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23 December 2021
CAROLS ON THE COBBLES
There have been a number of outdoor Carol Services in Sandbach over the years from groups outside the supermarkets (2014-15), in front of the Town Hall (2016- 17 by Churches Together) and last year St Peter’s church in Elworth arranged a ‘Drive in Carol Service’ on Sandbach Common with socially distanced vehicles complying with the latest Covid regulations. In 2021, Sandbach Churches Together arranged for a Carol Service to take place for the first time on the Market Square with a ‘Carols on the Cobbles’ event on the 23 December the closest to Christmas day this sort of event has taken place in the town. On one of the warmer nights in December hundreds of people turned out to sing popular Christmas songs in front of the Christmas Tree and War Memorial accompanied by instrumentalists Lynne Ashmore on flute and Rob Glassonbury on the accordion with the Rev. Bee Boyde of St Mary’s reading the Message and the Rev. Jeremy Tresise of the Unity Church leading the prayers and service with other members of the church community also taking part. Although it was only about thirty minutes long it was a great start to the Christmas weekend and the atmosphere of people singing while socially distancing allowed the town to have some sort of normality over this celebratory period for the birth of Jesus. With the success of this event the Rev. Jeremy Tresise hoped it would become an annual event for the festive period. Once the crowds had dispersed from the Market Square the church leaders and instrumentalists then went round the town to play and sing carols outside the local public houses bringing even more of the Christmas spirit rather than the alcoholic spirit to the people of Sandbach and were appreciated by those inside and those listening in the street.
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23 December 2021
CAROLS ON THE COBBLES
There have been a number of outdoor Carol Services in Sandbach over the years from groups outside the supermarkets (2014-15), in front of the Town Hall (2016- 17 by Churches Together) and last year St Peter’s church in Elworth arranged a ‘Drive in Carol Service’ on Sandbach Common with socially distanced vehicles complying with the latest Covid regulations. In 2021, Sandbach Churches Together arranged for a Carol Service to take place for the first time on the Market Square with a ‘Carols on the Cobbles’ event on the 23 December the closest to Christmas day this sort of event has taken place in the town. On one of the warmer nights in December hundreds of people turned out to sing popular Christmas songs in front of the Christmas Tree and War Memorial accompanied by instrumentalists Lynne Ashmore on flute and Rob Glassonbury on the accordion with the Rev. Bee Boyde of St Mary’s reading the Message and the Rev. Jeremy Tresise of the Unity Church leading the prayers and service with other members of the church community also taking part. Although it was only about thirty minutes long it was a great start to the Christmas weekend and the atmosphere of people singing while socially distancing allowed the town to have some sort of normality over this celebratory period for the birth of Jesus. With the success of this event the Rev. Jeremy Tresise hoped it would become an annual event for the festive period. Once the crowds had dispersed from the Market Square the church leaders and instrumentalists then went round the town to play and sing carols outside the local public houses bringing even more of the Christmas spirit rather than the alcoholic spirit to the people of Sandbach and were appreciated by those inside and those listening in the street.
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11 December 2021
100 YEARS OF THE SANDBACH BRITISH LEGION
Back in May 2021 the Royal British Legion celebrated the anniversary of their formation 100 years ago when the local “Comrades of the Great War” joined the new British Legion an organisation that was launched in a quiet ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. Along with the “National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers” (Formed in 1917 in Blackburn), The “British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers” (Formed in 1917) and “The Officers’ Association” (Formed in 1920, incorporated by Royal Charter on the 30 June 1921) the four organisations became one giant group dedicated to the welfare of service personnel from all the armed forces.
On Saturday the 11th December 2021 Sandbach Town Council acknowledged the 100 years of dedication to fundraising for the British Legion by the Sandbach Branch with the unveiling of a plaque in the Market Hall suggested and produced by Adam Evans who has a stall on the Saturday Market producing etchings and designs in wood and glass as well as 3D Printing, alongside his wife who sells Rainbow Cheesecakes. Adam was a Member of REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) and benefited from the support of the Royal British Legion when he left the service and they helped him find a house and adjust to civilian life.
Adam started the project back in October to produce the plaque which can be seen just inside the Market Hall by the Café area and was helped with the edging by Men in Sheds, many of whom are ex servicemen themselves and were pleased to be involved with the project.
Mayor Geraint Price-Jones and Chairperson of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion, Marjorie Newton unveiled the plaque witnessed by current members of the branch, shoppers and stall holders in the Market Hall at 2pm.
The town of Sandbach was one of the first in the country to open a British Legion branch and on the 15 May 1921, it came into existence but with over 2,000 branches of the previous organisations it took until the 21 August 1921 for their Certificate of Amalgamation to be issued. The Sandbach British Legion had as its first President Captain Herbert P. Rigby with local founder members including Mr Cyril Massey (.b. 1891 .D. 1970 Aged 79) who went on to write the definitive history of Sandbach.
This new organisation took on local fundraising for what was then called the Earl Haig Poppy Appeal and responsibilities including helping out with the unveiling of the War Memorial in the Market Square, Sandbach on the 16 April 1922, at 3pm by Lieutenant Colonel John Kennedy, C.M.G., D.S.O., of the Black Watch.
Today the branch organises the Remembrance Day Parade and Service in the town as well as other fundraising activities and this year it managed to raise over £23,534.00 from the Poppy Appeal.
With a 100 years of history in its past the group are looking to the future for another 100 years and would like to hear from anyone interested in joining them to raise money for this worthy cause.
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11 December 2021
100 YEARS OF THE SANDBACH BRITISH LEGION
Back in May 2021 the Royal British Legion celebrated the anniversary of their formation 100 years ago when the local “Comrades of the Great War” joined the new British Legion an organisation that was launched in a quiet ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. Along with the “National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers” (Formed in 1917 in Blackburn), The “British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers” (Formed in 1917) and “The Officers’ Association” (Formed in 1920, incorporated by Royal Charter on the 30 June 1921) the four organisations became one giant group dedicated to the welfare of service personnel from all the armed forces.
On Saturday the 11th December 2021 Sandbach Town Council acknowledged the 100 years of dedication to fundraising for the British Legion by the Sandbach Branch with the unveiling of a plaque in the Market Hall suggested and produced by Adam Evans who has a stall on the Saturday Market producing etchings and designs in wood and glass as well as 3D Printing, alongside his wife who sells Rainbow Cheesecakes. Adam was a Member of REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) and benefited from the support of the Royal British Legion when he left the service and they helped him find a house and adjust to civilian life.
Adam started the project back in October to produce the plaque which can be seen just inside the Market Hall by the Café area and was helped with the edging by Men in Sheds, many of whom are ex servicemen themselves and were pleased to be involved with the project.
Mayor Geraint Price-Jones and Chairperson of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion, Marjorie Newton unveiled the plaque witnessed by current members of the branch, shoppers and stall holders in the Market Hall at 2pm.
The town of Sandbach was one of the first in the country to open a British Legion branch and on the 15 May 1921, it came into existence but with over 2,000 branches of the previous organisations it took until the 21 August 1921 for their Certificate of Amalgamation to be issued. The Sandbach British Legion had as its first President Captain Herbert P. Rigby with local founder members including Mr Cyril Massey (.b. 1891 .D. 1970 Aged 79) who went on to write the definitive history of Sandbach.
This new organisation took on local fundraising for what was then called the Earl Haig Poppy Appeal and responsibilities including helping out with the unveiling of the War Memorial in the Market Square, Sandbach on the 16 April 1922, at 3pm by Lieutenant Colonel John Kennedy, C.M.G., D.S.O., of the Black Watch.
Today the branch organises the Remembrance Day Parade and Service in the town as well as other fundraising activities and this year it managed to raise over £23,534.00 from the Poppy Appeal.
With a 100 years of history in its past the group are looking to the future for another 100 years and would like to hear from anyone interested in joining them to raise money for this worthy cause.
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3 December 2021
SANDBACH CHRISTMAS MARKET
On the 3 December 2010 the Sandbach Town Council decided to start a Christmas Market to compliment the lights in the town and to bring a bit of the Christmas atmosphere to Sandbach with Carol Singers, a children’s Merry-Go-Round and Santa in his Grotto. In 2021 as it was in 2010 the shops in the town stayed open until 8pm with the Christmas Market opening at 3pm.
On the 2 December 2012, Cllr Carolyn Lowe and the Town Council decided to improve the “Christmas Street Market and Late-Night Shopping” event with choirs singing around the Christmas tree, bell ringers, a brass band, a best dressed festive character competition (Judged by the Mayor) and Santa again in his Grotto.
This improved event was duplicated on the 30 November 2013 with the addition of a Best Dressed Trader competition and the results of the “Best Dressed Shop Window Display” competition which the Town Council had taken over from the STAR organisation who between 2010 and 2011 had reintroduced the competition after a brief lapse from 2003 when the Chamber of Trade stopped running the award.
On the 4 December 2015, a special guest appeared at the event in the person of “Tears for Fears”, original drummer Manny Elias and his actress wife Deborah Bouchard (Coronation Street and Emmerdale extra) who had a stall selling their “Bongo’s Chilli” and the couple have continued to attend every year of the event since selling out of their product by the close of the evening as its popularity spread across South Cheshire.
Unable to have an event last year the Christmas Market returned this year with stall holders from the past and new traders turning out to bring that Christmas atmosphere back to the town after the lockdown period. Organised by Mike Wellings and supported by Town Council staff and Councillors who helped out on the evening it was just as popular as it was before Covid 19 if not more popular as shoppers turned out from the earlier start time of 3pm right through to the end at 8pm when some of the stall holders told me that they had had bumper sales this year.
Chestnuts roasting on an open stove were provided by the 3rd Sandbach Brownies, Tombola by Sandbach Animal Rescue, and Santa Claus by St Lukes Hospice were some of the charity stalls on display with Christmas gift ideas on the main street, Market Hall and Town Hall Ballroom along with a variety of stalls on the Market Square selling everything from food to baubles and recycled products. Christmas had certainly returned to the town and was augmented by music provided by local groups starting with pupils from the Offley Primary Academy (Offley Road) who enchanted audiences at the Market Square and Small Car Park as they had done the previous night at the Tree of Lights event at Sandbach Cemetery. Other performers on the evening were the Brereton Hand Bell Ringers, Elworth CE School, Sandbach School Wind Orchestra, the Co-operative Wind Band (Crewe), Sandbach Young Voices, Singing Sensation, Nantwich Voices and the Rock Choir providing a great selection of Christmas music from pop classics to traditional carols.
The event also included the presentation of two awards, the Best Dressed Christmas Window Display which went to the newly opened shop ‘Sandbach Party Supplies’ at 5 Welles Street who produced a wonderfully light display of baubles and figures in such a small window. The other award was for the best dressed ‘Christmas Market Stall Holder’ which went to Gordon and Dorothy Griffin from Huddersfield who sold wooden toys that Gordon had made after retiring from teaching engineering. Mayor Geraint Price-Jones and his wife made the choices and along with Town Crier Dennis Robinson and Mike Wellings they walked to the winning locations where Dennis announced the prize winners and the Mayor handed over the trophy and certificate.
The general consensus was that the event was a great success and it was very nice to get back to some sort of normality as the town heads towards Christmas Day with the spirit of the season alive in the town for the first time since Coronavirus hit the world.
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3 December 2021
SANDBACH CHRISTMAS MARKET
On the 3 December 2010 the Sandbach Town Council decided to start a Christmas Market to compliment the lights in the town and to bring a bit of the Christmas atmosphere to Sandbach with Carol Singers, a children’s Merry-Go-Round and Santa in his Grotto. In 2021 as it was in 2010 the shops in the town stayed open until 8pm with the Christmas Market opening at 3pm.
On the 2 December 2012, Cllr Carolyn Lowe and the Town Council decided to improve the “Christmas Street Market and Late-Night Shopping” event with choirs singing around the Christmas tree, bell ringers, a brass band, a best dressed festive character competition (Judged by the Mayor) and Santa again in his Grotto.
This improved event was duplicated on the 30 November 2013 with the addition of a Best Dressed Trader competition and the results of the “Best Dressed Shop Window Display” competition which the Town Council had taken over from the STAR organisation who between 2010 and 2011 had reintroduced the competition after a brief lapse from 2003 when the Chamber of Trade stopped running the award.
On the 4 December 2015, a special guest appeared at the event in the person of “Tears for Fears”, original drummer Manny Elias and his actress wife Deborah Bouchard (Coronation Street and Emmerdale extra) who had a stall selling their “Bongo’s Chilli” and the couple have continued to attend every year of the event since selling out of their product by the close of the evening as its popularity spread across South Cheshire.
Unable to have an event last year the Christmas Market returned this year with stall holders from the past and new traders turning out to bring that Christmas atmosphere back to the town after the lockdown period. Organised by Mike Wellings and supported by Town Council staff and Councillors who helped out on the evening it was just as popular as it was before Covid 19 if not more popular as shoppers turned out from the earlier start time of 3pm right through to the end at 8pm when some of the stall holders told me that they had had bumper sales this year.
Chestnuts roasting on an open stove were provided by the 3rd Sandbach Brownies, Tombola by Sandbach Animal Rescue, and Santa Claus by St Lukes Hospice were some of the charity stalls on display with Christmas gift ideas on the main street, Market Hall and Town Hall Ballroom along with a variety of stalls on the Market Square selling everything from food to baubles and recycled products. Christmas had certainly returned to the town and was augmented by music provided by local groups starting with pupils from the Offley Primary Academy (Offley Road) who enchanted audiences at the Market Square and Small Car Park as they had done the previous night at the Tree of Lights event at Sandbach Cemetery. Other performers on the evening were the Brereton Hand Bell Ringers, Elworth CE School, Sandbach School Wind Orchestra, the Co-operative Wind Band (Crewe), Sandbach Young Voices, Singing Sensation, Nantwich Voices and the Rock Choir providing a great selection of Christmas music from pop classics to traditional carols.
The event also included the presentation of two awards, the Best Dressed Christmas Window Display which went to the newly opened shop ‘Sandbach Party Supplies’ at 5 Welles Street who produced a wonderfully light display of baubles and figures in such a small window. The other award was for the best dressed ‘Christmas Market Stall Holder’ which went to Gordon and Dorothy Griffin from Huddersfield who sold wooden toys that Gordon had made after retiring from teaching engineering. Mayor Geraint Price-Jones and his wife made the choices and along with Town Crier Dennis Robinson and Mike Wellings they walked to the winning locations where Dennis announced the prize winners and the Mayor handed over the trophy and certificate.
The general consensus was that the event was a great success and it was very nice to get back to some sort of normality as the town heads towards Christmas Day with the spirit of the season alive in the town for the first time since Coronavirus hit the world.
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27 November 2021
LIGHT SWITCH ON IN SANDBACH
As the temperature hit 2ºC the lights in Sandbach town centre went on at a switch on event on the 27th November 2021 in the Market Square with Mayor Geraint Price-Jones pressing the plunger along with Father Christmas to start the illuminations.
This is the first year that the lights have been rented and the display will be looked after by Blitz and their team from Arcon Electrical who installed the display and who will make sure they stay on during the festive season.
Last year the Council held a virtual event with a pre recorded broadcast linked live to the town centre for the actual switch on of the LED lights and Santa Sleigh on the Common car park’s community garden. In 2021 the Council have gone back to the launch show hosted by Silk FM with live entertainment provided by the Love Music Trust including a Saxophone Orchestra, the Nantwich Youth Choir and five friends who met at school and now rehearse on a Friday thus the name “Frantic Fridays” with Matthew Franklin, Daniel Farrar, Paddy Bloor, Calum Rayner and Ollie Sheireington entertaining the crowds just before the 5pm switch on.
The Round Table Santa was unavailable for this year’s event but Santa was paying a visit to the Sandbach Animal Rescue Coffee Morning at St Mary’s Church Hall at the start of the day and was asked if he could delay his return to the North Pole to attend the Switch on event. Ever pleased to meet the children and gather their requests for Christmas presents he agreed and the stand in Father Christmas proved popular with children as a queue of young people stayed on the cobbles until 6pm after the lights has been switched on.
Before the switch on took place Sandbach Mayor Geraint Price-Jones thanked the audience for coming and hoped the weather hadn’t dimmed their Christmas spirit. He also thanked the staff at the Sandbach Town Council especially Mike Wellings who has been excellent, making sure everything was in place for this year’s festive display. He also thanked Blitz and Silk FM along with the local businesses who had allowed them to put up decorations on their buildings as well as the Council for committing to the display being in place for the next few years. The Mayor then reminded the public of the Sandbach Christmas Market on the following Friday the 3rd December before wishing the crowd a Merry Christmas and the 54321 countdown to pressing the button, lighting up the displays around the town centre.
After a short break members of Foden’s Band took to the stage to play a selection of Christmas music including God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night, Deck the Halls and ending with We Wish you a Merry Christmas slightly earlier than planned as the cold weather not only made Rudolf’s nose red but I am sure made their fingers blue.
The cold weather brought out a large crowd to enjoy the switch on and many were soon taking selfies and family pictures around the Christmas tree by the War Memorial before heading down the main street to see the rest of the display which will be lighting up the town over the festive season.
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27 November 2021
LIGHT SWITCH ON IN SANDBACH
As the temperature hit 2ºC the lights in Sandbach town centre went on at a switch on event on the 27th November 2021 in the Market Square with Mayor Geraint Price-Jones pressing the plunger along with Father Christmas to start the illuminations.
This is the first year that the lights have been rented and the display will be looked after by Blitz and their team from Arcon Electrical who installed the display and who will make sure they stay on during the festive season.
Last year the Council held a virtual event with a pre recorded broadcast linked live to the town centre for the actual switch on of the LED lights and Santa Sleigh on the Common car park’s community garden. In 2021 the Council have gone back to the launch show hosted by Silk FM with live entertainment provided by the Love Music Trust including a Saxophone Orchestra, the Nantwich Youth Choir and five friends who met at school and now rehearse on a Friday thus the name “Frantic Fridays” with Matthew Franklin, Daniel Farrar, Paddy Bloor, Calum Rayner and Ollie Sheireington entertaining the crowds just before the 5pm switch on.
The Round Table Santa was unavailable for this year’s event but Santa was paying a visit to the Sandbach Animal Rescue Coffee Morning at St Mary’s Church Hall at the start of the day and was asked if he could delay his return to the North Pole to attend the Switch on event. Ever pleased to meet the children and gather their requests for Christmas presents he agreed and the stand in Father Christmas proved popular with children as a queue of young people stayed on the cobbles until 6pm after the lights has been switched on.
Before the switch on took place Sandbach Mayor Geraint Price-Jones thanked the audience for coming and hoped the weather hadn’t dimmed their Christmas spirit. He also thanked the staff at the Sandbach Town Council especially Mike Wellings who has been excellent, making sure everything was in place for this year’s festive display. He also thanked Blitz and Silk FM along with the local businesses who had allowed them to put up decorations on their buildings as well as the Council for committing to the display being in place for the next few years. The Mayor then reminded the public of the Sandbach Christmas Market on the following Friday the 3rd December before wishing the crowd a Merry Christmas and the 54321 countdown to pressing the button, lighting up the displays around the town centre.
After a short break members of Foden’s Band took to the stage to play a selection of Christmas music including God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night, Deck the Halls and ending with We Wish you a Merry Christmas slightly earlier than planned as the cold weather not only made Rudolf’s nose red but I am sure made their fingers blue.
The cold weather brought out a large crowd to enjoy the switch on and many were soon taking selfies and family pictures around the Christmas tree by the War Memorial before heading down the main street to see the rest of the display which will be lighting up the town over the festive season.
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14 November 2021
REMEMBRANCE DAY PARADE
As the Royal British Legion celebrates 100 years in existence and the Coronavirus restrictions have been lifted with regard to public events it was a cold but sunny day in Sandbach on Sunday the 14 November 2021 that brightened up the town as it commemorated the fallen of conflicts from the First World War to the latest deployments around the world by our armed forces on Remembrance Day.
On the 16 May 1920, the War Memorial in Elworth was unveiled. It was made of Portland Stone with a York Stone Base and has a soldier on its plinth. A year later in 1921 the Brunner Mond factory erected a memorial to its workers which was later relocated in 1934 to the Sandbach Cemetery by Darcy Braddell (for Brunner Mond) after the factory closed. Next year the War Memorial in the Market Square, Sandbach will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary as it was unveiled on the 16 April 1922, at 3pm by Lieutenant Colonel John Kennedy, C.M.G., D.S.O., of the Black Watch. He was the son of Colonel and Mrs Kennedy of Brookside, Arclid and this unveiling was the first occasion the Sandbach Branch of the British Legion would be involved in the memorial service of Remembrance having been formed in 1921 with its first Remembrance Sunday that November.
The town of Sandbach was one of the first in the country to open a British Legion branch and on the 15 May 1921 (The Same date nationally), it was formed out of the local “Comrades of the Great War” organisation, but with over 2,000 branches of that organisation it took until the 21 August 1921 for their Certificate of Amalgamation to be issued. Since then they have been involved with every Remembrance Day on the nearest Sunday to the 11 November, not only taking part but also raising funds for the Royal British Legion through the selling of poppies. With the town bedecked in Poppies on all the lampposts and street furniture in the town centre and down Congleton Road it was only fitting that the people of the town wearing their poppies came out in their hundreds to line the streets of Sandbach from Westfields on Middlewich Road to the War Memorial to see the procession of local groups and organisations marching to pay their tribute to the brave men and women of all three armed forces, the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force who paid the ultimate price for our freedom including the one hundred and twenty men who are commemorated on the Sandbach War Memorial from both World Wars.
The parade and service were organised by Marjorie Newton and members of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion with Miles Devlin as Parade Marshall and Glyn Robinson as Parade Commander they put together an event that was as impressive as it was before the pandemic and the turnout was equally impressive to pay their respects on this day with the crowd ending the service at the War Memorial with spontaneous applause as the various cadet groups, local organisations, scouts and guides, members of the Sandbach and Cheshire East Council and British Legion left the Market Square.
Before the arrival of the parade the Lion Youth band entertained the public on the Market Square and played a hymn while the wreaths were being laid.
Before the two minutes silence twenty five wreaths were laid at the base of the War Memorial starting with the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire Tony Garnett followed by Sandbach Mayor Geraint Price Jones and local organisations.
The two minutes silence was introduced by the Rev. David Ottley who was standing in for the Rev. Bee Boyde who had unfortunately been taken ill a few days earlier. The ‘Ode to the Fallen’ was read by RBL President Tom Price-Jones and the Last Post was played by a member of the Roberts Bakery Band who had led the procession down Middlewich Road. After the two minutes silence Tom Price-Jones spoke the ‘Kohima Epitaph’ “When you go home tell them of us and say: For your tomorrow, we gave our today.”
The parade then moved off to St Mary’s Church for the Service of Remembrance led by the Rev. David Ottley with stand in organist Ken Smith. The service included readings by Tom Price-Jones and Marjorie Newton who also laid a wreath at the back of the church under the British Legion standards and next to the Role of Honour from the First World War.
The service included the usual hymns and prayers including prayers spoken by an ex member of the services, a funeral director, a representative of HM Armed Forces, a civilian, a police officer, a councillor (The Mayor), a cadet and a representative of young people followed soon after by the return of the standards from the alter where they had been placed during the service before marching down the nave during the hymn ‘I vow to thee, my country’.
Due to changes in Policing the road closures were organised by a private company with restrictions making it impossible for the parade to return to Westfields as it has done in previous years after the church service leaving participants to make their own way back to their cars on Middlewich Road.
This year’s parade was a worthy tribute and thanks must be made to all those who took part in the event.
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14 November 2021
REMEMBRANCE DAY PARADE
As the Royal British Legion celebrates 100 years in existence and the Coronavirus restrictions have been lifted with regard to public events it was a cold but sunny day in Sandbach on Sunday the 14 November 2021 that brightened up the town as it commemorated the fallen of conflicts from the First World War to the latest deployments around the world by our armed forces on Remembrance Day.
On the 16 May 1920, the War Memorial in Elworth was unveiled. It was made of Portland Stone with a York Stone Base and has a soldier on its plinth. A year later in 1921 the Brunner Mond factory erected a memorial to its workers which was later relocated in 1934 to the Sandbach Cemetery by Darcy Braddell (for Brunner Mond) after the factory closed. Next year the War Memorial in the Market Square, Sandbach will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary as it was unveiled on the 16 April 1922, at 3pm by Lieutenant Colonel John Kennedy, C.M.G., D.S.O., of the Black Watch. He was the son of Colonel and Mrs Kennedy of Brookside, Arclid and this unveiling was the first occasion the Sandbach Branch of the British Legion would be involved in the memorial service of Remembrance having been formed in 1921 with its first Remembrance Sunday that November.
The town of Sandbach was one of the first in the country to open a British Legion branch and on the 15 May 1921 (The Same date nationally), it was formed out of the local “Comrades of the Great War” organisation, but with over 2,000 branches of that organisation it took until the 21 August 1921 for their Certificate of Amalgamation to be issued. Since then they have been involved with every Remembrance Day on the nearest Sunday to the 11 November, not only taking part but also raising funds for the Royal British Legion through the selling of poppies. With the town bedecked in Poppies on all the lampposts and street furniture in the town centre and down Congleton Road it was only fitting that the people of the town wearing their poppies came out in their hundreds to line the streets of Sandbach from Westfields on Middlewich Road to the War Memorial to see the procession of local groups and organisations marching to pay their tribute to the brave men and women of all three armed forces, the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force who paid the ultimate price for our freedom including the one hundred and twenty men who are commemorated on the Sandbach War Memorial from both World Wars.
The parade and service were organised by Marjorie Newton and members of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion with Miles Devlin as Parade Marshall and Glyn Robinson as Parade Commander they put together an event that was as impressive as it was before the pandemic and the turnout was equally impressive to pay their respects on this day with the crowd ending the service at the War Memorial with spontaneous applause as the various cadet groups, local organisations, scouts and guides, members of the Sandbach and Cheshire East Council and British Legion left the Market Square.
Before the arrival of the parade the Lion Youth band entertained the public on the Market Square and played a hymn while the wreaths were being laid.
Before the two minutes silence twenty five wreaths were laid at the base of the War Memorial starting with the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire Tony Garnett followed by Sandbach Mayor Geraint Price Jones and local organisations.
The two minutes silence was introduced by the Rev. David Ottley who was standing in for the Rev. Bee Boyde who had unfortunately been taken ill a few days earlier. The ‘Ode to the Fallen’ was read by RBL President Tom Price-Jones and the Last Post was played by a member of the Roberts Bakery Band who had led the procession down Middlewich Road. After the two minutes silence Tom Price-Jones spoke the ‘Kohima Epitaph’ “When you go home tell them of us and say: For your tomorrow, we gave our today.”
The parade then moved off to St Mary’s Church for the Service of Remembrance led by the Rev. David Ottley with stand in organist Ken Smith. The service included readings by Tom Price-Jones and Marjorie Newton who also laid a wreath at the back of the church under the British Legion standards and next to the Role of Honour from the First World War.
The service included the usual hymns and prayers including prayers spoken by an ex member of the services, a funeral director, a representative of HM Armed Forces, a civilian, a police officer, a councillor (The Mayor), a cadet and a representative of young people followed soon after by the return of the standards from the alter where they had been placed during the service before marching down the nave during the hymn ‘I vow to thee, my country’.
Due to changes in Policing the road closures were organised by a private company with restrictions making it impossible for the parade to return to Westfields as it has done in previous years after the church service leaving participants to make their own way back to their cars on Middlewich Road.
This year’s parade was a worthy tribute and thanks must be made to all those who took part in the event.
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11 November 2021
ARMISIST DAY IN SANDBACH
The Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion held the Annual Armistice Day Service on the 11 November 2021. The Rev. David Ottley took the short service with sixth form student Nardia Bedwell (Year 13) playing the Last Post and Reveille brilliantly for the minute’s silence. A larger crowd than usual attended the event which unlike last years covid version which was held with a few invited members, this years was open to all.
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11 November 2021
ARMISIST DAY IN SANDBACH
The Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion held the Annual Armistice Day Service on the 11 November 2021. The Rev. David Ottley took the short service with sixth form student Nardia Bedwell (Year 13) playing the Last Post and Reveille brilliantly for the minute’s silence. A larger crowd than usual attended the event which unlike last years covid version which was held with a few invited members, this years was open to all.
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30 October 2021
POPPY BALL 2021
As the British Legion enters its 100th year and with the Poppy Appeal, its main fundraiser being launched in Cheshire and North Wales by the Bikers Branch turning up in Sandbach on the 30th October 2021 preparations were under way at Sandbach Town Hall for the annual Poppy Ball to take place.
Fifty six supporters of the appeal turned up to dance to the music of Martin Atterbury and have an enjoyable meal in the ballroom surroundings of the Town Hall where the annual event has been held since 1998.
Unfortunately due to COVID 19 the last Poppy Ball had been held on the 19 October 2019 and was a happy event with the late Reg Dunning enjoying what would be his last fundraising event before the country shut down. As the nation starts to open up the Poppy Ball was one of the events that organiser Marjorie Newton wanted to stage along with the November the 11th Service by the War Memorial and the Remembrance Day procession and service on Sunday the 14th November which will both be returning this year to the calendar.
Looking back over the 100 years of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion there was a Whist Drive and Dance on the 27 September 1922 at the Town Hall with music by the British Legion Orchestra. In June 1944 the Dance raised £37/8/11d for the British Legion Parcel Fund which sent gifts to Soldiers serving during the war. This year’s profits from the Poppy Ball will go into the main poppy appeal with the £186 raised by the raffle and £20 from an auction of a special pillow supporting the NHS and the fallen of the wars with the poem “At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them” embroidered on it, contributing to this year’s total which should top the amounts raised over the last two years during the shutdown period.
Poppy sellers will be out in the South Cheshire towns and collection boxes are available in the usual locations with many volunteers manning the stalls at Waitrose and the M6 Services including helpers from the 24th Detachment of the Army Cadet Force who were out in the cold by the Town Hall on Saturday the 30 October 2021 to help start the Poppy Appeal on its launch day.
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30 October 2021
POPPY BALL 2021
As the British Legion enters its 100th year and with the Poppy Appeal, its main fundraiser being launched in Cheshire and North Wales by the Bikers Branch turning up in Sandbach on the 30th October 2021 preparations were under way at Sandbach Town Hall for the annual Poppy Ball to take place.
Fifty six supporters of the appeal turned up to dance to the music of Martin Atterbury and have an enjoyable meal in the ballroom surroundings of the Town Hall where the annual event has been held since 1998.
Unfortunately due to COVID 19 the last Poppy Ball had been held on the 19 October 2019 and was a happy event with the late Reg Dunning enjoying what would be his last fundraising event before the country shut down. As the nation starts to open up the Poppy Ball was one of the events that organiser Marjorie Newton wanted to stage along with the November the 11th Service by the War Memorial and the Remembrance Day procession and service on Sunday the 14th November which will both be returning this year to the calendar.
Looking back over the 100 years of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion there was a Whist Drive and Dance on the 27 September 1922 at the Town Hall with music by the British Legion Orchestra. In June 1944 the Dance raised £37/8/11d for the British Legion Parcel Fund which sent gifts to Soldiers serving during the war. This year’s profits from the Poppy Ball will go into the main poppy appeal with the £186 raised by the raffle and £20 from an auction of a special pillow supporting the NHS and the fallen of the wars with the poem “At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them” embroidered on it, contributing to this year’s total which should top the amounts raised over the last two years during the shutdown period.
Poppy sellers will be out in the South Cheshire towns and collection boxes are available in the usual locations with many volunteers manning the stalls at Waitrose and the M6 Services including helpers from the 24th Detachment of the Army Cadet Force who were out in the cold by the Town Hall on Saturday the 30 October 2021 to help start the Poppy Appeal on its launch day.
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30 October 2021
SPOOKY SATURDAY
The Sandbach Partnership staged the Spooky Saturday on the 30 October 2021 with a Fancy Dress competition and dancers from the Street Dance Academy.
WINNERS OF THE FANCY DRESS COMPETITION
Key Stage 1 – Teddy Seddon, Willow Diamond, Esme Benbow and Leo Fox.
Key Stage 2 – Louis Bedow (Sumo), Beau Tutiy, Ebony Taiti, Emelia Benbow, Darcie Beddow, and Robyn Woodcock
Key Stage 3 – Leon Walker, Tilifha Walker, Charlie Heathote and Hamish Munro
PUMPKIN WINNERS
Hamish Munro and Lenny Munro.
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30 October 2021
SPOOKY SATURDAY
The Sandbach Partnership staged the Spooky Saturday on the 30 October 2021 with a Fancy Dress competition and dancers from the Street Dance Academy.
WINNERS OF THE FANCY DRESS COMPETITION
Key Stage 1 – Teddy Seddon, Willow Diamond, Esme Benbow and Leo Fox.
Key Stage 2 – Louis Bedow (Sumo), Beau Tutiy, Ebony Taiti, Emelia Benbow, Darcie Beddow, and Robyn Woodcock
Key Stage 3 – Leon Walker, Tilifha Walker, Charlie Heathote and Hamish Munro
PUMPKIN WINNERS
Hamish Munro and Lenny Munro.
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30 October 2021
POPPY APPEAL LAUNCH
The Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion launched the 2021 Poppy Appeal with the help of the Bikers Branch at the Sandbach War Memorial at 3pm on the 30 October 2021. members of the 24th Detachment of the Army Cadets sold Poppies outside the Town Hall and The Revd Bee Boyde held a small service at the War Memorial along with a bugler dressed in a Kings Troop Uniform.
The bikers branch had visited Port Sunlight, Holton near Runcorn, Northwich, Middlewich before arriving in Sandbach and would complete the day in Crewe before an overnight stay in Gresford near Wrexham before starting again on the 31 Oct 2021 at Wrexham, Llangollen, Menai Bridge, Caernarvon and ending in Llanddulas.
One rider Mike Bennet rode with two pictures on his bike visor, one of his great great Uncle George Mort (6th Battalion Cheshire Regiment) and friend Len Royal (70)an ex Artillery man and Fireman who was recently killed in a motorbike accident on the 26 June when he was hit by a car in his home town of Wilmslow. “Len would have loved to have taken part in the run” said Mike “He will be with us in spirit”.
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30 October 2021
POPPY APPEAL LAUNCH
The Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion launched the 2021 Poppy Appeal with the help of the Bikers Branch at the Sandbach War Memorial at 3pm on the 30 October 2021. members of the 24th Detachment of the Army Cadets sold Poppies outside the Town Hall and The Revd Bee Boyde held a small service at the War Memorial along with a bugler dressed in a Kings Troop Uniform.
The bikers branch had visited Port Sunlight, Holton near Runcorn, Northwich, Middlewich before arriving in Sandbach and would complete the day in Crewe before an overnight stay in Gresford near Wrexham before starting again on the 31 Oct 2021 at Wrexham, Llangollen, Menai Bridge, Caernarvon and ending in Llanddulas.
One rider Mike Bennet rode with two pictures on his bike visor, one of his great great Uncle George Mort (6th Battalion Cheshire Regiment) and friend Len Royal (70)an ex Artillery man and Fireman who was recently killed in a motorbike accident on the 26 June when he was hit by a car in his home town of Wilmslow. “Len would have loved to have taken part in the run” said Mike “He will be with us in spirit”.
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27 September 2021
SANDBACH WAKES FAIR 2021
With Covid restrictions being lifted for many events Sandbach was able to hold the annual Wakes Fair after it had been dropped last year. In 2020 Joe White did bring a token ride to keep the tradition of the fair uninterrupted and in 2021 he has managed to bring together most of the rides and attractions that have been visiting Sandbach for many years.
Some ride owners like John Walker who looks after the Funfair Express have been coming to the Wakes Fair for 40 years with a ride that was built by his father 57 years ago and still looks like it had been built recently. Other attraction owners have been coming since the 1960’s with similar rides or new attractions.
Looking back to a meeting of the Sandbach Urban Council on the 12 December 1916 when they agreed to allow the “Sandbach Wakes” to take place on the Common for one week for the sum of £17 as long as Mr Patrick Collins closed his show and sideshows at lighting restriction time (Wartime regulation). The Council also asked for a £50 deposit as a guarantee of Mr Collins sticking to the conditions they had laid down. Times have changed with the current “Wakes Fun Fair”, format in Sandbach entertaining the community for over 70 years with showmen from the White and Holland family’s attending with their amusements over this period. In the early days of the show the organisers took it in turns to provide the amusements with the Collins family one year and the White family the following year. In 2014 Sandbach Town Council asked for the Wakes Fair Licence to be increased from £950.82 plus legal costs to £1,200 plus legal costs. That this licence fee was fixed for 3 years subject to the operator adhering to the conditions of the licence and being awarded future licences.
Since 2005 the White family has taken the responsibility of staging the fair each year.
This year there were forty amusements from the popular Ghost Train, Helter Skelter and Speed Buzz along with Hook a Duck, Darts, Ring the Bell (Joe White a relative of the licence holder) and Crazy Bus all returning to the common between the 24th and 27th September 2021. Catering trucks supplied the traditional candy floss, hot dogs and donuts giving that distinctive smell of the fair but the traditional sound of the early years have been replaced by the latest pop songs, a heavy drum beat and PA Sounds as they drift around the town centre.
Unlike previous years when social media was full of negative posts in 2021 there has been nothing but positive messages about the return of the fair and memories of past visits. The only criticism has been the price of some of the rides which have been raised to take account of the loss of income from last year as the Coronavirus caused fairs to be cancelled across the United Kingdom.
Families were seen enjoying the amusements with large crowds on Friday and Saturday afternoon in a safe environment with Covid precautions in place and security keeping an eye on potential misbehaving youths.
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27 September 2021
SANDBACH WAKES FAIR 2021
With Covid restrictions being lifted for many events Sandbach was able to hold the annual Wakes Fair after it had been dropped last year. In 2020 Joe White did bring a token ride to keep the tradition of the fair uninterrupted and in 2021 he has managed to bring together most of the rides and attractions that have been visiting Sandbach for many years.
Some ride owners like John Walker who looks after the Funfair Express have been coming to the Wakes Fair for 40 years with a ride that was built by his father 57 years ago and still looks like it had been built recently. Other attraction owners have been coming since the 1960’s with similar rides or new attractions.
Looking back to a meeting of the Sandbach Urban Council on the 12 December 1916 when they agreed to allow the “Sandbach Wakes” to take place on the Common for one week for the sum of £17 as long as Mr Patrick Collins closed his show and sideshows at lighting restriction time (Wartime regulation). The Council also asked for a £50 deposit as a guarantee of Mr Collins sticking to the conditions they had laid down. Times have changed with the current “Wakes Fun Fair”, format in Sandbach entertaining the community for over 70 years with showmen from the White and Holland family’s attending with their amusements over this period. In the early days of the show the organisers took it in turns to provide the amusements with the Collins family one year and the White family the following year. In 2014 Sandbach Town Council asked for the Wakes Fair Licence to be increased from £950.82 plus legal costs to £1,200 plus legal costs. That this licence fee was fixed for 3 years subject to the operator adhering to the conditions of the licence and being awarded future licences.
Since 2005 the White family has taken the responsibility of staging the fair each year.
This year there were forty amusements from the popular Ghost Train, Helter Skelter and Speed Buzz along with Hook a Duck, Darts, Ring the Bell (Joe White a relative of the licence holder) and Crazy Bus all returning to the common between the 24th and 27th September 2021. Catering trucks supplied the traditional candy floss, hot dogs and donuts giving that distinctive smell of the fair but the traditional sound of the early years have been replaced by the latest pop songs, a heavy drum beat and PA Sounds as they drift around the town centre.
Unlike previous years when social media was full of negative posts in 2021 there has been nothing but positive messages about the return of the fair and memories of past visits. The only criticism has been the price of some of the rides which have been raised to take account of the loss of income from last year as the Coronavirus caused fairs to be cancelled across the United Kingdom.
Families were seen enjoying the amusements with large crowds on Friday and Saturday afternoon in a safe environment with Covid precautions in place and security keeping an eye on potential misbehaving youths.
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LOCAL ELECTIONS CANDIDATES Thurs 7 Oct 2021 TOWN WARD – 1 seat available (Information taken from leaflets dropped through the door)
JOHN COLIN WILLIAM ARNOLD (Labour)
John lives in Sandbach and grew up in Congleton attending the Dane Valley High School. His first job was with ICL. A director for “Performance Ticket Printers Ltd” (26 May 2005 to date) in the Smithy, Congleton, and is a web site specialist. John is also a school governor of Offley Primary Academy and teaches computers to children in two schools. He believes in equality, inclusiveness and is extremely keen on encouraging positive steps to prevent further climate change. He is keen to support local business, local schools and make Sandbach even better.
NICOLA KATE COOK (Independent) Nicola has lived in the Sandbach Town Ward area for 40 years. Nicola has managed teams in the NHS, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Royal British Legion. Nicola has undertaken 6,500 hours of voluntary work with the Royal Voluntary Service supporting local people with shopping, prescription collection and a listening ear. Nicola is also a member of the Sandbach Clean Team. Nicola is also a St John’s Ambulance Vaccinator as part of the NHS Covid Vaccination programme. Previously served as an independent Councillor in Sandbach (2012 Ettley Heath and Wheelock Ward). As a parent Nicola has a strong interest in local education services and support for children with special educational needs.
NIGEL KAY (Independent) Lived in Sandbach for over 20 years. Worked as a Senior IT project manager on multi million pound programmes in financial institutions and currently works as an E Commerce Manager for a Holmes Chapel family run business. 1) Be believes in democracy and collaboration in Council Meetings where all attendees should have the right to express their views and positivity without fear of reprisals. 2) He will push for and agenda for transparency and accountability in Sandbach Town Council. 3) “What Happens to your taxes”? 4) Why us there a need for ‘closed door’ meetings without prior accountability and / or public representation? 5) He will pursue fair local fact based decision making for our town rather than via top-down impositions. Local Issues 1) Supporting all attempts to expand and revitalise the historic Sandbach Market. 2) Support for the plans to put CCTV in the park, Police linked Pub Watch radios and fully installation of the two Defribulators purchased in 2019 (If elected he will be pushing for a quick conclusion). 3) Supporting the campaign to ensure the original expansion will go ahead as identified on both the Land Registry and Ordinance Survey Maps. 4) Oppose parking charges at anytime in the town. 5) Supports the efforts to encourage a reduction in car usage and safe routes to schools, he will press for the removal of the Active Travel / Cycle lane on Old Middlewich Road, this absolutely unnecessary eyesore and waste of public money.
ANN NEVITT (Conservative) Spent most of her life in Sandbach. Ann was the Chief Executive of a small Friendly Society and has held a number of positions within the Financial Services Industry. . 1) Campaigner for a review of the Cheshire East Cemetery Strategy putting together a 5,000 signature petition to get the Council to change their mind about not extending the boundary to the playing fields. 2) To overturn the decision to permantly keep the 70 meter cycle way on Old Middlewich Road. 3) Fighting unwanted planning applications. 4) Tackling Anti-social Behaviour. 5) Fighting for Highways improvements on Old Mill Road. 6) Review of Parking charges to reflect the local views and potential impact on local businesses.
ETTLEY HEATH AND WHEELOCK 1 seat available
Nick Adams (Conservative and Unionist)
Michelle Hough (Liberal Democrat)
Simon Carl Richards (Labour)
JOHN COLIN WILLIAM ARNOLD (Labour)
John lives in Sandbach and grew up in Congleton attending the Dane Valley High School. His first job was with ICL. A director for “Performance Ticket Printers Ltd” (26 May 2005 to date) in the Smithy, Congleton, and is a web site specialist. John is also a school governor of Offley Primary Academy and teaches computers to children in two schools. He believes in equality, inclusiveness and is extremely keen on encouraging positive steps to prevent further climate change. He is keen to support local business, local schools and make Sandbach even better.
NICOLA KATE COOK (Independent) Nicola has lived in the Sandbach Town Ward area for 40 years. Nicola has managed teams in the NHS, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Royal British Legion. Nicola has undertaken 6,500 hours of voluntary work with the Royal Voluntary Service supporting local people with shopping, prescription collection and a listening ear. Nicola is also a member of the Sandbach Clean Team. Nicola is also a St John’s Ambulance Vaccinator as part of the NHS Covid Vaccination programme. Previously served as an independent Councillor in Sandbach (2012 Ettley Heath and Wheelock Ward). As a parent Nicola has a strong interest in local education services and support for children with special educational needs.
NIGEL KAY (Independent) Lived in Sandbach for over 20 years. Worked as a Senior IT project manager on multi million pound programmes in financial institutions and currently works as an E Commerce Manager for a Holmes Chapel family run business. 1) Be believes in democracy and collaboration in Council Meetings where all attendees should have the right to express their views and positivity without fear of reprisals. 2) He will push for and agenda for transparency and accountability in Sandbach Town Council. 3) “What Happens to your taxes”? 4) Why us there a need for ‘closed door’ meetings without prior accountability and / or public representation? 5) He will pursue fair local fact based decision making for our town rather than via top-down impositions. Local Issues 1) Supporting all attempts to expand and revitalise the historic Sandbach Market. 2) Support for the plans to put CCTV in the park, Police linked Pub Watch radios and fully installation of the two Defribulators purchased in 2019 (If elected he will be pushing for a quick conclusion). 3) Supporting the campaign to ensure the original expansion will go ahead as identified on both the Land Registry and Ordinance Survey Maps. 4) Oppose parking charges at anytime in the town. 5) Supports the efforts to encourage a reduction in car usage and safe routes to schools, he will press for the removal of the Active Travel / Cycle lane on Old Middlewich Road, this absolutely unnecessary eyesore and waste of public money.
ANN NEVITT (Conservative) Spent most of her life in Sandbach. Ann was the Chief Executive of a small Friendly Society and has held a number of positions within the Financial Services Industry. . 1) Campaigner for a review of the Cheshire East Cemetery Strategy putting together a 5,000 signature petition to get the Council to change their mind about not extending the boundary to the playing fields. 2) To overturn the decision to permantly keep the 70 meter cycle way on Old Middlewich Road. 3) Fighting unwanted planning applications. 4) Tackling Anti-social Behaviour. 5) Fighting for Highways improvements on Old Mill Road. 6) Review of Parking charges to reflect the local views and potential impact on local businesses.
ETTLEY HEATH AND WHEELOCK 1 seat available
Nick Adams (Conservative and Unionist)
Michelle Hough (Liberal Democrat)
Simon Carl Richards (Labour)
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8 August 2021
MEMORIAL SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE
On Sunday the 8 August 2021, the Sandbach Branches of the Royal British Legion and the Cheshire Regiment Association held a Service of Remembrance for members and supporters of both organisations who had passed away since 2019.
At 1.30pm Marjorie Newton (Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion) and Richard Beckett the son of one of the Sandbach Branch of the Cheshire Regiment founder members Tony Beckett, laid wreaths in honour of those lost between 2019 and 2021.
Many members of the public turned up for the wreath laying and some went on to join about 100 members of the congregation at a service in St Mary’s Church. The Rev Bee Boyde conducted the service opening proceedings by remembering our friends and families before the hymn “Love Divine” and receiving the standards from the Cheshire Regiment and the British Legion standard which had attached a 100th Anniversary year banner which was making its first public appearance.
The hymn “Father Eternal” was followed by Joe Hearson the son of Judith E Hearson who played ‘A river flows in you’ on the piano.
Retired Lt Col T Nesbitt read psalm 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd” followed by the Rev Bee Boyde looking at the relevance of Psalm 23 with the service. The hymn “And did those Feet” was followed by the “Last Post”, the poem “We remember” read by Marjorie Newton, the reading of the names of the seventeen who were being commemorated and Reveille played by Foden’s Band member Andy Rolfe.
The congregation was then asked to light a candle and place them around the church while reflecting on those who have departed as well as what legacy they would leave behind.
Further hymns were followed by the final parade out and the leaving of the standards ended the service.
Those members and supporters who had departed since 2019 were, Thomas Barkley (.D. 30 Sept 2020, Royal British Legion), Linden Bateman (.D. 29 Mar 2020, Cheshire Regiment Association), Tony Beckett (.D. 10 Apr 2020, Royal British Legion and Cheshire Regiment Association Standard Bearer and founder member), David Beech (.D. 7 Jan 2019, Cheshire Regiment Association, Secretary), Janet Bickerton (.D. 30 Dec 2020, Alsager Royal British Legion), Percy E Cooke (.D. 11 Oct 2019, Cheshire Regiment Association), Mark Cooper (.D. 18 Nov 2020, Cheshire Regiment Association), Roger Cooper (.D. 23 Dec 2020, Royal British Legion), Reginald Dunning (.D. 4 July 2020, Royal British Legion Parade Marshall), Colin Farrington (.D. 17 July 2020, Cheshire Regiment Association Chairman and Standard Bearer), Judith E Hearson (.D. 28 Aug 2019, British Legion Supporter, Bugler and member of the Rode Hall Band and Silk Brass), Arthur Jury (.D. 29 Apr 2020, Wheelock Royal British Legion Chairman and Standard Bearer), Graham T Moores (.D. 21 Dec 2019, Royal British Legion Standard Bearer), Albert ‘Paddy’ Paddock (.D. 12 May 2020, Royal British Legion), John W Page (.D. 11 Dec 2019, British Legion Auditor), Howard Station (.D. Royal British Legion Supporter and locally well known drummer) and Charles H. M. Sullivan (.D. 14 Aug 2020, Cheshire Regiment Association Chairman and Standard Bearer).
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8 August 2021
MEMORIAL SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE
On Sunday the 8 August 2021, the Sandbach Branches of the Royal British Legion and the Cheshire Regiment Association held a Service of Remembrance for members and supporters of both organisations who had passed away since 2019.
At 1.30pm Marjorie Newton (Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion) and Richard Beckett the son of one of the Sandbach Branch of the Cheshire Regiment founder members Tony Beckett, laid wreaths in honour of those lost between 2019 and 2021.
Many members of the public turned up for the wreath laying and some went on to join about 100 members of the congregation at a service in St Mary’s Church. The Rev Bee Boyde conducted the service opening proceedings by remembering our friends and families before the hymn “Love Divine” and receiving the standards from the Cheshire Regiment and the British Legion standard which had attached a 100th Anniversary year banner which was making its first public appearance.
The hymn “Father Eternal” was followed by Joe Hearson the son of Judith E Hearson who played ‘A river flows in you’ on the piano.
Retired Lt Col T Nesbitt read psalm 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd” followed by the Rev Bee Boyde looking at the relevance of Psalm 23 with the service. The hymn “And did those Feet” was followed by the “Last Post”, the poem “We remember” read by Marjorie Newton, the reading of the names of the seventeen who were being commemorated and Reveille played by Foden’s Band member Andy Rolfe.
The congregation was then asked to light a candle and place them around the church while reflecting on those who have departed as well as what legacy they would leave behind.
Further hymns were followed by the final parade out and the leaving of the standards ended the service.
Those members and supporters who had departed since 2019 were, Thomas Barkley (.D. 30 Sept 2020, Royal British Legion), Linden Bateman (.D. 29 Mar 2020, Cheshire Regiment Association), Tony Beckett (.D. 10 Apr 2020, Royal British Legion and Cheshire Regiment Association Standard Bearer and founder member), David Beech (.D. 7 Jan 2019, Cheshire Regiment Association, Secretary), Janet Bickerton (.D. 30 Dec 2020, Alsager Royal British Legion), Percy E Cooke (.D. 11 Oct 2019, Cheshire Regiment Association), Mark Cooper (.D. 18 Nov 2020, Cheshire Regiment Association), Roger Cooper (.D. 23 Dec 2020, Royal British Legion), Reginald Dunning (.D. 4 July 2020, Royal British Legion Parade Marshall), Colin Farrington (.D. 17 July 2020, Cheshire Regiment Association Chairman and Standard Bearer), Judith E Hearson (.D. 28 Aug 2019, British Legion Supporter, Bugler and member of the Rode Hall Band and Silk Brass), Arthur Jury (.D. 29 Apr 2020, Wheelock Royal British Legion Chairman and Standard Bearer), Graham T Moores (.D. 21 Dec 2019, Royal British Legion Standard Bearer), Albert ‘Paddy’ Paddock (.D. 12 May 2020, Royal British Legion), John W Page (.D. 11 Dec 2019, British Legion Auditor), Howard Station (.D. Royal British Legion Supporter and locally well known drummer) and Charles H. M. Sullivan (.D. 14 Aug 2020, Cheshire Regiment Association Chairman and Standard Bearer).
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24 July 2021
SANDBACH ROCK AND POP FESTIVAL
After postponing the event twice this year the Sandbach Rock and Pop Festival finally went ahead on the 24 July 2021 from 12 noon at the Rugby Club in Bradwall Road. Missing out last year when the event was cancelled due to Coronavirus restrictions it was a welcome return to the events calendar in the town and it was able to take place under new Covid 19 restrictions were lifted for events earlier in the month.
Organised by Andy Milner, Simon Gregson and others the festival originally took over from a Fake Festival but it has evolved over the years to include a DJ and to have headlining local bands that perform a mixture of cover versions rather than specialising on one particular artist. This year there were tributes to Paloma Faith by Pure Paloma, Billy Eilish by Melissa T, Robbie Williams by Dan Budd, ABBA by UK Bjorn, Arianna Grande and Beyonce by Nicola T, who were all featured before 6pm with Victoria Jones as Kylie Minogue headlining the evening in the last hour before a 10pm curfew.
Local bands and singers included Ben Sproston, Tokyo Misfires, Moondogz, Callum McGregor, Mark Collins and the Mad Dog Davies Band with Animal Room from Stoke, Derby and Nottingham taking two slots as Shakermaker was unable to appear and they took over at short notice on the main stage.
The organisers kept the number of tickets to a minimum to allow for some social distancing but as the Government have opened up the Country from lockdown making events like this possible there was less social distancing on the dance floor by patrons than previously allowed. The nearby rugby field was available for family groups to keep to their own area to stay safe with plenty of room at the front of the stage and at the sides to keep socially distancing without masks.
The music as always was well worth listening to with a major change this year for the staging format as the renamed second stage, “The Patryk Milner Memorial Stage”, was moved from inside the Rugby Club which didn’t quite work in previous years as it was too small a venue for performers, to an outside area by the Gym building at the far end of the rugby fields. There many of the tribute acts performed alongside Ibiza House DJ Jepo who provided a disco just out of earshot of the main stage making the two venues independent.
The event raises funds for local charities including the AMMF (Cholangiocarcinoma Charity) and this year the main recipient is one that is a very sad for one of the organisers as the profit this year are going to the “Patryk Milner Memorial Fund” set up after the death of Andy Milners’s son on the 2 October 2020 when he collapsed at Offley Road School and was rushed to Leighton Hospital by Air Ambulance.
At about 10am on Wednesday the 30 September 2020 the Northwest Air Ambulance landed in the grounds of the Offley Road School in Sandbach to attend to Patryk Milner a young 7 year old boy who had fallen ill that morning. Paramedics and staff along with the Air Ambulance staff fought to save his life and at about 10.45am the Air Ambulance took off with the boy on board and headed towards Leighton Hospital for treatment before it was decided to transport Patryk to Alderhey Children’s Hospital where sadly he died.
Sandbach Rugby Club posted the following on the 2 October (Thursday), “It is with the greatest possible sadness that we send the news of the tragic loss of Patryk Milner, one of our under 8s and son of Andy and Aggie. Patryk will be well known to all of you who have seen him around the club, with his sister Krissy, almost since he was born. We will never forget the image of his bright and energetic face.”
A fund was set up to support children in sport which Patryk loved to take part in and includes a Young Children’s Sporting Development Course which in August will support 700 children.
A Facebook page was set up on the 7 March 2021 to inform people of events and where the funding is going.
Events have included an ‘Offley Road Academy Bake Sale’ (March 2021), ‘Run for Patryk’, ‘Walk for Patryk our Superhero’ organised by Emma Marrow, when participants dressed up as superheroes and raised £550 in March 2021 and a grand total by April of £2029, ‘Patryks Piccles’, ‘Run 4 Patrick’ with 21 runners doing 4kn every four hours during a 48 hour period between the 28th to the 30 May 2021 which to date has raised over £43,514 via Just Giving, ‘Betsy’s 100km 40 day challenge for Patricyk’ organised by John Thorley on the 4 July at Sandbach Rugby Club and raised over £500, Jacqui Jones and Rachel Price ran the Coniston Marathon for the Oliver and Patryk fund. Alsager Town and AFC Alsager played a football match in aid of the fund on the 3 July 2021, ‘The Patryk Memorial Open’ (Golf) on the 17 July 2021 at Malkins Bank Golf Course and on the 18 July 2021 a number of competitors including Matthew Brennan took part in the ‘Boundary Breeze Sprint Triathlon’ at Allostock near Knutsford.
One of the first events funded by the Patryk Milner Memorial Fund is the Superhero Sports Camps held at Sandbach Rugby Club and includes professional coaching on Monday and Friday through August between 9am and 3pm with 640 free places and includes lunch and a T shirt.
The organisers hope the Sandbach Rock and Pop Festival will bring in enough money to support children for many years in sporting events.
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24 July 2021
SANDBACH ROCK AND POP FESTIVAL
After postponing the event twice this year the Sandbach Rock and Pop Festival finally went ahead on the 24 July 2021 from 12 noon at the Rugby Club in Bradwall Road. Missing out last year when the event was cancelled due to Coronavirus restrictions it was a welcome return to the events calendar in the town and it was able to take place under new Covid 19 restrictions were lifted for events earlier in the month.
Organised by Andy Milner, Simon Gregson and others the festival originally took over from a Fake Festival but it has evolved over the years to include a DJ and to have headlining local bands that perform a mixture of cover versions rather than specialising on one particular artist. This year there were tributes to Paloma Faith by Pure Paloma, Billy Eilish by Melissa T, Robbie Williams by Dan Budd, ABBA by UK Bjorn, Arianna Grande and Beyonce by Nicola T, who were all featured before 6pm with Victoria Jones as Kylie Minogue headlining the evening in the last hour before a 10pm curfew.
Local bands and singers included Ben Sproston, Tokyo Misfires, Moondogz, Callum McGregor, Mark Collins and the Mad Dog Davies Band with Animal Room from Stoke, Derby and Nottingham taking two slots as Shakermaker was unable to appear and they took over at short notice on the main stage.
The organisers kept the number of tickets to a minimum to allow for some social distancing but as the Government have opened up the Country from lockdown making events like this possible there was less social distancing on the dance floor by patrons than previously allowed. The nearby rugby field was available for family groups to keep to their own area to stay safe with plenty of room at the front of the stage and at the sides to keep socially distancing without masks.
The music as always was well worth listening to with a major change this year for the staging format as the renamed second stage, “The Patryk Milner Memorial Stage”, was moved from inside the Rugby Club which didn’t quite work in previous years as it was too small a venue for performers, to an outside area by the Gym building at the far end of the rugby fields. There many of the tribute acts performed alongside Ibiza House DJ Jepo who provided a disco just out of earshot of the main stage making the two venues independent.
The event raises funds for local charities including the AMMF (Cholangiocarcinoma Charity) and this year the main recipient is one that is a very sad for one of the organisers as the profit this year are going to the “Patryk Milner Memorial Fund” set up after the death of Andy Milners’s son on the 2 October 2020 when he collapsed at Offley Road School and was rushed to Leighton Hospital by Air Ambulance.
At about 10am on Wednesday the 30 September 2020 the Northwest Air Ambulance landed in the grounds of the Offley Road School in Sandbach to attend to Patryk Milner a young 7 year old boy who had fallen ill that morning. Paramedics and staff along with the Air Ambulance staff fought to save his life and at about 10.45am the Air Ambulance took off with the boy on board and headed towards Leighton Hospital for treatment before it was decided to transport Patryk to Alderhey Children’s Hospital where sadly he died.
Sandbach Rugby Club posted the following on the 2 October (Thursday), “It is with the greatest possible sadness that we send the news of the tragic loss of Patryk Milner, one of our under 8s and son of Andy and Aggie. Patryk will be well known to all of you who have seen him around the club, with his sister Krissy, almost since he was born. We will never forget the image of his bright and energetic face.”
A fund was set up to support children in sport which Patryk loved to take part in and includes a Young Children’s Sporting Development Course which in August will support 700 children.
A Facebook page was set up on the 7 March 2021 to inform people of events and where the funding is going.
Events have included an ‘Offley Road Academy Bake Sale’ (March 2021), ‘Run for Patryk’, ‘Walk for Patryk our Superhero’ organised by Emma Marrow, when participants dressed up as superheroes and raised £550 in March 2021 and a grand total by April of £2029, ‘Patryks Piccles’, ‘Run 4 Patrick’ with 21 runners doing 4kn every four hours during a 48 hour period between the 28th to the 30 May 2021 which to date has raised over £43,514 via Just Giving, ‘Betsy’s 100km 40 day challenge for Patricyk’ organised by John Thorley on the 4 July at Sandbach Rugby Club and raised over £500, Jacqui Jones and Rachel Price ran the Coniston Marathon for the Oliver and Patryk fund. Alsager Town and AFC Alsager played a football match in aid of the fund on the 3 July 2021, ‘The Patryk Memorial Open’ (Golf) on the 17 July 2021 at Malkins Bank Golf Course and on the 18 July 2021 a number of competitors including Matthew Brennan took part in the ‘Boundary Breeze Sprint Triathlon’ at Allostock near Knutsford.
One of the first events funded by the Patryk Milner Memorial Fund is the Superhero Sports Camps held at Sandbach Rugby Club and includes professional coaching on Monday and Friday through August between 9am and 3pm with 640 free places and includes lunch and a T shirt.
The organisers hope the Sandbach Rock and Pop Festival will bring in enough money to support children for many years in sporting events.
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July 2021
2021 the 10th BRERETON BEAR FESTIVAL
The biannual Brereton Bear Festival takes place across the whole Parish area with 135 official displays of bears and a few extras on show from the 10 July to the 31 August 2021. A programme of bears is available for £5 from various places in Brereton at St Oswald’s Church, The Bears Head, Pear Tree Farm Shop and houses where there is a programme sign. Programmes are also available from RJ and J Moore, Greengrocers in Congleton and Brooks Butchers in Sandbach.
The usual launch event when bears are parachuted from the church tower was not held this year but the church was open for a number of displays and apart from the three dates when weddings are taking place this starting point for the bear hunt will be open to the public. Other events that are usually held were also put on hold for 2021 but the displays continue to impress visitors all around the Parish with householders and the local school taking part.
The idea for the event came to its founder Stuart Forster in late 2003, and was put to the Parish Council in November of that year with the purpose of raising funds to pay for an increase in “Parish Share” which the churches in the area have to pay to Chester for the running of all the church buildings in the area. Today the event raises funds for St Oswald’s Church and community organisations. It was in 2003 that Stuart’s daughter’s children went to Lower Peover School while they were running a similar event, but with Scarecrows around its parish. Adapting the event for Brereton it was decided that as the area has an association with a Bear it was a good idea to have displays of teddy bears instead of the scarecrows. The first event was staged in July 2004 with a follow up event in July 2005 which didn’t quite go to plan as some of the displays went missing. An appeal was put out and some of the teddies were found including Rupert the Bear which was seen at the bus stop in Sandbach.
Robin Moseley a previous vicar of the parish was responsible for starting the Parachute event at the festival as an added attraction and even delayed his departure from the church until the festival had taken place in 2017.
Because of the large amount of organisation needed to run the festival it was decided that it would become a bi-annual event which has grown from a few exhibits to the 135 being registered for this year’s event.
The association with bears comes from the D’Brereton Family who had the church built. One of the family, the short tempered Sir William Brereton killed a manservant when he had interrupted his meal with a message. Sir William had picked up a knife and pursued the servant through the corridors of Brereton Hall eventually catching up with him and stabbing the men to death. Realising what he had done Sir William went to the King to confess his sins with the result that the monarch sentenced him to being thrown in the Tower of London. He then pleaded for his freedom and the King said that he couldn’t grant a free pardon but if he could make a mussel for a bear in three days so that it could not eat or harm him when he was to be fed to the animal at the Tower of London then he would be set free and this is what he did and this is why the bear with a mussel has become the symbol of the parish. Another story is that Sir William was executed for inappropriate behaviour by having his head chopped off at the same execution as Anne Boleyn the wife of Henry VIII with the King saying “That will Muzzle the Bear”.
There will be various prizes handed out when the festival finishes including a prize for the best display / crafted bear, Beast Dressed shop bought Teddy Bear, Favourite Bear and a prize for the Funniest bear.
On the last Sunday of the Festival there is usually a Bear Service which includes some bear themed songs. There are no details of a service this year but Christopher Kent the first vicar to be involved with the festival in 2004 wrote a festival song which is sung in the church service at St Oswald’s Church.
“Long Ago, Brereton Hall had a knight that took a fall – Killed a man then told all.
Thrown in Tow’r of London there a bear he muzzled.
Brereton Bears – Growl, Growl, check their lairs – prowl, prowl.
Making bears, finding bears, draws the village closer.
Let your map be your guide: hunt for bears Brereton wide get their names (Found Beside) – Ruxpin, Yogi, Herbert, Paddington or Rupert?
Country Park, Tree to climb? Honey Pots, picnic time! Will the bears (such a crime)? Steal away the honey – take it on a journey?
Thanking God for the bears, village life, church affairs, school and home: in your prayers offer all to Jesus – He will never leave us!
(Sung to Personent Hodie’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ published in 1582)
See how many bear displays you can find between now and the 31 August 2021.
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July 2021
2021 the 10th BRERETON BEAR FESTIVAL
The biannual Brereton Bear Festival takes place across the whole Parish area with 135 official displays of bears and a few extras on show from the 10 July to the 31 August 2021. A programme of bears is available for £5 from various places in Brereton at St Oswald’s Church, The Bears Head, Pear Tree Farm Shop and houses where there is a programme sign. Programmes are also available from RJ and J Moore, Greengrocers in Congleton and Brooks Butchers in Sandbach.
The usual launch event when bears are parachuted from the church tower was not held this year but the church was open for a number of displays and apart from the three dates when weddings are taking place this starting point for the bear hunt will be open to the public. Other events that are usually held were also put on hold for 2021 but the displays continue to impress visitors all around the Parish with householders and the local school taking part.
The idea for the event came to its founder Stuart Forster in late 2003, and was put to the Parish Council in November of that year with the purpose of raising funds to pay for an increase in “Parish Share” which the churches in the area have to pay to Chester for the running of all the church buildings in the area. Today the event raises funds for St Oswald’s Church and community organisations. It was in 2003 that Stuart’s daughter’s children went to Lower Peover School while they were running a similar event, but with Scarecrows around its parish. Adapting the event for Brereton it was decided that as the area has an association with a Bear it was a good idea to have displays of teddy bears instead of the scarecrows. The first event was staged in July 2004 with a follow up event in July 2005 which didn’t quite go to plan as some of the displays went missing. An appeal was put out and some of the teddies were found including Rupert the Bear which was seen at the bus stop in Sandbach.
Robin Moseley a previous vicar of the parish was responsible for starting the Parachute event at the festival as an added attraction and even delayed his departure from the church until the festival had taken place in 2017.
Because of the large amount of organisation needed to run the festival it was decided that it would become a bi-annual event which has grown from a few exhibits to the 135 being registered for this year’s event.
The association with bears comes from the D’Brereton Family who had the church built. One of the family, the short tempered Sir William Brereton killed a manservant when he had interrupted his meal with a message. Sir William had picked up a knife and pursued the servant through the corridors of Brereton Hall eventually catching up with him and stabbing the men to death. Realising what he had done Sir William went to the King to confess his sins with the result that the monarch sentenced him to being thrown in the Tower of London. He then pleaded for his freedom and the King said that he couldn’t grant a free pardon but if he could make a mussel for a bear in three days so that it could not eat or harm him when he was to be fed to the animal at the Tower of London then he would be set free and this is what he did and this is why the bear with a mussel has become the symbol of the parish. Another story is that Sir William was executed for inappropriate behaviour by having his head chopped off at the same execution as Anne Boleyn the wife of Henry VIII with the King saying “That will Muzzle the Bear”.
There will be various prizes handed out when the festival finishes including a prize for the best display / crafted bear, Beast Dressed shop bought Teddy Bear, Favourite Bear and a prize for the Funniest bear.
On the last Sunday of the Festival there is usually a Bear Service which includes some bear themed songs. There are no details of a service this year but Christopher Kent the first vicar to be involved with the festival in 2004 wrote a festival song which is sung in the church service at St Oswald’s Church.
“Long Ago, Brereton Hall had a knight that took a fall – Killed a man then told all.
Thrown in Tow’r of London there a bear he muzzled.
Brereton Bears – Growl, Growl, check their lairs – prowl, prowl.
Making bears, finding bears, draws the village closer.
Let your map be your guide: hunt for bears Brereton wide get their names (Found Beside) – Ruxpin, Yogi, Herbert, Paddington or Rupert?
Country Park, Tree to climb? Honey Pots, picnic time! Will the bears (such a crime)? Steal away the honey – take it on a journey?
Thanking God for the bears, village life, church affairs, school and home: in your prayers offer all to Jesus – He will never leave us!
(Sung to Personent Hodie’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ published in 1582)
See how many bear displays you can find between now and the 31 August 2021.
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26 June 2021
ARMED FORCES DAY IN SANDBACH
For the second year in a row the annual Armed Forces Day in Sandbach has been a quiet affair due to the Covid 19 restrictions. Last year the event was cancelled as a national shutdown was in place but in 2021 the Royal British Legion in their 100th year and the Cheshire Regiment (Sandbach Branch) held a small service on the 26 June 2021, led by the new vicar of St Mary’s the Rev Bee Boyde who was making her debut for the RBL and Cheshire’s at the War Memorial in the Market Square. Wreaths were laid by President of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion Tom Price Jones and Chairperson Marjorie Newton as well as one on behalf of the Cheshire Regiment (Sandbach Branch).
As with other acts of remembrance held over the last 18 months it was not publically promoted and only those passing by or invited were able to attend. Plans had been to have a procession but it seems Government restrictions soon put a stop to that idea as social distancing and crowd gathering has restricted the many organisations that would have taken part in such an event as they have not been able to meet for over a year.
Armed Forces Day was first held in the UK on the 27 June 2009 after it replaced Veteran’s Day an event that had been going since the 27 June 2006, picked because it was the day after the anniversary of the first investiture of the Victoria Cross in Hyde Park, London in 1857.
The Armed Forces Day has been a chance to pay respect to serving members of the Armed Forces rather than the remembrance of the fallen on the 11 November. In previous years Sandbach has had a number of marches from Westfields to St Mary’s, joined with Sandbach Town Council to have a fun day and promotion day and in 2014 the day was used to award the Mercian Regiment the Freedom of Sandbach in a spectacular event with parading soldiers and a ceremony on the Market Square and at the Town Hall.
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26 June 2021
ARMED FORCES DAY IN SANDBACH
For the second year in a row the annual Armed Forces Day in Sandbach has been a quiet affair due to the Covid 19 restrictions. Last year the event was cancelled as a national shutdown was in place but in 2021 the Royal British Legion in their 100th year and the Cheshire Regiment (Sandbach Branch) held a small service on the 26 June 2021, led by the new vicar of St Mary’s the Rev Bee Boyde who was making her debut for the RBL and Cheshire’s at the War Memorial in the Market Square. Wreaths were laid by President of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion Tom Price Jones and Chairperson Marjorie Newton as well as one on behalf of the Cheshire Regiment (Sandbach Branch).
As with other acts of remembrance held over the last 18 months it was not publically promoted and only those passing by or invited were able to attend. Plans had been to have a procession but it seems Government restrictions soon put a stop to that idea as social distancing and crowd gathering has restricted the many organisations that would have taken part in such an event as they have not been able to meet for over a year.
Armed Forces Day was first held in the UK on the 27 June 2009 after it replaced Veteran’s Day an event that had been going since the 27 June 2006, picked because it was the day after the anniversary of the first investiture of the Victoria Cross in Hyde Park, London in 1857.
The Armed Forces Day has been a chance to pay respect to serving members of the Armed Forces rather than the remembrance of the fallen on the 11 November. In previous years Sandbach has had a number of marches from Westfields to St Mary’s, joined with Sandbach Town Council to have a fun day and promotion day and in 2014 the day was used to award the Mercian Regiment the Freedom of Sandbach in a spectacular event with parading soldiers and a ceremony on the Market Square and at the Town Hall.
