‘JABB four’ want to
be famous five!
EXCLUSIVE by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON’S “Fab four” boy band JABB (Just Another Boy Band) are now looking for someone to help them become the famous five!
After reaching the final stages of TV’s national talent show “X-Factor” the band members have taken the advice of the judges and given themselves a new image.
Now they want another talented vocalist to join their ranks as they continue to strive for stardom.
Consisting of college friends Jorden Stacey, 18, from Grappenhall, Craig Davies and Ben Hart, both 19, from Appleton and David McGuinness, 20, from Latchford, the band are undeterred after being kicked off the hit TV show after reaching the last 24 of their category.
Thanks to local hair stylists at Toni and Guy they have been given a new look after their judge, band promoter Lou Walsh, who manages Boyzone, told them they “sounded great” but looked like they had “just got off a bus!”
The band has already been invited to make a special guest appearance at the Orford Park Fireworks display on November 3rd at 6pm.
Taking nothing for granted the band have all enrolled on the Access to Music Course at Warrington Collegiate and are being managed by Ben’s mother Sally Hart, who is making sure they all get their beauty sleep!
She said: “Despite the disappointment of not making it to the finals of X-Factor it was a great experience for them. They are working really hard and now they are looking for a fifth member so they can become a five piece harmony.”
Sally said the band was also looking for help with sponsorship so they can purchase their own equipment.
“We have had some great support from Toni and Guy who have been looking after the boy’s hair and from Top Man who have provided some outfits. But we really do need some sponsorship.”
Three members of the band have already lost their “day jobs” due to the demands of appearing on the TV show but things are looking up with a number of bookings pencilled in for the New Year.
Anyone interested in joining the band or helping with sponsorship should call Sally on 01925 493375.
Expansion plan for the
scheme that struck gold
by staff reporter
PLANS to expand an innovative scheme that has generated more than ?100,000 for tenants in Warrington and saved more than ?10,000 in legal bills have been launched by Golden Gates Housing.
Two housing benefit liaison officers currently work with tenants to help them claim housing benefit and, where appropriate, avoid court action, expensive legal costs and, in extreme circumstances, eviction from their homes.
Since launching the scheme in April, the officers have made more than 300 visits and helped more than 200 tenants make successful housing benefit claims totalling more than ?100,000.
Using early intervention, they have also saved more than ?10,000 in legal costs and helped more than 60 people sustain their tenancy.
Golden Gates Housing, who manage 9,500 homes on behalf of Warrington Borough Council, is applying to the Department of Works and Pensions to expand the scheme and build upon its early success.
Suzanne Anslow, one of the liaison officers said, “Our aim is to help tenants through the benefits maze and ensure they can pay their rent and Council Tax and claim the benefits they are entitled to.”
Golden Gates director Peter Mercer said, “In the last five months, these two officers have helped save us more than ?10,000 in court costs and generated more than ?100,000 in housing benefits for our tenants. It is a tremendous achievement and we hope that our bid to expand the scheme is successful so that we can help more people.”
Helen’s not mad –
she’s “Special”
by our correspondent
APPLYING to become a Special Constable with Cheshire Police was met with a mixed response from Helen Acton’s friends and family.
“You’re joining the police voluntarily – are you mad? – you can come and wash my car if you’re struggling with things to do in your spare time!” was just one reaction she received.
But the 25-year-old from Appleton, Warrington applied anyway, having been inspired by a series of national TV adverts designed to recruit Specials. Within weeks of seeing the Home Office ‘Could You Volunteer?’ campaign, Helen had passed the Police Initial Recruitment test (which all police officers and Specials undertake), been successful at interview and begun training in preparation for the role.
She said: “At the beginning of this year I decided I wanted to do some voluntary work and spoke to several local organisations, but I had always had an interest in the police service.”
Once on division in July, her leadership skills became apparent and this motivated the existing team of Specials to increase the number of hours they volunteered each week. Four months on and Helen has been promoted to Section Officer and this month the number of hours put in by the team has increased by 400 per cent.
“During the day I work for an executive recruitment company in Knutsford,” said Helen. “I normally volunteer between 10 and 15 hours of my spare time a week to be a Special which enables me to get involved with Community Action Team operations, as well as response policing with the patrol teams.
“My intake of new recruits couldn’t wait to get out on to the streets. I feel the training we have received will give us all a great grounding and I hope we will all stay policing for many years to come.”
Tina Shelton, Specials Co-ordinator, said: “Gaining promotion within four months of arriving on division is excellent and Helen continues her good work of motivating and leading the team of Specials in Warrington.”
Parish lists its
historic buildings
by David Skentelbery
THE parish council at Appleton, near Warrington, has drawn up a list of more than 30 buildings, walls and other structures across the parish which they believe should be placed on the list of buildings of local interest.
Two items have also been suggested for statutory listed as buildings of historic or architectural interest – which would give them considerable protection from demolition, removal or alteration.
They are the War Memorial in Lumb Brook Road and the Milestone opposite Quarry House on the A49.
The list has been drawn up following a meeting between members of the parish council’s planning committee and Warrington Borough Council’s conservation officer.
