ISSUE 54 SPRING 2017
THE MAGAZINE FOR
WIGAN BOROUGH RESIDENTS
The spring edition
Cattle
do nicely
How cows are
improving our borough
AWARD
WINNING
Winter fashion * Make a wreath * Gift ideas
Best Publication
CorpComms
Awards 2016
2
Contents
8
On the cover
Borough Life was named ‘Best Corporate Publication’ at last year’s CorpComms
Awards. We always strive to bring you the best stories from across the borough.
If you have any suggestions to improve the magazine email us at boroughlife@
wigan.gov.uk
Extra content is available at
www.wigan.gov.uk/boroughlife
Even more great photographs can
be found at
www.flickr.com./boroughlife
Borough Life is published by Wigan
Council and distributed to all households
in the borough. This edition was
published on 6th March 2017.
The magazine is printed on paper from
renewable resources. It is written, edited
and designed by Wigan Council’s Public
Relations Team.
If you are a resident of Wigan Borough
but haven’t had a copy of Borough Life
delivered through your letterbox, you
can pick up a copy from several locations
including the Life Centre or view it online
at www.wigan.gov.uk/boroughlife
You can now receive a new monthly
Borough Life e-newsletter. Sign up by
emailing [email protected]
For general comments email:
[email protected]
20
The Leader’s column
Welcome to the spring edition of
Borough Life.
This edition celebrates our wonderful
natural spaces and wildlife.
It may be surprising to those who
live outside the borough to learn
that Wigan is one of the greenest
metropolitan boroughs in the country.
With 70 per cent of our land green
space we are extremely fortunate to
have so much nature on our doorstep.
What may surprise our own
residents is how much
activity is going on right
now to conserve and
improve our natural
places.
This edition shines
a spotlight on all
that great work
and highlights the
opportunities people have to get
involved.
I hope this magazine inspires you to
get outdoors and enjoy being active
this springtime.
I also want to take this opportunity to
thank everyone who took part in our
budget consultation this year.
The council continues to have to
take some difficult decisions due
to significant budget cuts from
Government.
However, through The Deal we
are committed to working with all
our communities to improve and
transform our services.
By Peter Smith
Leader, Wigan Council
@lord_petersmith
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
WIN
A spa day
29
14
6
12
24
4&5 NEWS IN BRIEF From a state of
volunteers come together to keep the
28 BOROUGH LOVE Your views on
the art gym refurbishment to new
River Douglas clean.
your borough.
stars in Leigh, a round-up of the latest
news.
18&19 5 FUN WAYS TO GET ACTIVE
29 WIN A spa day for two at the new
Helping you to get in shape in time for
Haigh Hall Hotel.
6&7 CATTLE DO NICELY Herds of rare
summer.
breed cows create new havens for
30&31 WHAT’S ON Your guide to
20&21 A HOME FOR WILLOW
what’s on in Wigan Borough.
wildlife.
Dedicated conservation work in the
8&9 STAYING TRUE TO OUR ROOTS
borough gains national recognition.
Protecting the borough’s trees.
22 HEDGEHOG RESCUE How to help
10&11 FOOD FOR THOUGHT Best
poorly hedgehogs.
before versus use by - what’s the
23 LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE Atherton
difference?
12&13 DON’T WORRY, BEE HAPPY
How one resident is helping to protect
the humble bee from decline.
14&15 FROM FIELD TO FORK One
family’s mission to provide the finest
and freshest quality produce.
16&17 RIVER OF LIFE Community
residents lead the way in looking after
their area.
24&25 CABBAGE PATCH KIDS Children
in Atherton lead the gardening
revolution.
26&27 SPRING INTO ACTION Step by
step gardening tips.
18
3
4
News
in brief
Vote for your
Mayor
Voting for Greater Manchester’s first
ever mayor will open on Thursday
4th May. Residents who are
registered to vote will receive polling
cards through the post. If you’re not
registered go to www.gmelects.org.uk
Polling stations will be open from
7am on 4th May.
Shopping Mill expansion plans
A popular retail mill in Atherton, selling
a range of goods including clothing
and homeware is about to double in
size. The expansion of the iconic Ena
Mill will create 200 jobs over the next
five years.
Plans include a restaurant, function
rooms, a heritage centre, 80 residential
apartments on the top two floors and
additional parking.
Funding for
community
groups
Inspirational community groups have
been awarded a share of £2.5million
to make Wigan Borough a better
place.
In February, 102 local groups and
organisations celebrated after finding
out their application to the council’s
Deal for Communities Investment
Fund had been successful.
The money will be invested in a
whole range of brilliant groups who
are making a difference where they
live.
Since its launch in 2013, the project
has given out a huge £7.5million to
groups across the borough.
Find out more and get a full list of
successful groups at www.wigan.gov.
uk/thedeal
Two new stars for Leigh
Two more stars have been added to
Leigh’s very own Walk of Fame in the
town’s Civic Square.
Trevor Barton MBE, founder of Trust
in Leigh and Pam Gilligan, founder
of Compassion in Action have both
had their names set in stone to
acknowledge their hard work and
commitment to the town.
Trevor Barton MBE said: “I’m honoured
and extremely thankful to Wigan
Council for acknowledging our hard
work in this way.”
Pam Gilligan said: “It is an honour to
receive this recognition from Wigan
Council.”
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
Volunteers needed
for school panel
Future look of Wigan town centre
revealed
Wigan Council is recruiting volunteers
to sit on the school appeals panel.
The panel meet once a month at
Wigan town hall. Previous experience
is not required as training is provided.
For more information contact Andrea
Banks on 01942 488382 or email
[email protected]
The future look of Wigan town centre
has been revealed as part of a major
regeneration project.
The £1.3m project, delivered by
Wigan Council, will see Market Place
completely revitalised thanks to a
stunning modern urban plaza with
large event space, contemporary
lighting, built-in seating, new trees and
high end granite paving.
The plaza will feature four striking
beacons created by nationally
renowned artist blacksmith Chris
Thank you for
having your say
Brammall which will connect Market
Place with its historic past.
The beacons will reflect where the
former tramway stanchions in the
Market Place once stood in the early
20th century.
They will light up at evening time
creating a unique atmosphere for
Market Place.
Construction of a new modern Wigan
Bus Station, led by TfGM, will start
this year. There will also be wider
improvements to the town centre.