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21 June 2021
SANDBACH FIRE STATION CELEBRATES ITS 60th ANNIVERSARY
On the 21 June 2021, Sandbach Fire Station celebrates the 60th Anniversary of its official opening.
Sandbach has been the home of four fire engine stations in the town with the first being on Church Street (possibly on the corner of Hawk Street and Church Street).
The town also had fire appliances based at the Salt Works in the 1800’s at the Brunner Mond works and the Foden Motor Works but the first official town brigade was set up possibly in 1857 with Superintendent William Faram in charge of the fire-fighters as well as being in charge of a new Police Station in Bold Street that had been also been built in 1857 by a new Cheshire Police Force. William Faram had been a constable in 1855 at the previous police station on the Market Square and was now the Superintendent of both Fire and Police in the town a position that was mirrored in a number of other towns in Cheshire.
By 1870, John Cooke a local blacksmith was the Superintendent and in 1873 the fire station with its two appliances moved to the area behind the Town Hall roughly in the position of the Savers store today.
In 1875 the Sandbach Urban Sanitary District Council took over the responsibility of the brigade and its horse drawn appliance.
Serving the town through two World Wars, the deployment of a crew to the Auxiliary Fire Service to put out fires in Liverpool and Manchester as well as attending major incidents throughout Cheshire it was decided in 1946 that the fire service should change dramatically after the way it had been used during World War 2. It was clear from the co-operation from all authorities that a National Fire Service was needed and under a 1947 Act of Parliament a new Cheshire Fire Service was set up along with an agreement to help other County services when needed. It was about this time that the Fire Station moved again this time to a building on Scotch Common which had been the National School and is now in 2021 the position of the Market Stall storage facility.
An improvement to the facilities of all Cheshire Fire stations in the 1960’s meant an upgrade for Sandbach and on the 21 June 1962 Alderman F.D. Gee the Chairman of the County Fire Brigade officially opened the new building in the current location. At the time there were fourteen fire-fighters manning the station. The retained firemen at the opening were Dennis Bell, Dennis Cotton, Alec Gamblin, Stan Hatton, Ted Heathcote, Ted Horth (Who drove the Council Street Cleaning Vehicle as well as the Fire Engine), Jim Lancashire, Ted Lunt, Fred Mitchell, Tom Parkinson, Arnold Proudlove (Sub Officer), Bernard Stanway, John Truman, Eric Vickers, William Wakefield and Jack Whitby.
A new feature of the 1961 fire station complex was the inclusion of a telephone call box at the road entrance which could be used to call out the brigade using a direct line from the red phone inside a box on top of a metal pole. This link was directly connected to the fire brigade headquarters via the 999 system. It was later disbanded when a BT phone box was situated on the other side of the fire station / library entrance which could be used to dial 999, making what was by this time a rather tired looking and vandalised box redundant.
In December 1962, Dennis Bell was promoted to “Leading Fireman”, a quick rise in rank due mainly to the fact that when he joined the brigade the average age of the retained personnel was about 50 with many of them having been seconded during the Second World War to Manchester and Liverpool for help with the bomb damage. As you were forced to retire at 55 this meant that a lot were leaving due to reaching this age and were being replaced by younger people like himself.
The first major incident from the new station was the Boxing Day Rail Crash at Minshull Vernon in 1962 when 18 people were killed. On Wednesday, the 26th December 1962, the whole of the UK were watching on TV what Sandbach Fire Brigade was witnessing for themselves, a crash between two trains on the line at Coppenhall Junction. They collided at just after 6pm with a flash of light streaking across the sky that had been caused by the newly installed electric cables being hit by the last carriage of the Liverpool to Birmingham train after it had run into the diesel-hauled Glasgow to Euston train and headed skywards just a few yards from the Verdin Arms. The crash had been caused by a delayed Birmingham Train which had been halted by frozen points and at the same time the driver of the London Train went through a red light thinking it had been faulty due to the ice as his train had been stopped earlier in its journey, resulting with the trains colliding and killing 18 people with another 34 injured.
New road systems were coming into operation all over the country in the 1960’s with the M1 opening in 1960 and the M6 stretch between Bartomley, Sandbach, Holmes Chapel Thelwall near Warrington being officially opened on the 15th November 1963 by the Minister for Transport. The early drivers were given the opportunity to go at whatever speed they liked on these new roads as there were very few drivers actually taking to the Motorways in their first few years. However, it soon became obvious that some sort of speed restriction should be imposed as cars and lorries were starting to have an increased amount of accidents and the Sandbach Fire Brigade were now on the front line to deal with them. On the 22 January 1964, 200 Vehicles collided in “Freezing Fog” on the M1 causing the worst disruption to the Motorway since it had opened in 1960 with 22 people being taken to hospital. The new stretch between Junction 16 and 17 of the M6 didn’t fare any better as on the same day (22 Jan 1964) the Sandbach appliance attended when two people were killed on the Staffordshire Border near Keele after a Multiple Collision of 50 cars. A lorry driver died (Plus 1 other) at the scene of the accident and 6 people were taken to hospital. The road remained closed for eight hours to clear the wreckage of 7 lorries.
On the 27 March 1964, the firemen from Sandbach helped in the rescue of a dog from a pit at Malkins Bank, Sandbach and were awarded a Commendation from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) for the rescue.
Dogs were not the only animals rescued at this time as the nearby canal trapped a number of Pigs, Cows and Horses. Some other stations had a hoist which they could use to get the animals out of the water once a strap had been placed around it. On a number of occasions the Sandbach crew were asked to help place the strap on the animal in the water and a Fireman would strip off to his underclothes and dive into the water usually with a crowd watching to make the rescue. On one occasion a crew member showed a little bit more than he should have done as he went into the water much to the pleasure of some young ladies watching nearby.
In the 1960's and 1970’s the new fire station still had the old War-time Siren which called the volunteer brigade to the “Common”. It had been on the old Police Station and moved to the new building when it had been constructed. During the Cold War it had also been used as a Warning system to tell the people of Sandbach if there was an imminent attack from the Russians. The fire brigade were often called out when there was information about some danger of an attack coming and someone had to go into the fire station to wait to see if they had to switch the siren on to warn the public and brigade members of a nuclear attack. If the siren lasted for a while, then it was a call to a fire or incident however if it was a series of short blasts then it was a nuclear attack warning.
However, in the mid 1960’s the Brigade received a number of complaints with regard to the length of time the siren was sounded and so the time was reduced to a 30 second call rather than the longer length of time until the part time firemen had all turned up at the station.
In December 1967, a fire gutted the Foden Fibreglass Shop on the Friday when workers ran for their lives as flammable Fibreglass resin exploded into flames at the works.
In March 1968, the Mill Warehouse belonging to G. H. Heath and Son Ltd at Brook Mill, Sandbach, was destroyed by fire with its stock of raw and processed yarns worth thousands of pounds going up in smoke. The fire started at about 1pm during a lunch break when employees were out of the building and an employee heard a large explosion followed by flames licking through the roof seconds later. Firemen from six Cheshire Brigades tackled the blaze and stopped it from spreading to the adjoining spinning and coning rooms. The fire was so intense that metal chimney pots on the roof melted and black smoke from burning Terylene darkened the town on the crowded Thursday Market day and could be seen as far away as 5 miles.
Appliances from Sandbach, Holmes Chapel, Congleton and Crewe fought the fire for over three hours before it was extinguished.
In 1976, Cheshire Fire Brigade had to lose a number of personnel as it was forced to make £38,000 worth of saving to its budget. This led to a major strike in 1978 lasting nine weeks by the brigades nationally, with stations only dealing with emergency calls and major fires like the “Rock Oil” fire in Warrington.
The 1978 another strike by the Fire Brigade Union was not a pleasant experience for the Sandbach Station. Dennis Bell and the other Union members decided that there were sufficient grounds for them not to work during the strike period leaving cover for area in the hands of the army with their Green Goddesses. Although Dennis and the retained firemen didn’t want to picket, they decided that they would lock the station and not return to the building until the strike was over. This was not the unpleasant experience I mentioned above as this action was peaceful and the Sandbach Fire-fighters thought that this action was all that was needed to express their opinion in the industrial dispute. However, some of the militant part of the Union decided to come to Sandbach and picket outside the station against the wishes of the Sandbach Brigade. At the time all firemen had a standard set of keys which enabled them to open all the stations in the Country and these particular Union Members decided that it was not good enough for Sandbach to just shut the station doors in protest and so they decided that they had to make sure it was not able to be used by anyone else and went inside the building to destroy equipment that allowed the station to be used after the strike and would have been needed to return to work. Dennis still feels angry at what this minority did to his station by vandalising what in essence belonged to the people and fire-fighters of Sandbach.
1986, also saw the brigade tackle an incident at St Mary’s Church in the town centre when the South Aisle Roof of the building caught fire causing £17,000 worth of damage. It was caused by workmen making repairs to the roof and unfortunately, they set the building alight.
Dennis Bell and Ron Greenwood were probably the saviours of the Church as they made a foolhardy decision that professionally was wrong, but had they not done so would have meant the loss of the St Mary’s Church to the people of Sandbach. The Fire Service always says do not use other people’s ladders, use your own as you never know how stable other ladders can be. However, on this occasion Dennis and Ron decided to use the wooden ladder the workmen had left up to gain access to the roof and with a hose from the appliance they put out the fire. Had they waited for a ladder from the appliance to be erected and made secure then the building may have burnt to the ground? They both got into trouble for their efforts, but the people of Sandbach I am sure think they made the right decision to save the building.
Sandbach had a major incident at the old Foden factory on Station Road, Elworth when on the 23 September 1995 the building which had been the home of a Go-Carting Track and other businesses caught fire destroying the old factory area in what was described as the biggest fire in the town with appliances from all over the area in attendance trying to put it out the fire without success. As far as the building was concerned as it had to be demolished.
In October 1996, an incident involving Sandbach and area firemen hit the national headlines after a helicopter crash near Middlewich, when Chelsea Manager Matthew Harding (.b. 26 Dec 1953 .D. 22 Oct 1996 aged 42) died on his way home from a football match in Bolton on the 22 October. The pilot Stephen Holdich (aged 49) who was flying the aircraft, a Twin Squirrel helicopter was not supposed to have flown during the late night but defied this to take Mr Harding and three others home to Chelsea. When they reached the Middlewich area things went tragically wrong and 5 people died in the crash. Firemen from Sandbach discovered the body of Matthew Harding some distance from the wreckage as he seemed to have been thrown from the aircraft either on impact of before it landed.
In 2001 there was a foot and mouth outbreak in the UK with a lot of farms being affected in this area. The Sandbach Fire Brigade were sent out most days to deal with some event concerning the outbreak including visiting farms to wash down tractors that had been used to transport infected carcasses that had been slaughtered for burial.
In 2002, a Fire Cadet Unit was formed for teenagers at the station with financial support of a £4,500 donation from the Sandbach Town Council which was presented on the 7th August by Councillor Dot Flint and Mayor Elsie Alcock. The project was co-ordinated by Sub Officer John Brownrigg and Fire-fighter Chris Wardle with Sally Beresford becoming the unit’s first leaders.
On the 1st February 2010, at 11pm a fire ripped through St Peters Church Hall in School Lane, Elworth taking eight hours to put out. Crews from Sandbach, Crewe (2), Nantwich, Middlewich and the Aerial Appliance from Macclesfield used a total of six main jets and a jet from above to stop the building from collapsing. The first two crews that attended were from Sandbach and Crewe. On arrival they soon realised that they could not deal with the incident alone and so they requested a second unit from Crewe to attend along with one from Middlewich and a request was also put in for the aerial appliance from Macclesfield, which was also deployed. The Command Unit from Northwich and the Environmental Protection Unit from Ellesmere Port were also mobilised to deal with the incident. Unfortunately, the fire damaged the building too much to save it and it was demolished to make way for a new hall.
On the 17 July 2015, at 9.11am fire crews were called to a village between Congleton and Macclesfield for what became known in the media as the Bosley Mill Fire. The incident was in a wood clip mill when a series of explosions took place creating a fire and the building to collapse. 4 people were taken to hospital and by 12midnight another 4 people were still missing. Soon after the building had been declared safe 3 bodies were recovered from the rubble with a 4th still missing by Christmas of 2015. Since then there has been no report of the final body being discovered as it could have been near the initial explosion making it impossible to discover. 23 Fire Engines were called to the incident starting with appliances from Congleton, with the retained firemen from Sandbach being called in second. In all there were 12 Cheshire appliances, 9 from Greater Manchester, 1 Derbyshire unit plus a Water Tanker Engine, 1 Staffordshire, 2 Arial Appliances, 1 Command and Control Unit, 1 High Volume Pump and 1 Environmental Protection Unit. For weeks afterwards Sandbach and other appliances attended the scene to search for the missing bodies as well as securing the site for an investigation into the cause of the explosions.
In September 2018, the Cheshire Fire Authority announced that a number of Fire Stations built in the 1960’s had out lived their lifespan and would be improved in a £8.5 million project. 21 stations are on the list to be upgraded after the county had built new stations at Alsager, Lymn, Mollington in Chester and Penketh in Warrington in the last three years. Audlem, Birchwood, Bollington, Congleton, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham, Holmes Chapel, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Malpas, Middlewich, Nantwich Northwich, Poynton, Runcorn, Sandbach, Stockton Heath, Tarporley, Widnes, Wilmslow and Winsford were to be updated while Runcorn, Macclesfield and Ellesmere Port need more work to bring them up to scratch with a complete remodelling on the cards with the whole project being finished by 2024.
2019 was one of those years when everything was big and in the case of a fire in Crewe it was only the evacuation of residents that saved the incident from becoming a national disaster. At 4.30pm on the 8th August 2019, the call came in to the incident centre about a fire at the Beechmere Retirement Complex in Rolls Avenue, Crewe. Initial appliances attended but it was soon clear that it was a major incident and a total of 16 appliances and 70 fire-fighters were called upon along with the Major Incident Control Unit, two Aerial Appliances and back up caterers.
In September and October 2019, plans were submitted to Cheshire East Council to upgrade the Sandbach Fire Station building with a new extension, gym facilities and a new look outside. Part of a major upgrade for the Counties fire stations costing £8.5 Million to cover 21 of the areas buildings with the Cruden group doing the work on improving the aging buildings, some of which like Sandbach date back to the early 1960’s.
Today with the new look station the retained fire fighters at Sandbach are still as busy as ever with incidents including rescuing horses from ditches, fires, car crashes, marshland fires, rescues and numerous incidents in the area and beyond helping out in Lancashire and Staffordshire as well as covering stations that are attending other incidents. Let’s hope that Sandbach can retain its fire station for another sixty years and beyond as well as keeping a dedicated set of fire-fighters who keep Sandbach and the surrounding area safe.
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21 June 2021
SANDBACH FIRE STATION CELEBRATES ITS 60th ANNIVERSARY
On the 21 June 2021, Sandbach Fire Station celebrates the 60th Anniversary of its official opening.
Sandbach has been the home of four fire engine stations in the town with the first being on Church Street (possibly on the corner of Hawk Street and Church Street).
The town also had fire appliances based at the Salt Works in the 1800’s at the Brunner Mond works and the Foden Motor Works but the first official town brigade was set up possibly in 1857 with Superintendent William Faram in charge of the fire-fighters as well as being in charge of a new Police Station in Bold Street that had been also been built in 1857 by a new Cheshire Police Force. William Faram had been a constable in 1855 at the previous police station on the Market Square and was now the Superintendent of both Fire and Police in the town a position that was mirrored in a number of other towns in Cheshire.
By 1870, John Cooke a local blacksmith was the Superintendent and in 1873 the fire station with its two appliances moved to the area behind the Town Hall roughly in the position of the Savers store today.
In 1875 the Sandbach Urban Sanitary District Council took over the responsibility of the brigade and its horse drawn appliance.
Serving the town through two World Wars, the deployment of a crew to the Auxiliary Fire Service to put out fires in Liverpool and Manchester as well as attending major incidents throughout Cheshire it was decided in 1946 that the fire service should change dramatically after the way it had been used during World War 2. It was clear from the co-operation from all authorities that a National Fire Service was needed and under a 1947 Act of Parliament a new Cheshire Fire Service was set up along with an agreement to help other County services when needed. It was about this time that the Fire Station moved again this time to a building on Scotch Common which had been the National School and is now in 2021 the position of the Market Stall storage facility.
An improvement to the facilities of all Cheshire Fire stations in the 1960’s meant an upgrade for Sandbach and on the 21 June 1962 Alderman F.D. Gee the Chairman of the County Fire Brigade officially opened the new building in the current location. At the time there were fourteen fire-fighters manning the station. The retained firemen at the opening were Dennis Bell, Dennis Cotton, Alec Gamblin, Stan Hatton, Ted Heathcote, Ted Horth (Who drove the Council Street Cleaning Vehicle as well as the Fire Engine), Jim Lancashire, Ted Lunt, Fred Mitchell, Tom Parkinson, Arnold Proudlove (Sub Officer), Bernard Stanway, John Truman, Eric Vickers, William Wakefield and Jack Whitby.
A new feature of the 1961 fire station complex was the inclusion of a telephone call box at the road entrance which could be used to call out the brigade using a direct line from the red phone inside a box on top of a metal pole. This link was directly connected to the fire brigade headquarters via the 999 system. It was later disbanded when a BT phone box was situated on the other side of the fire station / library entrance which could be used to dial 999, making what was by this time a rather tired looking and vandalised box redundant.
In December 1962, Dennis Bell was promoted to “Leading Fireman”, a quick rise in rank due mainly to the fact that when he joined the brigade the average age of the retained personnel was about 50 with many of them having been seconded during the Second World War to Manchester and Liverpool for help with the bomb damage. As you were forced to retire at 55 this meant that a lot were leaving due to reaching this age and were being replaced by younger people like himself.
The first major incident from the new station was the Boxing Day Rail Crash at Minshull Vernon in 1962 when 18 people were killed. On Wednesday, the 26th December 1962, the whole of the UK were watching on TV what Sandbach Fire Brigade was witnessing for themselves, a crash between two trains on the line at Coppenhall Junction. They collided at just after 6pm with a flash of light streaking across the sky that had been caused by the newly installed electric cables being hit by the last carriage of the Liverpool to Birmingham train after it had run into the diesel-hauled Glasgow to Euston train and headed skywards just a few yards from the Verdin Arms. The crash had been caused by a delayed Birmingham Train which had been halted by frozen points and at the same time the driver of the London Train went through a red light thinking it had been faulty due to the ice as his train had been stopped earlier in its journey, resulting with the trains colliding and killing 18 people with another 34 injured.
New road systems were coming into operation all over the country in the 1960’s with the M1 opening in 1960 and the M6 stretch between Bartomley, Sandbach, Holmes Chapel Thelwall near Warrington being officially opened on the 15th November 1963 by the Minister for Transport. The early drivers were given the opportunity to go at whatever speed they liked on these new roads as there were very few drivers actually taking to the Motorways in their first few years. However, it soon became obvious that some sort of speed restriction should be imposed as cars and lorries were starting to have an increased amount of accidents and the Sandbach Fire Brigade were now on the front line to deal with them. On the 22 January 1964, 200 Vehicles collided in “Freezing Fog” on the M1 causing the worst disruption to the Motorway since it had opened in 1960 with 22 people being taken to hospital. The new stretch between Junction 16 and 17 of the M6 didn’t fare any better as on the same day (22 Jan 1964) the Sandbach appliance attended when two people were killed on the Staffordshire Border near Keele after a Multiple Collision of 50 cars. A lorry driver died (Plus 1 other) at the scene of the accident and 6 people were taken to hospital. The road remained closed for eight hours to clear the wreckage of 7 lorries.
On the 27 March 1964, the firemen from Sandbach helped in the rescue of a dog from a pit at Malkins Bank, Sandbach and were awarded a Commendation from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) for the rescue.
Dogs were not the only animals rescued at this time as the nearby canal trapped a number of Pigs, Cows and Horses. Some other stations had a hoist which they could use to get the animals out of the water once a strap had been placed around it. On a number of occasions the Sandbach crew were asked to help place the strap on the animal in the water and a Fireman would strip off to his underclothes and dive into the water usually with a crowd watching to make the rescue. On one occasion a crew member showed a little bit more than he should have done as he went into the water much to the pleasure of some young ladies watching nearby.
In the 1960's and 1970’s the new fire station still had the old War-time Siren which called the volunteer brigade to the “Common”. It had been on the old Police Station and moved to the new building when it had been constructed. During the Cold War it had also been used as a Warning system to tell the people of Sandbach if there was an imminent attack from the Russians. The fire brigade were often called out when there was information about some danger of an attack coming and someone had to go into the fire station to wait to see if they had to switch the siren on to warn the public and brigade members of a nuclear attack. If the siren lasted for a while, then it was a call to a fire or incident however if it was a series of short blasts then it was a nuclear attack warning.
However, in the mid 1960’s the Brigade received a number of complaints with regard to the length of time the siren was sounded and so the time was reduced to a 30 second call rather than the longer length of time until the part time firemen had all turned up at the station.
In December 1967, a fire gutted the Foden Fibreglass Shop on the Friday when workers ran for their lives as flammable Fibreglass resin exploded into flames at the works.
In March 1968, the Mill Warehouse belonging to G. H. Heath and Son Ltd at Brook Mill, Sandbach, was destroyed by fire with its stock of raw and processed yarns worth thousands of pounds going up in smoke. The fire started at about 1pm during a lunch break when employees were out of the building and an employee heard a large explosion followed by flames licking through the roof seconds later. Firemen from six Cheshire Brigades tackled the blaze and stopped it from spreading to the adjoining spinning and coning rooms. The fire was so intense that metal chimney pots on the roof melted and black smoke from burning Terylene darkened the town on the crowded Thursday Market day and could be seen as far away as 5 miles.
Appliances from Sandbach, Holmes Chapel, Congleton and Crewe fought the fire for over three hours before it was extinguished.
In 1976, Cheshire Fire Brigade had to lose a number of personnel as it was forced to make £38,000 worth of saving to its budget. This led to a major strike in 1978 lasting nine weeks by the brigades nationally, with stations only dealing with emergency calls and major fires like the “Rock Oil” fire in Warrington.
The 1978 another strike by the Fire Brigade Union was not a pleasant experience for the Sandbach Station. Dennis Bell and the other Union members decided that there were sufficient grounds for them not to work during the strike period leaving cover for area in the hands of the army with their Green Goddesses. Although Dennis and the retained firemen didn’t want to picket, they decided that they would lock the station and not return to the building until the strike was over. This was not the unpleasant experience I mentioned above as this action was peaceful and the Sandbach Fire-fighters thought that this action was all that was needed to express their opinion in the industrial dispute. However, some of the militant part of the Union decided to come to Sandbach and picket outside the station against the wishes of the Sandbach Brigade. At the time all firemen had a standard set of keys which enabled them to open all the stations in the Country and these particular Union Members decided that it was not good enough for Sandbach to just shut the station doors in protest and so they decided that they had to make sure it was not able to be used by anyone else and went inside the building to destroy equipment that allowed the station to be used after the strike and would have been needed to return to work. Dennis still feels angry at what this minority did to his station by vandalising what in essence belonged to the people and fire-fighters of Sandbach.
1986, also saw the brigade tackle an incident at St Mary’s Church in the town centre when the South Aisle Roof of the building caught fire causing £17,000 worth of damage. It was caused by workmen making repairs to the roof and unfortunately, they set the building alight.
Dennis Bell and Ron Greenwood were probably the saviours of the Church as they made a foolhardy decision that professionally was wrong, but had they not done so would have meant the loss of the St Mary’s Church to the people of Sandbach. The Fire Service always says do not use other people’s ladders, use your own as you never know how stable other ladders can be. However, on this occasion Dennis and Ron decided to use the wooden ladder the workmen had left up to gain access to the roof and with a hose from the appliance they put out the fire. Had they waited for a ladder from the appliance to be erected and made secure then the building may have burnt to the ground? They both got into trouble for their efforts, but the people of Sandbach I am sure think they made the right decision to save the building.
Sandbach had a major incident at the old Foden factory on Station Road, Elworth when on the 23 September 1995 the building which had been the home of a Go-Carting Track and other businesses caught fire destroying the old factory area in what was described as the biggest fire in the town with appliances from all over the area in attendance trying to put it out the fire without success. As far as the building was concerned as it had to be demolished.
In October 1996, an incident involving Sandbach and area firemen hit the national headlines after a helicopter crash near Middlewich, when Chelsea Manager Matthew Harding (.b. 26 Dec 1953 .D. 22 Oct 1996 aged 42) died on his way home from a football match in Bolton on the 22 October. The pilot Stephen Holdich (aged 49) who was flying the aircraft, a Twin Squirrel helicopter was not supposed to have flown during the late night but defied this to take Mr Harding and three others home to Chelsea. When they reached the Middlewich area things went tragically wrong and 5 people died in the crash. Firemen from Sandbach discovered the body of Matthew Harding some distance from the wreckage as he seemed to have been thrown from the aircraft either on impact of before it landed.
In 2001 there was a foot and mouth outbreak in the UK with a lot of farms being affected in this area. The Sandbach Fire Brigade were sent out most days to deal with some event concerning the outbreak including visiting farms to wash down tractors that had been used to transport infected carcasses that had been slaughtered for burial.
In 2002, a Fire Cadet Unit was formed for teenagers at the station with financial support of a £4,500 donation from the Sandbach Town Council which was presented on the 7th August by Councillor Dot Flint and Mayor Elsie Alcock. The project was co-ordinated by Sub Officer John Brownrigg and Fire-fighter Chris Wardle with Sally Beresford becoming the unit’s first leaders.
On the 1st February 2010, at 11pm a fire ripped through St Peters Church Hall in School Lane, Elworth taking eight hours to put out. Crews from Sandbach, Crewe (2), Nantwich, Middlewich and the Aerial Appliance from Macclesfield used a total of six main jets and a jet from above to stop the building from collapsing. The first two crews that attended were from Sandbach and Crewe. On arrival they soon realised that they could not deal with the incident alone and so they requested a second unit from Crewe to attend along with one from Middlewich and a request was also put in for the aerial appliance from Macclesfield, which was also deployed. The Command Unit from Northwich and the Environmental Protection Unit from Ellesmere Port were also mobilised to deal with the incident. Unfortunately, the fire damaged the building too much to save it and it was demolished to make way for a new hall.
On the 17 July 2015, at 9.11am fire crews were called to a village between Congleton and Macclesfield for what became known in the media as the Bosley Mill Fire. The incident was in a wood clip mill when a series of explosions took place creating a fire and the building to collapse. 4 people were taken to hospital and by 12midnight another 4 people were still missing. Soon after the building had been declared safe 3 bodies were recovered from the rubble with a 4th still missing by Christmas of 2015. Since then there has been no report of the final body being discovered as it could have been near the initial explosion making it impossible to discover. 23 Fire Engines were called to the incident starting with appliances from Congleton, with the retained firemen from Sandbach being called in second. In all there were 12 Cheshire appliances, 9 from Greater Manchester, 1 Derbyshire unit plus a Water Tanker Engine, 1 Staffordshire, 2 Arial Appliances, 1 Command and Control Unit, 1 High Volume Pump and 1 Environmental Protection Unit. For weeks afterwards Sandbach and other appliances attended the scene to search for the missing bodies as well as securing the site for an investigation into the cause of the explosions.
In September 2018, the Cheshire Fire Authority announced that a number of Fire Stations built in the 1960’s had out lived their lifespan and would be improved in a £8.5 million project. 21 stations are on the list to be upgraded after the county had built new stations at Alsager, Lymn, Mollington in Chester and Penketh in Warrington in the last three years. Audlem, Birchwood, Bollington, Congleton, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham, Holmes Chapel, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Malpas, Middlewich, Nantwich Northwich, Poynton, Runcorn, Sandbach, Stockton Heath, Tarporley, Widnes, Wilmslow and Winsford were to be updated while Runcorn, Macclesfield and Ellesmere Port need more work to bring them up to scratch with a complete remodelling on the cards with the whole project being finished by 2024.
2019 was one of those years when everything was big and in the case of a fire in Crewe it was only the evacuation of residents that saved the incident from becoming a national disaster. At 4.30pm on the 8th August 2019, the call came in to the incident centre about a fire at the Beechmere Retirement Complex in Rolls Avenue, Crewe. Initial appliances attended but it was soon clear that it was a major incident and a total of 16 appliances and 70 fire-fighters were called upon along with the Major Incident Control Unit, two Aerial Appliances and back up caterers.
In September and October 2019, plans were submitted to Cheshire East Council to upgrade the Sandbach Fire Station building with a new extension, gym facilities and a new look outside. Part of a major upgrade for the Counties fire stations costing £8.5 Million to cover 21 of the areas buildings with the Cruden group doing the work on improving the aging buildings, some of which like Sandbach date back to the early 1960’s.
Today with the new look station the retained fire fighters at Sandbach are still as busy as ever with incidents including rescuing horses from ditches, fires, car crashes, marshland fires, rescues and numerous incidents in the area and beyond helping out in Lancashire and Staffordshire as well as covering stations that are attending other incidents. Let’s hope that Sandbach can retain its fire station for another sixty years and beyond as well as keeping a dedicated set of fire-fighters who keep Sandbach and the surrounding area safe.
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15 May 2021
100 YEARS OF THE SANDBACH BRITISH LEGION
To the day 100 years ago the “Comrades of the Great War” joined the British Legion in a quiet ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. Along with the “National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers” (Formed in 1917 in Blackburn), The “British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers” (Formed in 1917) and “The Officers’ Association” (Formed in 1920, incorporated by Royal Charter on the 30 June 1921) the four organisations became one giant group dedicated to the welfare of service personnel from all the armed forces. On the 15 May 1921, a small number of ex-servicemen walked to the Cenotaph War Memorial in Whitehall, London and at 9am when Big Ben struck the hour four men representing the charities that were merging to form the Royal British Legion laid a wreath with their individual badges on them at the base of the monument officially amalgamating the rival organisations into one. In 2021 a similar number of people gathered at the same venue in London and this time laid a wreath for each of the services.
The Sandbach Royal British Legion went back in time as they laid a wreath on behalf of the current organisation and one with the symbol of the “Comrades of the Great War”, taken from the image of a badge from the 1920’s. President of the Sandbach Branch Tom Price Jones laid the Legion’s wreath while Chairperson Marjorie Newton laid the Comrades wreath, looked over by Sandbach Mayor Geraint Price-Jones and members of the current Royal British Legion the ceremony at 2pm in the Market Square was held in a light drizzle surrounded by the large poppies held by the Town Council for the Remembrance Sunday and shops in the area were given clear and backed posters celebrating the 100 years supplied by the Sandbach Partnership’s Keeley Todd who has been busy making displays for the shops and market stalls to help the town to celebrate the anniversary.
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15 May 2021
100 YEARS OF THE SANDBACH BRITISH LEGION
To the day 100 years ago the “Comrades of the Great War” joined the British Legion in a quiet ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. Along with the “National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers” (Formed in 1917 in Blackburn), The “British National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers” (Formed in 1917) and “The Officers’ Association” (Formed in 1920, incorporated by Royal Charter on the 30 June 1921) the four organisations became one giant group dedicated to the welfare of service personnel from all the armed forces. On the 15 May 1921, a small number of ex-servicemen walked to the Cenotaph War Memorial in Whitehall, London and at 9am when Big Ben struck the hour four men representing the charities that were merging to form the Royal British Legion laid a wreath with their individual badges on them at the base of the monument officially amalgamating the rival organisations into one. In 2021 a similar number of people gathered at the same venue in London and this time laid a wreath for each of the services.
The Sandbach Royal British Legion went back in time as they laid a wreath on behalf of the current organisation and one with the symbol of the “Comrades of the Great War”, taken from the image of a badge from the 1920’s. President of the Sandbach Branch Tom Price Jones laid the Legion’s wreath while Chairperson Marjorie Newton laid the Comrades wreath, looked over by Sandbach Mayor Geraint Price-Jones and members of the current Royal British Legion the ceremony at 2pm in the Market Square was held in a light drizzle surrounded by the large poppies held by the Town Council for the Remembrance Sunday and shops in the area were given clear and backed posters celebrating the 100 years supplied by the Sandbach Partnership’s Keeley Todd who has been busy making displays for the shops and market stalls to help the town to celebrate the anniversary.
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17 April 2021
LEGENDS, LIGHTS AND LULLABIES
With the cancellation of the Sandbach Transport Festival for the second year due to Covid 19 an arts group that were due to appear at the event did not wish to live up their name of “Spare Parts” and so they decided to arrange an event for the festival weekend themselves in three separate parts with part one being the commissioning of a story to tie into the town of Sandbach from Manchester based writer Matthew Smith. Part two was the formation of a digital choir to perform a new song based on the story in the book and part three was the culmination event of the ‘Legends, Lights and Lullabies’, the creation of a light show around the town on bicycles.
The creation of a book to start the event was offered via twitter and other social media to budding writers. Matthew Smith a theatre writer from Wakefield who now works in Manchester applied for the job of writing a children’s story that involved local Sandbach landmarks and people to make this a unique project dedicated to the locality. Having looked on the internet for inspiration about the town and talking to a friend who had lived in Sandbach for most of their lives Matthew then looked for a central character for the story and decided that Chuck a retired Trucker would be the central person who finds retirement difficult as the local fame he had while driving disappeared as he became more of a recluse that is until he is befriended by his neighbours daughter Jade, who like most children of a certain age has that dare devil attitude and decides that what Chuck needs is a new skill and that would be to ride a bicycle something that he has never told anyone before that he had never done.
Having only written for the independent theatre industry before, working at places like the Oldham Coliseum on their outreach projects as well as the Liverpool Everyman Young Writers Group, Matthew read ten children’s stories to get a feel for the style of writing needed for this story and settled on a poetic style of prose to bring the characters to life.
Illustrations for the book have been produced by Carl Waine of Firefly design a Sandbach resident who used to work at Rolls Royce in Crewe until he was 28 when he decided to pursue a more creative direction. His illustrations for the book include many Sandbach properties and features with recognisable shops and locations.
Over 1,400 copies of the book were distributed to households on the route of the bike ride with an invitation to look out in the evening for something special passing by but not revealing what the event would be to keep to current Coronavirus restrictions advice of not having large gatherings.
To accompany the story Leo and Hyde a Manchester based musical theatre company wrote a song called “Sleep Now”, with Stephen Hyde writing the music and Leo Mercer composing the lyrics. Local singers were invited to take part by submitting an audition recording to the organisers and Daniel Mawson mixed and mastered the audio with Manchester graphic designer Sam Gee putting together a superbly illustrated video.
The final event an illuminated bike ride stared on the 17 April 2021 at Sandbach Park and followed a pre planned route around Sandbach Town Centre, near Elworth and Wheelock, visiting streets that had received a copy of the book ‘Chuck the Trucker’, through their letterbox. The route was kept secret to stop people gathering to view the riders as they rode past and participants in the ride were limited to thirty to comply with Covid regulations and to get a licence from the Cheshire East Council to hold the event. Leaving Sandbach Park via the Gawsworth Drive entrance, heading down Doddington Drive and then via Congleton Road back into the town and then taking Bradwall Road to the Queen’s Drive Estate and Platt Avenue past the school and down Middlewich Road, Abbey Road and Hind Heath Road to Wheelock where they then came back towards the town centre. However as the cyclists started on their journey the Sandbach Fire Brigade left the fire station in the opposite direction only to meet up with the riders in Third Avenue where they had been joined by another appliance and a specialist unit for an incident which partly restricted the route that the Spare Parts Luminaries had to take.
Adapted for the Sandbach audience by creator Luke Jerram the Lullaby artwork is essentially a group of bicycle riders with strings of LED lights wrapped around them accompanied by a melodic soundtrack as it travels through the streets of the town with the book characters Chuck the truck driver portrayed by Dave Carlos and Jade the unafraid, Claire Beerjeraz, leading the procession.
Creative producer for the Legends, Lights and Lullabies event and Artistic Director of Spare Parts, Jodie Gibson was keen to be in Sandbach for this weekend despite there not being a Transport Festival but also mindful that Coronavirus restrictions could potentially put a stop to anything arranged she put together an idea that complied with current restrictions and adhered to social distancing by limiting the main event to 30 people taking part on the day with the music and song being recorded remotely. As with other projects by the Spare Parts Festival the evening event was recorded with video cameras on helmets and a drone following the riders as they made their way through the town with the results being made available on the Spare Parts Festival website and social media platforms.
Funding for the project came from Cheshire East Council and Arts Council England grants with co-operation from Minerva Arts and the people of Sandbach and the surrounding area.
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17 April 2021
LEGENDS, LIGHTS AND LULLABIES
With the cancellation of the Sandbach Transport Festival for the second year due to Covid 19 an arts group that were due to appear at the event did not wish to live up their name of “Spare Parts” and so they decided to arrange an event for the festival weekend themselves in three separate parts with part one being the commissioning of a story to tie into the town of Sandbach from Manchester based writer Matthew Smith. Part two was the formation of a digital choir to perform a new song based on the story in the book and part three was the culmination event of the ‘Legends, Lights and Lullabies’, the creation of a light show around the town on bicycles.
The creation of a book to start the event was offered via twitter and other social media to budding writers. Matthew Smith a theatre writer from Wakefield who now works in Manchester applied for the job of writing a children’s story that involved local Sandbach landmarks and people to make this a unique project dedicated to the locality. Having looked on the internet for inspiration about the town and talking to a friend who had lived in Sandbach for most of their lives Matthew then looked for a central character for the story and decided that Chuck a retired Trucker would be the central person who finds retirement difficult as the local fame he had while driving disappeared as he became more of a recluse that is until he is befriended by his neighbours daughter Jade, who like most children of a certain age has that dare devil attitude and decides that what Chuck needs is a new skill and that would be to ride a bicycle something that he has never told anyone before that he had never done.
Having only written for the independent theatre industry before, working at places like the Oldham Coliseum on their outreach projects as well as the Liverpool Everyman Young Writers Group, Matthew read ten children’s stories to get a feel for the style of writing needed for this story and settled on a poetic style of prose to bring the characters to life.
Illustrations for the book have been produced by Carl Waine of Firefly design a Sandbach resident who used to work at Rolls Royce in Crewe until he was 28 when he decided to pursue a more creative direction. His illustrations for the book include many Sandbach properties and features with recognisable shops and locations.
Over 1,400 copies of the book were distributed to households on the route of the bike ride with an invitation to look out in the evening for something special passing by but not revealing what the event would be to keep to current Coronavirus restrictions advice of not having large gatherings.
To accompany the story Leo and Hyde a Manchester based musical theatre company wrote a song called “Sleep Now”, with Stephen Hyde writing the music and Leo Mercer composing the lyrics. Local singers were invited to take part by submitting an audition recording to the organisers and Daniel Mawson mixed and mastered the audio with Manchester graphic designer Sam Gee putting together a superbly illustrated video.
The final event an illuminated bike ride stared on the 17 April 2021 at Sandbach Park and followed a pre planned route around Sandbach Town Centre, near Elworth and Wheelock, visiting streets that had received a copy of the book ‘Chuck the Trucker’, through their letterbox. The route was kept secret to stop people gathering to view the riders as they rode past and participants in the ride were limited to thirty to comply with Covid regulations and to get a licence from the Cheshire East Council to hold the event. Leaving Sandbach Park via the Gawsworth Drive entrance, heading down Doddington Drive and then via Congleton Road back into the town and then taking Bradwall Road to the Queen’s Drive Estate and Platt Avenue past the school and down Middlewich Road, Abbey Road and Hind Heath Road to Wheelock where they then came back towards the town centre. However as the cyclists started on their journey the Sandbach Fire Brigade left the fire station in the opposite direction only to meet up with the riders in Third Avenue where they had been joined by another appliance and a specialist unit for an incident which partly restricted the route that the Spare Parts Luminaries had to take.
Adapted for the Sandbach audience by creator Luke Jerram the Lullaby artwork is essentially a group of bicycle riders with strings of LED lights wrapped around them accompanied by a melodic soundtrack as it travels through the streets of the town with the book characters Chuck the truck driver portrayed by Dave Carlos and Jade the unafraid, Claire Beerjeraz, leading the procession.
Creative producer for the Legends, Lights and Lullabies event and Artistic Director of Spare Parts, Jodie Gibson was keen to be in Sandbach for this weekend despite there not being a Transport Festival but also mindful that Coronavirus restrictions could potentially put a stop to anything arranged she put together an idea that complied with current restrictions and adhered to social distancing by limiting the main event to 30 people taking part on the day with the music and song being recorded remotely. As with other projects by the Spare Parts Festival the evening event was recorded with video cameras on helmets and a drone following the riders as they made their way through the town with the results being made available on the Spare Parts Festival website and social media platforms.
Funding for the project came from Cheshire East Council and Arts Council England grants with co-operation from Minerva Arts and the people of Sandbach and the surrounding area.
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20 February 2021
ALLAN LITTLEMORE DIES
This week Sandbach and the Brass Band world lost one of its well known people when Allan Littlemore died. The saviour of Foden’s Band and Leyland Brass he was also a keen player at the Elworth Cricket Club and has compiled books and articles on local history and brass bands.
Born on the 3rd January 1938 Allan came to live in Elworth with his parents on his tenth birthday in 1948.
For most of his life he has had a connection with the Foden Band as they rehearsed in their band room near where he lived. They were rehearing at what was the Pring’s Nail Shop and as the nights became lighter the band members practiced outside with the sound of the players being heard through the evening air of Elworth making a wonderful sound.
On the 6 November 1949 Allan went to his first concert by the Foden Band who were performing at Sandbach Town Hall for a charity concert in aid of the Parent Teacher Fund at Elworth Village School and was conducted by Fred Mortimer.
Keen to hear more Allan and his friend Ellison Warner, the junior organist at the nearby Mount Pleasant Church decided to wait for Fred Mortimer to come out of his house on Clifton Road, Elworth and on his way to the band room they asked him if they could listen to a rehearsal. After promising to stay quiet they were allowed to sit and listen to the rehearsal at the old Pring Works Nail shop.
The association with the Mortimer family didn’t stop with rehearsals as Allan was a keen cricketer and also enjoyed playing tennis on a private court owned by a local industrialist with his partner Margaret Mortimer the younger daughter of corner player and later band conductor Harry Mortimer.
On Saturday the 23 December 1950, Edwin Richard Foden (ERF Lorries) passed away. Edwin had survived long enough to see his father’s band become the best band in the world but sadly his involvement with the Company meant that he was no longer in control of the band at the time of his death. A few days later he was buried in the Elworth village churchyard a service that was attended by hundreds of friends and workers from ERF’S and Foden’s. Allan Littlemore was 13 at the time and remembers standing outside the church for the funeral and seeing Billy Foden, ERF’s brother turning up wearing a black top hat with a band of black crepe tied round it a la Edgar Alan Poe films.
In October 1954 Allan Littlemore joined the Fodens Limited Company as a student apprentice engineer. He had got the coveted job from General Sales Manager George Dean whose daughter had recently married Edwin Twemlow Firth the son of the principal cornet player Edwin Firth who had died on the 1 June 1918 while serving in the army of World War 1. This association would lead to a lifelong friendship with the family and a passion to tell Edwin’s story.
Allan’s first job at Foden’s was in the laboratory working with Chief Metallurgist and Foden’s Band Solo Trombone player Alex English.
Next it was into the Repair shop with Dennis Heath and at the time Assistant Principal Cornet player Teddy Gray (One of the greatest solo cornet players in the brass band world).
In 1956 he worked with foreman Tommy Hough in the Tool Grinding workshop. Tommy had been a Tenor Horn player with the band before the Great War. While working on the lathe Allan again worked under Teddy Gray and also Bob Knott Solo Trombonist in the late 1930’s and 1940’s.
Next to the Erecting shop and band member Joe Moores the Bass Trombone player with the band.
In 1958 Allan was placed in the Drawing office with Reg Moores, Repriano Cornet player and son of Joe.
Six years in Truck Development and then Allan became Foreman over the building where all the sub assemblies took place prior to the final assembly. Again more band players were there with Arthur Webb Jnr (2nd Baritone), Arthur Mullock (2nd Euphonium) and Ellis Shufflebottom (2nd Horn).
In 1975 Allan was appointed Head of Personnel but this year was also the year that changed his life forever.
It was in 1975 that Ted Foden who had helped to run the band had decided to hand in his resignation with Foden Motor Works as well as running their band. His son David should have taken on the role but he was appointed Sales Director and spent most of his time abroad. It was decided that someone else should take on the role of Band Manager and joint Managing Director Mr Ted Foden asked Allen if he could come down to see him in “his” office, an unusual request.
Ted had told the board that day he was retiring and he suggested that the job of looking after the band should go to Allan Littlemore. Allan had only previously attended concerts and competitions and knew many of the band members through work but running the band was something else. He was told that as personnel manager he was given the job by David Foden basically because any job that had no real description went to the Personnel manager to sort out even if he had no experience of running a brass band. Allan was assisted by Alan Stubbs who was the band secretary and he was excited at the prospect but wasn’t quite sure what was needed. Ted Swindles (Double Bass Player) came to the rescue. As librarian with the band he knew everything Allan needed to know and soon put him on the right track.
Also in 1975 the Foden’s Motor Works were looking at redundancies to save money at the time and many workers were offered early retirement including those employed both in the band and the factory. This included Rex Mortimer the conductor of the band with his place being taken by John Gollard. The 32 year old from Lancashire had the credentials to be in charge of the band but he just didn’t seem to gel with the band members and they lacked confidence in their conductor. Even Allan Littlemore could see it wasn’t working and so he decided to let him go. Allan decided that a new change to the musical helm of the band was needed and persuaded Rex Mortimer to return to the band on a temporary basis until a more suitable replacement could be found.
Concerts all over the country, broadcasts on both BBC Radio Stoke for a “Knockout Brass” competition and BBC Radio 2 kept the band busy and in November 1975 that replacement for Rex Mortimer became available in the shape of James Scott (.b. 1925-6 .D. 24 Jan 2021) who had been recommended by band members and those in the know.
On the 21 October 1977 after 75 years of Sponsorship by Foden Ltd the anniversary was celebrated with a Founders Concert at the Recreation club in Elworth attended by many ex members among them Harry Mortimer. Earlier in the year Allan Littlemore asked his friend Don Burgess to compile a short history of the band. It was titled “By Royal Command” and was published just before the concert a book that was to become the starting block for Allan’s own book on the bands history to celebrate 100 years.
In November 1980 Allan Littlemore started talks with Howard Snell with a view to him becoming Musical Director of the band but this appointment was to be the only highlight of this period as again the Foden factory were making a number of redundancies in 1981.
With a number of retirements from the band due to them being made redundant and having to find other work outside the area, the band had to recruit new members including Allan Withington from Wingates Band who took over from Alan Brotherston as Principal Cornet. It was also a chance for a member of Allan’s family to join the band as Roberts Bakery band member Philip Littlemore his son, aged 14 was asked to play second cornet with Foden’s.
By June 1982 Fodens had been sold and were now called the "Sandbach Engineering Company” which didn’t have the finances to continue funding the band and so on the 31 December 1982 the band would no longer be in existence.
On the 29 June 1982 Allan Littlemore broke the news of his retirement from the band to the stunned band members during their rehearsal as he would not be paid by the new company to look after them.
New owners Paccar agreed to give the band the instruments and music library to allow the band to keep going but without a sponsor this would be very difficult. Support came from various places due to the media interest in the loss of the band and from brass band legend Harry Mortimer and conductor Howard Snell who both continued their support for the players.
With the help of Allan Littlemore the band decided to go it alone and wrote a Constitution as well as appointing three trustees to be responsible for the band’s finances. These would be Harry Mortimer, Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe MP) and Ted Foden the grandson of the founder of the Foden Motor Works.
On the 5 July 1982 Richard Carlton Tickell was watching a television article about the bands trouble and decided to do something about it. He arranged a meeting with Harry Mortimer to see if he could invest in the bands future and his company OTS (Overseas Technical Service) decided to run the Foden’s OTS Band.
Unfortunately Richard Tickell died on the 14 December 1982 never to see the bands success and a concert on the 3 June 1983 at Buckingham Palace that had been arranged by Allan Littlemore with Howard Snell conducting in front of the building in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace with the Queen looking out from her balcony.
With the loss of its founder the OTS Company felt unable to continue with sponsorship of the band and so at the end of 1986 Allan was again tasked with finding another sponsor.
Allan knew Stephen Sebire a benefactor of the Congleton based Beresford’s Band and more importantly he was a Director of the Britannia Building Society based in Leek (Staffordshire). Allan Littlemore attended a meeting with the board of directors at the Britannia Building Society headquarters on Friday the 9 May 1986 to discuss investment in the band. Setting out the bands history and playing them excerpts of a Granada TV programme about the “Band of the Year” competition along with copies of the bands LP’s. They agreed to fund the band on the condition that it was to be called the “Britannia Building Society Foden Band”.
In 1987 Allan and others put together a Quarterly Newsletter for about 250 Club Members and it was soon suggested that the club idea be extended to a Patrons Society who would help run the band and also provide an annual subscription to keep it going.
Just before Harry Mortimer’s 87th birthday, Anthony Askew a senior BBC producer in Leeds arranged for one of Harry’s unfulfilled ambitions to come true on the 5 February 1989. He had previously mentioned that he had always wanted to conduct Dr Denis Wright’s brass band arrangement of Handel’s Messiah. The new Britannia Building Society band were joined by Black Dyke Mills, the Huddersfield Coral Society, Maurice Murphy, trumpeter with the London Symphony Orchestra (Who would play the Trumpet Obligato) and Roy Newsome at the Father Willis Organ. The recording took some ten hours to complete with Harry being the perfectionist he always was. Allan Littlemore had a letter from the original discussions saying that it would be recorded in front of a live audience. Thankfully it became a studio version as it was impractical to do it live.
In December 1989, Allan Littlemore gave up the job of organising the band after 14 years but this was not the end of Allan and Foden’s Band.
On the 23 January 1992 the sad news was the death of Brass Band’s most famous son Harry Mortimer at the age of 89. In September 1992, a Memorial service was held in Manchester Cathedral where Allan and his wife Janet were asked to sit with the family and close friends.
In 1997 sponsorship again ran out for the band and this time it was the job of Nicholas J Childs to find a sponsor. Solo Baritone player Jonathon Webster was also the owner of “Fred Rhodes Musical Instruments” who were the only UK importers of the French Instrument manufacturer ‘Antoine Courtois’ who agreed to sponsor the band while at the same time allowing them to return to their original name of Foden’s. However the owner of the truck company PACCAR who owned the name Foden’s objected to its use. Nicholas J Childs approached Allan Littlemore to ask if anything could be done to resolve this problem. Allan’s solution was to write to Bill Foden, David Foden and Edwin Foden, great grandsons of the founder, to ask them if they would allow the band to be named after the family and as a consequence PACCAR realised they could raise no objections to this and that seemed to sort out the problem of the name.
With the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Foden Band Allan produced a history book called “Foden’s Band one hundred years of excellence” which was released on the 16 October 1999 and reprinted in May 2000.
In May 2012 Allan and his wife Janet attended the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his work in the Brass Band world.
In 2017 and 2018 Foden’s Band put together a history website based on archive material coped by Stewart Green and included articles by Allan Littlemore. The website was launched at Sandbach Town Hall on the 27 March 2018 with a special concert and exhibition. The encore for the concert was Westward Ho written by Edwin Firth who had died 100 years previously.
On the actual anniversary of Edwin Firth’s death it had been suggested by Stewart Green to hold a wreath laying at the Elworth and Sandbach War Memorials in tribute to him on the 1 June 2018. It was also suggested that Allan be the person who laid the wreath on behalf of Foden’s Band as he had done so much to pay tribute to the player including getting “Firth Close” a cul-de-sac just off Bradwall Road, Sandbach named after him in 2009. Allan was asked at a Sandbach concert by the band if he would be willing to do so and you could see the tears of pride at being asked to take part in the tribute.
It turned out that the band had bigger plans for a tribute to Edwin Firth with two special concerts on the 1st and 2nd June 2018 at Sandbach School looking at Edwin’s life and music with Allan acting as presenter for the evening along with guests from Edwin’s family and James Scott.
After leaving Foden’s Band in 1989 Allan was persuaded to help out at the Leyland Band (BNFL) and after about 10 years he retired again only to return in 2008 until 2015 to again look after the band as Band Chairman or President.
Allan also wrote books on banding history and on the 1 October 2017 released “The Feuding Family” the story of the E.R.F. Company and the split with Foden’s Motor Works.
His other passion was Cricket and as a member of Elworth Cricket Club he helped to purchase the ground when developers wanted to build houses on it.
Another tribute to Allan was the dedication of a road to him. Usually bestowed on people who had died this showed the respect the Cricket and Brass Band World thought of him and Littlemore Road off Booth Lane (Middlewich Road) in Moston near the old Foden Band rehearsal room at Flowcrete will now live on longer than the man himself who died on the 20 February 2021 leaving behind his wife Janet, son Phillip and daughter Kathryn.
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20 February 2021
ALLAN LITTLEMORE DIES
This week Sandbach and the Brass Band world lost one of its well known people when Allan Littlemore died. The saviour of Foden’s Band and Leyland Brass he was also a keen player at the Elworth Cricket Club and has compiled books and articles on local history and brass bands.
Born on the 3rd January 1938 Allan came to live in Elworth with his parents on his tenth birthday in 1948.
For most of his life he has had a connection with the Foden Band as they rehearsed in their band room near where he lived. They were rehearing at what was the Pring’s Nail Shop and as the nights became lighter the band members practiced outside with the sound of the players being heard through the evening air of Elworth making a wonderful sound.
On the 6 November 1949 Allan went to his first concert by the Foden Band who were performing at Sandbach Town Hall for a charity concert in aid of the Parent Teacher Fund at Elworth Village School and was conducted by Fred Mortimer.
Keen to hear more Allan and his friend Ellison Warner, the junior organist at the nearby Mount Pleasant Church decided to wait for Fred Mortimer to come out of his house on Clifton Road, Elworth and on his way to the band room they asked him if they could listen to a rehearsal. After promising to stay quiet they were allowed to sit and listen to the rehearsal at the old Pring Works Nail shop.
The association with the Mortimer family didn’t stop with rehearsals as Allan was a keen cricketer and also enjoyed playing tennis on a private court owned by a local industrialist with his partner Margaret Mortimer the younger daughter of corner player and later band conductor Harry Mortimer.
On Saturday the 23 December 1950, Edwin Richard Foden (ERF Lorries) passed away. Edwin had survived long enough to see his father’s band become the best band in the world but sadly his involvement with the Company meant that he was no longer in control of the band at the time of his death. A few days later he was buried in the Elworth village churchyard a service that was attended by hundreds of friends and workers from ERF’S and Foden’s. Allan Littlemore was 13 at the time and remembers standing outside the church for the funeral and seeing Billy Foden, ERF’s brother turning up wearing a black top hat with a band of black crepe tied round it a la Edgar Alan Poe films.
In October 1954 Allan Littlemore joined the Fodens Limited Company as a student apprentice engineer. He had got the coveted job from General Sales Manager George Dean whose daughter had recently married Edwin Twemlow Firth the son of the principal cornet player Edwin Firth who had died on the 1 June 1918 while serving in the army of World War 1. This association would lead to a lifelong friendship with the family and a passion to tell Edwin’s story.
Allan’s first job at Foden’s was in the laboratory working with Chief Metallurgist and Foden’s Band Solo Trombone player Alex English.
Next it was into the Repair shop with Dennis Heath and at the time Assistant Principal Cornet player Teddy Gray (One of the greatest solo cornet players in the brass band world).
In 1956 he worked with foreman Tommy Hough in the Tool Grinding workshop. Tommy had been a Tenor Horn player with the band before the Great War. While working on the lathe Allan again worked under Teddy Gray and also Bob Knott Solo Trombonist in the late 1930’s and 1940’s.
Next to the Erecting shop and band member Joe Moores the Bass Trombone player with the band.
In 1958 Allan was placed in the Drawing office with Reg Moores, Repriano Cornet player and son of Joe.
Six years in Truck Development and then Allan became Foreman over the building where all the sub assemblies took place prior to the final assembly. Again more band players were there with Arthur Webb Jnr (2nd Baritone), Arthur Mullock (2nd Euphonium) and Ellis Shufflebottom (2nd Horn).
In 1975 Allan was appointed Head of Personnel but this year was also the year that changed his life forever.
It was in 1975 that Ted Foden who had helped to run the band had decided to hand in his resignation with Foden Motor Works as well as running their band. His son David should have taken on the role but he was appointed Sales Director and spent most of his time abroad. It was decided that someone else should take on the role of Band Manager and joint Managing Director Mr Ted Foden asked Allen if he could come down to see him in “his” office, an unusual request.
Ted had told the board that day he was retiring and he suggested that the job of looking after the band should go to Allan Littlemore. Allan had only previously attended concerts and competitions and knew many of the band members through work but running the band was something else. He was told that as personnel manager he was given the job by David Foden basically because any job that had no real description went to the Personnel manager to sort out even if he had no experience of running a brass band. Allan was assisted by Alan Stubbs who was the band secretary and he was excited at the prospect but wasn’t quite sure what was needed. Ted Swindles (Double Bass Player) came to the rescue. As librarian with the band he knew everything Allan needed to know and soon put him on the right track.
Also in 1975 the Foden’s Motor Works were looking at redundancies to save money at the time and many workers were offered early retirement including those employed both in the band and the factory. This included Rex Mortimer the conductor of the band with his place being taken by John Gollard. The 32 year old from Lancashire had the credentials to be in charge of the band but he just didn’t seem to gel with the band members and they lacked confidence in their conductor. Even Allan Littlemore could see it wasn’t working and so he decided to let him go. Allan decided that a new change to the musical helm of the band was needed and persuaded Rex Mortimer to return to the band on a temporary basis until a more suitable replacement could be found.
Concerts all over the country, broadcasts on both BBC Radio Stoke for a “Knockout Brass” competition and BBC Radio 2 kept the band busy and in November 1975 that replacement for Rex Mortimer became available in the shape of James Scott (.b. 1925-6 .D. 24 Jan 2021) who had been recommended by band members and those in the know.
On the 21 October 1977 after 75 years of Sponsorship by Foden Ltd the anniversary was celebrated with a Founders Concert at the Recreation club in Elworth attended by many ex members among them Harry Mortimer. Earlier in the year Allan Littlemore asked his friend Don Burgess to compile a short history of the band. It was titled “By Royal Command” and was published just before the concert a book that was to become the starting block for Allan’s own book on the bands history to celebrate 100 years.
In November 1980 Allan Littlemore started talks with Howard Snell with a view to him becoming Musical Director of the band but this appointment was to be the only highlight of this period as again the Foden factory were making a number of redundancies in 1981.
With a number of retirements from the band due to them being made redundant and having to find other work outside the area, the band had to recruit new members including Allan Withington from Wingates Band who took over from Alan Brotherston as Principal Cornet. It was also a chance for a member of Allan’s family to join the band as Roberts Bakery band member Philip Littlemore his son, aged 14 was asked to play second cornet with Foden’s.
By June 1982 Fodens had been sold and were now called the "Sandbach Engineering Company” which didn’t have the finances to continue funding the band and so on the 31 December 1982 the band would no longer be in existence.
On the 29 June 1982 Allan Littlemore broke the news of his retirement from the band to the stunned band members during their rehearsal as he would not be paid by the new company to look after them.
New owners Paccar agreed to give the band the instruments and music library to allow the band to keep going but without a sponsor this would be very difficult. Support came from various places due to the media interest in the loss of the band and from brass band legend Harry Mortimer and conductor Howard Snell who both continued their support for the players.
With the help of Allan Littlemore the band decided to go it alone and wrote a Constitution as well as appointing three trustees to be responsible for the band’s finances. These would be Harry Mortimer, Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe MP) and Ted Foden the grandson of the founder of the Foden Motor Works.
On the 5 July 1982 Richard Carlton Tickell was watching a television article about the bands trouble and decided to do something about it. He arranged a meeting with Harry Mortimer to see if he could invest in the bands future and his company OTS (Overseas Technical Service) decided to run the Foden’s OTS Band.
Unfortunately Richard Tickell died on the 14 December 1982 never to see the bands success and a concert on the 3 June 1983 at Buckingham Palace that had been arranged by Allan Littlemore with Howard Snell conducting in front of the building in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace with the Queen looking out from her balcony.
With the loss of its founder the OTS Company felt unable to continue with sponsorship of the band and so at the end of 1986 Allan was again tasked with finding another sponsor.
Allan knew Stephen Sebire a benefactor of the Congleton based Beresford’s Band and more importantly he was a Director of the Britannia Building Society based in Leek (Staffordshire). Allan Littlemore attended a meeting with the board of directors at the Britannia Building Society headquarters on Friday the 9 May 1986 to discuss investment in the band. Setting out the bands history and playing them excerpts of a Granada TV programme about the “Band of the Year” competition along with copies of the bands LP’s. They agreed to fund the band on the condition that it was to be called the “Britannia Building Society Foden Band”.
In 1987 Allan and others put together a Quarterly Newsletter for about 250 Club Members and it was soon suggested that the club idea be extended to a Patrons Society who would help run the band and also provide an annual subscription to keep it going.
Just before Harry Mortimer’s 87th birthday, Anthony Askew a senior BBC producer in Leeds arranged for one of Harry’s unfulfilled ambitions to come true on the 5 February 1989. He had previously mentioned that he had always wanted to conduct Dr Denis Wright’s brass band arrangement of Handel’s Messiah. The new Britannia Building Society band were joined by Black Dyke Mills, the Huddersfield Coral Society, Maurice Murphy, trumpeter with the London Symphony Orchestra (Who would play the Trumpet Obligato) and Roy Newsome at the Father Willis Organ. The recording took some ten hours to complete with Harry being the perfectionist he always was. Allan Littlemore had a letter from the original discussions saying that it would be recorded in front of a live audience. Thankfully it became a studio version as it was impractical to do it live.
In December 1989, Allan Littlemore gave up the job of organising the band after 14 years but this was not the end of Allan and Foden’s Band.
On the 23 January 1992 the sad news was the death of Brass Band’s most famous son Harry Mortimer at the age of 89. In September 1992, a Memorial service was held in Manchester Cathedral where Allan and his wife Janet were asked to sit with the family and close friends.
In 1997 sponsorship again ran out for the band and this time it was the job of Nicholas J Childs to find a sponsor. Solo Baritone player Jonathon Webster was also the owner of “Fred Rhodes Musical Instruments” who were the only UK importers of the French Instrument manufacturer ‘Antoine Courtois’ who agreed to sponsor the band while at the same time allowing them to return to their original name of Foden’s. However the owner of the truck company PACCAR who owned the name Foden’s objected to its use. Nicholas J Childs approached Allan Littlemore to ask if anything could be done to resolve this problem. Allan’s solution was to write to Bill Foden, David Foden and Edwin Foden, great grandsons of the founder, to ask them if they would allow the band to be named after the family and as a consequence PACCAR realised they could raise no objections to this and that seemed to sort out the problem of the name.
With the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Foden Band Allan produced a history book called “Foden’s Band one hundred years of excellence” which was released on the 16 October 1999 and reprinted in May 2000.
In May 2012 Allan and his wife Janet attended the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his work in the Brass Band world.
In 2017 and 2018 Foden’s Band put together a history website based on archive material coped by Stewart Green and included articles by Allan Littlemore. The website was launched at Sandbach Town Hall on the 27 March 2018 with a special concert and exhibition. The encore for the concert was Westward Ho written by Edwin Firth who had died 100 years previously.
On the actual anniversary of Edwin Firth’s death it had been suggested by Stewart Green to hold a wreath laying at the Elworth and Sandbach War Memorials in tribute to him on the 1 June 2018. It was also suggested that Allan be the person who laid the wreath on behalf of Foden’s Band as he had done so much to pay tribute to the player including getting “Firth Close” a cul-de-sac just off Bradwall Road, Sandbach named after him in 2009. Allan was asked at a Sandbach concert by the band if he would be willing to do so and you could see the tears of pride at being asked to take part in the tribute.
It turned out that the band had bigger plans for a tribute to Edwin Firth with two special concerts on the 1st and 2nd June 2018 at Sandbach School looking at Edwin’s life and music with Allan acting as presenter for the evening along with guests from Edwin’s family and James Scott.
After leaving Foden’s Band in 1989 Allan was persuaded to help out at the Leyland Band (BNFL) and after about 10 years he retired again only to return in 2008 until 2015 to again look after the band as Band Chairman or President.
Allan also wrote books on banding history and on the 1 October 2017 released “The Feuding Family” the story of the E.R.F. Company and the split with Foden’s Motor Works.
His other passion was Cricket and as a member of Elworth Cricket Club he helped to purchase the ground when developers wanted to build houses on it.
Another tribute to Allan was the dedication of a road to him. Usually bestowed on people who had died this showed the respect the Cricket and Brass Band World thought of him and Littlemore Road off Booth Lane (Middlewich Road) in Moston near the old Foden Band rehearsal room at Flowcrete will now live on longer than the man himself who died on the 20 February 2021 leaving behind his wife Janet, son Phillip and daughter Kathryn.
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16 February 2021
TANKER SPILLAGE AND SECOND INCIDENT ON M6 SOUTHBOUND
About 2pm on Tuesday the 16 February 2021, Fire Crews from Sandbach and Crewe attended a tanker spillage on the M6 southbound carriageway just after the Service station and the Newcastle Road bridge. This was exactly one month after a previous incident on the Sandbach stretch of motorway when they had attended a burning lorry trailer by Junction 17 Northbound in the early hours.
On arrival the fire crew’s put an inflatable tray (Echo Dam) under the tanker to catch the petrol that was spilling onto the carriageway and two Fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus later moved in to clear the road of the spillage.
Initial reports were that two cars had collided with the tanker but firemen have reported that the tanker had collided with a wagon.
About 3.30pm the Sandbach appliance returned home and later the motorway traffic was allowed to start to move past the incident to clear the road and the Sandbach Service Station. The Crewe appliance stayed on the scene awaiting two tankers to transfer the rest of the fuel till after 5pm.
This was not the end of the closure of the Motorway as at 2.19pm, Alsger, Congleton and a second appliance from Crewe were called to attended a second incident further down the Southbound carriageway which was now blocking off another stretch of the M6 in the Alsager area. This time the incident was between a HGV and a van. The driver of the HGV was able to get out of the vehicle but the van driver had to be extracted by Fire-fighters suffering major injuries. The Air Ambulance was also in attendance with police and the Highways Agency closing both South and Northbound carriageways from Junction 16 to Junction 17. Northbound traffic was allowed to enter the network at Junction 17 but traffic southbound was taken off the M6 at the Middlwich / Holmes Chapel Junction 18 and due to the severity of the second incident the Motorway was closed off for most of the night.
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16 February 2021
TANKER SPILLAGE AND SECOND INCIDENT ON M6 SOUTHBOUND
About 2pm on Tuesday the 16 February 2021, Fire Crews from Sandbach and Crewe attended a tanker spillage on the M6 southbound carriageway just after the Service station and the Newcastle Road bridge. This was exactly one month after a previous incident on the Sandbach stretch of motorway when they had attended a burning lorry trailer by Junction 17 Northbound in the early hours.
On arrival the fire crew’s put an inflatable tray (Echo Dam) under the tanker to catch the petrol that was spilling onto the carriageway and two Fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus later moved in to clear the road of the spillage.
Initial reports were that two cars had collided with the tanker but firemen have reported that the tanker had collided with a wagon.
About 3.30pm the Sandbach appliance returned home and later the motorway traffic was allowed to start to move past the incident to clear the road and the Sandbach Service Station. The Crewe appliance stayed on the scene awaiting two tankers to transfer the rest of the fuel till after 5pm.
This was not the end of the closure of the Motorway as at 2.19pm, Alsger, Congleton and a second appliance from Crewe were called to attended a second incident further down the Southbound carriageway which was now blocking off another stretch of the M6 in the Alsager area. This time the incident was between a HGV and a van. The driver of the HGV was able to get out of the vehicle but the van driver had to be extracted by Fire-fighters suffering major injuries. The Air Ambulance was also in attendance with police and the Highways Agency closing both South and Northbound carriageways from Junction 16 to Junction 17. Northbound traffic was allowed to enter the network at Junction 17 but traffic southbound was taken off the M6 at the Middlwich / Holmes Chapel Junction 18 and due to the severity of the second incident the Motorway was closed off for most of the night.
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16 January 2021
LORRY FIRE ON M6 IN THE EARLY HOURS
At 5.45am on the 16 January 2021 the Sandbach Fire brigade set out towards the M6 to tackle a lorry fire on the northbound exit slip-road. Before the appliance arrived a series of four explosions could be heard over the town as presumably the tyres of the lorry burst under the heat of the load going up in flames. There were five appliances in all called to the scene with reports of which stations turned up varying from the official website where there were one from Alsager, two from Crewe and one from Middlewich joining Sandbach to tackle the burning contents of the trailer. The Alsager Facebook page gave Alsager, Congleton, Crewe and Sandbach while the Middlewich Facebook page named Alsager, Congleton, Crewe, Midlewich and Sandbach. A few years ago Cheshire Fire Service decided to stop naming the stations on the appliance after many years. This confusion over who turned up proves they need to identify their appliances even if it is for the sake of the Facebook entries.
Once the fire was extinguished Fire crews assisted with the unloading of the vehicle contents into skips and by 10am the Sandbach crew were sent home leaving a relief appliance from Holmes Chapel and one from Crewe to wait until recovery had taken place. The Crewe appliance left at about 3pm, some 14 hours after the first call and leaving the exit slip-road open after it had been closed all day.
Picture Holmes Chapel (E17) Reg Number MX65BCE and Crewe Reg Number PO11FZR
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16 January 2021
LORRY FIRE ON M6 IN THE EARLY HOURS
At 5.45am on the 16 January 2021 the Sandbach Fire brigade set out towards the M6 to tackle a lorry fire on the northbound exit slip-road. Before the appliance arrived a series of four explosions could be heard over the town as presumably the tyres of the lorry burst under the heat of the load going up in flames. There were five appliances in all called to the scene with reports of which stations turned up varying from the official website where there were one from Alsager, two from Crewe and one from Middlewich joining Sandbach to tackle the burning contents of the trailer. The Alsager Facebook page gave Alsager, Congleton, Crewe and Sandbach while the Middlewich Facebook page named Alsager, Congleton, Crewe, Midlewich and Sandbach. A few years ago Cheshire Fire Service decided to stop naming the stations on the appliance after many years. This confusion over who turned up proves they need to identify their appliances even if it is for the sake of the Facebook entries.
Once the fire was extinguished Fire crews assisted with the unloading of the vehicle contents into skips and by 10am the Sandbach crew were sent home leaving a relief appliance from Holmes Chapel and one from Crewe to wait until recovery had taken place. The Crewe appliance left at about 3pm, some 14 hours after the first call and leaving the exit slip-road open after it had been closed all day.
Picture Holmes Chapel (E17) Reg Number MX65BCE and Crewe Reg Number PO11FZR
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2020.
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10 December 2020
FESTIVE SANDBACH
Despite a month of closures for the shutdown before December Sandbach has pulled out all the stops for Christmas with a lockdown twist.
Sandbach Town Council started the festivities with an online switch on of the lights with music from local brass bands and Santa Claus who gave the countdown to the town’s illuminations which are the same displays as previous years without the netting over the Market Square. Unfortunately the lights around the water fountain and on the Literary Institute have not been working over the period possibly due to the Town Council moving out of the Literary Institute and nobody being able to use their power supply. A proposed upgrade of lights was not forthcoming due to the Coronavirus and the year’s plans have also disrupted sales in the shops and the usual Christmas Market has been cancelled. A vibrant town was never going to happen in 2020 as the virus has closed down shops for long periods and put many into mothballs during two lockdowns including the one in November which is usually the start of the run up towards Christmas making it difficult to get the public to come back to the town to buy their presents and so any initiative that makes December normal again is very much appreciated.
The shops have pulled out all the stops to decorate their windows with Christmas displays and many will be considered for the annual Best Christmas Shop Window display award which is now run by the Sandbach Town Council.
