UK’s largest free
advice centre opens
by staff reporter
A ?5 million project which brings together 25 of Warrington’s leading voluntary, charitable and community organisations under one roof has opened in Sankey Street.
The Gateway – the largest one-stop-shop in the UK for free advice and support – represents the realisation of years of work by Warrington Housing Association.
It offers advice on a wide range of issues, ranging from housing to legal matters to lifelong learning.
The Gateway has been created in the former Martin Dawes building opposite the Town Hall.
It provides 47,000 square feet of accommodation for the different community organisations in a modern environment.
Warrington Housing Association chief executive Alan Kemp said: “The Gateway offers a truly comprehensive range of services to the community and all 25 organisations based in the centre will be working closely together to deliver help and advice to local people in a much more effective way than ever before.”
Organisations offering services for the following groups are at the Gateway:
The elderly: Age Concern, The Seniors Centre and Care and Repair.
Disabled and people with learning difficulties: MacIntyre – who will also be running a community cafe which forms the social heart of the centre – The Speak Up Group, Warrington Community Living and The Link Project.
Young people: Connexions, The Participation Working Project and The Talk don’t Walk Project.
Housing: The Vulnerable Tenants Support Scheme, Warrington Action for Homeless and Warrington Borough Council Housing Advice and Homelessness Service.
Other groups include The Citizens Advice Bureau, ARC – which helps people affected by domestic violence – Crossroads Caring for Carers, The Patient and Public Involvement Forum, Warrington Advocacy and The Council for Voluntary Service.
In addition, Warrington Collegiate will be running courses from Gateway catering for adults who want to improve their levels of literacy, language and numeracy.
Man, 18, victim
of stab attack
by David Skentelbery
AN 18-year-old man was rushed to hospital at Warrington after being stabbed during a confrontation with a gang of three thugs.
The attack took place in Sankey Valley Park as the 18-year-old was walking across the park from the direction of the St David’s housing estate at Callands and towards Dallam at about 7.30pm.
He was confronted by the three offenders and there was an argument while resulted in a struggle during which the victim was stabbed in the left side.
The victim was taken to Warrington Hospital where he was detained overnight.
Although he was allowed home the following morning he still requires ongoing treatment.
A police spokesman said one of the offenders was aged about 20-25, six feet tall and of proportionate build. He was wearing a red waterproof top and dark bottoms.
The second man was wearing a navy blue night cap but there is no description of the third man.
Police are asking witnesses or anyone who recognises the offenders from their description to get in touch with Det Cons Claire Barber on 01244 613837.
Patients urged to take
control of medicines
by John Hendon
PEOPLE in Warrington are being urged to take more control over the medicines they take and the treatment they receive.
Health chiefs are urging people to, “ask about their medicines,” as part of a national campaign to make patients more aware of their medication.
Research shows that at any time seven out of 10 people are taking medicines and that many are not taking them as prescribed. Only about half of those people prescribed medicines said they knew enough about other treatment options.
Lis Bennett, head of medicines management at Warrington Primary Care Trust (PCT), said: “We are urging people to ask their GP, nurse or pharmacist about their medicines and take an active role in decisions about different treatment options.
“Many people don’t realise they can ask questions about their medication. By asking questions patients can ensure they are getting the right medication and are taking it correctly,” she added.
The campaign aims to promote availability of information to enable patients and carers make decisions and support health professionals in helping people make choices.
To promote the campaign PCT medicines experts will staff a stall in the Golden Square Shopping Centre on Thursday November 4. There will be information on medicines and a competition to win a family ticket to a Wolves match by guessing the price of displayed medicines.
The Ask About Medicines Week will be launched in London on November 1, and includes events throughout the country. More information is available from NHS Direct, a 24-hour health advice line on 0845 4647, or www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Praise for teachers and
pupils at “very good school”
by Lesley Wilkinson
A PRIMARY school in Warrington has been praised as a “very good school” with high standards of education and good support, by inspectors from Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education.
Gorse Covert Primary, in Birchwood, was given excellent results by inspectors. The school was described as offering “a very good quality of education” to pupils with “very good personal qualities” strongly promoted by the staff.” Inspectors praised the consistently high standards of teaching in mathematics and science. They also said that most parents are very supportive of the school and play a “very effective role” as partners in their children’s education.