Thousands of residents have
completed the Your Council, Your
Say budget consultation. The results
found that residents were in favour
of protecting school crossing patrols
and keeping libraries open while
keeping Council Tax low. Wigan
Council has listened to the feedback
and will use this to shape the next
budget. Visit www.wigan.gov.uk/
yourcouncilyoursay to find out more.
State of the art gym refurbishment for Ashton
Work to transform Ashton Leisure
Centre with a £2.8million makeover
has begun. Gym goers will benefit
from a brand new 80-station gym with
Technogym equipment, group exercise
studio and indoor cycling studio which
will form part of an extension to the
current building, alongside a brand
new sauna, steam room and additional
changing facilities. A state of the art
synthetic pitch and multi-use games
area will also be installed.
The new look gym will be ready next
January.
For more information and to take a tour
of the proposed changes visit:
www.ashtonleisurecentre.org/new
5
6
Cattle
do nicely!
Across Greenheart herds of rare breed cows are creating new
havens for wildlife through the simple act of nibbling grass.
Borough Life put its wellies on and found out more.
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
7
“Hopefully the work of the cows will
encourage more people to get out and
enjoy Greenheart in future.”
Mark Champion from Lancashire Wildlife Trust
The late afternoon sunshine illuminates
the rich colours of the English Longhorn
cattle as they gently graze in the corner
of Cutacre wildlife reserve.
These handsome beasts with their thick
brown and grey coats look as much a
fixture of the landscape as the tough
long grass they feed on or the budding
hedgerows which line the rolling fields.
The cows are a recent addition to the
borough’s public green spaces but they
are playing a hugely important role
in making the area a richer and more
plentiful environment for other wildlife
and wildflowers.
Mark Champion is Wigan projects
manager for the Lancashire Wildlife
Trust which works in partnership with
Wigan Council in conserving Wigan’s
Greenheart.
Mark explains the numerous benefits
of the cattle’s grazing as he splodges
through the wet ground at Cutacre in
Tyldesley and Bickershaw reserves.
“The management of the grassland
through using the cattle improves the
meadows and makes them biodiverse
for wildlife and for the people of
Wigan,” he said.
“Grassland without management isn’t
that useful to wildlife.
“But grassland with management is a
lovely and wonderful thing.”
The natural process works like this...
The rare breed cows are introduced on
to the borough’s post-industrial green
land which has tough tall grass.
Because they are rare breeds the hardy
cows steadily munch their way through
the grass in all weathers and don’t put
on too much weight like commercial
cows.
Breeding waders like redshank,
oystercatcher, lapwing as well as the
skylark can then nest on the shorter,
softer green grass.
Wildflowers like ragged robin and
meadow sweet, already present in the
land but stifled by the long grass, can
then grow and flower creating beautiful
meadows in late spring/early summer.
Over months and years the grassland is
transformed from scrub to a haven for
wildlife and wildflowers.
The herds have been gradually
introduced on four sites in Greenheart
over the past two years including Three
Sisters at Bryn, Cutacre in Tyldesley,
Lightshaw Meadows at Abram and
most recently a herd of Galloways has
been brought to Bickershaw.
Mark, a hugely knowledgeable
advocate of the borough’s greenspaces,
said: “We have seen the effects of it
on other sites and we will soon see
the improvements on Bickershaw and
Cutacre.”
As if to prove his point a kestrel hovers
close by - the bird of prey now able to
spot voles more easily with much of the
long grass gone.
“That’s conservation in action,” jokes
Mark.
A future survey of birds on the sites will
document which species have thrived
and will hopefully show for certain how
the project has succeeded.
Creating a more attractive habitat for
wild flowers and wildlife will not just
attract more animals but humans too.
Mark said: “We know from previous
surveys that people most enjoy walking
in the borough where there are flowers
and wildlife.
“Hopefully the work of the cows will
encourage more people to get out and
enjoy Greenheart in future.”
Volunteers are needed to be shepherds in Greenheart. They will help
move the animals to new grazing land. If you’re interested send your
name and contact number to: [email protected]
8
Staying true to our
roots
Thousands of trees are protected across the borough
thanks to dedicated officers and volunteers.
(L-R) Katherine, Lucy and Cassidy taking part in a City of Trees tree planting event
Each year thousands of trees across the
borough are planted and maintained.
Many trees are protected under Tree
Preservation Orders (TPO) to ensure
that our beautiful greenspaces are
preserved.
Tree planting is going on throughout
the borough thanks to volunteers, like
Katherine, and Cassidy pictured above.
Groundwork Cheshire Lancashire
& Merseyside is an environmental
charity that works closely with local
authorities including Wigan Council
and other partners to improve green
spaces with local communities. Recent
work that the Green Leaders volunteers
have been delivering has included
tree planting activities across some
of Wigan’s Greenheart sites including
Amberswood.
Volunteers have recently helped to
plant 420 new trees with the trees being
secured from the Woodland Trust.
Groundworks Green Leader programme gives young people aged 14-19 a helping hand towards future
employment by recruiting them to lead environmental projects. Projects range from restoring woodland and
wetland habitats to reducing river pollution. Volunteers also get the opportunity to gain an AQA qualification
and a John Muir Award.
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
How trees help our health
Trees benefit our health and our environment.
They reduce wind speeds and cool the air. Leaves
from a tree redirect heat back up towards the sky.
It has been estimated that trees can reduce the
temperature in a city by up to 7C.
Many different pollutants and odours engulf the
air we breathe every single day, but the mighty
tree leaps to our defence by trapping those pesky
toxins in their bark and leaves.
Trees act as an umbrella as they drape our
communities and shade us from the sun and
harmful UV rays.
Ask Andy!
Andy Smallshaw gets to the root of
your tree-related questions…
How do I find out if my tree is
protected by a TPO or within a
Conservation Area?
Not all trees are protected under
a TPO however if you have trees
in your garden it is possible they
may be subject to one. Call the
council on 01942 489249 for
advice.
I am currently selling my
property how do I obtain a copy
of a tree preservation order?
For conveyancing you will need
a certified copy of the order,
these can be purchased from
the council’s Legal and Risk
department for a small fee.
What works do I need
permission for and how do I
apply?
You need permission to carry out
any work which may damage a
protected tree. Before doing so
you must complete an application
form which can be found by
searching ‘Trees and woodlands’
on the Wigan Council website. If
you live in a Conservation Area a
six week notice of intent to carry
out work applies.
How long will it take to get a
decision?
We aim to provide you with a
decision to a TPO application in
writing within eight weeks and a
Conservation Area notice within
six weeks.