St Mary’s Church has again produced some woollen angels to decorate houses and these were left around the town for people to take home with the message of Christmas attached to them. The parishioners have also knitted some wise men and I have also seen a Joseph in the shop windows along with a large angel that has appeared in the Library sitting on a sofa looking out across the town. The St Mary’s church has also installed a Christmas Star on the Tower and will be holding various services over the festive period.
Many of the churches in Sandbach have moved on-line and adapted to the Coronavirus restrictions with St Peters Church, Elworth holding a drive in Carol Service on Sandbach Common on Sunday the 13 December and Christ Church, Wheelock “Lighting the Christmas Tree” on Facebook to remember people who have died and was first broadcast on the 13 December.
On Wednesday the 16 December St John’s Church in Sandbach Heath held their annual “Christingle” on line with pupils from St John’s Church taking part.
On Saturday the 19 December 2020, the Churches Together service is on Facebook all day having already been recorded for broadcast.
P.C. Frosty has also reappeared outside the Police Station to keep an eye on the public to make sure they are having fun, being sensible and having a socially secure Christmas. He is joined by Santa Clause and his sleigh on the community garden at Scotch Common with the usual sprinkling of snowmen on Congleton Road lit up by LED lights.
The Indoor Market is making up for lost time with stalls opening on Wednesday through to Saturday until Christmas Eve (8am to 12noon) with a special Sunday opening on the 20 December (10am to 3pm).
Lions Youth Band has been playing since December the 1st a Christmas song or carol each day until Christmas Eve. They have also taken part in a virtual Christmas Memorial Service for Vale Royal Crematorium and on the 12 December some of the band was playing carols in Sandbach.
Below are the church services advertised on the internet for the Christmas period.
Saturday the 19 December 2020 CHURCHES TOGETHER Service all day on Facebook.
Sunday 20 December 2020
St Mary’s Church Service in the Church at 8am (Holy Communion) and 10am (Parish Eucharist)
St John’s Church, Sandbach Heath.Service (On-Line) 10.30am (Joint Communion) and 6.30pm (Carol Service – Pre Recorded). To join contact the Church Warden’s via www.stjohnswithstphilips.co.uk
St Peter’s Church, Elworth (On-Line) All Day (Christingle Service) on Facebook.
St Peter’s Elworth Outside Carol Service at 4pm with a pre booking via [email protected]
Christ Church Wheelock (On-Line) 4.30pm (Christingle – Can be done at home without candles and oranges) c/o Facebook.
Monday 21 December 2020
St Mary’s Church service when the building will be open between 1pm and 4pm along with Prayer Stations, quiet music and space to be still followed at 4pm by a Short Service.
Wednesday 23 December 2020
St Mary’s Outdoor carols at 6pm
CHRISTMAS EVE the 24 December 2020
St John’s Church, Sandbach Heath. On-Line with a Christmas Crib Service (Pre Recorded). To join contact the Church Warden’s via www.stjohnswithstphilips.co.uk
Christ Church Wheelock, service at 10am (Matins – Book of Common Prayer) via Facebook.
St Peter’s Church, Elworth are holding a Christmas Communion at 8pm. To register contact [email protected]
St Winefrede Catholic church on Middlewich Road, Sandbach are holding services at 12 noon, 4pm and 6.30pm with visitors signing in on arrival at the Church.
Friday 25 December 2020 CHRISTMAS DAY
St Mary’s (Anglican), Sandbach, 10am Parish Eucharist and Carols.
St John’s (Anglican) Sandbach Heath, 10am
St Peter’s (Anglican) Elworth, 10am (Register at [email protected])
St Philip (Anglican) - Smithy Grove, Hassall Green CW11 4XY (See St John’s Sandbach Heath.)
St Winefride (Catholic) Middlewich Road, Sandbach, 9am and 10.30am (Sign in on arrival at the Church.)
Baptise Church - Sandbach Community Primary School Crewe Road, Sandbach, no services advertised.
Christ Church Wheelock, 10.00am (On Line) c/o Facebook
Elworth Methodist - Station Road, Elworth, Sandbach, no services advertised by time of going to press.
Wesley Avenue (Methodist) - Wesley Avenue, Sandbach, no services advertised by time of going to press.
Wheelock (Methodist) - Crewe Road, Wheelock, no services advertised by time of going to press.
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10 December 2020
FESTIVE SANDBACH
Despite a month of closures for the shutdown before December Sandbach has pulled out all the stops for Christmas with a lockdown twist.
Sandbach Town Council started the festivities with an online switch on of the lights with music from local brass bands and Santa Claus who gave the countdown to the town’s illuminations which are the same displays as previous years without the netting over the Market Square. Unfortunately the lights around the water fountain and on the Literary Institute have not been working over the period possibly due to the Town Council moving out of the Literary Institute and nobody being able to use their power supply. A proposed upgrade of lights was not forthcoming due to the Coronavirus and the year’s plans have also disrupted sales in the shops and the usual Christmas Market has been cancelled. A vibrant town was never going to happen in 2020 as the virus has closed down shops for long periods and put many into mothballs during two lockdowns including the one in November which is usually the start of the run up towards Christmas making it difficult to get the public to come back to the town to buy their presents and so any initiative that makes December normal again is very much appreciated.
The shops have pulled out all the stops to decorate their windows with Christmas displays and many will be considered for the annual Best Christmas Shop Window display award which is now run by the Sandbach Town Council.
St Mary’s Church has again produced some woollen angels to decorate houses and these were left around the town for people to take home with the message of Christmas attached to them. The parishioners have also knitted some wise men and I have also seen a Joseph in the shop windows along with a large angel that has appeared in the Library sitting on a sofa looking out across the town. The St Mary’s church has also installed a Christmas Star on the Tower and will be holding various services over the festive period.
Many of the churches in Sandbach have moved on-line and adapted to the Coronavirus restrictions with St Peters Church, Elworth holding a drive in Carol Service on Sandbach Common on Sunday the 13 December and Christ Church, Wheelock “Lighting the Christmas Tree” on Facebook to remember people who have died and was first broadcast on the 13 December.
On Wednesday the 16 December St John’s Church in Sandbach Heath held their annual “Christingle” on line with pupils from St John’s Church taking part.
On Saturday the 19 December 2020, the Churches Together service is on Facebook all day having already been recorded for broadcast.
P.C. Frosty has also reappeared outside the Police Station to keep an eye on the public to make sure they are having fun, being sensible and having a socially secure Christmas. He is joined by Santa Clause and his sleigh on the community garden at Scotch Common with the usual sprinkling of snowmen on Congleton Road lit up by LED lights.
The Indoor Market is making up for lost time with stalls opening on Wednesday through to Saturday until Christmas Eve (8am to 12noon) with a special Sunday opening on the 20 December (10am to 3pm).
Lions Youth Band has been playing since December the 1st a Christmas song or carol each day until Christmas Eve. They have also taken part in a virtual Christmas Memorial Service for Vale Royal Crematorium and on the 12 December some of the band was playing carols in Sandbach.
Below are the church services advertised on the internet for the Christmas period.
Saturday the 19 December 2020 CHURCHES TOGETHER Service all day on Facebook.
Sunday 20 December 2020
St Mary’s Church Service in the Church at 8am (Holy Communion) and 10am (Parish Eucharist)
St John’s Church, Sandbach Heath.Service (On-Line) 10.30am (Joint Communion) and 6.30pm (Carol Service – Pre Recorded). To join contact the Church Warden’s via www.stjohnswithstphilips.co.uk
St Peter’s Church, Elworth (On-Line) All Day (Christingle Service) on Facebook.
St Peter’s Elworth Outside Carol Service at 4pm with a pre booking via [email protected]
Christ Church Wheelock (On-Line) 4.30pm (Christingle – Can be done at home without candles and oranges) c/o Facebook.
Monday 21 December 2020
St Mary’s Church service when the building will be open between 1pm and 4pm along with Prayer Stations, quiet music and space to be still followed at 4pm by a Short Service.
Wednesday 23 December 2020
St Mary’s Outdoor carols at 6pm
CHRISTMAS EVE the 24 December 2020
St John’s Church, Sandbach Heath. On-Line with a Christmas Crib Service (Pre Recorded). To join contact the Church Warden’s via www.stjohnswithstphilips.co.uk
Christ Church Wheelock, service at 10am (Matins – Book of Common Prayer) via Facebook.
St Peter’s Church, Elworth are holding a Christmas Communion at 8pm. To register contact [email protected]
St Winefrede Catholic church on Middlewich Road, Sandbach are holding services at 12 noon, 4pm and 6.30pm with visitors signing in on arrival at the Church.
Friday 25 December 2020 CHRISTMAS DAY
St Mary’s (Anglican), Sandbach, 10am Parish Eucharist and Carols.
St John’s (Anglican) Sandbach Heath, 10am
St Peter’s (Anglican) Elworth, 10am (Register at [email protected])
St Philip (Anglican) - Smithy Grove, Hassall Green CW11 4XY (See St John’s Sandbach Heath.)
St Winefride (Catholic) Middlewich Road, Sandbach, 9am and 10.30am (Sign in on arrival at the Church.)
Baptise Church - Sandbach Community Primary School Crewe Road, Sandbach, no services advertised.
Christ Church Wheelock, 10.00am (On Line) c/o Facebook
Elworth Methodist - Station Road, Elworth, Sandbach, no services advertised by time of going to press.
Wesley Avenue (Methodist) - Wesley Avenue, Sandbach, no services advertised by time of going to press.
Wheelock (Methodist) - Crewe Road, Wheelock, no services advertised by time of going to press.
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28 November 2020
CYCLING FOR FIREFIGHTERS FUND
On a very dark and dismal day with black clouds covering South Cheshire a shining light shone outside Sandbach Fire Station with members of the retained fire brigade cycling 459 miles on exercise bikes to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity (To help support Fire fighters in need of help from physical, mental or social needs) and the Movember Charity (Men’s Health).
The 459 miles chosen for the ride is the distance it would take to cover the roads between each of the 29 Cheshire Fire Stations.
Starting at 7.20am on the 28 November 2020, the volunteers did a duel ride for one hour thirty minutes each to cover about 30 miles at a time until about 9pm when the final riders finished the distance.
Those taking part were Dave Beech, Keith Farrington, Alex Flude, Joe Burgess, Mile Lamee, Clive Welch, Neil White, Tom Evers, Phil Carney, Rob Carney, Nick Regan and Luke Draycott with Mike Robinson supporting the event by growing a sponsored Handlebar Moustache and fire fighter J Burchall doing his own bike ride at home as he was self isolating during the day of the event.
A target of £500 was soon passed on-line and by the end of the day on their internet donation site they had raised over £927.85p with a Gift Aid top up making the total £1,133.57p
To donate via Money Giving go to http://orlo.uk/9jBsp
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28 November 2020
CYCLING FOR FIREFIGHTERS FUND
On a very dark and dismal day with black clouds covering South Cheshire a shining light shone outside Sandbach Fire Station with members of the retained fire brigade cycling 459 miles on exercise bikes to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity (To help support Fire fighters in need of help from physical, mental or social needs) and the Movember Charity (Men’s Health).
The 459 miles chosen for the ride is the distance it would take to cover the roads between each of the 29 Cheshire Fire Stations.
Starting at 7.20am on the 28 November 2020, the volunteers did a duel ride for one hour thirty minutes each to cover about 30 miles at a time until about 9pm when the final riders finished the distance.
Those taking part were Dave Beech, Keith Farrington, Alex Flude, Joe Burgess, Mile Lamee, Clive Welch, Neil White, Tom Evers, Phil Carney, Rob Carney, Nick Regan and Luke Draycott with Mike Robinson supporting the event by growing a sponsored Handlebar Moustache and fire fighter J Burchall doing his own bike ride at home as he was self isolating during the day of the event.
A target of £500 was soon passed on-line and by the end of the day on their internet donation site they had raised over £927.85p with a Gift Aid top up making the total £1,133.57p
To donate via Money Giving go to http://orlo.uk/9jBsp
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11 November 2020
ANOTHER CEREMONY THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THERE.
ARMISTIECE DAY 2020
When I first went down to the November 11 Armistice Day a few years ago there were about five old servicemen who turned up. As news of the commemoration filtrated round the town the second year a few onlookers joined in and so it continued until last year when a crowd gathered at the War Memorial in Sandbach to mark the occasion with a more official live last post and the usual addresses to commemorate the end of the first World War. This year with lockdown and Coronavirus it could have been an event that didn’t happen but members of the British Legion and the Cheshire’s, independently decided that there should be something to mark the occasion and for it not be missed. Like the previous Sunday the people of Sandbach agreed and many turned out helped by the lockdown as some may have been working on the Wednesday but now found they had time to attend. The service ran as it had done on Remembrance Sunday with a recorded last post and reveille, the Ode to the Fallen and Kohima Epitaph providing an overall effect that was appreciated by all who attended. About half the crowd size from the Sunday were socially distanced around the Market Square and although the local police told me that the event was exempted from the lockdown rules, which was unknown to the organisers, the large turnout was appreciated by the main players and the public thought that this was exactly what was needed to commemorate this event in such a sad time. Local shops stopped for the one minutes silence and turned out to line up outside their businesses in support, along with members of the local police who had popped down to make sure everyone complied with the distancing rules and to show their respect for the members of the armed forces.
It is one hundred years since the stone Cenotaph in London was unveiled, a hundred years since the Elworth War Memorial was unveiled on the 16 May 1920, ninety nine years since the Brunner Mond Memorial was erected (Opened in 1921 and now is at the Sandbach cemetery) and ninety eight years since Sandbach constructed its own War Memorial on the Market Square. It is hoped that next year events can be commemorated properly with a parade and service of remembrance especially as the Royal British Legion was formed 100 years ago on the 21 May 1921, with the Sandbach branch being one of the first to join the organisation on that date having been formed out of the local “Comrades of the Great War” organisation.
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11 November 2020
ANOTHER CEREMONY THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THERE.
ARMISTIECE DAY 2020
When I first went down to the November 11 Armistice Day a few years ago there were about five old servicemen who turned up. As news of the commemoration filtrated round the town the second year a few onlookers joined in and so it continued until last year when a crowd gathered at the War Memorial in Sandbach to mark the occasion with a more official live last post and the usual addresses to commemorate the end of the first World War. This year with lockdown and Coronavirus it could have been an event that didn’t happen but members of the British Legion and the Cheshire’s, independently decided that there should be something to mark the occasion and for it not be missed. Like the previous Sunday the people of Sandbach agreed and many turned out helped by the lockdown as some may have been working on the Wednesday but now found they had time to attend. The service ran as it had done on Remembrance Sunday with a recorded last post and reveille, the Ode to the Fallen and Kohima Epitaph providing an overall effect that was appreciated by all who attended. About half the crowd size from the Sunday were socially distanced around the Market Square and although the local police told me that the event was exempted from the lockdown rules, which was unknown to the organisers, the large turnout was appreciated by the main players and the public thought that this was exactly what was needed to commemorate this event in such a sad time. Local shops stopped for the one minutes silence and turned out to line up outside their businesses in support, along with members of the local police who had popped down to make sure everyone complied with the distancing rules and to show their respect for the members of the armed forces.
It is one hundred years since the stone Cenotaph in London was unveiled, a hundred years since the Elworth War Memorial was unveiled on the 16 May 1920, ninety nine years since the Brunner Mond Memorial was erected (Opened in 1921 and now is at the Sandbach cemetery) and ninety eight years since Sandbach constructed its own War Memorial on the Market Square. It is hoped that next year events can be commemorated properly with a parade and service of remembrance especially as the Royal British Legion was formed 100 years ago on the 21 May 1921, with the Sandbach branch being one of the first to join the organisation on that date having been formed out of the local “Comrades of the Great War” organisation.
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8 November 2020
THE CROWD THAT WASN’T THERE DIDN’T CELBRATE REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY (Officially)
As England went into shutdown the plans for Remembrance Sunday were officially put on hold. Poppy boxes were recalled on Wednesday as many shops and businesses shut down on Thursday under Government guidelines, although the Post Office have taken possession of poppies nationally and had them for sale until after the 11 November. Market trader Julie Shannon pitched a table outside the Town Hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to give the people of Sandbach a chance to get their last minute poppies along with various other items including the 2020 pin badge. Julie’s stall in the inside market had raised £180 for the British Legion while the table outside gained £300 on Thursday, £369.73 on Friday and three full tins on Saturday (Not counted so far).
The usual counters of money from the boxes were reduced from a handful of people to two in a bubble and reports show a good return for the few days they were on sale.
Cheshire Highways have also painted a poppy in the main street before Remembrance Sunday to join the poppies on the lampposts organised by Sandbach Town Council.
The lack of poppies is not the only thing affected by the shutdown. Remembrance Sunday was cancelled by the Royal British Legion with local organisers advised not to hold a ceremony that would attract large crowds and many town councils cut back or cancelled their events.
As the bells of St Mary’s rang out in salute of the day, Sandbach decided to have a private meeting at the War Memorial by independent citizens along with the Leader of Cheshire East, Sam Corcoran, Sandbach Mayor Geraint Price-Jones and anyone who just happened to be in the area at the time. A short march was arranged from the small common behind the Town Hall to the Market Square, keeping the tradition of Remembrance Sunday going.
Although not advertised a large crowd appeared by the War Memorial, all socially distancing with a number of organisations representatives turning up to lay wreaths during the impromptu ceremony. A ceremony included the usual, remembrance in memory of the death of the 120 who are named on the Sandbach War Memorial was read by Marjorie Newton, the Ode to the Fallen read this year by Howard Yates followed by a recorded Last Post and two minutes silence, reveille then the Kohima Epitaph. Apart from the large crowds lining the street and the procession from Westfields this was a cut down version that the ‘non organisers’ provided to make Sandbach proud of the annual tribute to the fallen and serving service personnel.
The ceremony missed Reg Dunning who had passed away earlier in the year and who had conducted the ceremony since 1956. The new Vicar of St Mary’s was also absent from the event as she was unable to attend due to restrictions placed on her by the Church and the Government lockdown rules.
At 11am Sandbach Fire Station also observed the two minutes silence with Firefighter / Crew manager Dave Beech bringing their wreath to the War Memorial afterwards.
This unofficial gathering reflected the need of the people of Sandbach to pay their tribute the armed forces past present and future and was a very fitting tribute to the men and women who defend our country in hard times including the work they are currently doing during the Coronavirus outbreak.
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8 November 2020
THE CROWD THAT WASN’T THERE DIDN’T CELBRATE REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY (Officially)
As England went into shutdown the plans for Remembrance Sunday were officially put on hold. Poppy boxes were recalled on Wednesday as many shops and businesses shut down on Thursday under Government guidelines, although the Post Office have taken possession of poppies nationally and had them for sale until after the 11 November. Market trader Julie Shannon pitched a table outside the Town Hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to give the people of Sandbach a chance to get their last minute poppies along with various other items including the 2020 pin badge. Julie’s stall in the inside market had raised £180 for the British Legion while the table outside gained £300 on Thursday, £369.73 on Friday and three full tins on Saturday (Not counted so far).
The usual counters of money from the boxes were reduced from a handful of people to two in a bubble and reports show a good return for the few days they were on sale.
Cheshire Highways have also painted a poppy in the main street before Remembrance Sunday to join the poppies on the lampposts organised by Sandbach Town Council.
The lack of poppies is not the only thing affected by the shutdown. Remembrance Sunday was cancelled by the Royal British Legion with local organisers advised not to hold a ceremony that would attract large crowds and many town councils cut back or cancelled their events.
As the bells of St Mary’s rang out in salute of the day, Sandbach decided to have a private meeting at the War Memorial by independent citizens along with the Leader of Cheshire East, Sam Corcoran, Sandbach Mayor Geraint Price-Jones and anyone who just happened to be in the area at the time. A short march was arranged from the small common behind the Town Hall to the Market Square, keeping the tradition of Remembrance Sunday going.
Although not advertised a large crowd appeared by the War Memorial, all socially distancing with a number of organisations representatives turning up to lay wreaths during the impromptu ceremony. A ceremony included the usual, remembrance in memory of the death of the 120 who are named on the Sandbach War Memorial was read by Marjorie Newton, the Ode to the Fallen read this year by Howard Yates followed by a recorded Last Post and two minutes silence, reveille then the Kohima Epitaph. Apart from the large crowds lining the street and the procession from Westfields this was a cut down version that the ‘non organisers’ provided to make Sandbach proud of the annual tribute to the fallen and serving service personnel.
The ceremony missed Reg Dunning who had passed away earlier in the year and who had conducted the ceremony since 1956. The new Vicar of St Mary’s was also absent from the event as she was unable to attend due to restrictions placed on her by the Church and the Government lockdown rules.
At 11am Sandbach Fire Station also observed the two minutes silence with Firefighter / Crew manager Dave Beech bringing their wreath to the War Memorial afterwards.
This unofficial gathering reflected the need of the people of Sandbach to pay their tribute the armed forces past present and future and was a very fitting tribute to the men and women who defend our country in hard times including the work they are currently doing during the Coronavirus outbreak.
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24 October 2020
BRITISH LEGION BIKERS LAUNCH POPPY APPEAL IN SANDBACH
On Saturday the 24 October 2020, the Royal British Legion Riders Branch rode into Sandbach to launch the Poppy Appeal in the town at about 1.30pm. Like last year the weather was not kind to the riders as they attended launch events in Chester, Sandiway and Cuddington, Northwich, Middlewich, Sandbach and Crewe with rain and winds following them through the Cheshire streets. This year the event was different from past launches as local town councils dictated how many riders could attend the war memorials with about 18 people on this year’s ride rather than the usual 37 bikes. Nantwich decided it was not appropriate to hold their event and cancelled the bikers visit to the town while the usual Wales venues on the Sunday were out of bounds due to the Welsh Government restrictions about crossing their borders. Under normal circumstances the North Wales Branch would join the Cheshire Branch on Saturday and then the Cheshire bikers would travel on Sunday from Wrexham to Llangollen, Portmeirion, Caernafon and Llandudno to launch their appeals.
The Rev. Jeff Cuttel held a brief service at the Sandbach War Memorial with a High Tec MP3 player providing the bugle calls and minutes silence before they moved onto the next location.
Last year was the first time the launch had taken place in Sandbach with large crowds joining in the event but social distancing making this year a low key event with only members of the Sandbach Branch of the British Legion and the Mayor and Mayores of Sandbach invited to take part alongside the riders.
Due to restrictions the usual poppy collections tables in Waitrose and at the M6 Service station are not taking place this year but poppy tins and boxes have been distributed to the usual shops and business so that donations can be made to this worthy cause.
The 2018 appeal raised £26,519.27 in Sandbach from the Poppy Appeal with the Cheshire East Area contributing £727,716.63 up by 13% on the previous year with the national total being over £46,084,263.55p
The 2018 appeal was the largest in the history of the event mainly due to the commemoration of the end of the First World War.
In 2019 the Sandbach appeal raised £26,515 of a national total of £51.5 million beating the national record for a second year. This year the expectation will be a lot lower due to Covid 19 restrictions but every penny donated will still be going to help those who served their country and now need help themselves especially in these hard times. It is hoped that the people of Cheshire will still be as generous with their donations between now and the 11 November, remembering those who gave so much to protect the freedom we enjoy today.
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24 October 2020
BRITISH LEGION BIKERS LAUNCH POPPY APPEAL IN SANDBACH
On Saturday the 24 October 2020, the Royal British Legion Riders Branch rode into Sandbach to launch the Poppy Appeal in the town at about 1.30pm. Like last year the weather was not kind to the riders as they attended launch events in Chester, Sandiway and Cuddington, Northwich, Middlewich, Sandbach and Crewe with rain and winds following them through the Cheshire streets. This year the event was different from past launches as local town councils dictated how many riders could attend the war memorials with about 18 people on this year’s ride rather than the usual 37 bikes. Nantwich decided it was not appropriate to hold their event and cancelled the bikers visit to the town while the usual Wales venues on the Sunday were out of bounds due to the Welsh Government restrictions about crossing their borders. Under normal circumstances the North Wales Branch would join the Cheshire Branch on Saturday and then the Cheshire bikers would travel on Sunday from Wrexham to Llangollen, Portmeirion, Caernafon and Llandudno to launch their appeals.
The Rev. Jeff Cuttel held a brief service at the Sandbach War Memorial with a High Tec MP3 player providing the bugle calls and minutes silence before they moved onto the next location.
Last year was the first time the launch had taken place in Sandbach with large crowds joining in the event but social distancing making this year a low key event with only members of the Sandbach Branch of the British Legion and the Mayor and Mayores of Sandbach invited to take part alongside the riders.
Due to restrictions the usual poppy collections tables in Waitrose and at the M6 Service station are not taking place this year but poppy tins and boxes have been distributed to the usual shops and business so that donations can be made to this worthy cause.
The 2018 appeal raised £26,519.27 in Sandbach from the Poppy Appeal with the Cheshire East Area contributing £727,716.63 up by 13% on the previous year with the national total being over £46,084,263.55p
The 2018 appeal was the largest in the history of the event mainly due to the commemoration of the end of the First World War.
In 2019 the Sandbach appeal raised £26,515 of a national total of £51.5 million beating the national record for a second year. This year the expectation will be a lot lower due to Covid 19 restrictions but every penny donated will still be going to help those who served their country and now need help themselves especially in these hard times. It is hoped that the people of Cheshire will still be as generous with their donations between now and the 11 November, remembering those who gave so much to protect the freedom we enjoy today.
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30 September 2020
OFFLEY ROAD SCHOOL BOY DIES
At about 10am on Wednesday the 30 September 2020 the Northwest Air Ambulance landed in the grounds of Offley Road School in Sandbach to attend to a young 7 year old boy who fell ill that morning. Paramedics and staff along with the Air Ambulance staff fought to save his life. At about 10.45am the Air Ambulance took off with the boy on board and headed towards Leighton Hospital where it landed in a nearby field as the hospital doesn’t have a helipad, for treatment before it was decided to transport the child to Alderhey Children’s Hospital where sadly he died.
Sandbach Rugby Club posted the following on the 2 October (Thursday), “It is with the greatest possible sadness that we send the news of the tragic loss of Patryk Milner, one of our under 8s and son of Andy and Aggie. Patryk will be well known to all of you who have seen him around the club, with his sister Krissy, almost since he was born. We will never forget the image of his bright and energetic face.
Patryk suffered a short and sudden illness while at school and lost his fight for life yesterday. Many people; teachers, first-responders, air ambulance staff, doctors, and nurses did all that was humanly possible to help but, ultimately, their efforts were in vain. A dark cloud will hang over both the club and school for a very long time.
Our hearts go out to the family and, as a club, we will do everything that we can to support them both now and in the future.”
On a personal not I would like to send by condolences to Andy and Aggie Milner and their family for their loss.
NORTHWEST AIR AMBULANCE
If you would like to donate to help with funding contact details are as follow.
North West Air Ambulance Charity
North Mersey Business Centre
Woodward Road
Knowsley
L33 7UY
Telephone: 0800 587 4570
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25 September 2020
NO FUN AT THE FAIR
Joe White Funfairs are disappointed in Sandbach Town Council who have put a stop to having a full Fun Fair in the town during the 2020 Wakes Week in Sandbach as part of a tradition that goes back to the times of Elizabeth the First who granted the town two Wakes Fairs on the 4 May 1579 with one to be held in April and one in September. Original fairs would have been a market with entertainment like bear baiting or jesters entertaining the crowds with a possible Punch and Judy show (First show on the 9 May 1662) with the first report of a modern steam fair in the town dating from the 23 August 1907 when an organ was played to entertain the crowds along with rides.
Joe William White and his father Joe White (Snr) contacted the Council back in July 2020 to make arrangements for the annual event and were given an eight minute slot during the Council’s 9 July Town Council meeting for them to lay out plans to hold the fair with Covid 19 precautions.
The meeting opened with praise for the Sandbach Black Lives Matters organiser who broke the lockdown rules by holding a protest meeting with more than the official numbers of people gathering less than two meters apart. It later moved to encouraging more people to visit the shops with a new incentive so it was puzzling to the White family that as they were encouraging people to the town for the fair with compliance to Covid 19 restrictions their request was not approved. When it came to the discussion about the Wakes Fair the discussion opened with a report of a phone call with Cheshire Police “It has been reported that should the Council be minded to support the delivery of the 2020 Wakes Fair, the Police would like to be given an opportunity to share their concerns”. This had come to the Town Clerk, Ann Banks via a phone call earlier in the day and it was believed by the Town Clerk to be about anti social behaviour, but she was not sure. Without asking the police if they approved of the measures put in place by Joe White Funfairs or to clarify their statement Councillors then decided based on the perception of the police phone call to cancel the fair despite the fact that there has been no major incidents at the fair in many years and no-one was at the meeting from the fair to express their case for the Wakes Fair to go ahead.
The showman’s guild has laid out a series of measures to make fairs in general a safe place to visit and the Joe White organisation planned to go the extra mile to make Sandbach the safest place to be entertained and this was expressed in an E mail to the Council before the meeting. Barriers around the site would restrict the entry to under 499 people (Recommended by the size of the fair) with a one person in, one out system monitored by security staff hired by the fair, alongside a track and trace system of taking details on entry, with temperature checks and with hand sanitizers at the entry and exit points as well as around the site itself with rides being wiped down on a regular basis with ‘Zoono71’, a recommended disinfectant that lasts for up to 30 days to kill Covid 19. Even with these precautions in place the Sandbach Town Council turned down their application to bring the attractions to the town in 2020 with an E Mail to Joe White Funfairs who then had no chance for them to get the decision overturned. One excuse offered by the Council was that it didn’t have staff in place to monitor the fair or take payments for the event as the Institute building that housed the office was shut due to the furlough of personnel. It was pointed out that the payment could have been made in the same way as the Market Stall holders via staff from the Town Hall Office.
Joe William White told me that Fairs are touring in the south of England in places like Weymouth and Gloucester, with restricted access to Blackpool Pleasure Beach rides and Alton Towers, but events during August and September in the north, usually frequented by Joe White are being cancelled making it very difficult to make a living for this Sandbach / Arclid based business. He is especially disappointed with the Council decision when you see so many mass gatherings in the town from the Black Lives Matters protest, Makers Market, Thursday Market and Gandey’s Circus all taking place with less restrictions than the Fair would have put in place. There was no objection by the White family to these mass events but had hoped for a sympathetic response to hold the fair.
Joe White Funfairs did bring a children’s, ‘Crazy Bus” ride to Sandbach on Friday the 25 September to keep the tradition of rides coming to the town for the Wakes Fair weekend. Had they been able to bring a reduced number of rides to the town the people of Sandbach would have been the first to see the introduction of a new Waltzer ride which is still waiting for its first outing from their Arclid base.
Originally from Cheetham Hill in Manchester and later Northwich the White family moved to Arclid over 40 years ago having been to the Sandbach Wakes since before 77 year old Joe White was born. Originally pitching their caravans behind the Crown public house the common was in those early days just a muddy patch when Joe’s father had first pitched his rides in September. Over the last five years it seems a concerted effort by some councillors and the Cheshire Police has made it very difficult for Joe White Funfairs to make money in the town, a town that has supported the family both from local shops and businesses like ERF and Fodens who supplied vehicles to them when they were being manufactured in Sandbach.
Staff usually employed at the Sandbach Fair are now having to do shelf stacking and other jobs to make ends meet with caterers vans moving onto retail sites to keep their businesses going.
With Government restrictions being lifted on the 4 July many attractions reopened and traditional events had the go ahead to take place including Alton Park which was open for pre booked visitors along with Blackpool Pleasure Beach (Pre Booked), Pleasure Land Theme Park at Bromsgrove run by Wilson Amusements between the 24 Sept and 4 October 2020 and fairs being staged at Stafford Common by Pat Collins Funfairs (14-31 Aug and 5-6 Sept 2020) as well as West Bridge Park, Stone with Warwicks Funfairs providing a Covid 19 secure fair between the 17 – 27 Sept 2020. They advertise their measures with fencing, face masks, hand sanitizers social distancing on rides, a one way system round the site, track and trace, Zoono to deep clean the rides on a regular basis.
Some events have been cancelled the main Fairs at Ashby Statutes in Leicestershire after 801 years, with Council approval they were allowed to put some token children’s rides onto the site to keep an unblemished run going into their 802nd year between the 18 and 22 September and similarly at Burton (Token Rides). With approval from other local authorities to work with the Fair owners to overcome the restrictions why did Sandbach Town Council decide to just cancel the Wakes Weekend after 441 years?
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25 September 2020
NO FUN AT THE FAIR
Joe White Funfairs are disappointed in Sandbach Town Council who have put a stop to having a full Fun Fair in the town during the 2020 Wakes Week in Sandbach as part of a tradition that goes back to the times of Elizabeth the First who granted the town two Wakes Fairs on the 4 May 1579 with one to be held in April and one in September. Original fairs would have been a market with entertainment like bear baiting or jesters entertaining the crowds with a possible Punch and Judy show (First show on the 9 May 1662) with the first report of a modern steam fair in the town dating from the 23 August 1907 when an organ was played to entertain the crowds along with rides.
Joe William White and his father Joe White (Snr) contacted the Council back in July 2020 to make arrangements for the annual event and were given an eight minute slot during the Council’s 9 July Town Council meeting for them to lay out plans to hold the fair with Covid 19 precautions.
The meeting opened with praise for the Sandbach Black Lives Matters organiser who broke the lockdown rules by holding a protest meeting with more than the official numbers of people gathering less than two meters apart. It later moved to encouraging more people to visit the shops with a new incentive so it was puzzling to the White family that as they were encouraging people to the town for the fair with compliance to Covid 19 restrictions their request was not approved. When it came to the discussion about the Wakes Fair the discussion opened with a report of a phone call with Cheshire Police “It has been reported that should the Council be minded to support the delivery of the 2020 Wakes Fair, the Police would like to be given an opportunity to share their concerns”. This had come to the Town Clerk, Ann Banks via a phone call earlier in the day and it was believed by the Town Clerk to be about anti social behaviour, but she was not sure. Without asking the police if they approved of the measures put in place by Joe White Funfairs or to clarify their statement Councillors then decided based on the perception of the police phone call to cancel the fair despite the fact that there has been no major incidents at the fair in many years and no-one was at the meeting from the fair to express their case for the Wakes Fair to go ahead.
The showman’s guild has laid out a series of measures to make fairs in general a safe place to visit and the Joe White organisation planned to go the extra mile to make Sandbach the safest place to be entertained and this was expressed in an E mail to the Council before the meeting. Barriers around the site would restrict the entry to under 499 people (Recommended by the size of the fair) with a one person in, one out system monitored by security staff hired by the fair, alongside a track and trace system of taking details on entry, with temperature checks and with hand sanitizers at the entry and exit points as well as around the site itself with rides being wiped down on a regular basis with ‘Zoono71’, a recommended disinfectant that lasts for up to 30 days to kill Covid 19. Even with these precautions in place the Sandbach Town Council turned down their application to bring the attractions to the town in 2020 with an E Mail to Joe White Funfairs who then had no chance for them to get the decision overturned. One excuse offered by the Council was that it didn’t have staff in place to monitor the fair or take payments for the event as the Institute building that housed the office was shut due to the furlough of personnel. It was pointed out that the payment could have been made in the same way as the Market Stall holders via staff from the Town Hall Office.
Joe William White told me that Fairs are touring in the south of England in places like Weymouth and Gloucester, with restricted access to Blackpool Pleasure Beach rides and Alton Towers, but events during August and September in the north, usually frequented by Joe White are being cancelled making it very difficult to make a living for this Sandbach / Arclid based business. He is especially disappointed with the Council decision when you see so many mass gatherings in the town from the Black Lives Matters protest, Makers Market, Thursday Market and Gandey’s Circus all taking place with less restrictions than the Fair would have put in place. There was no objection by the White family to these mass events but had hoped for a sympathetic response to hold the fair.
Joe White Funfairs did bring a children’s, ‘Crazy Bus” ride to Sandbach on Friday the 25 September to keep the tradition of rides coming to the town for the Wakes Fair weekend. Had they been able to bring a reduced number of rides to the town the people of Sandbach would have been the first to see the introduction of a new Waltzer ride which is still waiting for its first outing from their Arclid base.
Originally from Cheetham Hill in Manchester and later Northwich the White family moved to Arclid over 40 years ago having been to the Sandbach Wakes since before 77 year old Joe White was born. Originally pitching their caravans behind the Crown public house the common was in those early days just a muddy patch when Joe’s father had first pitched his rides in September. Over the last five years it seems a concerted effort by some councillors and the Cheshire Police has made it very difficult for Joe White Funfairs to make money in the town, a town that has supported the family both from local shops and businesses like ERF and Fodens who supplied vehicles to them when they were being manufactured in Sandbach.
Staff usually employed at the Sandbach Fair are now having to do shelf stacking and other jobs to make ends meet with caterers vans moving onto retail sites to keep their businesses going.
With Government restrictions being lifted on the 4 July many attractions reopened and traditional events had the go ahead to take place including Alton Park which was open for pre booked visitors along with Blackpool Pleasure Beach (Pre Booked), Pleasure Land Theme Park at Bromsgrove run by Wilson Amusements between the 24 Sept and 4 October 2020 and fairs being staged at Stafford Common by Pat Collins Funfairs (14-31 Aug and 5-6 Sept 2020) as well as West Bridge Park, Stone with Warwicks Funfairs providing a Covid 19 secure fair between the 17 – 27 Sept 2020. They advertise their measures with fencing, face masks, hand sanitizers social distancing on rides, a one way system round the site, track and trace, Zoono to deep clean the rides on a regular basis.
Some events have been cancelled the main Fairs at Ashby Statutes in Leicestershire after 801 years, with Council approval they were allowed to put some token children’s rides onto the site to keep an unblemished run going into their 802nd year between the 18 and 22 September and similarly at Burton (Token Rides). With approval from other local authorities to work with the Fair owners to overcome the restrictions why did Sandbach Town Council decide to just cancel the Wakes Weekend after 441 years?
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20 Sept 2020
RECORD FAIR AT MARKET HALL
With changes to coronavirus regulations Sandbach Town Council has relaxed its policy on events being held in the town hall. Although some like dances and shows are still not able to take place they have allowed two Record Fairs and later a Gift and Craft Fair will be held in the Market Hall on Sundays.
The Record Fairs on the 23 August and the 20 September organised by John Beddows complied with all the current regulations with regard to wearing masks for the customers and most of the stall holders. A large number of record collectors turned up for the event to search for that disc they have been looking for or an unexpected novelty for their collection.
With further changes announced this week we will have to see what happens in the future but there is the planned Gift and Craft fair on the 1 November, more record fairs and possibly many other events before Christmas.
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20 Sept 2020
RECORD FAIR AT MARKET HALL
With changes to coronavirus regulations Sandbach Town Council has relaxed its policy on events being held in the town hall. Although some like dances and shows are still not able to take place they have allowed two Record Fairs and later a Gift and Craft Fair will be held in the Market Hall on Sundays.
The Record Fairs on the 23 August and the 20 September organised by John Beddows complied with all the current regulations with regard to wearing masks for the customers and most of the stall holders. A large number of record collectors turned up for the event to search for that disc they have been looking for or an unexpected novelty for their collection.
With further changes announced this week we will have to see what happens in the future but there is the planned Gift and Craft fair on the 1 November, more record fairs and possibly many other events before Christmas.
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10 September 2020
THREE DAYS TO PARIS
It may be three hundred miles to Paris from Sandbach but Coronavirus has stopped a fundraising bike rode to the French Capitol planned for this month. Undaunted John Stammers and John Minshull (Pictured) are riding their bikes through sunshine and rain on the Market Square in Sandbach this Thursday (10 Sept 2020), Friday (11 Sept 2020) and Saturday during the Makers Market (12 Sept 2010) to raise funds for The Christie and Cancer Research. Using turbo trainers (Stationary bike supports) they are cycling the equivalent mileage in memory of Julia Stammers who died last year of cancer. John, her husband will be joined by Mike Bull and Eddie Tink along with John Minshull on their stationary journey. Donations can be made in person or via www. Just Giving / Julia-stammers1
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10 September 2020
THREE DAYS TO PARIS
It may be three hundred miles to Paris from Sandbach but Coronavirus has stopped a fundraising bike rode to the French Capitol planned for this month. Undaunted John Stammers and John Minshull (Pictured) are riding their bikes through sunshine and rain on the Market Square in Sandbach this Thursday (10 Sept 2020), Friday (11 Sept 2020) and Saturday during the Makers Market (12 Sept 2010) to raise funds for The Christie and Cancer Research. Using turbo trainers (Stationary bike supports) they are cycling the equivalent mileage in memory of Julia Stammers who died last year of cancer. John, her husband will be joined by Mike Bull and Eddie Tink along with John Minshull on their stationary journey. Donations can be made in person or via www. Just Giving / Julia-stammers1
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5 September 2020
Signs have been put up in the Town Centre for a new Speed Limit of 20mph according to Cheshire East this is to make it safer for cyclists in the town.
Signs have been put up in the Town Centre for a new Speed Limit of 20mph according to Cheshire East this is to make it safer for cyclists in the town.
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20 August 2020
GYPSY FUNERAL
Sandbach came to a standstill today for a Gypsy Funeral. The funeral cortège left Elworth at approx 10.30am and traveled to Sandbach Cemetery via Abbey Road, Middlewich Road/A533. Highways England and the Police monitored the situation with a large amount of constables and the Police Helicopter which flew over the town for about two hours at great expense. I am told that next week Cheshire Constabulary will have a new drone in operation which will reduce the cost considerably for events like this but I still worry about the cost of monitoring this despite the fact that there have been fights breaking out at previous occasions. Three officers had video cameras to monitor the police action on the ground which I am thankful to say were not needed during the time I was able to see what was going on before heading off to work. Now we have seen the amount of Police Officers available for this I hope the Chief Constable will reconsider monitoring events like the Remembrance Day marches which have been cut down to main events leaving smaller towns to pay for their own marshals.
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20 August 2020
GYPSY FUNERAL
Sandbach came to a standstill today for a Gypsy Funeral. The funeral cortège left Elworth at approx 10.30am and traveled to Sandbach Cemetery via Abbey Road, Middlewich Road/A533. Highways England and the Police monitored the situation with a large amount of constables and the Police Helicopter which flew over the town for about two hours at great expense. I am told that next week Cheshire Constabulary will have a new drone in operation which will reduce the cost considerably for events like this but I still worry about the cost of monitoring this despite the fact that there have been fights breaking out at previous occasions. Three officers had video cameras to monitor the police action on the ground which I am thankful to say were not needed during the time I was able to see what was going on before heading off to work. Now we have seen the amount of Police Officers available for this I hope the Chief Constable will reconsider monitoring events like the Remembrance Day marches which have been cut down to main events leaving smaller towns to pay for their own marshals.
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15 – 16 Aug 2020
SANDBACH COMMEMORATES VJ DAY 75 YEARS ON
On the 15th and 16 August 2020, Sandbach commemorated the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day (Victory in Japan) with an impromptu gathering at 11am by the War Memorial on the Saturday with John Brooks and Dave Cooper, two members of the Cheshire Regiment joining the Roberts and Hudson family and others in a two minutes silence. Louise Hudson told me that the two families had a connection to William Bradley who had served in the Japanese conflict and were there in his memory.
Sandbach Fire brigade also turned out to observe the 2 minutes silence with both their appliances (Main and Rapid Response Vehicle) on display outside their newly refurbished Fire Station.
At about 3 minutes past 11 the bells of St Mary’s rang out until 20 past 11 to commemorate the end of the Second World War on VJ Day. David Moss, Angela Burgess, John Austin and Stella Craven rang the bells of the church after sanitising before going up the tower and wearing masks while pulling the bell ropes following on their tribute from their VE day peal.
On the Sunday members of the British Legion, Cheshire Regiment and Sandbach Town Council’s Mayor Geraint Price-Jones laid wreaths at 2pm with passers-by joining in the ceremony. One gentleman from Sandbach observing the event told me that his father had been part of the Indian Army during the conflict and like so many others of the survivors didn’t talk about his part in the war.
During World War 2, Sandbach residents were involved with the Japanese conflict (Burma Star / Burma and Far East campaign which continued until the 2 September 1945) with L/Bor H Minshall the son of Mr and Mrs G Minshull being captured and taken to a Japanese POW camp.
Aircraftman 1st Class 1019069 Oswald Jones was with the 211 Squadron R.A.F.V.R. and was the son of Margaret Jones of Bradwall Road. He was married to Doris Jones of Elworth before he became a prisoner of war in Japan and died on the 23 October 1944.
Gunner Reginald George Proudlove from Bradwall was in the Royal Artillery and was killed in Burma on the 11 April 1944 aged 25.
The 1986 President of the Royal British Legion, John Gleave had served in both the Army and the Royal Navy with a role in a Combined Operations beach assault unit in the Far East was against Japan gaining the Burma Star along the way. After the war John became a journalist with the Cheshire Regiment covering trouble spots all over the world and was appointed a member of the Regimental Officers Association.
The 1986 Chairman alongside Mr Gleave was also another veteran of the conflict with Mr Doug Roycroft (Retired School Master) also gaining the Burma Star. Another veteran was the 1948- 1968 Secretary of the RBL Society, Mr George Brooks who had been an Ex Prisoner of War of the Japanese.
Another notable Sandbach resident who served in Burma was Lawrence Stubbs who ran the Hardware Shop on Congleton Road for many years before retiring to become a Chelsea Pensioner.
Although the Japanese officially surrendered on the 15 August 1945, the conflict in Burma continued until the 2 September 1945 with many soldiers and sailors taken from the relative safety of the D Day, Normandy Landing straight to Burma to fight against the Japanese who had started their war on the 11 December 1941 in the Far East after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour (Pearl Harbor) on the 7 December. Moving into Hong Kong on Christmas Day 1941 the Japanese continued their invasion into Malaya, the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies along with the North East frontier of India with many relatives of Sandbach residents taking part in the fight against this Japanese force.
Known as the Forgotten War and the Forgotten Army the people of Sandbach did seem to have forgotten about this event and some in the town wondered why the radio was playing the sound of birds singing at 11am on the 15 April which proved that some of the media had failed to promote the event as they had done with VE Day earlier in the year. Some of those at the War Memorial wondered why the town had not brought out the picnic baskets to celebrate in the streets of the town as social distancing was becoming more relaxed but those who did take part paid their respects to the many who had lost their lives or were traumatised by this very different war in the Jungles and the Far East.
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15 – 16 Aug 2020
SANDBACH COMMEMORATES VJ DAY 75 YEARS ON
On the 15th and 16 August 2020, Sandbach commemorated the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day (Victory in Japan) with an impromptu gathering at 11am by the War Memorial on the Saturday with John Brooks and Dave Cooper, two members of the Cheshire Regiment joining the Roberts and Hudson family and others in a two minutes silence. Louise Hudson told me that the two families had a connection to William Bradley who had served in the Japanese conflict and were there in his memory.
Sandbach Fire brigade also turned out to observe the 2 minutes silence with both their appliances (Main and Rapid Response Vehicle) on display outside their newly refurbished Fire Station.
At about 3 minutes past 11 the bells of St Mary’s rang out until 20 past 11 to commemorate the end of the Second World War on VJ Day. David Moss, Angela Burgess, John Austin and Stella Craven rang the bells of the church after sanitising before going up the tower and wearing masks while pulling the bell ropes following on their tribute from their VE day peal.
On the Sunday members of the British Legion, Cheshire Regiment and Sandbach Town Council’s Mayor Geraint Price-Jones laid wreaths at 2pm with passers-by joining in the ceremony. One gentleman from Sandbach observing the event told me that his father had been part of the Indian Army during the conflict and like so many others of the survivors didn’t talk about his part in the war.
During World War 2, Sandbach residents were involved with the Japanese conflict (Burma Star / Burma and Far East campaign which continued until the 2 September 1945) with L/Bor H Minshall the son of Mr and Mrs G Minshull being captured and taken to a Japanese POW camp.
Aircraftman 1st Class 1019069 Oswald Jones was with the 211 Squadron R.A.F.V.R. and was the son of Margaret Jones of Bradwall Road. He was married to Doris Jones of Elworth before he became a prisoner of war in Japan and died on the 23 October 1944.
Gunner Reginald George Proudlove from Bradwall was in the Royal Artillery and was killed in Burma on the 11 April 1944 aged 25.
The 1986 President of the Royal British Legion, John Gleave had served in both the Army and the Royal Navy with a role in a Combined Operations beach assault unit in the Far East was against Japan gaining the Burma Star along the way. After the war John became a journalist with the Cheshire Regiment covering trouble spots all over the world and was appointed a member of the Regimental Officers Association.
The 1986 Chairman alongside Mr Gleave was also another veteran of the conflict with Mr Doug Roycroft (Retired School Master) also gaining the Burma Star. Another veteran was the 1948- 1968 Secretary of the RBL Society, Mr George Brooks who had been an Ex Prisoner of War of the Japanese.
Another notable Sandbach resident who served in Burma was Lawrence Stubbs who ran the Hardware Shop on Congleton Road for many years before retiring to become a Chelsea Pensioner.
Although the Japanese officially surrendered on the 15 August 1945, the conflict in Burma continued until the 2 September 1945 with many soldiers and sailors taken from the relative safety of the D Day, Normandy Landing straight to Burma to fight against the Japanese who had started their war on the 11 December 1941 in the Far East after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour (Pearl Harbor) on the 7 December. Moving into Hong Kong on Christmas Day 1941 the Japanese continued their invasion into Malaya, the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies along with the North East frontier of India with many relatives of Sandbach residents taking part in the fight against this Japanese force.
Known as the Forgotten War and the Forgotten Army the people of Sandbach did seem to have forgotten about this event and some in the town wondered why the radio was playing the sound of birds singing at 11am on the 15 April which proved that some of the media had failed to promote the event as they had done with VE Day earlier in the year. Some of those at the War Memorial wondered why the town had not brought out the picnic baskets to celebrate in the streets of the town as social distancing was becoming more relaxed but those who did take part paid their respects to the many who had lost their lives or were traumatised by this very different war in the Jungles and the Far East.
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REG DUNNING FUNERAL
Sandbach paid tribute to Reg Duning during his funeral on the 28 July 2020, after his death on the 4 July 2020 at the age of 93. Williams and Lowe funeral directors pulled out all the stops to make the funeral accessible to as many people as possible with the help of St Mary's Church and the family they arranged for a video link between the Church and the Church Hall to allow invited guests to attend the funeral as lockdown restrictions only allow 30 people to be in the church stalls during the service. A speaker was also installed in the archway under the bell tower to allow other mourners to listen to the funeral and some, like myself, were able to see inside the church during the service as the doors were left open, making this as good an experience of a funeral that I have been to outside the lockdown restrictions.
As the hearse had made the journey from Park Lane down Middlewich Road to the High Street it had encountered many paying their respect on the pathway as this well known Sandbachian made his final journey as well as a crowd who gathered on the main road outside the church to see the coffin of Reginald Dunning as he started his final parade with precision timing as usual for the man who has arranged the Civic Service and Royal British Legion parades for as long as anyone in Sandbach can remember.
The first nice touch for this unusual ceremony was the handing out of “Orders of Service”to those waiting outside St Mary’s for them to remember Reginald Dunning, but also for later when they were invited to listen to the service outside the main entrance to the church.
A number of uniformed friends and acquaintances gathered opposite the church including representatives from the Royal British Legion, Sandbach Fire Cadets and the local Police who were on duty in the town and at the moment the coffin was taken up the walkway to the church they stood to attention in respect of their friend.
The service conducted by the Revd David Page included personal memories from the family and a full history of Reg, apart from his time in the Intelligence Unit which he never spoke about.
After the coffin had been removed from the church it was processed in the hearse to the War Memorial where it paused for a few minutes while members of the British Legion, Sandbach Fire Station / Fire Cadets and others stood and saluted the hearse as it made this planned stop by the place where Reg usually stood during the Remembrance Day events to orchestrate the 2 minutes silence and to recite the Ode of Remembrance (For the Fallen by Lawrence Binion), a fitting tribute to the 93 year old.
Those members of the public who could not attend the service marked the occasion as the coffin arrived and left the church with a line (Socially distancing) in tribute to this local person who had been involved in many aspects of the town for well over 60 years.
As VJ day arrives in August and in November as the town pays its respects to the fallen of both world wars and the conflicts since then there will be another name that will be remembered on those days, that of Reginald Dunning who was so much a part of the commemoration that his presence will be missed by all who take part and those who show their support each year.
Sandbach paid tribute to Reg Duning during his funeral on the 28 July 2020, after his death on the 4 July 2020 at the age of 93. Williams and Lowe funeral directors pulled out all the stops to make the funeral accessible to as many people as possible with the help of St Mary's Church and the family they arranged for a video link between the Church and the Church Hall to allow invited guests to attend the funeral as lockdown restrictions only allow 30 people to be in the church stalls during the service. A speaker was also installed in the archway under the bell tower to allow other mourners to listen to the funeral and some, like myself, were able to see inside the church during the service as the doors were left open, making this as good an experience of a funeral that I have been to outside the lockdown restrictions.
As the hearse had made the journey from Park Lane down Middlewich Road to the High Street it had encountered many paying their respect on the pathway as this well known Sandbachian made his final journey as well as a crowd who gathered on the main road outside the church to see the coffin of Reginald Dunning as he started his final parade with precision timing as usual for the man who has arranged the Civic Service and Royal British Legion parades for as long as anyone in Sandbach can remember.
The first nice touch for this unusual ceremony was the handing out of “Orders of Service”to those waiting outside St Mary’s for them to remember Reginald Dunning, but also for later when they were invited to listen to the service outside the main entrance to the church.
A number of uniformed friends and acquaintances gathered opposite the church including representatives from the Royal British Legion, Sandbach Fire Cadets and the local Police who were on duty in the town and at the moment the coffin was taken up the walkway to the church they stood to attention in respect of their friend.
The service conducted by the Revd David Page included personal memories from the family and a full history of Reg, apart from his time in the Intelligence Unit which he never spoke about.
After the coffin had been removed from the church it was processed in the hearse to the War Memorial where it paused for a few minutes while members of the British Legion, Sandbach Fire Station / Fire Cadets and others stood and saluted the hearse as it made this planned stop by the place where Reg usually stood during the Remembrance Day events to orchestrate the 2 minutes silence and to recite the Ode of Remembrance (For the Fallen by Lawrence Binion), a fitting tribute to the 93 year old.
Those members of the public who could not attend the service marked the occasion as the coffin arrived and left the church with a line (Socially distancing) in tribute to this local person who had been involved in many aspects of the town for well over 60 years.
As VJ day arrives in August and in November as the town pays its respects to the fallen of both world wars and the conflicts since then there will be another name that will be remembered on those days, that of Reginald Dunning who was so much a part of the commemoration that his presence will be missed by all who take part and those who show their support each year.
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4 July 2020
REG DUNNING B.E.M. DIES AT THE AGE OF 93
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Reg Dunning on the 4 July 2020.
A familiar face at the Royal British Legion Remembrance Day events and other marches in Sandbach , Reginald Dunning was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to Education and the Community in the January 2019, New Years Honours list and collected the medal from the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire at Tatton Park at the end of April 2019. Among the community services he had been a part of, include recently helping to appoint the new vicar of St Mary’s as part of the Parochial Church Council along with Andrew Wood, Howard Yates, Janet Hides , church warden Anne Birch and others. Reg was also a founder member of the Old Sandbachians Rugby Club (Now Sandbach RUFC) and was made Honorary Secretary until 1972. He was also a driving force as an officer of the Old Sandbachians for over 50 Years (Ex-Pupils from Sandbach School) and was a past member of the Sandbach Round Table and current member of the Sandbach 41 Club (Past Round Table members). Reg was also a Mason, member of Probus and had been the Chairman of the Governors at the Offley Road School.
Born on the 9 July 1926, Reg went to school in Sandbach where in later life be became a Director of the Sandbach School from the 28 January 2008 until the 8 July 2013 and he continued to have contact with the school events including being involved with the opening of the WW1 Memorial Garden at the front of the main entrance arranged by various pupils.
At one time Reg’s parents ran the Rookery Tavern in Ettley Heath and his Auntie Florence Harrison (nee Dunning) ran the Military Arms on the Common by 1936, with her husband Herbert Harrison (Solo Cornet player from Stockport with Foden’s Band, 1909 to 1935) and was also one of the first female fire-fighters at Sandbach Fire Station and who was also allowed to drive the Dennis Fire Appliance.
Known for leading the processions on Remembrance Day for over 60 years and the Mayor’s Civic Parade in June, Reg has become one of the familiar faces of the town but his involvement with military parades goes back well before then when on the 2 November 1944, at the age of 18 he entered National Service in the General Service Corps and became Private 14863464. After initial training Reg was attached to the South Lancashire Regiment and from there volunteered to do glider pilot training for the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Army Corps. In May 1945, Reg was promoted to Corporal in the Glider Pilot Regiment and then started training with Tiger Moths at RAF Booker and then in June 1945 he transferred to RAF Fairoakes, moving in August 1945 to RAF Croughton where he went back to the Hotspur Glider.
In September 1945, Reg gained his second Pilot’s wing and had been promoted to Sergeant again with gliders this time moving to RAF Brize Norton and other squadrons.
With the war ending on the 7 May 1945, after Germany surrendered (8 May VE Day) Reg had not completed any wartime missions but continued to fly and in 1946 he gained his Civil Aviation ‘A’ Licence and a Royal Aero Club certificate.
The end of the war also meant the end of the use of gliders on the front line and Reg decided to apply to the War Office for a job with the Intelligence Corps and was accepted. After attending courses at the School of Military Intelligence at Aldershot Reg then travelled to Palestine in October 1946 with the 317 (Airborne) Field Security of the 6th Airborne Division. Reg was posted to Haifa, Nazareth, Eastern Galilee and Nazareth and was on one occasion assigned to HMS Chevron to photograph Jewish illegal immigrant ships that were trying to land on the Palestine coast as part of his duties with Military Intelligence.
In 1948, Reginald Dunning was demobbed and entered Civvy Street to take up a position in the finance and executive departments of various local government departments within the Cheshire Authorities.
In 1956, Reg Dunning started co-ordinating the Remembrance Day Parade for Sandbach a role he had taken on a few years earlier when he had provided the same organisational skills for the Sandbach Urban District Council and their Civic parades.
When local Government changed and Sandbach Town Council was formed in 1974, Reg moved to Congleton Town Council as a Public Relations Officer, a role he held until 1992 when he retired and was one of those involved with the Congleton Twinning Association as Secretary.
At the age of 92, Reg still organised the parades making sure everyone was in their right place ready for the march through the town. However, the long walk from Westfields was no longer recommended for him to lead the procession and so he decided to meet the participants at the Council Car Park and then was pushed in a wheelchair to the War Memorial where he still read the words of the, Ode to the Fallen, “They shall not grow old…” and ending with the line “we shall remember them”. A short work to St Mary’s Church and he then put on his other hat ready to take the collection at the end of the service.
In 2019, HM Queen Elizabeth bestowed upon Reginald Dunning the honour of the B.E.M. (Order of the British Empire, Medallist of the Order of the British Empire) for services to education and the community in the New Year’s Honours list and he was proudly featured on social media, newspapers and in the Royal British Legion magazine.
During the last few years Reg’s wife Jean Ann Dunning, became ill and sadly she died at the St Stephen’s Care Home in Elworth on the 16 June 2020, aged 90. Reg visited her as often as he could while she was in the home and her funeral took place at Crewe Crematorium on the 29 June. Because of the Coronavirus outbreak Reg decided to move to Cumbria to be with his family but he became ill at the end of June and was taken to hospital where he passed away peacefully on the 4 July 2020 in the early hours, leaving behind his son’s Andrew and David, Grand Children and Great Grandchildren.
Many people on social media do not remember a time when Reg was not at the Remembrance Day parade and at other events in the town including local coffee mornings at the Church Hall, bowling and fundraisers held by the Royal British Legion. When November the 11th comes round this year there will be a big gap to fill and the whole of the community will miss Reginald Dunning B.E.M.
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4 July 2020
REG DUNNING B.E.M. DIES AT THE AGE OF 93
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Reg Dunning on the 4 July 2020.
A familiar face at the Royal British Legion Remembrance Day events and other marches in Sandbach , Reginald Dunning was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to Education and the Community in the January 2019, New Years Honours list and collected the medal from the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire at Tatton Park at the end of April 2019. Among the community services he had been a part of, include recently helping to appoint the new vicar of St Mary’s as part of the Parochial Church Council along with Andrew Wood, Howard Yates, Janet Hides , church warden Anne Birch and others. Reg was also a founder member of the Old Sandbachians Rugby Club (Now Sandbach RUFC) and was made Honorary Secretary until 1972. He was also a driving force as an officer of the Old Sandbachians for over 50 Years (Ex-Pupils from Sandbach School) and was a past member of the Sandbach Round Table and current member of the Sandbach 41 Club (Past Round Table members). Reg was also a Mason, member of Probus and had been the Chairman of the Governors at the Offley Road School.
Born on the 9 July 1926, Reg went to school in Sandbach where in later life be became a Director of the Sandbach School from the 28 January 2008 until the 8 July 2013 and he continued to have contact with the school events including being involved with the opening of the WW1 Memorial Garden at the front of the main entrance arranged by various pupils.
At one time Reg’s parents ran the Rookery Tavern in Ettley Heath and his Auntie Florence Harrison (nee Dunning) ran the Military Arms on the Common by 1936, with her husband Herbert Harrison (Solo Cornet player from Stockport with Foden’s Band, 1909 to 1935) and was also one of the first female fire-fighters at Sandbach Fire Station and who was also allowed to drive the Dennis Fire Appliance.
Known for leading the processions on Remembrance Day for over 60 years and the Mayor’s Civic Parade in June, Reg has become one of the familiar faces of the town but his involvement with military parades goes back well before then when on the 2 November 1944, at the age of 18 he entered National Service in the General Service Corps and became Private 14863464. After initial training Reg was attached to the South Lancashire Regiment and from there volunteered to do glider pilot training for the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Army Corps. In May 1945, Reg was promoted to Corporal in the Glider Pilot Regiment and then started training with Tiger Moths at RAF Booker and then in June 1945 he transferred to RAF Fairoakes, moving in August 1945 to RAF Croughton where he went back to the Hotspur Glider.
In September 1945, Reg gained his second Pilot’s wing and had been promoted to Sergeant again with gliders this time moving to RAF Brize Norton and other squadrons.
With the war ending on the 7 May 1945, after Germany surrendered (8 May VE Day) Reg had not completed any wartime missions but continued to fly and in 1946 he gained his Civil Aviation ‘A’ Licence and a Royal Aero Club certificate.
The end of the war also meant the end of the use of gliders on the front line and Reg decided to apply to the War Office for a job with the Intelligence Corps and was accepted. After attending courses at the School of Military Intelligence at Aldershot Reg then travelled to Palestine in October 1946 with the 317 (Airborne) Field Security of the 6th Airborne Division. Reg was posted to Haifa, Nazareth, Eastern Galilee and Nazareth and was on one occasion assigned to HMS Chevron to photograph Jewish illegal immigrant ships that were trying to land on the Palestine coast as part of his duties with Military Intelligence.
In 1948, Reginald Dunning was demobbed and entered Civvy Street to take up a position in the finance and executive departments of various local government departments within the Cheshire Authorities.
In 1956, Reg Dunning started co-ordinating the Remembrance Day Parade for Sandbach a role he had taken on a few years earlier when he had provided the same organisational skills for the Sandbach Urban District Council and their Civic parades.
When local Government changed and Sandbach Town Council was formed in 1974, Reg moved to Congleton Town Council as a Public Relations Officer, a role he held until 1992 when he retired and was one of those involved with the Congleton Twinning Association as Secretary.
At the age of 92, Reg still organised the parades making sure everyone was in their right place ready for the march through the town. However, the long walk from Westfields was no longer recommended for him to lead the procession and so he decided to meet the participants at the Council Car Park and then was pushed in a wheelchair to the War Memorial where he still read the words of the, Ode to the Fallen, “They shall not grow old…” and ending with the line “we shall remember them”. A short work to St Mary’s Church and he then put on his other hat ready to take the collection at the end of the service.
In 2019, HM Queen Elizabeth bestowed upon Reginald Dunning the honour of the B.E.M. (Order of the British Empire, Medallist of the Order of the British Empire) for services to education and the community in the New Year’s Honours list and he was proudly featured on social media, newspapers and in the Royal British Legion magazine.
During the last few years Reg’s wife Jean Ann Dunning, became ill and sadly she died at the St Stephen’s Care Home in Elworth on the 16 June 2020, aged 90. Reg visited her as often as he could while she was in the home and her funeral took place at Crewe Crematorium on the 29 June. Because of the Coronavirus outbreak Reg decided to move to Cumbria to be with his family but he became ill at the end of June and was taken to hospital where he passed away peacefully on the 4 July 2020 in the early hours, leaving behind his son’s Andrew and David, Grand Children and Great Grandchildren.
Many people on social media do not remember a time when Reg was not at the Remembrance Day parade and at other events in the town including local coffee mornings at the Church Hall, bowling and fundraisers held by the Royal British Legion. When November the 11th comes round this year there will be a big gap to fill and the whole of the community will miss Reginald Dunning B.E.M.
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22 June 2020
SANDBACH FIRE STATION UPGRADE
In September and October 2019 plans were submitted to Cheshire East Council to upgrade the Sandbach Fire Station building with a new extension, gym facilities and a new look outside. Part of a major upgrade for the Counties fire stations costing £8.5 Million this will cover 21 of the areas buildings with the Cruden group doing the work on improving the aging buildings, some of which like Sandbach date back to the 1960’s.
Work started on the 28 April 2019 at Bollington and Tarporley with Middlewich, Sandbach, Runcorn and Birchwood being upgraded in 2019 to 2020 and Audlem, Holmes Chapel, Northwich and Widnes in 2020 to 2021, followed by Congleton, Knutsford, Ellesmere Port and Malpas in 2021 to 2022 and Macclesfield, Poynton, Frodsham and Winsford having their upgrades in 2022 to 2023. Of the stations being renovated 11 were built in the 1960’s, 6 in the 1970’s, 1 in the 1980’s with three from the 1990’s.
At the end of February staff at the Sandbach Fire station moved their belongings into a portacabin and with observations over the next few months, by the 1 March workers had put up barriers at the back of the building and work had started on the upgrade of the building. Due to the work in the main bay of the building the two fire appliances were often seen outside ready for a “shout” but also keeping the area clear for the alterations.
It was thought that the Coronavirus shutdown would delay building work but after a few days to assess working conditions the builders were back on site and everything seemed to be back on track.
By the 18 May scaffolding had been put on the roof space and the façade had been removed from above the main front doors to be replaced over the next few months by a wooden facia the following day. By the 24 May the new gym extension had been put in place cutting one of the bays in half and extending through one of the original 1960’s back doors. The other original 1960’s sliding door had also been replaced with a rollover door for easy access for the main appliance when it returns after an incident. This new door came in useful when the main front door became damaged and the appliance was now able to be reversed into its bay to come out of the back door while the main door was being repaired. By the 15 June most of the main outside work had been finished and with a new larger community room available. This upgrade has kept to the spirit of the original building with upgrades that I am sure will benefit the retained fire personnel and the public of Sandbach in general.
On an extra note a skip has arrived outside Holmes Chapel Fire station so hopefully their upgrade will be starting soon.
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22 June 2020
SANDBACH FIRE STATION UPGRADE
In September and October 2019 plans were submitted to Cheshire East Council to upgrade the Sandbach Fire Station building with a new extension, gym facilities and a new look outside. Part of a major upgrade for the Counties fire stations costing £8.5 Million this will cover 21 of the areas buildings with the Cruden group doing the work on improving the aging buildings, some of which like Sandbach date back to the 1960’s.
Work started on the 28 April 2019 at Bollington and Tarporley with Middlewich, Sandbach, Runcorn and Birchwood being upgraded in 2019 to 2020 and Audlem, Holmes Chapel, Northwich and Widnes in 2020 to 2021, followed by Congleton, Knutsford, Ellesmere Port and Malpas in 2021 to 2022 and Macclesfield, Poynton, Frodsham and Winsford having their upgrades in 2022 to 2023. Of the stations being renovated 11 were built in the 1960’s, 6 in the 1970’s, 1 in the 1980’s with three from the 1990’s.
At the end of February staff at the Sandbach Fire station moved their belongings into a portacabin and with observations over the next few months, by the 1 March workers had put up barriers at the back of the building and work had started on the upgrade of the building. Due to the work in the main bay of the building the two fire appliances were often seen outside ready for a “shout” but also keeping the area clear for the alterations.
It was thought that the Coronavirus shutdown would delay building work but after a few days to assess working conditions the builders were back on site and everything seemed to be back on track.
By the 18 May scaffolding had been put on the roof space and the façade had been removed from above the main front doors to be replaced over the next few months by a wooden facia the following day. By the 24 May the new gym extension had been put in place cutting one of the bays in half and extending through one of the original 1960’s back doors. The other original 1960’s sliding door had also been replaced with a rollover door for easy access for the main appliance when it returns after an incident. This new door came in useful when the main front door became damaged and the appliance was now able to be reversed into its bay to come out of the back door while the main door was being repaired. By the 15 June most of the main outside work had been finished and with a new larger community room available. This upgrade has kept to the spirit of the original building with upgrades that I am sure will benefit the retained fire personnel and the public of Sandbach in general.
On an extra note a skip has arrived outside Holmes Chapel Fire station so hopefully their upgrade will be starting soon.
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18 June 2020
INDOOR MARKET REOPENS
The Sandbach indoor market was open again after the lockdown on the 18 June 2020, with many of the regular stall holders opening up their businesses under unusual circumstances. Patrons entered from the small car park area and then followed the maze of tape around the aisles to the exit at the main entrance end of the hall.
Stall holders have installed protective shielding between customers and themselves as well as wearing face masks and visors. There are also hand sanitizers available for shoppers to use as they go round the hall and town councillors were on hand at both entrances to make sure people were entering and exiting correctly. Ten stalls were open on Thursday with more expected as the Saturday regulars join the market, with its new opening times of between 8.30am and 2pm, both days.
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18 June 2020
INDOOR MARKET REOPENS
The Sandbach indoor market was open again after the lockdown on the 18 June 2020, with many of the regular stall holders opening up their businesses under unusual circumstances. Patrons entered from the small car park area and then followed the maze of tape around the aisles to the exit at the main entrance end of the hall.
Stall holders have installed protective shielding between customers and themselves as well as wearing face masks and visors. There are also hand sanitizers available for shoppers to use as they go round the hall and town councillors were on hand at both entrances to make sure people were entering and exiting correctly. Ten stalls were open on Thursday with more expected as the Saturday regulars join the market, with its new opening times of between 8.30am and 2pm, both days.
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28 May 2020
SANDBACH MARKET REOPENS
As the Government announces that some shops and businesses can reopen the Sandbach Town Council have allowed some of the stalls at Sandbach Market to re-open and three business took advantage of this with a pie stall, grocers and the egg stall returning to their spots outside the town hall and the Black Bear, with a fishmongers continuing to serve from the side of the town hall as they have done every Thursday and Saturday since the lockdown began, along with deliveries to the venerable and on-line orders.
The Sandbach Town Council wrote on their Facebook page the following, “We will be taking the first steps towards officially reopening parts of Sandbach Market on Thursday 28th May! There will be a limited Outdoor Market around the Outside of the Market Hall which, in line with Government Advice, will facilitate our Thursday Food Traders who wish to trade. We will also be officially reopening the Outdoor Saturday Market to our Saturday Food Traders on Saturday 30th May.
Traders will be responsible for Social Distancing on and in the immediate vicinity of their own stalls (in the space for queuing etc.), so we ask that you please respect any guidelines individual Traders may have when visiting their stall.
The food shops in the Market Foyer will also be open, as they have been throughout.
Over time, we plan to gradually reopen the rest of the Market by taking decisions on a week by week basis and in line with Government advice. We will keep you all updated on Facebook with every additional step towards the Full Market that we take.
We hope that you will come and support your Local Market if it is safe for you to do so whilst adhering to Social Distancing Guidelines.”
