Medical centre plan
for rugby club site
by David Skentelbery
PLANS to provide a new home for Warrington Rugby Union Club – and provide an urgently needed medical centre for the Appleton area of the borough – have reached an advanced stage.
The proposals would also provide a community centre in Bridge Lane, Appleton on the site of the rugby club’s headquarters, which were ravaged by fire two years ago.
Town Hall chiefs, officials of Warrington Primary Care Trust, the rugby club and members of the Cobbs Residents Association are involved in talks to agree a package that will able the scheme to go ahead.
No final agreement has been reached – but it is hoped a deal can be struck in the near future.
Primary Care Trust chief executive Jonathan Smith said: “We believe there is a real opportunity for a win for the PCT, a win for the council, a win for the rugby club and a win for local people. We don’t yet know if all the pieces in the jigsaw will fit together but we are intent on finding a solution.”
If the scheme goes ahead, the rugby club will move permanently to Warrington Sports Club, where they been playing temporarily since the fire. An additional pitch would be created on a field currently used as an overflow car park for the nearby Walton Hall Gardens.
A new medical centre, to replace the existing Appleton and Stretton surgeries, would be built on the clubhouse site – together with a community centre for local people.
The medical centre will provide accommodation for four GPs, four practice nurses, reception staff, etc.
Nearby residents are supporting the scheme – subject to a number of conditions.
Cobbs Residents Association chairman Len Navis said: “We support the plan for the medical centre and also for the community centre, provided they are separate premises. But we would strongly oppose any new housing on the site.”
Derek Goldstraw, director of resources for the PCT said the existing medical practices at Stretton and Appleton had given the scheme a “ringing endorsement” and would be happy to move to Bridge Lane. The PCT would be seeking a pharmacy to be a partner in the project.
He said the PCT had looked for other sites but the few that were available were either too expensive or in the wrong place.
Rugby club chairman Peter Riley said he believed the club would be able to co-habit with Warrington Sports Club to their mutual benefit. But drainage, lighting and other work would be necessary to make the overflow car park suitable for a rugby pitch.
Changing accommodation was also currently unsatisfactory as it was designed for cricket and hockey teams with 11 players rather than for 15 players.
Appleton Parish Council, which brought together the four parties involved to find out what progress was being made in providing a new medical centre, has given its support to the continuing efforts to reach agreement on the package. They have asked to be kept informed on the negotiations.
Students are
stage struck
by Gary Skentelbery
STUDENTS from Warrington are taking to the stage as part of the country’s largest ever celebration of Shakespeare’s works.
They are taking part in the Shakespeare Schools Festival which spans 22 different local authorities, 16 professional theatres hosting performances by 150 schools with 4,000 young actors making their debut on stage.
Macbeth, A Midsummer Night Dream, Taming of the Shrew and Hamlet are some of the plays that will be performed at The Lowry in Manchester, Theatre Royal in St Helens, Brindley Arts Centre in Runcorn, The Chester Gateway Theatre, The Lyceum Theatre in Crewe and the Albert Halls in Bolton.
Cheshire Building Society has partnered with the Shakespeare Schools Festival to deliver this programme of activity to the North West.
The event dates back to 10 years ago, when twelve of Shakespeare’s most popular plays were abridged for TV. The adaptations are now a core resource for schools across the UK in teaching Shakespeare to 11-15 year olds.
The scheme was piloted in 2000 and moved to London in 2001 and Wales in 2002. In 2003 a national triennial cycle was launched taking the project initially to the South West, West Midlands and Yorkshire. This will ensure that by 2005 every school pupil aged 11-15 in England and Wales will have the chance to perform Shakespeare on a professional stage.
The Shakespeare Schools Festival is carried out in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company and its patrons include Cherie Booth QC, Dame Judi Dench and Kevin Spacey.
This year the festival arrives in the North West and already has had the biggest take up across the country.
Each participating school has been given a half-day theatre workshop with Dramarama, an award-winning professional theatre company.
Students from Great Sankey High School are pictured taking part in a workshop receiving coaching advice from theatre professional David Prince from Dramarama. The school will eventually perform a version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Theatre Royal, St Helens on October 8.
Lib Dems hit out over
council “indecision”
by John Hendon
LIBERAL Democrats at Warrington have slammed the Labour-controlled borough council for “indecision” over the future of sports and leisure services in the town.
They have accused the council of wasting money, which could have been used to improve services, on consultants’ reports.
A report setting out a leisure strategy for the next 25 years was accepted by the council’s executive board earlier this week but, as already reported by Warrington Worldwide offered little hope for a new town centre swimming facility.
Liberal Democrat leader Ian Marks said: “Sadly this comes as no surprise to us because the council has always given the impression it’s not serious about town centre swimming.