My neighbour’s hedgerow is too
tall is it protected?
If you have an issue with a
neighbour’s high hedge you
should first of all contact your
neighbour to try and resolve the
issue. We suggest for you to make
a record of your discussions.
In the event that your neighbour
is unwilling to co-operate the
council may be able to assist. For
further information please search
‘High hedges’ on the Wigan
Council website.
Andy Smalls
haw
Andy Smallshaw has worked at Wigan
Council for over eleven years as a
trees and woodland officer.
It is his job to make sure that trees,
woodlands and hedgerows are
considered for protection and
investigate any unauthorised felling
and pruning of protected trees and
trees in conservation areas.
Andy said: “Trees and woodlands are
an important part of our environment,
reducing the effects of climate change
and providing a home for lots of
different wildlife.
“Tree preservation orders ensure that
our trees continue to contribute to
making the borough a healthy and
pleasant place to live and work.”
9
10
Food for
thought
Best before versus use by what’s the difference?
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
Waste not, want not
Best before
Each year tonnes of food is thrown away. This isn’t just a waste of food, but
a waste of money too. Here’s how to make your weekly shop last longer...
If a product has reached its best
before date it is still safe to eat. Best
before dates just let people know
that the food might not be at its best
quality afterwards but will be safe to
eat if it has been stored properly.
•
Plan ahead – work out what you want to cook and buy only what
you’ll need.
•
If you have got a good deal on something why not cook a batch of
meals and freeze into suitably sized portions.
•
The freezer is your friend – if you have food that is approaching its
use by date but you won’t be able to eat it – pop it in the freezer.
•
Defrost frozen food overnight in the fridge and make sure there are
no solid frozen lumps when it comes to cooking. Ensure cooked food
is piping hot all the way through.
Families in Ince have been tackling
the food waste problem thanks to
the help of school children and the
people behind Fur Clemt Café.
Ince CE Primary School was one of
the first schools to team up with Fur
Clemt Café to offer a food shop with a
difference.
The shop is filled with food donated
by supermarkets and other suppliers
which is around the best before date
but still perfectly safe to eat.
And from day to day parents can pick
up anything from cereal, bread, fresh
fruit and vegetables and cupboard
essentials and only have to pay what
they can afford for it.
Teaming up with Ince Start Well
Family Centre the school has also
been pioneering community lunches
during the school holidays.
The lunches include free family
sessions at Ince Start Well Centre
followed by the school canteen being
opened up with volunteers creating
lunches with produce again supplied
by Fur Clemt Café.
Head teacher Jillian Hyde and her
staff have been working with pupils to
help encourage them to think about
food recycling and how their families
can reduce waste – and in turn – save
themselves money by being food date
savvy.
Miss Hyde said: “Teaming up with
Fur Clemt Café has really made a
difference for the whole school and
wider community by encouraging
people to get the most of their food.
“Our eco warriors team of pupils
have been playing their part, not
just in encouraging others to recycle
correctly but also in teaching about
best before and use by dates to help
11
Use by
Use by dates are the important ones
which should not be ignored. These
are foods that could pose a risk to
your health if eaten after the use by
date. Even if the product seems okay it
is not safe to eat it past its use by date.
reduce food waste.”
“By bringing Fur Clemt into the school
and Start Well Family Centre we have
been able to help a variety of families,
some of who need the support, while
others like being able to get produce
more conveniently while picking up
their children and pay for it knowing
they’re helping others,” added Miss
Hyde.
“We started running community
lunches in the summer holidays as we
realised that some people really rely
on school meals for their children and
during school holidays that kind of
support isn’t there.
“So far the lunches have proved really
popular with families and by working
with the Start Well Family Centre we
are able to provide a great day out
for the family who only have to spend
what they can afford.”
12
Don’t
worry,
bee
happy!
The importance
of the humble bee
and their declining
numbers has been
hitting the headlines.
But on a tucked
away community
allotment in Worsley
Hall the fight to save
them started a long
time ago.
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
A beekeeper who isn’t a big fan of
honey? How can that bee?
But when you learn about the sheer
hard work and dedication it takes
bees to make honey it’s easy to
understand why Hannah Morris is
helping to lead the way in natural
beekeeping.
“When you learn about how much
work it takes for a honey bee to make
honey you can get quite obsessive,”
she said.
“If someone has left some honey on
a knife I find myself making them
aware that it will have taken bees
around 10 days to make that tiny
amount of honey. I urge people to use
it sparingly as a treat.”
Most of the honey bee inhabitants
of the beehives at Worsley Hall
Community Allotments will move on
from year to year.
But there have been bees on the site
since 2012 enjoying the spoils of the
plants and trees in the area and doing
their bit to help pollinate homegrown favourites in turn.
Hannah, company director of Wigan
Growing Network CIC, came to
beekeeping when she took on the
stewardship of the allotment hives.
“I started learning about the bees
themselves rather than just
beekeeping and discovered
they are fascinating
little creatures.
“That’s
why I wanted to do it more naturally.
There are fewer chemicals involved
and it is not so strict on the bees and
where they would go.
“We are trying to get people more
aware about bees and the different
ways of keeping them. You ask a lot of
people and they won’t know a honey
bee from a bumble bee or a solitary
bee, or wasp.”
The easiest way you can help to keep
the bee population healthy is to make
sure they have plenty of food in the
shape of flowers and trees.
Hannah explained: “They need nectar
to make honey and pollen to eat and
some flowers are good for both while
ones good for one or another.
“It is also important to make sure
flowers run through the year from
crocuses and daffodils at the
beginning of the year through to
winter. The Royal Horticultural
Society has plenty of advice on the
best plants to try,” Hannah added.
Thanks to The Deal Communities
Investment Fund, Hannah will be
expanding natural beekeeping to
areas across Wigan and Leigh.
But there is no doubt in Hannah’s
mind as to why we should all be
thankful for those little black and
yellow wonders.
“We would have a much poorer life
without bees.”
Bees
- The facts
•
There are three types of bees –
honey, bumble and solitary
•
In the UK there is one species
of honey bee, 24 species of
bumble bee and more than 200
species of solitary bees
•
Honey bees survive the winter
by eating stored honey and
keeping warm with other bees
•
A third of all the plants we eat
have been pollinated by bees
•
In a hive there are three types
of roles – the queen who lays
up to 2,500 eggs a day at the
height of summer, workers who
forage for food, clean and build
the hive and drone bees who
are male bees whose job is to
mate with the queen
•
One honey bee will visit up to
5,000 flowers a day
Help bees all
year round
The best flowers to plant this spring
to help bees include; crocus, lily of the
valley and fruit trees
Hannah Morris
13
14
From
field
to fork
The desire to eat fresh,
traceable food is growing
among consumers. Borough
Life visited one local
business which is satisfying
this demand while keeping
up a century-old farming
tradition.