On Facebook a couple of people have wondered why stall holders had not been consulted about the reopening but the Council have replied that some of the non essential stall holders were told by E Mail. The Government has laid out a timetable for the reopening of Outdoor Market stalls being on the 1 June along with some shops, so Sandbach Town Council were a few days premature with their social distancing market.
Talking to one of the stall holders he “didn’t think many would turn out for the first week”, but as word gets out that some of our favourite stalls have returned I am sure there will be in increase in stalls and patrons.
If everything went well on the 28 May then it was hoped that the plant stalls will return on the 4 June. So far the Government has not set a date for the Indoor stalls to start trading so we will have to wait and see what happens next.
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28 May 2020
SANDBACH MARKET REOPENS
As the Government announces that some shops and businesses can reopen the Sandbach Town Council have allowed some of the stalls at Sandbach Market to re-open and three business took advantage of this with a pie stall, grocers and the egg stall returning to their spots outside the town hall and the Black Bear, with a fishmongers continuing to serve from the side of the town hall as they have done every Thursday and Saturday since the lockdown began, along with deliveries to the venerable and on-line orders.
The Sandbach Town Council wrote on their Facebook page the following, “We will be taking the first steps towards officially reopening parts of Sandbach Market on Thursday 28th May! There will be a limited Outdoor Market around the Outside of the Market Hall which, in line with Government Advice, will facilitate our Thursday Food Traders who wish to trade. We will also be officially reopening the Outdoor Saturday Market to our Saturday Food Traders on Saturday 30th May.
Traders will be responsible for Social Distancing on and in the immediate vicinity of their own stalls (in the space for queuing etc.), so we ask that you please respect any guidelines individual Traders may have when visiting their stall.
The food shops in the Market Foyer will also be open, as they have been throughout.
Over time, we plan to gradually reopen the rest of the Market by taking decisions on a week by week basis and in line with Government advice. We will keep you all updated on Facebook with every additional step towards the Full Market that we take.
We hope that you will come and support your Local Market if it is safe for you to do so whilst adhering to Social Distancing Guidelines.”
On Facebook a couple of people have wondered why stall holders had not been consulted about the reopening but the Council have replied that some of the non essential stall holders were told by E Mail. The Government has laid out a timetable for the reopening of Outdoor Market stalls being on the 1 June along with some shops, so Sandbach Town Council were a few days premature with their social distancing market.
Talking to one of the stall holders he “didn’t think many would turn out for the first week”, but as word gets out that some of our favourite stalls have returned I am sure there will be in increase in stalls and patrons.
If everything went well on the 28 May then it was hoped that the plant stalls will return on the 4 June. So far the Government has not set a date for the Indoor stalls to start trading so we will have to wait and see what happens next.
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15 June 2020
WHERE HAVE ALL THE SHOPPERS GONE?
As the BBC announces there are queues of people outside shops after the Government had allowed more businesses to reopen, the streets of Sandbach were deserted on Monday the 15 June 2020, after it had seen a busy Sunday. The opening of smaller shops including a card shop, cleaners, jewellers, betting shop and computer shops just didn’t have same pull as the larger businesses in major towns and so will find it hard to get back to the levels needed to survive the weeks of lockdown. A few ventured out to see what shops were opening but a combination of a lack of interest and sunny weather during the day kept many away from all the businesses on the Monday.
Many of the Sandbach businesses have chosen to wait until next week or the weekend before opening so that they can make sure they have the proper precautions in place but three shops have decided to close with Pink Feathers and WOW having removed all their items from their premises and Wall Street opened on the 15 June 2020 with a closing down sale.
Barriers have been put on Congleton Road and the High Street to allow the shops to have social distancing areas while at the same time allowing people to walk safely down the road. The areas covered by the barriers unfortunately have encroached into the parking spaces along the side of the road including the disabled bays outside WH Smith so in the high street cars were parked all along the road making the one-way system even tighter to negotiate along the main thoroughfare in the town.
More stalls will be opening at the market on Thursday and Saturday with some of the indoor market stalls returning in the next few weeks.
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15 June 2020
WHERE HAVE ALL THE SHOPPERS GONE?
As the BBC announces there are queues of people outside shops after the Government had allowed more businesses to reopen, the streets of Sandbach were deserted on Monday the 15 June 2020, after it had seen a busy Sunday. The opening of smaller shops including a card shop, cleaners, jewellers, betting shop and computer shops just didn’t have same pull as the larger businesses in major towns and so will find it hard to get back to the levels needed to survive the weeks of lockdown. A few ventured out to see what shops were opening but a combination of a lack of interest and sunny weather during the day kept many away from all the businesses on the Monday.
Many of the Sandbach businesses have chosen to wait until next week or the weekend before opening so that they can make sure they have the proper precautions in place but three shops have decided to close with Pink Feathers and WOW having removed all their items from their premises and Wall Street opened on the 15 June 2020 with a closing down sale.
Barriers have been put on Congleton Road and the High Street to allow the shops to have social distancing areas while at the same time allowing people to walk safely down the road. The areas covered by the barriers unfortunately have encroached into the parking spaces along the side of the road including the disabled bays outside WH Smith so in the high street cars were parked all along the road making the one-way system even tighter to negotiate along the main thoroughfare in the town.
More stalls will be opening at the market on Thursday and Saturday with some of the indoor market stalls returning in the next few weeks.
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13 May 2020
CRASH ON M6 MOTORWAT AS WORK RESTRICTIONS LIFTED
The Government lifted some of the work restrictions on Wednesday the 13 May 2020 with the expected traffic of the motorway to increase at the start of the day. This was proved correct and by 11.55am the first incident was passed onto the Highways agency as according to them a two lorry incident had occurred with one of the vehicles, which turned out to be a Mercedes flat back van, ploughing into the embankment and an articulated lorry had jack-knifed into the verge just before the Sandbach services on the southbound side of the M6.
At about 12.30pm a fire crew from Crewe was on its way to the incident followed by the appliance from Sandbach and the Rapid Response unit. The fire crews were not at the scene long before returning home with the ambulance on scene until just before 2pm. There were no reported casualties at the scene.
Tailbacks for at least four miles showed that the road system was back to normal.
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13 May 2020
CRASH ON M6 MOTORWAT AS WORK RESTRICTIONS LIFTED
The Government lifted some of the work restrictions on Wednesday the 13 May 2020 with the expected traffic of the motorway to increase at the start of the day. This was proved correct and by 11.55am the first incident was passed onto the Highways agency as according to them a two lorry incident had occurred with one of the vehicles, which turned out to be a Mercedes flat back van, ploughing into the embankment and an articulated lorry had jack-knifed into the verge just before the Sandbach services on the southbound side of the M6.
At about 12.30pm a fire crew from Crewe was on its way to the incident followed by the appliance from Sandbach and the Rapid Response unit. The fire crews were not at the scene long before returning home with the ambulance on scene until just before 2pm. There were no reported casualties at the scene.
Tailbacks for at least four miles showed that the road system was back to normal.
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SANDBACH REMEMBERS VE DAY 75 YEARS ON.
The Royal British Legion, Sandbach Town Council, various shops and the people of the town have been planning to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day with displays, parties and a procession and wreath laying at the War Memorial in the town. Unfortunately, this was not to be as an outbreak of Coronavirus in the world has shut down all such events and made it virtually impossible to pay the town’s respect to the fallen and also those at home during the period of World War 2, who gave up so much, so that we could have the freedom to live the life we have today.
The people of the town were very resourceful and on Friday the 8th May 2020, some of the streets rallied the neighbours to have a social distancing party with this being the only time noisy neighbours shouting down the street was acceptable as they held conversations with each other for the first time in seven weeks.
Undaunted by the restrictions the local Chairman of the Royal British Legion, Marjorie Newton was determined to hold a ceremony at the War Memorial to mark the occasion. The original idea had been to hold the procession on the Sunday with representatives of local organisations and groups in attendance. With the two meter separation rule this would be difficult, plus the gathering of more than 10 people was not allowed and so a smaller event was planned. The local police were asked, what would be acceptable and it was agreed that about six people gathering, two meters apart at the Market Square would be acceptable under Government guidelines with regard to gatherings in a cemetery or in this case a war memorial. It was also agreed to video the event which would be added to social media allowing those who were unable to attend a chance to see the ceremony.
The event was not publicised beforehand, so as not to attract a crowd. Marjorie Newton the Chair of the local branch of the Royal British Legion, Craig Roughly the Chairman of the Sandbach Branch of the Cheshire Regiment Association, Sandbach Mayor, Mike Muldoon, Deputy Mayor of Sandbach, Geraint Price-Jones (Who also represented his father Tomas who is the President of the local branch of the Royal British Legion and laid a wreath on his behalf as he is self isolating and couldn’t attend.), all gathered at 2.30pm on a windy Sunday afternoon for the ceremony at the War Memorial to lay their wreaths.
Wandering round the town over the weekend and keeping my distance I can honestly say that despite the lockdown, Sandbach did the VE Day commemoration weekend proud with displays, parties and the culmination on the Market Square ended the weekend as it should be with the respect it deserved.
Like the wartime spirit nothing can stop a celebration and on the 15 August 2020, it will be 75 years since Victory in Japan (VJ Day), marking the surrender of Japan (not the signing of the instrument of surrender which was on the 2 September 1945) in World War 2 and various events will hopefully take place over the weekend of the 14th to the 16th of August.
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SANDBACH REMEMBERS VE DAY 75 YEARS ON.
The Royal British Legion, Sandbach Town Council, various shops and the people of the town have been planning to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day with displays, parties and a procession and wreath laying at the War Memorial in the town. Unfortunately, this was not to be as an outbreak of Coronavirus in the world has shut down all such events and made it virtually impossible to pay the town’s respect to the fallen and also those at home during the period of World War 2, who gave up so much, so that we could have the freedom to live the life we have today.
The people of the town were very resourceful and on Friday the 8th May 2020, some of the streets rallied the neighbours to have a social distancing party with this being the only time noisy neighbours shouting down the street was acceptable as they held conversations with each other for the first time in seven weeks.
Undaunted by the restrictions the local Chairman of the Royal British Legion, Marjorie Newton was determined to hold a ceremony at the War Memorial to mark the occasion. The original idea had been to hold the procession on the Sunday with representatives of local organisations and groups in attendance. With the two meter separation rule this would be difficult, plus the gathering of more than 10 people was not allowed and so a smaller event was planned. The local police were asked, what would be acceptable and it was agreed that about six people gathering, two meters apart at the Market Square would be acceptable under Government guidelines with regard to gatherings in a cemetery or in this case a war memorial. It was also agreed to video the event which would be added to social media allowing those who were unable to attend a chance to see the ceremony.
The event was not publicised beforehand, so as not to attract a crowd. Marjorie Newton the Chair of the local branch of the Royal British Legion, Craig Roughly the Chairman of the Sandbach Branch of the Cheshire Regiment Association, Sandbach Mayor, Mike Muldoon, Deputy Mayor of Sandbach, Geraint Price-Jones (Who also represented his father Tomas who is the President of the local branch of the Royal British Legion and laid a wreath on his behalf as he is self isolating and couldn’t attend.), all gathered at 2.30pm on a windy Sunday afternoon for the ceremony at the War Memorial to lay their wreaths.
Wandering round the town over the weekend and keeping my distance I can honestly say that despite the lockdown, Sandbach did the VE Day commemoration weekend proud with displays, parties and the culmination on the Market Square ended the weekend as it should be with the respect it deserved.
Like the wartime spirit nothing can stop a celebration and on the 15 August 2020, it will be 75 years since Victory in Japan (VJ Day), marking the surrender of Japan (not the signing of the instrument of surrender which was on the 2 September 1945) in World War 2 and various events will hopefully take place over the weekend of the 14th to the 16th of August.
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5 May 2020
POSSIBLE MOVE BY CHARITY SHOP
Last week the Debra shop in Wells Street Sandbach, had a full window display with a sign on the door asking the public to keep hold of their unwanted items as they would be returning soon and the items could be dropped off after the Coronavirus shutdown was lifted. This week the window display has gone, the stock in the back room has disappeared and the sign’s above the doors and windows have been taken down revealing the last occupant from the 1990’s.
Originally built as a Primitive Methodist Church in 1857 after it had been formed in 1832 in a building in Union Street. The Church closed in 1950 and then it became St Mary’s Church Hall, with stone work under the eaves of the building having the words St Mary’s on it. In the 1960’s, Frank Middleton and Charley Breeden opened their first shop in Edleston Road, Crewe (Breeden House) and by 1961, had opened a Breeden and Middleton shop in Sandbach. By the 1980’s and 1990’s the venue had become the home of the Fashion Footwear Centre (Shoe Shop) and then about 1992, the Debra Charity Shop arrived in the town. The charity was formed in the UK in 1978 by Phillis Hilton and was named after her daughter to help fund research and to help those who suffer from a skin cancer called ‘Epidermolysis Bullosa’. The Sandbach shop has gained a good reputation for its window displays which not only showed off its stock but also reflected local events including the annual transport festival. Staff have always been helpful and were always ready to listen to customers problems, sometimes with a cup of tea. Some remember having sympathetic conversations with the staff after they had recently lost relatives and the friendly chat and comfort, they gave them was very welcome. In 2015, Joan Owen was awarded the Sandbach Rotary Club, Citizen of the Year award for her voluntary work in the town including her time in the Debra shop.
On the 22 March 2020 Debra closed its 100 shops for at least the next two weeks which was then updated on the 1 May with a closed until further notice on their website.
Local social media suggests that the Sandbach shops closure was due to the lease on the building being due for renewal and the landlord has not extended it for the charity as he has decided to turn the shop into two smaller units. It is also rumoured that the Debra shop is moving into the old Demeter’s shop on the corner of Wells Street and Bold Street.
An E Mail enquiry to Linsey White at the charity has confirmed that “Sadly have had to close the Sandbach store as the shop lease was coming to an end. We are actively looking for replacement premises in Sandbach and hope to reopen another store. The local community have been hugely supportive and I would like to thank every customer and volunteer who supported DEBRA at Sandbach”.
Let us hope that this is not the first shop casualty of the Coronavirus era in Sandbach and that the Debra shop will return as soon as possible after the national shutdown is over.
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5 May 2020
POSSIBLE MOVE BY CHARITY SHOP
Last week the Debra shop in Wells Street Sandbach, had a full window display with a sign on the door asking the public to keep hold of their unwanted items as they would be returning soon and the items could be dropped off after the Coronavirus shutdown was lifted. This week the window display has gone, the stock in the back room has disappeared and the sign’s above the doors and windows have been taken down revealing the last occupant from the 1990’s.
Originally built as a Primitive Methodist Church in 1857 after it had been formed in 1832 in a building in Union Street. The Church closed in 1950 and then it became St Mary’s Church Hall, with stone work under the eaves of the building having the words St Mary’s on it. In the 1960’s, Frank Middleton and Charley Breeden opened their first shop in Edleston Road, Crewe (Breeden House) and by 1961, had opened a Breeden and Middleton shop in Sandbach. By the 1980’s and 1990’s the venue had become the home of the Fashion Footwear Centre (Shoe Shop) and then about 1992, the Debra Charity Shop arrived in the town. The charity was formed in the UK in 1978 by Phillis Hilton and was named after her daughter to help fund research and to help those who suffer from a skin cancer called ‘Epidermolysis Bullosa’. The Sandbach shop has gained a good reputation for its window displays which not only showed off its stock but also reflected local events including the annual transport festival. Staff have always been helpful and were always ready to listen to customers problems, sometimes with a cup of tea. Some remember having sympathetic conversations with the staff after they had recently lost relatives and the friendly chat and comfort, they gave them was very welcome. In 2015, Joan Owen was awarded the Sandbach Rotary Club, Citizen of the Year award for her voluntary work in the town including her time in the Debra shop.
On the 22 March 2020 Debra closed its 100 shops for at least the next two weeks which was then updated on the 1 May with a closed until further notice on their website.
Local social media suggests that the Sandbach shops closure was due to the lease on the building being due for renewal and the landlord has not extended it for the charity as he has decided to turn the shop into two smaller units. It is also rumoured that the Debra shop is moving into the old Demeter’s shop on the corner of Wells Street and Bold Street.
An E Mail enquiry to Linsey White at the charity has confirmed that “Sadly have had to close the Sandbach store as the shop lease was coming to an end. We are actively looking for replacement premises in Sandbach and hope to reopen another store. The local community have been hugely supportive and I would like to thank every customer and volunteer who supported DEBRA at Sandbach”.
Let us hope that this is not the first shop casualty of the Coronavirus era in Sandbach and that the Debra shop will return as soon as possible after the national shutdown is over.
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6 April 2020
IS SANDBACH PARK CLOSED or OPEN?
On Saturday when I passed the park gates in Sandbach I was greeted with a padlocked and chained set of gates. The Cheshire East Website states that all play areas, multi-use games areas, tennis courts and outdoor gyms are now officially closed due to coronavirus. In Sandbach this was then contradicted when I was told on Sunday that the gates were open again and a free flow of public were allowed through to the back of the Tatton Drive estate and on Monday an ANSA van was parked in-front of the gates leaving just enough room to get past into the open park with the gates at the far end also open. So, it seems that the park was still open.
A communication with the Friends of Sandbach Park’s, Mike Benson confirmed that Sandbach Park is still going to be open during the week but will be closed at the weekend, not due to coronavirus but for other reasons and will also be closed at night.
The park always has something to surprise you when you walk through it and on my exercise walk on I was surprised by the addition of four new trees that have been planted by ANSA on behalf of the Friends of Sandbach Park. The four new trees planted in the park with tree guards round them to protect them as they grow are a Tillia Crordata / Small Leafed Lime Tree (Near the Keep Fit Equipment), Quercus Rubra / Red Oak Tree (Near the Football Pitch), Taxodium Distichum Featherhead / Swamp Cyprus (Near the Pond) and a Liriodendron / Tulip Tree (On the slope near the Daffodils). Looking them up on the internet they will make a colourful addition to the park once they are fully grown and will compliment the trees already planted by park keeper Neil Pardoe when the park was first opened at the start of the 1900’s and include Acers, Alders, Ash, Beech, Cherry, Ginko Biloba, Holly Tree, Hornbeam, Larch, Laurel, Line, London Plane, Magnolia, Oak, Poplar, Sycamore, Walnut and Whitebeam.
So far, the park will stay open but remember to keep your distance to two meters from other people not in your family and to keep safe, the park facilities of the gym etc. are not available at the moment.
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6 April 2020
IS SANDBACH PARK CLOSED or OPEN?
On Saturday when I passed the park gates in Sandbach I was greeted with a padlocked and chained set of gates. The Cheshire East Website states that all play areas, multi-use games areas, tennis courts and outdoor gyms are now officially closed due to coronavirus. In Sandbach this was then contradicted when I was told on Sunday that the gates were open again and a free flow of public were allowed through to the back of the Tatton Drive estate and on Monday an ANSA van was parked in-front of the gates leaving just enough room to get past into the open park with the gates at the far end also open. So, it seems that the park was still open.
A communication with the Friends of Sandbach Park’s, Mike Benson confirmed that Sandbach Park is still going to be open during the week but will be closed at the weekend, not due to coronavirus but for other reasons and will also be closed at night.
The park always has something to surprise you when you walk through it and on my exercise walk on I was surprised by the addition of four new trees that have been planted by ANSA on behalf of the Friends of Sandbach Park. The four new trees planted in the park with tree guards round them to protect them as they grow are a Tillia Crordata / Small Leafed Lime Tree (Near the Keep Fit Equipment), Quercus Rubra / Red Oak Tree (Near the Football Pitch), Taxodium Distichum Featherhead / Swamp Cyprus (Near the Pond) and a Liriodendron / Tulip Tree (On the slope near the Daffodils). Looking them up on the internet they will make a colourful addition to the park once they are fully grown and will compliment the trees already planted by park keeper Neil Pardoe when the park was first opened at the start of the 1900’s and include Acers, Alders, Ash, Beech, Cherry, Ginko Biloba, Holly Tree, Hornbeam, Larch, Laurel, Line, London Plane, Magnolia, Oak, Poplar, Sycamore, Walnut and Whitebeam.
So far, the park will stay open but remember to keep your distance to two meters from other people not in your family and to keep safe, the park facilities of the gym etc. are not available at the moment.
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31 March 2020
SANDBACH POLICE CONTINUE ONLINE CONSULTATIONS
At the start of the Coronavirus outbreak the Sandbach Police started their weekly surgeries on their Twitter page (twitter.com/PoliceSandbach/) and will continue to do so over the next few weeks.
If you log into twitter and ‘follow’ the police then at the various times of the broadcasts you can take part by sending a message to your local police.
The online broadcasts are as follows. Sunday 5 April 2020 at 4pm to 5pm with Scott and Loz, Thursday 9 April 2020 at 6pm to 7pm with Sue and Liz, Tuesday the 15 April 2020 at 9am to 10am with Spike and Sue, Tuesday the 21 April 2020 at 7pm to 7pm with Tom and Loz and finally Sunday the 26 April 2020 at 4pm to 5pm with Scott and Liz.
Sandbach Police have also been spreading the social distancing message on their social media with staged pictures of the ‘Specials’ and ordinary police recreating that SKA hit by Madness, ‘One Step Beyond’ at the Sandbach Police station with the message to stay two meters beyond the next person as well as a picture near Crewe Green of the Abbey Road LP cover staying two meters away.
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31 March 2020
SANDBACH POLICE CONTINUE ONLINE CONSULTATIONS
At the start of the Coronavirus outbreak the Sandbach Police started their weekly surgeries on their Twitter page (twitter.com/PoliceSandbach/) and will continue to do so over the next few weeks.
If you log into twitter and ‘follow’ the police then at the various times of the broadcasts you can take part by sending a message to your local police.
The online broadcasts are as follows. Sunday 5 April 2020 at 4pm to 5pm with Scott and Loz, Thursday 9 April 2020 at 6pm to 7pm with Sue and Liz, Tuesday the 15 April 2020 at 9am to 10am with Spike and Sue, Tuesday the 21 April 2020 at 7pm to 7pm with Tom and Loz and finally Sunday the 26 April 2020 at 4pm to 5pm with Scott and Liz.
Sandbach Police have also been spreading the social distancing message on their social media with staged pictures of the ‘Specials’ and ordinary police recreating that SKA hit by Madness, ‘One Step Beyond’ at the Sandbach Police station with the message to stay two meters beyond the next person as well as a picture near Crewe Green of the Abbey Road LP cover staying two meters away.
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31 Mar 2020
BRASS BANDS LAUNCH COMPETITIONS ON-LINE
The two main brass bands in Sandbach have both launched competitions on-line to keep players standards going while they are unable to attend rehearsals, not only in Cheshire but also all round the world.
On the 24 March 2020, Lions Youth Band conducted by Nigel C Birch launched its “Virtual Solo and Composers Competition” with players from all the Lion’s Bands being able to take part by submitting recordings of their performance to their Facebook page where they will be judged by Paul Lovatt-Cooper (Musical Director of Roberts Bakery band) and Zoe Lovatt-Cooper (Flugelhorn Soloist with the Black Dyke Band) with the participants receiving a gift and the winners of the performance category receiving a tutorial from a professional artist.
The Composers competition competitors will submit their work and a short list will then be put forward for when the band returns to be tried out at a rehearsal with the winning composition being played at a concert.
Foden’s Band launched their competition on the 30 March and it will run until the 12 April 2020. Their competition has two categories the “Open Performance” and “Slow Melody Solo Competition” with entries being posted on-line to the band. The music for the “Open Performance” category has to be entertaining and not necessarily the fastest piece ever performed and is open to all ages. The “Slow Melody” competition is open to over 18’s and will be judged by Mark Wilkinson the Solo Cornet player with Foden’s Band with the winner being awarded a chance to play with the full Sandbach Band at a later date after the Coronavirus crisis.
Players can post their performances to the Foden’s Band Facebook page with under 18’s gaining permission from their parents / guardians to post their content. Over 18’s must let the band know so they can me entered into the slow melody category.
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31 Mar 2020
BRASS BANDS LAUNCH COMPETITIONS ON-LINE
The two main brass bands in Sandbach have both launched competitions on-line to keep players standards going while they are unable to attend rehearsals, not only in Cheshire but also all round the world.
On the 24 March 2020, Lions Youth Band conducted by Nigel C Birch launched its “Virtual Solo and Composers Competition” with players from all the Lion’s Bands being able to take part by submitting recordings of their performance to their Facebook page where they will be judged by Paul Lovatt-Cooper (Musical Director of Roberts Bakery band) and Zoe Lovatt-Cooper (Flugelhorn Soloist with the Black Dyke Band) with the participants receiving a gift and the winners of the performance category receiving a tutorial from a professional artist.
The Composers competition competitors will submit their work and a short list will then be put forward for when the band returns to be tried out at a rehearsal with the winning composition being played at a concert.
Foden’s Band launched their competition on the 30 March and it will run until the 12 April 2020. Their competition has two categories the “Open Performance” and “Slow Melody Solo Competition” with entries being posted on-line to the band. The music for the “Open Performance” category has to be entertaining and not necessarily the fastest piece ever performed and is open to all ages. The “Slow Melody” competition is open to over 18’s and will be judged by Mark Wilkinson the Solo Cornet player with Foden’s Band with the winner being awarded a chance to play with the full Sandbach Band at a later date after the Coronavirus crisis.
Players can post their performances to the Foden’s Band Facebook page with under 18’s gaining permission from their parents / guardians to post their content. Over 18’s must let the band know so they can me entered into the slow melody category.
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26 March 2020
ANOTHER CORONAVIRUS WEEK IN SANDBACH
Things are changing on a daily basis so what I write today (Thursday) may be out of date by tomorrow or even as I write.
After essential food shopping where I had to wait in a line two meters apart with a ‘one in one out’ policy in place at both Iceland and Waitrose, I travelled around the town to see what other measures against Coronavirus the shops and businesses had put in place. Waitrose have put aside some stock for NHS staff only. Savers were open with restricted access and limits on certain stock.
The three Fish and Chip shops in the town were open, but encouraged social distancing, The Beer Emporium as reported last week was still open for take away sales with card payments encouraged. As mentioned last week the banks and post offices are open but with restricted access. WHSmith was closed last week but has now reopened, however they are not serving customers with physical money, they are using their automatic payment system or card payment only and are open this week because they serve newspapers with the new opening times of 9am to 4pm and only three people in the shop at one time. McColls likewise are open and have lines drawn on the floor to distance customers before serving. McColls are also still doing newspaper deliveries.
Handy Households surprisingly are still open with restrictions on distancing and are a welcome addition to the shopping list for those ‘do it yourself’ items we may need to repair or replace items needed for those long days in isolation.
We had hoped the Market would be open for food this week but Boris Johnson and the Government closed all markets as did Cheshire East a week last Monday. However, the Sandbach Fisheries stall run by Alan Smith was outside the Town Hall on Thursday and has started a delivery service to customers for who can contact them via their phone line on 07716555717 or Facebook page. The Cheese Shop under the arches is open with reduced hours from 9am to 1pm from Tuesday to Saturday. Opposite Will’s Butchers are also open from 9am to 1pm Tuesday to Saturday but they do tell me that this will depend on getting stock and may be open at other times as well. Brooks Butchers are open on the High Street, with a maximum of two people in the shop at one time.
Godfrey Williams and Son are open between 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday and have also started a free delivery service for shopping over £10.
There is no need to worry about your pets as Creature Comforts are providing a reduced service with opening times between 10am and 2pm each day (If staff are available) and have an after trading number to contact if you need something for your animals on 01270-759365 with a card payment system in operation.
Finally, Wise Chemists are open from 10am to 12.30pm and then again from 2pm to 6pm in line with government guidelines with Boots Chemists open between 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm with a little flexibility to restock.
Demeters Health Foods are also open from 9.30am to 4.30pm with pre booking of goods on the phone with either a delivery or pick-up where you can call the shop on arrival and the staff will put the goods in your car boot with no contact with the customer.
Chatwins have also opened with according to their website an 8am start to 5pm finish Monday to Saturday with 9am to 4pm on Sunday.
Life has changed this month and will probably affect the way we shop in the next few years. The Bank of England predicted that in the future we would be a coinless society as more and more people move towards using bits of plastic to pay for goods. With Coronavirus threatening shop staff’s immunity by the spreading of the virus via coins and notes we are moving away from bits of paper and metal to plastic cards. That new £20 note released this year may not have a long shelf life as supermarkets and shops all change over to a card swipe system. I had hoped to keep money going for many years, but even I am forced to do contactless transactions to get the basic food stuff. Most of the shops at this time are encouraging customers to use contactless payments so when you go shopping remember to take your debit card or credit card with you.
All churches are now closed including St Mary’s which was open for private prayers but is now closed.
On Thursday the 26 March at 8pm, Sandbach like the rest of the country braved the cold outside to clap hands together in appreciation for the NHS staff.
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26 March 2020
ANOTHER CORONAVIRUS WEEK IN SANDBACH
Things are changing on a daily basis so what I write today (Thursday) may be out of date by tomorrow or even as I write.
After essential food shopping where I had to wait in a line two meters apart with a ‘one in one out’ policy in place at both Iceland and Waitrose, I travelled around the town to see what other measures against Coronavirus the shops and businesses had put in place. Waitrose have put aside some stock for NHS staff only. Savers were open with restricted access and limits on certain stock.
The three Fish and Chip shops in the town were open, but encouraged social distancing, The Beer Emporium as reported last week was still open for take away sales with card payments encouraged. As mentioned last week the banks and post offices are open but with restricted access. WHSmith was closed last week but has now reopened, however they are not serving customers with physical money, they are using their automatic payment system or card payment only and are open this week because they serve newspapers with the new opening times of 9am to 4pm and only three people in the shop at one time. McColls likewise are open and have lines drawn on the floor to distance customers before serving. McColls are also still doing newspaper deliveries.
Handy Households surprisingly are still open with restrictions on distancing and are a welcome addition to the shopping list for those ‘do it yourself’ items we may need to repair or replace items needed for those long days in isolation.
We had hoped the Market would be open for food this week but Boris Johnson and the Government closed all markets as did Cheshire East a week last Monday. However, the Sandbach Fisheries stall run by Alan Smith was outside the Town Hall on Thursday and has started a delivery service to customers for who can contact them via their phone line on 07716555717 or Facebook page. The Cheese Shop under the arches is open with reduced hours from 9am to 1pm from Tuesday to Saturday. Opposite Will’s Butchers are also open from 9am to 1pm Tuesday to Saturday but they do tell me that this will depend on getting stock and may be open at other times as well. Brooks Butchers are open on the High Street, with a maximum of two people in the shop at one time.
Godfrey Williams and Son are open between 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday and have also started a free delivery service for shopping over £10.
There is no need to worry about your pets as Creature Comforts are providing a reduced service with opening times between 10am and 2pm each day (If staff are available) and have an after trading number to contact if you need something for your animals on 01270-759365 with a card payment system in operation.
Finally, Wise Chemists are open from 10am to 12.30pm and then again from 2pm to 6pm in line with government guidelines with Boots Chemists open between 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm with a little flexibility to restock.
Demeters Health Foods are also open from 9.30am to 4.30pm with pre booking of goods on the phone with either a delivery or pick-up where you can call the shop on arrival and the staff will put the goods in your car boot with no contact with the customer.
Chatwins have also opened with according to their website an 8am start to 5pm finish Monday to Saturday with 9am to 4pm on Sunday.
Life has changed this month and will probably affect the way we shop in the next few years. The Bank of England predicted that in the future we would be a coinless society as more and more people move towards using bits of plastic to pay for goods. With Coronavirus threatening shop staff’s immunity by the spreading of the virus via coins and notes we are moving away from bits of paper and metal to plastic cards. That new £20 note released this year may not have a long shelf life as supermarkets and shops all change over to a card swipe system. I had hoped to keep money going for many years, but even I am forced to do contactless transactions to get the basic food stuff. Most of the shops at this time are encouraging customers to use contactless payments so when you go shopping remember to take your debit card or credit card with you.
All churches are now closed including St Mary’s which was open for private prayers but is now closed.
On Thursday the 26 March at 8pm, Sandbach like the rest of the country braved the cold outside to clap hands together in appreciation for the NHS staff.
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25 March 2020
A QUIET SANDBACH on Wednesday 25 March 2020.
An eery silence descended on Sandbach as the Government advised everyone to stay indoors. The only movement were the postmen going home and the occasional dog walker taking their pooch along their usual routes trying to avoid talking to anyone as they gave them a wide birth so as not to break their self-isolation. It was like a scene from the War of the Worlds by H G Wells, as an eery silence descended over the voice of Richard Burton. Was this George Orwell’s 1984 or reality as people cleared the streets due to Big Brother imposing restrictions on life in general?
I needed to get out in the sunshine to find that quiet little place where I could escape from the reality of twenty-four-hour news of how the virus would affect us all and that Spain had not broken China’s record for the most deaths in one day. Was it true or will I wake up tomorrow and it will all have been a nightmare?
No, it is true, never in the field of human conflict has so much been caused by so little a virus. Every time you cough or feel hot you have to think is it Coronavirus or just a common cold. With advice not to contact 111 or your GP or the Hospitals and the website is not that helpful. Do you self-isolate or do you continue to talk to people and try and live life even if it may feel that we are in the final throws of the Human race as global warming takes a back seat to the Government trying to stamp out this invader from China (and we thought it would be a bug of a different kind in our 5G network that would give up our freedom to think for ourselves.).
The blue skies were devoid of aircraft heading towards Manchester and the sound of lawn mowers had ceased to contaminate the silence of the town. Only the singing of the birds could be heard over the silent stillness of the trees as even they failed to move as though they were afraid that they may catch the wind and disturb the stillness Britain had not seen since the middle ages.
I decided to walk through my old haunt of Dingle Wood, although when I was a child it was one large wood from the edge a field behind our house down to the river where we used to hunt for stickleback in the clear water by a sandy bank. The other side of the stickleback river was another field which was as far as we went. As I know there is very little left of my childhood wood and riverbank. There is now an estate on the field behind us and the wood has been cut into two by the by-pass. The old water works which I could never find as a kid is more visible now as it was hidden away behind the trees and now is accessed by the new estate and has now been demolished to make way for more houses. The continual stream of lorries heading down the Congleton road to remove the topsoil from the area has still not cleared the site and we wait to see them start building.
Circling the wire barriers to get onto the new Dingle Wood trail with no sign of anyone to stay clear of I headed down the pathway past the numerous felled trees that were part of the obstacles I had to fight through as a child but were now lying dead and piled onto the side of the pathways. The old wildlife that had been a part of the original layout was now gone, the rabbits, the insects, the birds fluttering through the branches were now in the open along the fishing waters of Dingle Lake.
Down the well-constructed pathway, I passed a couple of walkers who politely avoided me by stepping aside as I approached as I had done with a dog walker with two noisy hounds.
The next stop on my journey was to visit the historic Brook Bridge and Ford on High Street. As a child I had played there jumping from one side of the ford to the other and wading in the water down the stoke ramp. I can’t remember why I did this; I just remember the days in my Wellingtons playing in the water. What I can’t remember is there ever being such a sunny day at the bridge or such clear water as the sewage pipe situated nearby seems to have stopped piping overspill into the water through the ford.
A stop off at the church which has been closed for the duration is as usual a quiet area of reflection. For me every time I enter through the gates at the bottom of the steps the world seems to be shut out and a quietness descends on the area as it cuts out the traffic of life from the main street. But today there was no change in the atmosphere as the whole of Sandbach seems to have been engulphed in the spiritual serenity that the boundary of the church gives on a daily basis.
Back home for tea and a slice of cake along with Dad’s daily fix of Nick Hewer, Suzie Dent, and Rachel Riley with those elusive 9 letter words. Yesterday there was no Countdown as the longest pregnancy in the world continued with Miss Riley taking a breather as a sports event was cancelled and Channel 4 had not made a programme before December to cover for the 24 March. Back again today, the bump was still there as Rachel Riley continued to break records for her 12 months of pregnancy before giving birth.
At six thirty the sun dropped over the horizon and the sky started to go dark. With no clouds to reflect the light for a few extra minutes more the sky suddenly went dark as though some impending creature of doom was about to come over the horizon. Now was the time to disturb the quietness with the lawn mowers as they came to life across the estate. Now the birds were being drowned out by the sound of humanity trying to slip out when no one was looking. The curfew was being broken.
An hours later the sky became black and life was still again, even the birds stopped singing and a cold shiver spread over the ground and into the previously warm glass extension.
The normal buss of traffic heading home was missing as the sound of the silence prevailed as the restrictions on movement kicked in again and suddenly there was no where to go as yet another coronavirus special appeared in the TV schedule making the Radio Times programme guide useless.
Food on the table a weird looking ‘One Show’, as there was no audience and guests in cupboards at home on skype and studio presenters who were 2 meters part. Then life was back to normal with the TV schedule back to the Radio Times schedule with me trying to avoid depressing news by watching detective shows on Pick and the Repair Shop on the BBC.
Tomorrow we will be back to the new reality of a Coronavirus Big Brother “Boris is Watching You”.
(“A day in the life”, but see how many quotes you can find – Full and Part quotes) STEWART GREEN.
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25 March 2020
A QUIET SANDBACH on Wednesday 25 March 2020.
An eery silence descended on Sandbach as the Government advised everyone to stay indoors. The only movement were the postmen going home and the occasional dog walker taking their pooch along their usual routes trying to avoid talking to anyone as they gave them a wide birth so as not to break their self-isolation. It was like a scene from the War of the Worlds by H G Wells, as an eery silence descended over the voice of Richard Burton. Was this George Orwell’s 1984 or reality as people cleared the streets due to Big Brother imposing restrictions on life in general?
I needed to get out in the sunshine to find that quiet little place where I could escape from the reality of twenty-four-hour news of how the virus would affect us all and that Spain had not broken China’s record for the most deaths in one day. Was it true or will I wake up tomorrow and it will all have been a nightmare?
No, it is true, never in the field of human conflict has so much been caused by so little a virus. Every time you cough or feel hot you have to think is it Coronavirus or just a common cold. With advice not to contact 111 or your GP or the Hospitals and the website is not that helpful. Do you self-isolate or do you continue to talk to people and try and live life even if it may feel that we are in the final throws of the Human race as global warming takes a back seat to the Government trying to stamp out this invader from China (and we thought it would be a bug of a different kind in our 5G network that would give up our freedom to think for ourselves.).
The blue skies were devoid of aircraft heading towards Manchester and the sound of lawn mowers had ceased to contaminate the silence of the town. Only the singing of the birds could be heard over the silent stillness of the trees as even they failed to move as though they were afraid that they may catch the wind and disturb the stillness Britain had not seen since the middle ages.
I decided to walk through my old haunt of Dingle Wood, although when I was a child it was one large wood from the edge a field behind our house down to the river where we used to hunt for stickleback in the clear water by a sandy bank. The other side of the stickleback river was another field which was as far as we went. As I know there is very little left of my childhood wood and riverbank. There is now an estate on the field behind us and the wood has been cut into two by the by-pass. The old water works which I could never find as a kid is more visible now as it was hidden away behind the trees and now is accessed by the new estate and has now been demolished to make way for more houses. The continual stream of lorries heading down the Congleton road to remove the topsoil from the area has still not cleared the site and we wait to see them start building.
Circling the wire barriers to get onto the new Dingle Wood trail with no sign of anyone to stay clear of I headed down the pathway past the numerous felled trees that were part of the obstacles I had to fight through as a child but were now lying dead and piled onto the side of the pathways. The old wildlife that had been a part of the original layout was now gone, the rabbits, the insects, the birds fluttering through the branches were now in the open along the fishing waters of Dingle Lake.
Down the well-constructed pathway, I passed a couple of walkers who politely avoided me by stepping aside as I approached as I had done with a dog walker with two noisy hounds.
The next stop on my journey was to visit the historic Brook Bridge and Ford on High Street. As a child I had played there jumping from one side of the ford to the other and wading in the water down the stoke ramp. I can’t remember why I did this; I just remember the days in my Wellingtons playing in the water. What I can’t remember is there ever being such a sunny day at the bridge or such clear water as the sewage pipe situated nearby seems to have stopped piping overspill into the water through the ford.
A stop off at the church which has been closed for the duration is as usual a quiet area of reflection. For me every time I enter through the gates at the bottom of the steps the world seems to be shut out and a quietness descends on the area as it cuts out the traffic of life from the main street. But today there was no change in the atmosphere as the whole of Sandbach seems to have been engulphed in the spiritual serenity that the boundary of the church gives on a daily basis.
Back home for tea and a slice of cake along with Dad’s daily fix of Nick Hewer, Suzie Dent, and Rachel Riley with those elusive 9 letter words. Yesterday there was no Countdown as the longest pregnancy in the world continued with Miss Riley taking a breather as a sports event was cancelled and Channel 4 had not made a programme before December to cover for the 24 March. Back again today, the bump was still there as Rachel Riley continued to break records for her 12 months of pregnancy before giving birth.
At six thirty the sun dropped over the horizon and the sky started to go dark. With no clouds to reflect the light for a few extra minutes more the sky suddenly went dark as though some impending creature of doom was about to come over the horizon. Now was the time to disturb the quietness with the lawn mowers as they came to life across the estate. Now the birds were being drowned out by the sound of humanity trying to slip out when no one was looking. The curfew was being broken.
An hours later the sky became black and life was still again, even the birds stopped singing and a cold shiver spread over the ground and into the previously warm glass extension.
The normal buss of traffic heading home was missing as the sound of the silence prevailed as the restrictions on movement kicked in again and suddenly there was no where to go as yet another coronavirus special appeared in the TV schedule making the Radio Times programme guide useless.
Food on the table a weird looking ‘One Show’, as there was no audience and guests in cupboards at home on skype and studio presenters who were 2 meters part. Then life was back to normal with the TV schedule back to the Radio Times schedule with me trying to avoid depressing news by watching detective shows on Pick and the Repair Shop on the BBC.
Tomorrow we will be back to the new reality of a Coronavirus Big Brother “Boris is Watching You”.
(“A day in the life”, but see how many quotes you can find – Full and Part quotes) STEWART GREEN.
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23 March 2020
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE an A to Z of what is happening in Sandbach.
Sandbach has shut down as prescribed by the Government to quicken the end of the coronavirus epidemic by making sure we are social distancing so that the virus doesn’t get passed on to the venerable.
Looking at the town on Monday the current situation and stories are ever changing. As I write certain information is being updated minute by minute, but other items are going to be available via various Facebook and Websites for people to enjoy over the next few weeks.
During my daily walk, on my own, as advised by the Government the town is looking like a continual Sunday shopping day. I have seen people avoiding each other, staying away from strangers and some trying to continue their work in extremely difficult times in essential shops, but there are also some nice moments in the life of the town.
ALDI have changed their opening times by closing at 8pm Monday to Saturday (Usually closes at 10pm).
B AND M. So far the store is open as usual.
BEER EMPORIUM Open for takeaway business only (Monday 23 March).
BETTING SHOPS These have all closed and advise customers to contact their companies via websites for any outstanding winnings.
BOOTS. The chemist’s staff have decided to take breaks together and to restrict those entering the building. On Monday the staff put up a sign that if you wanted a prescription then if you knocked on the window, they would be able to help you get your medicines. They also shut down the shop at certain times for an hour to restock or have lunchtimes so if they seem closed, look in the window posters to see when they will be open again.
CHRIST CHURCH, WHEELOCK. The church is closed due to guidelines but are holding a telephone service every Wednesday at 7pm. To take part you need to message the church. A video of the Mother’s Day Service by Vicar Jane is also available at www.facebook.com/Christ-Church-Wheelock
CHURCHES IN SANDBACH. Generally, these are closed but some have alternate services are available via Facebook. For some of the details see the churches names in this article.
DOCTOR’S SURGERY at Ashfields. The surgery is restricting access to the building with a table blocking the entrance and with social distancing in operation. Anyone who wants a prescription renewal then there is a post box between the two sets of doors to post the repeat prescription with the usual three days before it is available in your designated chemists. For the best information connected to the surgery look at www.facebook.com/SandbachGPs/ which has some great pictures of the doctors in protective gear. There is also a telephone consultation available via 01270-275050 or a webchat facility for consultations on their website at www.sandbachgps.nhs.uk/contact-us/ .
ESTATE AGENTS Are working from home and on the internet.
GODFREY C WILLIAMS The Delicatessen has started a home delivery service from the 20 March with a minimum spend of £10 for deliveries between Tuesday and Friday evenings.
ICELAND have held special times for the older generation to do their shopping and will continue to do so on Monday to Saturday the first hour (8am to 9am) is reserved for the elderly and venerable people and the final hour (6pm to 7pm) each day will be for NHS staff only on production of their badge (National media information see also window displays).
LIBRARY As of the 23 March at 5pm all libraries in Cheshire East will be closing. Any overdue books will not incur a fine as they have been suspended until the end of the outbreak. As many of the people who do not have access to the internet will be unable to use the library computers they will be unable to access any of the on-line information, questions about the current situation and help needed to get them through the current situation including internet banking and internet shopping so this will be a big blow to some of the disadvantaged in the town.
LLOYDS BANK in Sandbach has restricted those entering the bank to four people with a one in, one out policy.
MARKET. The Market was open on both Thursday and Saturday to cater for shoppers with food stalls doing well including the Thursday egg stall that had customers from the moment he opened. The stall had a queue of people getting those elusive eggs that have disappeared off the supermarket shelves but are still available from their farm. Sandbach Town Council said that they will try and keep the market open as long as they can, but on Monday the council announced that all the outdoor and indoor stalls will be closing.
As many people get their food from the Grocery stalls, Fish Stall, Pie Stall and Egg Stall this will limit not only their ability to sell products that will quickly go off but their loss of income will cause hardship to the stallholders as the production of these items will still have to be produced with no outlet for their produce. Having seen a Councillor from the Cheshire East Council taking pictures of the market on Saturday I wonder if Sandbach Town Council have been told to shut down all the stalls rather than some being able to stay open under Government Guidelines to allow food shops to operate for the duration.
Shops or Stalls under the arches have a shop like contract and will stay open if they wish to sell meat and cheeses. See shop windows and social media for opening times.
NAT WEST BANK asks customers not to visit the bank unless absolutely necessary and then to practice safe social distancing.
PARKS As far as I know the Parks in Sandbach, Sandbach Heath, Wheelock and Elworth are open but the Government advice is to keep your distance and not to use the equipment as it may have been infected by other visitors.
SANDBACH TOWN COUNCIL. The Council has shut its doors to visitors but are replying to E Mails and phone calls. They have also cancelled a number of events including, Council Meetings and the Annual Town Meeting where the public can see what the Council has been doing over the last twelve months and ask Councillors questions. The Mayor’s fundraising quiz, ABBASolute Tribute Night, WOW 80’s and the Community Cinema have also been cancelled.
ST MARY’S CHURCH. The church is still open for parishioners to pray on their own, but will not be holding services. Heather and John Bottomley recorded a flute solo of “Be still in the presence of the Lord”, and other tunes to cheer up the people of Sandbach and for Heather’s mother. The videos are available at www.facebook.com/SandbachChurch/
ST PETER’S CHURCH, ELWORTH. The church was planning to open on Monday 23 March at 8am to 10am, Thursday 26 March at 11am to 1pm and Friday 10am to 12pm for personnel worship with a box in church for donations to the food bank. The vicar has also recorded a very good twenty minute service for Mother’s Day (22 March) with musicians and singers that is still available at www.facebook.com/StPetersElworth/ or on You Tube.
WAITROSE. On Sunday when I visited the supermarket at about 1pm they were giving away flowers. Mother’s Day sales were not as predicted from last year and so the store decided to give away bunches of flowers to any customer who wanted a bunch to pass on to a loved one, relative or more likely to brighten up the lives of shoppers who are self-isolating or stuck in their homes with their family. Many of those I spoke to were extremely grateful for the gift and it certainly put a smile on the faces of the shoppers.
WHEELOCK HEATH BAPTIST CHURCH / GRACE CHURCH Started a live stream of information and prayers by a parishioner that started at 10.30am and continued at 6pm on Sunday the 22 March.
The video is still available from www.facebook.com/wheelockheath with a loss of sound at the beginning so stick with it for a couple of minutes as they get the technology sorted.
So far, the people of Sandbach are coping with the restrictions and there seems to be a lot of good ideas floating about in this hard time. KEEP SMILING SANDBACH.
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23 March 2020
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE an A to Z of what is happening in Sandbach.
Sandbach has shut down as prescribed by the Government to quicken the end of the coronavirus epidemic by making sure we are social distancing so that the virus doesn’t get passed on to the venerable.
Looking at the town on Monday the current situation and stories are ever changing. As I write certain information is being updated minute by minute, but other items are going to be available via various Facebook and Websites for people to enjoy over the next few weeks.
During my daily walk, on my own, as advised by the Government the town is looking like a continual Sunday shopping day. I have seen people avoiding each other, staying away from strangers and some trying to continue their work in extremely difficult times in essential shops, but there are also some nice moments in the life of the town.
ALDI have changed their opening times by closing at 8pm Monday to Saturday (Usually closes at 10pm).
B AND M. So far the store is open as usual.
BEER EMPORIUM Open for takeaway business only (Monday 23 March).
BETTING SHOPS These have all closed and advise customers to contact their companies via websites for any outstanding winnings.
BOOTS. The chemist’s staff have decided to take breaks together and to restrict those entering the building. On Monday the staff put up a sign that if you wanted a prescription then if you knocked on the window, they would be able to help you get your medicines. They also shut down the shop at certain times for an hour to restock or have lunchtimes so if they seem closed, look in the window posters to see when they will be open again.
CHRIST CHURCH, WHEELOCK. The church is closed due to guidelines but are holding a telephone service every Wednesday at 7pm. To take part you need to message the church. A video of the Mother’s Day Service by Vicar Jane is also available at www.facebook.com/Christ-Church-Wheelock
CHURCHES IN SANDBACH. Generally, these are closed but some have alternate services are available via Facebook. For some of the details see the churches names in this article.
DOCTOR’S SURGERY at Ashfields. The surgery is restricting access to the building with a table blocking the entrance and with social distancing in operation. Anyone who wants a prescription renewal then there is a post box between the two sets of doors to post the repeat prescription with the usual three days before it is available in your designated chemists. For the best information connected to the surgery look at www.facebook.com/SandbachGPs/ which has some great pictures of the doctors in protective gear. There is also a telephone consultation available via 01270-275050 or a webchat facility for consultations on their website at www.sandbachgps.nhs.uk/contact-us/ .
ESTATE AGENTS Are working from home and on the internet.
GODFREY C WILLIAMS The Delicatessen has started a home delivery service from the 20 March with a minimum spend of £10 for deliveries between Tuesday and Friday evenings.
ICELAND have held special times for the older generation to do their shopping and will continue to do so on Monday to Saturday the first hour (8am to 9am) is reserved for the elderly and venerable people and the final hour (6pm to 7pm) each day will be for NHS staff only on production of their badge (National media information see also window displays).
LIBRARY As of the 23 March at 5pm all libraries in Cheshire East will be closing. Any overdue books will not incur a fine as they have been suspended until the end of the outbreak. As many of the people who do not have access to the internet will be unable to use the library computers they will be unable to access any of the on-line information, questions about the current situation and help needed to get them through the current situation including internet banking and internet shopping so this will be a big blow to some of the disadvantaged in the town.
LLOYDS BANK in Sandbach has restricted those entering the bank to four people with a one in, one out policy.
MARKET. The Market was open on both Thursday and Saturday to cater for shoppers with food stalls doing well including the Thursday egg stall that had customers from the moment he opened. The stall had a queue of people getting those elusive eggs that have disappeared off the supermarket shelves but are still available from their farm. Sandbach Town Council said that they will try and keep the market open as long as they can, but on Monday the council announced that all the outdoor and indoor stalls will be closing.
As many people get their food from the Grocery stalls, Fish Stall, Pie Stall and Egg Stall this will limit not only their ability to sell products that will quickly go off but their loss of income will cause hardship to the stallholders as the production of these items will still have to be produced with no outlet for their produce. Having seen a Councillor from the Cheshire East Council taking pictures of the market on Saturday I wonder if Sandbach Town Council have been told to shut down all the stalls rather than some being able to stay open under Government Guidelines to allow food shops to operate for the duration.
Shops or Stalls under the arches have a shop like contract and will stay open if they wish to sell meat and cheeses. See shop windows and social media for opening times.
NAT WEST BANK asks customers not to visit the bank unless absolutely necessary and then to practice safe social distancing.
PARKS As far as I know the Parks in Sandbach, Sandbach Heath, Wheelock and Elworth are open but the Government advice is to keep your distance and not to use the equipment as it may have been infected by other visitors.
SANDBACH TOWN COUNCIL. The Council has shut its doors to visitors but are replying to E Mails and phone calls. They have also cancelled a number of events including, Council Meetings and the Annual Town Meeting where the public can see what the Council has been doing over the last twelve months and ask Councillors questions. The Mayor’s fundraising quiz, ABBASolute Tribute Night, WOW 80’s and the Community Cinema have also been cancelled.
ST MARY’S CHURCH. The church is still open for parishioners to pray on their own, but will not be holding services. Heather and John Bottomley recorded a flute solo of “Be still in the presence of the Lord”, and other tunes to cheer up the people of Sandbach and for Heather’s mother. The videos are available at www.facebook.com/SandbachChurch/
ST PETER’S CHURCH, ELWORTH. The church was planning to open on Monday 23 March at 8am to 10am, Thursday 26 March at 11am to 1pm and Friday 10am to 12pm for personnel worship with a box in church for donations to the food bank. The vicar has also recorded a very good twenty minute service for Mother’s Day (22 March) with musicians and singers that is still available at www.facebook.com/StPetersElworth/ or on You Tube.
WAITROSE. On Sunday when I visited the supermarket at about 1pm they were giving away flowers. Mother’s Day sales were not as predicted from last year and so the store decided to give away bunches of flowers to any customer who wanted a bunch to pass on to a loved one, relative or more likely to brighten up the lives of shoppers who are self-isolating or stuck in their homes with their family. Many of those I spoke to were extremely grateful for the gift and it certainly put a smile on the faces of the shoppers.
WHEELOCK HEATH BAPTIST CHURCH / GRACE CHURCH Started a live stream of information and prayers by a parishioner that started at 10.30am and continued at 6pm on Sunday the 22 March.
The video is still available from www.facebook.com/wheelockheath with a loss of sound at the beginning so stick with it for a couple of minutes as they get the technology sorted.
So far, the people of Sandbach are coping with the restrictions and there seems to be a lot of good ideas floating about in this hard time. KEEP SMILING SANDBACH.
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17 March 2020
CORONAVIRUS HITS SANDBACH
As I go into panic mode, Sandbach has been hit by the Coronavirus in various ways as events and gatherings have been shut down.
The main event in the town the Sandbach Transport Festival had been “Postponed”, the U3A has cancelled all of its trips and many events, The MacMillian (Cancer Support) desk in the Library has been closed due to the nature of those vulnerable people it speaks to, The Sandbach Choral society concert of Durfule’s Requiem on the 28 March is postponed and the Sandbach Concert Series has suspended all its concerts until May including the Young Musician of the Year competition.
The Doctor’s surgery is trying to clear the waiting rooms by passing on enquiries to local pharmacists. However, this is a short-term fix as the pharmacist becomes a possible victim of the virus and could be self-isolating then where will we be able to get our prescriptions as they need checking by the same people the Doctor’s are passing the buck onto.
The Laptop Shop on Congleton Road has closed for two weeks from the 16 March as the lady who works there is in the “At Risk” category but her partner is still working in their Nantwich shop.
Shops are selling out of items as thoughtless hoarders clear the shelves of products. Pictures from Aldi show shelves clear of goods including toilet paper, eggs, cleaning products and tinned fish. A visit on Tuesday to Waitrose and pasta, pasta sauces, soups, long life milk, fruit juices, breads, tinned fruit, frozen peas, frozen beans, eggs, baby wipes, surface wipes, bleach, tissue papers, toilet paper, ibuprofen and paracetamol have all disappeared off the shelves while Iceland’s fridges are empty in many sections. There must be an awful lot of people making cakes and pasta bakes over the next few weeks. Hopefully the delivery vans will be able to re-stock over the next week so we can get back to normal shopping practices.
A lot of people on social media feel that showing pictures of empty shelves starts panic buying and they are quite right. Every year we see the panic buying at Christmas as people load up for a few days but this is above and beyond this as the shelves are cleared in fear that the supply chain will suddenly disappear. All the shops have said that if we do not panic buy then the usual supplies are available to replenish stocks on a daily basis but panic buying just means that the vulnerable are unable to get food and so end up in hospital or needing medical help.
Iceland has started offering over 70’s a clear time for shopping with the first of these events being on Wednesday the 18th March between 9am and 11am to give them a chance to buy those essentials without the competition from younger “hoarders”.
Further afield Leighton Hospital reported their first two deaths due to Coronavirus and underlying problems and the number of visitors has dropped to practically zero leaving those in hospital without any outside communication. This is the first time I have known in 30 years of presenting a request show on Hospital Radio that visitor numbers have been at such a low level.
The Lyceum Theatre has closed its doors from the 17 March until further notice as has the Buxton Opera House, the Victoria Hall and Regent Theatre in Hanley, leaving the local world without live entertainment. If you want some science unfortunately you will find the museums closed including the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre.
With no date given for the end of the current situation let’s hope it doesn’t go on for long and we can get back to normal.
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17 March 2020
CORONAVIRUS HITS SANDBACH
As I go into panic mode, Sandbach has been hit by the Coronavirus in various ways as events and gatherings have been shut down.
The main event in the town the Sandbach Transport Festival had been “Postponed”, the U3A has cancelled all of its trips and many events, The MacMillian (Cancer Support) desk in the Library has been closed due to the nature of those vulnerable people it speaks to, The Sandbach Choral society concert of Durfule’s Requiem on the 28 March is postponed and the Sandbach Concert Series has suspended all its concerts until May including the Young Musician of the Year competition.
The Doctor’s surgery is trying to clear the waiting rooms by passing on enquiries to local pharmacists. However, this is a short-term fix as the pharmacist becomes a possible victim of the virus and could be self-isolating then where will we be able to get our prescriptions as they need checking by the same people the Doctor’s are passing the buck onto.
The Laptop Shop on Congleton Road has closed for two weeks from the 16 March as the lady who works there is in the “At Risk” category but her partner is still working in their Nantwich shop.
Shops are selling out of items as thoughtless hoarders clear the shelves of products. Pictures from Aldi show shelves clear of goods including toilet paper, eggs, cleaning products and tinned fish. A visit on Tuesday to Waitrose and pasta, pasta sauces, soups, long life milk, fruit juices, breads, tinned fruit, frozen peas, frozen beans, eggs, baby wipes, surface wipes, bleach, tissue papers, toilet paper, ibuprofen and paracetamol have all disappeared off the shelves while Iceland’s fridges are empty in many sections. There must be an awful lot of people making cakes and pasta bakes over the next few weeks. Hopefully the delivery vans will be able to re-stock over the next week so we can get back to normal shopping practices.
A lot of people on social media feel that showing pictures of empty shelves starts panic buying and they are quite right. Every year we see the panic buying at Christmas as people load up for a few days but this is above and beyond this as the shelves are cleared in fear that the supply chain will suddenly disappear. All the shops have said that if we do not panic buy then the usual supplies are available to replenish stocks on a daily basis but panic buying just means that the vulnerable are unable to get food and so end up in hospital or needing medical help.
Iceland has started offering over 70’s a clear time for shopping with the first of these events being on Wednesday the 18th March between 9am and 11am to give them a chance to buy those essentials without the competition from younger “hoarders”.
Further afield Leighton Hospital reported their first two deaths due to Coronavirus and underlying problems and the number of visitors has dropped to practically zero leaving those in hospital without any outside communication. This is the first time I have known in 30 years of presenting a request show on Hospital Radio that visitor numbers have been at such a low level.
The Lyceum Theatre has closed its doors from the 17 March until further notice as has the Buxton Opera House, the Victoria Hall and Regent Theatre in Hanley, leaving the local world without live entertainment. If you want some science unfortunately you will find the museums closed including the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre.
With no date given for the end of the current situation let’s hope it doesn’t go on for long and we can get back to normal.
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17 March 2020
ROTARY CLUB PRESENTS CHEQUE TO NSPCC
Defying the Government recommendation not to congregate in large numbers the local group of the N.S.P.C.C. held their annual Luncheon Club at the Hunters Lodge in Crewe to raise funds for the charity.
The main topic of conversation was of course the Coronavirus outbreak but there was a more important event happening, raising funds for this worthy cause and the presentation of a cheque to help them on their way.
At the event the Rotary Club of Sandbach Crosses presented a cheque for £500 to the N.S.P.C.C. during the luncheon. Joint President of the Rotary Club Kath Neame handed over the cheque to committee members Kath Croydon, Marjorie Newton, Dorothy Cureton and Gill Dalton. The funds were raised by Rotary Club during the Santa Collections at the Motorway services, Waitrose and at the Congleton Road Co-op and petrol station near the M6 Junction 17.
Started in 1884 by Thomas Agnew a Liverpool businessman after he had visited the New York Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children. In 1883, Thomas set up the Liverpool Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children followed on the 11 July 1884 by the formation of the London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children which was set up based on Thomas’s idea by Lord Shaftsbury, The Rev. Edward Rudolf and the Rev. Benjamin Waugh. Their aim to help children in desperate need.
A revenue of about £157.5 million raised by the N.S.P.C.C. each year has helped 24,447 children via Childline in 2018/19. Provided support for 20,024 recorded crimes against children. 8,000 schools use the N.S.P.C.C. “Speak Out, Stay Safe” programme and the charity aims to help the 1 in 5 children who are suspected of being abused or neglected in the UK.
The cheque from the generous donations over the Christmas period will go some way towards helping those who desperately need the N.S.P.C.C.
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17 March 2020
ROTARY CLUB PRESENTS CHEQUE TO NSPCC
Defying the Government recommendation not to congregate in large numbers the local group of the N.S.P.C.C. held their annual Luncheon Club at the Hunters Lodge in Crewe to raise funds for the charity.
The main topic of conversation was of course the Coronavirus outbreak but there was a more important event happening, raising funds for this worthy cause and the presentation of a cheque to help them on their way.
At the event the Rotary Club of Sandbach Crosses presented a cheque for £500 to the N.S.P.C.C. during the luncheon. Joint President of the Rotary Club Kath Neame handed over the cheque to committee members Kath Croydon, Marjorie Newton, Dorothy Cureton and Gill Dalton. The funds were raised by Rotary Club during the Santa Collections at the Motorway services, Waitrose and at the Congleton Road Co-op and petrol station near the M6 Junction 17.
Started in 1884 by Thomas Agnew a Liverpool businessman after he had visited the New York Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children. In 1883, Thomas set up the Liverpool Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children followed on the 11 July 1884 by the formation of the London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children which was set up based on Thomas’s idea by Lord Shaftsbury, The Rev. Edward Rudolf and the Rev. Benjamin Waugh. Their aim to help children in desperate need.
A revenue of about £157.5 million raised by the N.S.P.C.C. each year has helped 24,447 children via Childline in 2018/19. Provided support for 20,024 recorded crimes against children. 8,000 schools use the N.S.P.C.C. “Speak Out, Stay Safe” programme and the charity aims to help the 1 in 5 children who are suspected of being abused or neglected in the UK.
The cheque from the generous donations over the Christmas period will go some way towards helping those who desperately need the N.S.P.C.C.
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Old Pictures from facebook / Stewart Green Pictures from 2014 / 2018 (After Fire) / 2020 demolished.
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1 February 2020
WATER WORKS DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR HOUSING
On the 21st January 2020, demolition started on the buildings of Sandbach’s first Water Works near Dingle Lake in the centre of the town. Due to take eight weeks to clear the site it will then be handed over to the Mansion House Group (Altringham) developers to build twelve houses on the brownfield site ready for October 2020 when the project is due for completion.
About 100 people had been to see the work in the first week of its demolition giving them their last chance to see the area before it is redeveloped.
In 2020 there are 1,081 water treatment works in the United Kingdom supplying taps across the country with fresh water. Rain falls to the ground and is collected in reservoirs, rivers, “underwater” and “Groundwater” sources that are channelled into water treatment works where it goes through a treatment process to make sure it is safe to drink. The water is put through a number of filters to remove large objects like branches and leaves, then a coarse sand filter which traps smaller particles and then a slow sand filter of finer sand to remove even smaller particles. Some treatment works use ozone, carbon and ion exchange to remove microscopic and dissolved particles before it is sent to the next process of killing bacteria by adding less than one milligram per litre of chlorine to it. In the Crewe and Sandbach area the local Health Authority has asked for Fluoride to be added to the water supply to help stop tooth decay. Most water contains trace amounts of the mineral but one milligram per litre is the most that is added in some areas to help with general tooth improvements. During the whole process the water companies make numerous tests to make sure that the water we receive is completely safe. The treated water is then stored in covered reservoirs before it is pumped through a network of pipes and pumping stations into our home.
According to the United Utilities website, Sandbach water comes from the River Dee and Lake Vyrnwy (owned by Seven Trent Water), a reservoir in Powys, North Wales built to supply Liverpool with fresh water. The water in Sandbach is a soft water with a hardness of 2.17 on the Clarke scale and is treated in the Smallwood Water Zone Z159, but I cannot find a treatment plant in the village and as it is supplied from Wales and the Chester area it is more likely to be treated in Northwich. Websites are reluctant to pinpoint the location of a water treatment plant in the area, only the waste water treatment plants in Senderfield Lane off Hind Heath Road, Sandbach or one in Middlewich, Crewe or Congleton.
However, this is not always how water was delivered to the homes in the Sandbach area.
Wells in the High Street under what was Jack and Jill’s and the Folk’s bar supplied part of the town with another one known to be under Boots the Chemist and a third situated by the side of St Mary’s on Front Street which is still an open pipe. Local pumps were used to get the water to the surface and an example of one is on display at Well Bank from the early 1900’s.
The Local Government Act of 1858 was adopted by Sandbach on the 4 April 1862. Under the provision of the 1894 Local Government Act Sandbach was governed by a District Council of 15 members. The town had gas provided by a gas company with a gasworks in Union Street erected in 1847 and the town’s pure water supply was provided by the Urban District Council in a Water Works constructed in 1891 by the late Local Board at a cost of £7,000 and situated near Dingle Lake on ground that is now just off Tiverton Close on the Tatton Drive Estate. Water gravitated from springs at Taxmere near Arclid about 1½ miles away. On reaching the water works it was purified and then the water was forced to a water tower 68 feet high situated on land now part of the Fire and Ambulance station with reservoirs holding 65,000 gallons that then enters the mains town supply.
The water tower was built in 1891 and was situated near the Common to a design by William W Wyatt the Senior Civil Engineer of Whitchurch. His son was also responsible for the water mains and tower at the Arclid Infirmary. The tower was built by John Stringer (District Surveyor and Engineer) to a design that according to some resembled Windsor Castle and was demolished in 1962 with one of the metal rings round it being saved by Cath Jones (Music Shop Owner), but after her death and sale of the music studio its whereabouts are now not known.
The Water Works consisted of five underground features, three underground tanks 3 meters deep which were filled with water, a large Settlement Tank and three buildings including the Managers House.
Filter beds for the town were off what is now Old Mill Road and near the new Filter Bed Road / Way.
In May 1913, the Sandbach Urban District Council were contemplating extending the waterworks as the water supply has been adjudged by the Water Committee as totally insufficient to meet the growing demand. They also looked at the present pump which had been installed only three to four years ago in 1909 -10, had been declared incapable of performing the work required by the town. A proposed scheme would provide an extra clear water tank which would hold 150,000 gallons of water with the object of relieving the disturbance of the water in the existing tank caused by constant precipitation (Rain). A new pump of the turbine type would deliver up to 18,000 gallons of water per hour and would be used to assist the present one. The cost of the whole upgrade was estimated at between £1,100 and £1,200.
A report in the local newspaper of the 14 January 1916, gave a quote from the Buxton Lime Firm Company to supply lime for softening purposes at the Sandbach Waterworks at 28 shillings 10d (Pence) per ton.
Another report in the 25 January 1924 newspapers tells the sad story of the daughter of Mr Frederick Bullock a water engineer of Sandbach, who was playing with a scooter at the Sandbach (Cheshire) Waterworks and unfortunately fell into a large reservoir and was drowned. This story may have given rise to the story of a ghost in the managers house and area of the now demolished waterworks. Mr Bullock was the occupant of the house until the 1930’s or 1940’s,
Among the other managers of the site were Walter Lea described as a Water Purifier of Sandbach, Mr Fred and Mrs Eunice Rowlands, and according to a Facebook entry Mr and Mrs Stephen Garside who were the last residents in the 1990’s as they rented the building rather than it being a tied cottage.
One of the first employees at the water works was a Mr Leese of Chapel Street, Sandbach whose son Samuel Leese of Malkins Bank (Captain 290082 of the 1st/7th Battalion Cheshire Regiment) was killed in action during the First World War on Monday 26 March 1917 in Egypt.
As the town of Sandbach grew the demand for a supply of water exceeded the output of the small water works and a treatment works was installed in Middlewich to cater for the needs of the area.
In 1990, North West Water and Norweb who were the companies responsible for the supply of water to the North West Area were both privatised and in 1995 they merged together but kept their own names until 2000 when its rebranding became United Utilities.
Changes in water supplies forced the company to close its smaller works including Sandbach and the building became vacant. Plans to renovate the building and sell it on or rent it out were started but an arson attack destroyed the work done and it was back to square one for the water works and the buildings started to decay.
More arson attacks, homeless people moved in on a temporary basis and locally it became known as a place where drugs were taken. The owners bricked up the entrances and cordoned off the area but this didn’t stop trespassers. About 2012, the building was again set alight damaging it beyond repair and it was now time to discuss demolition.
In 2012, a planning application (12/1650C) by Duncan, Bruce, Geoffrey and Andrew Goodwin was put into Cheshire East to demolish the remaining building and construct 12 two story detached homes with car parking and the closure of vehicle access via Dingle Lane with the creation of a new road access point into Tiverton Close. However, on the 28 November 2012 the application was turned down as it would impact on the wildlife corridor.
On the 10 August 2016 a further application (16/3924C) was submitted for 12 two- and three-story houses which was again rejected on the 28 October 2016 with Mr P Pollard of My Pad Developments Ltd then appealed against the decision. The new application (16/3164953) was accepted with various conditions including a clause that no demolition would take place between 1 March and the 31 August so that it didn’t affect the bird breading season in the woodland area adjacent to the site.
There were a mixture of opinions on Facebook when demolition started as some said they would miss the “Crack Den” (Joking) and some were sad that more of the wildlife corridor was being eaten away, while others felt the loss of another historic building in the town was wrong with new houses being built by developers for profit and the Council could gain another twelve sets of rates.
Many were however of the opinion that time had run out for the building as it was now on the point of collapse and there was no way it could return to its former glory. Over the years there has been a number of fires at the site including on the 4 February 2018 at 9.44am when a possible homeless man lit a fire to keep warm only to find the building itself was alight with a fire crew from Sandbach and one from Crewe attending. On the 14 July 2018 a grass fire in front of the house brought appliances from Crewe and Middlewich to extinguish the blaze with residents again calling for its demolition before a larger fire took hold of the area including the wildlife corridor.
Today this brown field site is being prepared to take on a new history and the past will be buried and possibly forgotten by those who live in the new houses on the site of the old Waterworks.
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1 February 2020
WATER WORKS DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR HOUSING
On the 21st January 2020, demolition started on the buildings of Sandbach’s first Water Works near Dingle Lake in the centre of the town. Due to take eight weeks to clear the site it will then be handed over to the Mansion House Group (Altringham) developers to build twelve houses on the brownfield site ready for October 2020 when the project is due for completion.
About 100 people had been to see the work in the first week of its demolition giving them their last chance to see the area before it is redeveloped.
