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Star Trekkers8th June 2013- See adverton Page Three email: [email protected] March 26th 2013 Issue no 216

Woodshaw Park,Aspull, will play host tothe brand new festival,from Saturday August10th- Sunday 11th.The festival line-up is

still to be confirmed butthe two-day festival willwelcome acts both freshand established from allover the world.Wuchiefest will see

artists play over threestages per day and willhost exciting acts acrossthe two rugby pitches,comprising of the mainstage, an acoustic areaand a marquee holdingup to 3,000 people,collectively.Organised by Martin

Jump Aspull RFCChairman, alongsideFraser Boon, owner ofmusic venue Mad Ferretin Preston, and GarethButterworth, founder ofmusic promoter The ArkPreston, Wuchiefest willbe held in Woodshaw thehome of Aspull RFCsince 1972.It is thought the festival

will attract between2,500- 3,000 people overthe weekend.

Chairman of AspullRFC, Martin Jump toldthe Courier: “I neverenvisaged the festival tobe as big as it will be. Wehave a mixture of actsfrom across the differentmusic genres playing atthe festival.“One of our headline

act is a successful 80sand 90s band who arenow back performing.“We are also wanting to

showcase local talent.Once our website islaunched bands can putthemselves forward toplay at the festival.”Martin is keen to use

local suppliers, to helpboost the local economy.Shuttle bus services

from train stations inHorwich and Wigan toAspull will be running. Apark and ride service willalso be provided.Ticket details and acts

will be announced in thenext few weeks.For more information

join the facebook page:www.facebook.com/wuchiefest or follow thefestival on twitter@Wuchiefest

Borough tohost new

music festivalBy Hannah SmithAMAJOR new music festival is coming to the Borough thissummer- Wuchiefest.

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Courier2 THE WIGAN COURIER - WIGAN’S ONLY FREE NEWSPAPER THAT COVERS LOCAL SPORT

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‘COME dressed in your pyjamas or Onesies!’That’s just what the pupils and staff at Wood Fold Primary School did toraise money for Comic Relief on Friday 15 March.As part of the Year 6 curriculum, the children organised a whole school dressup day and took part in a sponsored obstacle course.The school is still awaiting a final total for the money raised, but everyone hada laugh in their PJ’s - The older children tried the ‘cool’ approach with theironesies, whilst KS1 look amazing as Spider Men and cute cows or zebras.

PJ Day atWood Fold

for Comic Relief


3

Council’shorsemeatscandal

assurance


WRIGHTINGTON, Wiganand Leigh NHS FoundationTrust (WWL) is delighted toannounce they have won atwo year contract to provideoccupational health servicesto Bridgewater CommunityHealthcare NHS Trust.The Trust already provided

occupational health services to the1,200 staff who work inAshton, LeighandWigan but from 1stApril 2013 thiswill be extended to nearly 3,400 staffincluding those working in St Helens,Halton and Warrington.Chris Samosa, Director of People,

Planning and Development, said: “Weare pleased to confirm that we haveappointed WWL to provide ourOccupational Health Services to our3,400 staff working across Wigan,Warrington, Halton and St Helens andin the boroughs where we providecommunity dental services. We lookforward to working with them topromote health and wellbeing of ourstaff.”This is fantastic news for the Trust

and our Occupational Health andWell-beingTeamwho had to compete with anumber of other potential providers ina public procurement exercise.The Trust’s recently awarded

SEQOHS accreditation played a key

part in securing this work.The services WWL will provide

include an Early Absence SupportProgram service along with otherinnovations that will help prevent ill-health, promote health and improve theeffectiveness of the host Trust.Jon Lenney, Director of Human

Resources and OrganisationalDevelopment, said: “We are delightedour bid for the Bridgwater contract hasbeen successful.“We offer a high quality consultant-

led occupational health service to allour clients and we look forward toworking with colleagues atBridgewater in promoting health andwell-being at work.”

area, said: “We are really grateful tothe students and staff at WinstanleyCollege for signing up and supportingthis campaign. We welcome alleligible new donors but especiallyneed young people to come forward –they are the lifesavers of the future.Angela Gregory, in Careers and

Progression at Winstanley College,said: “Winstanley College studentsare delighted to support the campaignwhich they hope will be a bigsuccess.”Blood donations are a vital resource

to help treat health conditionsincluding cancer and long termillnesses, people involved in accidents

and inmaternity care.Hospitals acrossEngland need 7,000 units of bloodevery day and each unit canpotentially save or improve the livesof up to three people.You can sign up at one of our

campaign recruitment events thisweek, visitwww.blood.co.uk/news/events/stepupto find out more. Or visitwww.blood.co.uk or call us on 0300123 23 23.Once signed up please help us

spread the word on Facebook (NHSBlood Donation page) and Twitter(@GiveBloodNHS and#signupgiveblood)

Anyone already registered or whosigns up is urged to book anappointment to donate soon or overthe Easter holidays.The newly launched application for

Android and Apple Smartphone andtablet devices enables donors tosearch for their nearest blooddonationsessions. The app is calledNHSGiveBlood and can be found atthe Apple app store and the GooglePlay Store.Our picture shows students at

Winstanley College show theirsupport for Step Up, Sign Up, Shareand help spread the word...

WIGANRotaryClubPresident Mr VenkManiwasdelighted topresent a cheque for£3500 to Men MatterChairman BernardEdmunds as theproceeds from lastyear’sRUN4ALIFE.The five and ten kilometer

runs open to everyone, nowin its eighth year, have so farraised approaching £80,000for men’s cancer research.Bernard Edmunds thanked

Wigan Rotary Club for thedonation. He said: "thismoney will help us tocontinue funding men’scancer research at The

Christie Hospital which iswell known to Wigan folk,and one of the UK’s leadingcancer hospitals."President Venk Mani

added: "I’d like to say a bigthank you to everyone whotook part and their sponsors,

and to Wigan Athletic, DWSports Fitness and WiganASDA whose staff took parton the day and raisedsponsorship separately for theEveryman Charity.’MenMatter want everyone

to spread the word to all men

about the importance of earlydetection of all men’scancers. There was recentpublicity on the ‘ThisMorning’ programme abouttesticular cancer, and prostatecancer is 20th in the leaguetable of research fundingeven though it has a similardeath rate as breast cancer.Arrangements are in hand

forRUN4ALIFE2013withfull details to announced inJune with some majorchanges planned for theevent.Our picture shows MrBernard Edmundsreceiving the cheque fromWigan Rotary PresidentMrVenkMani.

Wigan CourierWigan CourierIn Brief

Next editionThe next Courier is published on

TuesdayTuesdayApril 16thApril 16th

Deadline for advertisers:Monday 15th April 12 noon

The ONLY independentnewspaper in

• Wigan • Standish • Shevington• Scholes • Aspull

• Wrightington • Highfield• Ince • Orrell • Appley Bridge

• Winstanley

Advertising & EditorialTel: 01257 400026Fax: 01257 400078

Suite 107The Standish Centre,Cross Street, Standish,Wigan, WN6 0HQ

CoffeeMorningA COFFEE Morningwill be held on Friday5thApril at 10am until1pm at Mossy LeaVillage Hall,Wrightington.Everybody is welcomefor a coffee and a catch-up.

GivingBloodTWO BLOOD donorsessions will take placeon Thursday April 4th atKilhey Court, Standish.An afternoon session

will take place from1.15pm-4pm and anevening session from5.15pm-7.30pm.A further blood

donation sessionwill takeplace on Monday April8th at DW stadium from1.15pm-3.30pm &5.15pm-7.30pm.For further information

or to make anappointment call 0300123 33 23 or visit:www.blood.co.uk

Art attack..AN ART competitionhas been launched inWigan to mark theRugby League WorldCup.The competition isopen to any individualor group within WiganBorough.All entries will bejudged by anindependent panel andthe winner will beawarded £100 worth ofvouchers, second place£50 and third place £30.All entries must becompleted and readyfor collection by Friday30thAugust 2013.Please call NickBurdekin on07774090637 to arrangecollection of your workwhen complete.For full competitionrules please visitwww.wigan.gov.uk/rlwcartcomp.

Proceeds of RUN4LIFE event handed over to Men Matter

Winstanleystudentsstepup

Contract win forWWL NHS

www.standishmedia.co.uk [email protected]

YOUNG PEOPLE inWigan have been findingout how they couldbecome lifesavers as partof a regional campaign torecruitmoreblooddonors–StepUp, SignUp, Share.Students at Winstanley

College, Winstanley Road,Billinge,Wiganwere visitedby NHS Blood andTransplant staff, as part ofStep Up, Sign Up, Share,who told them more aboutblood donation andencouraged them to sign upand spread the word.Student donors and thosewho know recipients alsoshared their stories.NHS Blood and

Transplant needs more than1,000 new registrationsevery day to replacethose donors who can nolonger donate.Young people are

especially important as theymake up around 40% ofnew donors. The number of17-24 year olds registeringhas fallen in recent years,prompting a drive to recruitmore lifesavers of thefuture.Among those who signed

up wasApril Holmes, aged16, from Beech Hill. Shesaid: “I’ve signed upbecause Iwanted to help. I’dsay to others to dosomething good.” ChristianHarrison, aged 17, fromHorwich also stepped up.He said: “I’ve just signed upbecause of the blood drive.Giving blood could savesomeone’s life.”Nearly 150 students

stepped up and signed up atWinstanley College onMonday. Studentswere alsourged to use social media toencourage others to jointhem. Barbara Blanche,NHS Blood andTransplant’s lead donorrelations manager for the

01257 400026 [email protected]

HAVE YOUGOT ANY“GOODNEWS”YOU

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APPEAR INTHE PAPER?

EMAIL:INFO

@COURIER-ONLINE.NET

IN LIGHT of the horsemeatscandal, Wigan Council has takensteps to ensure the school meals itprovides thousands of pupils areunaffected. Tests have been carriedout and our supplies have beenfound to be free of horsemeat.MetroFresh is the main supplier of school

meals in Wigan Borough. Debbie Clarke,Service Manager for MetroFresh at WiganCouncil, says:“MetroFresh is a member of the Local

Authority Caterers Association and we take thestandard of the food we supply to children veryseriously and conform to the strictest foodsafety guidelines."When the news of the issues with beef

supplies to supermarkets broke, we actedimmediately to ensure the food we provide inschools is unaffected."Although we only use a small number of beef

products, we received immediate assurancesthat the products supplied to us do not comefrom the affected suppliers or distributors."As an extra precaution, some of our suppliers

have tested their products and have producedclarification that none of the products suppliedto us are affected in any way.”

