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Home-grown
athletics go arctic!
by David Skentelbery
AN athletics training programme developed in Frodsham is being delivered to young people in Inuit communities in the arctic regions of Canada.
Scott Haines, head coach of Athletic Ontario's most northern track club, has made it a personal mission to introduce athletics to remote communities.
In a province that has more than eight times the land area of England, he is no stranger to challenging circumstances and uses planes, skidoos, an old school buy, boats and even a canoe to deliver sports programmes to inaccessible places where visitors are a rarity and athletics coaches virtually unheard of.
The programme he is delivering is Sportshall, created in Frodsham by George Bunner and his colleagues at Halton and Frodsham Harriers, back in 1976.
Scott Haines and his wife, Elise, visited the UK in 2008 to see Sportshall and other development programmes in action.
During their stay they saw fitness development initiatives run for local primary schools by student sports leaders at both Helsby and Frodsham high schools.
They returned to Canada deeply impressed and full of enthusiasm.
The adaptability of Sportshall events and easy-to-transport equipment makes it ideal to meet the needs of remote communities.
Sportshall has proved so popular in the frozen north that 12 or more Inuit communities have established a league, using the Frodsham ideas.
Mr Bunner, creator of the programme and former Harriers organiser for 38 years until stepping down earlier this year, said: "It is good to know Sportshall is helping young athletes in such remote places.
"We were all thankful to see the end of the cold winter this year, but Scott actually wants it to get colder in Canada.
"He depends on sub-zero temperatures to strengthen the ice road system so he can visit his students."
Top film-maker
to visit Frodsham
by Lesley Wilkinson
A FILM-maker who has worked on James Bond movies and been praised by Stephen Spielberg is to visit Frodsham.
Internationally acclaimed underwater cinematographer and film director Mike Valentine will give an illustrated talk on Friday October 1 from 7.30 at Frodsham Community Centre in Fluin Lane.
Mike has worked with many top Hollywood names on more than 60 major films throughout the world.
He has also produced dozens of commercials where underwater sequences are called for - with his Smirnoff commercial just one example.
His usual “workshop” is a huge water tank at Pinewood Studios.
The event is organised by Frodsham Film Society and Frodsham Community Association and funds raised will go to the two organisations. There will be a bar and tea and coffee available.
Tickets, priced £7.50 concessions £5, are available from events@frodshamcc.co.uk and or by telephoning 01928 732222.
Frodsham man bids for
"most masuline" title
by John Hendon
A FRODSHAM man has been shortlisted for the title Britain's Most Masculine Man."
Craig Stevenson, a 37-year-old media executive, faces a battle with eight other "hunks" from all over the UK.
The competition, run by a popular shaving cream, was launched by releasing pictures of the World's Most Masculine Man - a combination of George Clooney's hair, Gerrard Butler's eyes, Brad Pitt's nose, Jason Statham's jawline and Daniel Craig's body.
Hundreds applied, but only eight have been chosen for the final.
Craig (pictured) said, "I'm just a regular guy from Cheshire, and I couldn't believe it when I got the call saying I was shortlisted to the final of this competition. However, I love a challenge and so went along to the photo shoot and had a really good time.
"I was really nervous on the drive to the shoot, as I hadn't really done anything like this before, but the other seven finalists were all great guys too, and we all helped each other through it."
For every tub of shaving cream sold, a donation is given to firefighter charities.
Craig added: "Having seen how genuinely heroic the guys at the Cheshire Fire Service are, it'd be great to help raise funds for them when they get injured whilst saving lives."
Readers can vote for Craig by clicking here
Elderly man dies
in house blaze
by David Skentelbery
AN ELDERLY man died in a house fire at Frodsham after apparently being trapped in his bedroom.
Fire crews found the blaze had burned through the stairs and only discovered the man’s body after gaining access to the property using ladders to climb through a rear window.
The blaze was at a cottage in Watery Lane, Frodsham and was discovered early on Saturday morning, August 21.
Fire appliances from Runcorn, Widnes and Ellesmere Port were involved in the operation.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus discovered the 82-year-old man lying on the floor in a bedroom after a search of the property.
Fire investigation officers are working with police to establish the cause of the blaze which is believed to have started in the hallway.
Green flag award
for Helsby Quarry
by David Skentelbery
HELSBY Quarry, in Alvanley Road, Helsby, has been presented with a national Green Flag award.
It is one of six such awards in the Cheshire West area and recognises and rewards the best green spaces in the country.
The Green Flag Award is organised by the Keep Britain Tidy consortium and is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales.
All Green Flag awards are judged on eight criteria: a welcoming space; healthy, safe and secure; clean and well maintained; sustainable; conservation and heritage; involvement with the community; marketing; management.
Originally a 19th century quarry, Helsby Quarry was a landfill tip until the 1970s. It was reclaimed in the 1980s and designated as a local nature reserve in 2001.