In 2020 there are 1,081 water treatment works in the United Kingdom supplying taps across the country with fresh water. Rain falls to the ground and is collected in reservoirs, rivers, “underwater” and “Groundwater” sources that are channelled into water treatment works where it goes through a treatment process to make sure it is safe to drink. The water is put through a number of filters to remove large objects like branches and leaves, then a coarse sand filter which traps smaller particles and then a slow sand filter of finer sand to remove even smaller particles. Some treatment works use ozone, carbon and ion exchange to remove microscopic and dissolved particles before it is sent to the next process of killing bacteria by adding less than one milligram per litre of chlorine to it. In the Crewe and Sandbach area the local Health Authority has asked for Fluoride to be added to the water supply to help stop tooth decay. Most water contains trace amounts of the mineral but one milligram per litre is the most that is added in some areas to help with general tooth improvements. During the whole process the water companies make numerous tests to make sure that the water we receive is completely safe. The treated water is then stored in covered reservoirs before it is pumped through a network of pipes and pumping stations into our home.
According to the United Utilities website, Sandbach water comes from the River Dee and Lake Vyrnwy (owned by Seven Trent Water), a reservoir in Powys, North Wales built to supply Liverpool with fresh water. The water in Sandbach is a soft water with a hardness of 2.17 on the Clarke scale and is treated in the Smallwood Water Zone Z159, but I cannot find a treatment plant in the village and as it is supplied from Wales and the Chester area it is more likely to be treated in Northwich. Websites are reluctant to pinpoint the location of a water treatment plant in the area, only the waste water treatment plants in Senderfield Lane off Hind Heath Road, Sandbach or one in Middlewich, Crewe or Congleton.
However, this is not always how water was delivered to the homes in the Sandbach area.
Wells in the High Street under what was Jack and Jill’s and the Folk’s bar supplied part of the town with another one known to be under Boots the Chemist and a third situated by the side of St Mary’s on Front Street which is still an open pipe. Local pumps were used to get the water to the surface and an example of one is on display at Well Bank from the early 1900’s.
The Local Government Act of 1858 was adopted by Sandbach on the 4 April 1862. Under the provision of the 1894 Local Government Act Sandbach was governed by a District Council of 15 members. The town had gas provided by a gas company with a gasworks in Union Street erected in 1847 and the town’s pure water supply was provided by the Urban District Council in a Water Works constructed in 1891 by the late Local Board at a cost of £7,000 and situated near Dingle Lake on ground that is now just off Tiverton Close on the Tatton Drive Estate. Water gravitated from springs at Taxmere near Arclid about 1½ miles away. On reaching the water works it was purified and then the water was forced to a water tower 68 feet high situated on land now part of the Fire and Ambulance station with reservoirs holding 65,000 gallons that then enters the mains town supply.
The water tower was built in 1891 and was situated near the Common to a design by William W Wyatt the Senior Civil Engineer of Whitchurch. His son was also responsible for the water mains and tower at the Arclid Infirmary. The tower was built by John Stringer (District Surveyor and Engineer) to a design that according to some resembled Windsor Castle and was demolished in 1962 with one of the metal rings round it being saved by Cath Jones (Music Shop Owner), but after her death and sale of the music studio its whereabouts are now not known.
The Water Works consisted of five underground features, three underground tanks 3 meters deep which were filled with water, a large Settlement Tank and three buildings including the Managers House.
Filter beds for the town were off what is now Old Mill Road and near the new Filter Bed Road / Way.
In May 1913, the Sandbach Urban District Council were contemplating extending the waterworks as the water supply has been adjudged by the Water Committee as totally insufficient to meet the growing demand. They also looked at the present pump which had been installed only three to four years ago in 1909 -10, had been declared incapable of performing the work required by the town. A proposed scheme would provide an extra clear water tank which would hold 150,000 gallons of water with the object of relieving the disturbance of the water in the existing tank caused by constant precipitation (Rain). A new pump of the turbine type would deliver up to 18,000 gallons of water per hour and would be used to assist the present one. The cost of the whole upgrade was estimated at between £1,100 and £1,200.
A report in the local newspaper of the 14 January 1916, gave a quote from the Buxton Lime Firm Company to supply lime for softening purposes at the Sandbach Waterworks at 28 shillings 10d (Pence) per ton.
Another report in the 25 January 1924 newspapers tells the sad story of the daughter of Mr Frederick Bullock a water engineer of Sandbach, who was playing with a scooter at the Sandbach (Cheshire) Waterworks and unfortunately fell into a large reservoir and was drowned. This story may have given rise to the story of a ghost in the managers house and area of the now demolished waterworks. Mr Bullock was the occupant of the house until the 1930’s or 1940’s,
Among the other managers of the site were Walter Lea described as a Water Purifier of Sandbach, Mr Fred and Mrs Eunice Rowlands, and according to a Facebook entry Mr and Mrs Stephen Garside who were the last residents in the 1990’s as they rented the building rather than it being a tied cottage.
One of the first employees at the water works was a Mr Leese of Chapel Street, Sandbach whose son Samuel Leese of Malkins Bank (Captain 290082 of the 1st/7th Battalion Cheshire Regiment) was killed in action during the First World War on Monday 26 March 1917 in Egypt.
As the town of Sandbach grew the demand for a supply of water exceeded the output of the small water works and a treatment works was installed in Middlewich to cater for the needs of the area.
In 1990, North West Water and Norweb who were the companies responsible for the supply of water to the North West Area were both privatised and in 1995 they merged together but kept their own names until 2000 when its rebranding became United Utilities.
Changes in water supplies forced the company to close its smaller works including Sandbach and the building became vacant. Plans to renovate the building and sell it on or rent it out were started but an arson attack destroyed the work done and it was back to square one for the water works and the buildings started to decay.
More arson attacks, homeless people moved in on a temporary basis and locally it became known as a place where drugs were taken. The owners bricked up the entrances and cordoned off the area but this didn’t stop trespassers. About 2012, the building was again set alight damaging it beyond repair and it was now time to discuss demolition.
In 2012, a planning application (12/1650C) by Duncan, Bruce, Geoffrey and Andrew Goodwin was put into Cheshire East to demolish the remaining building and construct 12 two story detached homes with car parking and the closure of vehicle access via Dingle Lane with the creation of a new road access point into Tiverton Close. However, on the 28 November 2012 the application was turned down as it would impact on the wildlife corridor.
On the 10 August 2016 a further application (16/3924C) was submitted for 12 two- and three-story houses which was again rejected on the 28 October 2016 with Mr P Pollard of My Pad Developments Ltd then appealed against the decision. The new application (16/3164953) was accepted with various conditions including a clause that no demolition would take place between 1 March and the 31 August so that it didn’t affect the bird breading season in the woodland area adjacent to the site.
There were a mixture of opinions on Facebook when demolition started as some said they would miss the “Crack Den” (Joking) and some were sad that more of the wildlife corridor was being eaten away, while others felt the loss of another historic building in the town was wrong with new houses being built by developers for profit and the Council could gain another twelve sets of rates.
Many were however of the opinion that time had run out for the building as it was now on the point of collapse and there was no way it could return to its former glory. Over the years there has been a number of fires at the site including on the 4 February 2018 at 9.44am when a possible homeless man lit a fire to keep warm only to find the building itself was alight with a fire crew from Sandbach and one from Crewe attending. On the 14 July 2018 a grass fire in front of the house brought appliances from Crewe and Middlewich to extinguish the blaze with residents again calling for its demolition before a larger fire took hold of the area including the wildlife corridor.
Today this brown field site is being prepared to take on a new history and the past will be buried and possibly forgotten by those who live in the new houses on the site of the old Waterworks.
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11 January 2020
FIRE AT NURSERY IN DALTON COURT MIDDLEWICH ROAD
January in Sandbach was a hive of activity for the Cheshire Fire Brigade with two fires in the town at the same time on the 11 January 2020.
At 6am appliances from Sandbach, Crewe (2), Holmes Chapel, Middlewich and an aerial appliance from Macclesfield attended an incident at the La Maternelle Children’s Nursery on Middlewich Road opposite Abbey Road. The first floor of the building was on fire and four crews entered the building with breathing apparatus to tackle the flames with two hose reels. Crews also used three main jets to tackle the blaze from the outside including the ERF Aerial Appliance which was used to dampen the area from above. The main Middlewich Road was closed off while the five appliances were on the scene using water from hydrants as far away as Grange Way.
By 11.30am the majority of the fire was extinguished and the hydraulic platform was used to take out tiles from the roof and along with ground crew checked the building for hotspots. The junction by the nursery was given restricted access for most of the day including a set of traffic lights being installed around the incident to try and keep vehicles moving for the safety of the public and fire crews.
By lunchtime the Sandbach and Crewe appliances were released and by 12.45pm the Holmes Chapel crew were back in their station in the centre of the village. At about 3pm the Aerial appliance started its journey back to Macclesfield, leaving Middlewich and a relief crew from Alsager to monitor the building to make sure it didn’t flare up again.
The second incident was just down the road from the major incident as two appliances from Alsager and Congleton attended a house fire on Park Lane in a former back boiler concealed in a wall. This “Shout” took about an hour to make secure leaving the Alsager appliance available to attended the Nursery building to assist with damping down.
EXTRA INFORMATION
In WW2 the building was fitted out with an Air Raid Shelter complete with water tank and large oxygen bottles because the nearby Foden Works were a prime target for German bombers.
In 1957 the house was renovated for Mrs Foden (ERF Side of the family) who had just purchased it.
New Ark Nursery
2015 La Maternelle Children’s Nursery
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11 January 2020
FIRE AT NURSERY IN DALTON COURT MIDDLEWICH ROAD
January in Sandbach was a hive of activity for the Cheshire Fire Brigade with two fires in the town at the same time on the 11 January 2020.
At 6am appliances from Sandbach, Crewe (2), Holmes Chapel, Middlewich and an aerial appliance from Macclesfield attended an incident at the La Maternelle Children’s Nursery on Middlewich Road opposite Abbey Road. The first floor of the building was on fire and four crews entered the building with breathing apparatus to tackle the flames with two hose reels. Crews also used three main jets to tackle the blaze from the outside including the ERF Aerial Appliance which was used to dampen the area from above. The main Middlewich Road was closed off while the five appliances were on the scene using water from hydrants as far away as Grange Way.
By 11.30am the majority of the fire was extinguished and the hydraulic platform was used to take out tiles from the roof and along with ground crew checked the building for hotspots. The junction by the nursery was given restricted access for most of the day including a set of traffic lights being installed around the incident to try and keep vehicles moving for the safety of the public and fire crews.
By lunchtime the Sandbach and Crewe appliances were released and by 12.45pm the Holmes Chapel crew were back in their station in the centre of the village. At about 3pm the Aerial appliance started its journey back to Macclesfield, leaving Middlewich and a relief crew from Alsager to monitor the building to make sure it didn’t flare up again.
The second incident was just down the road from the major incident as two appliances from Alsager and Congleton attended a house fire on Park Lane in a former back boiler concealed in a wall. This “Shout” took about an hour to make secure leaving the Alsager appliance available to attended the Nursery building to assist with damping down.
EXTRA INFORMATION
In WW2 the building was fitted out with an Air Raid Shelter complete with water tank and large oxygen bottles because the nearby Foden Works were a prime target for German bombers.
In 1957 the house was renovated for Mrs Foden (ERF Side of the family) who had just purchased it.
New Ark Nursery
2015 La Maternelle Children’s Nursery
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2019 news items
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15 November 2019
FRIDAY NIGHT FOOD FIGHT
Sandbach held two food events on Friday night on the 15th November 2019, one at St Mary’s and the other at the Market Hall.
Competing against Children in Need night, Godfrey Williams and Son held their annual “A Taste of Christmas” at St Mary’s Church Hall when Daniel Williams brings together many of his suppliers to show off their products ready for the Christmas market. Sticky toffee pudding, cakes, biscuits, sweets, cider, wine, gin, liqueurs, apple juice, jam, hampers, pies, meat, oats, pickles and various cheeses were on display with samples available to enjoy that taste of Christmas.
Starting on the 28 November 2014, this event has now become part of the run up to the festive season in Sandbach and in its 6th year it still manages to attract a full hall of patrons enjoying the variety of produce both standard and festive versions.
Down the road, “A Taste of Sandbach” at the Town Hall Indoor Market was organised by Simon Gregson and Andy Milner (The Chef at the Rugby Club, Symphony Catering) and showcased local restaurants and businesses with a chance to taste their products and meals from twelve restaurants and manufacturers based in the town centre.
The Cheshire Pie Company (Bold Street) provided Pie, Mash and Peas, the Wheatsheaf (High Town) had their Sharing Platters, La Casa Mia (Market Square) showed off its Italian delights and mulled wine, Bar Six (Market Square) had Tapas and Gins, Gibson’s Greengrocers and Deli provided Soup, Hotpot and Vegetarian food. The Phanthong Thai restaurant (Crewe Road Roundabout) showed off Thai Food, K2H (St George’s Walk) an Indian Kitchen, Nought’s and Crosses Pizzeria (Middlewich Road) provided Pancakes and Waffles, The Wildfire Pizza (Outside Town Hall) were joined by organisers Symphony Hospitality (Sandbach Rugby Union Football Club caterers) with their French Casseroles at the event to celebrate the best in Sandbach food.
Many visitors went from one event to another as they could have their Friday meal out in an alfresco manner with the opportunity then to take home a cheese platter or pudding for later that night or for that Saturday meal while watching Strictly Come Dancing.
Simon Gregson tells me that they will be holding another “Taste of Sandbach” in February and hope to have a similar event each month after that. It was also a great opportunity for the Cheshire Pie Company to try out Pie and Peas before they start to provide it on their Market Stall on Saturdays outside the Town Hall starting this weekend.
How long this event will continue will depend on visitor numbers but 2019’s version attracted enough interest to attract queues to the event.
GODFREY WILLIAMS LIST OF STALLS
Belton Farm Great British Cheesemakers, Cottage Delight Ltd, Hider Foods, Mel’s Chutney, Mornflake Oates, Ollie’s Orchard (Apple Juice), Patchwork Traditional Food Company, Jo’s Sticky Toffee Pudding, Wensleydale Creamery (Cheese), Winding River Liqueurs Ltd.
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15 November 2019
FRIDAY NIGHT FOOD FIGHT
Sandbach held two food events on Friday night on the 15th November 2019, one at St Mary’s and the other at the Market Hall.
Competing against Children in Need night, Godfrey Williams and Son held their annual “A Taste of Christmas” at St Mary’s Church Hall when Daniel Williams brings together many of his suppliers to show off their products ready for the Christmas market. Sticky toffee pudding, cakes, biscuits, sweets, cider, wine, gin, liqueurs, apple juice, jam, hampers, pies, meat, oats, pickles and various cheeses were on display with samples available to enjoy that taste of Christmas.
Starting on the 28 November 2014, this event has now become part of the run up to the festive season in Sandbach and in its 6th year it still manages to attract a full hall of patrons enjoying the variety of produce both standard and festive versions.
Down the road, “A Taste of Sandbach” at the Town Hall Indoor Market was organised by Simon Gregson and Andy Milner (The Chef at the Rugby Club, Symphony Catering) and showcased local restaurants and businesses with a chance to taste their products and meals from twelve restaurants and manufacturers based in the town centre.
The Cheshire Pie Company (Bold Street) provided Pie, Mash and Peas, the Wheatsheaf (High Town) had their Sharing Platters, La Casa Mia (Market Square) showed off its Italian delights and mulled wine, Bar Six (Market Square) had Tapas and Gins, Gibson’s Greengrocers and Deli provided Soup, Hotpot and Vegetarian food. The Phanthong Thai restaurant (Crewe Road Roundabout) showed off Thai Food, K2H (St George’s Walk) an Indian Kitchen, Nought’s and Crosses Pizzeria (Middlewich Road) provided Pancakes and Waffles, The Wildfire Pizza (Outside Town Hall) were joined by organisers Symphony Hospitality (Sandbach Rugby Union Football Club caterers) with their French Casseroles at the event to celebrate the best in Sandbach food.
Many visitors went from one event to another as they could have their Friday meal out in an alfresco manner with the opportunity then to take home a cheese platter or pudding for later that night or for that Saturday meal while watching Strictly Come Dancing.
Simon Gregson tells me that they will be holding another “Taste of Sandbach” in February and hope to have a similar event each month after that. It was also a great opportunity for the Cheshire Pie Company to try out Pie and Peas before they start to provide it on their Market Stall on Saturdays outside the Town Hall starting this weekend.
How long this event will continue will depend on visitor numbers but 2019’s version attracted enough interest to attract queues to the event.
GODFREY WILLIAMS LIST OF STALLS
Belton Farm Great British Cheesemakers, Cottage Delight Ltd, Hider Foods, Mel’s Chutney, Mornflake Oates, Ollie’s Orchard (Apple Juice), Patchwork Traditional Food Company, Jo’s Sticky Toffee Pudding, Wensleydale Creamery (Cheese), Winding River Liqueurs Ltd.
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11 NOVEMBER 2019 Armistist Day
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10 November 2019
SANDBACH REMEMBRANCE DAY SHINES
After the 100th Anniversary of the start and ending of the Great War and the 80th Anniversary of the start of World War 2 along with the 75th Anniversary of D Day the celebrations have continued to draw out the members of the public to support the brave servicemen and service women who served their country and in many cases laid down their lives for the freedom of others. It was thought that after last years record breaking turnout that many would have stayed away on the 10 November 2019, as the rain had been predicted to put a dampener on the events in Sandbach. The weather forecast was wrong as the sun shone brightly from the start of the procession at Westfields on Middlewich Road to the War Memorial on the Market Square and continued through the service at St Mary’s Church as the Rev’d. Canon Howard Vernon Eales took on the role of temporary vicar in the church, as the position had been vacated by the Revd. Thomas Shepherd when he retired at the end of October.
Crowds started arriving at about 10am to get the best places for the ceremony on the square and to line the route of the procession with the Roberts Bakery Band leading the march in-front of the Royal British Legion. They were followed by local dignitaries including the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Mr Tony Garnett, who I am told will be standing down this year as he reaches his 75th birthday and so is unable to continue in the role. The first group also included, Sandbach Mayor, Mike Muldoon, Leader of Cheshire East Council, Sam Corcoran, Sandbach Town Councillors and then local organisations including the Air Training Corps (ATC), Army Cadet Force (ACF), Girl Guides, Scouts, The Sandbach Fire Brigade along with the Sandbach Fire Cadets, Sandbach Police, Ladies Circle, Round Table, Inner Wheel, U3A, Masonic Lodge, Rotary Club, Probus Club and the Ladies Probus Club.
The march was organised as usual by Reg Dunning with Glyn Robinson leading the procession to the War Memorial where the Lions Youth Band had been playing since 10.30am and now played the music for the hymn “O Valiant hearts who to your glory came” followed by Rev’d. Canon Eales reading, “Let us remember those who have country in war…” and the Last Post played by a member of the Roberts Bakery Band. The Ode to the Fallen was read by Reg Dunning, “They shall not grow old…”, a minute’s silence, reveille and then the laying of the wreaths by the various organisations and representatives took place around the memorial to the fallen of two world wars.
The Act of Commitment and a prayer proceeded the procession to St Mary’s church for the ‘Service of Remembrance’.
A new set of hymns were included in this years’ service along with the usual addresses. Tom Price Jones the President of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion welcomed the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Sandbach Mayor, Leader of Cheshire East and congregation to the service. He then asked the congregation to honour the service personnel of all countries and nationalities before talking about the work of the Royal British Legion and read out two letters from grateful ex servicemen who’s lives had been changed by the donations and retraining, they had received from the RBL. Nationally the Royal British Legion had raised about £51.5 Million last year with Sandbach contributing £25,981 from various activities and the 320 collection boxes located in shops and businesses in the area. Tom also thanked Marjorie Newton for arranging the collection tins and organising the manning of the Poppy Stalls. He also wondered how long they could continue to provide this fundraiser in Sandbach as many of the local members were of an age they could not continue for many more years and so he asked if there were any younger people who would be willing to assist their organisation, what he actually said was “anyone 65 years old and younger”.
Readings by Marjorie Newton and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Mr Tony Garnett were followed by the Rev’d. Canon Howard Vernon Eales who talked about the start of the conflicts being by one act or person in the shape of an assassination for the Great War and a dictator for the Second World War as “People are capable of such good things but also hatred”. He also spoke about the fact that the Great War (WW1) was supposed to be the war to end all wars failed to do this as years later we had the Second World War and have had numerous others ever since.
Mrs Marjory Newton laid a wreath at the back of the church on behalf of the Royal British Legion under their flags by the memorial window just before the vicar started the prayers of intercession read by an ex-serviceman from the ACF, a funeral director (Godfrey Williams), a current member of HM Armed Forces (Craig Roughley), a civilian (Dot Flint), a Sergeant in the Police Force (Det Sgt Martin Caldwell), the Mayor of Sandbach (Cllr Mike Muldoon), a Cadet (ACF) and three young people (St Johns School, Sandbach Heath).
The service ended with the National Anthem and a procession of the standards through the church that continued as a march back to Westfield with the Roberts Band playing military tunes at the front. This was a fitting end to the tributes on the 10th November.
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10 November 2019
SANDBACH REMEMBRANCE DAY SHINES
After the 100th Anniversary of the start and ending of the Great War and the 80th Anniversary of the start of World War 2 along with the 75th Anniversary of D Day the celebrations have continued to draw out the members of the public to support the brave servicemen and service women who served their country and in many cases laid down their lives for the freedom of others. It was thought that after last years record breaking turnout that many would have stayed away on the 10 November 2019, as the rain had been predicted to put a dampener on the events in Sandbach. The weather forecast was wrong as the sun shone brightly from the start of the procession at Westfields on Middlewich Road to the War Memorial on the Market Square and continued through the service at St Mary’s Church as the Rev’d. Canon Howard Vernon Eales took on the role of temporary vicar in the church, as the position had been vacated by the Revd. Thomas Shepherd when he retired at the end of October.
Crowds started arriving at about 10am to get the best places for the ceremony on the square and to line the route of the procession with the Roberts Bakery Band leading the march in-front of the Royal British Legion. They were followed by local dignitaries including the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Mr Tony Garnett, who I am told will be standing down this year as he reaches his 75th birthday and so is unable to continue in the role. The first group also included, Sandbach Mayor, Mike Muldoon, Leader of Cheshire East Council, Sam Corcoran, Sandbach Town Councillors and then local organisations including the Air Training Corps (ATC), Army Cadet Force (ACF), Girl Guides, Scouts, The Sandbach Fire Brigade along with the Sandbach Fire Cadets, Sandbach Police, Ladies Circle, Round Table, Inner Wheel, U3A, Masonic Lodge, Rotary Club, Probus Club and the Ladies Probus Club.
The march was organised as usual by Reg Dunning with Glyn Robinson leading the procession to the War Memorial where the Lions Youth Band had been playing since 10.30am and now played the music for the hymn “O Valiant hearts who to your glory came” followed by Rev’d. Canon Eales reading, “Let us remember those who have country in war…” and the Last Post played by a member of the Roberts Bakery Band. The Ode to the Fallen was read by Reg Dunning, “They shall not grow old…”, a minute’s silence, reveille and then the laying of the wreaths by the various organisations and representatives took place around the memorial to the fallen of two world wars.
The Act of Commitment and a prayer proceeded the procession to St Mary’s church for the ‘Service of Remembrance’.
A new set of hymns were included in this years’ service along with the usual addresses. Tom Price Jones the President of the Sandbach Branch of the Royal British Legion welcomed the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Sandbach Mayor, Leader of Cheshire East and congregation to the service. He then asked the congregation to honour the service personnel of all countries and nationalities before talking about the work of the Royal British Legion and read out two letters from grateful ex servicemen who’s lives had been changed by the donations and retraining, they had received from the RBL. Nationally the Royal British Legion had raised about £51.5 Million last year with Sandbach contributing £25,981 from various activities and the 320 collection boxes located in shops and businesses in the area. Tom also thanked Marjorie Newton for arranging the collection tins and organising the manning of the Poppy Stalls. He also wondered how long they could continue to provide this fundraiser in Sandbach as many of the local members were of an age they could not continue for many more years and so he asked if there were any younger people who would be willing to assist their organisation, what he actually said was “anyone 65 years old and younger”.
Readings by Marjorie Newton and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Mr Tony Garnett were followed by the Rev’d. Canon Howard Vernon Eales who talked about the start of the conflicts being by one act or person in the shape of an assassination for the Great War and a dictator for the Second World War as “People are capable of such good things but also hatred”. He also spoke about the fact that the Great War (WW1) was supposed to be the war to end all wars failed to do this as years later we had the Second World War and have had numerous others ever since.
Mrs Marjory Newton laid a wreath at the back of the church on behalf of the Royal British Legion under their flags by the memorial window just before the vicar started the prayers of intercession read by an ex-serviceman from the ACF, a funeral director (Godfrey Williams), a current member of HM Armed Forces (Craig Roughley), a civilian (Dot Flint), a Sergeant in the Police Force (Det Sgt Martin Caldwell), the Mayor of Sandbach (Cllr Mike Muldoon), a Cadet (ACF) and three young people (St Johns School, Sandbach Heath).
The service ended with the National Anthem and a procession of the standards through the church that continued as a march back to Westfield with the Roberts Band playing military tunes at the front. This was a fitting end to the tributes on the 10th November.
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2 November 2019
FODENS BAND SOLO COMPETITION
On the 2 November 2019 the local Foden’s Band held its 9th annual Solo, Duet and Ensemble competition. A total of 69 players took part in seventeen classes ranging from the 11 and under slow melody to ensemble competitions.
Thirty-two players returned from last year’s competition and have come from various countries including Holland, Norway and Belgium with the family Binon having crossed the channel from Belgium to take part in the event since 2013 when Margot Binon was joined by her brothers Martin and Simon for the first time. Since then in 2014 Simon was awarded the youngest player prize and was the first recipient of the award and he has been a regular at the competition ever since, including this year when Simon was awarded second place in the 14 to 16 Slow Melody category.
Six players took part in four classes and twelve competitors played in three classes.
The first competition in 2011 attracted mainly local players with the international entries soon following as the competition gained a reputation for good quality adjudications and competition. This year’s adjudicators included Foden’s Band principal cornet player Mark Wilkinson, John Doyle a leading Cornet, Flugel Horn and Soprano cornet player and Mike Lovatt a well-known trumpet player who has played on two James Bond and Harry Potter Soundtracks along with the John Wilson Orchestra in the BBC Proms and has recently recorded a CD with Foden’s Band called ‘56 Degrees North’. Before the second session of the competition Mike Lovett gave a talk to the competitors about his life and experiences including how he had an accident which threatened his trumpet playing and he had to learn a completely new technique of playing to continue his music. Usually a player vibrates his lips to create the sound in a brass instrument but Mike now has to vibrate the air he produces from his lungs to have the same effect as his lips were damaged in the accident. This new technique gives him a distinctive sound that has made him one of the most sort after musicians for soundtracks on television and film and as a teacher including at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music where he is a professor.
Fellow judge John Doyle also gave tips as to what they were looking for when making their choice of winners including what the performer did from the moment, they walked on stage to the second they leave the performance. The polished shoes and the eye contact with the audience, something I think most of the competitors forgot in the morning as they put on their running shoes and jeans. John has been involved with the Leyland Band (Flugel) and spent nine years with the Black Dyke Band including playing on the ‘Groundforce’ television series soundtrack. John is also a member of ABBA but don’t get too excited as this is not the pop group but the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators so the players at the competition know that he will give them a proper critical report into their playing and it will be a proper result as he hands out the prizes in the categories he listens to.
Mark Wilkinson the Foden Band principal cornet player and Bandmaster has not according to his biography played on any film or television soundtracks but has appeared on television many times and recorded music from the movies and television with the Britannia Building Society Band from 1992 which became the current Foden’s Band. Mark has also released his own CD ‘Milestone’ with backing from Foden’s Band and soloists. With twenty-seven years of playing in Sandbach and numerous teaching courses he has taken in Northern Ireland and the UK he again beings a wealth of knowledge to his adjudicator’s remarks.
The event was organised by Fiona Rolfe and her husband Andy along with various other members of the band and helpers.
In 2017, there were 51 entries rising to 64 last year and this year 69 players took part in the competition with the following results, Class 1 – 11 and Under Slow Melody (Helen Stewart Memorial Quaich) 1st Annie Stuart, 2nd Isabelle Owen and 3rd Archie Pannell. Class 2 – 12 and 13 Slow Melody (Diamond Jubilee Trophy), 1st Aiden Grant, 2nd Olivia Taylor, 3rd James Gray. Class 3 – 14 to 16 Slow Melody (B and G J Birch Memorial Cup), 1st Milla Van Lint, 2nd Simon Binon, 3rd Edward Culpin. Class 4 – 17 to 19 Slow Melody (Bryan Tait Trophy), 1st Alfie Bousefield, 2nd Lynn Van De Venne, 3rd Martin Binon. Class 5 – Vintage Slow Melody (Lyndon Baglin Trophy), 1st Patricia Woodings, 2nd Anthony Sanders, 3rd Andrew Blackledge. Class 6 – Open Slow Melody (Mark Wilkinson Trophy), 1st Peter McDonough, 2nd Jonus Violet, 3rd Tim Pannell. Class 7 – Under 16 Air Varie 1st Daniel Marsh, 2nd Alice Newbould, 3rd Simon Binon. Class 8 – 16 to 21 Air Varie 1st Thibaut De Dondt, 2nd Nadia James, 3rd Lina Van Lint. Class 9 – Vintage Air Varie 1st Andrew Blackledge, 2nd Anthony Sanders, 3rd Marrianne Garbutt. Class 10 – Open Air Varie 1st Lorenz Havermans, 2nd Jonus Violet, 3rd Daniel Marsh. Class 11 – 11 and Under Duet 1st Rhys and Skye Stokes, 2nd Jasmine Squires-Evans and Rayan Al Badawi, 3rd Sam Mati and George Walker. Class 12 – 12 to 16 Duet 1st Stuart Sisters, 2nd Ben Parkinson and Rowan Tjepkema, 3rd Hannah Taylor and Bethany Harby. Class 13 – Open Duet 1st Horence Lam and Yuchen Hou, 2nd Martijn and Kris Binon, 3rd Ngo Tin Chan and Cheuk Him Chan. Class 13a – Parent and Child Duet
1st Isabelle Owen and Mum, 2nd Jasmine Squires-Evans and Dad, 3rd Simon Binon and Dad. Class 14 – 11 and Under Ensemble 1st Over Wyre Brass Ensemble, 2nd Over Wyre Brass Quartet. Class 15 – 12- 14 Quartet / Ensemble 1st Over Wyre Brass Youth Band Quartet. Class 16 – Open Ensemble 1st Simon, Martijn and Kris Binon. Youngest Player in the Competition – Glyn Stokes (Aged 6 in March 2019). Outstanding Performance of the Day – Jasmine Squires-Evans. Most Promising Local Player 11 and Under – Nadia James. Most Promising Player 11 and Under (New 2017) – Archie Pannell. Most Promising / Outstanding Cornet Player – Alice Newbold. Most Promising / Outstanding Horn Player (New 2016) – Lina Van Lint. Most Promising / Outstanding / Euphonium / Baritone Player – Lorenz Havermans. Most Promising / Outstanding Trombone Player – Nick Stokes.
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2 November 2019
FODENS BAND SOLO COMPETITION
On the 2 November 2019 the local Foden’s Band held its 9th annual Solo, Duet and Ensemble competition. A total of 69 players took part in seventeen classes ranging from the 11 and under slow melody to ensemble competitions.
Thirty-two players returned from last year’s competition and have come from various countries including Holland, Norway and Belgium with the family Binon having crossed the channel from Belgium to take part in the event since 2013 when Margot Binon was joined by her brothers Martin and Simon for the first time. Since then in 2014 Simon was awarded the youngest player prize and was the first recipient of the award and he has been a regular at the competition ever since, including this year when Simon was awarded second place in the 14 to 16 Slow Melody category.
Six players took part in four classes and twelve competitors played in three classes.
The first competition in 2011 attracted mainly local players with the international entries soon following as the competition gained a reputation for good quality adjudications and competition. This year’s adjudicators included Foden’s Band principal cornet player Mark Wilkinson, John Doyle a leading Cornet, Flugel Horn and Soprano cornet player and Mike Lovatt a well-known trumpet player who has played on two James Bond and Harry Potter Soundtracks along with the John Wilson Orchestra in the BBC Proms and has recently recorded a CD with Foden’s Band called ‘56 Degrees North’. Before the second session of the competition Mike Lovett gave a talk to the competitors about his life and experiences including how he had an accident which threatened his trumpet playing and he had to learn a completely new technique of playing to continue his music. Usually a player vibrates his lips to create the sound in a brass instrument but Mike now has to vibrate the air he produces from his lungs to have the same effect as his lips were damaged in the accident. This new technique gives him a distinctive sound that has made him one of the most sort after musicians for soundtracks on television and film and as a teacher including at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music where he is a professor.
Fellow judge John Doyle also gave tips as to what they were looking for when making their choice of winners including what the performer did from the moment, they walked on stage to the second they leave the performance. The polished shoes and the eye contact with the audience, something I think most of the competitors forgot in the morning as they put on their running shoes and jeans. John has been involved with the Leyland Band (Flugel) and spent nine years with the Black Dyke Band including playing on the ‘Groundforce’ television series soundtrack. John is also a member of ABBA but don’t get too excited as this is not the pop group but the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators so the players at the competition know that he will give them a proper critical report into their playing and it will be a proper result as he hands out the prizes in the categories he listens to.
Mark Wilkinson the Foden Band principal cornet player and Bandmaster has not according to his biography played on any film or television soundtracks but has appeared on television many times and recorded music from the movies and television with the Britannia Building Society Band from 1992 which became the current Foden’s Band. Mark has also released his own CD ‘Milestone’ with backing from Foden’s Band and soloists. With twenty-seven years of playing in Sandbach and numerous teaching courses he has taken in Northern Ireland and the UK he again beings a wealth of knowledge to his adjudicator’s remarks.
The event was organised by Fiona Rolfe and her husband Andy along with various other members of the band and helpers.
In 2017, there were 51 entries rising to 64 last year and this year 69 players took part in the competition with the following results, Class 1 – 11 and Under Slow Melody (Helen Stewart Memorial Quaich) 1st Annie Stuart, 2nd Isabelle Owen and 3rd Archie Pannell. Class 2 – 12 and 13 Slow Melody (Diamond Jubilee Trophy), 1st Aiden Grant, 2nd Olivia Taylor, 3rd James Gray. Class 3 – 14 to 16 Slow Melody (B and G J Birch Memorial Cup), 1st Milla Van Lint, 2nd Simon Binon, 3rd Edward Culpin. Class 4 – 17 to 19 Slow Melody (Bryan Tait Trophy), 1st Alfie Bousefield, 2nd Lynn Van De Venne, 3rd Martin Binon. Class 5 – Vintage Slow Melody (Lyndon Baglin Trophy), 1st Patricia Woodings, 2nd Anthony Sanders, 3rd Andrew Blackledge. Class 6 – Open Slow Melody (Mark Wilkinson Trophy), 1st Peter McDonough, 2nd Jonus Violet, 3rd Tim Pannell. Class 7 – Under 16 Air Varie 1st Daniel Marsh, 2nd Alice Newbould, 3rd Simon Binon. Class 8 – 16 to 21 Air Varie 1st Thibaut De Dondt, 2nd Nadia James, 3rd Lina Van Lint. Class 9 – Vintage Air Varie 1st Andrew Blackledge, 2nd Anthony Sanders, 3rd Marrianne Garbutt. Class 10 – Open Air Varie 1st Lorenz Havermans, 2nd Jonus Violet, 3rd Daniel Marsh. Class 11 – 11 and Under Duet 1st Rhys and Skye Stokes, 2nd Jasmine Squires-Evans and Rayan Al Badawi, 3rd Sam Mati and George Walker. Class 12 – 12 to 16 Duet 1st Stuart Sisters, 2nd Ben Parkinson and Rowan Tjepkema, 3rd Hannah Taylor and Bethany Harby. Class 13 – Open Duet 1st Horence Lam and Yuchen Hou, 2nd Martijn and Kris Binon, 3rd Ngo Tin Chan and Cheuk Him Chan. Class 13a – Parent and Child Duet
1st Isabelle Owen and Mum, 2nd Jasmine Squires-Evans and Dad, 3rd Simon Binon and Dad. Class 14 – 11 and Under Ensemble 1st Over Wyre Brass Ensemble, 2nd Over Wyre Brass Quartet. Class 15 – 12- 14 Quartet / Ensemble 1st Over Wyre Brass Youth Band Quartet. Class 16 – Open Ensemble 1st Simon, Martijn and Kris Binon. Youngest Player in the Competition – Glyn Stokes (Aged 6 in March 2019). Outstanding Performance of the Day – Jasmine Squires-Evans. Most Promising Local Player 11 and Under – Nadia James. Most Promising Player 11 and Under (New 2017) – Archie Pannell. Most Promising / Outstanding Cornet Player – Alice Newbold. Most Promising / Outstanding Horn Player (New 2016) – Lina Van Lint. Most Promising / Outstanding / Euphonium / Baritone Player – Lorenz Havermans. Most Promising / Outstanding Trombone Player – Nick Stokes.
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26 October 2019
BRITISH LEGION BIKERS LAUNCH POPPY APPEAL IN SANDBACH
On Saturday the 26 October 2019 at 2pm, the Royal British Legion Riders Branch rode into Sandbach to help launch the Poppy Appeal in the town. With 6,000 members over the country a small group from the area starting the day in Chester and then travelled to Northwich where the Rev. Jeff Cuttel joined them to ride to Middlewich for a brief service before riding along the Middlewich Road on a very rainy day to Sandbach where about 30 of the bikers turned up to be greeted by a crowd of people who had braved the weather to support the British Legion Poppy Launch on the Market Square by the War Memorial. With a break for coffee and cakes supplied by Godfrey Williams and Son the bikers were joined for the launch by the Mayor of Cheshire East, Cllr Barry Burkhill and his wife Sue, who arrived in the Mayoral Bentley on the first leg of a trip to follow the riders in Cheshire East. The Mayor and Mayoress were so proud to be in Sandbach and later Crewe to support the Royal British Legion Riders Branch as they launched the appeal in the County. The Mayor had taken about half an hour to travel from a previous engagement in Holmes Chapel because of the rain and flooding but was determined to support this worthy cause and spoke about the sacrifice made by previous and serving soldiers including the World Wars and Afghanistan which brought a lump to the throat of the Mayoress. This year the Mayor said that he would be supporting the smaller towns with their ceremonies as they do not have a Mayor of the own and it seemed unfair to double up.
The Rev. Jeff Cuttel who had served in the Balkans War and the Parachute Regiment as a Chaplin, welcomed the Royal British Legion Riders Branch to Sandbach at the start of a short service, “We are in very important days, days when the men and women and the children of the world can assume that peace is a cheap thing, easily bought. Those who have wider experience know at what cost that, that peace comes. The Poppy Appeal brings the story of our Armed Forces back to the hearts of our towns and villages, our communities. It reminds us of the gratitude we have and the blood that has been spilt”. A member of the Riders Branch then read the Ode to the Fallen, “They shall not grow old…” followed by a bugler calling for a minutes silence and then the laying of the wreaths with the Mayor of Cheshire East and a member of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch stepping forward to pay their respects. At the end of the brief service members of the Air Training Corps gave a salute before briefly marching away in respect and a dignity that was brought to the occasion by the Riders, ATC, Fire Cadets and a large number of members of the public who gathered for what is hoped to be an annual event.
A member of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch was pleased at the turnout for the occasion and complimented Marjorie Newton and local organisers for publicising the day which was something many of the other towns had failed to do over the years and thanked those who had braved the weather to support the event.
Meanwhile in Waitrose the Army Cadets were selling poppies to shoppers at the start of 15 days of official poppy selling which continues until the 10th November, Remembrance Sunday followed on Monday the 11th November by another small service by the War Memorial at 11am. Poppies are on sale in many shops and businesses during this time and at the M6 Service station and Waitrose where veteran’s will be paying their respects to comrades past and present along with help in the supermarket from local forces groups (Air Training Corps, Army Cadet Force and Fire Cadets) and volunteers, who are determined to raise as much money as they can for this worthy cause.
The Royal British Legion Riders Branch rode off into the distance, slightly drier than they had arrived on their way to Crewe and then Nantwich before helping their North Wales Branch on the Sunday with a trip from Wrexham to Llangollen, Portmeirion, Caernafon and Llandudno to launch their appeals.
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26 October 2019
BRITISH LEGION BIKERS LAUNCH POPPY APPEAL IN SANDBACH
On Saturday the 26 October 2019 at 2pm, the Royal British Legion Riders Branch rode into Sandbach to help launch the Poppy Appeal in the town. With 6,000 members over the country a small group from the area starting the day in Chester and then travelled to Northwich where the Rev. Jeff Cuttel joined them to ride to Middlewich for a brief service before riding along the Middlewich Road on a very rainy day to Sandbach where about 30 of the bikers turned up to be greeted by a crowd of people who had braved the weather to support the British Legion Poppy Launch on the Market Square by the War Memorial. With a break for coffee and cakes supplied by Godfrey Williams and Son the bikers were joined for the launch by the Mayor of Cheshire East, Cllr Barry Burkhill and his wife Sue, who arrived in the Mayoral Bentley on the first leg of a trip to follow the riders in Cheshire East. The Mayor and Mayoress were so proud to be in Sandbach and later Crewe to support the Royal British Legion Riders Branch as they launched the appeal in the County. The Mayor had taken about half an hour to travel from a previous engagement in Holmes Chapel because of the rain and flooding but was determined to support this worthy cause and spoke about the sacrifice made by previous and serving soldiers including the World Wars and Afghanistan which brought a lump to the throat of the Mayoress. This year the Mayor said that he would be supporting the smaller towns with their ceremonies as they do not have a Mayor of the own and it seemed unfair to double up.
The Rev. Jeff Cuttel who had served in the Balkans War and the Parachute Regiment as a Chaplin, welcomed the Royal British Legion Riders Branch to Sandbach at the start of a short service, “We are in very important days, days when the men and women and the children of the world can assume that peace is a cheap thing, easily bought. Those who have wider experience know at what cost that, that peace comes. The Poppy Appeal brings the story of our Armed Forces back to the hearts of our towns and villages, our communities. It reminds us of the gratitude we have and the blood that has been spilt”. A member of the Riders Branch then read the Ode to the Fallen, “They shall not grow old…” followed by a bugler calling for a minutes silence and then the laying of the wreaths with the Mayor of Cheshire East and a member of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch stepping forward to pay their respects. At the end of the brief service members of the Air Training Corps gave a salute before briefly marching away in respect and a dignity that was brought to the occasion by the Riders, ATC, Fire Cadets and a large number of members of the public who gathered for what is hoped to be an annual event.
A member of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch was pleased at the turnout for the occasion and complimented Marjorie Newton and local organisers for publicising the day which was something many of the other towns had failed to do over the years and thanked those who had braved the weather to support the event.
Meanwhile in Waitrose the Army Cadets were selling poppies to shoppers at the start of 15 days of official poppy selling which continues until the 10th November, Remembrance Sunday followed on Monday the 11th November by another small service by the War Memorial at 11am. Poppies are on sale in many shops and businesses during this time and at the M6 Service station and Waitrose where veteran’s will be paying their respects to comrades past and present along with help in the supermarket from local forces groups (Air Training Corps, Army Cadet Force and Fire Cadets) and volunteers, who are determined to raise as much money as they can for this worthy cause.
The Royal British Legion Riders Branch rode off into the distance, slightly drier than they had arrived on their way to Crewe and then Nantwich before helping their North Wales Branch on the Sunday with a trip from Wrexham to Llangollen, Portmeirion, Caernafon and Llandudno to launch their appeals.
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19 October 2019
STRICTLY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
As the theme to Strictly Come Dancing rang out on TV screens throughout Great Britain on Saturday night the Royal British Legion enjoyed the real thing as they held their annual “Poppy Ball” at Sandbach Town Hall on the 19 October 2019. The event included a buffet provided by Beech-tree Caterers, music by Steve Nicholas who not only played the electronic organ for the dances but also treated the audience to a selection of trumpet solos which he played live, recreating the tunes made famous by Eddie Calvert (The Man with the Golden Trumpet), Kenny Ball and Louis Armstrong. There was also a dancing demonstration by Louise Thornton and John Atkinson who have represented Britain in various competitions. The professional dancers gave the audience a glimpse as to how to perform various ballroom and Latin dances, gaining a 10 from the top table.
Organiser of the event Marjorie Newton gave the total donated to the Royal British Legion in Sandbach over the 2018-19 year with the sum raised reaching a grand total of £25,981.00 from the Poppy Appeal and other events.
This year the poppy appeal gets off to a “Roaring Start” as 40 Motor Cycles come from Middlewich (At their War Memorial from 12.50pm) to the Sandbach War Memorial to launch the Appeal at 2pm. The Royal British Legion Riders raise funds for veteran and serving soldiers as well as promoting the work done by the Legion with this year’s ride round Cheshire launching the Poppy Appeal promising to be their most spectacular public event in Sandbach and Cheshire East.
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19 October 2019
STRICTLY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
As the theme to Strictly Come Dancing rang out on TV screens throughout Great Britain on Saturday night the Royal British Legion enjoyed the real thing as they held their annual “Poppy Ball” at Sandbach Town Hall on the 19 October 2019. The event included a buffet provided by Beech-tree Caterers, music by Steve Nicholas who not only played the electronic organ for the dances but also treated the audience to a selection of trumpet solos which he played live, recreating the tunes made famous by Eddie Calvert (The Man with the Golden Trumpet), Kenny Ball and Louis Armstrong. There was also a dancing demonstration by Louise Thornton and John Atkinson who have represented Britain in various competitions. The professional dancers gave the audience a glimpse as to how to perform various ballroom and Latin dances, gaining a 10 from the top table.
Organiser of the event Marjorie Newton gave the total donated to the Royal British Legion in Sandbach over the 2018-19 year with the sum raised reaching a grand total of £25,981.00 from the Poppy Appeal and other events.
This year the poppy appeal gets off to a “Roaring Start” as 40 Motor Cycles come from Middlewich (At their War Memorial from 12.50pm) to the Sandbach War Memorial to launch the Appeal at 2pm. The Royal British Legion Riders raise funds for veteran and serving soldiers as well as promoting the work done by the Legion with this year’s ride round Cheshire launching the Poppy Appeal promising to be their most spectacular public event in Sandbach and Cheshire East.
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14 October 2019
IRISH TRAVELLERS PARK ON SANDBACH COMMON.
On Monday night about 5.30pm Irish Travellers moved onto Sandbach Common to take up residence while they attend a "Born Again" Festival. However, looking at various travellers’ websites I can find no reference to a festival in the area. Usually run by the Light and Life Gypsy Church (There is a light and Life Church in Sandbach) they are held in a field rented from a farmer but the Sandbach Light and life Church doesn't have anything on their Facebook page so it may be that they are planning their own festival or using it as an excuse similar to their recent parking in Nantwich. Someone in the Barber’s had spoken to the travellers who said they were attending a funeral while the Sandbach Chronicle was told they were in the town to attend a wedding. Who do you believe?
Cheshire East has been quick off the mark and issued an eviction notice which came into effect at 2pm on Wednesday 16 October 2019. The latter issued to them and put on the CCTV Cameras pole states that if they fail to leave the common at the appointed time then under Section 78 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 they will be fined £1,000, have a Driving Disqualification and an order "Depriving you of your rights, if any, to your property". Some of the shops and businesses have closed while the travellers are in the town as they are losing business because customers cannot park in the town and workers who again cannot park on the common are having to walk long distances to their place of employment. Takings in many of the shops are down and residents are fearful of coming into town not only because of the reputation the travellers have but the fact that they are unable to access their usual facilities like the library, park, cafés and shops to to a lack of parking spaces. The possibility of Market Stall holders failing to turn up on Thursday and again with takings down this will cause more hardship for the owners of a struggling market in this autumn season.
At 2pm on Wednesday the 16th October there were no signs of the travellers moving away no enforcement officers from the Council or Police presence to evict them with the only sign of any activity being a police helicopter flying over the Congleton Road area at 2pm before disappearing towards Middlewich. As it didn’t fly directly over the common only near Tatton Drive this flypast may or may not have been connected to the travellers leaving time.
There are about 300,000 travellers in Britain (Census numbers) with 33 Light and Life Churches in Britain. A recent funeral for a traveller involved the police turning up both in the town and the cemetery to stop arguments and with these travellers using the railings of the community garden to hang out their washing along with running various businesses from the common (Plant Hire Company etc.), this does not put them in a good light. Every person I have spoken to has sympathy for the travellers but feel they are in the wrong place as little children are seen to run over the buy roads, and they are blocking the normal life of the town by taking up the car park space.
At about 6pm on Wednesday night the travellers left town but not before leaving behind blue plastic barrels, carboard boxes, rubbish and tipping the contents of their toilets onto the car park which was cleaned up by the Cheshire East Council at 5am on the Thursday (Many Thanks).
I have no objection to their lifestyle but when it affects the people of a town then this is very selfish and like the ATM Thieves in Holmes Chapel this week, they do not consider the feelings of others when they do what they like. With crops now taken in there may be a farmer who is willing to rent land to the travellers for a short period of time so blocking car parks is an option they do not have to do. Congleton also has this car park problem on a regular basis, let’s hope this is a one-off event.
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14 October 2019
IRISH TRAVELLERS PARK ON SANDBACH COMMON.
On Monday night about 5.30pm Irish Travellers moved onto Sandbach Common to take up residence while they attend a "Born Again" Festival. However, looking at various travellers’ websites I can find no reference to a festival in the area. Usually run by the Light and Life Gypsy Church (There is a light and Life Church in Sandbach) they are held in a field rented from a farmer but the Sandbach Light and life Church doesn't have anything on their Facebook page so it may be that they are planning their own festival or using it as an excuse similar to their recent parking in Nantwich. Someone in the Barber’s had spoken to the travellers who said they were attending a funeral while the Sandbach Chronicle was told they were in the town to attend a wedding. Who do you believe?
Cheshire East has been quick off the mark and issued an eviction notice which came into effect at 2pm on Wednesday 16 October 2019. The latter issued to them and put on the CCTV Cameras pole states that if they fail to leave the common at the appointed time then under Section 78 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 they will be fined £1,000, have a Driving Disqualification and an order "Depriving you of your rights, if any, to your property". Some of the shops and businesses have closed while the travellers are in the town as they are losing business because customers cannot park in the town and workers who again cannot park on the common are having to walk long distances to their place of employment. Takings in many of the shops are down and residents are fearful of coming into town not only because of the reputation the travellers have but the fact that they are unable to access their usual facilities like the library, park, cafés and shops to to a lack of parking spaces. The possibility of Market Stall holders failing to turn up on Thursday and again with takings down this will cause more hardship for the owners of a struggling market in this autumn season.
At 2pm on Wednesday the 16th October there were no signs of the travellers moving away no enforcement officers from the Council or Police presence to evict them with the only sign of any activity being a police helicopter flying over the Congleton Road area at 2pm before disappearing towards Middlewich. As it didn’t fly directly over the common only near Tatton Drive this flypast may or may not have been connected to the travellers leaving time.
There are about 300,000 travellers in Britain (Census numbers) with 33 Light and Life Churches in Britain. A recent funeral for a traveller involved the police turning up both in the town and the cemetery to stop arguments and with these travellers using the railings of the community garden to hang out their washing along with running various businesses from the common (Plant Hire Company etc.), this does not put them in a good light. Every person I have spoken to has sympathy for the travellers but feel they are in the wrong place as little children are seen to run over the buy roads, and they are blocking the normal life of the town by taking up the car park space.
At about 6pm on Wednesday night the travellers left town but not before leaving behind blue plastic barrels, carboard boxes, rubbish and tipping the contents of their toilets onto the car park which was cleaned up by the Cheshire East Council at 5am on the Thursday (Many Thanks).
I have no objection to their lifestyle but when it affects the people of a town then this is very selfish and like the ATM Thieves in Holmes Chapel this week, they do not consider the feelings of others when they do what they like. With crops now taken in there may be a farmer who is willing to rent land to the travellers for a short period of time so blocking car parks is an option they do not have to do. Congleton also has this car park problem on a regular basis, let’s hope this is a one-off event.
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29 September 2019
REV. THOMAS SHEPHERD RETIRES
The Rev. Thomas Shepherd has given his final service as vicar of St Mary’s Church in Sandbach. On the 29 September 2019, he stepped forward into the church under the watchful eyes of friends in the congregation who have listened to him over the 11 years he has been in the town and some members of the Council for whom he has said the prayers before their monthly full Council Meeting. The congregation also included members of his family as associates who have travelled miles to be with him for his final service at Michaelmas (15th Sunday after Trinity).
Exactly 24 years after he was ordained as a Deacon on Michaelmas 1995, he has called it a day on preaching but will still be officially a vicar until the 31 October when he will be leaving the town for Lincolnshire near to where one of his daughters lives at the moment.
Born in 1952, Thomas was not always going to be a vicar as he became a Nurse and a Teacher (In Manchester). He had a number of jobs and qualifications starting in 1974 when he became a State Registered Nurse (SRN) and in 1979 he went to Manchester University to study theology and gained a BA.
In 1983, Thomas went to Didsbury College, Manchester (Gained P.G.C.E.) and in 1992, he attended the Northern Ordination College followed in 1995, when he became ordinated as a Deacon. A year later in 1996 Thomas Shepherd became ordained as a Priest.
During 1995 to 1999 Thomas became the Curate at Baguley in the Manchester Diocese. His next appointment was between 1999 and 2003 when he was the Curate at Timperley in the Chester Diocese. Between 2003 and 2008 he took on his first role as Vicar for the church of St Paul’s in Sale.
In 2008, the Rev. Thomas Shepherd arrived in Sandbach to take up his next role as what he called “third choice” for the appointment of Vicar of St Mary’s Church. We think he was the 38th Vicar of the parish following on from Rex Buckley (2001 to 2008) and a list that dates back to 1327.
Thomas is married to Catherine and has two daughters Caroline and Lucy along with professional DJ son Sam Thomas (Also known as Floating Points) who at the moment of Thomas’s last service was travelling the world and dropped in to Manchester Airport at 9am on the morning of the 29th and only missing 8 minutes of his father’s final service at St Mary’s.
During the Rev. Thomas Shepherd’s term of office he has officiated at the Remembrance Day Services in the town, said prayers at the Sandbach Town Council Full Meetings and conducted the Civic Service for the new Mayor each year, said prayers for Cheshire East meetings, served on the Conservation Area Group committee because of the connection to the Church area, taken about 1,970 Services, married about 154 couples, baptised 330, held roundabout 528 funerals and about 44 confirmations (based on a year’s entries in the parish magazine). Thomas has also helped to raise money to replace two roofs of the church with stainless steel, a project that still needs more work to be done at an estimated cost of £200,000. Launched an appeal to replace the organ in the church attended the Freedom of the Town event for the Mercian Regiment (Armed Forces Day) and conducted the service for Armed Forces Day as well as many other duties within the parish. He has also written about 121 opening remarks for the Challenge Magazine of which only one was on time according the Rev Shepherd, as his last entry was to be read by himself for the Talking Newspaper based in Wheelock.
In 2012 the church went through a restoration project for the Bell Tower costing £180,000. The church and the Rev. Thomas Shepherd hosted a Political Hustings (Debate) in April 2015 as part of the Election run up that year by inviting the prospective Candidates for MP to a meeting in the church with questions from Thomas and the audience.
In 2014, reports of the roof leaking started another appeal to replace the felt that had been covering the roof since someone in the 1970’s stole the lead that had covered the building for many years. A donation from the Heritage Lottery Fund and an appeal for £40,000 from local townsfolk was needed to fill the £220,000 needed for the replacement.
The Rev. Thomas Shepherd has also given talks on the history of the Saxon Crosses to the Sandbach History Society (7 Nov 2014) and the Rotary Club of Sandbach (14 Dec 2016).
One memory I am sure Thomas will never forget is the tragic deaths in November 2016 when he conducted two funerals from the same family. The first was the tragic loss of 8-year-old Lucas Carter from a fire on the 30 October in Platt Avenue and the second was of his mother who died on the 12 November 2016 never recovering from the loss of her son and the severe burns she had sustained. Children from Offley Road School and friends of the family as well as those effected by the news lined the streets of Sandbach as the procession for Lucas made its way to St Mary’s where the Rev. Thomas Shepherd conducted the service without the boy’s mother as she had died just before the funeral. Her funeral a few days later.
Another service that moved the vicar was in 2017 and 2018 when the Rev. Thomas Shepherd was asked to say the Prayers at the Cheshire East Holocaust Memorial Day Service at Sandbach Town Hall. Like so many the stories, survivors told of those tragic events moved the strongest of people with Jewish Rabbis joining the Churches together for this occasion along with local musicians.
On the 31 October 2019, Thomas Shepherd goes into retirement and like the Brexit countdown to that date he is looking at the number of days before his departure and deciding what to take with him. Very kindly he has left some items for his successor, a set of lovely coloured chasubles (Gowns / Over Garments) in Blue, Green, White and Red, with each colour being for one of the seasons of the year. He has also donated a set of pottery that he had specially made and has used in his services, a Chalice, Paten (Shallow cup / Goblet) used as a communion set and a Baptism Jug that he used to fill the font with water.
The service at 10am on the 29 September 2019, included a sermon about the meaning of Angels and other beings, both ancient and modern with reference to the Angels mentioned in the bible with them helping people in times of trouble including the story of Daniel and the Lion as well as when Jesus was in Gethsemane and the Angels announcing events including the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields. The choice of hymns included, ‘Angel voices ever singing’, ‘Let all mortal flesh’, ‘How shall I sing that Majesty’, ‘Christ the fair glory of the holy angels’ and finishing with ‘Ye watchers end ye Holy ones’ a hymn that had a special meaning for the Rev. Thomas Shepherd and was sung after the congregation had presented a gift to him via Anne Birch as well as a certificate of recognition from the Sandbach Town Council which was presented by the Sandbach Mayor Cllr Mike Muldoon. There were also gifts to Thomas’s wife Catherine who has been part of the church services along with her husband as well as being a valued member of the choir.
After the service the church held a special dinner in St Mary’s Church Hall to say thanks to Thomas and Catherine for the many years of service and services, they have given to Sandbach over the years.
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29 September 2019
REV. THOMAS SHEPHERD RETIRES
The Rev. Thomas Shepherd has given his final service as vicar of St Mary’s Church in Sandbach. On the 29 September 2019, he stepped forward into the church under the watchful eyes of friends in the congregation who have listened to him over the 11 years he has been in the town and some members of the Council for whom he has said the prayers before their monthly full Council Meeting. The congregation also included members of his family as associates who have travelled miles to be with him for his final service at Michaelmas (15th Sunday after Trinity).
Exactly 24 years after he was ordained as a Deacon on Michaelmas 1995, he has called it a day on preaching but will still be officially a vicar until the 31 October when he will be leaving the town for Lincolnshire near to where one of his daughters lives at the moment.
Born in 1952, Thomas was not always going to be a vicar as he became a Nurse and a Teacher (In Manchester). He had a number of jobs and qualifications starting in 1974 when he became a State Registered Nurse (SRN) and in 1979 he went to Manchester University to study theology and gained a BA.
In 1983, Thomas went to Didsbury College, Manchester (Gained P.G.C.E.) and in 1992, he attended the Northern Ordination College followed in 1995, when he became ordinated as a Deacon. A year later in 1996 Thomas Shepherd became ordained as a Priest.
During 1995 to 1999 Thomas became the Curate at Baguley in the Manchester Diocese. His next appointment was between 1999 and 2003 when he was the Curate at Timperley in the Chester Diocese. Between 2003 and 2008 he took on his first role as Vicar for the church of St Paul’s in Sale.
In 2008, the Rev. Thomas Shepherd arrived in Sandbach to take up his next role as what he called “third choice” for the appointment of Vicar of St Mary’s Church. We think he was the 38th Vicar of the parish following on from Rex Buckley (2001 to 2008) and a list that dates back to 1327.
Thomas is married to Catherine and has two daughters Caroline and Lucy along with professional DJ son Sam Thomas (Also known as Floating Points) who at the moment of Thomas’s last service was travelling the world and dropped in to Manchester Airport at 9am on the morning of the 29th and only missing 8 minutes of his father’s final service at St Mary’s.
During the Rev. Thomas Shepherd’s term of office he has officiated at the Remembrance Day Services in the town, said prayers at the Sandbach Town Council Full Meetings and conducted the Civic Service for the new Mayor each year, said prayers for Cheshire East meetings, served on the Conservation Area Group committee because of the connection to the Church area, taken about 1,970 Services, married about 154 couples, baptised 330, held roundabout 528 funerals and about 44 confirmations (based on a year’s entries in the parish magazine). Thomas has also helped to raise money to replace two roofs of the church with stainless steel, a project that still needs more work to be done at an estimated cost of £200,000. Launched an appeal to replace the organ in the church attended the Freedom of the Town event for the Mercian Regiment (Armed Forces Day) and conducted the service for Armed Forces Day as well as many other duties within the parish. He has also written about 121 opening remarks for the Challenge Magazine of which only one was on time according the Rev Shepherd, as his last entry was to be read by himself for the Talking Newspaper based in Wheelock.
In 2012 the church went through a restoration project for the Bell Tower costing £180,000. The church and the Rev. Thomas Shepherd hosted a Political Hustings (Debate) in April 2015 as part of the Election run up that year by inviting the prospective Candidates for MP to a meeting in the church with questions from Thomas and the audience.
In 2014, reports of the roof leaking started another appeal to replace the felt that had been covering the roof since someone in the 1970’s stole the lead that had covered the building for many years. A donation from the Heritage Lottery Fund and an appeal for £40,000 from local townsfolk was needed to fill the £220,000 needed for the replacement.
The Rev. Thomas Shepherd has also given talks on the history of the Saxon Crosses to the Sandbach History Society (7 Nov 2014) and the Rotary Club of Sandbach (14 Dec 2016).
One memory I am sure Thomas will never forget is the tragic deaths in November 2016 when he conducted two funerals from the same family. The first was the tragic loss of 8-year-old Lucas Carter from a fire on the 30 October in Platt Avenue and the second was of his mother who died on the 12 November 2016 never recovering from the loss of her son and the severe burns she had sustained. Children from Offley Road School and friends of the family as well as those effected by the news lined the streets of Sandbach as the procession for Lucas made its way to St Mary’s where the Rev. Thomas Shepherd conducted the service without the boy’s mother as she had died just before the funeral. Her funeral a few days later.
Another service that moved the vicar was in 2017 and 2018 when the Rev. Thomas Shepherd was asked to say the Prayers at the Cheshire East Holocaust Memorial Day Service at Sandbach Town Hall. Like so many the stories, survivors told of those tragic events moved the strongest of people with Jewish Rabbis joining the Churches together for this occasion along with local musicians.
On the 31 October 2019, Thomas Shepherd goes into retirement and like the Brexit countdown to that date he is looking at the number of days before his departure and deciding what to take with him. Very kindly he has left some items for his successor, a set of lovely coloured chasubles (Gowns / Over Garments) in Blue, Green, White and Red, with each colour being for one of the seasons of the year. He has also donated a set of pottery that he had specially made and has used in his services, a Chalice, Paten (Shallow cup / Goblet) used as a communion set and a Baptism Jug that he used to fill the font with water.
The service at 10am on the 29 September 2019, included a sermon about the meaning of Angels and other beings, both ancient and modern with reference to the Angels mentioned in the bible with them helping people in times of trouble including the story of Daniel and the Lion as well as when Jesus was in Gethsemane and the Angels announcing events including the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields. The choice of hymns included, ‘Angel voices ever singing’, ‘Let all mortal flesh’, ‘How shall I sing that Majesty’, ‘Christ the fair glory of the holy angels’ and finishing with ‘Ye watchers end ye Holy ones’ a hymn that had a special meaning for the Rev. Thomas Shepherd and was sung after the congregation had presented a gift to him via Anne Birch as well as a certificate of recognition from the Sandbach Town Council which was presented by the Sandbach Mayor Cllr Mike Muldoon. There were also gifts to Thomas’s wife Catherine who has been part of the church services along with her husband as well as being a valued member of the choir.
After the service the church held a special dinner in St Mary’s Church Hall to say thanks to Thomas and Catherine for the many years of service and services, they have given to Sandbach over the years.
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23 September 2019
HAVE THE POLICE GONE TOO FAR? IT’S A FAIR COP?
Each year I look forward to the Wakes Fair in Sandbach. The spectacle, the sounds, the lights and the crowds of happy punters enjoying the attractions in the wonderful arena of Scotch Common. But this year, where are the crowds? The answer is they have been banned by Cheshire Police from attending in a move that is not worthy of our community and one that has shocked both organiser and citizens of the town. Police officers have been to the schools in Sandbach to, “Warn” parents that there will be knife welding youths coming to the fair and that their children should avoid the fair. Do the Police have the right to stop a business from making money by deterring patrons from attending? Do they contact all supporters of a football team and tell them not to go to a match in-case there is trouble? The answer is NO. So why have Cheshire Police made this move against the fair? Could it be that they do not want to attend the fair this year? I was unable to go on Friday or Saturday night and Sunday the fair closes at 8pm so when I went down on Monday to see what was going on I found no police activity at all and more importantly very few visitors to the fair backing up the rumour that text messages had been sent out to parents and children in Sandbach advising them to stay away from the fair. Joe White the organiser of the Fair for many years told me that his grandchildren had received the text message informing them of the potential knife crime, an unfounded accusation that could end yet another venue for the Fairground. In 2015, the fair saw an enormous Police presence on the first night of the Wakes weekend as supposedly two rival gangs from Sandbach and Crewe were meeting at the Fair. However, this was just another misunderstanding as the story of gangs meeting at the fair seems to have been part of an annual tale put about by people in the town who want to stop the fair from coming. Across the country rumours of violence at Fairs have stopped many from attending as they felt unsafe so in 2015, Joe White brought in his own security team to protect the site, backing up the Police and keeping an eye on those coming to the fair. 2016 and rumours spread through social media that their would-be trouble and again nothing happened with the local police finding it hard to find any problems caused by the fair. So why are the police joining in this rumour mongering to put paid to the fair and close down another tradition in South Cheshire? Macclesfield’s Charter Fun Fair (Run by Carousel Funfairs) was closed down this year and Congleton and Crewe’s Fairs were cancelled last year when Cheshire East failed to find anyone to carry out safety checks with the Fairground owners and so couldn’t sign off the paperwork to allow it to continue. As more and more Fun Fairs come up against opposition from both Councils and the Police has this form of entertainment come to an end because of unsubstantiated rumours and fears from the public?
There are lots of questions but only one clear answer the “Fair” is worth keeping and encouraging. With co-operation from the organisers employing security and local Police Forces who get the opportunity at these events to see and interact with the local youths in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere the fair can survive and the youths of today can enjoy them as much as the youngster of yesterday did as they are there to have fun.
It is not clear when the Wakes Fair started but Queen Elizabeth the first, granted a charter to the town on the 4th April 1579 and in it the Queen granted Sandbach two fairs.
The charter sets out the following - We GRANT AND GIVE LICENCE to our beloved subject, John Radcliffe, of Ordsall, in our county of Lancaster, Knight and his heirs, that he and his heirs after him may have hold, enjoy and use always and that they may have the power and might to have, hold use and enjoy for ever a market on any Thursday, once weekly, at his manor of Sandbach in our county of Chester, holding it from year to year and two fairs or market-days in that place in any year, that is to say, one fair in that place on the Thursday and Friday preceding the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary and another fair on the Tuesday and Wednesday in Easter week each year.
For many years the holder of the Manor of Crewe (Lord Crewe) benefited from rents and payments from Scotch Common the home of the fair, from that date each year until 1922, when he donated the land to the people of Sandbach after he had sold most of the town’s land and buildings to cover debts owed during the 1914 to 1916 period not connected to the war.
The early “Fair”, would have been a market with a series of attractions like jesters, Punch and Judy, food, exotic animals like bears, challenges including boxing matches between a professional and a challenger from the public and possibly a circus with side attractions. Over time the interpretation of the word Fair has changed and the Modern Steam Fair was first brought out in 1868 when a method of using steam to power rides was first invented. It wasn’t long before Sandbach had its own amusements powered by this method from various touring shows visiting the town.
In a newspaper dated the 23 August 1907, it was reported that the Sandbach Council had received a number of complaints about the Wakes Fair Organ playing until nearly Midnight.
In September 1910, a newspaper report stated that the school children and commenced a week’s holiday starting on Friday the 23 September and an old English Fair had appeared on the Commons.
At a Meeting on the 12 December 1916, the Sandbach Urban Council agreed to allow the “Sandbach Wakes” to take place on the Common for one week for the sum of £17 as long as Mr Patrick Collins closed his show and sideshows at lighting restriction time (Wartime regulation). The Council also asked for a £50 deposit as a guarantee of Mr Collins sticking to the conditions they had laid down.
The current “Wakes Fun Fair” in Sandbach has been going for over 70 years with showmen like the White and Holland family’s attending with amusements over this period. In the early days of the show the organisers took it in turns to provide the amusements with the Collins Family one year and the White family the following year.
Joe White (.b. 1944?) the current organiser of the fair was brought to Sandbach when he was born (and just before) as were the Holland family of caterers. In those early days the common was just a patch of dirt in the middle of the town and the amusements were run by steam engines with the White family using Foden Steam engines to power the rides. They built up such a good working relationship with the Foden family that the workshop would repair the engines ready for them to go on the road as soon as they came into the workshop.
Joe tells the story that one day he went to book the date for the fair in Sandbach and when he returned someone said that he had booked the wrong date. As the dates are reliant on when Wakes Week falls during September, he had to be sure and there was only one person who knew the date for certain as it would be at the time of local butcher John Wakefield’s wedding anniversary. Having checked with John that he had got the right date he then booked all the rides.
The formula for “Wakes Week” goes something like this…. “The first Thursday after September the 11th then add 10 Days which will give you “Wakes Sunday”. If the 11th of September is a Thursday then it is the following Thursday plus 10 days. The Fair will then be the weekend of wakes Sunday (Friday to Monday).
By the 1970’s, the fair was occupying the common with their caravans parked on rough land behind the Crown Public House (Now Penda Way). Unfortunately, when plans for developing the area into shops were put into place it meant that the fair caravans had to move out of the area.
The amusements used to be brought into the town on Thursday afternoon parking in the side roads including Tatton Drive and the main Congleton Road past Offley Road, before moving onto the common once the market had been removed. First on the site were the big rides like the Waltzer and the big wheel with the smaller attractions of hook a duck and the catering vehicles coming on sometime after midnight.
If you had forgotten the fair was coming and lived in that area you could see the build-up throughout the afternoon as more and more lorries and vans arrived and got into their allotted order so when it was their time, they could move into the Fairground without blocking the next amusement. This did cause problems with traffic and so in later years it was decided to move them out of the area until it was time to set up with some parking up at Arclid before they would then come down in a convoy via Congleton Road and straight onto the Common once the area is clear. This is one of the benefits of the Mobile phone era and better communication.
A look at the history books and the charter they talk about a spring fair in the town and so between the 3rd and the 6th of March 2017, Joe White decided to restart the tradition and held a Spring Fair on Sandbach Common. However, Rain stopped play and the Monday was cut short due to a lack of visitors. The following year (16 - 18 March 2018) was no better for the amusements as cold weather, rain and a lack of interest again made this event not as profitable as expected. In 2019, Joe decided not to stage the Spring Fair, concentrating on the September Wakes Week and hopefully a larger turn out.
2018, saw an unexpected twist in the tale of fairs in Sandbach and the Cheshire East area as a planned fair on the King George V Playing fields in Crewe was cancelled as Cheshire East didn’t have anyone to carry out safety checks with the Fairground owners and so couldn’t sign off the paperwork to allow it to continue. The same story at Congleton next to the library and another traditional fairground cancelled due to the paperwork not being completed. However, in a strange quirk of fate the Sandbach Wakes Fair was allowed to continue due to the fact that it was Sandbach Town Council who had to carry out the checks due to Cheshire East palming off the Fair to the Town Council as it was now on Sandbach Town’s Common Land and not on Cheshire East property. Checks were made on the certificates for each ride and permission was granted for this traditional fair to continue on the 21 to 24 September 2018.