Rotary helps to raisemen’s cancer cash

4


THERE’S a big day in store foran innovative new Standish-based band StrungUp Bare, whoare set to appear at the WiganWarriors v St Helens derbymatch on Good Friday, March29th.Themulti-talented trio comprisesTimCritchley who plays guitar, bass andmandolin, and also sings, ElinorDarlington,whoplays violin, guitar andmandolin and also sings, and MattHallsworth, who plays bass guitar,guitar, and adds his voice to the mix aswell....StrungUpBare are not your average band:between them they boast three musicdegrees, twomusic scholarships, and sharea musical lifetime experience from theirtime at Chethams School ofMusic.The band got together nine months ago,and are now gigging regularly in the area -

in fact they appeared at the Swan andRailway inWigan town centre on Saturdayevening March 9th, with other gigs in thepipeline and a booking for the BroadstairsFolk Festival in Kent inAugust this year.TheWigan/Saints game offers the youngmusicians an excellent platform to reach awider local audience with a 20,000 pluscrowd expected at the game, and quiterightly it has caught their imagination:Elinor Darlington told the Wigan Courier:“When told we where going to play at theDerby we where so ecstatic, we’re alreadyplaying at one major event this year, Ihonestly thought nothingwould beat that!”And Tim Critchley added:“I just couldn’t wait to tell MattHallsworth to book another date off work...the guy’s brilliant, he’s practically used allhis holidays on this band...”Details of upcoming gigs and info aboutthe band can be found atwww.strungupbare.co.uk or on FB @strungupbare we wish them every success.

Strung Up Bare to play at DW Stadium

SHEVINGTON Vale Primary Schoolin Appley Bridge held a ‘Bucket ofLove’ week at the school recently.The staff and children filled buckets withnumerous items including toothpaste and brushes,combs, hairbands, soap, sweets, pens, pencils,notebooks, string, first aid plaster, plastic cups andplates and lots more.The buckets were provided by Blythswood Care andthey are distributed to people who live in poverty inthe slums or Africa, Asia, Latin America, EasternEurope and the Middle East.The children will make a big difference for one ormore families by providing the ‘Bucket of Love’ andBlythswood Care will deliver the buckets to a familyin one of the needy areas to brighten their day.Well done to Shevington Vale Primary School fortheir great efforts.• In the last edition of theWigan Courier mistakinglyShevington CP was the school mentioned NOTShevington Vale.Our apologies to the school.

‘Buckets of Love’

PARBOLD Picture HouseListings for March andApril.Sunday March 31st at 7pm Skyfall.One of the very best of the Bondseries and an exhilarating yarn thatdraws on all the great British Spythrillers. Cert 12A137 min.Admission:£3Sunday April 14th at 7pm. ArgoBased on a true story, which theIranians now claim is ‘unrealistic’.Question: “How do you arrange theescape of US diplomats trapped in themiddle of the Iranian Revolution?”

Answer: “You use the best bad ideayou’ve got!” Cert 15 120 min.Admission: £3Sunday April 28th at 7pm SilverLinings Playbook Admission:£3.00.Oscar & Pat, recently returned homefrom a mental institution, finds comfortfrom his illness with the similarlytroubled Tiffany. Cert 15 122 min.Doors open 30min. Tea and coffeeavailable before screenings.For more information pleasetelephone 01257 464533, or [email protected] orvisit www.parbold.info

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CourierClubCorner WANT to try something different?

If you would like to learn how to play and enjoybowls, meet other people and keep fit and activethe come along to St. Marie’s Bowling Green.Free sessions will be hell at the bowling green,on Almond Brook Road, Standish, everyWednesday 10.30am-11.30am starting fromWednesday April 10th.Each session is run by a qualified Coach and allthe bowls are provided, however, you will need towear flat sole shows or trainers.To book a place or for more details ring JohnFowler on 01257 423550, or Dave Woods on01257 400621 or SteveAshcroft on 01257 422690

ST. WILFRID’S Church Lads’ andChurch Girls’ Brigade are hosting aGame Show-themed evening, in April.For a night of fun, games, quizes and to competein your favourite TV game shows get down to theLabour Club on Friday April 19th at 7.30pm.Your favourite TV gameshows including, PlayYour Cards Right, Family Fortunes and many morewill be organised throughout the right.Tickets cost £5 adults and £3 children, includinga hot pot supper (vegeterian option available onrequest) and hot dogs for children.For ticket and further information call 07725472589

Crazy golfopen for Easter

Adult CrownGreen Bowls

Game showthemed nightWigan Thistle

Society success

Standish Probus

THE BEGINNING of the Easter holidays will see thereopening of the crazy golf at Haigh Country Park, thanksto a local community group.

Friends of HaighCountry Park (FOHCP)have cleaned up thecrazy golf at HaighCountry Park and arenow waiting for thereturn of the obstacles,which are beingrenovated byapprentices at ProCo.The reopening of thecrazy golf will take placeduring the weekendbefore easter, whichcoincides with the schoolholidays.On Easter Sunday, therewill be an Easter marketin The Stables complex,with various stalls andactivities including Easteregg painting competition,a tombola and a raffle.

Chairman of Friends of Haigh CountryPark, John Hulme at the park’s crazy golf

WIGAN’S Thistle Society attended the annual Festival ofMusic, Arts and Crafts and Ceilidh was held on SaturdayMarch 16th at St. Hilda’s High School, Liverpool.Organised by the Lancashire & Cheshire Federation of Scottish Societies,the festival celebrated music, arts, crafts and baking.Competition entries included cakes, pies, shortbread, scones, pancakes, jam, curd,marmalade and jelly, as well as knitting of all different sorts, crochet, dressmaking,canvas work, embroidery.While the judges were doing the judging and enjoying tasting all the cake a aCeilidh (concert) was taking part in the main hall.members of Wigan Thistle Society took part in the Scottish Country Dancing,two lovely songs were sung by Josie Bretherton, and one ofWigan’s members SusieOlsson played her guitar while she sung a Swedish song.

It was a successful day forWigan’s Thistle Society, theirday’s achievements included:Oil /Accrylic painting: 1st Maureen FarrellCrochet item:1st Ann GregoryChocolate cake: 2nd Mavis SimmonsFresh Flowers: 2nd Jen ConnellyComputer Aided Design Poster advertising Holidays inScotland: 2nd Frances Southern Cox

MEMBERS of the ProbusClub of Standish recentlyenjoyed an informativeHistory Tour of Haigh Hallfollowed by a traditional hot-pot lunch in the Ballroom.The visit is just part of this year’sinteresting Club schedule.Potential new members are invitedto the Club’s regular meetings held inthe function room of The Crown,Platt Lane,WorthingtonWN1 2XF at

10.30am on the second Tuesday ofeach month.A short presentation on motoringnostalgia follows the AGM at April’smeeting and the programme of talkscontinue with “The Sinking of theTitanic”, “The Nail Makers of Orrell”and “Iceland –Land of Ice and Fire” atthe May, June and August meetings.Also included in the 2013 calendar area coach excursion to Dalemain Housenear Ullswater in May and a socialSummer Lunch, planned for July 13th.For further details kindly contact theClub Secretary on 01257 424994.

Members of Standish Probus on the impressive Haigh staircaseduring their tour of the Hall

Hand Knitted Baby Garment: 2ndMavis SimmonsPhotography (Federation Event): 3rd Kathleen MerchantPhotography |(Scottish Scene): Highly Commended Kathleen MerchantHome Made Jam: Highly Commended Josie BrethertonMatinee Coat: 3rd Mavis Simmons

6


CourierClubCorner

ARE you a young person aged six-16and want to so something different?Why don’t you try Crown Green Bowling.If you would like to learn how to play and enjoybowls with a prospect of forming a Saturday MorningYouth Team, then come along to St. Marie’s BowlingGreen commencing on Saturday April 13th 10.30am-11.30am.The free session will be held weekly. Each session isrun by a qualified coach and all the bowls are provided.Just turn up in flat shoes or trainers,To book a place or for more information ring JohnFowler on 01257 423550

By Margaret RoweFEBRUARYwas a busy month for thegroup.On 14th we celebrated Valentine’s Day with a party,

roses on the table, delicious freshly made cup cakesand a wonderful group called “The 4Ms”, Mavis,Maureen, Mel & Me, otherwise Ralph Livesey, toentertain us with their delightful singing.There were delightful solo items by Mavis &Mel

Busy months forFriendship Group

Youth CrownGreen Bowling

accompanied by Maureen and Ralph as MC. At theend of the afternoon everyone went home with a rose.On our Leisure afternoon we played Beetle.Members also got a chance to watch how to do GiftWrapping with a Difference given by Elaine Cuzner.Such simple and effective ideas, without muchexpense involved, were shown. I am sure many of theladies will be trying out these ideas!We also enjoyed a visit to Whittles Farm in Tarletonwhere, after a look round the lovely shops within thecomplex, tea and toasted teacakes were served. Thentime to look round again to find little things whichwere a bit unusual and maybe to purchase some itemof clothing from their lovely range of items.In March we were given a talk titled, “My Childhoodat Turton Tower”. and of course recently Turton Towerhas been in the news, so this will be very interesting,an opportunity to look at photos of past events on thescreen and to do a quiz or some activity together.Remember you are always welcome to come and joinus, 1.15pm to start with notices at 1.45pm, a speaker oractivity and a cup of tea at 3pm before you go home.For more information ring Margaret on 01942247403

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01257 474344 EasterHolidaysEasterHolidays

Easter is a time to take the wholefamily out for a much-deservedtreat! - bring everyone along tothe family gastropub that

guarantees you a warm welcome.We are open throughout the Easterholidays, all day, every day from 12noon, with our full food menus,

serving healthy, homecooked food,great real ales and excellent wines.We look forward to welcoming you

to the White Crow!

The White Crow, Chorley Road, Worthington WN1 2XL. www.thewhitecrow.co.uk 01257 474344

MEGAFUN QUIZ!EVERYTHURSDAY

A fun quiz and a FREESUPPER -

a fun evening, withloads of prizes!Starts 9pm.

FREE ENTRY!All proceeds to Derian House

Stuart and Helen welcomeyou to Wigan’s Coaching Inn

in the Country...Everything about the White Crow is local: superbfood home cooked from local suppliers, superbreal ales from local breweries, our food cooked

and served by home-trained,local staff - lovely people!

Come and enjoy the atmosphere, food, beers andservice this holiday time and indeed any time at

all, all day, every day! -We look forward to seeing you.Beer, Beautiful Beer.....

Over the next few weeks, we will be featuring CopperDragon, Prospect, Black Sheep, Theakston,

Moorhouses and many other micro-breweries fromthe region that have been sourced by Stuart.

Time to stop, take stock, and savour a pint or two atThe White Crow - where the beerfestival is on all year round....

Relax and enjoy Wigan’sHistory and Traditionin our friendly, local,family run pub, an

Old Coaching Inn set in thelovely Wigan countryside.PLEASE NOTE - we are

delighted that the local authority is atlast tackling the problem of localisedflooding with some major drainage

work on the main road.WEARE OPEN THROUGHOUTAS USUAL - don’t worry about thePortakabin on the car park - that’s ustrying to help the lads doing the job.

Open throughout the MayBank Holidays as well!

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7


Church Chatter...

ST.ANDREW’S Social Committee are organising a Beetle Drive onApril22nd at St. Andrew‘s Parish Centre, 7pm start.Cost will be £2 per adult and £1 per child, payable on the door. Children must be accompanied by

an adult. Light refreshments will be provided.The Parish Centre is situated on Woodhouse Lane, Springfield, Wigan WN6 7LZ.

