Improvements for Zebra crossing

PEDESTRIANS will soon find a zebra crossing in Frodsham easier to access.

Works begin next Monday (February 13) at the Vicarage Road crossing to widen a section of footpath on the Manley Road side.

Frodsham councillors Lynn Riley and Andrew Dawson have contributed a portion of their member budgets towards the scheme, which is being funded through Cheshire West and Chester Council's Local Transport Plan budget.

The works, which are expected to last two weeks, have been scheduled during the school half-term in an effort to reduce inconvenience. Although the zebra crossing will not be in use during this time, a substitute crossing will be in place a few metres away.

The land required to carry out this improvement has been given to the council by the land owner without charge.

Cllr Riley said: "This project has been talked about for a number of years. "This is a well-used crossing but unfortunately the narrow footpath on the Manley Road side can be tricky to negotiate, particularly for people with pushchairs or wheelchairs.

"We have finally been able to bring these much-needed improvements by working with a local resident who has kindly given over some garden to widen the access path.

"Cllr Dawson and I were pleased to help to fund this scheme, which will have a wide benefit for the local community.

"Although the crossing will be closed during the works, there will be a substitute crossing only a short distance away so any inconvenience should be kept to a minimum."

New literature festival to launch

A NEW 12-day literature festival, "Weaver Words", is to be launched in Frodsham this summer.

Supported by an Arts Council start-up grant of £10,000, the festival will offer an exciting range of events, talks and workshops for adults and children, including a performance by the Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Weaver Words is the brain child of the Frodsham Community Association and is being organised by a festival committee, chaired by Sue Thomson.

Sue said: "The literature festival is a fantastic new event for Frodsham which should be great for residents and attract hundreds of people to the town. We hope lots of local schools, book groups and community organisations will want to join in. And we're delighted Frodsham CE Primary School has already pledged their support by planning to host an author-in-residence and publish their own book of stories."

Award-winning Frodsham writer Tim Firth, author of "Calendar Girls", has agreed to be the festival's patron and he will be sponsoring a new children's writing competition attached to the festival.

He said: "I'm really pleased that my Great Cheshire Story Prize will form part of the new festival. Hopefully it will offer to younger children the three things any professional writer craves most - a first line, a deadline and a cash incentive."

Weaver Words will run from August 29 to September 9 and feature a science fiction weekend, poetry events with local poets Andrew Rudd and Gladys Mary Coles, a Daphne du Maurier afternoon tea, a Charles Dickens celebration with his descendant Gerald Dickens and a wide variety of workshops, from cartoons and creative writing to drama and book-making.

There will also be a special story-telling day for pre-school children and a lively Open Mic night for budding writers to present their work. The festival will end with the premier of a new drama, Daring To Be, presented by local churches.

Weaver Words is being co-ordinated by festival project manager, Lynn Pegler, and she would be delighted to hear from any community group or individual who would like to get involved. For more information, please contact her on 07783 686246 or email email@weaverwords.org.uk

Town claims best kept station award

FRODSHAM Railway Station has been named "Cheshire's Best Kept Station" - and Helsby won the "Tidiest station" award.

Both stations are cared for by members of the North Cheshire Rail User's Group. The awards were announced at the annual prize giving night organised by the Cheshire Best Kept Station Competition.

More than 100 guests including The Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, along with the High Sheriff and six Mayors including the Lord Mayor of Chester were at the evening held at the Weaver Hall Museum in Northwich.

Frodsham was described by the judges as a "powerful flower show of a station." Its award follows on from last year's performance when the station won the Cheshire West and Chester Award. In 2009 and 2006 Frodsham won the best kept gardens award and there were earlier awards in 2008, 2006 and 2005.

Helsby Station has won an award of some sort every year since the competition was launched in 2003 and was the first ever winner of the Best Kept Station award - a title it claimed again in 2010. Its award-winning success  is such that people visit regularly to view the awards displayed on the signal box and its success has even been noted on an Indian travel website!

Top level talks on swing bridge

A DEPUTATION of councillors and senior council officers travelled to London to brief Weaver Vale MP Graham Evans about the growing concern over the condition of the ageing Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge, near Frodsham.

Among its members were Frodsham Mayor Andrew Dawson and fellow Frodsham councillor Lynn Riley.

Senior representatives from Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWC) and British Waterways were also in the party.