In 2018, the fairground transport was involved in an accident at one of the Arclid lay-bys. How it happened no one knows but a car crashed into the stationary vehicle causing minor damage to the Fairground transport but major complications with the car. Each year since the 1980’s the fairground attractions have been told to keep away from the town centre until after the Thursday Market had finished and cars had been claimed from the Common before they would allow the rides to enter and set up without hindrance and causing a backlog of vehicles in the town centre. As mentioned before, up until recently they would come into the town down Congleton Road and stay there in line until called to enter the common. But it was still causing a blockage and so some of the vehicles were kept at their winter home in Arclid (Joe White’s land) while others were parked in a lay-by on the Holmes Chapel Road. One of these was for the “Orbiter” ride which was left abandoned in the lay-by opposite Mill Lane on the A50, Holmes Chapel Road. At 8.19am on the 20 September 2018, reports came into the Sandbach Fire station that a car had driven into the stationary HGV trapping the lady driver. Firefighters had to remove the roof of the vehicle to extract the driver who couldn’t explain how she had managed to hit the vehicle. It took the emergency services from Sandbach and Holmes Chapel fire stations 1 hour 50 minutes to sort out the problem with the HGV only sustaining minor damage to the driver’s side front. After a few minor repairs the vehicle was allowed to bring the ride into town. On further inspection the Insurance Company decided it would be written off but Joe White was prepared to sort out the damage as to purchase a new vehicle of the same type capable of transporting the Fair equipment would be too expensive. After paying a fee to the insurance company to get back the lorry it was put right and returned to the road. Fifty-two weeks later and Sandbach Police are back on the case as reports that the vehicle was not registered were followed up by two police officers on Monday the 23 September 2019 at about 1pm as they inspected the vehicle trying to find fault.
Was this another chance for Cheshire Police to discredit the Funfair or victimisation by locals making false accusations?
There are many in the town who enjoy the fair and want to see it continue for many years so let’s hope that next year they can have a peaceful profitable year when people can enjoy the amusements without rumours and victimisation. Long live the Fun Fair.
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23 September 2019
HAVE THE POLICE GONE TOO FAR? IT’S A FAIR COP?
Each year I look forward to the Wakes Fair in Sandbach. The spectacle, the sounds, the lights and the crowds of happy punters enjoying the attractions in the wonderful arena of Scotch Common. But this year, where are the crowds? The answer is they have been banned by Cheshire Police from attending in a move that is not worthy of our community and one that has shocked both organiser and citizens of the town. Police officers have been to the schools in Sandbach to, “Warn” parents that there will be knife welding youths coming to the fair and that their children should avoid the fair. Do the Police have the right to stop a business from making money by deterring patrons from attending? Do they contact all supporters of a football team and tell them not to go to a match in-case there is trouble? The answer is NO. So why have Cheshire Police made this move against the fair? Could it be that they do not want to attend the fair this year? I was unable to go on Friday or Saturday night and Sunday the fair closes at 8pm so when I went down on Monday to see what was going on I found no police activity at all and more importantly very few visitors to the fair backing up the rumour that text messages had been sent out to parents and children in Sandbach advising them to stay away from the fair. Joe White the organiser of the Fair for many years told me that his grandchildren had received the text message informing them of the potential knife crime, an unfounded accusation that could end yet another venue for the Fairground. In 2015, the fair saw an enormous Police presence on the first night of the Wakes weekend as supposedly two rival gangs from Sandbach and Crewe were meeting at the Fair. However, this was just another misunderstanding as the story of gangs meeting at the fair seems to have been part of an annual tale put about by people in the town who want to stop the fair from coming. Across the country rumours of violence at Fairs have stopped many from attending as they felt unsafe so in 2015, Joe White brought in his own security team to protect the site, backing up the Police and keeping an eye on those coming to the fair. 2016 and rumours spread through social media that their would-be trouble and again nothing happened with the local police finding it hard to find any problems caused by the fair. So why are the police joining in this rumour mongering to put paid to the fair and close down another tradition in South Cheshire? Macclesfield’s Charter Fun Fair (Run by Carousel Funfairs) was closed down this year and Congleton and Crewe’s Fairs were cancelled last year when Cheshire East failed to find anyone to carry out safety checks with the Fairground owners and so couldn’t sign off the paperwork to allow it to continue. As more and more Fun Fairs come up against opposition from both Councils and the Police has this form of entertainment come to an end because of unsubstantiated rumours and fears from the public?
There are lots of questions but only one clear answer the “Fair” is worth keeping and encouraging. With co-operation from the organisers employing security and local Police Forces who get the opportunity at these events to see and interact with the local youths in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere the fair can survive and the youths of today can enjoy them as much as the youngster of yesterday did as they are there to have fun.
It is not clear when the Wakes Fair started but Queen Elizabeth the first, granted a charter to the town on the 4th April 1579 and in it the Queen granted Sandbach two fairs.
The charter sets out the following - We GRANT AND GIVE LICENCE to our beloved subject, John Radcliffe, of Ordsall, in our county of Lancaster, Knight and his heirs, that he and his heirs after him may have hold, enjoy and use always and that they may have the power and might to have, hold use and enjoy for ever a market on any Thursday, once weekly, at his manor of Sandbach in our county of Chester, holding it from year to year and two fairs or market-days in that place in any year, that is to say, one fair in that place on the Thursday and Friday preceding the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary and another fair on the Tuesday and Wednesday in Easter week each year.
For many years the holder of the Manor of Crewe (Lord Crewe) benefited from rents and payments from Scotch Common the home of the fair, from that date each year until 1922, when he donated the land to the people of Sandbach after he had sold most of the town’s land and buildings to cover debts owed during the 1914 to 1916 period not connected to the war.
The early “Fair”, would have been a market with a series of attractions like jesters, Punch and Judy, food, exotic animals like bears, challenges including boxing matches between a professional and a challenger from the public and possibly a circus with side attractions. Over time the interpretation of the word Fair has changed and the Modern Steam Fair was first brought out in 1868 when a method of using steam to power rides was first invented. It wasn’t long before Sandbach had its own amusements powered by this method from various touring shows visiting the town.
In a newspaper dated the 23 August 1907, it was reported that the Sandbach Council had received a number of complaints about the Wakes Fair Organ playing until nearly Midnight.
In September 1910, a newspaper report stated that the school children and commenced a week’s holiday starting on Friday the 23 September and an old English Fair had appeared on the Commons.
At a Meeting on the 12 December 1916, the Sandbach Urban Council agreed to allow the “Sandbach Wakes” to take place on the Common for one week for the sum of £17 as long as Mr Patrick Collins closed his show and sideshows at lighting restriction time (Wartime regulation). The Council also asked for a £50 deposit as a guarantee of Mr Collins sticking to the conditions they had laid down.
The current “Wakes Fun Fair” in Sandbach has been going for over 70 years with showmen like the White and Holland family’s attending with amusements over this period. In the early days of the show the organisers took it in turns to provide the amusements with the Collins Family one year and the White family the following year.
Joe White (.b. 1944?) the current organiser of the fair was brought to Sandbach when he was born (and just before) as were the Holland family of caterers. In those early days the common was just a patch of dirt in the middle of the town and the amusements were run by steam engines with the White family using Foden Steam engines to power the rides. They built up such a good working relationship with the Foden family that the workshop would repair the engines ready for them to go on the road as soon as they came into the workshop.
Joe tells the story that one day he went to book the date for the fair in Sandbach and when he returned someone said that he had booked the wrong date. As the dates are reliant on when Wakes Week falls during September, he had to be sure and there was only one person who knew the date for certain as it would be at the time of local butcher John Wakefield’s wedding anniversary. Having checked with John that he had got the right date he then booked all the rides.
The formula for “Wakes Week” goes something like this…. “The first Thursday after September the 11th then add 10 Days which will give you “Wakes Sunday”. If the 11th of September is a Thursday then it is the following Thursday plus 10 days. The Fair will then be the weekend of wakes Sunday (Friday to Monday).
By the 1970’s, the fair was occupying the common with their caravans parked on rough land behind the Crown Public House (Now Penda Way). Unfortunately, when plans for developing the area into shops were put into place it meant that the fair caravans had to move out of the area.
The amusements used to be brought into the town on Thursday afternoon parking in the side roads including Tatton Drive and the main Congleton Road past Offley Road, before moving onto the common once the market had been removed. First on the site were the big rides like the Waltzer and the big wheel with the smaller attractions of hook a duck and the catering vehicles coming on sometime after midnight.
If you had forgotten the fair was coming and lived in that area you could see the build-up throughout the afternoon as more and more lorries and vans arrived and got into their allotted order so when it was their time, they could move into the Fairground without blocking the next amusement. This did cause problems with traffic and so in later years it was decided to move them out of the area until it was time to set up with some parking up at Arclid before they would then come down in a convoy via Congleton Road and straight onto the Common once the area is clear. This is one of the benefits of the Mobile phone era and better communication.
A look at the history books and the charter they talk about a spring fair in the town and so between the 3rd and the 6th of March 2017, Joe White decided to restart the tradition and held a Spring Fair on Sandbach Common. However, Rain stopped play and the Monday was cut short due to a lack of visitors. The following year (16 - 18 March 2018) was no better for the amusements as cold weather, rain and a lack of interest again made this event not as profitable as expected. In 2019, Joe decided not to stage the Spring Fair, concentrating on the September Wakes Week and hopefully a larger turn out.
2018, saw an unexpected twist in the tale of fairs in Sandbach and the Cheshire East area as a planned fair on the King George V Playing fields in Crewe was cancelled as Cheshire East didn’t have anyone to carry out safety checks with the Fairground owners and so couldn’t sign off the paperwork to allow it to continue. The same story at Congleton next to the library and another traditional fairground cancelled due to the paperwork not being completed. However, in a strange quirk of fate the Sandbach Wakes Fair was allowed to continue due to the fact that it was Sandbach Town Council who had to carry out the checks due to Cheshire East palming off the Fair to the Town Council as it was now on Sandbach Town’s Common Land and not on Cheshire East property. Checks were made on the certificates for each ride and permission was granted for this traditional fair to continue on the 21 to 24 September 2018.
In 2018, the fairground transport was involved in an accident at one of the Arclid lay-bys. How it happened no one knows but a car crashed into the stationary vehicle causing minor damage to the Fairground transport but major complications with the car. Each year since the 1980’s the fairground attractions have been told to keep away from the town centre until after the Thursday Market had finished and cars had been claimed from the Common before they would allow the rides to enter and set up without hindrance and causing a backlog of vehicles in the town centre. As mentioned before, up until recently they would come into the town down Congleton Road and stay there in line until called to enter the common. But it was still causing a blockage and so some of the vehicles were kept at their winter home in Arclid (Joe White’s land) while others were parked in a lay-by on the Holmes Chapel Road. One of these was for the “Orbiter” ride which was left abandoned in the lay-by opposite Mill Lane on the A50, Holmes Chapel Road. At 8.19am on the 20 September 2018, reports came into the Sandbach Fire station that a car had driven into the stationary HGV trapping the lady driver. Firefighters had to remove the roof of the vehicle to extract the driver who couldn’t explain how she had managed to hit the vehicle. It took the emergency services from Sandbach and Holmes Chapel fire stations 1 hour 50 minutes to sort out the problem with the HGV only sustaining minor damage to the driver’s side front. After a few minor repairs the vehicle was allowed to bring the ride into town. On further inspection the Insurance Company decided it would be written off but Joe White was prepared to sort out the damage as to purchase a new vehicle of the same type capable of transporting the Fair equipment would be too expensive. After paying a fee to the insurance company to get back the lorry it was put right and returned to the road. Fifty-two weeks later and Sandbach Police are back on the case as reports that the vehicle was not registered were followed up by two police officers on Monday the 23 September 2019 at about 1pm as they inspected the vehicle trying to find fault.
Was this another chance for Cheshire Police to discredit the Funfair or victimisation by locals making false accusations?
There are many in the town who enjoy the fair and want to see it continue for many years so let’s hope that next year they can have a peaceful profitable year when people can enjoy the amusements without rumours and victimisation. Long live the Fun Fair.
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23 September 2019
THOMAS COOK CLOSED DOORS AND STOPS TRAVELLING
The longest serving travel agent in the world closed its doors on the 23 September 2019 when it went into administration after about 178 years of operation closing shops in Sandbach and Congleton.
Started by Thomas Cook after a walk he undertook with the Temperance Society from Market Harborough to Leicester for him to attend a meeting he suddenly came up with the idea of arranging trips to meetings using the new Midland Counties Railway with the first trip being for a Temperance group to go to a teetotal meeting in Loughborough from the Leicester Campbell Railway Station some eleven miles away. This was his first excursion on the 5 July 1841. On the 4 August 1845, Thomas took a number of people from Leicester to Liverpool followed in 1846 by a trip from Leicester to Scotland for 350 holiday makers. In 1851 the Great Exhibition in London opened another route for Thomas and he arranged for 150,000 people to attend this marvel of the 19th Century. In 1855, Thomas expanded his business with trips abroad with a grand circular tour of Belgium, Germany and ending up at the Paris Exhibition in France and suddenly the international tour operator was formed. In 1865, Thomas Cook opened offices in Fleet Street, London which sold travel essential including guide books, luggage, telescopes and footwear, the perfect place for new travel journalists to get their essentials before heading off to exotic parts arranged of course by Thomas Cook along with his son John Mason Cook who brought the, “and Son” to the name of the travel business. Thomas and his wife opened a hotel on the Temperance model above the office and in 1860 the company introduced the “Hotel Coupon” which was able to be exchanged at various hotels and restaurants that the company had on their list around the world for services and payment of rooms.
Soon the world was the travellers oyster available to all at a reasonable price with the company arranging block bookings and recommendations that gave them discount on the price of a trip abroad or to this country. Travel was now for the pleasure of all and not just the rich, the travel agent was born.
On the 19 June 2007, Thomas Cook AG (Renamed from Thomas Cook and Son) and My Travel Group which were two companies merged into one taking on the tour operator and the airline businesses.
Expansion of the business continued with hotels, aircraft and the high street travel shops appearing all over the country including Congleton and Sandbach (2010).
This rapid expansion of the business included acquiring other companies including Hotels 4U (6 Mar 2008), Elegant Resorts (April 2008) NetFlights (Dec 2008), Octopus Media Technologies to supply video content for the Thomas Cook TV Channel (On Line) on the 8 March 2009, Going Places in 2010, Co-operative Travel (2010) via the Co-operative Group who merged their shops with an option to pull out of a Networking deal if it didn’t work out and in 2016 they did just that as they went back to being an independent agency.
In August 2018, John Cooper died while on a Thomas Cook holiday in Hurghada, Egypt of what the authorities said was a Heart attack and his wife died of shock when she discovered the body of her husband. However, the family decided that the deaths were caused by a faulty air conditioning system and Thomas Cook evacuated the remaining 300 of its travellers from the resort as a precaution and because other holiday makers were also feeling a little unwell.
By February 2019, the company was starting to fail, possibly due to the incident’s bad publicity from 2018 and a recommendation to split the company was considered. By March 2019, 21 travel offices were on a list for closure and 300 staff were made redundant due the company said by 64% of bookings being made on-line. By May ‘Fosun International’ were looking at purchasing the tour operator by paying £450 million for a 75% stake in the tour business and a 25% stake in the Airline.
By Mid-September, HM Customs wanted a fund of £200 million to stop the firm falling into administration but by the 22 September 2019 at midnight Fosum had refused to help with the shortfall and so at 2am on the 23 September 2019 the doors closed on this iconic business.
There are more than 600 Thomas Cook Travel Stores in the UK including locations at Congleton (16 Bridge Street), Sandbach (3 High Street), Crewe (64 Market Street), Nantwich (12 Oatmarket), Winsford, Northwich, Talke and Hanley with all the stores closing their doors at 9am on Monday morning ending another high street name.
The Sandbach location in the high street was originally the Anglia Building Society (1985) which became the Nationwide Building Society in 1992 until it moved to Penda Way in 2004 when Travel World opened and the building was then taken over by the Going Places travel agency (2006). In 2010, the company was itself taken over and for a few days kept the name until the sign writers moved in and it became Thomas Cook. The name continued for another nine years until the company finally touched down on the runway of shop closures unable to take off on another flight to exotic destinations along with its sister store in Congleton.
We wish all staff the best in the future.
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23 September 2019
THOMAS COOK CLOSED DOORS AND STOPS TRAVELLING
The longest serving travel agent in the world closed its doors on the 23 September 2019 when it went into administration after about 178 years of operation closing shops in Sandbach and Congleton.
Started by Thomas Cook after a walk he undertook with the Temperance Society from Market Harborough to Leicester for him to attend a meeting he suddenly came up with the idea of arranging trips to meetings using the new Midland Counties Railway with the first trip being for a Temperance group to go to a teetotal meeting in Loughborough from the Leicester Campbell Railway Station some eleven miles away. This was his first excursion on the 5 July 1841. On the 4 August 1845, Thomas took a number of people from Leicester to Liverpool followed in 1846 by a trip from Leicester to Scotland for 350 holiday makers. In 1851 the Great Exhibition in London opened another route for Thomas and he arranged for 150,000 people to attend this marvel of the 19th Century. In 1855, Thomas expanded his business with trips abroad with a grand circular tour of Belgium, Germany and ending up at the Paris Exhibition in France and suddenly the international tour operator was formed. In 1865, Thomas Cook opened offices in Fleet Street, London which sold travel essential including guide books, luggage, telescopes and footwear, the perfect place for new travel journalists to get their essentials before heading off to exotic parts arranged of course by Thomas Cook along with his son John Mason Cook who brought the, “and Son” to the name of the travel business. Thomas and his wife opened a hotel on the Temperance model above the office and in 1860 the company introduced the “Hotel Coupon” which was able to be exchanged at various hotels and restaurants that the company had on their list around the world for services and payment of rooms.
Soon the world was the travellers oyster available to all at a reasonable price with the company arranging block bookings and recommendations that gave them discount on the price of a trip abroad or to this country. Travel was now for the pleasure of all and not just the rich, the travel agent was born.
On the 19 June 2007, Thomas Cook AG (Renamed from Thomas Cook and Son) and My Travel Group which were two companies merged into one taking on the tour operator and the airline businesses.
Expansion of the business continued with hotels, aircraft and the high street travel shops appearing all over the country including Congleton and Sandbach (2010).
This rapid expansion of the business included acquiring other companies including Hotels 4U (6 Mar 2008), Elegant Resorts (April 2008) NetFlights (Dec 2008), Octopus Media Technologies to supply video content for the Thomas Cook TV Channel (On Line) on the 8 March 2009, Going Places in 2010, Co-operative Travel (2010) via the Co-operative Group who merged their shops with an option to pull out of a Networking deal if it didn’t work out and in 2016 they did just that as they went back to being an independent agency.
In August 2018, John Cooper died while on a Thomas Cook holiday in Hurghada, Egypt of what the authorities said was a Heart attack and his wife died of shock when she discovered the body of her husband. However, the family decided that the deaths were caused by a faulty air conditioning system and Thomas Cook evacuated the remaining 300 of its travellers from the resort as a precaution and because other holiday makers were also feeling a little unwell.
By February 2019, the company was starting to fail, possibly due to the incident’s bad publicity from 2018 and a recommendation to split the company was considered. By March 2019, 21 travel offices were on a list for closure and 300 staff were made redundant due the company said by 64% of bookings being made on-line. By May ‘Fosun International’ were looking at purchasing the tour operator by paying £450 million for a 75% stake in the tour business and a 25% stake in the Airline.
By Mid-September, HM Customs wanted a fund of £200 million to stop the firm falling into administration but by the 22 September 2019 at midnight Fosum had refused to help with the shortfall and so at 2am on the 23 September 2019 the doors closed on this iconic business.
There are more than 600 Thomas Cook Travel Stores in the UK including locations at Congleton (16 Bridge Street), Sandbach (3 High Street), Crewe (64 Market Street), Nantwich (12 Oatmarket), Winsford, Northwich, Talke and Hanley with all the stores closing their doors at 9am on Monday morning ending another high street name.
The Sandbach location in the high street was originally the Anglia Building Society (1985) which became the Nationwide Building Society in 1992 until it moved to Penda Way in 2004 when Travel World opened and the building was then taken over by the Going Places travel agency (2006). In 2010, the company was itself taken over and for a few days kept the name until the sign writers moved in and it became Thomas Cook. The name continued for another nine years until the company finally touched down on the runway of shop closures unable to take off on another flight to exotic destinations along with its sister store in Congleton.
We wish all staff the best in the future.
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16 September 2019
CAR PARKING CHARGES
As Cheshire East consider two important items in Committee, I look at the impact both will have from a personal viewpoint. I am a supporter of the people of South Cheshire and in particular Sandbach so this is not politically motivated, on the contrary I just want to see what is right to do rather than who does it.
A feature on the 16 September 2019, about Cheshire East says that the Council are again thinking of changing the Car Parking charges and terms in the County including the towns of Sandbach, Congleton and Alsager. They are also debating the role of the Mayor and the use of the Bentley Car as their transport.
The Labour led Cheshire East say they are keeping to their election promises but how far do you go when you start your term of office by cheating in the takeover of the Council from the overall winners by getting the independent groups to back your bid so you can then on principal change things the Conservative led Council had put in place. The Conservative Party won the election with 34 seats while Labour only gained 25 seats but due to the cooperation of the Independent members (8 Seats), Residents of Wilmslow Party (4 Seats), Bollington First Party (2 Seats), Alderley Edge First Party (1 Seat) and Handforth Ratepayers (1 Seat) they managed to install Labour’s Sam Corcoran as leader with their 41 Seats against the Conservative 34 seats, Liberal Democrats 4 Seats, Real Independent Group 2 Seats and independent Conservatives 1 seat, which also gives the opposition a possible 41 seats. Various independents must have voted to install Sam as leader leading to the takeover of Cheshire East. Does this give them the right to demolish the 10-year traditions and policies of the Cheshire East Council because Labour considerers them elitist and wants to get rid of anything they consider upper class while at the same time forgetting the workers who are struggling to make ends meet?
Let’s look at the issues from a citizen’s point of view.
CAR PARKING INCREASES
Car Parking charges are the blight of most towns in Britain as they deter people from entering anywhere where they cannot walk because they are either too complicated to pay or they do not give you enough time to do what you wish to do in a town. A few car parks in Hanley have become pre booked by payment cards and texts so I personally fear driving to the town and into a situation that will leave me frustrated as I do not have a phone that texts or works outside my home so cannot pre book a space or make payments when I get there. I have not been to Staffordshire since learning of these restrictions and the same applies to Cheshire as I do not want to be forced to move from one car park to another as the Labour group are proposing as they plan to create more short stay car parks that will stop me from enjoying a meal out or a trip to a tourist attraction. Last year at Christmas I went to Nantwich to record a concert for Hospital Radio Leighton and the car park next to St Mary’s was a short stay one with free parking after 6pm. However, arriving at 4.50pm with an hour only on the short stay car park we had to wait until the clock had gone 5pm before adding our coins to the machine so we would not be fined as we would have stayed more than an hour while we set up and waited before the recording started. We eventually left the church at about 10pm after five hours in Nantwich, well above the hour time limit for the car park. Had this been during the day it would have made it impossible to unload our equipment and do the recording and record the two-hour concert. The restaurants around the car park also suffer as customers can barely wait for the main course to arrive let alone have coffee and a chocolate mint after the meal. Shopping is also a problem as it can take ages to be served at some cash tills with the added problem of not being able to look at products and get expert advice about an item in the time frame of the short stay car park. Just as you just get to the interesting bit about how a product works or what goes well with cheese and your time is up and you have to dash off to move the car to another car park. Theatre trips and events in the town are a waste of time as again you can only stay for a short time before you are moved on. Town Councils like Sandbach and Congleton are wasting all the effort they put in to promoting local shopping and entertainment to bring people to their towns as you can’t spend any money in the time you have left after you have attended the promotion or have to leave before the best bit.
Car parking is not just for shoppers it is also for workers and the Labour led Cheshire East seems to forget who they represent when the put up the charges and shorten the length of time in car parks as workers are forced to turn down jobs because they do not have anywhere to park as they try to do their job. Most shop workers like myself are on the minimum wage and so a car parking charge adds to this expense. This is an unwelcome loss of earnings that those on a higher wage do not always incur as they usually have private car parking spaces outside their offices or workplaces. Labour stands for the worker but seems to relieve them of their wage as soon as possible. Collecting the old “dole” in most towns means paying for car parking while you collect the few pounds from the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) or the bank (Paid into by DWP) losing more of that lower income. As for Food Banks the charges for parking will add to the cost of collecting items meaning it would be cheaper not to bother using the facilities set up to help them by well-meaning members of the community (First mass food banks available during WW1 to help soldiers back from the front and those left behind).
Not only do shoppers suffer but also the shops themselves. I remember when car parking charges were introduced in Crewe at ASDA and the Market Centre / Shopping centre, the footfall dropped by 50% and never recovered as out of town shopping centres offered free car parking they took away the market place from the centre of the town and now a large number of shops in Crewe have closed because of the extra expense of parking.
Sandbach in particular will suffer if car parking fees are put in place as it is on a knife edge at the moment with plans to install out of town shopping near the M6 junction and the Waitrose Roundabout (To be approved by Cheshire East) as well as a fee for parking, shoppers will vacate the town forever and Sandbach will become a derelict place with no visitors and no social life.
In March 2015, the Conservative Council rolled out credit card payments in Cheshire East in some of its car parks with an initial 18 being trialled, followed later by an additional 47 sites.
In January 2019, a consultation looked at increasing charges in the area a report that forms the basis of what is now being considered by Labour as part of their commitment to the community. The Car Park charges generated £5million across the county in 2018 with £3million being put back into the car parks via Enforcement Services, pay and display machines and maintenance, residents parking services, parking services and parking overheads. The additional £2million was put into the council pot for other services. Is pay and display worth it or is it better to have a few pennies added to the Council Tax for the freedom of all, including visitors from outside the area, to have free car parking?
If the Labour run Council wants to help the poor and the needs of the towns then the best thing they can do is scrap the car parking charges across the Cheshire East Area a move that will put life back into the communities and regenerate the town’s in the area as well as increasing employment and maybe even the wages of workers as shops can afford a higher payment to their employees. In Sandbach they want to make the common a short stay car park because workers are parking there all day and there is no room for shoppers. But the time limit will stop the restaurants and café’s from having day time customers. Hairdressers will just have time to cut their customers hair rather than do a perm and dress shops will just have time to throw something on rather than making it fit or for the customer to choose a style that suits the occasion. One solution for all towns is to have a designated car park within walking distance of the shops to cater for the shop workers so they do not use up customers spaces but do have somewhere free to park to allow them to do their job. That is what the Labour Party stands for and so should implement changes to help the worker and not punish them yet again.
CAR PARKING CHARGES
Crewe Oak Street £1.20 for 2 Hours
Congleton West Street 60p for 2 hours
Holmes Chapel Free (£3 Station for 2 Hours)
Nantwich Church Lane £1.10 for 2 hours
Sandbach Free
After 3pm free parking at the car parks in Whalley Hayes, Macclesfield, Thomas Street, Crewe, Snow Hill, Nantwich, South Street, Alderley Edge, Back Park Street, Congleton and Princess Street, Knutsford.
Fines for Higher Level contraventions start at £35 for payment before 14 days, £70 for a charge after that and £105 for payments after 56 days. Lower Level contraventions start at £25 for payment before 14 days, £50 for a charge after that and £75 for payments after 56 days.
MAYOR AND BENTLEY CAR
The new Labour led Cheshire East Council also wants to abolish the Role of the Mayor and the Bentley Car they are driven in. This was a promise they made in the last election manifesto but like a lot of their promises they failed to look at the impact doing so would cause to the people of Cheshire East. It may not be for all that we pay £18,000 a year for the car plus fuel at between £3,000 and £3,500, insurance (Paid as part of the Cheshire East fleet of vehicles), general replacements (Tyres £1,456.00 this year) and the pay of two drivers (Attendants) who look after the car, serve as official at various events, act as official photographers for the Mayor for the Facebook page / website and as security for the Mayoral chain of office. The agreement with Bently is for usage up to 16,000 miles although in reality the car travels between 14,000 and 15,000 miles as it covers engagements in the Cheshire East area. The Mayor also has an office in Westfields on Middlwich Rd, Sandbach along with a secretary who keeps the diary, arranges visits and answers requests, questions and makes sure the drivers and car are booked for transporting the Mayor to meetings and events.
The current vehicle uses petrol at 24 miles per gallon and notice has been given to Bentley to end the 12-month contract for the current vehicle as they are loaned on a temporary basis for a certain length of time before being replaced by a later model. The current model can now be recalled at short notice by Bentley to be sold as part of their second hand fleet at a higher price than for other cars of a similar model as its pedigree now that it has the name “Cheshire East Mayoral Car”, on the owners list allows Bentley to charge extra money for its sale as buyers know it is a well-kept vehicle and the prestige of owning a Mayoral Car has buyers fighting over the price to secure it for themselves.
At a recent meeting of the Cheshire East Constitutional Committee the option of a new greener Bentley was put forward as a replacement with the company about to launch a new car in January (Available in the USA at the moment) that is a hybrid and could save money on petrol as well as being better for the environment. Details of the new car and its possible terms and conditions to Cheshire East were not available at this moment in time. Having a Bentley makes any appearance by the Mayor a special occasion and a recent Japanese delegation were very impressed by the car and the Mayor as they visited the area. The Japanese took back home the impression of Cheshire East that would encourage them and fellow ‘country people’ to invest in the area. It also promotes a local business that employs hundreds of people not only at the works themselves but outside suppliers with local caterers providing lunch and shops for convenient purchases as well as manufacturers of parts.
The Mayor of Cheshire East has an important Role for the County (Borough) as they bring together the whole area and gives those Councillors who are privileged enough to take on the role, a chance to see what is going on in the community. Having spoken at length to all the Cheshire East Mayors and many Town Mayor’s they are astonished at the amount of hard work that is put in by the voluntary sector to improve the area. As they travel around, they are informed about the problems and feelings of the community and what they want from their Cheshire East Council. This role is the link between the private individual and the Council, one that shouldn’t be lost to the people of Cheshire East who need to be able to talk to someone about their problems, needs and requirements a role a position the Mayor fills as well as helping many organisations publicise their events and achievements by attending requests as the presence of the Mayor gives the prestige that is needed to get their story in the newspapers.
The role of Mayor was suggested at the formation of Cheshire East to continue to previous role of the Borough Mayor’s before the split in the county between East and West and is similar to the role taken in the Congleton Borough before Cheshire East was formed. It is a role where they would attend meetings as Chairman as well as functions to compliment the Town Mayors and local MP’s. The role includes representing the Borough on such occasions as a visit by Royalty or the various civic duties they attend including Remembrance Sunday and Civic Services, where a representative of the Borough rather than the town is required to lend its support to the function. To this end a petition was put to the Privy Council that the new Chairman of the Council (Cheshire East) be allowed to take on the name and status of Mayor. This was accepted and the Mayor was created along with Cheshire East in 2009.
During their year on office the Mayor is granted an extra £14,000 allowance for the year to cover the costs of new clothes, inconvenience and some of the money they gain is usually then used for donations to organisations incurred during a visit (at their discretion) for raffle tickets etc. at an event. The Mayor also sets up their own “Charity Fund” which raises money for their own chosen charities. These are usually local organisations either to their ward or to the Cheshire East Area with Mayoral staff and Councillors helping to organise events like a Mayoral Ball or fundraising concert along with donations via the Mayor’s Office.
On official Civic engagements and at Council Meetings the Mayor wears a Mayoral Robe which should last another 20 to 30 years and is paraded into meetings by the mace and mace bearer (Chauffeur) with the mace being placed in front of the Chairman similar to what they do in the houses of Parliament before a session begins. There is no legal requirement for this to take place as it is a ceremonial tradition following on from previous Councils and is a tradition some of those attending a meeting of the Cheshire East Constitutional Committee said they think should continue in one form or another.
In 2012, the Mayoral artefacts were valued with the former Borough of Crewe Mayoral Gold Chain (Worn with a new pendent / emblem) dated 1877 was worth £62,500. A William and Mary Silver Gilt Mace made by Anthony Nelme of London in 1693 valued at £110,000 and an Artemis Sculpture was worth £100,000.
A member of the committee also questioned the role of the Mayor as on occasions they had upstaged the Town Mayor who was also attending a function. It was pointed out that it was up to the organisation to invite the Mayor and in so doing, it is they who decides who is the more important person in attendance. The fact that the Cheshire East Mayor attends is usually to bring the Borough together as ‘one’ and for Countywide recognition of the event and its message.
The civic duties of the Mayor include representing Cheshire East at various functions and to lend a publicity hand to the proceedings as their presence increases the importance of an event with the added bonus of pictures being considered for the newspapers and social media that will enhance the story the organisations want to tell from their event. Cllr Mike Benson at the Constitution Committee Meeting on the 19 September 2019, pointed out that both the Cheshire East Mayor and Sandbach Town Mayor attended the Sandbach Concert Series performances and their presence shows their support for local events and organisations.
There are ways of making it cheaper to run the Mayor including when the Mayor attends meetings it could be made more economical by the loss of the Bentley on these occasions with the attendant and Mayor arriving separately without the regalia of office and the formality of the Mayoral Robes.
It is important not only for today but the future that Cheshire East has a Mayor as what we do now will be the history of the future and not to have the role will be questioned by the Historians as a lack of respect for the people of the area and traditions of the past. In my view the importance within the community of the Mayor and the Bentley car outweighs the small cost it incurs and should continue to represent the Cheshire East Council.
Decisions on the future of the Mayor and the Mayoral car were deferred to the Corporate Committee.
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16 September 2019
CAR PARKING CHARGES
As Cheshire East consider two important items in Committee, I look at the impact both will have from a personal viewpoint. I am a supporter of the people of South Cheshire and in particular Sandbach so this is not politically motivated, on the contrary I just want to see what is right to do rather than who does it.
A feature on the 16 September 2019, about Cheshire East says that the Council are again thinking of changing the Car Parking charges and terms in the County including the towns of Sandbach, Congleton and Alsager. They are also debating the role of the Mayor and the use of the Bentley Car as their transport.
The Labour led Cheshire East say they are keeping to their election promises but how far do you go when you start your term of office by cheating in the takeover of the Council from the overall winners by getting the independent groups to back your bid so you can then on principal change things the Conservative led Council had put in place. The Conservative Party won the election with 34 seats while Labour only gained 25 seats but due to the cooperation of the Independent members (8 Seats), Residents of Wilmslow Party (4 Seats), Bollington First Party (2 Seats), Alderley Edge First Party (1 Seat) and Handforth Ratepayers (1 Seat) they managed to install Labour’s Sam Corcoran as leader with their 41 Seats against the Conservative 34 seats, Liberal Democrats 4 Seats, Real Independent Group 2 Seats and independent Conservatives 1 seat, which also gives the opposition a possible 41 seats. Various independents must have voted to install Sam as leader leading to the takeover of Cheshire East. Does this give them the right to demolish the 10-year traditions and policies of the Cheshire East Council because Labour considerers them elitist and wants to get rid of anything they consider upper class while at the same time forgetting the workers who are struggling to make ends meet?
Let’s look at the issues from a citizen’s point of view.
CAR PARKING INCREASES
Car Parking charges are the blight of most towns in Britain as they deter people from entering anywhere where they cannot walk because they are either too complicated to pay or they do not give you enough time to do what you wish to do in a town. A few car parks in Hanley have become pre booked by payment cards and texts so I personally fear driving to the town and into a situation that will leave me frustrated as I do not have a phone that texts or works outside my home so cannot pre book a space or make payments when I get there. I have not been to Staffordshire since learning of these restrictions and the same applies to Cheshire as I do not want to be forced to move from one car park to another as the Labour group are proposing as they plan to create more short stay car parks that will stop me from enjoying a meal out or a trip to a tourist attraction. Last year at Christmas I went to Nantwich to record a concert for Hospital Radio Leighton and the car park next to St Mary’s was a short stay one with free parking after 6pm. However, arriving at 4.50pm with an hour only on the short stay car park we had to wait until the clock had gone 5pm before adding our coins to the machine so we would not be fined as we would have stayed more than an hour while we set up and waited before the recording started. We eventually left the church at about 10pm after five hours in Nantwich, well above the hour time limit for the car park. Had this been during the day it would have made it impossible to unload our equipment and do the recording and record the two-hour concert. The restaurants around the car park also suffer as customers can barely wait for the main course to arrive let alone have coffee and a chocolate mint after the meal. Shopping is also a problem as it can take ages to be served at some cash tills with the added problem of not being able to look at products and get expert advice about an item in the time frame of the short stay car park. Just as you just get to the interesting bit about how a product works or what goes well with cheese and your time is up and you have to dash off to move the car to another car park. Theatre trips and events in the town are a waste of time as again you can only stay for a short time before you are moved on. Town Councils like Sandbach and Congleton are wasting all the effort they put in to promoting local shopping and entertainment to bring people to their towns as you can’t spend any money in the time you have left after you have attended the promotion or have to leave before the best bit.
Car parking is not just for shoppers it is also for workers and the Labour led Cheshire East seems to forget who they represent when the put up the charges and shorten the length of time in car parks as workers are forced to turn down jobs because they do not have anywhere to park as they try to do their job. Most shop workers like myself are on the minimum wage and so a car parking charge adds to this expense. This is an unwelcome loss of earnings that those on a higher wage do not always incur as they usually have private car parking spaces outside their offices or workplaces. Labour stands for the worker but seems to relieve them of their wage as soon as possible. Collecting the old “dole” in most towns means paying for car parking while you collect the few pounds from the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) or the bank (Paid into by DWP) losing more of that lower income. As for Food Banks the charges for parking will add to the cost of collecting items meaning it would be cheaper not to bother using the facilities set up to help them by well-meaning members of the community (First mass food banks available during WW1 to help soldiers back from the front and those left behind).
Not only do shoppers suffer but also the shops themselves. I remember when car parking charges were introduced in Crewe at ASDA and the Market Centre / Shopping centre, the footfall dropped by 50% and never recovered as out of town shopping centres offered free car parking they took away the market place from the centre of the town and now a large number of shops in Crewe have closed because of the extra expense of parking.
Sandbach in particular will suffer if car parking fees are put in place as it is on a knife edge at the moment with plans to install out of town shopping near the M6 junction and the Waitrose Roundabout (To be approved by Cheshire East) as well as a fee for parking, shoppers will vacate the town forever and Sandbach will become a derelict place with no visitors and no social life.
In March 2015, the Conservative Council rolled out credit card payments in Cheshire East in some of its car parks with an initial 18 being trialled, followed later by an additional 47 sites.
In January 2019, a consultation looked at increasing charges in the area a report that forms the basis of what is now being considered by Labour as part of their commitment to the community. The Car Park charges generated £5million across the county in 2018 with £3million being put back into the car parks via Enforcement Services, pay and display machines and maintenance, residents parking services, parking services and parking overheads. The additional £2million was put into the council pot for other services. Is pay and display worth it or is it better to have a few pennies added to the Council Tax for the freedom of all, including visitors from outside the area, to have free car parking?
If the Labour run Council wants to help the poor and the needs of the towns then the best thing they can do is scrap the car parking charges across the Cheshire East Area a move that will put life back into the communities and regenerate the town’s in the area as well as increasing employment and maybe even the wages of workers as shops can afford a higher payment to their employees. In Sandbach they want to make the common a short stay car park because workers are parking there all day and there is no room for shoppers. But the time limit will stop the restaurants and café’s from having day time customers. Hairdressers will just have time to cut their customers hair rather than do a perm and dress shops will just have time to throw something on rather than making it fit or for the customer to choose a style that suits the occasion. One solution for all towns is to have a designated car park within walking distance of the shops to cater for the shop workers so they do not use up customers spaces but do have somewhere free to park to allow them to do their job. That is what the Labour Party stands for and so should implement changes to help the worker and not punish them yet again.
CAR PARKING CHARGES
Crewe Oak Street £1.20 for 2 Hours
Congleton West Street 60p for 2 hours
Holmes Chapel Free (£3 Station for 2 Hours)
Nantwich Church Lane £1.10 for 2 hours
Sandbach Free
After 3pm free parking at the car parks in Whalley Hayes, Macclesfield, Thomas Street, Crewe, Snow Hill, Nantwich, South Street, Alderley Edge, Back Park Street, Congleton and Princess Street, Knutsford.
Fines for Higher Level contraventions start at £35 for payment before 14 days, £70 for a charge after that and £105 for payments after 56 days. Lower Level contraventions start at £25 for payment before 14 days, £50 for a charge after that and £75 for payments after 56 days.
MAYOR AND BENTLEY CAR
The new Labour led Cheshire East Council also wants to abolish the Role of the Mayor and the Bentley Car they are driven in. This was a promise they made in the last election manifesto but like a lot of their promises they failed to look at the impact doing so would cause to the people of Cheshire East. It may not be for all that we pay £18,000 a year for the car plus fuel at between £3,000 and £3,500, insurance (Paid as part of the Cheshire East fleet of vehicles), general replacements (Tyres £1,456.00 this year) and the pay of two drivers (Attendants) who look after the car, serve as official at various events, act as official photographers for the Mayor for the Facebook page / website and as security for the Mayoral chain of office. The agreement with Bently is for usage up to 16,000 miles although in reality the car travels between 14,000 and 15,000 miles as it covers engagements in the Cheshire East area. The Mayor also has an office in Westfields on Middlwich Rd, Sandbach along with a secretary who keeps the diary, arranges visits and answers requests, questions and makes sure the drivers and car are booked for transporting the Mayor to meetings and events.
The current vehicle uses petrol at 24 miles per gallon and notice has been given to Bentley to end the 12-month contract for the current vehicle as they are loaned on a temporary basis for a certain length of time before being replaced by a later model. The current model can now be recalled at short notice by Bentley to be sold as part of their second hand fleet at a higher price than for other cars of a similar model as its pedigree now that it has the name “Cheshire East Mayoral Car”, on the owners list allows Bentley to charge extra money for its sale as buyers know it is a well-kept vehicle and the prestige of owning a Mayoral Car has buyers fighting over the price to secure it for themselves.
At a recent meeting of the Cheshire East Constitutional Committee the option of a new greener Bentley was put forward as a replacement with the company about to launch a new car in January (Available in the USA at the moment) that is a hybrid and could save money on petrol as well as being better for the environment. Details of the new car and its possible terms and conditions to Cheshire East were not available at this moment in time. Having a Bentley makes any appearance by the Mayor a special occasion and a recent Japanese delegation were very impressed by the car and the Mayor as they visited the area. The Japanese took back home the impression of Cheshire East that would encourage them and fellow ‘country people’ to invest in the area. It also promotes a local business that employs hundreds of people not only at the works themselves but outside suppliers with local caterers providing lunch and shops for convenient purchases as well as manufacturers of parts.
The Mayor of Cheshire East has an important Role for the County (Borough) as they bring together the whole area and gives those Councillors who are privileged enough to take on the role, a chance to see what is going on in the community. Having spoken at length to all the Cheshire East Mayors and many Town Mayor’s they are astonished at the amount of hard work that is put in by the voluntary sector to improve the area. As they travel around, they are informed about the problems and feelings of the community and what they want from their Cheshire East Council. This role is the link between the private individual and the Council, one that shouldn’t be lost to the people of Cheshire East who need to be able to talk to someone about their problems, needs and requirements a role a position the Mayor fills as well as helping many organisations publicise their events and achievements by attending requests as the presence of the Mayor gives the prestige that is needed to get their story in the newspapers.
The role of Mayor was suggested at the formation of Cheshire East to continue to previous role of the Borough Mayor’s before the split in the county between East and West and is similar to the role taken in the Congleton Borough before Cheshire East was formed. It is a role where they would attend meetings as Chairman as well as functions to compliment the Town Mayors and local MP’s. The role includes representing the Borough on such occasions as a visit by Royalty or the various civic duties they attend including Remembrance Sunday and Civic Services, where a representative of the Borough rather than the town is required to lend its support to the function. To this end a petition was put to the Privy Council that the new Chairman of the Council (Cheshire East) be allowed to take on the name and status of Mayor. This was accepted and the Mayor was created along with Cheshire East in 2009.
During their year on office the Mayor is granted an extra £14,000 allowance for the year to cover the costs of new clothes, inconvenience and some of the money they gain is usually then used for donations to organisations incurred during a visit (at their discretion) for raffle tickets etc. at an event. The Mayor also sets up their own “Charity Fund” which raises money for their own chosen charities. These are usually local organisations either to their ward or to the Cheshire East Area with Mayoral staff and Councillors helping to organise events like a Mayoral Ball or fundraising concert along with donations via the Mayor’s Office.
On official Civic engagements and at Council Meetings the Mayor wears a Mayoral Robe which should last another 20 to 30 years and is paraded into meetings by the mace and mace bearer (Chauffeur) with the mace being placed in front of the Chairman similar to what they do in the houses of Parliament before a session begins. There is no legal requirement for this to take place as it is a ceremonial tradition following on from previous Councils and is a tradition some of those attending a meeting of the Cheshire East Constitutional Committee said they think should continue in one form or another.
In 2012, the Mayoral artefacts were valued with the former Borough of Crewe Mayoral Gold Chain (Worn with a new pendent / emblem) dated 1877 was worth £62,500. A William and Mary Silver Gilt Mace made by Anthony Nelme of London in 1693 valued at £110,000 and an Artemis Sculpture was worth £100,000.
A member of the committee also questioned the role of the Mayor as on occasions they had upstaged the Town Mayor who was also attending a function. It was pointed out that it was up to the organisation to invite the Mayor and in so doing, it is they who decides who is the more important person in attendance. The fact that the Cheshire East Mayor attends is usually to bring the Borough together as ‘one’ and for Countywide recognition of the event and its message.
The civic duties of the Mayor include representing Cheshire East at various functions and to lend a publicity hand to the proceedings as their presence increases the importance of an event with the added bonus of pictures being considered for the newspapers and social media that will enhance the story the organisations want to tell from their event. Cllr Mike Benson at the Constitution Committee Meeting on the 19 September 2019, pointed out that both the Cheshire East Mayor and Sandbach Town Mayor attended the Sandbach Concert Series performances and their presence shows their support for local events and organisations.
There are ways of making it cheaper to run the Mayor including when the Mayor attends meetings it could be made more economical by the loss of the Bentley on these occasions with the attendant and Mayor arriving separately without the regalia of office and the formality of the Mayoral Robes.
It is important not only for today but the future that Cheshire East has a Mayor as what we do now will be the history of the future and not to have the role will be questioned by the Historians as a lack of respect for the people of the area and traditions of the past. In my view the importance within the community of the Mayor and the Bentley car outweighs the small cost it incurs and should continue to represent the Cheshire East Council.
Decisions on the future of the Mayor and the Mayoral car were deferred to the Corporate Committee.
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21 September 2019
SANDBACH TODAY EVENT 22 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG
It is twenty-two years since the first Sandbach Today Event in the town was opened to spotlight the voluntary organisations and clubs within the area.
Started by the Sandbach Partnership in 1997, the event was first held at the Town Hall by Congleton Borough's Arts officer Carol McGregor and Cllr Dorothy Flint. However, with various changes in local government and the formation of the Sandbach Partnership, the Partnership took over running the event along with a committee of various volunteers who help to organise the annual event as it has become a major calendar date for networking between organisations, recruiting new members as well as publicising what is going on in the town.
Now at St Mary’s Church Hall the twenty-three organisations were visited by members of the public as well as Sandbach Town Mayor Mike Muldoon and local M.P. Fiona Bruce who at the start of the event quoted in her opening speech, Margaret Mead (a cultural anthropologist from the USA), “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that ever has”, a reference to the work that many organisations within the community are doing, from looking after the parks (Friends of Sandbach Park) to cleaning the streets (Sandbach Clean Team) and helping the disabled to move around the town without being impeded by raised curbs or steps into shops (Grass Roots Disability, Sandbach).
In 2007, Dot Flint one of the organisers of the event wrote, “I had only intended to do this as a one off, but I am pleased to have been a part of it and seen how it has grown over the past 10 years”. Twenty-two years on the event has seen a number of changes over that time period and many of those original groups in the Town Hall meeting are no longer active in Sandbach but have been replaced by new organisations including the U3A (Formed in 2003), the Rotary Club of Saxon Crosses (2003) and the “Friends” groups (Sandbach Park 2010). Established organisations from that 1997 exhibition were continuing to support the town and the event including the Sandbach Photographic Society (Formed in 1979) and the Sandbach History Society (Formed in 1976) who have not missed any of the 22 Sandbach Today Events.
The list of organisations taking part this year includes, the U3A, Footpath Group, ANSA Waste Management (Cheshire East), Allotment Society, Garden Trails, Sandbach Cancer Research UK Committee, Rotary Club of Sandbach Crosses, Brereton Hand Bell Ringers, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Sandbach Concert Series, Friends of Sandbach Park, Woodland and Wildlife Group, Grace Church, Sandbach Clean Team, Cheshire Arts for Health, Sandbach Rotary Club, Sandbach History Society, Grass Roots Disability Sandbach, Probus Club of Sandbach, Dementia Friendly Sandbach, Sandbach Photographic Society, Care 4 CE and the Sandbach Partnership.
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21 September 2019
SANDBACH TODAY EVENT 22 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG
It is twenty-two years since the first Sandbach Today Event in the town was opened to spotlight the voluntary organisations and clubs within the area.
Started by the Sandbach Partnership in 1997, the event was first held at the Town Hall by Congleton Borough's Arts officer Carol McGregor and Cllr Dorothy Flint. However, with various changes in local government and the formation of the Sandbach Partnership, the Partnership took over running the event along with a committee of various volunteers who help to organise the annual event as it has become a major calendar date for networking between organisations, recruiting new members as well as publicising what is going on in the town.
Now at St Mary’s Church Hall the twenty-three organisations were visited by members of the public as well as Sandbach Town Mayor Mike Muldoon and local M.P. Fiona Bruce who at the start of the event quoted in her opening speech, Margaret Mead (a cultural anthropologist from the USA), “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that ever has”, a reference to the work that many organisations within the community are doing, from looking after the parks (Friends of Sandbach Park) to cleaning the streets (Sandbach Clean Team) and helping the disabled to move around the town without being impeded by raised curbs or steps into shops (Grass Roots Disability, Sandbach).
In 2007, Dot Flint one of the organisers of the event wrote, “I had only intended to do this as a one off, but I am pleased to have been a part of it and seen how it has grown over the past 10 years”. Twenty-two years on the event has seen a number of changes over that time period and many of those original groups in the Town Hall meeting are no longer active in Sandbach but have been replaced by new organisations including the U3A (Formed in 2003), the Rotary Club of Saxon Crosses (2003) and the “Friends” groups (Sandbach Park 2010). Established organisations from that 1997 exhibition were continuing to support the town and the event including the Sandbach Photographic Society (Formed in 1979) and the Sandbach History Society (Formed in 1976) who have not missed any of the 22 Sandbach Today Events.
The list of organisations taking part this year includes, the U3A, Footpath Group, ANSA Waste Management (Cheshire East), Allotment Society, Garden Trails, Sandbach Cancer Research UK Committee, Rotary Club of Sandbach Crosses, Brereton Hand Bell Ringers, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Sandbach Concert Series, Friends of Sandbach Park, Woodland and Wildlife Group, Grace Church, Sandbach Clean Team, Cheshire Arts for Health, Sandbach Rotary Club, Sandbach History Society, Grass Roots Disability Sandbach, Probus Club of Sandbach, Dementia Friendly Sandbach, Sandbach Photographic Society, Care 4 CE and the Sandbach Partnership.
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8 September 2019
SANDBACH STRIDERS 10K FUN RUN
The sun continued to shine over the weekend, a welcome change to the weather that helped make the Sandbach Striders 10k Fun Run another success with their highest number of competitors taking part and a record-breaking run.
Greeted by Sandbach Town Crier Dennis Robinson with Town Mayor Mike Muldoon starting the races and handing out prizes it was an enjoyable day for both competitors and spectators.
500 adults took part in the 10k race along with 100 children who ran their own 2k race with some of their parents supporting them along the route as a number of them were below the age of six. Organisers said that the children’s race was so popular that there were another 100 names on a waiting list to do the run but due to parking spaces and the organisation at the start of the race the run was limited.
Formed on the 1 June 2003 with a meeting at the Military Arms public house on the Common the ‘Sandbach Striders’ were originally called the ‘Sandbach Striders and Strollers’. They started holding their weekly runs from Elworth Cricket Club where the membership grew from a few friends to 150 runners. Organisers decided in May 2018 that the ‘Sandbach Strider’ would move to its present home at the Sandbach Rugby Club in Bradwall Road where they organise various events including the fun run down the road.
This is the 12th year of the road race which started life at the Elworth Cricket Club in 2007, before moving to Bradwall Village Hall in 2017. Entries have been increasing each year as it has become more popular with runners coming from Wilmslow, Chorlton, Northwich, Winsford, Northbrook, Congleton, Newcastle (Staffs), Bramhall, Biddulph and of course Sandbach with entries from the schools, clubs and local enthusiasts including Foden’s Band member Mark Bousie and his family, sons Charlie and Harry.
This year’s Children’s 2k Race was won by Jack Harrison in a time of 7 minutes 53 seconds which didn’t quite beat the first years record time of 7 minutes 27 seconds set by Issac Leydon in 2017, but his time put him quite far in-front of second place winner Adam Meyell and Lucas Darlington who came in third place with a time of 8 minutes 15 seconds. Other category prizes were awarded for the Under 6 age group with winner Merryn-Rose Fairy, Under 8 winner Sophia Lewis, Under 10 winner Kobie Burton, Under 12 winner Harrison Williams, Under 14 winner Eliot Davenport and Under 16 winner Mellisa Healey.
The main adult race started as usual from Pillar Box Lane and weaved its way around Bradwall to the finishing line outside the village hall with a new record time of 33 minutes 11 seconds run by Matthew McCormack who improved on his previous time of 35 minutes 01 seconds which had placed him second last year. The previous record of 33 minutes 43 seconds for the 10k was set by Carl Moulton in 2017.
Second place in this year’s race went to Julian Goodwin (35 Mins 02 Sec) followed by Russell Price (35 Mins 06 Sec) in Third place.
Other category winners were in the men’s race were Robert Baker (Under 40), Chris Moss (Under 45), Simon Hodkiss (Under 50), Kevin Hinett (Under 55), Brian Webster (Under 60), Jan McMuklin (Under 65) and Neil Coe (Under 70).
The ladies’ race was won by Natasha White running the 10k in 37 Minutes 26 Seconds with second placed Shelly Fairey beating her last years’ time of 42 Minutes 45 Seconds and third placed female Marie Edmonds running the route in 42 mins 50 seconds.
The ladies’ other category winners were, Elaine Collins (Under 40), Rachel K Steven (Under 45), Susan Plunt (Under 50), Cathy Lewin (Under 55), Lesley Cole (Under 60), Sue Campbell (Under 65) and Pat Bentley (Under 70).
Live music, bouncy castles and various charity stalls on site helped with the fun of the event with the profits from the food and other fundraising activities including a collection in the car park going to charities supported by the Sandbach Striders including ‘Chance Changing Lives’.
With television opposition from the Great North Run this was a far better spectacle to see with a great atmosphere, some beautiful scenery and lovely weather it is a must for any running enthusiast and spectator.
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8 September 2019
SANDBACH STRIDERS 10K FUN RUN
The sun continued to shine over the weekend, a welcome change to the weather that helped make the Sandbach Striders 10k Fun Run another success with their highest number of competitors taking part and a record-breaking run.
Greeted by Sandbach Town Crier Dennis Robinson with Town Mayor Mike Muldoon starting the races and handing out prizes it was an enjoyable day for both competitors and spectators.
500 adults took part in the 10k race along with 100 children who ran their own 2k race with some of their parents supporting them along the route as a number of them were below the age of six. Organisers said that the children’s race was so popular that there were another 100 names on a waiting list to do the run but due to parking spaces and the organisation at the start of the race the run was limited.
Formed on the 1 June 2003 with a meeting at the Military Arms public house on the Common the ‘Sandbach Striders’ were originally called the ‘Sandbach Striders and Strollers’. They started holding their weekly runs from Elworth Cricket Club where the membership grew from a few friends to 150 runners. Organisers decided in May 2018 that the ‘Sandbach Strider’ would move to its present home at the Sandbach Rugby Club in Bradwall Road where they organise various events including the fun run down the road.
This is the 12th year of the road race which started life at the Elworth Cricket Club in 2007, before moving to Bradwall Village Hall in 2017. Entries have been increasing each year as it has become more popular with runners coming from Wilmslow, Chorlton, Northwich, Winsford, Northbrook, Congleton, Newcastle (Staffs), Bramhall, Biddulph and of course Sandbach with entries from the schools, clubs and local enthusiasts including Foden’s Band member Mark Bousie and his family, sons Charlie and Harry.
This year’s Children’s 2k Race was won by Jack Harrison in a time of 7 minutes 53 seconds which didn’t quite beat the first years record time of 7 minutes 27 seconds set by Issac Leydon in 2017, but his time put him quite far in-front of second place winner Adam Meyell and Lucas Darlington who came in third place with a time of 8 minutes 15 seconds. Other category prizes were awarded for the Under 6 age group with winner Merryn-Rose Fairy, Under 8 winner Sophia Lewis, Under 10 winner Kobie Burton, Under 12 winner Harrison Williams, Under 14 winner Eliot Davenport and Under 16 winner Mellisa Healey.
The main adult race started as usual from Pillar Box Lane and weaved its way around Bradwall to the finishing line outside the village hall with a new record time of 33 minutes 11 seconds run by Matthew McCormack who improved on his previous time of 35 minutes 01 seconds which had placed him second last year. The previous record of 33 minutes 43 seconds for the 10k was set by Carl Moulton in 2017.
Second place in this year’s race went to Julian Goodwin (35 Mins 02 Sec) followed by Russell Price (35 Mins 06 Sec) in Third place.
Other category winners were in the men’s race were Robert Baker (Under 40), Chris Moss (Under 45), Simon Hodkiss (Under 50), Kevin Hinett (Under 55), Brian Webster (Under 60), Jan McMuklin (Under 65) and Neil Coe (Under 70).
The ladies’ race was won by Natasha White running the 10k in 37 Minutes 26 Seconds with second placed Shelly Fairey beating her last years’ time of 42 Minutes 45 Seconds and third placed female Marie Edmonds running the route in 42 mins 50 seconds.
The ladies’ other category winners were, Elaine Collins (Under 40), Rachel K Steven (Under 45), Susan Plunt (Under 50), Cathy Lewin (Under 55), Lesley Cole (Under 60), Sue Campbell (Under 65) and Pat Bentley (Under 70).
Live music, bouncy castles and various charity stalls on site helped with the fun of the event with the profits from the food and other fundraising activities including a collection in the car park going to charities supported by the Sandbach Striders including ‘Chance Changing Lives’.
With television opposition from the Great North Run this was a far better spectacle to see with a great atmosphere, some beautiful scenery and lovely weather it is a must for any running enthusiast and spectator.
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7 September 2019
SANDBACH MARKET TOWN FESTIVAL
A couple of years ago the Day of Dance was transferred to Sandbach Town Council who agreed to extend the festival into a medieval event in the town centre and the park. However, last year Morris Dancing troops were unavailable on the dates given by the council due to another festival and earlier this year the organiser gave notice she wouldn’t be standing at the local elections and so Council employees were tasked with taking on the festival. Unfortunately, this was also cancelled until it was decided to stage a smaller event outside the Market Hall on the small car park.
On Saturday the 7 September 2019, the Sandbach market Town Festival took place and included a Punch and Judy, Swing Boats and Fair Organ from Blackpool, a Balloon Artist, Falconry (Various Owls), Willow Weavers, Circus Trainer and a Medieval King’s Executioner who explained the gruesome ways prisoners were tortured to admit their crimes and how they were dispatched as their sentence was carried out.
Sandbach Mayor Mike Muldoon spent time talking to the various stalls including the old-time games stall which included shove halfpenny, hit the rat and bar skittles.
The sunny day started slowly but by the end of lunchtime the car park was full with adults and children enjoying the attractions and shouting at the Punch and Judy Show making more noise that Town Crier Dennis Robinson who as usual was on hand to publicise the events. The Town Hall also held an Artisan Market and traders in the Market below also benefited from both events with an increased footfall.
The success of this years event hopefully will be reproduced in 2020 with more features.
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7 September 2019
SANDBACH MARKET TOWN FESTIVAL
A couple of years ago the Day of Dance was transferred to Sandbach Town Council who agreed to extend the festival into a medieval event in the town centre and the park. However, last year Morris Dancing troops were unavailable on the dates given by the council due to another festival and earlier this year the organiser gave notice she wouldn’t be standing at the local elections and so Council employees were tasked with taking on the festival. Unfortunately, this was also cancelled until it was decided to stage a smaller event outside the Market Hall on the small car park.
On Saturday the 7 September 2019, the Sandbach market Town Festival took place and included a Punch and Judy, Swing Boats and Fair Organ from Blackpool, a Balloon Artist, Falconry (Various Owls), Willow Weavers, Circus Trainer and a Medieval King’s Executioner who explained the gruesome ways prisoners were tortured to admit their crimes and how they were dispatched as their sentence was carried out.
Sandbach Mayor Mike Muldoon spent time talking to the various stalls including the old-time games stall which included shove halfpenny, hit the rat and bar skittles.
The sunny day started slowly but by the end of lunchtime the car park was full with adults and children enjoying the attractions and shouting at the Punch and Judy Show making more noise that Town Crier Dennis Robinson who as usual was on hand to publicise the events. The Town Hall also held an Artisan Market and traders in the Market below also benefited from both events with an increased footfall.
The success of this years event hopefully will be reproduced in 2020 with more features.
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7 August 2019
ALL INCLUSIVE PLAY DAY IN SANDBACH PARK
The first Wednesday in August each year since 1991 has been a National Play Day in Great Britain with the Sandbach Partnership organising the event in Sandbach Park since 2014.
This year’s event in Sandbach Park on the 7 August 2019, enjoyed the sunshine with children of all ages taking part in various events and attractions including a Bouncy Hazard, Face Painting, Community Scrap Shack (Making things from old items), The Leisure Centre with Everybody – Leisure for Life staging a tug of war and a chance to make a smoothie using a stationary bicycle with a blender powered by the movement of the bikes wheel. Sandbach PCSO’s Spike Elliott and Sue Holt showed off battle shields, bullet proof vests and their land rover vehicle to the gathered crowds.
Staffordshire Exotics Society provided this year’s exotic wildlife with a Burmese Python the main attraction along with a Meerkat and Chameleon.
Sandbach Mayor Cllr Mike Muldoon was taken around the event by organisers from the Sandbach Partnership, Dot Flint and Sue Brereton. During his walk he made a smoothie for Danny Woolley and joined the Leisure Centre staff in a tug of war which was due to be just a photo shoot but soon youngsters grabbed the other end to start a competition to see who was best. The Mayor was also invited to meet Norman the Burmese Python which wrapped itself round the councillor in a friendly hug and was also greeted by the friendly Countryside Volunteer Team from Care 4 CE which provided the PA System and have been involved in projects to improve various park projects in the area.
This event was certainly an ‘All-inclusive play day’ as thousands of children of all abilities turned up with their parents and grandparents to take part in the various events in Sandbach Park.
(Pictures Care 4 CE with Mayor Mike Muldoon and Phil Mason (organiser))
(Making Smoothies – Danny Woolley with Mayor Mike Muldoon on a bike)
(Tug of War – Mayor Mike Muldoon, Elise Drucker, Dave Jones, James Parker-Aiken)
(Norman the Python with Mayor Mike Muldoon, Dot Flint and Sue Brereton (R))
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7 August 2019
ALL INCLUSIVE PLAY DAY IN SANDBACH PARK
The first Wednesday in August each year since 1991 has been a National Play Day in Great Britain with the Sandbach Partnership organising the event in Sandbach Park since 2014.
This year’s event in Sandbach Park on the 7 August 2019, enjoyed the sunshine with children of all ages taking part in various events and attractions including a Bouncy Hazard, Face Painting, Community Scrap Shack (Making things from old items), The Leisure Centre with Everybody – Leisure for Life staging a tug of war and a chance to make a smoothie using a stationary bicycle with a blender powered by the movement of the bikes wheel. Sandbach PCSO’s Spike Elliott and Sue Holt showed off battle shields, bullet proof vests and their land rover vehicle to the gathered crowds.
Staffordshire Exotics Society provided this year’s exotic wildlife with a Burmese Python the main attraction along with a Meerkat and Chameleon.
Sandbach Mayor Cllr Mike Muldoon was taken around the event by organisers from the Sandbach Partnership, Dot Flint and Sue Brereton. During his walk he made a smoothie for Danny Woolley and joined the Leisure Centre staff in a tug of war which was due to be just a photo shoot but soon youngsters grabbed the other end to start a competition to see who was best. The Mayor was also invited to meet Norman the Burmese Python which wrapped itself round the councillor in a friendly hug and was also greeted by the friendly Countryside Volunteer Team from Care 4 CE which provided the PA System and have been involved in projects to improve various park projects in the area.
This event was certainly an ‘All-inclusive play day’ as thousands of children of all abilities turned up with their parents and grandparents to take part in the various events in Sandbach Park.
(Pictures Care 4 CE with Mayor Mike Muldoon and Phil Mason (organiser))
(Making Smoothies – Danny Woolley with Mayor Mike Muldoon on a bike)
(Tug of War – Mayor Mike Muldoon, Elise Drucker, Dave Jones, James Parker-Aiken)
(Norman the Python with Mayor Mike Muldoon, Dot Flint and Sue Brereton (R))
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27 July 2019
SANDBACH ART TRAIL
Tracey Mee the CEO and Founder of Cheshire Arts for Health, which is based in the Art Room above a shop in the High Street, launched the Sandbach Arts Festival last week with 41 businesses displaying 56 pictures in the second event of its kind in the town. Brilliant sunshine during the week the pictures were on display allowed the shoppers to enjoy a diversity of art work with many of the pictures attached to corresponding businesses like a flower shop displaying a bunch of flowers and a butcher’s shop with five cows looking over a fence.
After getting a map of the venues the public were encouraged to vote for their favourite pictures with prizes given out in a ceremony at the Sandbach Art Room on a wet Saturday the 27 July 2019, by Sandbach Mayor Mike Muldoon. First prize in the adult section went to Judith Coldclough for her picture “Skyline” (City Lights) which was displayed in Butters John Bee. Second place was awarded to Vivian Bridgewood for “Hugo the Highland Cow” shown in Philip Lee Hairdressers with third prize going to Michelle Dickson who’s “Foxy” was seen inside the Wheat Sheaf. Children’s / Junior winners were first, Hannah Rouse who painted a fish shown in Farrall the Cleaners in Bold Street and called “Andrew Fish” after her grandfather who joins Hannah at the Art Room for their after-school classes where the picture was painted. Second place went to Iona Fisher for “Princess Pea” which was on display in the Ollie and Phee children’s shop opposite St Mary’s Church.
Large pictures including a pair of horses, small paintings and sculptures showed the diversity of Art talent in the town. ‘Judges’ / shoppers in the town were also entered into a prize draw with various prizes handed out at the event that had been moved from the Market Square to the Sandbach Art Room due to the torrential rain on Saturday.
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27 July 2019
SANDBACH ART TRAIL
Tracey Mee the CEO and Founder of Cheshire Arts for Health, which is based in the Art Room above a shop in the High Street, launched the Sandbach Arts Festival last week with 41 businesses displaying 56 pictures in the second event of its kind in the town. Brilliant sunshine during the week the pictures were on display allowed the shoppers to enjoy a diversity of art work with many of the pictures attached to corresponding businesses like a flower shop displaying a bunch of flowers and a butcher’s shop with five cows looking over a fence.
After getting a map of the venues the public were encouraged to vote for their favourite pictures with prizes given out in a ceremony at the Sandbach Art Room on a wet Saturday the 27 July 2019, by Sandbach Mayor Mike Muldoon. First prize in the adult section went to Judith Coldclough for her picture “Skyline” (City Lights) which was displayed in Butters John Bee. Second place was awarded to Vivian Bridgewood for “Hugo the Highland Cow” shown in Philip Lee Hairdressers with third prize going to Michelle Dickson who’s “Foxy” was seen inside the Wheat Sheaf. Children’s / Junior winners were first, Hannah Rouse who painted a fish shown in Farrall the Cleaners in Bold Street and called “Andrew Fish” after her grandfather who joins Hannah at the Art Room for their after-school classes where the picture was painted. Second place went to Iona Fisher for “Princess Pea” which was on display in the Ollie and Phee children’s shop opposite St Mary’s Church.
Large pictures including a pair of horses, small paintings and sculptures showed the diversity of Art talent in the town. ‘Judges’ / shoppers in the town were also entered into a prize draw with various prizes handed out at the event that had been moved from the Market Square to the Sandbach Art Room due to the torrential rain on Saturday.
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14 July 2019
9th BRERETON BEAR FESTIVAL
In the grounds of St Oswald’s Church on Sunday the 14 July 2019, the Brereton Bear Festival held the fourth Parachute Jump by 21 teddy bears of all sizes and shapes with the winning jump taking the longest to land from the top of the church tower.
Not all the bears made it to the ground with a couple landing on the church roof, including last year’s winners bear which during its decent looked as though Lucy Guy’s attempt would again win the competition making it four in a row, but this year she was thwarted by a slight gust of wind which sent it off course onto the roof and so it failed to reach the ground until the organisers could get out their ladder to retrieve her bear.
This year the winning bear was owned by Josh Winward with a time of 10.25 seconds, with second place going to Patrick Marsh (9.44 Seconds) and third place by a hair or should I say rabbit called Topsy owned by Seren Saha Roth parachuted in with a time of 9.13 seconds.
After a Teddy Bear’s Picnic at the Bear’s Head on Saturday the Brereton Bear Festival displays around the area were put out at the start of a month-long festival with various events being held in the village until the 10 August. Parishioners have put together 135 different tableaux’s that include a bear around Brereton for people to find in a trail to find as many as possible in various locations including a small river, by the side of the road, in gardens and outside businesses. A prize will be awarded for the person who can name the most bears in the hunt as each one of the tableaux has its own title and number with a number of featured displays to start your list appearing in the Church and nearby Scout Hut areas.
Other awardes will be given to the best dressed display (Judged by competitors who have visited the 135 locations) and a prize for the most humorous of bear displays.
Other events during the month include a Bear Sports Day at the Vicarage / Rectory lawn, a Treasure Hunt (27 August), Tree Trail at Dukes Oak Farm (3 August) and a Rectory Christmas in August (10 August) with an early appearance by Father Christmas. Dates are available in the festival programme which is available around the village and at the church along with details on their Facebook page.
The idea for the event came to its founder Stuart Forster in late 2003 and he put it to the Parish Council in November of that year with the purpose of raising extra funds to pay for an increase in the “Parish Share” which churches in the area have to pay to the Chester Diocese for the running of all its churches in Cheshire. Stuart’s daughter’s children went to Lower Peover School in 2003 when they were running a similar event, but with Scarecrows around its parish. As Brereton has a Bear as its mascot it was decided to substitute the scarecrow for a bear and so the festival began. The association with a bear comes from the D’Brereton Family who had the church built. One of the family killed a manservant and went to the King to confess his sins with the result that the monarch sentenced him to being thrown in the Tower of London. He then pleaded for his freedom and the King said that if he could make a mussel for a bear so it could not eat or harm him then he would be set free and this is what happened and how the bear with a mussel face has become the symbol of the parish.
The first Brereton Bear Festival was staged in July 2004 with a follow up event in July 2005 that didn’t quite go to plan as some of the displays went missing during the month with one of them, Rupert the Bear being found later at the bus stop in Sandbach, obviously trying to get back to its home.
After the second year it was decided that the festival would become a bi-annual event with the next one being staged in 2005. The early events only had a few exhibits but as interest grew the numbers increased to 132 two years ago (2017) and to 135 for this year.
Robin Moseley the previous vicar of the parish was responsible for starting the Parachute part of the festival as an extra event and delayed his departure from the church two years ago until the festival had taken place in 2017.
Christopher Kent the first vicar to be involved in 2004 also wrote the festival song which is sung in the church service that was held in St Oswald’s Church on the morning of this years parachute jump.
“Long Ago, Brereton Hall had a knight that took a fall – Killed a man then told all.
Thrown in Tow’r of London there a bear he muzzled.