WIGAN residents are invited to attendan Easter Eggstravaganza event atToday’s Community Church onSaturday March 30th from 2pm- 4pm.The fun-packed event welcomes all families tocome down and take part in Easter crafts, egg huntsand the chance to win some great prizes.There is no need to register for this event and it costsjust £2 per child, with adult entry free.Adults with young babies can relax, chat and take iteasy in the centres coffee bar, Koko, which serves

TO CULMINATE Holy Week, St.Peter’s Hindley, will host a specialservice, on Easter Sunday.Devised by JamesArcher, the service ‘To thecross and beyond’ will feature much of themusic from Stainer’s ‘Crucifixion’. Theservice starts at 2pm.St Peter’s Alpha course will start after Easter.

This is an opportunity to explore your faith orfind out more about the good news of Jesus andwill be very informal in nature with no demandsmade on anyone. The course will take place at StPeter’s Pavilion, Hurst Street, on a Monday

evening from 7.45pm-9.30pm.Vocal-Eyes, the Community Choir is currentlyrehearsing on a Monday evening in St’ Peter’sPavilion from 6.45pm-7.45pm. Music of allstyles is designed to appeal to people of all ages.The event is a Community Event as is open to all– no need to read music. For more informationvisit www.vocal-eyes.co.uk”.The Mustard Seed Food Bank is looking for

helpers to distribute food parcels and to makeregular monthly pick-ups fromAsda.Visit St. Peter’s Church website

www.foodbank.stpeter-online.org.uk

Easter at St. Peter’s ChurchSt. John’s hostsWedding Fayre

St. Andrew’s Beetle Drive

Eggstravaganza event

affordable fresh Illy coffee and cold drinks.Parents can get involved together with their family inthe activities, assured that their child is being taken careof by CRB checked workers with lots of experience oflooking after young ones.Event organiser Rachel Belfield said:“We are really

looking forward to putting on this special EasterEggstravaganza. Our doors are always open and wehope this event will really help bring the communitytogether. It’s sometimes hard for parents to think ofnew activities to keep their little ones amused, so wehope this event will fill that gap.“We are really fortunate to have so many peopleinvolved in this event who have vast experience ofchild care, including both mothers and teachers, so weknow that the whole family will find this day lots offun, giving them a chance to meet some new people.”The event is being held at Today’s CommunityChurch, The Pier Centre, Pottery Terrace,Wigan,WN35AB.For more information [email protected] or dial 01942244460 to speak to organiser Rachel Belfield.

ST. JOHN theEvangelist Church,Abram is hosting aWedding Fayre onSaturday April 27th.Local cake makers, florists,dressmakers, photographersand hairdressers, amongstothers, will be on hand totalk to couples.Visitors can also lookaround the church and havean informal talk with clergyabout a church weeding.Rev Ann Stein from StJohn the Evangelist said:“The main aim of this fayreis to show how a weddingcan be organised without

being too expensive, whichis especially important intoday’s climate. We are veryhappy to be working withlocal businesses to show thatyou can find everything thatyou need for your wedding –local to the area.”Revd. Ann added: “We also

hope that the informalatmosphere will alsoencourage couples to pop in toask questions about marryingin church, which is now easierthan it has ever been before.There will also be plenty ofinformation on offer to takeaway.”For more information aboutthe fayre contact 01942208828

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Any new from your church forour readers? - contact

Hannah Smith on [email protected], or find us onFacebook - Wigan Courier

THE hard, stony-faced realm offinance and thecaring, nurturingworld ofChristianity seem

worlds apart, wellnot for one man-meet Pastor ofJireh BaptistChurch, MatthewGray.

Ten years agoMatthew, aged 35, wasDirector of a FinancialAdvice company in theNorth West now he isPastor, or ChurchMinister as he callshimself, at Jireh BaptistChurch in Orrell.It’s hard to pictureMatthew as a financialdirector. Sat in a smalloffice, its walls ladenwith books, old andnew, Matthew seems tobe content with life.Every word he says isfelt with passion andlove for his job.“Although it is acompletely differentworking in finance thanin the Church, it gaveme good lifeexperience,” explainedMatthew.“It’s an industrywhere, sadly, not manyfollow biblicalprinciples in recentyears. I have always felta call to preach in aMethodist Church, butdue to one thing oranother I worked in

finance.”A Northern lad,Matthew was born atBillinge Hospital, andgrew up in Rufford, butit seems he can’t bringhimself to leave theNorth West. StudyingHebrew and Geographyat St. Andrew’sUniversity, Scotland, ithelped Matthew withhis Christianity.After studying hisdegree, Matthewmoved back to theNorth West, where helived in Southport.Leaving the financialworld behind, Matthewbegan his pastoralministry at GraceBaptist Church,Southport, where hewas a member for tenyears and a deacon forsix years.He moved to Orrellwith his wife, Helen,and three children, afterbeing made Pastor ofJireh Baptist Churchlast September, and hehasn’t looked backsince.

Warm welcome forMatthew at Jireh Baptist

Easter at St. Elizabeth’s

Easter HolidayBible Club

St Michael’s hostCurtain’s Up’

Easter Services atIM Churches

Pastor of Jireh Baptist, Matthew Gray

Jireh Baptist Church, Chapel Street, Orrell

Messy Churchat St. Luke’s

JIREH Baptist Methodist Church,Orrell, are holding an Easter HolidayClub during the Easter holidays.The club, Xpedition Force, will use providecrafts, games and stories for children to learnabout Jesus.Xpedition Force will meet at Jireh Baptist Church,Chapel Street, Orrell, on Tuesday 2nd to Thursday4thApril from 6pm to 8pm and is open to infant andjunior school children.A Parents’ evening will take place on Friday April5th from 7pm, where the children show their parentswhat they have learnt.The club costs 50p per child each day or for tow ormore children from the same family £1 per day.

FOLLOWING the success of theMessyChurch programme, St. Luke’s church,Orrell are holding a further threeevents.The Messy Church events will take place in thechurch hall, on Lodge Road, on Friday April 19th,Friday May 17th and Friday June 21st from4.30pm-6.30pm.Messy church is an alternative to ‘tidy’ church whereeveryone can experience worship in a relaxedatmosphere and share in a meal. Everyone welcome(children must be accompanied by an adult).Why not come along , just turn up, no need to bringanything except yourselves.

E A S T E Ractivities at theI n d e p e n d e n tM e t h o d i s tChurches inPemberton, Orrelland Newtown areas follows:Good Friday 29thMarch:Joint Morning Serviceat Lamberhead Green IM Church, Loch Street,Orrell- 10.30am

Choir Cantata‘Craddle to Cross atBethel I M Church,Victoria Street,Newtown- 7.30pmEaster Day 31stMarch:Morning worship atMount Zion,Lamberhead Green andBethel I M Churches-10.45amEvening Worship atMount Zion and BethelI M Churches- 6pm

has started differentchurch groups, he isdetermined to changethe image of theChurch. He explained:“People think church isfor good, religiouspeople, but it is also forbad people who know

they need somethingbetter that they can dofor themselves.“I want the church togrow, and reach localpeople. I want to seetheir lives transformedby God’s truth.”Visiting the Orrell

Church it seems thatJireh Baptist Churchand its congregation isrelishing the passionand enthusiasm of itsnew Pastor and hisfamily, and will do formany years time.

Since becomingPastor of the Church,Matthew has givenweekly teaching of thebible, something whichhe is passionate aboutand, along with hiswife, has set upToddlers Time. A biblediscussion group hasalso been set up, wherepeople, who have littleknowledge of the bible,discuss the Bible as agroup.Describing his time atJireh Baptist Church sofar, Matthew said: “It’sbeen welcoming,strenuous and enjoyful.The Church has beenvery good to me, but ithas been hard work. Iwork long hours,including evenings andweekends, so it isdemanding but I enjoyit.”Matthew’s passion forthe Church and hisreligion has united thewhole of thecommunity, and theChurch feels, verymuch, a communityfocal point.With the Churchhosting Bible studygroups, knitting groups,as well as children andtoddler groups, JirehBaptist Church isfinding new ways topreach about God.Upstairs in the Churchis a snooker table andping-pong table, forchildren to play as wellas learn about God.Although Matthew

WIGAN Musical Theatre Grouppresent Curtain’s Up, a musical reviewof old and new songs, including SisterAct, Mama Mia and Lion King.The performance will take place betweenWednesday April 24th- Saturday 27th at St.Michael’s parish Hall, on Shaw Street, Wigan.Tickets are priced at £7. £6 for concessions.For tickets dial 01942 706106

WAGGON&HORSES

170 Chorley Road,Westhoughton,

BoltonTwo for one menu now available

3 course: £8.95 per personDaily Carvery Monday-Saturday from 11.30am-3.30pm

Small- £2.99 Regular- £3.99 3 course- £6.50Fosters £2.35 a pint Marston’s smooth bitter- £2.25 a pint

Selection of real ales - £2.39All day Sunday traditional Sunday Carvery -

1 course - £7.29 Two course- £8.50 3 course- £9.95

Karaoke with Nicky every Saturday from 9pmENTERTAINMENTALLOVER THEEASTER BANK HOLIDAYWEEKEND

EASTER Services at St.Elizabeth’s Church Aspullare as follows:Good Friday 2pm The Final HourEaster Sunday 11 am with EasterEggs and Balloons for the childrenOnce again during the year StElizabeth’s will be open to visitors onThursdays and Saturdays starting onThursday March 28th.Times are 10am-3pm on Thursdaysincluding a short Communion Serviceat 11am and 10am-2 pm on Saturdays.This part of the condition forreceiving grant aid from EnglishHeritage. More work will commenceon April 15th so these openings mayhave to be curtailed for health andsafety reasons.For more details contact David Joneson 01942 523494St Elizabeth’s will be holding the first

ever Worm Charming Championshipsin Wigan on Sunday April 21st from1pm.Worm charming is a method ofattracting earthworms from the ground.The activity is usually performed tocollect bait for fishing but can also takethe form of a competitive sport.The event will be held at the ParishHall on Bolton Road, Aspull.Plots are £5 each for a Charmer andtheir Gillie.It is expected that more than 100 plotswill be taken up. Anyone interestedshould book a plot as soon as possible.Full details can be found on thespecial web site set up atwww.aspullwormcharming.co.uk orcontact Ruth by writing toSt.Elizabeth’s Church, c/o 5 HopeStreet Aspull Wigan WN2 1QH

BY Hannah Smith

9

W I G A NB o r o u g hC l i n i c a lCommissioningGroup hasr e c e i v e dauthorisation toc o m m i s s i o nNHS servicesacross theBorough fromApril 1st.Dr Tim Dalton,local GP and Chair ofWigan BoroughC l i n i c a lC o m m i s s i o n i n gGroup (WBCCG),which takes controlof the local healthbudget from the nowdefunct Primary CareTrust, said: “We aredelighted that fromthe 1st April WiganBorough ClinicalC o m m i s s i o n i n gGroup (WBCCG)will take over fromNHS Ashton Leighand Wigan PCT thestatutory duty ofcommissioning (orbuying) servicesfrom providerorganisations.