“The way forward is to bring in private sector money by combining a new baths with a much wider development proposal for the town centre. The council needs to look at this creatively. The problem is that our other existing leisure and sporting facilities have been allowed to run down over the years and so much money needs to be spent now to bring them up to scratch.”
Coun Marks said progress on the future of council sports and leisure in the town was painfully slow.
“This latest set of recommendations suggests bringing the private sector in. This is the way forward and will bring in much needed extra funding but we knew this ages ago. We supported a proposal to set up a Leisure Trust when this was first put forward but Labour wouldn’t take a decision. This would have saved the council ?250,000 a year and provided better facilities.
“Instead the latest proposal recommends spending a further ?225,000 on yet more consultants. All this money we are spending on studies could have gone towards improving leisure and sports in Warrington.”
Coun Colin Froggatt, the council’s sport and leisure chief, said it was fortunate the authority had not set up a Leisure Trust as it had now been shown it would have solved the problems for only four years, after which “we would have been in the same boat.”
Praise for “high quality”
mental health services
by Lesley Wilkinson
AN IN-DEPTH report on mental health services in Warrington and neighbouring towns found good progress on strategies and high quality health and social care services.
The survey found that despite being a relatively new organisation and having nine months without a substantive chief executive early in its existence, the 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust had achieved well.
The trust, covering Warrington, St Helens, Wigan, Knowsley and Halton, was inspected by the Healthcare Commission.
Inspectors said that the new chief executive, appointed in September last year, had helped it develop to ensure service users receive the best standards of care. There have been improvements to many se
rvices, and staff were found to be enthusiastic and dedicated.
They said that although service users were involved in decision-making and reviewing services, further work was needed to ensure all service users, partner organisations and stakeholders are represented in planning. It was also noted that the trust was working to ensure staff were aware of current developments and individual responsibilities.
The survey found mixed views about services across the five towns. Some users and carers were concerned about a lack of worthwhile activities and a lack of out-of-hours provision in some areas.
The trust had dedicated time and resources to developing systems for implementing good quality services. The report said it should ensure that experience was shared between areas.
The inspection, a clinical governance review, looked at the trust’s specialist mental health services for adults, older people, adults with learning disabilities, children and adolescents.
Commission chief executive Anna Walker said: “We are particularly impressed with the way the trust engages people with learning disabilities in its work.” She praised the involvement of users in appointment of members and their attendance at board meetings.
The commission said there was an urgent need for the trust to progress, implement and evaluate the plans for clinical audit and clinical effectiveness so that staff enthusiasm was developed and maintained.
Other improvements suggested included reviewing pharmacy management, ensuring the executive team are more “visible” and that staff are given more feedback and guidance. The trust was also advised to ensure standards of care are consistent across the boroughs and to ensure the availability of beds across specialisms was well managed.
Artists chalk up
pavement success
by Lesley Wilkinson
MORE than 90 adults and children became pavement artists for the day when they took part in Warrington Arts Council’s “Pavement Artist Day” in the Old Fish Market, Golden Square.
Those taking part enjoyed sunny weather as they got on their knees to create works of art in chalk. Steve Emery, of the centre’s management office, acted as DJ to keep the crowds entertained.
Arts council publicity officer Karen Gatley said, “The Pavement Artist Day again certainly proved successful at uniting young and old members of the Warrington Community in an creative, relaxed atmosphere.”
At the end of the day three quarters of the area under the shelter was covered with drawings. Judges commented on the high standards and said it was difficult to choose winners.
First prize of ?50 went to Lindsey Connell and Rachel Annett, both aged 12, of Latchford, for their picture Pooh Bear’s Ark and second prize of ?25 went to Alexandra Lovelady, aged nine, of Latchford.
Third prize of ?15 went to Daniel Morgan, aged eight, of Widnes and fourth prize of ?10 to Bethany Dowling, of Newton-Le-Willows. A young people’s commendation award of ?10 went to Rebecca Povey, aged nine.
Lots of fun for
the “little stars”
by staff reporter
A NEW weekly Sure Start North Warrington “Little Stars” group has started at Buffer Bear Neighbourhood Nursery, Boulting Avenue.
Like traditional carer and tots sessions, the Little Stars groups are based on fun for all the children who attend. They vary slightly in that Sure Start is able to provide a wealth of knowledge and professional input into the group throughout the year so that children and parents have access to health, education, play, relaxation, training and advice on issues that affect them when they need it.
Parents and carers are also encouraged to get involved in the activities with their children to help aid their development and social skills.
Snacks are provided so that children can enjoy all the social fun of mealtime with new friends.
After lunch the activities on offer will include playdough, costumes, book lending, baby play, professional visits from the health team, arts and crafts, outdoor play and a sing song or story.
Parents are encouraged to share their skills and knowledge and become involved in the running, planning and overall ‘ownership’ of the group.
The group operates between 11.30am and 1.30pm on Wednesdays. Further details are available from 01925 656581.