It has interesting sandstone rock faces, a tunnel, woodland and meadowland. Stone from the quarry is understood to have been used in the construction of the Albert Dock in Liverpool.
An active Friends, group helps manage Helsby Quarry.
Picture shows (Top from left), Robyn Moseley Greenspace Ranger and Mary Lavery Greenspace Project Officer present the Green Flag to seated from left, Friends of Helsby Quarry Peter Barth secretary and Sue Lorimer.
Life-saving scheme
to launch next month?
by staff reporter
A LIFE-SAVING community network of defibrillators is set to be launched next month.
About six locations are being considered for the machines, with Overton Stores likely to be the first to become operational.
Other sites include Taylor's opticians in Edisbury Square, Gates' Garage - which would be available 24-hours a day - Frodsham Leisure Centre, Castle Park Arts Centre and the police station in Ship Street.
The North West Ambulance Service will offer training in the use of the devices and will also inform people dialling 999 where the nearest defibrillator is located.
Survival rates increase dramatically if cardiac arrest victims receive early basic life support treatment.
If there is no treatment, a cardiac arrest victim has a two per cent chance of survival. This is doubled if the victim receives basic treatment such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or heart compression.
But with early defibrillation, the survival rate jumps to 90 per cent.
Mums set up Asperger's
support group
by John Hendon
THREE mums have set up a new group, based in Frodsham, to support parents and carers of dependants with Aspergers Syndrome, or High Functioning Autism.
They are already running three support groups - one meeting on the second Tuesday of each month at Coffee & Cakes, Eddisbury Square, Frodsham, between 7-9pm.
The other groups meet at Ellesmere Port and Knutsford.
Chairman Jo Garner, from Helsby said: "Our current aims are to improve the lives of sufferers with the 'hidden disability' by supporting their parents and carers with relevant information about the various facilities and support available to them."
The group - which has Sara Helsby and Michelle Stanway as treasurer and secretary - has set up a website, www.asparents.org.uk and will be producing newsletters for members to keep parents informed about what is happening locally and nationally.
They have also set up a database of contacts and are contacting local and national organisations to make them aware of the group.
Jo said the monthly meetings were very informal events where parents and carers could share thoughts, worries and celebrate success.
She said: "Our long term aims are to increase public awareness of the difficulties we face on a daily basis, to ensure adequate training is given to everyone involved, whether teaching assistants, teachers, social workers or mental health professionals, and to lobby the government to increase the currently very poorly funded services available to sufferers."
Anyone who thinks the group can help them - and they aim to support parents and carers of dependants whether diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome or not - should contact them by calling 01928 722384 or email jo@abacusbookkeeper.com
Round Table "rescue"
town's bonfire party
by John Hendon
FRODSHAM and district Round Table have "rescued" the town's annual Bonfire Party and firework display.
Members of the Town Council welcome an application by the Round Table to use Fluin Lane playing fields for the event on November 5.
The event has in the past been staged by Frodsham Community Association but two months ago the association withdrew its application for permission to use the Fluin Lane field.
Councillors agreed it was "good news" that the Round Table was to stage the event.
But concern was expressed over the possibility of damage to the field.
Coun Frank Pennington said there had been problems last year which had cost the community centre "a lot of money" to put right.
The bonfire had been in the middle of the field and the site of the fire had to be re-turfed.
Coun Dennis Taylor said it would be advisable not to put the bonfire in the middle of the field but somewhere else where it would not cause much damage.
Coun Tony Hinkins said telling the Round Table where to locate the fire would be quite wrong. But the council could be involved in the risk assessment.
It was agreed that the field should be reinstated after the event.
Risk assessment for
town's burial ground
by John Hendon
A RISK assessment to be carried out at Frodsham's Tarvin Road burial ground will also give an indication of how long it will be before additional land is required to extend the community cemetery.
One quotation has already been received and Town Clerk Ian Hope has been asked to obtain another before councillors reach a decision. But members are agreed that an assessment needs to be carried out as soon as possible.
Specialist consultants will advise on general risks in the cemetery, risks associated with the condition of existing memorials and the future capacity of the burial ground - an issue that has been worrying members for some time. A statutory grave plan will also be included in the study.
Coun Dennis Taylor said it would cost the council a lot more if there was a serious accident at the burial ground. The work needed to be done as soon as possible.
Council drops Co-op
purchase plan
by John Hendon
HELSBY Parish Council has decided not to go ahead with the purchase of the former Co-op store in the village for use as new council offices.
The building is on the market with a £200,000 price tag - but a working group set up by the council has decided the additional cost of essential renovations and adaptations made the purchase impracticable.
At present the council meets at Helsby Library, but accommodation is cramped when major issues result in large attendances by the public.
Another option for the council to consider is having offices as part of the proposed Helsby Sports and Social Club development when that goes ahead.
The council has earmarked £100,000 towards the cost of such a move.
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