“This change willprovide local peopleand their GPs across theBorough with a largersay in how NHSservices are delivered”.Trish Anderson, ChiefAccountable Officer forWigan BoroughC l i n i c a lCommissioning Groupadded:“The CCG arecommitted tocommissioning the bestservices available toprovide efficient,patient centred NHStreatment for localpeople.“We also welcomeinput from patients andtheir carers to influencehow we commissionNHS services”.Mike Tate, ChiefFinance Officer forWigan BoroughC l i n i c a lCommissioning Groupalso commented:“Ensuring that theannual budget of£420m spent on NHSservices across WiganBorough delivers realvalue and helpsimprove people’s healthis a job we take veryseriously aim tocontinuously improveeach year.”

Mike Tate: “Real value and helpingimprove people’s health.”

Trish Anderson: “Efficient, patientcentred NHS treatment.”


Wigan CCG now all set todeliver town’s health care

YOU really have to see Imagine Kitchens to believe it!Billy and his team provide their customers with highquality, bespoke services from designing to installing thefinest kitchens in the area.Here at Imagine Kitchens we have built up a greatreputation in assisting families and homes with a friendly,reliable and very honest service to give them that newkitchen that they are looking for to complete their home.Our service is a start to finish professional andpersonally overseen procedure were everything needed torefurbish your kitchen is done by our fully qualifiedtradesmen.This includes:• Fully Fitting Service• Electrics• Plumbing• Plastering• Tiling• PaintingIf all the above is not required we also offer a supplyonly service.Also if you’re looking for a new bathroom you’ve cometo the right place.At Imagine Kitchens we pride ourselves in offering a

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P O P U L A R ,innovative andunique - WiganWords Festival isback.Celebrating the best localand international writingand spoken talent, thewords festival is now in itstenth year and this year willwelcome outspokenjournalist, author andbroadcaster Will Self andWigan-born poet andbroadcaster Lemn Sissay,MBE.The festival, which startson Monday April 1st tillSaturdayApril 13th, boastsa two-week programmepacked with entertaining,t h o u g h t - p r o v o k i n g ,interactive events,celebrating historical andmodern writing talent.One of the star attractionsat Wigan’s annualcelebration is author WillSelf (pictured above ). The

51-year-old has been acolumnist and contributorfor The Times, The NewYork Times, Harpers andThe New Statesman, isprobably most recognisableas a team captain oncomedy game showShooting Stars.Witty, opinionated andoften televisual dynamite,Self is also an acclaimedauthor who this year wasshortlisted for the ManBooker prize for his ninthnovel - Umbrella.Self will give a readingfrom Umbrella as part oftheWords Literary Festivalat the Mill at the Pier from7.30pm onwards onThursday 4 April.Other highlights of thefestival, organised byTogether Committee,supported by WLCT(Wigan Leisure andCulture Trust) and fundedby the Arts CouncilEngland’s National Lottery

Grants for theArts scheme,include special sessionswith Wigan-born poet andbroadcaster Lemn Sissay,MBE.Travel writer AlanWhelan will be revelling ina fascination with Africathat has led to three solooverland motorcyclejourneys through thecontinent, and twobooks:African Brew Ha-Ha, his journey fromLancashire to Cape Townin search of the ultimatecup of tea, and The BlackStars of Ghana, an intimateportrait of the vibrant WestAfrican nation.Words co-ordinatorSharon Lowe said: “It isreally fitting that wecelebrate the first decade ofthe festival with a specialguest of the calibre of WillSelf. A true socialcommentator and voice forthe arts and contemporaryculture, we are delighted towelcomeWill to the WordsFestival.“As well as being acelebration of the writtenand spoken word, the ethosbehind the festival is aboutencouraging new writers totake inspiration, learn someof the tricks of the tradeand get writing.”

Wigan forWords Festival 2013THE Festivalat a glance:Monday April1st:Wigan Day ofFolk ‘n’ verseTuesday April2nd:Poetry- A vehiclefor Love, Landand Politics withPatrick Gordon-Duff-Pennington,Esq, OBEWe d n e s d a yApril 3rd:A fair Cop withauthor MichaelBuntingThursday April4th:Umbrella withauthor Will SelfLeigh &AthertonWriter’s GroupT y l d e s l e yCreative WritersFriday April5th:African BrewHa-Ha withauthor AlanWhelanMurakami andthe Magic of theReal Workshopwith John TogherSaturday April6th:Do you do haiku?An HonourableEstate withauthor ElizabethAshworth

The Dragon whohates PoetryFamily writingworkshopSunday April7th:Talent Factorypresents:Drama SparksC h i l d r e n ’ sworkshopWhose Line is itAnyway?Live literatureopen micreadingsMonday April8th:

Aria: Leftluggage withauthor GeoffNelderG u e r r i l l aMonologues withScriptshop andFriendsRISE Workshopwith Lemn SissayLemn Sissay inconversation withJane Daniels- arise eventTuesday April9th:Coffee, Cake and‘Write’ Good DoBen Mellorp r e s e n t sAnthropoetryCreating a novelfrom historicalfact with authorLizzie jonesWe d n e s d a yApril 10th:

1-2-3- Laugh!Workshop- Day 1Monkey PoetMurder Mysteryshow with MattPaneshThursday April11th:From Knutsfordto Manchester:the Life andWorks ofElizabeth Gaskell1 - 2 - 3 -Wr i t e !Workshop- Day 2The Travestyplay- WorldP r e m i e r ePerformanceFriday April12th:Long, lives ShortStories WritingWorkshop withIan McLoughlinWomen orWords- DearDiary Dr IrvingFinkel & AlexMiller1-2-3-Perform!ShowcaseThe TravestyplaySaturday April13th:Words TogetherNetworkingHear the WordOpen MicTheatre Sports-Whose lIne is itanyway?

Y O U T Hunemployment hasbecome one of the mosturgent challengesfacing the country, andwith over 1 millionyoung people unable tofind work, it dominatesdebate in Parliament.Creating opportunities forWigan’s young people is a toppriority for the Council, localbusinesses, charities andWigan’s schools and colleges.It is a huge challenge asWigan was recently identifiedas one of the areas in thecountry most likely to haveyoung people who are not ineducation, employment ortraining. There are over 600teenagers who are in thissituation, many of them fromvery difficult homes andturning their lives around isno easy task.Many young people find helpthrough school or college butfor others, outside organisationscan be a lifeline. Recently Ivisited one of those, YouthEnterprise Services (Y.E.S.),Wigan which is a custom builttraining centre for young peoplewho are disengaged or excludedfrom main stream education. Itis based in Lower Ince, which isone of the key areas in Wiganwhere young people are less

likely to be in work oreducation.Y.E.S. helps young people toget practical skills inconstruction, motor vehiclemaintenance, motor bodyworkrepairs, motorcyclemaintenance and auto electrics- skills that are badly needed intoday’s employment market.Aswell as leading onto work, thecourse also aims to give youngpeople the confidence andchange in their behaviour thatwill enable them to rejoinmainstream education.I met one of those youngpeople when I visited theproject recently, who talked tome with pride about the car hewas repairing. He had beenexcluded before - not just fromschool but from several othertraining providers by the timehe arrived at Y.E.S. Wigan.Now he is on his way toCollege.We should never give up onour young people no matterhow challenging or difficulttheir behaviour. Projects likeY.E.S., just like local charityRathbones and ProCo, showjust how true that is and Wiganis lucky to have them. If theGovernment funded moreschemes like this nationwide,we could ensure youthunemployment was not theconstant source of concern andpressing problem it is today.

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Courier BUSINESSREVIEW

News from The House

with Makerfield MPYvonne Fovargue

WIGAN veterans of theSecond World War ArcticConvoys and BomberCommand will finallyreceive recognition for theirbravery.The Ministry of Defencehas confirmed the newly-designedArctic Star and Bomber Commandgold clasp will be available to almosta quarter of a million veterans or theirfamilies and I am calling on readersof the Courier to spread the word.These proud heroes who battledthrough the Second World War’shardest and infamous campaigns cannow apply for the awards via myconstituency office on 01942 824029.The arctic convoys were vital to theallied war effort but WinstonChurchill called it the “worst journeyin the world.” Between 200 and 400survivors of the 1941- 5 convoys are

thought to be alive today but relativesof deceased convoy veterans can alsoreceive medals on behalf of theirloved ones.More than 3,000 died as ships ran agauntlet of German fire power tokeep Russia supplied and fighting atthe Eastern Front.Likewise Bomber Command Crewshave waited far too long for officialrecognition. Only around 5,000Bomber Command airmen are thoughtto be alive. But as with the Arctic Star,the clasp can be received by thefamilies of those fallen servicemen.I am lost in my admiration for thebravery of these men who knew thatthere was a high probability that theymay not survive the enemybombardment and freezing conditionsof the arctic or the deadly Germandefences as they left these shores in thedarkness of night.

STUDENTS from Wigan &Leigh College have beencommended for theirvolunteer work regeneratinga neglected stretch of canalin the North West.The students, studying the ExtendedDiploma in Public Services at Wigan& Leigh, gained a place with theCanal and River Trust’s towpathwalkway team of volunteers as partof the volunteering aspect of thecourse.The 18 students joined the Trust’sregular volunteers to clean up thewalkway along the canal at Wigan’sDW Stadium.Previous to the clean-up, WiganCouncil received numerouscomplaints regarding the amount oflitter on the stretch attributed to thehigh numbers of people who use it,particularly on match days.In just one day, the team ofvolunteers managed to clear 40 binbags of litter, filled numerous wheeliebins and retrieved road signs andcones from the area.Katie Jackson, volunteer leader atthe Canal and River Trust said: “Thestudents were great to work with andit was so refreshing to see young

people join forces with our oldervolunteers.“The clean-up made such adifference and while work was beingcarried out, passers-by congratulatedthe students for playing their part inmaking the canal route, renowned forlitter, a much more pleasant area towalk, jog and cycle.”Ursula Hoyles, Public Serviceslecturer, Wigan & Leigh Collegecommented: “This is the first timestudents from the course have beeninvolved with this particularinitiative.“Volunteering is an importantelement of the course as it allowsstudents who want a career in publicservices to understand theircommunity, such real-life experiencecan really enhance their futureemployability.“Due to such positive feedback

from the leaders and the benefitsvolunteering can bring; we are keento continue the relationship with theCanal and River Trust.”

Students praised for canal clean-up

ST. JOHN The Baptist, Kirkless St.New Springs, Aspull, Wigan are tryingto raise money to extend the Garden ofRemembrance.The garden is to be extended for the burial ofcremated remains because the existing ones arenearly full.This is a project that will benefit the wholecommunity and not just our church.The Wigan Ukulele Club have kindly agreed to do aconcert on Thursday the 25th April starting at 7.30pmin church.Entrance is £4 which includes light refreshments.Tickets from Vince McCarthy 01942243453.