In a tucked away rural corner of Wigan
Borough nestles a food business gem
whose reputation far outweighs its
rustic surroundings.
Windy Arbour Farm Shop is run by
people who are passionate about fresh,
local, quality food and has a loyal and
growing customer base.
The farm shop, situated on the outskirts
of Billinge, is a true family business with
the original Windy Arbour Farm being in
the current owner Rachel Rigby’s family
for more than 150 years.
The immaculately presented and
thriving shop is a far cry from its
humble beginnings when Rachel’s
grandmother first sold eggs from the
backdoor of the farmhouse in 1974.
It has taken a lot of hard work by
Rachel, husband Geoff, mum Pam and
their team to continue to grow the
business and this work ethic is evident
when Borough Life visits.
Geoff and Rachel conduct the interview
while continuing to peel hundreds of
carrots for their popular pot herb mix!
The farm shop is open seven days a
week so the need to keep the wheels
turning and the products flowing is
obvious.
The days start at 5.30am for Geoff
and Rachel with deliveries from their
suppliers.
“If the product isn’t good enough we
send it back,” says Geoff.
“We are passionate about the finest
produce and want the freshest, best
quality produce every day.
“We only buy Class 1 which is farm
assured and the best quality.”
Geoff and Rachel source local produce
when available with the rich soils of
West Lancashire providing salads and
vegetables throughout the summer.
“If it can be local it is,” said Rachel.
“From June to October I would say 95
per cent of our salad and veg is picked
up locally.
“People are now more interested in
where their food comes from. We can
have food from the farmer’s field to
having it on sale within two hours.
“You can’t get fresher than that!”
The hardwork and preparation behind
the scenes creates the immaculate
shop floor with its striking and eyecatching presentation.
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
A taste of Windy Arbour’s produce
Freshly baked scones and cakes
A vast range of chutneys and pickles
Wigan-brewed real ales from Prospect and Martland Mill breweries
“I guess that’s just my artistic flair!”
jokes Rachel.
Geoff and Rachel, who have a son
George, aged three, are continuing to
grow the range of products they sell
with new lines including freshly baked
scones and cakes, local and unique real
ales and English wines.
The business has been supported by
Wigan Council’s Business Engagement
Team with advice and support on a
wide range of issues from apprentices,
securing their alcohol licence to issues
about signage.
“They have been brilliant,” said Geoff.
“Anything we have asked, they have
helped. It’s been an invaluable service
for us.”
Selection of fresh fruit and vegetables
“We can have food from the
farmer’s field to having it on
sale within two hours.”
Rachel Rigby, Windy Arbour Farm
Here to help your business
Wigan Council’s Business Engagement Team provides dedicated
advice and support for businesses in the borough. Contact them on
[email protected] or 01942 489189.
Windy Arbour is based on Ashton Road, Billinge and is open seven
days a week. Find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and at:
www.windy-arbour.co.uk
15
16
River
of life
Often overlooked and forgotten about, the
River Douglas is a river steeped in human
history. Now community volunteers are
coming together to keep this important
waterway clean and habitable for wildlife.
From Rivington to the River Ribble via
Wigan town centre the River Douglas
winds its way through a rich variety of
landscapes.
The picturesque waters flow alongside
our beautiful greenspaces and popular
walking spots in the borough’s
Greenheart.
Yet the industry which shaped our
modern urban towns has also had its
impact on the river and its waters have
not always flowed so clear.
More than 270 years ago the River
Douglas was Wigan’s central route
for transporting coal and other cargo
towed by horses and donkeys.
Opening in 1742 the Douglas Navigation
was used as a towpath linking the
borough’s trades with the sea.
In the mid-nineteenth century the river
was used for salmon fishing and was a
thriving part of the community.
Sadly industry soon left the water
polluted and uninhabitable for salmon.
In the 1970s a new sewer was
introduced into the river and this
massively improved the quality of
water, bringing new life with it.
Over the years lots of organisations like
the Canal and River Trust, Groundwork,
United Utilities and the Environment
Agency have worked hard to improve
the river.
A new initiative called ‘Love My River’
is now aiming to go one step further by
enlisting the help of volunteers.
Pauline Taylor from Groundwork
explained: “Love My River is all about
putting something back into your
local environment and helping our
waterways.
“We urgently need volunteers to get
involved. As a volunteer, you’ll be
involved in checking the water quality
within the river, gain an understanding
of the sources of pollution and learn
about the actions we can all take to
reduce and prevent pollution. So it’s a
great way to learn new skills, meet new
people and make a difference where
you live.”
To get involved contact Pauline Taylor [email protected] or 01253 345445.
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
17
“Love My
River is all
about putting
something back
into your local
environment”
Stephen Hodges, Project Officer for Groundwork and
Pauline Taylor, Senior Ecological Officer for Groundwork
at Elnup Wood, Shevington.
River Douglas history timeline
Bottling Woo
d, Whelley, 19
1720 - The Douglas Navigation Act
was taken to parliament to make it
navigable.
1742 - Commissioners inspected and
declared the Douglas Navigation
complied with the Douglas Navigation
Act. This was the central location
for transporting coal by horses and
donkeys, linking the borough’s trade
with the sea.
1760 - During the Industrial Revolution
(In the period from about 1760 to 1850)
the river was heavily polluted with
chemical discharge and dye from the
mills.
1867 - 150 years ago the River Douglas
was used for salmon fishing.
1876 - Work on the building on the
first part of the Wigan Junction
Railway began in Ince in 1867 and was
completed in 1879.
1931 - The River Douglas was bridged
at Bottling Wood replacing the worn
out wooden bridge with a steel
structure (as seen above).
1935 - A new drainage scheme was
opened by D. A. Duckworth of Croston,
the chairman of the board at the time.
1935 - Old cargo boats found in
the River Douglas after a flooding
prevention scheme saw the draining of
the river at Gathurst.
1946 - The River Douglas burst its
banks- worst floods in 70 years.
1974 - More than £1 million of work was
completed on the river as part of an
estimated £12 million scheme.
