Father and daughter
to climb highest peak
by Terry Johnson
A FATHER-and-daughter team from Warrington are to climb Britain’s highest peak to raise vital funds for leukaemia research.
Andy Costigan, 48, and 22-year-old Hollie were spurred to action after the disease claimed the lives of a family friend and relative of a colleague of Hollie.
Though he has not done any serious hill-climbing since his teens, Andy is unfazed by his attempt on 4,400ft Ben Nevis….on Friday, May 13! “Everyone thinks I’m potty for choosing this date to make the climb. But I’m not superstitious – so why not?” said Andy, parts manager for Risley-based Mercedes -Benz commercial dealer, Enza.
He added: “Lots of people climb Ben Nevis just for fun. If you take the easiest option, there’s a fairly well-defined path and it’s a six-hour round trip.
“But we’re looking to a route which takes in three separate peaks. It’s tougher and will take us around five-and-a-half hours just to reach the summit”.
Daughter Hollie is a marketing executive with McCann-Erickson, near Wilmslow.
Andy, of Gorse Covert, Birchwood, says he and Hollie have always loved Scotland.
“The news of two premature deaths within our immediate circle from this awful disease spurred us to take this peak challenge. Friends, customers and others have already pledged sponsorship.”
Anyone wishing to help fund-raising should contact Andy on 01925-847100.
School launches
bully card
by Gary Skentelbery
A PIONEERING anti-bullying campaign has been launched at a Warrington school.
“Bully Watch,” a new initiative to help the victims of bullying, was launched at Cinnamon Brown Junior School with the help of Community Support Officer Tom Orr, from the Risley Community Action Team. The project, supported by Poulton-with-Fearnhead Parish Council and Cheshire Police, aims to prompt youngsters to take positive action if they know someone else is being bullied.
CSO Orr said: “I am currently visiting local schools to talk to pupils and teachers about the initiative and to answer any questions they may have. It is important children know where they can get help and advice.”
As a handy reminder of how to tackle bullying, CSO Orr is handing out laminated Bully Watch cards. They feature a picture of a cartoon bull and the message ‘REACT’ on the front.
They offer advice on what to do if someone is being bullied – and include a series of telephone helpline numbers and websites which children can contact for support and advice.
Police have also added the emergency 999 number to the card in case there is an immediate threat to someone’s life. The card reads “If your life is in immediate danger don’t wait, phone Cheshire Police: 999.”
Cinnamon Brow Junior School Headteacher Lesley Sweeney said: “We are delighted we have been chosen to launch this scheme. We have a very strong anti-bullying policy which is regularly updated and discussed with the children.
“Tom is a frequent visitor in school and known to all. Consequently instances of bullying are fortunately rare and dealt with quickly. I believe that it is vital for children to know that there are other agencies out there that will listen to them and offer additional support.”
Local MP Helen Jones supported the project, adding: “Hopefully it will help ensure no one at this school will be a victim of bullying, as pupils know they can talk to a teacher or the community support problem if there is a problem.”
Planners set to rule
on tower blocks
by David Skentelbery
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to convert one of Warrington’s landmark historic buildings into flats is to be placed before councillors for a second time on Wednesday.
The plan involves the distinctive Cheshire Lines railway warehouse, off Winwick Street.
It has been before the borough’s development control committee once, but members put off a decision so they could visit the site after hearing of opposition to the scheme.
Plans to restore the warehouse itself are broadly welcomed – but proposals to build a number of seven storey tower blocks on adjoining land are causing concern.
Twenty one residents have written letters of objection and 36 have signed a protest petition. In addition, English Heritage has expressed concern that the tower blocks will obscure the Grade 2 listed warehouse.
Residents of St Peter’s Way claim their homes will be overshadowed by the tower blocks, some of which will be built next to bungalows.
They say they will suffer a loss of privacy and that the new blocks will restrict views of the Cheshire Lines building.
They also dislike the flat-roofed design of the blocks which will be in a conservation area and next to a listed building and there are also fears of increased noise, air pollution and traffic.
The Cheshire Lines warehouse dates from the 1870s and has been standing empty for years.
English Heritage have previously designated it as a building “at risk” due to its deteriorating condition. They support the proposals to convert the warehouse, subject to repair work being satisfactory.
But two of the proposed new blocks would obscure the view of the listed building and they suggest they should be reduced in size or removed from the plan.
Planners say they have no objections to the scheme in principle but accept that it will have some impact on views from properties on St Peter’s Way, but not sufficiently to justify refusing the scheme.
They suggest the developers, David McLean Homes Ltd, should make a contribution of ?50,000 towards providing public open space in the Winwick Street area.
High development costs on the site will make the provision of affordable housing difficult, they say.
Awards for students who
offered a helping hand
by Terry Johnson
MULTI-media students at Warrington Collegiate offered a ‘helping hand’ to fellow students with learning difficulties…and picked up awards for creative challenge.
The multi-media students produced a software package highlighting facilities at the learning resource centre.
Seventeen-year-old Jim Lowe, of Rawlings Close, Birchwood, designed the winning package. Runner-up design prizes went to Stacey Rawling,17; Phil Harper,18 and Chris Johnson, 18.
The software packages were trailed by Katy Holbrook,19, and David Musson,17, who are on the Towards Independence course.
College learning adviser, Sylvia Haggett, said: “The winning package will help those with learning difficulties/ disabilities. It will enable those students to be more independent”.
Young people “badly let
down” by Government
by staff reporter
THE Government has badly let down Warrington’s young people over progressive education system changes, claim local Liberal-Democrats.
Coun Ian Marks, Prospectove Parliamentary candidate for Warrington South, said: “A golden opportunity to break down social barriers has been squandered.
“The Prime Minister is scared about making changes before the General Election”.
Government had asked former chief inspector of schools, Sir Mike Tomlinson, to look into how the exam system for 14-18 year olds could be improved.
“Tomlinson’s idea had the backing of teachers’ leaders, school heads, academics, the universities and school inspectors. It would have dragged our education system into the 21st-century by replacing GCSE and A-level exams with a new diploma.”
But the Government had left the current “divisive” two-tier system in place, said Coun Marks.
Big white bus carries
a caring appeal
by Terry Johnson
AN urgent plea for foster-carers has taken to the road at Warrington.
A big white bus puts across the message that ordinary people can make a real difference to a child’s life.
Warrington’s foster families care for 150 children, from babies to late teenagers.
But more carers are needed to offer ‘the
gift of family’ to desperate children.
Libby Addison, spokeswoman for the town’s fostering and adoption team, said: “Some children live with their foster families for just a few days. Others stay for weeks or months. A few children never return home and stay with foster families into adulthood.
“Many foster parents offer short breaks to disabled children. This varies from a few hours a month to regular week-end breaks.
“Many of these children have had unhappy experiences and troubled lives”.
Contact Libby on 01925-444100 for details.