Wigan UkuleleClub Concert

Wigan Theatre groupsREGULAR term-time events:Wigan Pier Youth TheatreHawkley Hall HighSchool£20 per termTuesdays 6.30pm-7.30pm ages 8-117.30pm-9pm ages 12-15Wigan Pier Youth TheatreHindley Sports Centre

£20 per termFridays, 5.30pm-7pmages 9-14Platform 16:25 YoungPeople’s TheatreCompanyAcademy of Live &Recorded Arts, TurnerStreet, WiganSaturdays 2.30pm-5pmages 16-25

“A victory for veterans of the ArcticConvoys and Bomber Command”

ALAN PRICE is a professionalportrait photographer, acclaimedfor his ability to capture thepersonality of every subject heshoots.He has spent the last 8 years producinghigh quality portraits for multi-nationalstudios, schools, military events, musicaland commercial enterprises.His friendly demeanour has clients feelinginstantly at ease, bringing out even theshyest of subjects.Alan believes in making all portraitsessions fun and friendly for everyone andprides himself on his ability to create arelaxed atmosphere.Please feel free to come and have a look atthe studio and don't miss out on the specialoffers and discounts.

Brand newstudio now openin Standish!

NEW to the wonderful and bustling village of Standish isThe Big White EVENTS Company.The event planning, hire and sales company moved from Wigan TownCentre two weeks ago and are very excited to be working in Standish.A friendly and caring team of professionals, in venue dressing, artistepromotion, event planning and entertainment, will give you all the help youneed in planning your special event.All staff are dedicated to providing Exceptional Levels of Bespoke ServicesQuality Products and Entertainment Services. The attention to detail and thecreative processes will ensure that all their clients will have the most fabulousevent.The Big White EVENTS Company produce events for all sizes, so whetherit's the smallest of private parties or the largest of corporate events the team canwork their magic to make it a memorable occasion.But Remember...... Not every event has a large budget or a predeterminedtheme in mind, so just book an appointment and leave it to the team.

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THIS MONTH,councils across GreaterManchester will cometogether to consider aplan to boost their localtown centre’s economy.Wigan is one of eightcouncils looking at ways toattract investment into the towncentre, which like others, hassuffered with the rise of out oftown retail and leisuredevelopments, and onlineshopping.Council chiefs across theregion are working together toproduce a plan, which ifapproved by GreaterManchester’s CombinedAuthority at its meeting thisMarch, could see a recyclablefunding pot used to revitalisetown centres, with returns frominvestments used to fundfurther town centre projectsacross the region.Experts in the public andprivate sectors have workedtogether to analyse the uniquecharacter and potential fordevelopment in Altrincham,Ashton, Bolton, Bury, Oldham,Rochdale, Stockport andWigan, providingrecommendations to boost thelocal economy of each.The first stage of the planincludes building new officesand commercial developments,residential units and

broadening the leisure andnight time economy. Furtheropportunities includeeducation, new workspaces,investing in the public realm,growing independentbusinesses and using vacantbuildings. Recommendationsfor Wigan include a cinemaand other improved leisureactivities and shops aimed atthe student population.Leader ofWigan Council andchair of the Association ofGreater ManchesterAuthorities (AGMA), LordPeter Smith, said:“Out of town developmentsand online shopping haschanged consumer habits inrecent years – having anunprecedented effect on thelocal shops and economy oftown centres.“Although Wigan has beenhit less than other places, therehas been a loss of footfall withthe visible signs of emptyshops. Unfortunately theGovernment is postponing thereview of business rates whichwould have given some reliefto shops in Wigan.“It is important that we helplocal businesses, jobs andamenities with a sustainable fora 21st century town centre.”

Towns pull together toboost local economyBUILDING projects across

Wigan Borough have beenrecognised in this year’s‘Building Excellence andUrban Design Awards.’The annual awards ceremony,organised by Wigan Council,recognises excellence in the designand construction of new domestic andcommercial properties in the borough,as well as refurbishments andconservation schemes.Two overall winners were selectedfrom both the ‘design’ and‘construction’ category. WinstanleyCollege won the overall Urban Designaward for its multi-million poundextension, while Old ProspectBrewery in Standish won overallaward for Building Excellence for itssensitive approach to protecting theheritage of the original building.The newly restored café at Mesnes –part of the £6m ongoing restoration –was awarded Best CommercialBuilding.Representatives from Lost Art,Lambert Walker Conservation andRestoration Ltd and SBS Architectspicked up the award in recognition fortheir wonderful restoration work.Councillor David Molyneux deputyleader ofWigan Council, said: “Everytime we hold an event such as this, itgives a clear reminder that successfulbuilding and good design is all aboutpartnership.“As a council we cannot make realimprovements to our communitieswithout the commitment and expertiseof local architects, designers andconstruction firms.“These awards continue to recognise

and promote construction excellence andgood design quality in the borough. I’dlike to congratulate all thoserecognised.”Stuart Murray, Chief Executive forWLCT, praised the restoration work ofMesnes park.He said: “The skill and dedication todetail on this project has beenexceptional. We now have a wonderfulnewly restored pavilion in the heart of apark that once the restoration is completewill be one of the finest in theNorthWest.”Architectural and engineering firm,Pick Everard, who delivered the collegeextension, collected their Urban Designprize from John O’Neill, Chair of theborough’s Heritage and EnvironmentNetwork and council deputy leader CllrDavid Molyneux.The judges John O’Neill chair of theborough’s Heritage and EnvironmentNetwork and George Hollinsworth fromthe Wigan Civic Trust commented thatthe extension enhanced the college’sappearance and provided a new, state ofthe art media and performance facility.John Greenhalgh, overall BuildingExcellence winner for the Old ProspectBrewery in Standish also collected hisprize, with judges noting the care takento construct a traditional masonryextension in keeping with the existingbuilding.Councillor David Molyneux deputyleader of Wigan Council, said: “Everytime we hold an event such as this, itgives a clear reminder that successfulbuilding and good design is all aboutpartnership.Building Excellence Awards:Best domestic extension category:-Award winner - John Greenhalgh for theextension to the Old Prospect Brewery,Standish.

Courier BUSINESS

EVERYONE has heard about the paymentprotection insurance scandal but did you knowthat the mis-selling of financial products goesmuch further and has occurred with manyother products that you may have been advisedto invest in.Gross mis-selling by commission hungry advisors is sadlya fact of life and you may have been an unknowing victim tothis. Products such as INVESTMENTS LINKED TOSHARES. WHOLE OF LIFE COVER,ENDOWMENTS, LIFE COVER, MORTGATEPROTECTION, PENSION PLANS, LIFE COVERANDISA’S have now been found to have been mis-sold as therisks were not fully explained.Even worse is the reality is that these products can often bepushed onto us when in the most vulnerable situations likeretirement (tax free lump sum), bereavement (insurance payouts/ inheritance), accidents (insurance payouts) and redundancy.Have you had an investment and received less money back thanyou paid in or substantially less than you expected ?A recent article in the Daily Mail newspaper highlighted manyof the thousands of savers who would have been better off if theystuck with a basic savings account.Given the various failings in the sales process at the vastmajority of companies there is a strong chance (though notguaranteed) that you are owed compensation.YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ILL ADVISED BY A SALESHUNGRY BANK ADVISOR TO INVEST IN ONE ORMORE UNSECURE PRODUCTS LINKED TO THESTOCK MARKET THAT HAVE NOW LOST YOUMONEY.

The recent economic turmoil has seen investments that you mayhave considered to be safe in cautious funds slashed in value whenyou thought they were “sound” or “structured” investments.Wigan ClaimsAdvice Centre on Hallgate inWigan have workedfor years in conjunction with Industry experts in legal and otherprofessional disciplines so as to enable its clients to receive thebest possible representation in their claims for recompense.They can now offer a No Win No Fee service in this highlyspecialized area.Claims can be made against financial loses and misguidance oninvestments where FSA guidelines have been breachedunbeknown to our clients.We are currently obtaining refunds from many high street banksand investment companies and have recently secured various highvalue compensation claims against Lloyds TSB (ScottishWidowsOption Bonds).

01942 826866 / 01942 82124931 HALLGATE –WIGAN –WN1 1LR

01942 826866 / 01942 82124931 HALLGATE –WIGAN –WN1 1LR

Drop in with your details or request a home appointment andthey will look into your claim with no obligation.They are located on Hallgate inWigan (opposite café select andmr. chips) and open 9.30am til 4.30pm Monday to Saturday.Why not pop in for a no obligation chat and see what they cando for you.Drop in with your details or request a home appointment andthey will look into your claim with no obligation.They are located on Hallgate inWigan (opposite café select andmr. chips) and open 9.30am til 4.30pm Monday to Saturday.Why not pop in for a no obligation chat and see what they cando for you.

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Building ExcellenceBest housing category(Large Developer)Award winner - MorrisHomesfor the residentiald e v e l o p m e n tatWorthingtonPark, StandishBest Housing category(Small Developer)Award winner - AndyMcCabe for the developmentof a bespoke house atChestnut Farm, AspullBest healthcare buildingcategoryAward winner - Whitfield andBrown (Developments) Ltdfor the Therapies andAudiology at Leigh InfirmaryBest commercial buildingcategoryAward winner - LambertWalker Conservation andRestoration Ltd for therestoration of the PavilionCafé Mesnes Park,WiganBest education buildingcategoryAward winner - WalterCarefoot and Sons Plc for thedevelopment of a detachedbuilding at St James CatholicPrimary School, OrrellResidential categoryAward winner - PeterDickinson Architects for thedesign of the residentialdevelopment at Malt KilnMews, StandishUrban Design AwardsHealth care categoryCommendation with merit –FrankWhittle Partnerships forthe NHS Trust EducationFacility Wigan Lane, WiganAward Winner - QADArchitects for the design ofthe Standish Medical CentreEducation categoryCommendation with merit –NPS North West for the

design of Hindley GreenPrimary School extensionAward winner - Pick Everardfor the designo fW i n s t a n l e y C o l l e g eextension.Commercial categoryAward winner - Cassidy andAshton for the design of theSainsbury’s superstore, LeighHeritage conservationcategoryCommendation with merit –Goldcrest Design ServicesLtd for the The Old Shippenbarn conversionAward winner - PYE Designfor the restoration of 15Market Street, HindleyCommunity categoryCommendation - Groundwork(Lancashire West & Wigan)for the Plank Lane toAtherleigh Way TowpathImprovementsCommendation with merit -Standish Community Forumfor theJubileeGardens,StandishAward winner - The Friendsof Hindley Station for theHindley Station GardensrestorationOverall award winner forbuilding excellence - JohnGreenhalgh for the extensionto the Old Prospect Brewery,StandishOverall winner for urbandesign - Pick Everard for thedesign ofWinstanleyCollegeextension

18


Courier BUSINESS

THE TEAM atW i g a n - b a s e dFocus InsolvencyGroup haves m a s h e dexpectations fortheir latest charityevent aiding localfour year old JackJohnson, byreaching theirtarget with time tospare.The 16 strongfundraising squad -from managing directorto receptionist and fromkeen athlete to leisurelydog walker – teamed upwith recent acquisition,Phil Stone Consultancyto raise much neededfunds for research intoterminal conditionDuchenne musculardystrophy (DMD) fromwhich Jack suffers.