Thanks to Wigan Archives Service for the image and timeline
50’s
1980 - Brown trout up to 9 inches long
were released into the river at Parbold
as an experiment to see if it was clean
enough to support fish for the first time
in half a century.
1987 - The river rose six feet and burst
its banks at Martland Mill after nearly 24
hours of continuous rain. Despite this,
efforts from both the fire brigade and
local residents kept the floods at bay
and didn’t threaten the houses.
2011 - The Wigan Flood Alleviation
scheme was completed, reducing
the risk of flooding to 750 homes and
businesses at the cost of £12 million.
2017 - Projects like ‘Love My River’
continue to help the river flourish
Water chemical sampling
Riverside surveys.
18
High Ropes
Haigh Woodland Park is a fantastic
adventure and experience for everyone,
but if you’ve got a head for heights
you’re going to love the Haigh
Woodland Park High Ropes.
Walking
With miles of paths there are lots
of scenic routes to enjoy in Wigan
Borough. Walking is good for your
physical and mental health. For
inspiration read Gwenda’s
story opposite.
5
Running
fun ways to
get active
Kayaking
For those who feel a bit more
energetic why not try running?
From novice to trained athlete,
there’s a range of sessions by Inspiring
healthy lifestyles to help you get on
your feet.
Getting in shape
couldn’t be easier in
the borough’s great
outdoors
Looking for something a little
different? Then it’s time to get
paddling on one of our beautiful flashes!
A visit to Scotman’s Flash Activity Centre
is the perfect place to start, with beginner
taster sessions on Saturday mornings
giving a relaxed introduction to
kayaking.
For more information about these activities visit
www.getactivewiganandleigh.co.uk
With sessions available
for beginner and intermediate
cyclists, Inspiring healthy lifestyles’
Health on Wheels programme offers
30-minute and one hour sessions free of
charge for the first 12 weeks.
Cycling
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
These boots were made for walking
Gwenda Ane Byers
When Leigh resident Gwenda Ann
Byers’ health took a turn for the
worse, she put her walking shoes on.
Gwenda Ann joined the Pennington
Flash walks programme with her
partner to help her come to terms
with her diagnosis of bladder cancer.
“My fiancé and I were devastated to
find out the diagnosis,” she explains.
“I underwent chemotherapy and
radiotherapy in Manchester and
received amazing support from
Macmillan nurses who told me that
I’d benefit from exercise and healthy
eating.
“I was given an Inspiring healthy
lifestyles walking programme and we
joined the Pennington Flash walks on
Mondays and Thursdays. We were
made to feel so welcome and at ease
straight away, and over the course of
a year we continued walking, helping
us to communicate and come to terms
with the illness.
“I have now been in remission for over
12 months, and although I still have
days when I am in a lot of pain, I keep
walking, pushing myself through the
pain barrier.
“Exercise in itself has been the best
medication. My husband and I would
definitely recommend the walking
programme, so much so that I am
now a walk leader myself, and by
doing this I hope I can help make a
difference to other people, as much as
they have helped me.”
Visit www.inspiringhealthylifestyles.
org/walking and find the perfect walk
for you.
Getting
started
Try these simple
indoor exercises
with personal trainer
Andy Leonard
3. Plank
“Functional day-to-day activities
can be really helped with this
exercise as it builds up core
strength. You can also adjust the
intensity by lowering your knees to
touch the floor.”
1. Weighted punches
“This is a simple
exercise to help
increase upper body
strength and can
be performed with
household objects
such as tins or jars.”
4. Step ups
“This is going to
increase your
heartrate and in
turn build your
fitness, as well
as helping to
improve lower
body strength.”
2. Sit to stand
“Working all of
the muscles of
the lower body,
this can help to
build strength
and can also
be carried out
with household
objects.”
5. Bicep curls
“The muscles of
the upper arms
will benefit,
and it’s another
activity you can
carry out with
household items,
giving you the
flexibility to adjust
the weight of the
objects to suit
you.”
For more information about Inspiring healthy lifestyles and their personal training programme visit
wigan.leisurecentres.org
19
20
A home for
Willow
Dedicated conservation work in
the borough has halted the decline
of a tiny rare bird and helped gain
national recognition.
Where can I find them?
The Bunting Hide at Pennington Flash offers an excellent viewpoint,
with the upkeep of the hide assisted by the Leigh Ornithological Society.
Willow tits can also be found at: Astley Moss, Astley Village, Bickershaw
Ruck, Borsdane Woods, Wigan Flashes, Worthington Lakes, Cutacre
Country Park, Three Sisters and Amberswood Common.
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
The willow tit was once widespread
across the UK.
But a worrying decline saw this timid
and delicate relative of the coal tit
drop to around just 2,000 breeding
pairs nationally.
Competition, predators and loss of
habitat were all contributing to their
fall in numbers, and yet, in Wigan
Borough this rather sweet species has
found its home across 240 hectares of
our Greenheart.
Of 114 breeding pairs of willow tits in
sites across the North West, 50 pairs
can be spotted among our wetlands.
Their resurgence has been supported
by the vital conservation work in
the borough by volunteers from the
Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) and
Wigan Flashes Conservation and
Community Group.
After a short walk from the entrance
to Wigan Flashes at Carr Lane near
Hawkley Hall High School, Sue
Lonsdale, from the LWT, explained to
Borough Life just how volunteers are
helping the willow tit thrive.
Sue said: “The work we’re carrying
out is helping to adapt the woodland
to improve the dense undergrowth,
which already provides a good
habitat due to the damp and wet soil
conditions.
“We have cleared larger trees to create
sunlight for growth, felling existing
non-native trees and replacing them
with species such as dog rose, hazel,
goat willow and blackthorn.
“Using the trunks from the felled trees
we’re also providing willow tits with
rotted wood to build their nests in,
making it easier for them to excavate
holes.”
A recent survey showed a five percent
population increase on the previous
year in Wigan and the surrounding
areas, bucking the national trend of
decline.
The achievements of the willow
tit project even brought BBC1’s
Countryfile to Wigan to highlight its
success to a national audience.
Graham Jones, from the Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds, said the
work in the borough is crucial to the
national willow tit population.
“Many of the habitat management
techniques that are currently
being used nationally were initially
developed during the early days in
Wigan.
“Without the hard work and
commitment of Wigan’s willow tit
champions the species would be in a
far worse predicament nationally than
it is today,” said Graham.
What other birds
can I look out for
in the borough?
Graham Workman, from Inspiring
healthy lifestyles, selects his
favourite birds found in the borough.