The aim was to seek high level talks with Defra - which funds British Waterways - and the Department of Transport on the future of the bridge, which carries the A56 over the River Weaver.

British Waterways - owners of the 90-year-old structure - has said that while safe at the moment, the bridge will need major re-strengthening work in the foreseeable future. But while CWC is prepared to meet its share of the refurbishment costs, British Waterways is struggling to find the remainder of the estimated £4m needed.

Retired businessman and former Frodsham councillor Tom Reynolds is spearheading a campaign to get the bridge re-painted by volunteers. He says the appalling appearance of the rusting bridge is damaging Frodsham's image.

But he believes proposals put forward by British Waterways, which would involve closing the bridge for 6-9 months, are a non-starter because the damage this would cause to Frodsham's economy. He also questions the £4 million estimated cost of repairs.

"The bridge's future is being decided by bureaucrats that just don't have a clue," he said.

The bridge is used by an average of 20,000 vehicle daily while one boat only uses the river every six weeks. Apart from the M56 motorway, Sutton Weaver Bridge is the only road crossing over the river for miles in either direction. Motorway traffic, normally diverted through Frodsham and Helsby, when the M56 westbound is blocked, would be forced to travel many miles out of its way, with the only alternative routes via Northwich to the south or the Mersey Tunnels to the north.

Cllr Riley said: "The bridge plays a vital role in the local transport system - not least as a motorway release valve - and we are deeply concerned about the current situation.

"We are working closely with British Waterways on the issue and hope that a joint approach to Government will provide the help needed to address what could well prove to be a major problem."

She added: "Sadly this is a problem which will not go away."

A spokesman for British Waterways: "The refurbishment of the bridge remains high on our agenda and we will continue to work with the council and local community to restore the landmark structure."

But British Waterways says the idea of using volunteers to paint the bridge is not feasible because of safety issues.     

Festival one of the best ever

THE sun shone, the crowds turned up in their hundreds - and Frodsham's annual Festival in the Park was voted one of the best ever.

Organised, as usual, by the Rotary Club of Frodsham and Helsby, in conjunction with Castle Park Arts Centre, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Frodsham Town Council, the festival was officially opened by Town Mayor Cllr Andrew Dawson.There was something for all, young and old.

The Arts Centre complex housed a craft fayre, with a variety of traditional hand made items, along with art and craft work demonstrations.

There were also art displays as well as musical presentations and refreshments from the tea room.
The main stage was in the park itself, with live performances including the George Formby Society, Belly Dancers, Andrew Curphey Theatre Company, Jo Jingels, Robert Waring (ukelele) Tom Sadczuk (clarinet and saxophone).

There was also Punch and Judy on the field as well as demonstrations by the Army Cadets (assault course), Cheshire West and Chester (bushcraft demonstration), Fire Service and North West Ambulance Service.

Surrounding the stage were some 30 stalls and displays from both local and national organizations, societies and groups, which again included a Fun Fair area as well as a Greyhound Rescue stand, a Ferret Rescue stall and the Sports Hall Athletic activity area, provided specially for children and youngsters.

Diamond in the sky!

by David Sketelbery
JEWELLER Dave Buckley has taken to the air - nearly 40 years after first thinking of the idea.

He has passed the examinations to fly a microlight aircraft solo just 12 months  after taking his first lesson. 

But he has been interested in flying since he was a boy, joining the Air Training  Corps when he was 14. He said: "I didn't take it any further. But you  might say I have had my head in the clouds ever since. I suppose I  thought owning an aircraft and learning to fly was something I would never be  able to afford. "But then I thought of microlighting and found out what an  inexpensive hobby it can be. It is cheaper than running a second hand car." 

Dave, 52, who runs DRB Jewellers in Church Street, Frodsham, is still only qualified to fly solo within 8km of the West Lancashire Microlight School, at Ince Blundell Airfield, near Formby, where he has trained.

But he reckons he will have completed all his remaining examinations by the end of the year, enabling him to fly elsewhere and also take up passengers. His Dad, Bob, aged 82, wants to be his first passenger and his wife, Viv, wants to be the second.

Dave said: "It's an absolutely fantastic feeling when you are up there. As near as we will ever get to flying like a bird, I am sure. "Some people think I am just crazy, but I just love it."