The team planned tocomplete 252 miles(406km), the equivalentdistance between theirtwo headquarters over28 days in what theyhave dubbed the Focus400 Charity Challenge.They began on March1st planning to averagenine miles a daycollectively, but havemanaged to cover theimpressive distance injust 18 days.The enthusiastic staffhave now pledged toattempt a return journeyin the remaining days ofthe challenge in aneffort to add to theirfundraising total forJack’s charity, JoiningJack.Anthony Fisher,managing director ofFocus InsolvencyGroup, commented onhis team’s efforts. Hesaid: “Everyone has

Focusfundraisersplan return

shown tremendous team spirit incovering this distance in justover half of the allocated timeand to come back will requireeven more commitment overthese next few weeks to get backin time.“I am confident that we can alldo it and I shall even start to runfurther and faster myself. Weneed people to dig deep to makeour efforts worth it and help thisworthy cause.”Jack is a normal schoolboy buthis health will deteriorate as hegets older, he will likely need leg

braces to walk by the age of 10,be confined to a wheelchair by12 and is unlikely to live beyondthe age of 30.Jack’s dad, Wigan Rugbylegend Andy Johnson set up thecharity, along with his wifeAlex,to raise much needed awarenessof DMD, a little know yetcommon fatal genetic disorderaffecting around 1 in every 3,500boys worldwide.The fundraising group havebeen collecting sponsorship ontheir Just Giving donation pageand posting regular updates

about their progress on the ‘road’from Wigan to Newhaven ontheir Twitter and Facebook pagesduring the challenge.If you would like to support theteam in their bid to help Jack youcan donate by visitingw w w . j u s t g i v i n g.co.uk/Focus400CharityChallenge or you can get in touch directon 01257 251319 for other waysto donate.Staff at Focus InsolvencyGroup are pictured above.

BUSINESSES in the north west are thebest in the country at tacklingworkplace stress, a study has revealed.Nearly a third (31%) of workers in the region saytheir employers offer stress management supportsuch as free counselling. This compares with 22%of businesses in Greater London offering support,whilst Scotland was the worst performing regionwith 19%.National employee benefits consultancy andoccupational health expert PMI Health Groupcommissioned global research firm TNS to find outwhich businesses had systems in place to addressstress before it kicked in and address it when itdoes.Colette Hodkinson, PMI Health Group’s head ofoccupational health sales and development, said acompany “is only as good as its employees” andbusinesses in the north west “clearly” recognisethis.She commented: “Minimising, and appropriatelyhandling, stress not only fulfils their duty of care tostaff but can significantly reduce sickness absence,improve engagement, productivity and the businessbottom line.”Thirteen per cent of north west businesses also offerdedicated areas, or rooms, where staff can go to relaxand escape their working environment. This comparesto a national average of just 6%.However, only 9% of north west employees ratedcounselling services among their top-three preferredbenefits.

North westbusinesses bestfor tackling stress

ARE you one of the thousands of peoplestruggling to pay off debts every month,fearing what could happen if you fall behindwith repayments? If so, help is at hand fromthe expert advisers at Debt Advice Solutions.Falling behind with debt repayments can happen quiteeasily, for example, a sudden emergency such as yourcar needing expensive repairs, landing you with anunexpected bill.There are many other situations that can cause peopleto fall behind with their payments,Events like redundancy, family breakdown, divorce,ill-health and the birth of a child can all causeindebtedness, as can over-borrowing to buy a newhouse or car.Price shocks on essential items like fuel and food canalso lead to higher debt.Missing one payment may be considered an oversightby your creditor, but if you miss two or more, youcould be asked what is happening.At Debt Advice Solutions, a team of experts is onhand to help you get to grips with your finances andmake your debt situation much easier to bear.If your debt problems aren't significant enough towarrant bankruptcy, you don't have disposable incomeor you expect an imminent change in yourcircumstances you can't avoid, a debt managementplan from Debt Advice.Solutions could be just what you're looking for.With a debt management plan, you are able to makeone affordable monthly payment towards your debit,This is then distributed among your creditors.

As Debt Advice Solutions has establishedrelationships with many established creditors, it maybe able to reduce or freeze interest and other charges.Your debt management plan should also be fullyflexible and capable of being altered at any time in thefuture to suit your changing circumstances.You can even choose to cancel your plan at any timewith no penalties.To be eligible, you need to be responsible for morethan £2,500 worth of debt and have two or morecreditors, a minimum disposable income of £80 and beable to supply proof of income.

Anyone who find themselves in financial difficulty forwhatever reason should seek professional help andadvice.Calling Debt Advice Solutions for a discussion withone of its advisors could be the best course for you.Let them guide you through your options, which mayinclude a debt management plan, subject to yourparticular set of circumstances.Let Debt Advice Solutions help you get back incontrol of your finances without further delay.• Information: debtadvicesolutions.co.uk/call 08000886 676 or 01942 238214 from a mobile

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SCHOOL Pupils across Wigan are beingencouraged to cut down their waste at lunchtime.From 11th of March until the 15th primary schools acrossthe borough took part in EDF Energy’s ‘Waste AwarenessWeek,’ where pupils learned how to cut waste out of schoollunches.Helping to spread the word, Wigan Council officers visited 11schools giving pupils handy tips such as swapping food bags for alunchbox and plastic bottles for a flask, while mascotsWasteWarriorand Scoop showed them how to pack a 'waste friendly' lunch box.Councillor Kevin Anderson, Wigan Council’s cabinet member forthe environment, said: "Research shows that families throw awayaround £50 worth of food each month. By planning their weeklymeals, residents can save money by buying just the ingredients theyneed, whilst protecting the environment by reducing food waste."

Councillor Susan Loudon, Wigan Council's cabinet memberfor children and young people, added: "It's wonderful to see somany schools supporting these initiatives; teaching children aboutthe environment is important. As the world changes so should thecurriculum to ensure that everyone is informed about the issueswhich affect them and the choices they have to do something aboutit."Our pictures show the campaign mascots visiting St Wifrid’sSchool in Standish during the week.

� Leftover food should be placed in residents’ food caddy or greenbin. A list of the food waste you can recycle can be found at:www.wigan.gov.uk/recyclingFor tasty leftover recipe ideas visit: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

WIGAN VOLUNTARY YouthServices Centre is opening itsdoors for the day.The Community Centre, on PensonStreet Wigan, will hold its Open Dayon Saturday March 30th from 11am-4pm. Free admission.Refreshments will be available as well asstalls, face painting, Easter egg decoratingcompetition, and a raffle.Representatives from Food Positive, TheBrick,Green Man environmental education,Beech Hill Bookcycle, plus many more, will beon hand throughout the day.Snap up a bargain, meet some great people,have fun and grab something to eat at PensonStreet Community Centre.

Centre opens doors

NEW FENCINGhas been put inplace on bothsides of theentrance toBottling Wooddam.The fencing was puton both sides of thesteps leading to theBottling Wood andDa, from the entrance

at Rosemary CrescentWhelley by WiganLeisure & CultureTrust Green Spacesteam.Local Wigan CentralCouncillor, GeorgeDavies , who requestedthe new fences, said:"I'm delighted that the newfence on both sides isnow in place may thanksgoes to Bill and brendaHalliwell who brought

this to my attention andThe Green Space Teamwho did the job. This isputting safety first."A clean up of theBottling Wood area is totake place in thesummer.Councillor GeorgeDavies, and BottlingWood residents, Bill andBrenda Halliwell andEddie McDermot arepictured with the newfence.

New fence forlocal wood

Story by Hannah Smith

Teaching youngsters towaste less food

A NEW innovative blueprint fortransport in Wigan Borough hasbeen given the go-head.The decision, made at the Wigan Council

cabinet meeting on Thursday March 21st,will see commuters benefit from a numberof initiatives, building on the success ofimprovements such as the recent opening ofthe Saddle Relief Road.The proposals are outlined in the new

‘Transport Strategy:Wigan Borough on theMove’ which sets out the borough’spriorities for the next 15 years, includingways to improve and expand existing publictransport links to improve reliability,frequency, cost and variety of destinations topassengers.Healthier and environmentally friendly

transport options, including cycling andwalking, will also be promoted, with plans

to improve the health and safety measuresin place.Parking provision will be reviewed with

the potential for more spaces being madeavailable in the town centre and theinstallation of electric car charging pointsaiding the council’s ‘green’ ambitions.Councillor David Molyneux cabinet

member for regeneration atWigan Council,referred to the document as the “blueprintfor taking the borough’s transport forward."He commented: “The adoption of these

planswill improve the provision and serviceof transport in the borough – helpingresidents to move about more freely."In addition, research shows a direct

correlation between improving the transportnetwork and economic growth - with morepeople able to get to work and morebusinesses choosing to invest in anaccessible town."

Transport plans get the go-ahead

POPULAR Worthingtonhostelry The White Crow,run by husband and wifeowners Stuart and HelenBirch, has introduced acompletely new menu forthe spring of 2013.Building on a reputation forexcellent, home-cooked dishes andtop quality, locally-sourcedingredients, the newmenu features onthe front page of the Crow’s website,www.thewhitecrow.co.uk.As well as a fine array of choice onthe main menu, Stuart and Helen andtheir colleagues in the kitchen havekept up their healthy eating awardstandards with a Healthy Choicemenu, and of course in keeping withthe pub’s reputation as a family eatinghouse continues to provide a verygood childrens’ menu.Signature dishes on the menuinclude the legendary WHITECROW MIXED GRILL, consistingof a 4oz rump steak, a 4 oz gammonsteak, half a chicken breast, 2sausages, 2 slices of black puddingand a free range fried eggaccompanied with a tomato, onionrings, mushrooms, chips and gardenpeas, GAMMON’S ‘A FIRE, a freshgammon steak topped with home

made hot Chilli Con Carne andmelted spicy cheese, served withchips and vegetables, HUNTER’SCHICKEN, a chicken fillet toppedwith bacon, barbecue sauce andmelted cheese, served with a choiceof chips or new potatoes andvegetables, and TEWKSBURYBEEF, a rich portion of best Britishbraising steak topped in a creamyhomemade sauce with onion,mushroom and English mustard.Served with chips and vegetables.True to form, there is also anextensive range of Pub Favouritedishes, and of course a considerableselection from the Grill and Fishmenus.Stuart and Helen are determined tokeep that relaxed feel of a country inngoing, with special menus on a day-to-day basis depending on what’savailable locally, and some prettyintense downhome puddings anddesserts for healthy appetites.The busy Easter and Bank Holidayperiod looms, but all the team at theWhite Crow are looking forward towelcoming lovers of good food andreal ale and their families for theultimate chill-out pub experience thisspring....