Peregrine Falcon – “Spotted above
Wigan and Leigh town centres.
Pigeons beware!”
Bittern – “A
secretive heronlike bird. Has a
booming call
like someone
blowing over the
top of a bottle.”
Great White Egret – “Once a great
rarity, they’re now seen every year
in our wetlands – a great sign of the
effectiveness of the restoration to
our wetland habitats.”
Dipper – “The
dipper is a bird
of fast flowing
streams and rivers,
which we now
have in many parts
of the borough.”
Sue Lonsdale
Raven – “The largest and most
intelligent of the crow family, ravens
now nest on high buildings in Wigan
town centre and are a regular sight
with their acrobatic flights.”
Bittern, Great White Egret and Dipper images © John Tymon.
Peregrine Falcon, Raven and Willow Tit images © Dave Green
21
22
Hedgehog
rescue
In her spare time Irene
Thomson from Lowton runs
a hedgehog hospital. Here she
tells us how to help our spikey
friends get back to normal.
As the weather becomes milder
hedgehogs will start to leave
hibernation. Being asleep for so
long can leave some hedgehogs
feeling weak. If you see one out in
the daytime or wobbling due to
dehydration, it needs rescuing.
Irene Thomson
with Bruce th
e hedgehog
Make a rescue box
Using gardening gloves, scoop up the
animal and place it in a high-sided
box which has newspaper in the
bottom and some soft bedding for it
to snuggle into and hide.
Stay warm
Fill a hot water bottle with warm (not
too hot) water, wrap the bottle
in a towel and place this
next to the hedgehog.
Make sure the
hedgehog
can
move away from the hot water bottle
if it becomes too warm. If you don’t
have a hot water bottle you can use
a plastic drinks bottle instead (again
wrapped in a towel).
Feed
Hedgehogs like eating meaty dog
food, cat food and cat biscuits. It
may be thirsty too so make sure you
provide a shallow dish of water.
Phone Lowton Hedgehog Rescue
Once you have the hedgehog in a
quiet and secure place (preferably
indoors) you can then ring Lowton
Hedgehog Rescue on 07950 933410
and speak to Irene.
If the animal is injured please take
it directly to a veterinary surgery as
soon as possible.
Hedgehogs are good swimmers,
but unfortunately they can drown
in garden ponds because there
is no easy escape. If you have a
pond make sure there’s an easy
way out. You could use a plank of
wood to make a ramp or create
shallow edges using pebbles.
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
23
Love
where you live
We love our borough and we
know you do too. That’s why
we want to work with you to
make it the best place it can be.
There are so many residents working to make their
community a better place.
Local community groups in Atherton including Keep
Atherton Tidy, Friends of Atherton Park and the
Residents Association have been working together
since 2015 with a mission to keep their town and
greenspaces clean and tidy. Through voluntary days,
litter picks and the power of social media they are
doing all they can to improve their community.
Unfortunately, we know there are still some
residents who blight our communities and beautiful
greenspaces with dog fouling and litter.
And to catch them we need your help. We’ve
teamed up with residents in Atherton to gather local
knowledge and catch persistent offenders.
We need you to be our eyes and ears and report
issues to us, for example dog fouling, litter or fly
tipping, so we can collect intelligence about when
and where it’s happening and enforce in these areas.
You can report an issue or hotspot to the council via
www.wigan.gov.uk/reportit or using the Report It app
which you can download to your smartphone.
24
Olivia Jones, nine, (front left), Carys Bustard, 11
(front right), Ebony Gaskell, 10, Lucas Charlson,
10, Callum Cash, nine
Cabbage
patch kids
Gardening is making a comeback among
the younger generation and in one Atherton
school it’s the coolest club to be in!
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
25
St Philip’s potato
and leek soup
Ingredients
Nine-year-old Olivia Jones doesn’t like
sprouts, she only likes “home-grown
school sprouts”.
And Olivia’s not the only pupil at St
Philip’s Primary School in Atherton
who is following the ‘growing your
own’ trend and loves planting and
harvesting her own fruit and veg.
The school started gardening club in
February last year and now have a
potting shed, greenhouse, orchard,
and an area of raised beds for growing.
Pupils use their produce to make
healthy soups and even pitched in with
the school Christmas lunch.
Tina Farrow, (pictured below) outdoor
learning manager and head gardener,
has lived in Atherton for 20 years.
She said: “There was a whole
generation who just skipped
gardening. My age group gardened
but after me it just stopped. Now it’s
coming back we need to tap into that
knowledge, from our grandparents and
parents, and tap into the community
around us.”
The allotment is for learning about
fruit and veg but is also used to teach
science and maths. Tina said it’s not
only about educating the kids about
what’s healthy but the parents too.
Tina said: “The parents love it and the
community love what we’re doing.
It started when I was carrying a red
cabbage across the playground and a
pupil asked me for the football. They
hadn’t seen one before and couldn’t
believe you could just pick off a leaf
and eat it.”
The allotment is exactly what
Incredible Edible is all about. A
project born in Yorkshire by a group of
volunteers who love food, Incredible
Edible is people planting fruit, veg and
herbs in public places and everyone
helping themselves. It brings empty
pieces of land back to life, means
people are active, brings together
the community and has huge health
benefits.
Callum Cash, aged nine, says his
grandad has a plot of his own. Callum
said: “My favourite thing is planting
the seeds and my grandad gives me
advice.” Lucas Charlson, aged 10, said
his favourite thing about gardening
club is seeing how things grow.
And the school is currently tripling its
growing space. Tina said: “This year
I’m going to tackle chips. Whether
they’re made from potatoes, carrots or
courgettes, I can’t wait to show the kids
a healthy alternative!”
Tina Farrow
°
°
°
°
°
°
°
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion
225g potatoes
2 medium leeks
1.2litres vegetable stock
150ml crème fraiche (optional)
Salt and pepper
1. P
eel and slice the onion, add the
vegetable oil to a large saucepan
and heat. Cook the onions in the
oil.
2. C
ut the potatoes into chunks
(peeling optional) and add to the
pan.
3. P
eel and chop the leeks and put in
the pan, gently cook the vegetables
in the oil before adding the stock.
4. B
ring the soup to the boil, season
well with salt and pepper then
simmer until the vegetables are
tender.
5. W
hizz with a blender until smooth
and re-heat.
6. Serve with crème fraiche (optional).
If you want to get into growing
you can get involved in an
Incredible Edible project near
you. Visit www.wigan.gov.uk/
Incredible-edible for more
information.
