Child casualties to
rise if “school run”
is abandoned?
by David Skentelbery
THE number of children killed or seriously injured in road accidents in Warrington can be expected to rise if the borough council succeeds in persuading more parents to abandon the “school run.”
This admission is contained in a report on road traffic casualty reduction to be considered by council scrutiny chiefs next week.
However, Warrington has not, historically, suffered from a child casualty problem, the town enjoying accident rates significantly below the national average, the report adds.
Five years ago the Government set casualty reduction targets for all types of road accident.
Based on average accident figures from 1994-1998, Ministers called for a 40 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the road.
They set a target of a 50 per cent reduction in serious accidents involving children and a 10 per cent reduction in slight injury accidents.
Warrington suffers from having an extensive motorway network over which the borough council has no control. Last year there were 882 collisions resulting in four people being killed, 124 seriously injured and 1,068 slightly injured.
But if motorway accidents are excluded there were 744 collisions ? about two a day.
Experts calculate that if Warrington is to achieve the 40 per cent target for reducing fatal and serious accidents overall, it will have to actually achieve a cut of 50 per cent on non-motorway roads. This appears achievable, they say, although the council should be cautious about such predictions as a large reduction in 1997 has not been maintained since.
Accidents involving children fell dramatically in the years 1999-2001. But the trend was reversed in the period 2002-2004 making the 50 per cent reduction target by 2010 appear extremely demanding.
Council chiefs point out that Warrington?s child casualty figures were 31 per cent below the national figure when the targets were set. So while the national figure fell by 32 per cent in 2002, Warrington was only about to achieve 23 per cent.
Even this trend must be treated with caution as the low values are likely to be a reflection of the continuing trend of children being taken to school by car rather than cycling or walking.
If the council is successful in its aim of achieving a shift away from the use of private cars, more children will be exposed to risk and the number of casualties can be expected to rise.
However, the council continues to develop ?safe routes to school? initiatives to minimise the risk to children and the road safety team focuses on child road safety with education, training and publicity.
Warrington appears to be on target to meet the 10 per cent reduction in slight injury accidents. Although traffic flows have increased, the long term trend in casualties is down and this reflects an overall improvement in road safety in the town.
Internet mum gets
her 50,000th customer
by Gary Skentelbery
A WARRINGTON mother who launched her internet partyware business from her garage is now celebrating after receiving her 50,000th customer.
Party Delights, set up by mother of two Allison Graham at her Rixton home has experienced meteoric growth since its launch in February 2001 and is expected to turn over ?2 million this year.
Allison, who had previously worked at the village pre-school, decided to develop the business when her youngest sonRyan, now aged 8 started school along with older brother Liam, aged 10. She chose the internet because she discovered that, like her, lots of parents were searching the web for children?s partyware but there wasn?t a single company providing a comprehensive service.
?Organising your child?s party is great fun but any mum and dad will tell you it can be quite daunting; deciding what theme to have and then where to buy everything. The internet is the obvious place to look for many parents, especially if they want to avoid walking up and down the high street for days on end. I wanted Party Delights (www.partydelights.co.uk) to be able to offer them everything in one place; the web offered me a potentially limitless market.
Allison worked from home initially, providing everything for children?s parties, from plates and pi?atas to party poppers and paper hats; keeping the stock in her garage. In the first year her turnover was just ?11,000 but then things really took off and last year revenues reached ?1 million. Allison now employs 13 people at offices in Cadishead and she has 4,000 square feet of warehouse space. She gets 1,000 new customers every week and there are over 200,000 visits to the Party Delights website each month. This year the company has shipped nearly three quarters of a million items and Allison expects turnover to top ?2 million.
Party Delights? 50,000th customer – Mrs Atkins from Orpington in Kent – has just placed an order for her son Louie first birthday in November. ?Obviously, with this being an important occasion for both of us, we are providing Louie partyware free of charge and we?ll be giving her a few extra goodies to help celebrate her special day.”
Allison?s website now has ranges for adults as well as children – there are currently over 150 collections and 3,800 different items, including themed ranges (everything from My Little Pony to the Wild West), fancy dress and seasonal ranges for Christmas, New Year, St Patrick?s Day and Valentines – this year?s Halloween collection (possibly the most extensive on the web) has just been launched.