Newmenu atTheWhite Crow

21


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APRIL is Nationalcar Care Month,so what bettertime to get yourcar in top-tipcondition.Every April isdesignated as NationalCar Care Month toencourage owners togive their cars someextra attention, basicmaintenance can go along way towardsimproving the safetyand dependability ofyour vehicle.As April draws to aclose, TrueCar.comrecommends the

following 10 basicmaintenance proceduresto keep your caroperating at its best:1) Check the oil,filters and fluids. Oilshould be checked atevery fill-up andchanged per theowner’s manualrecommended intervals.Brake, transmission,power steering, coolantand windshield washerfluids should also bechecked regularly. Yourcar’s filters, includingthose for thetransmission, fuelsystem and interiorventilation, need regular

National CarCaremonth

as ball joints, tie rodends and other relatedcomponents.9) Check the pressureof all tires, including thespare, at least once amonth. Check the treadfor uneven or irregularwear and cuts andbruises along thesidewalls. Maintainingproper tire pressure canalso ensure yourvehicle’s best fueleconomy, as well ensuresafe handling whiledriving. Have your car’salignment checked atleast annually to reducetire wear and improvefuel economy andhandling.10) Test exterior andinterior lights and havebulbs that are notworking checkedimmediately. Replacewindshield wiper bladesevery six months orwhen cracked, cut, torn,streaking or chatteringfor optimum wipingperformance and safety.

inspection andreplacement.2) Inspect hoses ateach oil change andhave them replacedwhen leaking, brittle,cracked, rusted,swollen or restricted.Check V-belts andserpentine belts forlooseness andcondition, and havethem replaced whencracked, frayed, glazedor showing signs ofexcessive wear.Typically replace thetiming belt between60,000 and 90,000miles or the intervalspecified in the owner’smanual to avoid abreakdown or seriousengine damage.3) Check the brakesystem every year andhave the brake linings,rotors, and drumsinspected at each oilchange.4) Check that thebattery connections areclean, tight, andcorrosion-free. Thebattery should besecurely mounted. If it

is three years old ormore, the batteryshould be tested andreplaced if necessary.5) Inspect the exhaustsystem for leaks,damage, and brokensupports or hangers ifthere is an unusualnoise. Exhaust leakscan be dangerous andmust be correctedwithout delay.6) Schedule a tune-upthat will help the enginedeliver the best balanceof power and fueleconomy and producethe lowest level ofemissions.7) Check the car’sheating, ventilating, andair conditioning(HVAC) system asproper heating andcooling performance iscritical for interiorcomfort and for safetyreasons, such asdefrosting.8 ) Inspect thesteering and suspensionsystem annually,including shockabsorbers and struts,and chassis parts, such

CHANCELLORGeorge Osbornehas delivered his2013 Budgetstatement, and thegood news formotorists is that the1.89p per litre (ppl)fuel duty rise hasbeen cancelled.The increase wasoriginally planned tohappen on 1 Septemberbut has now beenscrapped altogether. Fuelduty rates will insteadremain at 57.95ppl untilSeptember 2014, in adecision that’s likely tocost the Treasury around£1bn in lost revenue overthe next 12 months.The news comes as awelcome relief tomotorists, who have seenpetrol prices soar to asmuch as 138.32ppl inFebruary.By scrapping the increasein fuel tax, petrol will be13ppl cheaper than if theduty had not been frozenover the last two years.

Fuel dutyrise

scrapped

THE BEST picturesyet of the all-newBMW M3 and M4Coupe, ahead oftheir arrival in 2014.BMW has big plans forits latest M models in2014. It’s set to release anew M3 next year(pictured), plus areplacement for the M3Coupe, called the M4.Power for both cars willcome from a 3.0-litreturbocharged straight-sixengine, producing around450bhp – that’s up from414bhp.As ever with M cars, thestyling upgrades on bothmodels are set to besubtle, including a moreaggressive bodykit, M-specific alloy wheels anda power bulge in thebonnet.

BMWM3 andM4 Coupe revealed

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PETROL SALESfell to their lowestvolume level for23 years inFebruary as cash-strapped Brits cutback on motoringcosts.UK drivers consumed

1.431 billion litres ofpetrol in February, adrop of 8.6 per centcompared with a yearago.Demand was 2.3 per

cent less than March2012, the previouslowest figure whenpetrol prices reached anall-time high of 142.5pence a litre, nearly fivepence higher than lastmonth’s average.In 2012 demand was

pushed up by panicamid fears of a tankerdrivers’ strike.“As in the price

surges of March andOctober last year,budgets quite simplysnapped. No moremoney, no more fuel,”

said Luke Bosdet of theAA.“The petrol price surge

in February was the third8p to 10p-a-litre swing in12 months. Although notas severe as March 2012,it came at the worstpossible time – winter.“Not only could drivers

see pump prices tickingup by a 1p or more aweek, but cold weatherpushed up fuelconsumption.”

The sales figures arethe lowest since January1990, when Customs andExcise first beganrecording forecourtsales. Then, with petrolcosting 38.1 pence alitre, forecourt salesreached 2,644 billionlitres.For the driver of a

small saloon, the cost offiling a tank has risen byjust under £100 over thepast 23 years.

Fuel sales lowestfor 23 years

DETAILS of thelargest motoringgarden party in

the world wasannounced lastweek.

Details of Goodwood Festivalof Speed 2013 announced

Lord March revealedthe details of the 20thGoodwood Festival ofSpeed, on 12-14th July2013.Several marques and

championships haves i g n i f i c a n tanniversaries to mark,2013 beingLamborghini’s 50thyear, while Porsche willcommemorate 50 yearsof its iconic 911 modelat the Festival with thecentrepiece sculptureoutside GoodwoodHouse.The World Rally

Championship’s 60thyear will be celebratedon a considerablylengthened rally stage,while the Sports CarWorld Championship’s60th year - and 90 yearsof the Le Mans 24hours race - ensuresports and prototyperacers will make up agood number of thecars running up the 1.16mile hill climb.

Goodwood will onceagain feature FormulaOne’s biggest paddockoutside a race weekend,with seven teamsalready havingconfirmed theirattendance. Ferrari, RedBull, Mercedes, Lotus,Caterham, Marussiaand McLaren will allhave cars completingthe hillclimb.McLaren’s road cardivision will also showits P1 hypercar in actionin front of over 185,000spectators over theweekend.Since its 1993

introduction - where25,000 people attended -the Goodwood Festivalof Speed has grownimmeasurably. Thursday11th July will see thenow traditional MovingMotor Show offervisitors test drives in allmanner of vehicles.Skoda is promising its

new Octavia vRS willdebut, while Lexus willbring along its new IS.

The press day sawjJaguar bring along itsXFR-S, the first time it’sbeen seen running -driven by Jaguar’s 1988Le Mans 24 hourwinning driver AndyWallace.Big name drivers are a

constant draw atGoodwood, withregulars like Sir StirlingMoss and Derek Belljoined by a glittering A-List of Formula One,Rally, Touring, Indy andSports Car drivers pastand present.Motorcyclists won’t be

forgotten, either, with anew dedicated area,while the 20thGoodwood Festival willalso celebrate LandSpeed Record holders,the Bloodhound SSCappearing just daysbefore it heads off to itsrecord attempt. Theusual Cartier, Style etLux concours d’elegancewill celebrate the mostbeautiful and eclecticcars over the Festival’s20 years.Tickets are on sale

now, viawww.goodwood.com

Photo by John Colley

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THE WEDNESDAY night Touch Rugby teamsdid there bit to raise funds for Comic Relief 2013by playing last weeks round of matches in FancyDress, pictured Hindley RLFC (in white) aretaking on Orrell St James Ladies.The competition is open to all levels of ability and

teams can be either single sex or mixed and itsproving a popular way to keep fit for those whohave never played before and for those getting toold for the contact version of the sport its a way toplay on longer without the bumps and bruises!EachWednesday at the Soccer Dome, Robin Park

the RFL run competition currently features 12teams playing in league competition that last 12weeks. It costs £32 per team per week, for moredetails or to enter a team please contact either ordirectly at the Rugby Football League.Fancy dress is optional..

IT’SALLabout the forwardsthis week.When Wigan Warriors

commenced the 2013campaign, we were perhapsgetting tired of hearing fromterrace experts about how theclub had unwillingly lost ashed-load of talent and possiblyhadn’t replaced it adequately,but if there was one area wheremost observers were inagreement that Wigan weren’tespecially weak, it was in thesteamhouse.Back in February, the

Warriors boasted a forwardpack that was truly menacing.At any time, it seemed, the

Cherry and Whites could putout a starting six (plus severalsubs) comprised, among others,of any of the following: SeanO’Loughlin, Gareth Hock, BenFlower, Chris Tuson, JackHughes, Epalahame Lauaki,Michael McIlorum, LeeMossop, Harrison Hansen,Liam Farrell, Paul Prescott, GilDudson, Scott Taylor, LoganTomkins, Rhodri Lloyd, DomCrosby and Greg Burke.Under those circumstances it

was difficult to imagine theyoung Warriors beingdominated, or, in the words ofsome particularly pessimisticsupporters, ‘bullied’ by anyoneelse in the league. And indeed,in the second game of theseason, when Wigan drew 17-17 with Warrington in front of20,000 screaming fans, anyconcerns at all that the new-look Wigan team might not bephysically up to the demands ofthe top flight, were put to rest.

ThinnedBut since then, for various

reasons, Wigan’s ranks ofyoung bruisers have beendramatically thinned. Theinjury list alone makesgruesome reading.At the time of this writing,

the treatment bench is groaningbeneath the combined weightof Lauaki, Mossop, Hansen,Prescott, and as of last week,Gil Dudson – none of whomlook to be returning any timesoon. When you think about it,you need only add a hooker tothat little lot and it forms amonster pack that most otherteams in Super League wouldbe proud to field.On top of that, Gareth Hock’s

well documented departure toWidnes on loan has more orless ensured that he won’t bereappearing in Cherry andWhite in 2013, if ever again,and all of a sudden Wigan arenow facing what is traditionallythe toughest stage of the season– the rapid turnaround of theEaster weekend – lackingnearly all their front-lineenforcers.At this stage, one can only

guess what kind of team ShaunWane will be able to turn outagainst St Helens on GoodFriday lunchtime. You canguarantee there’ll be noshortage of motivationwhosoever takes the field, butone thing is certain – the tough-

talking coach will not beallowed the luxury of resting oreven spelling his chargesagainst either Saints or Hull KRon Easter Monday.

IronyIt’s a curious irony of course

that certain sections of theWigan crowd – apparentlywowed by Leeds’s ability towin the title from fifth – haverecently been calling forWiganto save themselves in earlyseason, rotating resources andholding first teamers in reserve,even to the point of sacrificingcertain fixtures if it keepseveryone fresh in time for thebusiness end of the season.Hmmm, well … perhaps

some people should be carefulwhat they wish for.Still on the subject of

Wigan’s forward strength, orlack of it, the Gareth Hock sagawe alluded to earlier had acurious sequel last week, withWidnes coach Denis Betts

apparently criticisingWigan fornot allowing Hock to playagainst them – even though thiswas a well publicised part ofthe deal that originally tookHock to the Halton Stadium atthe beginning of this season.Of course, just because this

part of the deal was an openlyacknowledged fact severalmonths ago, that doesn’t meanBetts had to like it, but it seemsodd that he didn’t raise theissue at the time if it was suchan irritation to him.

SilencePossibly it’s that old

‘newspaper talk’ thing, whereinstoking an adversarialatmosphere as the big gameapproaches is more importantthan maintaining a dignifiedsilence – and I quite sympathisewith that, but on an entirelypersonal note, it’s a shame that,as a result of this, I now feel a

teensy bit less deferentialtowards a former great who atone time would have runthrough brick walls for theCherry and White.But the forward news is not

all unedifying this week.Youngback-rower Liam Farrell hasbeen earning recognition for allthe right reasons.According to stats provided

by Opta – at least up to lastweekend (the Widnes gamehasn’t happened at the time ofthis writing) – young Faz madean astonishing 226 tackles inhis first seven games of 2013,which is also a 100% record asto date he hasn’t missed asingle one. Add to that hisdeceptive turn of speed and hisline-breaking skills, and itlooks as if the Warriors haveyet another star in the making.