Brereton Bears – Growl, Growl, check their lairs – prowl, prowl.
Making bears, finding bears, draws the village closer.
Let your map be your guide: hunt for bears Brereton wide get their names (Found Beside) – Ruxpin, Yogi, Herbert, Paddington or Rupert?
Country Park, Tree to climb? Honey Pots, picnic time! Will the bears (such a crime)? Steal away the honey – take it on a journey?
Thanking God for the bears, village life, church affairs, school and home: in your prayers offer all to Jesus – He will never leave us! (Sung to Personent Hodie’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ published in 1582)
The Brereton Festival church service also includes a new version of the Teddy Bear’s Picnic song with words by Ann Peach that like the festival song tells the story of the Brereton Bear Festival.
This is a great family event that can take place when you want to do the trail with some wonderfully thought up displays and names to reflect the scene including ‘Mary Beary” cooking cakes and the smallest display in the church showing the Wednesday Club “Wake up Wednesday” that includes the vicar, tea and cakes, a laptop and of course the church mouse.
Elizabeth Finnan (Brereton Rose Queen) with bears in the church
Outside Church = Patrick Marsh 2nd Place and Seren Saha Roth - 3rd Place
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14 July 2019
9th BRERETON BEAR FESTIVAL
In the grounds of St Oswald’s Church on Sunday the 14 July 2019, the Brereton Bear Festival held the fourth Parachute Jump by 21 teddy bears of all sizes and shapes with the winning jump taking the longest to land from the top of the church tower.
Not all the bears made it to the ground with a couple landing on the church roof, including last year’s winners bear which during its decent looked as though Lucy Guy’s attempt would again win the competition making it four in a row, but this year she was thwarted by a slight gust of wind which sent it off course onto the roof and so it failed to reach the ground until the organisers could get out their ladder to retrieve her bear.
This year the winning bear was owned by Josh Winward with a time of 10.25 seconds, with second place going to Patrick Marsh (9.44 Seconds) and third place by a hair or should I say rabbit called Topsy owned by Seren Saha Roth parachuted in with a time of 9.13 seconds.
After a Teddy Bear’s Picnic at the Bear’s Head on Saturday the Brereton Bear Festival displays around the area were put out at the start of a month-long festival with various events being held in the village until the 10 August. Parishioners have put together 135 different tableaux’s that include a bear around Brereton for people to find in a trail to find as many as possible in various locations including a small river, by the side of the road, in gardens and outside businesses. A prize will be awarded for the person who can name the most bears in the hunt as each one of the tableaux has its own title and number with a number of featured displays to start your list appearing in the Church and nearby Scout Hut areas.
Other awardes will be given to the best dressed display (Judged by competitors who have visited the 135 locations) and a prize for the most humorous of bear displays.
Other events during the month include a Bear Sports Day at the Vicarage / Rectory lawn, a Treasure Hunt (27 August), Tree Trail at Dukes Oak Farm (3 August) and a Rectory Christmas in August (10 August) with an early appearance by Father Christmas. Dates are available in the festival programme which is available around the village and at the church along with details on their Facebook page.
The idea for the event came to its founder Stuart Forster in late 2003 and he put it to the Parish Council in November of that year with the purpose of raising extra funds to pay for an increase in the “Parish Share” which churches in the area have to pay to the Chester Diocese for the running of all its churches in Cheshire. Stuart’s daughter’s children went to Lower Peover School in 2003 when they were running a similar event, but with Scarecrows around its parish. As Brereton has a Bear as its mascot it was decided to substitute the scarecrow for a bear and so the festival began. The association with a bear comes from the D’Brereton Family who had the church built. One of the family killed a manservant and went to the King to confess his sins with the result that the monarch sentenced him to being thrown in the Tower of London. He then pleaded for his freedom and the King said that if he could make a mussel for a bear so it could not eat or harm him then he would be set free and this is what happened and how the bear with a mussel face has become the symbol of the parish.
The first Brereton Bear Festival was staged in July 2004 with a follow up event in July 2005 that didn’t quite go to plan as some of the displays went missing during the month with one of them, Rupert the Bear being found later at the bus stop in Sandbach, obviously trying to get back to its home.
After the second year it was decided that the festival would become a bi-annual event with the next one being staged in 2005. The early events only had a few exhibits but as interest grew the numbers increased to 132 two years ago (2017) and to 135 for this year.
Robin Moseley the previous vicar of the parish was responsible for starting the Parachute part of the festival as an extra event and delayed his departure from the church two years ago until the festival had taken place in 2017.
Christopher Kent the first vicar to be involved in 2004 also wrote the festival song which is sung in the church service that was held in St Oswald’s Church on the morning of this years parachute jump.
“Long Ago, Brereton Hall had a knight that took a fall – Killed a man then told all.
Thrown in Tow’r of London there a bear he muzzled.
Brereton Bears – Growl, Growl, check their lairs – prowl, prowl.
Making bears, finding bears, draws the village closer.
Let your map be your guide: hunt for bears Brereton wide get their names (Found Beside) – Ruxpin, Yogi, Herbert, Paddington or Rupert?
Country Park, Tree to climb? Honey Pots, picnic time! Will the bears (such a crime)? Steal away the honey – take it on a journey?
Thanking God for the bears, village life, church affairs, school and home: in your prayers offer all to Jesus – He will never leave us! (Sung to Personent Hodie’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ published in 1582)
The Brereton Festival church service also includes a new version of the Teddy Bear’s Picnic song with words by Ann Peach that like the festival song tells the story of the Brereton Bear Festival.
This is a great family event that can take place when you want to do the trail with some wonderfully thought up displays and names to reflect the scene including ‘Mary Beary” cooking cakes and the smallest display in the church showing the Wednesday Club “Wake up Wednesday” that includes the vicar, tea and cakes, a laptop and of course the church mouse.
Elizabeth Finnan (Brereton Rose Queen) with bears in the church
Outside Church = Patrick Marsh 2nd Place and Seren Saha Roth - 3rd Place
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13 July 2019
SANDBACH ROCK AND POP FESTIVAL
If you want to see the greatest line up of musical talent from the 1960’s to the latest award winners then look no further than the “Sandbach Rock and Pop Festival” at the Sandbach Rugby Club in Bradwall Road that was held on the 13 July 2019. In what is now an annual event to raise money for local charities and to give something to the community organisers Simon Gregson and Andy Miller (The Chef at the Rugby Club) have put together this event for the third year running as a follow up to a “Fake Festival” held on the site that cost nearly as much as the club were taking. Organising the acts themselves allows them to give back more to the community as well as increasing the number of performers you can see in one night. This year’s festival helped to raise funding for the AMMF Charity which raises money to help fund research into Cholangiocarcinoma (Liver Cancer) for which at the moment only surgery is a cure, if it is found in time. As it is hard to diagnose, many people are faced with a terminal diagnosis which luckily for Andrea Sheardown of Sandbach was not the case as she had the cancer in October 2015 and was diagnosed early enough to have the procedure to cure her. Andrea has survived a lot longer than expected and has been a champion to help raise funds for this worthy cause along with her family at both this event and last year’s festival. Andrea along with her family including three children had a stall and collection during the event which included one man who promised to donate a £1 every time a girl kissed him. Unfortunately, he was out performed by the Freddie Mercury tribute later in the evening as it seemed the girls wanted to stroke his leg during the performance and have their pictures taken with him after the show.
The day was not without its drama for Lisa (Lady Ga Ga and Madonna) as her husband went off with her make-up box as he went to pick up their children. However, Andrea Sheardown and others managed to put together the make up needed for Lisa to go on stage to entertain the audience and to be joined there by two young girls who were dancing the moves at the front of the stage. So grateful was Lisa with her make up helpers and moved by Andrea’s story that she promised to donate some of her fee from the performance to the worthy cancer cause.
This year the venue had two performance areas with the main acts on a stage outside in a big tent while local acts, a tribute to Ed Sheeran (Todd Edwards) and Melissa Tomlin from Manchester who performed as Jess Glynne and Dua Lipa played a small inside stage near the Rugby Club bar. Melissa has been part of the line-up for all three festivals starting in 2017 when she was Taylor Swift and Jess Glynn while in 2018 it was Arianna Grande and Taylor Swift who graced the stage. Melissa is so busy with her eight or more tributes that she was off to another gig later that evening at Colne Golf Club.
The main stage started at 12.30pm with Floyd Machine (Pink Floyd Tribute) followed by Lisa who was a sexy Lady Ga Ga and later a Madonna tribute.
Rolling Stones tribute “Tumbling Dice” returned from last year with possibly the best Mick Jagger seen on the tribute circuit followed by Northwest band Shakermaker and the finale Joey Linden as Freddie Mercury.
Joey is an opera trained singer who has been in the Marines, a cage fighter and who also appeared as a dancer in shows like Miss Saigon, Footloose and Chicago before he was in Corfu eight years ago when a Freddie Mercury Tribute didn’t turn up and he was asked to fill in for what he thought would be a couple of weeks. Today he is still doing the act having spent a lot of time since those stand in shows perfecting the moves and sound of the Queen front man.
During the day local singers and groups Tokyo Misfires, Outbreak CH2, Maine, Scott Edwards, Marc Gollins and Phil Maddocks adequately filled the gaps on both stages to a record-breaking crowd with over 400 tickets sold before the night and many more who paid on the door.
With sunshine and great music, the patrons not only listened inside and by the staged tent area but also took their camping chairs and picnics onto the rugby field to enjoy the summer festival.
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13 July 2019
SANDBACH ROCK AND POP FESTIVAL
If you want to see the greatest line up of musical talent from the 1960’s to the latest award winners then look no further than the “Sandbach Rock and Pop Festival” at the Sandbach Rugby Club in Bradwall Road that was held on the 13 July 2019. In what is now an annual event to raise money for local charities and to give something to the community organisers Simon Gregson and Andy Miller (The Chef at the Rugby Club) have put together this event for the third year running as a follow up to a “Fake Festival” held on the site that cost nearly as much as the club were taking. Organising the acts themselves allows them to give back more to the community as well as increasing the number of performers you can see in one night. This year’s festival helped to raise funding for the AMMF Charity which raises money to help fund research into Cholangiocarcinoma (Liver Cancer) for which at the moment only surgery is a cure, if it is found in time. As it is hard to diagnose, many people are faced with a terminal diagnosis which luckily for Andrea Sheardown of Sandbach was not the case as she had the cancer in October 2015 and was diagnosed early enough to have the procedure to cure her. Andrea has survived a lot longer than expected and has been a champion to help raise funds for this worthy cause along with her family at both this event and last year’s festival. Andrea along with her family including three children had a stall and collection during the event which included one man who promised to donate a £1 every time a girl kissed him. Unfortunately, he was out performed by the Freddie Mercury tribute later in the evening as it seemed the girls wanted to stroke his leg during the performance and have their pictures taken with him after the show.
The day was not without its drama for Lisa (Lady Ga Ga and Madonna) as her husband went off with her make-up box as he went to pick up their children. However, Andrea Sheardown and others managed to put together the make up needed for Lisa to go on stage to entertain the audience and to be joined there by two young girls who were dancing the moves at the front of the stage. So grateful was Lisa with her make up helpers and moved by Andrea’s story that she promised to donate some of her fee from the performance to the worthy cancer cause.
This year the venue had two performance areas with the main acts on a stage outside in a big tent while local acts, a tribute to Ed Sheeran (Todd Edwards) and Melissa Tomlin from Manchester who performed as Jess Glynne and Dua Lipa played a small inside stage near the Rugby Club bar. Melissa has been part of the line-up for all three festivals starting in 2017 when she was Taylor Swift and Jess Glynn while in 2018 it was Arianna Grande and Taylor Swift who graced the stage. Melissa is so busy with her eight or more tributes that she was off to another gig later that evening at Colne Golf Club.
The main stage started at 12.30pm with Floyd Machine (Pink Floyd Tribute) followed by Lisa who was a sexy Lady Ga Ga and later a Madonna tribute.
Rolling Stones tribute “Tumbling Dice” returned from last year with possibly the best Mick Jagger seen on the tribute circuit followed by Northwest band Shakermaker and the finale Joey Linden as Freddie Mercury.
Joey is an opera trained singer who has been in the Marines, a cage fighter and who also appeared as a dancer in shows like Miss Saigon, Footloose and Chicago before he was in Corfu eight years ago when a Freddie Mercury Tribute didn’t turn up and he was asked to fill in for what he thought would be a couple of weeks. Today he is still doing the act having spent a lot of time since those stand in shows perfecting the moves and sound of the Queen front man.
During the day local singers and groups Tokyo Misfires, Outbreak CH2, Maine, Scott Edwards, Marc Gollins and Phil Maddocks adequately filled the gaps on both stages to a record-breaking crowd with over 400 tickets sold before the night and many more who paid on the door.
With sunshine and great music, the patrons not only listened inside and by the staged tent area but also took their camping chairs and picnics onto the rugby field to enjoy the summer festival.
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6 July 2019
PARTY IN THE PARK FOR FODEN’S BAND
It is seven years since the first “Party in the Park” started in Sandbach. Initially a one-off performance by Foden’s Band to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in front of a thousand people it has grown into an annual event which has entertained well over that number of patrons on a regular basis. Ticket sales this year again exceeded the amount printed with the largest crowd gathering the organisers have seen attending for the first performances of the day by the Sandbach School Big Band on Saturday the 6th of July, with only a handful of extra patrons arriving before the 8pm start of the Foden’s Band Concert.
The last seven years concerts were not the first events in Sandbach Park by Foden’s Band as on the 2 September 2000 they held a show there just seven days before the British Open Championships, when the band came fifth and again they appeared in the park on the 3 July 2004 as a thank you concert for the people of the town in return for funding from the Sandbach Town Council towards the bands trip to Chicago that year.
In 2019, the Foden’s Band are again raising funds for a trip abroad as they have recently won the National Championships and the large trophy, they received was placed at the front of the stage for the park concert. Their win on the 6 October 2018, has entitled them to take part in the European Championships at Polanga in Lithuania in 2020 which will cost about £50,000 for the band to participate in and so the band are holding a raffle and other events to help raise the money for the journey with tickets for the draw on sale at the concert.
Early day rain dried up on Saturday to create the near perfect conditions for the concert which started at 6.30pm with the Sandbach School Big Band. From 2012 to 2014 the school had put forward, “Out of the Blues” a group of students who played a variety of music with the Big Band taking over in 2015. This year the band performed a variety of tunes with singers and soloists including James Bateman and Zak Marmont singing ‘Celebration’ (Kool and the Gang Song), Mark Wheeler sung ‘Round Our Way’ (Oasis) and year 12’s Catherine Potter gave us a version of Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’. Keen to add a little comedy to the proceedings James sang Tom Jones’s, “It’s Not Unusual” with the Saxophone section providing the Welsh singers signature hip thrusts, while Georgio and Alex performed, “Me and My Shadow” with a comic routine at the end. A version of Take That’s “Shine” was reconstructed by singers from the band followed by a trumpet solo from Jake Fletcher who played the Beatles song “Hey Jude” as their finale tune.
After a half hour break Foden’s Band took to the stage with guest conductor Gary Cutt who had helped the band to win the National Championship in October last year and the North West Final of the British Open on the 24 February 2019. Mike Fowles who has conducted the band at the park since 2000 handed the baton over to Richard Evans last year and this year Gary Cutt, but still continues to take rehearsals and concerts.
Opening with the Duke Ellington tune “Caravan”, the band followed with “A Disney Fantasy” which was one for the children who were playing in front of the stage and included a number of familiar film songs. Richard Poole then played his solo piece on the Soprano Cornet, “Live and Let Die” which he has also played at the park in 2013, 2015 and 2018. “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was followed by a solo from Mark Wilkinson (Principal Cornet) and the John Barber arrangement of “King of Swing”. Melanie Whyle then played beautifully on the Flugel Horn an arrangement of the Georges Zamfir (Pan Pipes) and James Last record “The Lonely Shepherd”, which was a hauntingly emotive performance that rebounded round the park to an attentive audience.
The band’s first half ended with music from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (also played in 2013) by John Williams a favourite composer of the “Party in the Park” programme.
The second half also opened with a repeat performance of “Malaguena” (2012 and 2017) followed by “You Don’t Know Me” and the Queen song “Seaside Rendezvous”. The Irish tune “Eire Time” was again played by Solo Euphonium player Gary Curtin (First played in the park in 2017), who wowed the audience with his skilled performance.
The big disappointment for me was the dropping from the programme schedule of the 2007 film music from “Stardust”, which I think is the best tune the band has included in its playlists. Its replacement was another tune played in the park concerts before, “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” which has appeared in 2012, 2016 and in 2018.
The finale was as usual the popular Last Night of the Proms feature with firework ending. Either due to weather predictions (Cancelled last year due to high winds) or local protests the fireworks seemed to be a lot less than in previous years. Everyone I spoke to thought it was a great night’s entertainment and they were all looking forward to next year.
Among this year’s audience was local MP Fiona Bruce and her husband who joined Cllr Mike Benson, who up until this year has introduced the concerts as a Sandbach Town Councillor and pioneer of the event. Due to him leaving the Town Council to take on the role of Cheshire East Councillor for the area meant he had to relinquish his job of compere to Cllr Gill Merry and so found himself relegated to the role of a more relaxed audience member with his wife Kathie and picnic to enjoy the “Party in the Park”.
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6 July 2019
PARTY IN THE PARK FOR FODEN’S BAND
It is seven years since the first “Party in the Park” started in Sandbach. Initially a one-off performance by Foden’s Band to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in front of a thousand people it has grown into an annual event which has entertained well over that number of patrons on a regular basis. Ticket sales this year again exceeded the amount printed with the largest crowd gathering the organisers have seen attending for the first performances of the day by the Sandbach School Big Band on Saturday the 6th of July, with only a handful of extra patrons arriving before the 8pm start of the Foden’s Band Concert.
The last seven years concerts were not the first events in Sandbach Park by Foden’s Band as on the 2 September 2000 they held a show there just seven days before the British Open Championships, when the band came fifth and again they appeared in the park on the 3 July 2004 as a thank you concert for the people of the town in return for funding from the Sandbach Town Council towards the bands trip to Chicago that year.
In 2019, the Foden’s Band are again raising funds for a trip abroad as they have recently won the National Championships and the large trophy, they received was placed at the front of the stage for the park concert. Their win on the 6 October 2018, has entitled them to take part in the European Championships at Polanga in Lithuania in 2020 which will cost about £50,000 for the band to participate in and so the band are holding a raffle and other events to help raise the money for the journey with tickets for the draw on sale at the concert.
Early day rain dried up on Saturday to create the near perfect conditions for the concert which started at 6.30pm with the Sandbach School Big Band. From 2012 to 2014 the school had put forward, “Out of the Blues” a group of students who played a variety of music with the Big Band taking over in 2015. This year the band performed a variety of tunes with singers and soloists including James Bateman and Zak Marmont singing ‘Celebration’ (Kool and the Gang Song), Mark Wheeler sung ‘Round Our Way’ (Oasis) and year 12’s Catherine Potter gave us a version of Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’. Keen to add a little comedy to the proceedings James sang Tom Jones’s, “It’s Not Unusual” with the Saxophone section providing the Welsh singers signature hip thrusts, while Georgio and Alex performed, “Me and My Shadow” with a comic routine at the end. A version of Take That’s “Shine” was reconstructed by singers from the band followed by a trumpet solo from Jake Fletcher who played the Beatles song “Hey Jude” as their finale tune.
After a half hour break Foden’s Band took to the stage with guest conductor Gary Cutt who had helped the band to win the National Championship in October last year and the North West Final of the British Open on the 24 February 2019. Mike Fowles who has conducted the band at the park since 2000 handed the baton over to Richard Evans last year and this year Gary Cutt, but still continues to take rehearsals and concerts.
Opening with the Duke Ellington tune “Caravan”, the band followed with “A Disney Fantasy” which was one for the children who were playing in front of the stage and included a number of familiar film songs. Richard Poole then played his solo piece on the Soprano Cornet, “Live and Let Die” which he has also played at the park in 2013, 2015 and 2018. “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was followed by a solo from Mark Wilkinson (Principal Cornet) and the John Barber arrangement of “King of Swing”. Melanie Whyle then played beautifully on the Flugel Horn an arrangement of the Georges Zamfir (Pan Pipes) and James Last record “The Lonely Shepherd”, which was a hauntingly emotive performance that rebounded round the park to an attentive audience.
The band’s first half ended with music from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (also played in 2013) by John Williams a favourite composer of the “Party in the Park” programme.
The second half also opened with a repeat performance of “Malaguena” (2012 and 2017) followed by “You Don’t Know Me” and the Queen song “Seaside Rendezvous”. The Irish tune “Eire Time” was again played by Solo Euphonium player Gary Curtin (First played in the park in 2017), who wowed the audience with his skilled performance.
The big disappointment for me was the dropping from the programme schedule of the 2007 film music from “Stardust”, which I think is the best tune the band has included in its playlists. Its replacement was another tune played in the park concerts before, “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” which has appeared in 2012, 2016 and in 2018.
The finale was as usual the popular Last Night of the Proms feature with firework ending. Either due to weather predictions (Cancelled last year due to high winds) or local protests the fireworks seemed to be a lot less than in previous years. Everyone I spoke to thought it was a great night’s entertainment and they were all looking forward to next year.
Among this year’s audience was local MP Fiona Bruce and her husband who joined Cllr Mike Benson, who up until this year has introduced the concerts as a Sandbach Town Councillor and pioneer of the event. Due to him leaving the Town Council to take on the role of Cheshire East Councillor for the area meant he had to relinquish his job of compere to Cllr Gill Merry and so found himself relegated to the role of a more relaxed audience member with his wife Kathie and picnic to enjoy the “Party in the Park”.
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FAMILY FUN DAY IN THE PARK 29 June 2019. (Pictures only above)
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29 June 2019
SANDBACH WALKING FESTIVAL
On Saturday the 29 June 2019 at the Saxon Crosses the Mayor of Sandbach Cllr Mike Muldoon and Town Crier Dennis Robinson officially started a series of ambitious walks around the town for its first “Walking Festival”. Organised by the Sandbach Footpath Group the festival takes walkers on 37 different trails around the town and the surrounding area ranging from 4 miles around Bradwall Manor to a short walk round the park while identifying trees and include one that takes the walker on a trip to the Merlin Micro-Brewery at Arclid. Local Historians and specialists are among the guides on these trips over the nine days with the history of the Old Hall by Emma (From the Old Hall), the geology of Sandbach town buildings by Professor Burek and Dr Drew, the Saltline and Borrow Pit Meadows and Dawn Chorus birding walks by the Cheshire Rangers. These walks have been inclusive for all ages and abilities with Wheelchair, Mother and Toddler and Nordic walking available from a free event to a charge of £10 for a Town Trail ending at the Town Hall on the 2 July with a Pie and a Pint event.
The festival ends on Sunday the 7 July 2019 with a Jacobs Ladder to Brook Wood walk at 2pm, Bradwall Manor at 3pm and a short town walk round the High Street, Dingle Lake and St Mary’s Dell at 3.30pm.
Details are available from Graham Whitehouse on 07436-535867 or from leaflets available in the library, town hall and around the town.
(Picture Mayor Cllr Mile Muldoon with walkers before the park walk in the 29 June 2019.)
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29 June 2019
SANDBACH WALKING FESTIVAL
On Saturday the 29 June 2019 at the Saxon Crosses the Mayor of Sandbach Cllr Mike Muldoon and Town Crier Dennis Robinson officially started a series of ambitious walks around the town for its first “Walking Festival”. Organised by the Sandbach Footpath Group the festival takes walkers on 37 different trails around the town and the surrounding area ranging from 4 miles around Bradwall Manor to a short walk round the park while identifying trees and include one that takes the walker on a trip to the Merlin Micro-Brewery at Arclid. Local Historians and specialists are among the guides on these trips over the nine days with the history of the Old Hall by Emma (From the Old Hall), the geology of Sandbach town buildings by Professor Burek and Dr Drew, the Saltline and Borrow Pit Meadows and Dawn Chorus birding walks by the Cheshire Rangers. These walks have been inclusive for all ages and abilities with Wheelchair, Mother and Toddler and Nordic walking available from a free event to a charge of £10 for a Town Trail ending at the Town Hall on the 2 July with a Pie and a Pint event.
The festival ends on Sunday the 7 July 2019 with a Jacobs Ladder to Brook Wood walk at 2pm, Bradwall Manor at 3pm and a short town walk round the High Street, Dingle Lake and St Mary’s Dell at 3.30pm.
Details are available from Graham Whitehouse on 07436-535867 or from leaflets available in the library, town hall and around the town.
(Picture Mayor Cllr Mile Muldoon with walkers before the park walk in the 29 June 2019.)
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23 June 2019
CIVIC SERVICE AT SANDBACH
With the recent local Council Election serving up the possibility of an upset to the line of succession for the role of Sandbach Mayor the usual parade from near the library, round the town to the War Memorial and onto St Mary’s Church was cut short on the 23 June 2019, as Cllr Mike Muldoon took on the role of Mayor with his Deputy Cllr Geraint Price filling Mike’s shoes as the prospective Mayor for next year.
Civic dignitaries from Macclesfield, Alsager (Cllr Rod Fletcher) and Middlewich (Dave Roberts) were in attendance along with representatives from the Royal British Legion and the local ATC (Air Training Corps) who also supplied a new role for Sandbach in the shape of Sgt Charles Frost who is taking on the job of Mayor’s Cadet which is the town’s answer to a “Youth Mayor” which other towns like Congleton have had for a number of years. The “Youth Mayor / Mayor’s Cadet” role will encourage Charles to attend events alongside Mike Muldoon to find out what the youngsters of the town are after and to give their point of view.
The Middlewich Mayor is also unique as Dave Roberts is taking on the role as the town’s first and possibly the countries first ‘Community Mayor’, a person who is not connected to the Town Council and who fulfils the expectations of a Mayor by representing the town at events and openings as well as promoting the town of Middlewich without having a political role within the Council. Dave has been a major part of Middlewich for many years with connections to the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival, the Salt Town Poets as well as campaigning for the reinstatement of the Middlewich Railway Station and has various Facebook and websites promoting the town, its history and events.
Sandbach Mayor Mike Muldoon will also be promoting the town at various events and has already opened a new shop in the town alongside a community champion and will be at various summer events in the park as well as attending concerts by the Sandbach Voices and at the Sandbach Concert Series during his year of office.
After laying a wreath in respect for the fallen of the town at the War Memorial the Mayor, invited guests and representatives walked to St Mary’s Church for the Civic Service narrowly missing the traffic determined to drive up the high street from Iceland without any thought for the civic occasion. Traffic was stopped by the church to allow the party to climb the steps to St Mary’s for the service led by the Revd. Thomas Shepherd.
This will be the last time the Rev. Shepherd will take this service as it has been announced that he will be moving onto another parish later in the year. His sermon talked about Sandbach being a gift of a town, loved by all who live, visit or die in the town with locals speaking about it with pride along with its historic buildings around the town and its industrial heritage. New estates in the town have given the town a new purpose and a new dynamism. He then went on to outline the role of the Mayor including looking towards the welfare of the town by supporting local schools, charities and communities as well as promoting businesses and events.
Sandbach Mayor Cllr Mike Muldoon read the first reading from the “letter of Paul to the Romans” followed by the Deputy Mayor Cllr Geraint Price-Jones reading from the “letter of St Paul to the Philippians”. The vicar’s sermon was followed by the ‘Prayer of Intercession’, which lays out via bible references what a council should look at while in office, from the care of the community to caring for animals, property, those who live in poverty and hunger along with seeking guidance and keeping, “Your Commandments”. This was read by the Mayor’s Cadet, Sgt Charles Frost who it was agreed by all those I spoke to did a great job of reading the prayer.
The service ended with the Civic Prayer led by the Mayor, which is “Grant us a Vision of our town; a town of justice, where none shall prey on others; a town of plenty, where there will be no place for poverty; a town in community, where success shall be founded on service, and honour be given to worth alone; a town of peace, where order shall not rest on force, but on mutual respect, Send us out from this place, in the power of your Spirit, that we may live and work to your praise and glory”.
The congregation then retired to the Town Hall where the Council had laid on a buffet for them and an opportunity to meet the new Mayor.
At the after-service buffet Cllr Mike Muldoon remarked about the lack of attendance at the service this year but was pleased to see former members of the Council including Mike Benson (Now a Cheshire East Councillor) and Carolyn Lowe attending. Apart from the outgoing Mayor Cllr Richard Hovey and the current Mayoral party I could see no other current Sandbach Councillors at the event. He also thanked those for attending including local MP Fiona Bruce and those involved with arranging the event.
Next year I am informed will be back to the normal procession and hopefully more councillors and members of the public will attend this annual start to the Mayor’s year.
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23 June 2019
CIVIC SERVICE AT SANDBACH
With the recent local Council Election serving up the possibility of an upset to the line of succession for the role of Sandbach Mayor the usual parade from near the library, round the town to the War Memorial and onto St Mary’s Church was cut short on the 23 June 2019, as Cllr Mike Muldoon took on the role of Mayor with his Deputy Cllr Geraint Price filling Mike’s shoes as the prospective Mayor for next year.
Civic dignitaries from Macclesfield, Alsager (Cllr Rod Fletcher) and Middlewich (Dave Roberts) were in attendance along with representatives from the Royal British Legion and the local ATC (Air Training Corps) who also supplied a new role for Sandbach in the shape of Sgt Charles Frost who is taking on the job of Mayor’s Cadet which is the town’s answer to a “Youth Mayor” which other towns like Congleton have had for a number of years. The “Youth Mayor / Mayor’s Cadet” role will encourage Charles to attend events alongside Mike Muldoon to find out what the youngsters of the town are after and to give their point of view.
The Middlewich Mayor is also unique as Dave Roberts is taking on the role as the town’s first and possibly the countries first ‘Community Mayor’, a person who is not connected to the Town Council and who fulfils the expectations of a Mayor by representing the town at events and openings as well as promoting the town of Middlewich without having a political role within the Council. Dave has been a major part of Middlewich for many years with connections to the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival, the Salt Town Poets as well as campaigning for the reinstatement of the Middlewich Railway Station and has various Facebook and websites promoting the town, its history and events.
Sandbach Mayor Mike Muldoon will also be promoting the town at various events and has already opened a new shop in the town alongside a community champion and will be at various summer events in the park as well as attending concerts by the Sandbach Voices and at the Sandbach Concert Series during his year of office.
After laying a wreath in respect for the fallen of the town at the War Memorial the Mayor, invited guests and representatives walked to St Mary’s Church for the Civic Service narrowly missing the traffic determined to drive up the high street from Iceland without any thought for the civic occasion. Traffic was stopped by the church to allow the party to climb the steps to St Mary’s for the service led by the Revd. Thomas Shepherd.
This will be the last time the Rev. Shepherd will take this service as it has been announced that he will be moving onto another parish later in the year. His sermon talked about Sandbach being a gift of a town, loved by all who live, visit or die in the town with locals speaking about it with pride along with its historic buildings around the town and its industrial heritage. New estates in the town have given the town a new purpose and a new dynamism. He then went on to outline the role of the Mayor including looking towards the welfare of the town by supporting local schools, charities and communities as well as promoting businesses and events.
Sandbach Mayor Cllr Mike Muldoon read the first reading from the “letter of Paul to the Romans” followed by the Deputy Mayor Cllr Geraint Price-Jones reading from the “letter of St Paul to the Philippians”. The vicar’s sermon was followed by the ‘Prayer of Intercession’, which lays out via bible references what a council should look at while in office, from the care of the community to caring for animals, property, those who live in poverty and hunger along with seeking guidance and keeping, “Your Commandments”. This was read by the Mayor’s Cadet, Sgt Charles Frost who it was agreed by all those I spoke to did a great job of reading the prayer.
The service ended with the Civic Prayer led by the Mayor, which is “Grant us a Vision of our town; a town of justice, where none shall prey on others; a town of plenty, where there will be no place for poverty; a town in community, where success shall be founded on service, and honour be given to worth alone; a town of peace, where order shall not rest on force, but on mutual respect, Send us out from this place, in the power of your Spirit, that we may live and work to your praise and glory”.
The congregation then retired to the Town Hall where the Council had laid on a buffet for them and an opportunity to meet the new Mayor.
At the after-service buffet Cllr Mike Muldoon remarked about the lack of attendance at the service this year but was pleased to see former members of the Council including Mike Benson (Now a Cheshire East Councillor) and Carolyn Lowe attending. Apart from the outgoing Mayor Cllr Richard Hovey and the current Mayoral party I could see no other current Sandbach Councillors at the event. He also thanked those for attending including local MP Fiona Bruce and those involved with arranging the event.
Next year I am informed will be back to the normal procession and hopefully more councillors and members of the public will attend this annual start to the Mayor’s year.
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23 June 2019
PICNIC IN THE PARK FOR GRACE CHURCH
Sandbach’s latest Church the “Grace Church”, usually meets once a week at Sandbach High School (Girls School) for its Sunday service and once a month at the Town Hall. Usually they have a get together after the service but this week was an exception as they moved to Sandbach Park for a picnic event on Sunday the 23 June 2019, attended by about 21 people including one who brought along an old 78 wind up gramophone player and they also had a number of games to play in the park.
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23 June 2019
PICNIC IN THE PARK FOR GRACE CHURCH
Sandbach’s latest Church the “Grace Church”, usually meets once a week at Sandbach High School (Girls School) for its Sunday service and once a month at the Town Hall. Usually they have a get together after the service but this week was an exception as they moved to Sandbach Park for a picnic event on Sunday the 23 June 2019, attended by about 21 people including one who brought along an old 78 wind up gramophone player and they also had a number of games to play in the park.
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23 June 2019
DEAD POETS, SOCIETY POEMS PUBLISHED
Roger Newton who had been writing poetry for most of his life sadly died in 2016 at the age of 84 without having published any of his works. Now his wife Marjorie Newton and daughter Alexandra have put together a collection of his poems in a red bound folio for people to enjoy his lifetime of poems.
The book “The Complete Poetical Works of Roger Newton”, was launched at Sandbach Library on the 14 June 2019 and is available from Marjorie on 01270-762173 or the Premier Newsagents in Heath Road, Sandbach Heath.
Roger was born on the 7 May 1932 to Joseph Bertie Newton and Edith Ethel Shelley (.b. 31 Jan 1897 .D. 3 Jan 1993) who was a distant relative of Percy Bysshe Shelley (.b. 1792 .D. 1822) the famous poet and his wife Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin / Mary Shelly the writer of Frankenstein who was also the sister of Mary Jane Clairmont / Claire Clairmont (known as) (.b. 1798 .D. 1879) who was the Domestic Partner of Lord George Gordon Noel Byron (.b. 22 Jan 1788 .D. 19 Apr 1824) another famous poet and by whom she had a child called Allegra Byron (.b. 1817 .D. 1822 of Typhus). With these connections it is no wonder Roger was a talented writer who wrote about his personnel life and also national news and historic events including the arrival of the Hale Bopp Comet and looking back through his family tree to discuss events they were involved in including “Relief” which is written in the first voice looking at his relative, “Between Houghton Village and Hemmingford Abbots”.
Roger did his military service in Cyprus which gave himself and Marjorie a connection to the Royal British Legion which they both belonged to (Margorie is the Current Chairperson) for many years, supporting fellow service personnel via the Poppy Appeal throughout the year. In 1957 having completed a masters in Classics in Edinburgh he came to Sandbach School to teach Classics before changing to Kings School in Macclesfield for 22 years before his retirement at the age of 61. A member of the U3A poetry group and the Holmes Chapel Singers as well as helping with the Royal British Legion Roger continued to write and after he had died on the 20 December 2016 his family wanted to compile this book to celebrate his life and writing.
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23 June 2019
DEAD POETS, SOCIETY POEMS PUBLISHED
Roger Newton who had been writing poetry for most of his life sadly died in 2016 at the age of 84 without having published any of his works. Now his wife Marjorie Newton and daughter Alexandra have put together a collection of his poems in a red bound folio for people to enjoy his lifetime of poems.
The book “The Complete Poetical Works of Roger Newton”, was launched at Sandbach Library on the 14 June 2019 and is available from Marjorie on 01270-762173 or the Premier Newsagents in Heath Road, Sandbach Heath.
Roger was born on the 7 May 1932 to Joseph Bertie Newton and Edith Ethel Shelley (.b. 31 Jan 1897 .D. 3 Jan 1993) who was a distant relative of Percy Bysshe Shelley (.b. 1792 .D. 1822) the famous poet and his wife Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin / Mary Shelly the writer of Frankenstein who was also the sister of Mary Jane Clairmont / Claire Clairmont (known as) (.b. 1798 .D. 1879) who was the Domestic Partner of Lord George Gordon Noel Byron (.b. 22 Jan 1788 .D. 19 Apr 1824) another famous poet and by whom she had a child called Allegra Byron (.b. 1817 .D. 1822 of Typhus). With these connections it is no wonder Roger was a talented writer who wrote about his personnel life and also national news and historic events including the arrival of the Hale Bopp Comet and looking back through his family tree to discuss events they were involved in including “Relief” which is written in the first voice looking at his relative, “Between Houghton Village and Hemmingford Abbots”.
Roger did his military service in Cyprus which gave himself and Marjorie a connection to the Royal British Legion which they both belonged to (Margorie is the Current Chairperson) for many years, supporting fellow service personnel via the Poppy Appeal throughout the year. In 1957 having completed a masters in Classics in Edinburgh he came to Sandbach School to teach Classics before changing to Kings School in Macclesfield for 22 years before his retirement at the age of 61. A member of the U3A poetry group and the Holmes Chapel Singers as well as helping with the Royal British Legion Roger continued to write and after he had died on the 20 December 2016 his family wanted to compile this book to celebrate his life and writing.
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25 May 2019
MARVEL COMIC CHARACTERS COME TO SANDBACH
With Superhero’s from Spiderman to the latest Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers there had been an increase in popularity of these characters both on the small screen and on the large cinema screen with children of all ages wanting to don the costume and appear with their favourite hero. Sandbach Indoor Market is staging a number of events over the year to increase awareness of what it has to offer and on Saturday the 25 May 2019 they invited some of these Superheroes and Villains to the town to be photographed with members of the public or for them to shake the hands of the their favourite character, which for some was a bit much as they became shy in the presence of Superman or Captain America.
Two of those taking part were Andy Ford and Natalie Orry (Six Towns Radio) who are based in Stoke on Trent and are part of the Staffs Imperial Stormtroopers who dress as Star Wars, Marvel, DC and Power Rangers characters to appear at events where they entertain the public and raise money for local charities including a collection for the “Dougie Mac”, which was the charity they were collecting for as they wandered around Sandbach Town Hall and the Indoor Market on Saturday. The group have also raised money for the Peter Pan Centre, Air Ambulance, the Donna Louise Trust and they have recently run the Donna Louise Five K (Kilometres) Fun Run at Trentham Gardens in costumes.
The days event was organised by Record Stall holder and new Sandbach Town Councillor, John Beddows who arranged for the group to make their third visit to the town on Saturday as they had previously turned up as Stormtroopers from Star Wars earlier in the year and in August 2018. Like their previous visits they were very popular with the children of South Cheshire with visitors coming from Alsager and Crewe among those wanting pictures with their favourite comic book heroes. Many of the children dressed up as Marvel characters themselves with one young lady from Lancashire dressing as the new Wonder Woman while others donned Spiderman suits and rival Batman (DC Comics).
Andy also appears as a Stormtrooper, Captain America, Power Ranger and will soon be seen as a Ghostbuster.
Natalie also has a number of characters including Princess Leia (Star Wars), Bat Girl, Pink Ranger and Lady Gamora (Guardians of the Galaxy) with costumes either manufactured by the wearer from off the shelf clothing or from a kit with parts sourced from various suppliers which gives a better-quality costume to fit the person. Andy said that his stormtrooper costume took three months to put together to make sure the strapping was fitted properly for himself and didn’t leave him bleeding as the hard-plastic suit cuts into him. With costumes sometimes costing about £950 to put together the group assured us that they didn’t take any payments for appearances and all the collection money went to the charity concerned.
Characters who appeared at Sandbach included Captain Marvel (Fiona), Bucky Barnes (Andy), Black Widow (Nicola), Magneto (Seb), Spiderman (Colin), Captain America (Andy Ford) and Lady Gamora (Natalie Orry)
Marvel Comics started on the 12 January 1939 as Timely Comics and then on the 16 April 1947 it was renamed Magazine Management with the titles changing to Atlas Comics. The company became Marvel Comics on the 19 February 1961 and was acquired by the Walt Disney Company on the 31 August 2009 which has now seen an increase in the amount of films featuring the characters created by the late Stan Lee (Died on the 12 November 2018) who has appeared like Alfred Hitchcock in most, if not all the TV Series and films connected to his creations. Other superheroes and villains from the comics were co-created by Steve Ditko (Spiderman) and Jack Kirby (The Hulk) who have drawn and produced thousands of publications with stories that include hundreds of characters that span what is now known as the Marvel Universe including the Fantastic Four, X Men, Agents of Shield, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spiderman (August 1962) Agent Carter / Captain America (March 1941), Thor, Black Panther and Deadpool with their alter egos and arch nemesis.
With the success of Saturdays event I am sure the Staffs Imperial Stormtroopers Inc. will be back soon with more characters to raise funds for charity and help promote Sandbach Indoor Market which is open on Thursdays and Saturdays with some Fridays during the year as well as special events on Wednesdays and Sundays in the Market area.
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25 May 2019
MARVEL COMIC CHARACTERS COME TO SANDBACH
With Superhero’s from Spiderman to the latest Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers there had been an increase in popularity of these characters both on the small screen and on the large cinema screen with children of all ages wanting to don the costume and appear with their favourite hero. Sandbach Indoor Market is staging a number of events over the year to increase awareness of what it has to offer and on Saturday the 25 May 2019 they invited some of these Superheroes and Villains to the town to be photographed with members of the public or for them to shake the hands of the their favourite character, which for some was a bit much as they became shy in the presence of Superman or Captain America.
Two of those taking part were Andy Ford and Natalie Orry (Six Towns Radio) who are based in Stoke on Trent and are part of the Staffs Imperial Stormtroopers who dress as Star Wars, Marvel, DC and Power Rangers characters to appear at events where they entertain the public and raise money for local charities including a collection for the “Dougie Mac”, which was the charity they were collecting for as they wandered around Sandbach Town Hall and the Indoor Market on Saturday. The group have also raised money for the Peter Pan Centre, Air Ambulance, the Donna Louise Trust and they have recently run the Donna Louise Five K (Kilometres) Fun Run at Trentham Gardens in costumes.
The days event was organised by Record Stall holder and new Sandbach Town Councillor, John Beddows who arranged for the group to make their third visit to the town on Saturday as they had previously turned up as Stormtroopers from Star Wars earlier in the year and in August 2018. Like their previous visits they were very popular with the children of South Cheshire with visitors coming from Alsager and Crewe among those wanting pictures with their favourite comic book heroes. Many of the children dressed up as Marvel characters themselves with one young lady from Lancashire dressing as the new Wonder Woman while others donned Spiderman suits and rival Batman (DC Comics).
Andy also appears as a Stormtrooper, Captain America, Power Ranger and will soon be seen as a Ghostbuster.
Natalie also has a number of characters including Princess Leia (Star Wars), Bat Girl, Pink Ranger and Lady Gamora (Guardians of the Galaxy) with costumes either manufactured by the wearer from off the shelf clothing or from a kit with parts sourced from various suppliers which gives a better-quality costume to fit the person. Andy said that his stormtrooper costume took three months to put together to make sure the strapping was fitted properly for himself and didn’t leave him bleeding as the hard-plastic suit cuts into him. With costumes sometimes costing about £950 to put together the group assured us that they didn’t take any payments for appearances and all the collection money went to the charity concerned.
Characters who appeared at Sandbach included Captain Marvel (Fiona), Bucky Barnes (Andy), Black Widow (Nicola), Magneto (Seb), Spiderman (Colin), Captain America (Andy Ford) and Lady Gamora (Natalie Orry)
Marvel Comics started on the 12 January 1939 as Timely Comics and then on the 16 April 1947 it was renamed Magazine Management with the titles changing to Atlas Comics. The company became Marvel Comics on the 19 February 1961 and was acquired by the Walt Disney Company on the 31 August 2009 which has now seen an increase in the amount of films featuring the characters created by the late Stan Lee (Died on the 12 November 2018) who has appeared like Alfred Hitchcock in most, if not all the TV Series and films connected to his creations. Other superheroes and villains from the comics were co-created by Steve Ditko (Spiderman) and Jack Kirby (The Hulk) who have drawn and produced thousands of publications with stories that include hundreds of characters that span what is now known as the Marvel Universe including the Fantastic Four, X Men, Agents of Shield, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spiderman (August 1962) Agent Carter / Captain America (March 1941), Thor, Black Panther and Deadpool with their alter egos and arch nemesis.
With the success of Saturdays event I am sure the Staffs Imperial Stormtroopers Inc. will be back soon with more characters to raise funds for charity and help promote Sandbach Indoor Market which is open on Thursdays and Saturdays with some Fridays during the year as well as special events on Wednesdays and Sundays in the Market area.
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GANDEY’S CIRCUS VISITS ARCLID (Review)
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It has been a long time coming to the area of its historic base but Gandey’s Circus has set up the Big Top in Arclid for the first time in over 100 years since the original owners broke down near to Brereton and Arclid in the 1920’s and found a home to settle down in.
It has taken about 50 people with 15 lorries, 30 performers and a brand-new Italian Tent to bring the show to South Cheshire for “The greatest show” to be seen by thousands of patrons at the farm next to Arclid Traffic Lights.
The show has changed over those years to include motorcycles inside a dome of death and clowns from all over the world but essentially the excitement a youngster gets from seeing the acts in the circus ring has not changed. I asked one young lady what was her favourite part of the performance and she liked all of it in equal measure.
When you first mention the Circus is coming to town the first question many ask is are there any animals in it to which the reply is there has not been animals in Gandey’s Circus since the 1990’s, however this is not quite true as the “Pushmepullyou” (Push me pull you) from Dr Doolittle made a guest appearance during one of the dance numbers.
The current show on the 10th to the 13th of May at Arclid had Binky Beaumont greeting the patrons as they entered the foyer. Binky is the grandson of Bessie and Cliff Welsby who for many years owned the chemist’s shop in Sandbach and the son of Tony Welsby who also worked in the shop and opened up the photographic side of the business until his retirement. It was Cliff Welsby who knew Circus proprietor Joe Gandey and his connection that gave Binky (Ian Welsby) a chance to join the Circus and Bessie Welsby whose involvement with the Sandbach Players gave him the theatrical background to want to entertain the crowds. Usually Binky has been the Ringmaster at Gandey’s but he has decided to take a back seat and helps run the company from their Congleton offices. Today the ringmaster is Ryan Brown who joined the company at Ellesmere Port on the 31 March 2019 for a couple of shows when he was invited to take over from Joel who along with his wife is now enjoying maternity leave with their new baby. Ryan has been on the tour to the Isle of Man in April and now at Arclid he has become a big hit with the youngsters, having selfies with them before the show, in the interval and afterwards with clown Chico Rico as they personally said goodnight to all the visitors to the circus.
An opening of dancers and a taste of some of the acts started the show before the Havana Troupe from Cuba came into the ring with the first of their appearances, this time with pole balancing. A change to the high wire was proceeded by clown Chico Rico (Adan Morales from Mexico) and an audience participation opportunity to throw a potato onto a fork. The high wire or tightrope was staged by the Gerling’s who returned on motorbikes in the second half but on the high wire a slower pace was taken as one of the members was bound at the feet and blindfolded as he crossed from one side of the tent to the other with gasps from the audience.
Next newly engaged Brandon Carrisosa-Nava and Jacqui Morales the daughter of Chico the Clown appeared as ‘Duo Nava’ an act that involved using silk ropes strung from the roof in a display of skill and danger as they slide down them without support except from the silk strands and singing sister Rosalia Morales who sang a song during the act from “The Greatest Showman”, ‘This is me’.
Next a big production number to bring on a small box containing Amiri the bendy Prince (Contortionist) from Tanzania who not only gave the children an extraordinary exhibition of how articulate he was as he wrapped himself round himself but managed to make the adults feel nauseous as they thought his feats could only be done with one of those rubber figure toys from the 1960’s and 70’s as he looped his leg through his arms and around his neck.
Another break filled by Clown Chico Rico, who played music loudly with his remote control a device which he found he could also use to pause the Ringmaster as he complained about the noise. A great comedy act before one of the most dangerous performances of the evening the ‘Giant Wheel of Death’ a device that had two circular cages at either end of a rotating arm which the ‘Duo Siffolini’ would run along and over as it rotated at an astonishing speed. Again, a blindfold was included to make it even more dangerous as the Bulgarian duo rushed along to the music of the ‘Firestarter’. In May last year Navas Haurigui (Howie) fell off the wheel 30 foot in the air and after being taken to be checked out by medical staff was found to only have slight bruising. This shows how dangerous the act can be but as this was the only incident I can find, proves the professionalism of the company with thrills, spills and that slight bit of tension which creates the right atmosphere for the night at the circus.
An interval was needed to get over the suspense of the last act and the audience was brought back to see Clown Chico’s daughters Jacqui and Gina Morales as ‘Las Chicas Morales’ who performed various tricks including hula-hoops on top of Rolling Globes (Balls).
Their father returned to pull out five members of the audience to make up a boxing ring and a fighter to face him in a funny comedy routine that seemed choreographed but clearly was only known to Chico.
The Havana Troupe returned this time with a Springboard (Seesaw) which catapulted one of the artists into the air to land in a chair and also to do summersaults before their landing.
The next break was filled by the cast performing “Join the Circus” from Barnum as the finale act was wheeled in for the Gerling Family. The Thunderdome is a large metal ball inside which motorcyclists ride round in a fast-moving display of skill. It is made more dangerous as one rider is joined by a second and then a third person in the confined space. The trio has recently changed as on the 21 February 2019 at Liverpool someone stole their bikes and they had to find replacements at short notice from Hunts Motorcycles in Manchester. However, the bikes they use for the act are specially built and despite rehearsing for most of the day the performance didn’t go to plan as when they were joined by their female rider they seemed to slip in the dome and she fell to the bottom of the cage causing her to be taken to hospital with a broken ankle. The performance at Arclid was textbook with no incidents and plenty of drama.
The show was concluded by the cast singing “You can’t stop the beat” before the sell-out 1,200 seat audience left the tent having enjoyed this wonderful show.
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GANDEY’S CIRCUS VISITS ARCLID (Review)
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It has been a long time coming to the area of its historic base but Gandey’s Circus has set up the Big Top in Arclid for the first time in over 100 years since the original owners broke down near to Brereton and Arclid in the 1920’s and found a home to settle down in.
It has taken about 50 people with 15 lorries, 30 performers and a brand-new Italian Tent to bring the show to South Cheshire for “The greatest show” to be seen by thousands of patrons at the farm next to Arclid Traffic Lights.
The show has changed over those years to include motorcycles inside a dome of death and clowns from all over the world but essentially the excitement a youngster gets from seeing the acts in the circus ring has not changed. I asked one young lady what was her favourite part of the performance and she liked all of it in equal measure.
When you first mention the Circus is coming to town the first question many ask is are there any animals in it to which the reply is there has not been animals in Gandey’s Circus since the 1990’s, however this is not quite true as the “Pushmepullyou” (Push me pull you) from Dr Doolittle made a guest appearance during one of the dance numbers.
The current show on the 10th to the 13th of May at Arclid had Binky Beaumont greeting the patrons as they entered the foyer. Binky is the grandson of Bessie and Cliff Welsby who for many years owned the chemist’s shop in Sandbach and the son of Tony Welsby who also worked in the shop and opened up the photographic side of the business until his retirement. It was Cliff Welsby who knew Circus proprietor Joe Gandey and his connection that gave Binky (Ian Welsby) a chance to join the Circus and Bessie Welsby whose involvement with the Sandbach Players gave him the theatrical background to want to entertain the crowds. Usually Binky has been the Ringmaster at Gandey’s but he has decided to take a back seat and helps run the company from their Congleton offices. Today the ringmaster is Ryan Brown who joined the company at Ellesmere Port on the 31 March 2019 for a couple of shows when he was invited to take over from Joel who along with his wife is now enjoying maternity leave with their new baby. Ryan has been on the tour to the Isle of Man in April and now at Arclid he has become a big hit with the youngsters, having selfies with them before the show, in the interval and afterwards with clown Chico Rico as they personally said goodnight to all the visitors to the circus.
An opening of dancers and a taste of some of the acts started the show before the Havana Troupe from Cuba came into the ring with the first of their appearances, this time with pole balancing. A change to the high wire was proceeded by clown Chico Rico (Adan Morales from Mexico) and an audience participation opportunity to throw a potato onto a fork. The high wire or tightrope was staged by the Gerling’s who returned on motorbikes in the second half but on the high wire a slower pace was taken as one of the members was bound at the feet and blindfolded as he crossed from one side of the tent to the other with gasps from the audience.
Next newly engaged Brandon Carrisosa-Nava and Jacqui Morales the daughter of Chico the Clown appeared as ‘Duo Nava’ an act that involved using silk ropes strung from the roof in a display of skill and danger as they slide down them without support except from the silk strands and singing sister Rosalia Morales who sang a song during the act from “The Greatest Showman”, ‘This is me’.
Next a big production number to bring on a small box containing Amiri the bendy Prince (Contortionist) from Tanzania who not only gave the children an extraordinary exhibition of how articulate he was as he wrapped himself round himself but managed to make the adults feel nauseous as they thought his feats could only be done with one of those rubber figure toys from the 1960’s and 70’s as he looped his leg through his arms and around his neck.
Another break filled by Clown Chico Rico, who played music loudly with his remote control a device which he found he could also use to pause the Ringmaster as he complained about the noise. A great comedy act before one of the most dangerous performances of the evening the ‘Giant Wheel of Death’ a device that had two circular cages at either end of a rotating arm which the ‘Duo Siffolini’ would run along and over as it rotated at an astonishing speed. Again, a blindfold was included to make it even more dangerous as the Bulgarian duo rushed along to the music of the ‘Firestarter’. In May last year Navas Haurigui (Howie) fell off the wheel 30 foot in the air and after being taken to be checked out by medical staff was found to only have slight bruising. This shows how dangerous the act can be but as this was the only incident I can find, proves the professionalism of the company with thrills, spills and that slight bit of tension which creates the right atmosphere for the night at the circus.
An interval was needed to get over the suspense of the last act and the audience was brought back to see Clown Chico’s daughters Jacqui and Gina Morales as ‘Las Chicas Morales’ who performed various tricks including hula-hoops on top of Rolling Globes (Balls).
Their father returned to pull out five members of the audience to make up a boxing ring and a fighter to face him in a funny comedy routine that seemed choreographed but clearly was only known to Chico.
The Havana Troupe returned this time with a Springboard (Seesaw) which catapulted one of the artists into the air to land in a chair and also to do summersaults before their landing.
The next break was filled by the cast performing “Join the Circus” from Barnum as the finale act was wheeled in for the Gerling Family. The Thunderdome is a large metal ball inside which motorcyclists ride round in a fast-moving display of skill. It is made more dangerous as one rider is joined by a second and then a third person in the confined space. The trio has recently changed as on the 21 February 2019 at Liverpool someone stole their bikes and they had to find replacements at short notice from Hunts Motorcycles in Manchester. However, the bikes they use for the act are specially built and despite rehearsing for most of the day the performance didn’t go to plan as when they were joined by their female rider they seemed to slip in the dome and she fell to the bottom of the cage causing her to be taken to hospital with a broken ankle. The performance at Arclid was textbook with no incidents and plenty of drama.
The show was concluded by the cast singing “You can’t stop the beat” before the sell-out 1,200 seat audience left the tent having enjoyed this wonderful show.
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COLIN CRANSON DIES aged 74.
On the 4 July 2013 the Chronicle published an article about the retirement of Colin Cranson from leading the Roberts Bakery Band as he had just handed over the baton to Simon Stonehouse. However, on the 11 April 2019, the news came from Leighton Hospital that Colin Cranson had died at the age of 74.
He had been an active member of the brass band world for many years and was the principal Euphonium player with the Sandbach based Foden’s Band and appeared on a number of records as soloist.
Colin Cranson was born on the 18 February 1945, in County Durham in the North East of England where at the age of nine he started playing the cornet with his first band the Blackhall Salvation Army Band.
During a Wednesday night youth rehearsal Colin picked up a Tenor Horn to try and play it. He found he could get the higher notes better on the tenor horn than his cornet. His uncle then suggested he try his Euphonium and Colin felt instantly at home with the instrument. This started his journey into the professional world of Brass Bands and his move to Sandbach.
Next Colin joined his Uncle, Stan Cranson’s, Hartlepool Public Prize Band (Hartlepool Silver Band) for two years, followed by the Blackhall Colliery Band as their Principal Euphonium for 2 to 3 years.
Colin then looked for other bands to play with and having listened to Foden’s on the radio wrote to Rex Mortimer to see if there were any vacancies. Colin was invited to come to Sandbach with his wife Brenda to play in front of Rex at the old Foden’s Works. His audition piece was a tune called “Kim” a slow piece of music. Rex then produced a piece called “Invincible” and was obviously impressed with his performance as Colin was asked to play alongside the band during a rehearsal in 1968. His first tune with the band was a march called “Cornelius” by Felix Mendelssohn and his performance secured his position within Foden’s Band.
Working with Foden’s Band was going well until just before the “National Championships” on September 10th 1971, the date of Colin and Brenda’s wedding anniversary. They had decided to celebrated the occasion by going to the White Lion at Weston but as they were driving back through Haslington a car hit them head on injuring Colin and leaving his wife Brenda in a coma for a while. Colin’s lip and face were badly damaged making it impossible for him to play and it wasn’t until the 11 January of 1972, that he was able to return to the band.
In November 1972, as a supplementary hobby Colin started conducting the Middlewich Town Band which was eventually to become the Middlewich Centenary Band and then the Roberts Bakery Band. This was the start of his association with the band that he would continue to conduct until his retirement in 2013.
Continuing with Foden’s Band, Colin was part of their Award-winning Quartet and in April 1977, Foden’s Band members joined forces with Harry Mortimer’s Men O’ Brass (Band) as they were taken on tour to Utrecht in Holland for a celebratory concert.
In 1977, Colin was given the job of Band Manager with Foden’s, but when James Scott the conductor of the band was forced to give up his job in July 1979 Colin decided it was also time for him to leave the band.
In 1979, the Middlewich Town Band was in need of new instruments. Colin and John Whittaker the bands manager went around all the local companies looking for sponsorship. When they approached Allan Roberts at ‘Roberts Bakery’, the company agreed to take on the band for a few years, a relationship that continues to date and allowed Colin to become their full time Musical Director. It was also the time that he decided to give up playing the Euphonium so he could devote his time to conducting and bringing on the youngsters of the band.
In 1980, the Northwich based company Roberts Bakery officially took on the sponsorship of the band which was now good enough to enter the national championships alongside Colin’s old band of Foden’s which was now being conducted by Howard Snell.
With continued success in various competitions the band went from strength to strength. In February 2005 the Roberts Bakery in Northwich decided to expand its bakery, a move that meant the band’s rehearsal room was no longer available. It was decided to move the band’s rehearsals to the Maxwell Davies Centre in Sandbach School and with continued support by the bakery the band could look to the future but maybe one without Colin as he was starting to think about retiring, especially after his wife Brenda died in October 2005.
The move, along with the band needing new instruments and uniforms in 2008 left Colin with the choice of leaving or staying. He decided to put off retirement until the band were back in safe hands with a good secure future.
In 2012, the Middlewich / Roberts Bakery Band celebrated its 125th anniversary with Colin still at the helm. This was a milestone in the band’s history and also a good time for Colin to think again about retirement, this time on a high note.
In April 2013, Colin announced that he had indeed decided to retire from leading the Roberts Bakery Band and arranged for Simon Stonehouse to take his place.
Colin had taken the Roberts Bakery Band to Germany ten times, Leon in France, Brussels (1995), Malta and Estonia (2012). They had also appeared on BBC Radio 2’s “Listen to the Band”, on four occasions (27 Mar 1985 / 19 Nov 1986 / 21 Oct 1987 and 29 Mar 1989), recorded 12 records and CD’s with his favourite being the 2002 CD, “The Heart of Cheshire” a recording that includes music from television and films.
Colin and Brenda had two children Paul and Karen. On the 11 April 2019, news was released to the banding world by Colin’s old band that the euphonium player and conductor had died. At the start of their rehearsal that night the Roberts Bakery Band played “St Clements” in honour of their leader and friend and posted a tribute to him on social media. Known by many in the brass band world and in Sandbach he will be missed by the many who have put attachments to the Facebook and Twitter pages and all who knew him.
His funeral is at St Mary’s in Sandbach on the 26 April 2019 at 1.45pm with a committal at Crewe Crematorium afterwards.
ROBERTS BAKERY BAND at the REGIONAL FINALS.
1982 Preston Guild Hall
1987 Blackpool Winter Gardens
1988 Blackpool Winter Gardens
1989 Blackpool Winter Gardens
1990 Blackpool Winter Gardens
1991 Blackpool Winter Gardens
2009 Blackpool Winter Gardens
2010 Blackpool Winter Gardens
ROBERTS BAKERY BAND Formed 1887
The band has played in Belgium, Malta, The Netherlands and France.
The band has also represented Great Britain in the European Blasmusikfestival in Germany on 11 occasions in front of over 6,000 people as well as an appearance on German TV.
1887 Band formed as the Middlewich Band.
1971 Colin Cranson involved in a car crash.
1972 Colin Cranson started conducting the Middlewich Town Band.
1976 Champions of the North West Area Fourth Section Championships
(Conductor Rex Mortimer).
1979 Colin became the Roberts Bakery Band full time Musical Director.
1980 Champions of the North West Area Second Section Championships.
1982 2nd place “Grand Shield Contest” beaten by Brodsworth Colliery who were the last band
to play at Belle Vue, Manchester that day.
1982 Preston Guild Hall plated at the Northwest Regional Finals against Foden’s.
2002 Launched their own Website.
2005 In February 2005 the band moved its rehearsals to the Maxwell Davies Centre in
Sandbach School.
2006 Won the “Best Non-Championship Section Band” Whit Friday Contest at Delph.
2007 Won the “Best Non-Championship Section Band” Whit Friday Contest at Delph for
the second year in a row.
2008 North West Area First Section Champions.
2008-11 Took part in the Championship Sections.
2011 North West Area First Section Champions.
2013 In April 2013 Simon Stonehouse took on the role of Musical director of Roberts band
on the retirement of Colin Cranson.
ROBERTS BAKERY BAND RECORDINGS
1. 1987 “Century Brass” LP to celebrate 100 years of the band.
2.
3. “Classic Brass” Including Mark Wilkinson from Foden’s Band (Solo Cornet) (Cassette).
4. 1999 “Roberts Bakery Band in Concert” Vol 1 (First released on CD)
5. 2000 “Roberts Bakery Band in Concert” Vol 2
6. 2001 “Roberts Bakery Band in Concert” Vol 3
7. 2002 “The Heart of Cheshire” Music from TV and Films.
8. 2003 “Rolling Along”
9. 2005 “A Classical Celebration” to celebrate 25 Years of Sponsorship.
10. Feb 2007 “Roberts Bakery Band in Concert” Vol 4
11. Sept 2011 “Victory” Marking 40Years of Colin Cranson.
12. The Best of Roberts Bakery Band (Compilation)
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COLIN CRANSON DIES aged 74.
On the 4 July 2013 the Chronicle published an article about the retirement of Colin Cranson from leading the Roberts Bakery Band as he had just handed over the baton to Simon Stonehouse. However, on the 11 April 2019, the news came from Leighton Hospital that Colin Cranson had died at the age of 74.
He had been an active member of the brass band world for many years and was the principal Euphonium player with the Sandbach based Foden’s Band and appeared on a number of records as soloist.
Colin Cranson was born on the 18 February 1945, in County Durham in the North East of England where at the age of nine he started playing the cornet with his first band the Blackhall Salvation Army Band.
During a Wednesday night youth rehearsal Colin picked up a Tenor Horn to try and play it. He found he could get the higher notes better on the tenor horn than his cornet. His uncle then suggested he try his Euphonium and Colin felt instantly at home with the instrument. This started his journey into the professional world of Brass Bands and his move to Sandbach.
Next Colin joined his Uncle, Stan Cranson’s, Hartlepool Public Prize Band (Hartlepool Silver Band) for two years, followed by the Blackhall Colliery Band as their Principal Euphonium for 2 to 3 years.
Colin then looked for other bands to play with and having listened to Foden’s on the radio wrote to Rex Mortimer to see if there were any vacancies. Colin was invited to come to Sandbach with his wife Brenda to play in front of Rex at the old Foden’s Works. His audition piece was a tune called “Kim” a slow piece of music. Rex then produced a piece called “Invincible” and was obviously impressed with his performance as Colin was asked to play alongside the band during a rehearsal in 1968. His first tune with the band was a march called “Cornelius” by Felix Mendelssohn and his performance secured his position within Foden’s Band.
Working with Foden’s Band was going well until just before the “National Championships” on September 10th 1971, the date of Colin and Brenda’s wedding anniversary. They had decided to celebrated the occasion by going to the White Lion at Weston but as they were driving back through Haslington a car hit them head on injuring Colin and leaving his wife Brenda in a coma for a while. Colin’s lip and face were badly damaged making it impossible for him to play and it wasn’t until the 11 January of 1972, that he was able to return to the band.
In November 1972, as a supplementary hobby Colin started conducting the Middlewich Town Band which was eventually to become the Middlewich Centenary Band and then the Roberts Bakery Band. This was the start of his association with the band that he would continue to conduct until his retirement in 2013.
Continuing with Foden’s Band, Colin was part of their Award-winning Quartet and in April 1977, Foden’s Band members joined forces with Harry Mortimer’s Men O’ Brass (Band) as they were taken on tour to Utrecht in Holland for a celebratory concert.
In 1977, Colin was given the job of Band Manager with Foden’s, but when James Scott the conductor of the band was forced to give up his job in July 1979 Colin decided it was also time for him to leave the band.
In 1979, the Middlewich Town Band was in need of new instruments. Colin and John Whittaker the bands manager went around all the local companies looking for sponsorship. When they approached Allan Roberts at ‘Roberts Bakery’, the company agreed to take on the band for a few years, a relationship that continues to date and allowed Colin to become their full time Musical Director. It was also the time that he decided to give up playing the Euphonium so he could devote his time to conducting and bringing on the youngsters of the band.
In 1980, the Northwich based company Roberts Bakery officially took on the sponsorship of the band which was now good enough to enter the national championships alongside Colin’s old band of Foden’s which was now being conducted by Howard Snell.
With continued success in various competitions the band went from strength to strength. In February 2005 the Roberts Bakery in Northwich decided to expand its bakery, a move that meant the band’s rehearsal room was no longer available. It was decided to move the band’s rehearsals to the Maxwell Davies Centre in Sandbach School and with continued support by the bakery the band could look to the future but maybe one without Colin as he was starting to think about retiring, especially after his wife Brenda died in October 2005.
The move, along with the band needing new instruments and uniforms in 2008 left Colin with the choice of leaving or staying. He decided to put off retirement until the band were back in safe hands with a good secure future.
In 2012, the Middlewich / Roberts Bakery Band celebrated its 125th anniversary with Colin still at the helm. This was a milestone in the band’s history and also a good time for Colin to think again about retirement, this time on a high note.
In April 2013, Colin announced that he had indeed decided to retire from leading the Roberts Bakery Band and arranged for Simon Stonehouse to take his place.
Colin had taken the Roberts Bakery Band to Germany ten times, Leon in France, Brussels (1995), Malta and Estonia (2012). They had also appeared on BBC Radio 2’s “Listen to the Band”, on four occasions (27 Mar 1985 / 19 Nov 1986 / 21 Oct 1987 and 29 Mar 1989), recorded 12 records and CD’s with his favourite being the 2002 CD, “The Heart of Cheshire” a recording that includes music from television and films.
Colin and Brenda had two children Paul and Karen. On the 11 April 2019, news was released to the banding world by Colin’s old band that the euphonium player and conductor had died. At the start of their rehearsal that night the Roberts Bakery Band played “St Clements” in honour of their leader and friend and posted a tribute to him on social media. Known by many in the brass band world and in Sandbach he will be missed by the many who have put attachments to the Facebook and Twitter pages and all who knew him.
His funeral is at St Mary’s in Sandbach on the 26 April 2019 at 1.45pm with a committal at Crewe Crematorium afterwards.
ROBERTS BAKERY BAND at the REGIONAL FINALS.
1982 Preston Guild Hall
1987 Blackpool Winter Gardens
1988 Blackpool Winter Gardens
1989 Blackpool Winter Gardens
1990 Blackpool Winter Gardens
1991 Blackpool Winter Gardens
2009 Blackpool Winter Gardens
2010 Blackpool Winter Gardens
ROBERTS BAKERY BAND Formed 1887
The band has played in Belgium, Malta, The Netherlands and France.
The band has also represented Great Britain in the European Blasmusikfestival in Germany on 11 occasions in front of over 6,000 people as well as an appearance on German TV.
1887 Band formed as the Middlewich Band.
1971 Colin Cranson involved in a car crash.
1972 Colin Cranson started conducting the Middlewich Town Band.
1976 Champions of the North West Area Fourth Section Championships
(Conductor Rex Mortimer).
1979 Colin became the Roberts Bakery Band full time Musical Director.
1980 Champions of the North West Area Second Section Championships.
1982 2nd place “Grand Shield Contest” beaten by Brodsworth Colliery who were the last band
to play at Belle Vue, Manchester that day.
1982 Preston Guild Hall plated at the Northwest Regional Finals against Foden’s.
2002 Launched their own Website.
2005 In February 2005 the band moved its rehearsals to the Maxwell Davies Centre in
Sandbach School.
2006 Won the “Best Non-Championship Section Band” Whit Friday Contest at Delph.
2007 Won the “Best Non-Championship Section Band” Whit Friday Contest at Delph for
the second year in a row.
2008 North West Area First Section Champions.
2008-11 Took part in the Championship Sections.
2011 North West Area First Section Champions.
2013 In April 2013 Simon Stonehouse took on the role of Musical director of Roberts band
on the retirement of Colin Cranson.
ROBERTS BAKERY BAND RECORDINGS
1. 1987 “Century Brass” LP to celebrate 100 years of the band.
2.
3. “Classic Brass” Including Mark Wilkinson from Foden’s Band (Solo Cornet) (Cassette).
4. 1999 “Roberts Bakery Band in Concert” Vol 1 (First released on CD)
5. 2000 “Roberts Bakery Band in Concert” Vol 2
6. 2001 “Roberts Bakery Band in Concert” Vol 3
7. 2002 “The Heart of Cheshire” Music from TV and Films.
8. 2003 “Rolling Along”
9. 2005 “A Classical Celebration” to celebrate 25 Years of Sponsorship.
10. Feb 2007 “Roberts Bakery Band in Concert” Vol 4
11. Sept 2011 “Victory” Marking 40Years of Colin Cranson.
12. The Best of Roberts Bakery Band (Compilation)
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14 April 2018
FUND RAISING FOR THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
Fundraisers in Sandbach have raise record amounts of money this year and the Sandbach Transport Festival was no exception as the Royal British Legion Riders who travel on Motorbikes to various places and to battlefields in France, Ypres in Belgium. On Saturday they manned a stand on the common while two of their team the standard bearer for Sandbach, Geoff Fisher and Marilyn took a trip round the coast of Wales to raise funds for the worthy cause. As they travelled from Crewe at 5am via Fishguard, Bangor and back in Sandbach at 6.13pm a trip that took them 13 Hours and 13 Minutes to complete with a total of 498 miles covered in that time with a Mr Mike Smith coming the closest with his guess helping to raise £500 from the ride and “guess” donations on the Saturday.
A recent event on the 30 March 2019 celebrated long serving members of the British Legion by the awarding of long service certificates. Twelve people were awarded 5-year certificates for help with collections and at events, three for 10 years, three for 15 years, three for 20 years, one for 25 years and one for 30 years they were topped by one lady who has completed 50 years of service to the RBL.
