me and of the Chief Constable, and influence the policing
priorities in their area.
“I’d encourage everyone to take part in these very innovative, informative
and impactive events.”
Dates of upcoming meetings will be
advertised on: www.cheshirepcc.gov.uk.
Photo: John Dwyer
The courses are proving extremely
successful and offering a really positive
experience, not just for the person who
has a hearing loss but their support
network as well. Meeting other people
with a hearing loss, sharing experiences
and learning together in a relaxed and
friendly atmosphere is informative and
enjoyable too.
Sheila Browne really enjoyed the course
she attended, she said: “When the group
came to an end we really wanted to
continue to meet up for both social
reasons and to continue learning from one
another.” So a social club ‘All Ears’ has
been established and had its first meeting.
Find out more about the Deafness Support
Network, including all the courses and
activities available, at:
www.dsnonline.co.uk.
Page 16 | Talking Together | Winter 2014
First day at school –
September 2015
Full of life
Timetable
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Winsford
Headquarters threw open its doors to the public
for a ‘Full of Life’ event as part of national Older
People’s Day. Visitors were treated to a behind
the scenes tour that showcased some of what the
Service has to offer. This included some dramatic live
demonstrations, the chance to have a look around
both old and new fire engines and an opportunity to
experience the Service’s state-of-the-art virtual reality
training facility.
1 September 2014 - application process starts online
at:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/admissions.
A booklet is available online, or by calling:
0300 123 7 039, containing important information
regarding the admissions process.
15 January 2015 - closing date for application forms
to be returned to the Council.
This year 93 per cent of Cheshire West and Chester
residents applied online for a school place. It is
important that applications are received on time
otherwise your child could be disadvantaged as all
late applications are processed after all on-time
applications.
Mark Cashin, the Service’s Deputy Chief Fire Officer,
said: “The event was fantastic - it was great to see so
many people turn out to discover more about their
local fire and rescue service. I hope that everyone who
came along had a great time but more importantly
that they left knowing more about how to keep
themselves, their families and their friends safe in the
home and on the road.”
The event took place to coincide with the UK Older
People’s Day, which is an initiative set up by the
Department for Work and Pensions to coincide with
the UN International Day of Older Persons. The theme
‘Full of Life’ aimed to celebrate the achievements and
contributions that older people make to our society
and economy, and to challenge negative attitudes and
outdated stereotypes.
If you are interested in discovering more
about the work of the Service – please visit:
www.cheshirefire.gov.uk.
Go local with Your West Cheshire
Visit the Council’s locality website to
find out what’s happening in your area,
at: www.yourwestcheshire.co.uk.
The site has four separate sections,
based on the localities in West Cheshire
– Your Chester, Your Ellesmere Port,
Your Northwich and Winsford, and
Your Rural Life.
Each section is packed with useful information and opportunities
about where you live, with local area news, links to services,
events and public notices.
It is also a central point where you can find the latest job
opportunities from local public sector partners – the Council,
Cheshire Police, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Police
& Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.
Visitors to the site can sign up to receive service updates.
Talking Together is published by West Cheshire Together, a partnership of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire Police, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Police & Crime Commissioner
for Cheshire, NHS Vale Royal Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group.
Website:
www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk
Website:
www.cheshirefire.gov.uk
Social media:
Social media:
/cheshirePCC
/cheshirefire
/cheshirepcc
/cheshirefrs
/cheshirePCC
/cheshirefireservice
/cheshirePCC
/cheshirefireservice
Website:
www.valeroyalccg.nhs.uk
Telephone:
01270 275 473
Email:
[email protected]
Social media:
@NHSvaleroyalccg
Website:
www.westcheshireccg.nhs.uk
Telephone:
01244 650 300
Email:
[email protected]
Social media:
@westcheshireccg
Website:
www.cheshire.police.uk
Social media:
/cheshirepolice
/cheshirepolice
/cheshirepolice
/cheshirepolice
Website:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
www.yourwestcheshire.co.uk
Social media:
/go_cheshirewest
/cheshirewest
/cheshirewest
/cheshirewest