MP vows to fight
hospital merger plan
by staff reporters
MP Helen Jones has vowed to fight any plan to merge Warrington Hospital with Whiston Hospital on Merseyside.
The Warrington North MP says a merger between North Cheshire Hospital NHS Trust – which runs Warrington and Halton General hospitals – with Whiston is completely unacceptable.
She said: “The inevitable consequence of a merger is that certain services would move out of Warrington. This is not acceptable. People want better Hospital services provided locally so they can access them and so that if they are admitted to hospital their relatives can easily visit them.
“Unless it is to receive specialist services such as cancer treatment, people do not expect to have to travel outside their locality.
“Once again the people I represent are being treated with contempt. These plans have been kept secret and there has been no consultation with the public.”
Ms Jones slammed the chairman and chief executive of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority – the body behind the suggested merger.
She said: “It is absolutely incongruous for the chief executive and chairman of the health authority to be working without that public consultation.
They ought to resign.
“I shall do all I can to prevent this merger and will be raising the matter in Parliament.”
Health chiefs say no decisions have been taken on the future of hospitals in the Cheshire or Merseyside areas.
They say there would be full consultation with local health leaders and the public before any plans were formulated.
But North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust ? which is known to have run up debts of millions of ? – said in a statement by acting chief executive Ann Marr: ?The Trust is considering how it can ensure that it continues to deliver high quality services to people in North Cheshire and is financially viable in the long-term. The NHS is facing many challenges and the Trust is determined to respond positively to continue to improve serves for patients.
?All organisations have to change with the times and there are many developments which will have an impact on NHS organisations over the next few years.
?We have a duty to respond to such changes to ensure we continue to provide the best possible services for local people and are looking at opportunities for joint working to achieve this.?
Readers “brought to book”
– all in a good cause
by John Hendon
STUDENTS and staff with overdue library books can turn over a new leaf at the Warrington Campus of the University of Chester today – in aid of charity.
For one day only, by permission of Bursar David Stevens, learning resources staff are giving them the chance to clear their debts.
Fines from the campus library will be donated to Children in Need.
Said Wendy Fiander, deputy director of Media Services: “Money from library fines is normally treated as additional income towards our book budget, but once a year, we ask anyone who owes us anything if they would be willing to give it to Children in Need.”
Last year, the learning resources team raised ?1,134.78 through a combination of library fines, a cake stall and a ?pop a balloon? tombola.
Wendy added: “These last two activities enabled students and staff to eat and make a noise in the libraries – something they wouldn’t normally be able to do!”
Exhibition reveals a
fairyland for adults
by staff reporter
PYRAMID Warrington’s centre for the arts, is staging an exhibition which will appeal to art and mystery lovers.
Caroline Blackburn, a Manchester-based artist with links to Merseyside, is currently exhibiting a beautiful collection of photography and intricate hand painting, exploring age-old British mythology and fairytales.
This rich and sensual exhibition of more than 30 pieces, all available for sale, runs until December 8.
Caroline’s work is steeped in folklore and mythology but will appeal to anybody wishing to see beauty returning to art. The artist uses a hand-colouring technique on black and white photographs portraying individuals in the context of their story. Through beautiful detail and symbolic backgrounds the viewer is dragged into an ancient world of mystery and adult pleasure in the darkness of fairytales.
“My photographs appeal to adults rather than children although there is such a broad spectrum of people who have seen and loved the pictures that there is no given type,” says Caroline. “Young girls love the May Queen, old women love the Hag, men love the Wayland and my favourite is the Mermaid. In my experience they have something to offer people from all backgrounds and of all ages”
The artist has exhibited around the UK, especially in the North, but also in Holland.
The exhibition is Free and runs until December 8 in Pyramid’s opening hours. But it contains nudity and sexual references so may not be suitable for children.
Warning after cash
machine scam
by John Hendon
POLICE are reminding people to be vigilant when they withdraw money from cash machines following reports of a machine at Warrington being tampered with.
Thieves will tamper with cash points in an attempt to retain cards in the slot and obtain information such as pin numbers, they say.
In the past week, police have received reports of skimming devices being attached to machines outside banks ? including one in Warrington.
Community Safety Officers are advising anyone who thinks a cash machine has been tampered with to not use it and to report it to the bank/ building society and the police straight away.
Crime Reduction Advisor Neil Jukes said: “I would urge people to be vigilant and to look out for anything unusual when they are withdrawing money.
“Check the machine to see if there is anything stuck to it or anything that looks unusual about it. If there is do not use the machine – report it to the bank, or police immediately.”
Police say it is best to avoid using cash machines late at night when the streets are quiet and to always be alert and make sure no one can see pin numbers being keyed in.
If anyone appears to be acting suspicious around a cash point, the advice is to go away and return later.
Large amounts of cash should not be withdrawn and users should never ask people to withdraw cash for them, nor give their card or pin number to anyone.
Man arrested after
shooting incident
by staff reporter
A MAN was arrested after a shooting incident at Penketh, near Warrington.
The 42-year-old is now being questioned in connection with the incident in Ainsdale Close, Penketh.
Police were called to the address in Penketh after a firearm was discharged. No-one was hurt and the man had left the scene by the time officers arrived.
Later, in a joint operation by Cheshire and Lancashire Police, the man was arrested at Lytham St Annes.
Town centre offers a
month of festive fun
by staff reporter
A MONTH of festive fun is in store as Warrington town centre starts its countdown to Christmas.
Organisers are pulling out all the stops, with a packed programme of family entertainment to get shoppers in the Christmas spirit.
The fun kicks off with this Sunday (November 20) with the Christmas Lights Switch-on in Market Gate. Barney the purple dinosaur will be a star attraction, at 2.30pm and 4.30pm.
He will be joined by rock band Doctor and the Medics, who will be performing live at 5pm, including their smash hit Spirit in the Sky.
Throughout the afternoon, there’ll be a host of competitions and give-aways, and, of course, a special appearance by Father Christmas.
It all builds to an exciting finale when for Atomic Kitten and television personality Kerry Katona, switches on the town centre lights at 5.30pm.
Favourite children’s TV character Fireman Sam will be in town all day on Saturday No
vember 26, appearing at Golden Square, Cockhedge, Warrington Market and Market Gate.
Santa will be entertaining children at Warrington Market and Golden Square and the Salvation Army Band will play traditional carols every Saturday at Market Gate.
Most town centre shops are open on Sundays in the run-up to Christmas and there will be late night opening on Thursdays from November 24. But last minute shoppers should remember that shops will close at 4pm on Christmas Eve.
New this year is the free Christmas Park and Ride service. Motorists can save time looking for a parking space by leaving their cars in the NWDA car park at Centre Park, near the blue bridge off Chester Road, and get a bus into town. Buses run at frequent intervals from 10am to 6pm on Saturdays and 10am to 5pm on Sundays.
News in brief
Kitchen fire
FIRE crews wearing breathing apparatus tackled a kitchen fire at a house in Longshaw Street, Warrington. No-one was hurt but there extensive damage to kitchen fittings.
Hospital lottery
WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 2, 11, 13 and 14. There were two winners receiving ?238 each. Next week’s prize is estimated at ?200. There were two ?25 consolation prizes won by D. McLean and K. Melvin.
Footpath closure
WARRINGTON Borough council has made an order to introduce a temporary closure of the eastern footpath in Golborne Street, near its junction with Sankey Street for a period of about three months. This is to allow installation of a new sewer in connection with the Golden Square re-development scheme.
Shop fire
FIREFIGHTERS were called to the Next fashion store in Warrington town centre when fire broke out involving a sign. Only minor damage was caused and no-one was hurt.