The report noted that by the time they leave the school, children with special educational needs have achieved well, and those who receive consistent additional support from learning assistants often achieve very well.
Teachers were praised for planning their lessons very effectively and making very good use of resources to enrich pupils’ learning. They were seen to assess pupils’ work well, progress carefully and have good knowledge of pupils’ learning needs and the subjects they teach.
The school’s excellence in test results was recognised as results from the end of Year Six were above the national trend. To help learning the school has arranged visits out and visitors coming to the school to provide a range of experiences and help stimulate pupils’ enthusiasm.
Ofsted praised the social development of pupils, commenting on high levels of motivation and behaviour enabling pupils to learn well. Pastoral support was praised as helping build children’s self-esteem and confidence.
Inspectors said pupils were given good personal and academic guidance, pupils got along together harmoniously at work and play and social development was very good.
The school council was seen as effective in raising issues and making pupils aware of others’ needs.
Comments that the school should increase the level of additional adult support for pupils across the school have been taken on board by staff who are working to enhance pupil support.
Headteacher Lynne Joughin said: “A super report such as this, is only achieved when every person within the school community makes every effort they can. Pupils, staff, parents and governors of Gorse Covert have worked well together and the report acknowledges this.”
Coun Maureen Banner, the borough council’s executive member for education said: “Once more – a report to be proud of. Gorse Covert Primary School is a shining example of how education can make a difference in the lives of pupils and I would like to congratulate each member of staff and all involved for working towards such an excellent report.”
MP joins up with
team fighting scams
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones joined trading standards officers on the town’s mobile library service to promote the “Get Real” campaign.
Trading Standards took a tr
ip on the Mobile Library on its route for a whole of week giving out information and dealing with queries in their fight against “fakes, frauds and scams”.
The MP said: “I was pleased to be able to support the Trading Standards team in this initiative. It was a great idea to tour the town with the mobile library and proved a real success. Fraud is an increasing problem. We all need to be on the lookout for the likes of bogus callers, internet and telephone scams, alarm and security fakes and tarmac and building fraud.
“The support pack given out during the tour of the town is very useful and informative. I would urge anyone who missed out on the mobile library to contact Trading Standards and ask for the information which will help them “avoid the rogues!”
Blaze wrecks
garage offices
by staff reporter
FIRE crews fought throughout the night to control a blaze which wrecked offices and workshops at an unoccupied car dealer’s premises at Warrington.
The blaze was at the former Caledonian Motors garage in Thelwall Lane, Latchford.
Intruders had broken into the building and started the fire which caused extensive damage to a range of single-storey buildings.
More than 30 firefighters were involved in the operation.
A Fire Service spokesman said the premises had been vacated recently and another company was due to move in. But the extent of the damage was such that it was likely to be sometime before the buildings could be brought back into use.
Police are investigating.
Video art student plans
home town exhibition
by Lesley Wilkinson
A WARRINGTON video art student is planning an exhibition of his work at the Pyramid Arts Centre next year.
Chris Boyd, 21, of Chester Road, is a former pupil of Priestley College. He is now in his second year of a degree in Interactive Arts at Manchester Metropolitan University.
“During the first year of my degree I started working in video art and had two works installed at the FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) centre in Liverpool,” he said.
“The FACT centre is one of Britain’s leading centre’s for contemporary video art. I contributed to an artist talk there and won a Microwave award – which was a plaque and a trophy ” he added.
Chris has also had his work displayed on the giant outdoor television screen at the Triangle in Manchester city centre.
“It was quite amazing to see the work on screen,” said Chris.
He has recently entered exhibits in Channel Five’s Big Art Challenge UK Art Prize, with prizes of up to ?10,000, and got through the Manchester heat held at the Lowry Centre.
“I was asked to make another work to be exhibited at the Baltic Centre of Contemporary Art, Gateshead. I made a video installation with sculptures,” he said.
The entrants were interviewed and their work judged for places in the final to be held in Liverpool on November 15.
“I got through to the final while being a student competing against professional artists and working in the medium with only a year’s experience,” added Chris.
Chris is now working towards his exhibition in Warrington next year and hopes to get support for his work from his hometown. He is interested in a range of arts including video art, sculpture and illustration and hopes to make a career in the arts after university.