Tweet us @WiganCouncil with
a photo of your allotment or
home-grown fruit and veg and
we’ll give you a free pack of
seeds!
26
Spring
into action
Don’t worry if you don’t know your
pansies from your primulas – we’ve
got you covered with this simple
gardening guide.
One of the easiest things you can plant
to create colourful summer displays are
bedding plants.
Small bedding plants can be bought
1
4
from most garden centres in cellular
trays ready for planting in a garden bed
or container when you get home.
They are fast growing plants used
2
Make sure your chosen plant
pot or container has small
holes in the bottom so the
water can drain out. If it only
has one central hole, put some
stones or chipping into the
bottom of the tub to create a
drainage system. Fill pot with
compost.
Your gardening tools
Put your bedding plant in and
pack the compost around it.
Leave 5cm between the compost
and the top of the container.
Water your plant every day
(unless it has rained) to make
sure it doesn’t dry out. Leave in
a sunny position.
If you want to create a flowerbed in your garden and have a spare plot
of grass to use you can dig up your grass and lay down some top soil
ready to pop your plants straight in the ground.
Here’s what you need to get started: Trowel,
compost, gardening gloves, tubs or hanging
baskets (if you aren’t planting in the ground).
temporarily in summer displays and
are quick and easy. Begonias and
geraniums are among the most popular
but there are lots of different varieties.
3
Once you know what you like
you can plant different plants
in one tub together to create
lovely floral displays.
5
Remember to put your
grass and any other garden
waste into your green bin!
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
Hundreds of volunteers took
part in Britain in Bloom last year
and wowed the judges from the
Royal Horticultural Society. The
borough scooped a gold medal and
dozens of community groups were
recognised.
Hindley Community Allotments group
(pictured above) has won numerous
accolades with In Bloom and look after one
of the borough’s most beautiful gardens.
Our top 10 most popular
gardening books
Call into your local library or bookcycle to get hold of
one and perfect your skills.
Pests and diseases – Pippa Greenwood
Great gardens for kids – Clare Matthews
Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall’s garden plants made easy
The new lawn expert – David Gerald Hessayon
Lawns and ornamental grasses – Jan Ondrej
Small garden – John Brookes
Pruning - Christopher Brickell
Shrubs and climbers - Richard Rosenfeld
Gardening under plastic – Bernard Salt
How to be a gardener – Alan Titchmarsh
If you want to join an In Bloom group in your community or to find out more
information contact the In Bloom team at [email protected] or 01942 489271.
27
28
BoroughLove
You go girl...
Our chief executive Donna Hall’s high
profile stand to make sure women are
represented at major conferences was
a hit with one mum…
Dear Donna,
I’ve just read about your boycott
of the Northern Powerhouse
gathering.
I want to thank you for bringing
the lack of women speakers to the
attention of the national press.
From me and my one-year-old
daughter, you go girl!
Best wishes,
Kelly Deakin
Honouring Billy
Boston
Thank you for honouring Billy
Boston MBE.
I’ve recently found out about the
statue.
In truth, there was a time when I
was not too enamoured with him
as he was an Army PTI in Catterick
Camp in 1953!
During my military and trade
training period before going to
Korea, I travelled by train back
home on leave as far as Cardiff.
Also with us was a West African
squaddie who spent his leave with
Billy’s mam in Cardiff.
And so, if you should meet up with
Billy please remind him that there’s
still one reluctant hero left, to wish
him the very best.
David Watkins
Rhondda, Wales
Borough Life, Wigan Town Hall, Library Street WN1 1YN
[email protected]
Your views on
your borough
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
WIN!
A spa day for two
Major improvements are continuing
to take shape at the borough’s newest
Haigh Hall Hotel. The £12million
renovation is progressing well with
work on the new lobby and restaurant
complete.
By summer the hotel will also feature a
spa and fitness facilities and bedrooms
29
The newly ref
urbished hotel
lobby
– offering the perfect getaway for
those looking to unwind.
Now open to the public, Riviera offers
French and Mediterranean dishes with
the emphasis on relaxed, informal,
shared dining. The Afternoon Tea is
also perfect for that special treat.
To celebrate the opening of the
restaurant which is open to the
public seven days a week, Haigh Hall
Hotel is giving away a Champagne
Afternoon Tea and spa treatments for
two. To enter visit: www.wigan.gov.
uk/boroughlife and subscribe to the
Borough Life newsletter. Winners will be
selected at random.
Terms and conditions: Booking is
subject to availability and once the
spa has officially opened. Winners will
be able to choose from a choice of 25
minute treatments. For full terms visit:
www.wigan.gov.uk/boroughlife
Closing date for entries is 30th April 2017
For more on Haigh Hall
Hotel please visit:
www.haighhallhotel.co.uk
www.rivierarestaurant.co.uk
30
Your what’s on guide for Wigan Borough this spring
Events for all the family
April
Curious Critters Easter
interactive animal sessions
Age 4+
£2p/p, booking essential
Ashton Library, Friday 7th April, 11am12pm, contact Ashton Library on 01942
727119 or [email protected]
Golborne Library, Monday 10th April,
10.30am-11.30am, contact Golborne
Library on 01942 777800 or Golborne.
[email protected]
Easter egg hunt
Join Wigan and Leigh Hospice and hunt
for delicious Easter treats in our gardens.
Wigan and Leigh Hospice, Kildare Street,
Hindley, WN2 3HZ
Sunday 9th April, Sessions at 11.00am,
1.30pm and 3.30pm
£5 per child, book in advance
Contact the fundraising team on 01942
525566 or [email protected]
Greater Manchester Walking
Festival
Wigan Library, Tuesday 11th April, 2pm3pm, contact Wigan Library on 01942
827621 or
[email protected]
Easter Craft Sessions
Age 5+
Free, booking essential
Atherton Library, Monday 3rd April,
11am-12pm, contact Atherton Library
on 01942 404817 or Atherton.Library@
wigan.gov.uk
Marsh Green Library, Tuesday 4th April,
2pm-3pm, contact Marsh Green Library
on 01942 760041 or Marshgreen.Library@
wigan.gov.uk
Hindley Library, Monday 10th April,
11am-12pm, contact Hindley Library on
01942 255287 or
[email protected]
Shevington Library, Monday 10th April,
11am-12pm, contact Shevington Library
on 01257 252618 or Shevington.Library@
wigan.gov.uk
Tyldesley Library, Monday 10th April,
11am-12pm, contact Tyldesley Library
on 01942 404738 or Tyldesley.Library@
wigan.gov.uk
Look at how to search military records
online including Wigan Borough Online
War Memorial to find out more about
your ancestors.