Allison says her success is not so much about the technology as it is hard work and a belief in providing customers a service that exceed expectations: ?We keep in regular contact with customers via email to let them know about our new ranges, and we send them reminders so they can order in plenty of time for their child?s next birthday. If, however, there are a few unexpected last minute additions we also offer a 24 hour delivery service.
Family firm sends tents
to earthquake victims
by staff reporter
A SMALL Warrington family business has sent 33 tonnes of tents and sleeping bags to victims of the South Asia Earthquake.
The goods are being flown out today aboard a Boeing 747 today (Friday).
Last week, Outdoor World, in Winwick Road, Warrington, a family-run camping shop, found itself at the centre of a UK operation to ship tents to victims of the earthquake.
Thirty three tonnes of tents, sleeping bags and warm clothing were supplied by the Warrington firm at cost price or less and was being flown out today.
Local children went out collecting and raised ?3,000 The Warrington store has received enquiries from all over the world including a foundation in Pakistan and an individual in the United Arab Emirates.
Co-owner Colin Scotland said: ?It?s amazing to see school children collecting for people many thousands of miles away and the response has been amazing from the general public who have been donating unused tents all weekend.”
One such donor travelled 100 miles from Derbyshire to donate two large frame tents.
He said: ?My wife fell ill shortly after we bought the tents – this way someone can make good use of them.”
Choir and band team
up for carol concert
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON Male Voice choir is teaming up with the local Salvation Army band for a green community carol concert at Golden Square on Sunday, November 20.
The concert will start at 3pm, will include traditional carols and seasonal music and is being supported by the Mayoress, Coun Karen Mundry.
A collection will be taken to support the Salvation Army’s work, which provides for the elderly and the needy and sees around 40 people through its doors in the town on Christmas Day.
The monies raised by the concert will be passed on to James Lee House, which provides accommodation for 54 homeless men in Warrington.
Coun Mundry, who is heading the appeal, said: “The aim of the centre is to re-settle the residents into the community and to break the cycle of homelessness.
?It helps the residents rebuild their lives, through the provision of resettlement, rehabilitation and detox programmes.
James Lee House has a turnover of 300 people each year and the centre is 95 per cent full throughout that time.
It costs ?289.87 a week to provide the care and support that each resident needs.
Inspector allows
expension appeal
by staff reporter
A PLANNING inspector has allowed a householder?s appeal against Warrington Borough Council?s refusal to grant planning consent for a home extension in Doeford Close, Culcheth.
Town Hall planners threw out the scheme on the grounds the two-storey front and side extension would rob neighbours of privacy.
But the inspector has ruled that although a proposed first floor window would be 15 metres from a neighbour?s house ? the recommended distance is 21 metres ? it would not cause an unacceptable increase in overlooking or loss of privacy.
A council spokesman said the inspector had made a subjective assessment of the impact of the new window by referring to the orientation of the window.
Charity reception
highlights disease
by John Hendon
THE Cheshire Branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) is holding a drinks reception at Arley Hall, near Warrington, home of its patron, Lord Ashbrook on Thursday November 17.
The reception will be held in the hall and aims to raise awareness of this debilitating disease that paralyses the muscles leaving people progressively less able to do everyday tasks that the rest of us take for granted.
It is also to raise funds for vital research and to provide support for both patients and carers alike. Lord Ashbrook has, over the past few months, met a number of people living with this terrible condition, and is keen to support the Cheshire branch.
A presentation will be made by Dr Brian Dickie, the Association?s Director of Research and many local business leaders have been invited to attend.
Anyone interested in helping this charity should contact the Arley Estate Office on 01565 777353.
News in brief
Car fire
ARSONISTS are being blame for a fire which caused serious damage to a car parked near the INEOS works off Old Liverpool Road, Warrington in the early hours of the morning. Police are investigating.
Hospital lottery
WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 4, 7, 11 and 15. Two winners shared the ?342 jackpot and the ?25 consolation prize went to Miss Stubbs. Next week’s top prize will be ?200.
Road closure
WARRINGTON Borough Council has made an order to temporarily close part of Old Alder Lane, Winwick, from Monday (October 31) for about five weeks while repair work is carried out on Causeway West Bridge.
New nursery
THE new Westy Sure Start Nursery, offering 50 places for children aged three months to school age, is due to open next month. More information is available on 01925 230537.