Buildings and other structures suggested for local listing are:
Nook Farmhouse and Barns and Springside in Arley Road. Tanyard Farmhouse in Barleycastle Lane.
Cann Lane Farm Cottage, Brook House and Culleen House, in Cann Lane South. Barn at Bradley Hall in Cartridge Lane.
Cabbage Cottage in Chapel Lane. Bradley Hall, off Cliff Lane. Appleton Thorn Vicarage in Green Lane.
Thornbrow Farmhouse at the junction of Green Lane and Lumb Brook Road. Lychgate to Hill Cliffe Baptist Church Burial Ground at Hill Cliffe.
Bramble Barn, The Hurst and Lane Hurst Barn in Park Lane. Hillfoot Farmhouse and Converted Barns in Hough’s Lane. London Bridge public house in London Road.
Sandstone Gateways to Underclyffe Lodge and Birchdale Crescent and Walls, Underclyffe Lodge and Sandstone Gateways and Wall at 317-319 in London Road. Old Lodge to Grappenhall Heys in Lumb Brook Road. Quarry House in Quarry Lane. Hill Cliffe Baptist Church in Red Lane.
Birchtree House, off Red Lane. Walnut Tree Farmhouse and Barns, Appleton Thorn Village Hall and St Cross Memorial Cross, Church Grounds, in Stretton Road.
Wright’s Green Cottage/Patch Cottage and Cheriton Cottage/Persian Cottage in Lumb Brook Road. Hawthorne Cottage, Moss View Cottage, Laurel Cottage and Hatton Farm Cottage/The Cottage (pair of semis).
Climbing a mountain
for school funds
by John Hendon
PUPILS, teachers and parents at Appleton Thorn Primary School “climbed” Mount Snowdon to raise mone
y for school funds – without even leaving the playground.
It meant climbing a 7.4 metre climbing wall 147 times to equal the 1,085 metre height of Snowdon. Each pupil climbed the wall once and teachers and parents made up the difference.
The big climb was to celebrate recent improvements at the school and to raise ?3,000 for two new interactive whiteboards.
Improvements include two additional classrooms, a new library and ICT research base, a new staff room, staff room toilets, children’s toilets, an external storeroom and an extended playground.
A former staff room has also been converted into a “withdrawal room” for teaching small groups of children, including gifted and talented pupils. The existing library has been refurbished to provide a reprographics room and a mobile classroom has been demolished to make way for a new infants’ playground.
MP for Warrington South Helen Southworth and guests from Warrington Borough Council, the school and the construction company attended the event.
Head teacher Jackie Stillings said: “Everybody is really excited by the new build. The builders have been wonderful in integrating the new with the old, so much so that it feels like it has always been here.”
Audio visual specialist
lands schools contract
by David Skentelbery
WARRINGTON-based audio visual specialists Tiger AV has won a key contract awarded by Cheshire County Council.
The ?38,000 contract is to provide audio-visual maintenance and repair services to schools across the county.
It covers the repair of AV equipment including TV’s, video’s, DVD players, overhead projectors, slide projectors and a range of audio equipment within schools in the county.
More than 150 schools with pupils of all ages, have subscribed to the project which is proving so successful that schools outside the catchment area are now also interested in coming on board.
Tiger AV’s technical director Tony Crossley said: “We’re really proud to win such a unique contract and feedback from our clients is consistently positive.
By offering a blanket contract which schools can subscribe to, we’ve been able to offer a price which is substantially lower than an individual school would have to pay and this is of great benefit to the schools.”
Mary Smith of Fallibroome High School, Macclesfield said: “We’re extremely happy with the service Tiger AV provides to help us maintain a high standard of AV equipment in our school. What’s more, Tiger AV is efficient in terms of call out time and the engineers are always pleasant and helpful.”
Husband rescues wife
from bedroom blaze
by John Hendon
A HUSBAND rescued his wife from a smoke-filled bedroom after fire broke out at a house in Tavlin Avenue, Dallam, Warrington.
Fire crews raced to the scene after reports that someone was trapped in the house.
But when they arrived, the woman had been led to safety.
A smoke alarm had alerted the husband, who was downstairs, and he managed to get his wife out of the house and then tackled the fire with buckets of water. The fire was out by the time firefighters reached the scene.
The wife was given oxygen and treated by paramedics but did not go to hospital.
A Fire Service spokesman said: “This was another case of a smoke alarm alerting someone to a fire at an early stage and preventing a more serious outcome.”
In a separate incident, fire crews extinguished a fire involving a moped in Winwick Road, Warrington.
It is believed the machine had been stolen as it appeared to have been deliberately set alight. It was badly damaged.
News in brief
Learning centre
PLANS to extend the former nursery building at St Stephens Primary School, Sandy Lane, Warrington for use as an adult learning centre have been submitted to the borough council.
Road humps
WARRINGTON Borough Council is planning to introduce road humps and raised junctions in various streets in the Whitecross area of the town as part of traffic calming proposals. Anyone wishing to object must do so in writing before November 11.
Car showroom
THE Polar Motor Group are seeking planning consent for a temporary car showroom and office building on land fronting Owen Street, Warrington.
Homes veto
PLANNING bosses have refused outline permission for a pair of semi-detached houses in Warrington Road, Penketh.