StrengthFor quite some time, those in

the know have been comparingFaz to Andy Platt – that greatwarhorse of old, a state-of-the-art prop forward whoastonished JohnMonie with hisability to play eighty minutesand never run out of steam –and though you always have totreat such comparisons with apinch of salt, I’m starting towonder if there might besomething in it.Here’s hoping anyway. With

the big weekend coming up,Wigan will need all the strengthand determination they canmuster from their stable ofyoung forwards.But let’s not cut our throats

communally just yet. Thosewith long memories may recallGood Friday 2003, when aninjury-ravaged Wigan turnedout a team including nineAcademy players to face a trulymighty St Helens side, whichfeatured among a host of otherillustrious names, PaulWellens,DarrenAlbert, Martin Gleeson,Paul Sculthorpe, Sean Longand Chris Joynt, and despitebeing ten points down at half-time, went on to win by 24-22.Wigan coach Stuart Raper laternamed it the finest win of hiscareer.So there you go. Amazing

things happen in RugbyLeague. Enjoy the Easterbreak!For regular Warriors

gossip, look out for mycolumn, TERRACETOPICS, in the WiganWarriors match-dayprogramme.

Stunning hairstyles at charity touch event

Warriorsoverwhelm

the Chemics

Picture special by Marc Taylor

Picture special by Marc Taylor


Courier SPORT

PPAAUULL FFIINNCCHH bbeemmooaannsstthhee ffoorrttuunneess ooff tthheeWWiiggaann ffrroonntt ssiixx......

Paul Finch is

TThhee IInnssiiddeerrWigan Warriors fromthe Inside Out...

All about forwards

Denis Betts: stokingan ʻadversarialatmosphereʼ

WIGAN Warriors gave their ex-second rowerDenis Betts a torrid return to the DW Stadiumwhen the Cherry and Whites thrashed WidnesVikings by 62 points to 4 on Saturday night.Sam Tomkins celebrated his birthday with a hat-

trick, Josh Charnley bagged four tries and PatRichards scored 22 points in a totally one-sidedgame that firmly put Betts in his place after someill-judged comments earlier in the week.Wigan Warriors: T - Charnley 4, Tomkins 3, Tuson,

Farrell, Richards, Thornley. G - Richards 7Wigan Warriors - Sam Tomkins, Josh Charnley, Darrell

Goulding, Iain Thornley, Pat Richards, Blake Green,Matty Smith, Dom Crosby, Michael McIlorum, BenFlower, Chris Tuson, Liam Farrell, Sean O'Loughlin.Replacements - Jack Hughes, Scott Taylor, LoganTomkins, Greg Burke

Chris Tuson bursts through to score.

Josh Charnley crosses the line forthe first of his four Dom Crosby on the charge for Wigan

Ben Flower bursts though the Widnes line with teammates in support

SPORT IN BRIEF...SPORT IN BRIEF... � ONCE AGAIN Orrell RUFC juniorsection is hosting a three day summercamp in 2013. During the summerholidays, itʼs never easy to fill all 6 weekswith fun activities for the kids, Why notpass that responsibillity on to us for 3days? Working with the RFU, Orrell willbe hosting three action packed days offun games and rugby skills. The Venueis still to be arranged, but if you wish toregister your child's interest, pleasesend an email with your details includingname and child's age [email protected].� WIGAN RUFC Under15s have made it tothe Lancashire Plate Final after a fine 17-0victory over a strong and fancied SedgleyPark team at Douglas valley on SundayMarch 17th. The win takes Wigan toRochdale on 14th April to contest the finalagainst Liverpool Collegiate. � IT PROMISES to be a red letter night atWigan RUFC on April 19th when theclub's Mini and Junior Committee host

WIGAN RUGBY LIONS GOT TALENTNIGHT . The event will give the talentedrugby players of the club an opportunityto show their off the field skills, sowhether you can sing, dance, eat fire, telljokes or improve the flat lager behind thebar, club members are being asked toput their names forward.A select panel of judges will decide whois worthy to be crowned 2013 winner,with the event hosted by the club'sequivalent to 'ant & dec' - Phil Hulme andMike Partner.The floor is open to parents andcoaches, but no animals please, so ClubPresident Frank Morgan and his dancingdog routine are barred...Refreshments will be served on thenight, with the possibility of a 'coachesdance off'as part of the entertainment ifmessrs Stuart Carter and Lee Butler canfind their moonwalking shoes and thrillermasks....

26

FORMERLANCASHIRE,WiganandOrrell propNick Wilkinson (pictured left) is doing the hardyards for the Joining Jack charity(www.joiningjack.org) by taking part in the toughIronman event inAugust.Nick, who is Managing Director of Wigan companyFleetsmart, takes the Ironman challenge onAugust 4th, startingat Pennington Flash to swim2.4miles, followed by a 112milecycle ride around Rivington and the surrounding area, thenstraight into a 26.2-mile marathon.And if the sheer scale of the challenge wasn't enough, Nickhas to complete the three events within 17 hours of the 6amstart.Nick told the Courier: "It is a big ask as I am not naturallymade for this type of event! Over recent years I have lost inthe region of five stone inweight, andworked hard to get to thelevel where this is anything like possible."This is my biggest challenge to date, and I hope to raise£10,000 ormore to play a small part in destroying this terribledisease!In October 2011 formerWiganWarriorAndy Johnson andhis wifeAlex received the shattering news that their son JackhasDuchenne'smuscular dystrophy (DMD). Failing amedicalbreakthrough, Jack's life will follow a predetermined path,mapped out by this progressive muscle wasting condition.Nick is selling sponsorship space onhis competition clothingand bike, where businesses can place their logo, name orindeed anything they may wish.Nick has set up a Just Giving page athttp://www.justgiving.com/nickwilkinsonIRONMAN2013,and sponsors can Text IMAN73 £10 and send to 70070, or e-mail ironmanchallenge@ fleetsmart.co.uk with your details.

Adam Howard heads clear.

Two goal striker Joseph Hull challenges for the ball.

Colin Quirk is brought down for a Robins penalty.

Robins’ Man of the Match, ‘keeper Jay Foulds, saves along range effort.

Robins back to winning ways Nick’s hardyards forJoining Jack

Sally’s run istribute to Clif


Courier SPORT

WIGAN ROBIN Park got back towinning ways after losing theirtwo previous games with a 2-1victory away at AFC Liverpool inthe North West Counties PremierDivision on March 20th.Joseph Hull grabbed both goalsfor Wigan, the first coming in the3rd minute with Hull cooly latchingon to a through ball from Quirk totuck the ball in the bottom left handcorner of the net.On the 20th minute Quirk again theprovider, put a ball into the AFCLiverpool box that caused havocamongst the defenders, Hull capitilsedon the confusion to double the Robinslead.Quirk was again centre of the actionwhen he was felled in the box, but hewas unable to drive home theadvantage, dusting himself down totake the penalty, the AFC Liverpoolkeeper comfortably saved meaning theRobins went in at half time with a 2-0lead.In the 2nd half the hosts came out allguns blazing and managed to pull agoal back as the ball held up on theheavy pitch wrong footing the Robinsdefence and leaving a simple tap in forthe AFC Liverpool striker.The Robins held on to claim a wellearned 3 points on the road, with keeperJay Foulds picking up the man of thematch award.The Robins are next at home onTuesday 2nd April when they hostAshton Athletic in the local derby at theRobin Park Arena, all welcome.˚

Picture special byMarc Taylor

IT IS, without adoubt, anincredibly excitingtime to be aWiganAthletic fan.This is the businessend of the season,where we (usually)start picking up thepoints in crucialgames.And to top it off,we’ve got a FA Cupsemi-final againstMillwall to lookforward to; a winagainst the Londonerswould secure anotheraway day at Wembleyand a place in theEuropa League nextseason. LittleWigan inEurope? It soundsgood to me!The league has to beour main prioritythough, and with ninefixtures still

remaining, there iseverything to play for.The game againstNewcastle at the DWturned into a fieryaffair, and will beunfortunately beremembered for thatCallum McManamanchallenge. Yes, I agreeit was rash anddangerous tackle;Mark Halsey should

have given a yellowcard at the very least.The referee missed theconfrontation thoughand the FA havedecided to notintervene, letting himoff the hook.Referees do makemistakes, and the sightof Newcastle assistantJohn Carver doing hisbest to get toMcManaman as theteams left the field athalf-time wasunedifying.Wigan coachGraham Barrow triedto intervene, but hehimself was red-carded and dismissedto the stands alongwith Carver.You can’t helpfeeling that the

incident wronglyovershadowed aresolute battlingdisplay from theLatics.Jean Beausejourgrabbed his first goalfor the club 18 minutesin following an awfulattempted clearancefrom Davide Santon,but the Italian foughtback in the secondhalf, latching onto aclever pass fromPapiss Cisse andsmashing the ball pastJoel Robles.The match turnedinto a scruffy affair butour defence stood tall,with Antolin Alcarazparticularly having astand-out gamefollowing his recentreturn from injury.

Three points weredesperately neededthough. In the 89thminute, McCarthywhipped in a cornerfrom the right-handside of the pitch.Figueroa used hishand as he leapt intothe air, directing theball into the box andinto the path of Kone.The Ivorian scuffed

home his ninth leaguegoal of the season,securing a 2-1 win anda big result for theLatics.The referee shouldhave spotted thehandball, but it’ssomehow satisfying tosee luck go our wayfor once.Roberto Martinezsaid in a recent pressconference that thenext few weeks willdefine the next 20

years for the club.Come the end of May,we could be relegatedto the Championship,or holding the FA Cupand looking forward toa ninth season in thePremier League withthe added bonus ofEuropean football.But there is stillwork to be done. Afterthe inconvenientinternational break,the Latics face similaropposition in the formof Norwich and QPR.Both are must-win

games if we are to stayup this season.Nevertheless, if weplay to our fullpotential, I see noreason why we can’tsecure all six pointsand climb away fromthe dreaded drop zone.In Bobby We Trust!

SamOliverlooks ahead toa crucial fewweeks for the

Latics

WIGANER Sally Barkeris set to run the ParisMarathon for the StrokeAssocation in memory ofher father Clif, whopassed away in hospitalafter suffering a stroke inFebruary.Some 500 people attended

Clif's funeral at Wigan ParishChurch, a huge tribute to theformer prosecuting solicitor,prominent Freemason andformer President of LancashireandWigan RUFC.Clif, pictured above with

Sally, is also father of formerWigan captain Danny Barker, aswell as a former player at theclub in his own right.Sally, now a Southern Exile,

told the Courier: "I am runningthe Paris Marathon next monthand, since my Dad's death, Ihave now decided to run inmemory of him and raise moneyfor The StrokeAssociation."I have set up a sponsorship

page at www.justgiving.com/MarathonSallyB, and hope thatDad's friends would like tomake a donation."

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