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street
Thursday 27th April, 2.30-4pm
Free, Booking required
01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@
wigan.gov.uk for more information.
May
Leigh Library, Tuesday 11th April, 11am12pm, contact Leigh Library on 01942
404404 or [email protected]
Standish Library, Thursday 13th April,
10.30am-11.30am, contact Standish
Library on 01257 400496 or Standish.
[email protected]
Family History and the First
World War
Magical Memories
A dementia friendly activity. Each event
has a fun theme with workshops, films,
bingo and singalongs.
Leigh Library
Tuesday 11th April, 2pm-3.30pm
Tuesday 9th May, 2pm-3.30pm
Free (donations welcomed), booking
essential. Contact Leigh Library on 01942
404404 or [email protected]
Tyldesley Library
Wednesday 5th April, 11.30am-2pm
Wednesday 3rd May, 11.30am-2pm
Tuesday 6th June, 11.30am-2pm
Free (donations welcomed), booking
essential. Contact Tyldesley Library on
01942 404738 or Tyldesley.Library@
wigan.gov.uk
Wigan Pewter: A Lost
Industry
Why did the pewter industry thrive and
then fail? Who were the Troublesome
Pewterers of Wigan?
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street
Thursday 20th April, 12-1pm
£2.50 including tea/coffee
Booking required
01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@
wigan.gov.uk
All information correct at time of going to press. Please contact the venue in advance to confirm details.
The third Greater Manchester Walking
Festival takes place between the 1st-31st
of May, with 300 free guided walks across
the region.
Free, no need to book
Various dates, times and venues.
For more information email walking.
[email protected] or visit www.tfgm.com/
walking Facebook: www.facebook.com/
GMWalkingFestival/
Egypt Valleys of the Kings &
Queens
Join Professor Joann Fletcher and Dr
Stephen Buckley for a special lecture
about the famous Valley of the Kings and
Valley of the Queens.
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street
Wednesday 3rd May, 3-4.30pm – Doors
open from 2.15pm & 8-9.30pm – Doors
open from 7.15pm
£10 per person, including a glass of wine
Booking required
01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@
wigan.gov.uk
Borough Life / Spring 2017 / www.wigan.gov.uk
31
Home games
Wigan Warriors
April
Victorian Medicine
Don’t miss this intriguing look into the
medical quirks and progress of the
Victorian Age.
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street
Monday 8th May, 12-1.pm
£2.50 including tea/coffee
Booking required
01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@
wigan.gov.uk
Museums at Night
After dark the building comes to life with
new art, music and performance.
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street
Friday 19th May, 7-10.30pm
£3 per person, no booking required
01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@
wigan.gov.uk for more information.
Farmers Market
Browse our stalls selling fresh meats,
fruit & veg, jams, cakes and much more.
Wigan and Leigh Hospice, Kildare Street,
Hindley, WN2 3HZ
Sunday 7th May, 9am to 3pm
Free, no need to book.
The fundraising team on 01942 525566 or
[email protected]
Race for Life
Sign up to the 5k Race for Life right now
and you will be playing your part in
beating cancer.
Haigh Hall, Wigan
Wednesday 17th May
To enter visit raceforlife.org or call 0300
123 0770
Tuesday 16th – Saturday 20th May 2017,
7.30pm
Two shows for the price of one!
Tickets: £11 & £13 Concessions available
Contact 01942 676594 or call in at The
Baby Centre, 15 Queen Street, Leigh
Sky Dive
Take part in a Sky Dive to raise funds for
Wigan and Leigh Hospice.
Black Knights Parachute Centre near
Lancaster
Sunday 21st May, all day
Minimum sponsorship of £400 applies.
Book in advance. Aged 16+
The fundraising team on 01942 525566
[email protected]
June
Family History and the First
World War
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street
Thursday 8th June, 2.30-4pm
Free, Booking required
01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@
wigan.gov.uk
The Douglas Navigation
Back by popular demand, Mike Clarke
looks at the story of Wigan’s River
Douglas as it turned from natural
waterway into an industrial highway.
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street
Tuesday 20th June, 12-1pm
£2.50 including tea/coffee
Booking required
01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@
wigan.gov.uk
Healthy walk
Get out and about with our fun, friendly
guided health walks. Wear comfortable
clothing and footwear.
Meet at the cabin at Norley Hall
Adventure Playground.
Thursday 8th June, 1pm
For more information contact j.lane@
wlct.org or 01942 487631
H.M.S. Pinafore
Trial by Jury
by Gilbert & Sullivan
The Three Towns Operatic Society
St. Joseph’s Hall, Chapel Street, Leigh.
WN7 2PR
Car Boot and Table Top Sale
St Marys Community Hall, Newton Road,
Lowton WN7 1EG
Saturday 24th June 8.30am
Pitches: Inside £10; Outside £7 prebooked, £8 on the day. Tel: 01942
275507 Refreshments available
Wigan Warriors Vs Castleford Tigers
Thursday 6th April, 8pm
Wigan Warriors Vs St Helens
Friday 14th April, 12.15pm
Wigan Warriors Vs Catalans Dragons
Sunday 23rd April, 3pm
May
Wigan Warriors Vs Salford Red Devils
Friday 5th May, 8pm
Wigan Warriors Vs Wakefield Trinity
Monday 29th May, 3pm
Leigh Centurions
April
Leigh Centurions Vs Widnes Vikings
Saturday 1st April, 6pm
Leigh Centurions Vs Catalans Dragons
Friday 7th April, 8pm
Leigh Centurions Vs Hull F.C.
Monday 17th April, 3pm
May
Leigh Centurions Vs Wakefield
Saturday 6th May, 6pm
Leigh Centurions Vs Salford Red Devils
Dacia Magic Weekend
Sunday 21st May, K.O TBC
Leigh Centurions Vs Castleford Tigers
Monday 29th May, K.O TBC
June
Leigh Centurions Vs Wigan Warriors
Thursday 8th June, 8pm
Wigan Athletic
April
Wigan Athletic Vs Rotherham United
Saturday 8th April, 3pm
Wigan Athletic Vs Barnsley
Thursday 13th April, 7.45pm
Wigan Athletic Vs Cardiff City
Saturday 22nd April, 3pm
May
Wigan Athletic Vs Leeds United
Sunday 7th May, 12pm