At the Poppy Awards Evening Marjorie Newton gave the total’s donated to the Royal British Legion over the last year. Sandbach raised a grand total of £26,519.27 from the Poppy Appeal with the Cheshire East Area contributing £727,716.63 up by 13% on last year with the national total being over £46,084,263.55p
The 2018 appeal was the largest in the history of the event mainly due to the commemoration of the end of the First World War and the Sandbach branch held events during the year to honour the fallen in 1918 including a ceremony at Elworth and Sandbach War Memorial’s for Edwin Firth from Foden’s Band which was featured on the BBC’s North West Tonight.
Those who received awards at the Masonic Hall on the night were for 5 years-service, Ingrid Victor, Margaret Elwell, Max Green, Kay Watts, Meurig Williams, Linda Williams, Brian Day, Joyce Day, Glynn Robinson, Howard Yates, Helen Riley and Jayne Edge. For ten years-service Eileen Jackson and for 30 years, Jenefer Hassall. However, some couldn’t make it on the night and were awarded certificates later with Margaret Wright, Victoria Taylor and Tony Cullen receiving 10 year awards, Robert Birchall, Timothy Walmsley and Jillian Wheat having achieved 15 years, Bernard Edwards and Diane Hasprey get 20 year certificates and Margaret Burke having done 25 years comes 25 years behind Christine Taylor who has done a staggering 50 years of collecting for the Royal British Legion in Sandbach having started in 1968. Congratulations to all who have given their time to help others.
(Picture on Bike = Geoff Fisher and Marilyn (L)
Manning the stand = Dave Featherstone and Elliot Pugh (R))
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14 April 2018
FUND RAISING FOR THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
Fundraisers in Sandbach have raise record amounts of money this year and the Sandbach Transport Festival was no exception as the Royal British Legion Riders who travel on Motorbikes to various places and to battlefields in France, Ypres in Belgium. On Saturday they manned a stand on the common while two of their team the standard bearer for Sandbach, Geoff Fisher and Marilyn took a trip round the coast of Wales to raise funds for the worthy cause. As they travelled from Crewe at 5am via Fishguard, Bangor and back in Sandbach at 6.13pm a trip that took them 13 Hours and 13 Minutes to complete with a total of 498 miles covered in that time with a Mr Mike Smith coming the closest with his guess helping to raise £500 from the ride and “guess” donations on the Saturday.
A recent event on the 30 March 2019 celebrated long serving members of the British Legion by the awarding of long service certificates. Twelve people were awarded 5-year certificates for help with collections and at events, three for 10 years, three for 15 years, three for 20 years, one for 25 years and one for 30 years they were topped by one lady who has completed 50 years of service to the RBL.
At the Poppy Awards Evening Marjorie Newton gave the total’s donated to the Royal British Legion over the last year. Sandbach raised a grand total of £26,519.27 from the Poppy Appeal with the Cheshire East Area contributing £727,716.63 up by 13% on last year with the national total being over £46,084,263.55p
The 2018 appeal was the largest in the history of the event mainly due to the commemoration of the end of the First World War and the Sandbach branch held events during the year to honour the fallen in 1918 including a ceremony at Elworth and Sandbach War Memorial’s for Edwin Firth from Foden’s Band which was featured on the BBC’s North West Tonight.
Those who received awards at the Masonic Hall on the night were for 5 years-service, Ingrid Victor, Margaret Elwell, Max Green, Kay Watts, Meurig Williams, Linda Williams, Brian Day, Joyce Day, Glynn Robinson, Howard Yates, Helen Riley and Jayne Edge. For ten years-service Eileen Jackson and for 30 years, Jenefer Hassall. However, some couldn’t make it on the night and were awarded certificates later with Margaret Wright, Victoria Taylor and Tony Cullen receiving 10 year awards, Robert Birchall, Timothy Walmsley and Jillian Wheat having achieved 15 years, Bernard Edwards and Diane Hasprey get 20 year certificates and Margaret Burke having done 25 years comes 25 years behind Christine Taylor who has done a staggering 50 years of collecting for the Royal British Legion in Sandbach having started in 1968. Congratulations to all who have given their time to help others.
(Picture on Bike = Geoff Fisher and Marilyn (L)
Manning the stand = Dave Featherstone and Elliot Pugh (R))
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13 April 2018
YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR 2019
The Sandbach Concert Series staged its annual “Young Musician of the Year” at the Town Hall on the 13 April as part of the Transport Festival activities. This was the fourth year of the competition in Sandbach with accompanist Fenella Howorth-Head playing for the Seven junior players and six senior entries who appeared in the competition in front of judges Sophie Rosa (Violinist) and Joy Naylor (Vocal Coach from Middlewich who has sung with Opera North) who have both adjudicated at the competition before. The judges were impressed with the standard of playing and gave each player pointers about their performance before awarding the prizes. The senior awards went to Ella Ronald (Cornet) 3rd prize, Catherine Potter 2nd prize (Vocal) and Ellie Corker was awarded first prize for her piano playing and a £100 bursary sponsored by the Crewe Male Voice Choir.
The judges were also impressed with singer Catherine Potter who was awarded the Bramwell Tovey prize (a famous conductor who has conducted Foden’s Band in competitions) for special merit and a £25 bursary.
Juniors who took part were all awarded a £10 bursary. ###############################################################################
13 April 2018
YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR 2019
The Sandbach Concert Series staged its annual “Young Musician of the Year” at the Town Hall on the 13 April as part of the Transport Festival activities. This was the fourth year of the competition in Sandbach with accompanist Fenella Howorth-Head playing for the Seven junior players and six senior entries who appeared in the competition in front of judges Sophie Rosa (Violinist) and Joy Naylor (Vocal Coach from Middlewich who has sung with Opera North) who have both adjudicated at the competition before. The judges were impressed with the standard of playing and gave each player pointers about their performance before awarding the prizes. The senior awards went to Ella Ronald (Cornet) 3rd prize, Catherine Potter 2nd prize (Vocal) and Ellie Corker was awarded first prize for her piano playing and a £100 bursary sponsored by the Crewe Male Voice Choir.
The judges were also impressed with singer Catherine Potter who was awarded the Bramwell Tovey prize (a famous conductor who has conducted Foden’s Band in competitions) for special merit and a £25 bursary.
Juniors who took part were all awarded a £10 bursary. ###############################################################################
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13-14 April 2019
SANDBACH TRANSPORT FESTIVAL
In its 29th year the Sandbach Transport Festival has become the basis for a number of events in the town with the main attraction being its usual selection of cars, trucks, busses, tractors and various other vehicles on display for both Saturday and Sunday. The added attractions this year included the replica Spitfire which was such a success last year and the Spare Parts art group who are back for their third year at the festival.
As a town, Sandbach has embraced the weekend with various extra events on the Saturday including activities at St Mary’s Church where they held an open tower event that attracted about one hundred people who wanted to go up the tower to the bell room and have a go at ringing one of the bells. The Church Hall had an Arts and Craft Fair while the Market Square had the usual monthly Makers Market. The Town Hall had its usual weekly market with the added attraction of collectable vehicle related items on sale. The Town Hall was also the venue for the Sandbach Concert Series, “Young Musician of the Year”, competition which had seven junior players and six senior players entered into the event. The Masonic Hall was the venue for the annual Sandbach Art Club Exhibition and this year seven of the public houses in the town staged a Fringe Music festival on the Friday and Saturday with 17 bands playing in the evening. Music for the main festival appeared on Scotch Common on the Saturday and at the Market Square on the Sunday along with the Round Table’s hog roast.
On Saturday there were two long distance events. The first was Sandbach Fireman John Brownrigg who is retiring after 27 years’ service as an On-Call firefighter and Watch Manager and who is about to attempt a trip to the base camp of Mount Everest. In preparation John spent the day on the station’s treadmill to raise funds for the Fire Fighters Charity.
The second event was a sponsored motor bike ride by Geoff Fisher and Marilyn (Riding pillion) around the coast of Wales to raise funds for the Royal British Legion. Visitors to the festival had a chance to guess how long it would take and the actual distance with a prize awarded for the closest guess. The winner was Mike Smith who has a haulage firm and was exhibiting at the festival. The ride was from Crewe via Fishguard and Bangor to Sandbach a trip that took them 13 Hours and 13 Minutes to complete with a total of 498 miles covered in that time.
Saturday was sunny and quite mild however Sunday was overcast with a very cold wind rushing through the town. It was not ideal for visitors that were at a lower count compared with other years but was ideal for one of the Spare Part art instillations, “Cloudscapes” which was situated at the far side of the park by the dip where you could find some comfortable pillows to relax on while listening to Lorna Rees talking about a trip she went on with her father along route 66 in America and the history of clouds. In the park there was also a play about a boy who gets a bicycle from his dead grandfather, a story about the Moon, two girls dressed in white on bikes, an early flying machine which was guided round the park and town by an Air Marshall plus Roger Blighty a second world war pilot with his aeroplane riding round the streets.
A new attraction this year was a performance stage for local performers including a new drama group from Sandbach called the Saxon Players who put on a short play about Amelia Earhart called “Grit and Grace” written by Lucy Oliver. Other local performers in the park included the Sandbach Youth Theatre, Sandbach Line Dance Group, Helen O’Grady Drama Academy, the Can’t Sing Choir and the DOPE Boys the Crewe Lyceum Theatre Dance Company. The public also had the chance to join in with the dancing as they were taught a routine for a performance later in the day.
The weekend ended with the exit parade of most of the vehicles from the common lead by the Herbie VW replica car with vehicles large and small following. These included a small replica steam locomotive in the livery of Hackneys of Sandbach which billowed smoke along the road to the Middlewich Road junction.
This year’s festival was full of activities but as next year will be the 30th Anniversary, organises have promised to make it an even bigger event.
Best Truck in Show (063) 1938 ERF Reg GEH554
Best Foden (150) White Queen S80
Best ERF (Ken Beresford Trophy) (051) 1980 B Series
Best Foreign Truck N/A
Best Military Vehicle (John McAlinden Trophy) (147) US Jeep
Best Motor Cycle – Sunday (213) Harley Davidson Fat Boy Blue
Best Bus (150) 1965 Albion Nimbus –
Guernsey Railway Company
Best Emergency Vehicle (184) 1981 Land Rover Series 3
(Sandbach Fire Cadets / Sandbach Fire Station)
Owned by Craig Howell
Best Car in Show (078) 1959 Black Jaguar
Owned by Eddie Howell (CHECK)
Best Livery – Martin Rigby Trophy (029) Foden Truck
Special Award Reg Shallcross (Judge and
one of the first organisers)
Star of the Show (Roy Sutton Trophy) tbc
Best Vehicle in Show (Presented by Smart Motorway)
(096) Vauxhall Cresta PCA108
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13-14 April 2019
SANDBACH TRANSPORT FESTIVAL
In its 29th year the Sandbach Transport Festival has become the basis for a number of events in the town with the main attraction being its usual selection of cars, trucks, busses, tractors and various other vehicles on display for both Saturday and Sunday. The added attractions this year included the replica Spitfire which was such a success last year and the Spare Parts art group who are back for their third year at the festival.
As a town, Sandbach has embraced the weekend with various extra events on the Saturday including activities at St Mary’s Church where they held an open tower event that attracted about one hundred people who wanted to go up the tower to the bell room and have a go at ringing one of the bells. The Church Hall had an Arts and Craft Fair while the Market Square had the usual monthly Makers Market. The Town Hall had its usual weekly market with the added attraction of collectable vehicle related items on sale. The Town Hall was also the venue for the Sandbach Concert Series, “Young Musician of the Year”, competition which had seven junior players and six senior players entered into the event. The Masonic Hall was the venue for the annual Sandbach Art Club Exhibition and this year seven of the public houses in the town staged a Fringe Music festival on the Friday and Saturday with 17 bands playing in the evening. Music for the main festival appeared on Scotch Common on the Saturday and at the Market Square on the Sunday along with the Round Table’s hog roast.
On Saturday there were two long distance events. The first was Sandbach Fireman John Brownrigg who is retiring after 27 years’ service as an On-Call firefighter and Watch Manager and who is about to attempt a trip to the base camp of Mount Everest. In preparation John spent the day on the station’s treadmill to raise funds for the Fire Fighters Charity.
The second event was a sponsored motor bike ride by Geoff Fisher and Marilyn (Riding pillion) around the coast of Wales to raise funds for the Royal British Legion. Visitors to the festival had a chance to guess how long it would take and the actual distance with a prize awarded for the closest guess. The winner was Mike Smith who has a haulage firm and was exhibiting at the festival. The ride was from Crewe via Fishguard and Bangor to Sandbach a trip that took them 13 Hours and 13 Minutes to complete with a total of 498 miles covered in that time.
Saturday was sunny and quite mild however Sunday was overcast with a very cold wind rushing through the town. It was not ideal for visitors that were at a lower count compared with other years but was ideal for one of the Spare Part art instillations, “Cloudscapes” which was situated at the far side of the park by the dip where you could find some comfortable pillows to relax on while listening to Lorna Rees talking about a trip she went on with her father along route 66 in America and the history of clouds. In the park there was also a play about a boy who gets a bicycle from his dead grandfather, a story about the Moon, two girls dressed in white on bikes, an early flying machine which was guided round the park and town by an Air Marshall plus Roger Blighty a second world war pilot with his aeroplane riding round the streets.
A new attraction this year was a performance stage for local performers including a new drama group from Sandbach called the Saxon Players who put on a short play about Amelia Earhart called “Grit and Grace” written by Lucy Oliver. Other local performers in the park included the Sandbach Youth Theatre, Sandbach Line Dance Group, Helen O’Grady Drama Academy, the Can’t Sing Choir and the DOPE Boys the Crewe Lyceum Theatre Dance Company. The public also had the chance to join in with the dancing as they were taught a routine for a performance later in the day.
The weekend ended with the exit parade of most of the vehicles from the common lead by the Herbie VW replica car with vehicles large and small following. These included a small replica steam locomotive in the livery of Hackneys of Sandbach which billowed smoke along the road to the Middlewich Road junction.
This year’s festival was full of activities but as next year will be the 30th Anniversary, organises have promised to make it an even bigger event.
Best Truck in Show (063) 1938 ERF Reg GEH554
Best Foden (150) White Queen S80
Best ERF (Ken Beresford Trophy) (051) 1980 B Series
Best Foreign Truck N/A
Best Military Vehicle (John McAlinden Trophy) (147) US Jeep
Best Motor Cycle – Sunday (213) Harley Davidson Fat Boy Blue
Best Bus (150) 1965 Albion Nimbus –
Guernsey Railway Company
Best Emergency Vehicle (184) 1981 Land Rover Series 3
(Sandbach Fire Cadets / Sandbach Fire Station)
Owned by Craig Howell
Best Car in Show (078) 1959 Black Jaguar
Owned by Eddie Howell (CHECK)
Best Livery – Martin Rigby Trophy (029) Foden Truck
Special Award Reg Shallcross (Judge and
one of the first organisers)
Star of the Show (Roy Sutton Trophy) tbc
Best Vehicle in Show (Presented by Smart Motorway)
(096) Vauxhall Cresta PCA108
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30 March 2019
LONG SERVICE AWARDS NIGHT FOR ROYAL BRITISH LEGION SANDBACH BRANCH.
Sandbach British Legion celebrated on the 30 March 2019 the commitment by certain members of the branch by awarding long service certificates at a buffet meal and entertainment evening organised by Marjory Newton.
Music after the meal provided by the South Cheshire Concert Band was well received as they played a mixture of classical pieces and music from the shows including Mary Poppins and Oliver, along with Gabriel’s Oboe from the film the Mission played as an oboe solo.
With twelve people being awarded 5-year certificates for help with collections and at events, three for 10 years, three for 15 years, three for 20 years, one for 25 years and one for 30 years they were topped by one lady who had done 50 years of service to the RBL.
At the Poppy Awards Evening Marjory Newton gave the total’s donated to the Royal British Legion over the last year. Sandbach raised a grand total of £26,519.27 from the Poppy Appeal with the Cheshire East Area contributing £727,716.63 up by 13% on last year with the national total being over £46,084,263.55p
The 2018 appeal was the largest in the history of the event mainly due to the commemoration of the end of the First World War. The four years of events looking back 100 years from 2014 to 1914 and so on, showed an annual increase in donations as more people have been involved with events and collections all around the country throughout the year and not only on the 11th November. An extra 200,000 collection tins were distributed in 2018 from the previous year and contactless donations made on debit cards rose to a staggering £210,000 up from £67,000 in 2017, that’s an average donation of £4.67 per transaction. Sandbach itself held an event to celebrate those who died in 1918 including Edwin Firth from Foden’s Band which was featured on the BBC’s North West tonight with collections at the Transport Festival and other events in the town Sandbach certainly gave its support to the work of the Royal British Legion this year and contributed to the welfare of those who served and serve their country.
Those who received awards at the Masonic Hall on the night were for 5 years-service, Ingrid Victor, Margaret Elwell, Max Green, Kay Watts, Meurig Williams, Linda Williams, Brian Day, Joyce Day, Glynn Robinson, Howard Yates, Helen Riley and Jayne Edge. For ten years-service Eileen Jackson and for 30 years, Jenefer Hassall. However, some couldn’t make it on the night and were awarded certificates later with Margaret Wright, Victoria Taylor and Tony Cullen receiving 10 year awards, Robert Birchall, Timothy Walmsley and Jillian Wheat having achieved 15 years, Bernard Edwards and Diane Hasprey get 20 year certificates and Margaret Burke having done 25 years comes 25 years behind Christine Taylor who has done a staggering 50 years of collecting for the Royal British Legion in Sandbach having started in 1968. Congratulations to all who have given their time to help others.
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30 March 2019
LONG SERVICE AWARDS NIGHT FOR ROYAL BRITISH LEGION SANDBACH BRANCH.
Sandbach British Legion celebrated on the 30 March 2019 the commitment by certain members of the branch by awarding long service certificates at a buffet meal and entertainment evening organised by Marjory Newton.
Music after the meal provided by the South Cheshire Concert Band was well received as they played a mixture of classical pieces and music from the shows including Mary Poppins and Oliver, along with Gabriel’s Oboe from the film the Mission played as an oboe solo.
With twelve people being awarded 5-year certificates for help with collections and at events, three for 10 years, three for 15 years, three for 20 years, one for 25 years and one for 30 years they were topped by one lady who had done 50 years of service to the RBL.
At the Poppy Awards Evening Marjory Newton gave the total’s donated to the Royal British Legion over the last year. Sandbach raised a grand total of £26,519.27 from the Poppy Appeal with the Cheshire East Area contributing £727,716.63 up by 13% on last year with the national total being over £46,084,263.55p
The 2018 appeal was the largest in the history of the event mainly due to the commemoration of the end of the First World War. The four years of events looking back 100 years from 2014 to 1914 and so on, showed an annual increase in donations as more people have been involved with events and collections all around the country throughout the year and not only on the 11th November. An extra 200,000 collection tins were distributed in 2018 from the previous year and contactless donations made on debit cards rose to a staggering £210,000 up from £67,000 in 2017, that’s an average donation of £4.67 per transaction. Sandbach itself held an event to celebrate those who died in 1918 including Edwin Firth from Foden’s Band which was featured on the BBC’s North West tonight with collections at the Transport Festival and other events in the town Sandbach certainly gave its support to the work of the Royal British Legion this year and contributed to the welfare of those who served and serve their country.
Those who received awards at the Masonic Hall on the night were for 5 years-service, Ingrid Victor, Margaret Elwell, Max Green, Kay Watts, Meurig Williams, Linda Williams, Brian Day, Joyce Day, Glynn Robinson, Howard Yates, Helen Riley and Jayne Edge. For ten years-service Eileen Jackson and for 30 years, Jenefer Hassall. However, some couldn’t make it on the night and were awarded certificates later with Margaret Wright, Victoria Taylor and Tony Cullen receiving 10 year awards, Robert Birchall, Timothy Walmsley and Jillian Wheat having achieved 15 years, Bernard Edwards and Diane Hasprey get 20 year certificates and Margaret Burke having done 25 years comes 25 years behind Christine Taylor who has done a staggering 50 years of collecting for the Royal British Legion in Sandbach having started in 1968. Congratulations to all who have given their time to help others.
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30 March 2019
HERB GARDEN GET’S MAKE OVER
A herb garden in Sandbach has been given a makeover this week by the Allotments Society who are preparing the garden for structural repairs to the walls ready for a new crop of plants to be installed later in the year. As usual, once there are Herbs in the garden, they will be available for all to use as long as they are picked, leaving the plants to grow back for others to also enjoy the free leaves etc. With Mint, Basil, Chives, Dill, Sage, Thyme, Parsley, Coriander and others this not only helps add that little extra to your cooking but also adds a lovely smell to the area by the bus shelters as they come into season.
Started in July 2013 the feature won a Little Gem Award at the Cheshire Community Pride event in 2016 but now the plants have started to get a bit woody as one reviewer wrote recently. The Allotment Society led by Keith Haynes have now dug over the plot on the 30 January 2019 ready for its revival and with plans to put more prominent signs on the structure to encouraging the public to use the plants it is hoped it will last another six years before it needs replanting and will as originally planned continue to benefit the community.
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30 March 2019
HERB GARDEN GET’S MAKE OVER
A herb garden in Sandbach has been given a makeover this week by the Allotments Society who are preparing the garden for structural repairs to the walls ready for a new crop of plants to be installed later in the year. As usual, once there are Herbs in the garden, they will be available for all to use as long as they are picked, leaving the plants to grow back for others to also enjoy the free leaves etc. With Mint, Basil, Chives, Dill, Sage, Thyme, Parsley, Coriander and others this not only helps add that little extra to your cooking but also adds a lovely smell to the area by the bus shelters as they come into season.
Started in July 2013 the feature won a Little Gem Award at the Cheshire Community Pride event in 2016 but now the plants have started to get a bit woody as one reviewer wrote recently. The Allotment Society led by Keith Haynes have now dug over the plot on the 30 January 2019 ready for its revival and with plans to put more prominent signs on the structure to encouraging the public to use the plants it is hoped it will last another six years before it needs replanting and will as originally planned continue to benefit the community.
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29 March 2019
“QUIZFUNDING” FOR FRIENDS OF SANDBACH PARK
The Friends of Sandbach Park held a fundraising evening at the Masonic Hall on Friday the 29 March 2019. With the usual raffle and a fish and chip supper the hosts put on a great mixture of questions to tax the minds of the quizzers who came to support this worthy cause.
There was a picture round of celebrities before they were famous, villains from BBC and ITV Soaps, garden implements and also anagrams of names from the list of Cheshire connected famous people. Easy if you know your local celebrities but more thought was needed to reassemble the names of Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Gary Barlow, Beth Tweddle and Lewis Carroll. There was also a couple of questions that not only taxed the brain but also gave us some information we didn’t know before. What is the code name of the UK treasury / Governments plans for a “No Deal Brexit”? The answer foxed most, if not all of the teams with the answer being Operation Yellowhammer.
Another question that caused a lot of discussion was, Which Town’s in Cheshire East has the highest population, Name the top ten (Not in Order). The answer below surprised most but they were able to name at least 50% of the towns on the list.
1. Crewe (Highest) (71,722 People)
2. Macclesfield (56,581 People)
3. Wilmslow (35,945 Population)
4. Congleton (26,482 Population)
5. Sandbach (17,976 Population)
6. Nantwich (17,466 Population)
7. Poynton (15,282 Population)
8. Middlewich (13,595 Population)
9. Alsager (13,395 Population)
10. Knutsford (13,191 Population)
It was a very entertaining evening and raised quite a lot of money to pay for plants and facilities in Sandbach Park.
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29 March 2019
“QUIZFUNDING” FOR FRIENDS OF SANDBACH PARK
The Friends of Sandbach Park held a fundraising evening at the Masonic Hall on Friday the 29 March 2019. With the usual raffle and a fish and chip supper the hosts put on a great mixture of questions to tax the minds of the quizzers who came to support this worthy cause.
There was a picture round of celebrities before they were famous, villains from BBC and ITV Soaps, garden implements and also anagrams of names from the list of Cheshire connected famous people. Easy if you know your local celebrities but more thought was needed to reassemble the names of Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Gary Barlow, Beth Tweddle and Lewis Carroll. There was also a couple of questions that not only taxed the brain but also gave us some information we didn’t know before. What is the code name of the UK treasury / Governments plans for a “No Deal Brexit”? The answer foxed most, if not all of the teams with the answer being Operation Yellowhammer.
Another question that caused a lot of discussion was, Which Town’s in Cheshire East has the highest population, Name the top ten (Not in Order). The answer below surprised most but they were able to name at least 50% of the towns on the list.
1. Crewe (Highest) (71,722 People)
2. Macclesfield (56,581 People)
3. Wilmslow (35,945 Population)
4. Congleton (26,482 Population)
5. Sandbach (17,976 Population)
6. Nantwich (17,466 Population)
7. Poynton (15,282 Population)
8. Middlewich (13,595 Population)
9. Alsager (13,395 Population)
10. Knutsford (13,191 Population)
It was a very entertaining evening and raised quite a lot of money to pay for plants and facilities in Sandbach Park.
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16 March 2019
UNICORNS COME TO SANDBACH
On a windy, cold, rainy day in Sandbach on the 16 March 2019 the area around the Market Hall was light up with a magical experience for the young and old as two Unicorns came to town as part of the events season for the Market Hall.
Unicorns, Stanley and Bandit are two rescue animals saved by the Blue Cross Animal Charity and now owned by Raspberry Fields Pony Parties run by Shelly Ruck and Liana Bloxham in Warrington. They were first seen by record stall holder John Beddows at another markets event and impressed him so much with the interaction of the children that he mentioned them to Mike at Sandbach Town Council who was looking for attractions to help promote the new market hall. Last year they had various events which were a great success and so in 2019 they hope to recreate the excitement of those attractions and to bring more people into the town.
The Unicorns are part of a group of animals that tour around the area from South Cheshire to Liverpool hoping to bring an opportunity for young children to be able to get up close to these animals and have their pictures taken with them, brightening up their lives for that magical moment. Qualified teacher Shelly Ruck and Liana Bloxham reunited in 2016 and set up Raspberry Fields at Rixton Farm on Brook Lane in Warrington, to bring their own dream alive of working in the outdoors with the horses and ponies they have loved since childhood and take them to various events in town centres, market places and to private parties. The event in Sandbach certainly brought the dream alive for many young children including Bonnie Fulton who came along with her unicorn jumper and was excited to stroke the unicorn, while Ellie Hughes was keen to help groom the coat of Bandit the white unicorn after it had been in the rain with help from her sister Eloise (Lulu). Other children also took part in a Unicorn treasure hunt to find pictures around the indoor market while a new sweet stall was selling unicorn sweets in a cone shaped bag especially for the day.
Later in the year there will be other events in the town’s market including on the 30 March a ‘Mother’s Day Gift Making’ event and on the 25 May various Marvel Characters will be coming to the town. The event’s organisers also hope to bring back the unicorns in the summer and have an Easter Bunny which will hide eggs around the market to be found.
Other events over the summer in Sandbach will be a ‘Family Fun Day’, in the Park on the 29 June, a concert by Foden’s Band for their annual ‘Party in the Park’, with a group from Sandbach School on the 7 July and an ‘All Inclusive Play Day’ on the 7 August also in the park.
In discussion at the moment is a ‘Market Festival’ later in the year which will see the return of the Punch and Judy man, Falconry and animal handling, music and dance teams plus various other attractions so it looks as though Sandbach will certainly be worth a visit in 2019 to see what is going on.
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16 March 2019
UNICORNS COME TO SANDBACH
On a windy, cold, rainy day in Sandbach on the 16 March 2019 the area around the Market Hall was light up with a magical experience for the young and old as two Unicorns came to town as part of the events season for the Market Hall.
Unicorns, Stanley and Bandit are two rescue animals saved by the Blue Cross Animal Charity and now owned by Raspberry Fields Pony Parties run by Shelly Ruck and Liana Bloxham in Warrington. They were first seen by record stall holder John Beddows at another markets event and impressed him so much with the interaction of the children that he mentioned them to Mike at Sandbach Town Council who was looking for attractions to help promote the new market hall. Last year they had various events which were a great success and so in 2019 they hope to recreate the excitement of those attractions and to bring more people into the town.
The Unicorns are part of a group of animals that tour around the area from South Cheshire to Liverpool hoping to bring an opportunity for young children to be able to get up close to these animals and have their pictures taken with them, brightening up their lives for that magical moment. Qualified teacher Shelly Ruck and Liana Bloxham reunited in 2016 and set up Raspberry Fields at Rixton Farm on Brook Lane in Warrington, to bring their own dream alive of working in the outdoors with the horses and ponies they have loved since childhood and take them to various events in town centres, market places and to private parties. The event in Sandbach certainly brought the dream alive for many young children including Bonnie Fulton who came along with her unicorn jumper and was excited to stroke the unicorn, while Ellie Hughes was keen to help groom the coat of Bandit the white unicorn after it had been in the rain with help from her sister Eloise (Lulu). Other children also took part in a Unicorn treasure hunt to find pictures around the indoor market while a new sweet stall was selling unicorn sweets in a cone shaped bag especially for the day.
Later in the year there will be other events in the town’s market including on the 30 March a ‘Mother’s Day Gift Making’ event and on the 25 May various Marvel Characters will be coming to the town. The event’s organisers also hope to bring back the unicorns in the summer and have an Easter Bunny which will hide eggs around the market to be found.
Other events over the summer in Sandbach will be a ‘Family Fun Day’, in the Park on the 29 June, a concert by Foden’s Band for their annual ‘Party in the Park’, with a group from Sandbach School on the 7 July and an ‘All Inclusive Play Day’ on the 7 August also in the park.
In discussion at the moment is a ‘Market Festival’ later in the year which will see the return of the Punch and Judy man, Falconry and animal handling, music and dance teams plus various other attractions so it looks as though Sandbach will certainly be worth a visit in 2019 to see what is going on.
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8 March 2019
STRICTLY FLOWERS AT TOWN HALL
On the 8 March 2019, the Elworth Flower Club held its second “Strictly Flowers and Dance” event at Sandbach Town Hall. The event in aid of Cancer Research raised a large sum of money for the charity and fatured flower arrangers Mark Entwistle and Jacqui Owen along with dancers Mark and Kay Farrugia, Andrew and Carol Middleton, Helen Morris and her team from Syncronicity Dance. Organised by Bernard Preston with help from his wife Irene and members of the flower club the event was a great success with some wonderful displays of arrangements on stage and a variety of dancing worthy of the original Come Dancing.
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8 March 2019
STRICTLY FLOWERS AT TOWN HALL
On the 8 March 2019, the Elworth Flower Club held its second “Strictly Flowers and Dance” event at Sandbach Town Hall. The event in aid of Cancer Research raised a large sum of money for the charity and fatured flower arrangers Mark Entwistle and Jacqui Owen along with dancers Mark and Kay Farrugia, Andrew and Carol Middleton, Helen Morris and her team from Syncronicity Dance. Organised by Bernard Preston with help from his wife Irene and members of the flower club the event was a great success with some wonderful displays of arrangements on stage and a variety of dancing worthy of the original Come Dancing.
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4 March 2019
CAR TURNED OVER ON M6
A fire crew from Sandbach and two appliances from Crewe and attended an incident on the M6 at 3.40pm (Website) (2.40pm Fire crew seen passing Congleton Road) on Monday the 4 March 2019 when a car overturned next to a bridge on the northbound carriageway of the M6 causing major congestion on both the north and southbound carriageways of the motorway for over two hours. One of the female passengers was able to get free before the fire crews and ambulances arrived on the scene but two others had to be helped out of the vehicle with fire personnel on the scene for over 50 minutes.
Fire personnel also had to look after two dogs that had been in the car while the passengers were freed from their vehicle.
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4 March 2019
CAR TURNED OVER ON M6
A fire crew from Sandbach and two appliances from Crewe and attended an incident on the M6 at 3.40pm (Website) (2.40pm Fire crew seen passing Congleton Road) on Monday the 4 March 2019 when a car overturned next to a bridge on the northbound carriageway of the M6 causing major congestion on both the north and southbound carriageways of the motorway for over two hours. One of the female passengers was able to get free before the fire crews and ambulances arrived on the scene but two others had to be helped out of the vehicle with fire personnel on the scene for over 50 minutes.
Fire personnel also had to look after two dogs that had been in the car while the passengers were freed from their vehicle.
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27 February 2019
SANDBACH CONCERT SERIES PIANIST
On the 27 February 2019, pianist Reiko Fujsawa was in Sandbach to perform at the monthly Concert Series at St Mary’s Church Hall. Reiko Fujsawa was raised in the Far East and trained in the West with a time at the Maraschino University of Music in Tokyo and then in San Francisco and the Trinity College in the UK. Reiko has since been in London and has performed at the Southbank Centre, Wigmore Hall and King’s Place.
The concert in Sandbach had an appreciative audience who enjoyed the first half performances by youngsters in the Spotlight Concert with Ellie Corker, Emily Harrison, Jaiying Lin, Catherine Potter, Sam Sweeney, Ashton Walkley and Edison Walkley. Their appreciation continued with the second half performance by Reiko who played music from her celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Clara Wieck Schumann, the wife of the composer, with music she had performed in her lifetime. The music included Brahms intermezzo op 119 No2, Clara Schuman’s own composition the Scherzo op 10 (1838) and Romance Op 21 No 3 (1853), Chopin’s Impromptu No 2 in F Sharp Major (1839) and Impromptu No 4 in C Sharp minor (Fantaisie Impromptu 1855) which the listener may also recognise from the middle section having been used as the basis for the song “I’m always chasing rainbows”. The concert ended with Robert Schumann’s Faschingsschwank aus Wien op 26 (Carnival de Vienne 1839) and his arrangement Liszt Widmung from Myrthen op 25 (1840).
Cheshire East Lesley Smetham and her husband David were joined by Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey on the front row with about eighty members of the public. All those I spoke to after the concert and who approached Reiko spoke of how much they had enjoyed the performance and although the pianist doesn’t speak good English she made up for the lack of introductions by her playing.
The concert series continues to bring a wide variety of styles of music and performance from around the world and in a recent interview the Cheshire East Mayor’s husband, David was so impressed the last time that he was looking forward to this month’s performance by Reiko Fujsawa and after their Mayoral year finishes in May he hoped to continue to attend the monthly shows. He certainly wasn’t disappointed in February and I am sure will not be disappointed with the next performance on the 27 March 2019 when Kabantu perform a mixture of music from around the world in what I can only describe as a sort of modern folk style.
SANDBACH CONCERT SERIES PIANIST
On the 27 February 2019, pianist Reiko Fujsawa was in Sandbach to perform at the monthly Concert Series at St Mary’s Church Hall. Reiko Fujsawa was raised in the Far East and trained in the West with a time at the Maraschino University of Music in Tokyo and then in San Francisco and the Trinity College in the UK. Reiko has since been in London and has performed at the Southbank Centre, Wigmore Hall and King’s Place.
The concert in Sandbach had an appreciative audience who enjoyed the first half performances by youngsters in the Spotlight Concert with Ellie Corker, Emily Harrison, Jaiying Lin, Catherine Potter, Sam Sweeney, Ashton Walkley and Edison Walkley. Their appreciation continued with the second half performance by Reiko who played music from her celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Clara Wieck Schumann, the wife of the composer, with music she had performed in her lifetime. The music included Brahms intermezzo op 119 No2, Clara Schuman’s own composition the Scherzo op 10 (1838) and Romance Op 21 No 3 (1853), Chopin’s Impromptu No 2 in F Sharp Major (1839) and Impromptu No 4 in C Sharp minor (Fantaisie Impromptu 1855) which the listener may also recognise from the middle section having been used as the basis for the song “I’m always chasing rainbows”. The concert ended with Robert Schumann’s Faschingsschwank aus Wien op 26 (Carnival de Vienne 1839) and his arrangement Liszt Widmung from Myrthen op 25 (1840).
Cheshire East Lesley Smetham and her husband David were joined by Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey on the front row with about eighty members of the public. All those I spoke to after the concert and who approached Reiko spoke of how much they had enjoyed the performance and although the pianist doesn’t speak good English she made up for the lack of introductions by her playing.
The concert series continues to bring a wide variety of styles of music and performance from around the world and in a recent interview the Cheshire East Mayor’s husband, David was so impressed the last time that he was looking forward to this month’s performance by Reiko Fujsawa and after their Mayoral year finishes in May he hoped to continue to attend the monthly shows. He certainly wasn’t disappointed in February and I am sure will not be disappointed with the next performance on the 27 March 2019 when Kabantu perform a mixture of music from around the world in what I can only describe as a sort of modern folk style.
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5 February 2019
ROTARY CLUB OF SANDBACH CROSSES HANDS OVER CHEQUE
When the Ladies of the Rotary Club of Sandbach Crosses, Luncheon Club held a special dinner at the Hunters Lodge in Crewe on Tuesday the 5 February 2019 to raise funds for the NSPCC they invited along their group treasurer to present a cheque for £650 to NSPCC Branch Chairman, Mrs Carole Fallon who was present at the fundraiser. The dinner is the latest event to be held over the last nineteen years and was attended by about 75 members who raised about £350 to add to the grand total of over £1,000 from both events, which has been greatly received by the children’s charity. In October the group will celebrate twenty years of their luncheon club and anyone wanting to join them as, “Ladies who lunch” and listen to a guest speaker can attend a meeting of the main group at the Wheat Sheaf public house on a Tuesday evening at 7.30pm.
The £650, had been raised during collections over the Christmas Period by both men and women belonging to the Rotary Club of Sandbach Crosses while standing outside Waitrose, Aldi and at the M6 Service station on some very cold days in December while collecting money in buckets. The “Santa collections” raised a total of £2,941.00 which has been split between four different charities, the NSPCC, the North West Air Ambulance, Rotary and the Alder Hey Hospital.
Mr David Twidale the treasurer of the Rotary Club handed over the Cheque to the NSPCC with Committee Members Marjorie Newton, Kate Croydon, Dorothy Cureton and Gill Dalton also in attendance.
The NSPCC and Rotary are always looking for volunteers to help raise funds. Carol Fallon of the NSPCC said they were looking for members for a group in Audlem which is in danger of closing due to low membership, but anyone wanting to help in the Sandbach and Congleton areas would be welcome to join their local group.
5 February 2019
ROTARY CLUB OF SANDBACH CROSSES HANDS OVER CHEQUE
When the Ladies of the Rotary Club of Sandbach Crosses, Luncheon Club held a special dinner at the Hunters Lodge in Crewe on Tuesday the 5 February 2019 to raise funds for the NSPCC they invited along their group treasurer to present a cheque for £650 to NSPCC Branch Chairman, Mrs Carole Fallon who was present at the fundraiser. The dinner is the latest event to be held over the last nineteen years and was attended by about 75 members who raised about £350 to add to the grand total of over £1,000 from both events, which has been greatly received by the children’s charity. In October the group will celebrate twenty years of their luncheon club and anyone wanting to join them as, “Ladies who lunch” and listen to a guest speaker can attend a meeting of the main group at the Wheat Sheaf public house on a Tuesday evening at 7.30pm.
The £650, had been raised during collections over the Christmas Period by both men and women belonging to the Rotary Club of Sandbach Crosses while standing outside Waitrose, Aldi and at the M6 Service station on some very cold days in December while collecting money in buckets. The “Santa collections” raised a total of £2,941.00 which has been split between four different charities, the NSPCC, the North West Air Ambulance, Rotary and the Alder Hey Hospital.
Mr David Twidale the treasurer of the Rotary Club handed over the Cheque to the NSPCC with Committee Members Marjorie Newton, Kate Croydon, Dorothy Cureton and Gill Dalton also in attendance.
The NSPCC and Rotary are always looking for volunteers to help raise funds. Carol Fallon of the NSPCC said they were looking for members for a group in Audlem which is in danger of closing due to low membership, but anyone wanting to help in the Sandbach and Congleton areas would be welcome to join their local group.
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1 January 2019
REG DUNNING AWARDED B.E.M.
Familiar face at the Royal British Legion Remembrance Day event and other marches in Sandbach Reginald Dunning of Sandbach, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to Education and the Community.
Born on the 9 July 1926, Reg went to school in Sandbach and has been the honorary treasurer of the Sandbachachians (Old Sandbach School pupils) for many years. He has also been a Director of Sandbach School from the 28 January 2008 until the 8 July 2013 and continues to have contact with the school and was one of those involved in the opening of the WW1 Memorial Garden at the front of the school.
Known for leading the processions on Remembrance Day and the Mayor’s Civic Parade in June Reg has become one of the faces of the town but his involvement with parades in Sandbach over 60 years goes back well before then when on the 2 November 1944 at the age of 18 he entered National Service and became Private 14863464. After initial training Reg was attached to the South Lancashire Regiment and from there volunteered to do glider pilot training for the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Army Corps. In May 1945, Reg was promoted to Corporal and then started training with Tiger Moths at RAF Booker and in June 1945, RAF Fairoakes, moving in August 1945 to RAF Croughton where he went back to the Hotspur Glider.
In September 1945 Reg gained his second Pilot’s wing and had been promoted to Sergeant again with gliders this time moving to RAF Brize Norton and other squadrons.
With the war ending on the 7 May 1945 after Germany surrendered (8 May VE Day) Reg had not completed any wartime missions but continued to fly and in 1946 he gained his Civil Aviation ‘A’ Licence and a Royal Aero Club certificate.
The end of the war also meant the end of the use of gliders on the front line and Reg decided to apply to the War Office for a job with the Intelligence Corps and was accepted. After attending courses at the School of Military Intelligence at Aldershot Reg then travelled to Palestine in October 1946 with the 317 (Airborne) Field Security of the 6th Airborne Division. Postings to Haifa, Nazareth, Eastern Galilee and Nazareth and was on one occasion assigned to HMS Chevron to photograph Jewish illegal immigrant ships that were trying to land on the Palestine coast.
In 1948, Reginald Dunning was demobbed and entered civvy street to take up a position in the finance and executive departments of various local government departments within Cheshire Authorities.
In 1956, Reg Dunning started co-ordinating the Remembrance Day Parade for Sandbach with a few years earlier he had provided the same job for the Sandbach Urban District Council and their Civic parades.
When local Government changed and Sandbach Town Council was formed in 1974, Reg moved to Congleton Town Council as a Public Relations Officer a role he held until 1992 when he retired.
Now at the age of 92, Reg still organises the parades making sure everyone is in their right place ready for the march through the town. However, the long walk from Westfields is no longer recommended for him to lead the procession and he now meets the participants at the War Memorial where he still reads the words of the, Ode to the Fallen, “They shall not grow old…” ending with the line “we shall remember them” an apt line which HM Queen Elizabeth has bestowed upon Reginald Dunning with the honour of the B.E.M. (Order of the British Empire, Medallist of the Order of the British Empire) for services to education and the community in the 2019 New Year’s Honours list.
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1 January 2019
REG DUNNING AWARDED B.E.M.
Familiar face at the Royal British Legion Remembrance Day event and other marches in Sandbach Reginald Dunning of Sandbach, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to Education and the Community.
Born on the 9 July 1926, Reg went to school in Sandbach and has been the honorary treasurer of the Sandbachachians (Old Sandbach School pupils) for many years. He has also been a Director of Sandbach School from the 28 January 2008 until the 8 July 2013 and continues to have contact with the school and was one of those involved in the opening of the WW1 Memorial Garden at the front of the school.
Known for leading the processions on Remembrance Day and the Mayor’s Civic Parade in June Reg has become one of the faces of the town but his involvement with parades in Sandbach over 60 years goes back well before then when on the 2 November 1944 at the age of 18 he entered National Service and became Private 14863464. After initial training Reg was attached to the South Lancashire Regiment and from there volunteered to do glider pilot training for the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Army Corps. In May 1945, Reg was promoted to Corporal and then started training with Tiger Moths at RAF Booker and in June 1945, RAF Fairoakes, moving in August 1945 to RAF Croughton where he went back to the Hotspur Glider.
In September 1945 Reg gained his second Pilot’s wing and had been promoted to Sergeant again with gliders this time moving to RAF Brize Norton and other squadrons.
With the war ending on the 7 May 1945 after Germany surrendered (8 May VE Day) Reg had not completed any wartime missions but continued to fly and in 1946 he gained his Civil Aviation ‘A’ Licence and a Royal Aero Club certificate.
The end of the war also meant the end of the use of gliders on the front line and Reg decided to apply to the War Office for a job with the Intelligence Corps and was accepted. After attending courses at the School of Military Intelligence at Aldershot Reg then travelled to Palestine in October 1946 with the 317 (Airborne) Field Security of the 6th Airborne Division. Postings to Haifa, Nazareth, Eastern Galilee and Nazareth and was on one occasion assigned to HMS Chevron to photograph Jewish illegal immigrant ships that were trying to land on the Palestine coast.
In 1948, Reginald Dunning was demobbed and entered civvy street to take up a position in the finance and executive departments of various local government departments within Cheshire Authorities.
In 1956, Reg Dunning started co-ordinating the Remembrance Day Parade for Sandbach with a few years earlier he had provided the same job for the Sandbach Urban District Council and their Civic parades.
When local Government changed and Sandbach Town Council was formed in 1974, Reg moved to Congleton Town Council as a Public Relations Officer a role he held until 1992 when he retired.
Now at the age of 92, Reg still organises the parades making sure everyone is in their right place ready for the march through the town. However, the long walk from Westfields is no longer recommended for him to lead the procession and he now meets the participants at the War Memorial where he still reads the words of the, Ode to the Fallen, “They shall not grow old…” ending with the line “we shall remember them” an apt line which HM Queen Elizabeth has bestowed upon Reginald Dunning with the honour of the B.E.M. (Order of the British Empire, Medallist of the Order of the British Empire) for services to education and the community in the 2019 New Year’s Honours list.
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2018 news items
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9 December 2018
SANDBACH MISSES MAN IN CAMOUFLAGE
One of Sandbach’s more colourful characters has sadly passed away. Known in the town for being dressed in military camouflage clothing Mick whose real name was Michael Charles Smallwood was mainly living on the streets and in the park while at the same time begging for small amounts of money usually for a drink and would “borrow” items from shops making him a regular with the local police. He was also a friendly character and the townsfolk of Sandbach were interested in what happened to him. What is not generally known is how he came to be in this position and his fate in the last few months.
Catholic Priest, Michael Morton filled in some of the details at a Requiem Mass at St Winifred’s on Middlewich Road on the 6th of December 2018. Born in 1952 to Sandbach resident Charles Smallwood and his wife Mary who was born in Limerick, Mick was the eldest child of the family with a brother Robert and sister Kathleen (Now Hewitt). Baptised a Roman Catholic in November 1952, he lived with his family in Crewe for a time before returning to Sandbach where he eventually went to work at the Foden Factory for a number of years. Unfortunately, after Mick’s mother died, he found himself homeless and was forced to live where he could and was usually found in the centre of the town or camped out in the park. Some people offered to home Mick but this was usually a temporary fix as I am told he soon fell out with some of them and found himself back on the streets.
Many in the town felt sorry for Mick and helped out when they could. In the last years one of the shopkeepers and PCSO’s arranged for Mick to move into a place in Crewe but it soon became apparent that the life on the streets had taken its toll on him and he was last seen in the town centre being pushed in a wheelchair and was described by a market stall holder as being in a very poor state. Towards the end of his life Mick moved into the “Turnpike” on Middlewich Road and in the last month was moved into St Luke’s Hospice after pancreatic cancer had taken a hold of him and on the 24 November 2018, Michael Charles Smallwood passed away.
I will always remember him as being in the town with a friendly hello and nearly always he remembered my name. He at one time had a dog with him which he was pleased to look after but like everything else that was stable in his life it soon disappeared. I am not sure where it went but as he moved into accommodation at the time of the dog’s disappearance, I can only assume it was not allowed in the building and was itself rehoused.
At one time Mick became friends with a Polish man who put him up for a while. When the town held its annual “Light Switch On” in 2015 Mick asked me to take his picture of him with his friend which I did and gave him a copy of it as a memory of that part of his life.
Up until recently Mick was seen regularly by the bus shelters or hanging around the library usually where he had gone to get warm and he became part of the day to day life in Sandbach. He will be missed by those who knew him for whatever reasons. RIP.
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9 December 2018
SANDBACH MISSES MAN IN CAMOUFLAGE
One of Sandbach’s more colourful characters has sadly passed away. Known in the town for being dressed in military camouflage clothing Mick whose real name was Michael Charles Smallwood was mainly living on the streets and in the park while at the same time begging for small amounts of money usually for a drink and would “borrow” items from shops making him a regular with the local police. He was also a friendly character and the townsfolk of Sandbach were interested in what happened to him. What is not generally known is how he came to be in this position and his fate in the last few months.
Catholic Priest, Michael Morton filled in some of the details at a Requiem Mass at St Winifred’s on Middlewich Road on the 6th of December 2018. Born in 1952 to Sandbach resident Charles Smallwood and his wife Mary who was born in Limerick, Mick was the eldest child of the family with a brother Robert and sister Kathleen (Now Hewitt). Baptised a Roman Catholic in November 1952, he lived with his family in Crewe for a time before returning to Sandbach where he eventually went to work at the Foden Factory for a number of years. Unfortunately, after Mick’s mother died, he found himself homeless and was forced to live where he could and was usually found in the centre of the town or camped out in the park. Some people offered to home Mick but this was usually a temporary fix as I am told he soon fell out with some of them and found himself back on the streets.
Many in the town felt sorry for Mick and helped out when they could. In the last years one of the shopkeepers and PCSO’s arranged for Mick to move into a place in Crewe but it soon became apparent that the life on the streets had taken its toll on him and he was last seen in the town centre being pushed in a wheelchair and was described by a market stall holder as being in a very poor state. Towards the end of his life Mick moved into the “Turnpike” on Middlewich Road and in the last month was moved into St Luke’s Hospice after pancreatic cancer had taken a hold of him and on the 24 November 2018, Michael Charles Smallwood passed away.
I will always remember him as being in the town with a friendly hello and nearly always he remembered my name. He at one time had a dog with him which he was pleased to look after but like everything else that was stable in his life it soon disappeared. I am not sure where it went but as he moved into accommodation at the time of the dog’s disappearance, I can only assume it was not allowed in the building and was itself rehoused.
At one time Mick became friends with a Polish man who put him up for a while. When the town held its annual “Light Switch On” in 2015 Mick asked me to take his picture of him with his friend which I did and gave him a copy of it as a memory of that part of his life.
Up until recently Mick was seen regularly by the bus shelters or hanging around the library usually where he had gone to get warm and he became part of the day to day life in Sandbach. He will be missed by those who knew him for whatever reasons. RIP.
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2 Dec 2018
POP MEMORABILIA ON DISPLAY AT SANDBACH TOWN HALL
Sandbach was privileged to have an exhibition of memorabilia connected to two of what will be the biggest grossing films of 2018 and 2019, the Queen film “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the new Elton John movie, “Rocket man” which is to be released in May 2019. Chris Hewitt who lives in the Northwich area has the biggest collection of studio equipment and tour memorabilia in the Country and was asked by John Beddows who runs the monthly record fairs in the Market Hall to bring some of his private museum to Sandbach to show to visitors of the Record Fair as well as interested enthusiasts of the artists, The Beatles, David Bowie and Queen, all of whom had used bits of the equipment on display at the 2 December fair.
Chris’s interest in music started on Oldham Market when he purchased records from a stall there. He then went on to act as a transporter for equipment and started to work on gigs with the “Strawbs”, “Mr Fox” and others with Mick Spratt who was in charge of setting up sound systems.
After a brief time in London he met a man from Stoke on Trent who offered him a job mixing live for “East of Eden” and worked with “Ian Dury” and Lemmy from Hawkwind and Motorhead who was born in Stoke on Trent and used to borrow a lot of equipment, with one of Chris’s first jobs being to retrieve items from the rock star.
In 1972, Chris helped set up the Rochdale Festival followed by working with a group called “Tractor” who rehearsed from 1968 in a building at 58, Market Street, Heywood which is where they went on to set up a studio. Between 1973 and 1976 the building became the “Tractor Sound Studio”, which was partly funded by the late John Peel and was run by Chris Hewitt with Steve Clayton, Jim Milne and Alan Burgess.
Later Chris would open his own studio in Rochdale along with Peter Hook from “Joy Division” and “New Order”.
Peter Hook is also responsible for this collection as in 2010 Chris was asked to help put together a recreation of an old Joy Division gig for an exhibition. As he searched for an amp that could have been used at the time by the band he discovered one in America, which he later found out had belonged to George Harrison.
Having kept his own equipment from the 1970’s this became the seed of the collection he has today.
Equipment on display in Sandbach included a mixer and speakers from the Beatles time in the Abbey Road Studio. These items were acquired separately by Chris but all feature on the same picture which was displayed next to the exhibit. Another Beatles connected item was the sound compressor from John Lennon’s “Ascot Sound Studio” at his Tettenhurst Park residence which was sold in an auction of items after Ringo Star had acquired the house and studio from John when he moved to America and Ringo was selling off items he didn’t want to keep when he eventually sold the house. The compressor was used by John when he made his second solo album “Imagine” and was seen recently on television in documentary footage filmed during the recording of the record.
With such a great collection it is no wonder that Chris is called upon to supply film and television companies with authentic equipment for productions. Unfortunately once Chris has set up the equipment on site he is then not allowed to watch the filming of the scenes and only discovers what they had done when he receives a picture from the set or sees the finished results.
A mixer used in the Bohemian Rhapsody film’s “Live Aid” sequence was on display in the foyer of the record fair at the Market Hall. David Bowie and guitarist Mick Ronson were represented by a rehearsal mixer they used while putting together the “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” album. Pink Floyd plus Emerson, Lake and Palmer, were also featured in the exhibition at Sandbach with microphones, speakers, mixers and various items from studio’s and stages around the world taking up the Town Hall upstairs.
For those who have an interest in the history of Pop Music this was a great opportunity to get close to iconic pieces of equipment.
2 Dec 2018
POP MEMORABILIA ON DISPLAY AT SANDBACH TOWN HALL
Sandbach was privileged to have an exhibition of memorabilia connected to two of what will be the biggest grossing films of 2018 and 2019, the Queen film “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the new Elton John movie, “Rocket man” which is to be released in May 2019. Chris Hewitt who lives in the Northwich area has the biggest collection of studio equipment and tour memorabilia in the Country and was asked by John Beddows who runs the monthly record fairs in the Market Hall to bring some of his private museum to Sandbach to show to visitors of the Record Fair as well as interested enthusiasts of the artists, The Beatles, David Bowie and Queen, all of whom had used bits of the equipment on display at the 2 December fair.
Chris’s interest in music started on Oldham Market when he purchased records from a stall there. He then went on to act as a transporter for equipment and started to work on gigs with the “Strawbs”, “Mr Fox” and others with Mick Spratt who was in charge of setting up sound systems.
After a brief time in London he met a man from Stoke on Trent who offered him a job mixing live for “East of Eden” and worked with “Ian Dury” and Lemmy from Hawkwind and Motorhead who was born in Stoke on Trent and used to borrow a lot of equipment, with one of Chris’s first jobs being to retrieve items from the rock star.
In 1972, Chris helped set up the Rochdale Festival followed by working with a group called “Tractor” who rehearsed from 1968 in a building at 58, Market Street, Heywood which is where they went on to set up a studio. Between 1973 and 1976 the building became the “Tractor Sound Studio”, which was partly funded by the late John Peel and was run by Chris Hewitt with Steve Clayton, Jim Milne and Alan Burgess.
Later Chris would open his own studio in Rochdale along with Peter Hook from “Joy Division” and “New Order”.
Peter Hook is also responsible for this collection as in 2010 Chris was asked to help put together a recreation of an old Joy Division gig for an exhibition. As he searched for an amp that could have been used at the time by the band he discovered one in America, which he later found out had belonged to George Harrison.
Having kept his own equipment from the 1970’s this became the seed of the collection he has today.
Equipment on display in Sandbach included a mixer and speakers from the Beatles time in the Abbey Road Studio. These items were acquired separately by Chris but all feature on the same picture which was displayed next to the exhibit. Another Beatles connected item was the sound compressor from John Lennon’s “Ascot Sound Studio” at his Tettenhurst Park residence which was sold in an auction of items after Ringo Star had acquired the house and studio from John when he moved to America and Ringo was selling off items he didn’t want to keep when he eventually sold the house. The compressor was used by John when he made his second solo album “Imagine” and was seen recently on television in documentary footage filmed during the recording of the record.
With such a great collection it is no wonder that Chris is called upon to supply film and television companies with authentic equipment for productions. Unfortunately once Chris has set up the equipment on site he is then not allowed to watch the filming of the scenes and only discovers what they had done when he receives a picture from the set or sees the finished results.
A mixer used in the Bohemian Rhapsody film’s “Live Aid” sequence was on display in the foyer of the record fair at the Market Hall. David Bowie and guitarist Mick Ronson were represented by a rehearsal mixer they used while putting together the “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” album. Pink Floyd plus Emerson, Lake and Palmer, were also featured in the exhibition at Sandbach with microphones, speakers, mixers and various items from studio’s and stages around the world taking up the Town Hall upstairs.
For those who have an interest in the history of Pop Music this was a great opportunity to get close to iconic pieces of equipment.
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30 November 2018
SANDBACH CHRISTMAS MARKET ATTRACTS THOUSANDS
Sandbach’s Christmas Market on the 30th November 2018, attracted thousands of people to see the stalls and enjoy the entertainment provided by the local schools, Sandbach Folk Club and various brass bands and musical groups from the area. One group of brass playing girls from Sandbach High School set up outside the Barnardo’s shop to raise funds for the charity. St Luke’s provided shelter from the rain for Santa Claus on their big red bus and like the light switch on event attracted a long queue of children to see him.
Starting at 3pm the stall holders has a slow start to the day but as time went on the crowds of people turned out on the showery evening to support the event and at one time both the indoor market and the market square cobbles were so crowded with people it was more packed than waiting for a train on Northern Rail.
Charity stalls mixed with traders to make this a really colourful event with Christmas themed items for sale and food a drink that you only get at this time of the year with the local Brownies providing the chestnuts roasting on an open gas fire with one shop giving away mulled wine with every purchase of a mince pie of piece of Christmas cake.
The original idea of a Christmas Market was combined with the “Lights Switch On”, but it soon became apparent that the two events clashed with each other and on the 3 December 2010 the first solo Christmas Market and late-night shopping took place in Sandbach with a larger number of stalls and entertainment in the town.
In 2015, the event had a celebrity appearance by the “Tears for Fears” original drummer Manny Elias who along with his actress wife Deborah Bouchard (Coronation Street and Emmerdale extra etc.) sold their “Bongo’s Chilli” which was originally made while Manny was touring with the band and four years later the couple are still coming to the Christmas Market to sell their popular chilli with many of their customers going to Congleton Makers market and others to get repeat orders. This year is especially important to Manny Elias as “Tears for Fears” released their first LP “The Hurting”, 35 years ago on the 7th March 1983 which went to number one in the UK album charts two weeks after release and included the hit song ‘Mad World’. Two years later the LP “Songs from the Big Chair” hit the shelves and put the group securely in the record history books.
The event also announced the winners of the Best Dressed Stall Holder competition, which this year was a combined effort by the 3rd Sandbach Brownies, with Carole Kinsella and Linda Gibbs in charge and various brownies helping out. Mayor Richard Hovey was tasked with choosing the winner and chose this stall because they had all dressed up for Christmas and kept to the spirit of the event. It was a close-run competition with the ladies from the St Luke’s stall in the Indoor Market coming second with their teddy bear and chocolate Santa fundraiser.
The other competition winner this year was for the “Best Shop Window Display”. Started in 1972 this is the longest running event in the Christmas build up only stopping briefly between 2003 to 2009 when the original organisers ceased to exist and a new sponsor was found to take over. In 2012 the Sandbach Town Council took over the organisation of the event and the Sandbach Mayor has been given the task of choosing the best window. Cllr Richard Hovey this year looked at all the windows in the town both during the daytime and at night time to make sure that it was the most attractive window during the season. This year’s winner was ‘William R Shoes’ whose design included snow, Christmas Trees, a wooden reindeer and plenty of Christmas magic made it a worthy winner. Designed by Jo Eeley it came as a bit of a surprise to the shopkeeper when Town Crier Dennis Robinson stopped outside the shop to announce the winner and the Mayor was there to present the cup to owner William Edey who quickly rang Jo on the phone so she could enjoy the formal presentation of the prize for her efforts.
With about 100 stalls on the Small Car Park, Indoor Market, Outside the Town Hall, upstairs at the Town Hall, down the high street and on the Market Square, music, food, present ideas, hand crafted products and an abundance of local artists selling cards of Christmas in Sandbach, as well as a good turn out from the usual market traders this event managed to kick start Christmas in a way only Sandbach can do.
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30 November 2018
SANDBACH CHRISTMAS MARKET ATTRACTS THOUSANDS
Sandbach’s Christmas Market on the 30th November 2018, attracted thousands of people to see the stalls and enjoy the entertainment provided by the local schools, Sandbach Folk Club and various brass bands and musical groups from the area. One group of brass playing girls from Sandbach High School set up outside the Barnardo’s shop to raise funds for the charity. St Luke’s provided shelter from the rain for Santa Claus on their big red bus and like the light switch on event attracted a long queue of children to see him.
Starting at 3pm the stall holders has a slow start to the day but as time went on the crowds of people turned out on the showery evening to support the event and at one time both the indoor market and the market square cobbles were so crowded with people it was more packed than waiting for a train on Northern Rail.
Charity stalls mixed with traders to make this a really colourful event with Christmas themed items for sale and food a drink that you only get at this time of the year with the local Brownies providing the chestnuts roasting on an open gas fire with one shop giving away mulled wine with every purchase of a mince pie of piece of Christmas cake.
The original idea of a Christmas Market was combined with the “Lights Switch On”, but it soon became apparent that the two events clashed with each other and on the 3 December 2010 the first solo Christmas Market and late-night shopping took place in Sandbach with a larger number of stalls and entertainment in the town.
In 2015, the event had a celebrity appearance by the “Tears for Fears” original drummer Manny Elias who along with his actress wife Deborah Bouchard (Coronation Street and Emmerdale extra etc.) sold their “Bongo’s Chilli” which was originally made while Manny was touring with the band and four years later the couple are still coming to the Christmas Market to sell their popular chilli with many of their customers going to Congleton Makers market and others to get repeat orders. This year is especially important to Manny Elias as “Tears for Fears” released their first LP “The Hurting”, 35 years ago on the 7th March 1983 which went to number one in the UK album charts two weeks after release and included the hit song ‘Mad World’. Two years later the LP “Songs from the Big Chair” hit the shelves and put the group securely in the record history books.
The event also announced the winners of the Best Dressed Stall Holder competition, which this year was a combined effort by the 3rd Sandbach Brownies, with Carole Kinsella and Linda Gibbs in charge and various brownies helping out. Mayor Richard Hovey was tasked with choosing the winner and chose this stall because they had all dressed up for Christmas and kept to the spirit of the event. It was a close-run competition with the ladies from the St Luke’s stall in the Indoor Market coming second with their teddy bear and chocolate Santa fundraiser.
The other competition winner this year was for the “Best Shop Window Display”. Started in 1972 this is the longest running event in the Christmas build up only stopping briefly between 2003 to 2009 when the original organisers ceased to exist and a new sponsor was found to take over. In 2012 the Sandbach Town Council took over the organisation of the event and the Sandbach Mayor has been given the task of choosing the best window. Cllr Richard Hovey this year looked at all the windows in the town both during the daytime and at night time to make sure that it was the most attractive window during the season. This year’s winner was ‘William R Shoes’ whose design included snow, Christmas Trees, a wooden reindeer and plenty of Christmas magic made it a worthy winner. Designed by Jo Eeley it came as a bit of a surprise to the shopkeeper when Town Crier Dennis Robinson stopped outside the shop to announce the winner and the Mayor was there to present the cup to owner William Edey who quickly rang Jo on the phone so she could enjoy the formal presentation of the prize for her efforts.
With about 100 stalls on the Small Car Park, Indoor Market, Outside the Town Hall, upstairs at the Town Hall, down the high street and on the Market Square, music, food, present ideas, hand crafted products and an abundance of local artists selling cards of Christmas in Sandbach, as well as a good turn out from the usual market traders this event managed to kick start Christmas in a way only Sandbach can do.
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25 November 2018
SANDBACH TALKING NEWSPAPER PRESENTS LONG SERVICE AWARDS
Formed 32 years ago the Sandbach Talking Newspaper has a dedicated team of people who read the local papers including the Sandbach Chronicle to blind and partially sighted people in the area.
Not confined to Sandbach the facility is available to anyone who has difficulty reading the local papers and magazines and has listeners in Alsager, Nantwich and further afield who get a memory stick with this week’s publication on it. They then plug the stick into a speaker system specially designed for the blind to hear the broadcast.
Formed in December 1986 the Sandbach Talking Newspaper started in the offices of Stuart Lowndes in Hind Heath Road. They then moved to Lea House in Old Middlewich Road and on the 24 April 2004, MP Lady Ann Winterton opened their new studio in 501 Crewe Road, Wheelock CW11 3RX the home of Tarmx. In the early days the programmes were put onto cassettes followed by changing to an MP3 format which is recorded and edited once a week in their studio.
Sandbach Mayor, Richard Hovey attended their meeting on the 25 November to hand out long service awards to members. Two volunteers, Sandra Sutton and Godfrey Williams have been with the society for 30 years, Pauline Thornton has been reading for 25 years and 20 years of service was recognised for Norma Stolworthy and Ann Main. A 15-year certificate was handed out to Elspeth O’Dell and 10-year certificates went to technician Andrew Rowland and reader Diane Noble.
Always on the look out for new members to help out organisers say it is not a 30-year commitment, some only do a few months or years with readers taking one evening in a rota that could be 8 weeks apart or on a more regular basis depending on availability. Contact can be made via their website or Facebook pages.
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25 November 2018
SANDBACH TALKING NEWSPAPER PRESENTS LONG SERVICE AWARDS
Formed 32 years ago the Sandbach Talking Newspaper has a dedicated team of people who read the local papers including the Sandbach Chronicle to blind and partially sighted people in the area.
Not confined to Sandbach the facility is available to anyone who has difficulty reading the local papers and magazines and has listeners in Alsager, Nantwich and further afield who get a memory stick with this week’s publication on it. They then plug the stick into a speaker system specially designed for the blind to hear the broadcast.
Formed in December 1986 the Sandbach Talking Newspaper started in the offices of Stuart Lowndes in Hind Heath Road. They then moved to Lea House in Old Middlewich Road and on the 24 April 2004, MP Lady Ann Winterton opened their new studio in 501 Crewe Road, Wheelock CW11 3RX the home of Tarmx. In the early days the programmes were put onto cassettes followed by changing to an MP3 format which is recorded and edited once a week in their studio.
Sandbach Mayor, Richard Hovey attended their meeting on the 25 November to hand out long service awards to members. Two volunteers, Sandra Sutton and Godfrey Williams have been with the society for 30 years, Pauline Thornton has been reading for 25 years and 20 years of service was recognised for Norma Stolworthy and Ann Main. A 15-year certificate was handed out to Elspeth O’Dell and 10-year certificates went to technician Andrew Rowland and reader Diane Noble.
Always on the look out for new members to help out organisers say it is not a 30-year commitment, some only do a few months or years with readers taking one evening in a rota that could be 8 weeks apart or on a more regular basis depending on availability. Contact can be made via their website or Facebook pages.
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24 November 2018
SANDBACH LIGHTS SWITCH ON
With 31 days left to Christmas the Sandbach Lights Committee have arranged the annual switch on in the town.
On Sunday the 18th November 2018, the Sandbach Round Table and volunteers put up the lights in the town with features on the Literary Institute, Town Hall and the newly refurbished Market Hall. There is also the usual parking spot for Santa Clause and his sleigh waiting at the Community Garden on the corner of Scotch Common by the Library and Fire Station and PC Frosty is standing guard outside the Police Station ready to make sure the sleigh has enough room to take off on its journey on Christmas Eve. This year the lights are complimented by some wonderful new displays that have been installed in the shop windows for Christmas shoppers and also to be judged on Friday the 30 November by the Mayor, Richard Hovey as part of the Christmas Market which is part of the town’s countdown to the celebration of the birth of Jesus on the 25th December.
Sandbach Round Table were also on hand at the Switch On, to look after Father Christmas as he not only helped to switch on the lights with the Mayor of Sandbach, Richard Hovey, but also listened to a long line of children’s lists of what they want for Christmas. The Round Table have agreed a new contract with Father Christmas to take him on tour around the town in the next few weeks when children (And adults) will be able to meet him before he sets off on his great journey on the morning of Christmas to deliver all the presents. They also have a website where you can track the Sandbach Santa as he travels around the local streets.
The original lights were switched on in Sandbach about 1977-8 when Dennis Robinson, John Moore, and later Roy Sutton joined Russell Kinsey of the Chamber of Trade to bring them to the town. Light displays were supplied from the Blackpool Illuminations which were collected by Graham Alcock and committee members who then installed them around the town with some soldiers being attached to the Military Arms on Congleton Road and other displays being attached to the old cement street lighting with cables run down the posts into the timer at the bottom behind a cover which was left open to the elements, something health and safety today would condemn. Rope lighting was also strung down Bold Street and outside Just Jill’s where they were plugged into a 13amp socket in the shops with a choc block connection distributing the power to various strings.
When Russell Kinsey left the Chamber of Trade the organisation of the lights became the responsibility of a group of volunteers. The committee included Graham and Elsie Alcock who became part of the organising committee at the end of the 1990’s and are now responsible for the maintaining of the lights, design and organising of the funding for the switch on event and running costs.
The tree on the Market Square this year has cost about £1,000 and was funded by Sandbach Town Council who have also made up the £6,500 grant which the organisers have collected to spend on this year’s display. Costs have been incurred for the lights, cherry picker used to put them up, insurance and the launch event with a sound system and the stage that cost £1,000 for the night.
Back in 2005, the Sandbach Town Council gave the Christmas Lights Committee £2,000 to help with the costs of the season with the rest of the money being supplied by shop keepers in the town but as the high street shops started to lose business to the internet and out of town centres, they became reluctant to donate to the lights and at one time their future was not looking very bright and was in jeopardy of going out. But due to the dedication of the volunteers they were kept going and have now become an integral part of many events during the Christmas season.
With global warming in the news a few years ago the committee decided to throw away the old tungsten filament bulbs and changed to the new LED lights which not only save electricity but also still give as bright a light as the old type.
Previous events included in 2007 entertainment provided by the Sandbach Ladies Choir and Sandbach School Band, in 2013 Peter Pan and the Fairy from the Pantomime at the Lyceum Crewe arrived with Dot Flint of the Sandbach Partnership, Fiona Bruce (MP) and Silk 106.9 to press the button.
The 2014, switch on had Peter Piper (Comedian) from the Pantomime “Jack and The Beanstalk”, along with local traders getting into the spirit of the occasion with one of the restaurants running a name the snowman competition and the Market Tavern on the square switched on their own lights at the same time as the town’s illuminations.
On the 28 November 2015, the switch on was dampened when rain drenched the Market Square as hundreds of people turned out to see the cast of the Crewe Lyceum Pantomime, “Cinderella” turn on the lights along with Father Christmas (Santa to his friends) and Sandbach Mayor Gill Merry. Alice Baker who starred as Cinderella was joined by Richard Foster King and Darren Southworth who were the Ugly Sisters on stage as they appeared to choose the best fancy dress costume as well as entertain the crowds.
In 2016, Sandbach had its annual Light Switch-On in Fog with the star attraction of Malcolm Lord who was playing Dame Widow Twankey in “Aladdin”. Malcolm Lord was the third actor to play Bungle in the Children’s programme Rainbow a show that was shown on ITV in the 1970’s.
Last year again had rain as the organisers arranged the fairground rides and of course the annual visit of Father Christmas with the Round Table float.
Praise this year must go to Elsie and Graham Alcock, who arranged the day and have spent the last few months checking all the lights, looking at them one by one to make sure they all worked.
The lights will be seen over the Christmas Season and will enhance the Christmas Market on the 30 November in the Market Square, High Street, Town Hall, Market Hall and Small Car Park.
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24 November 2018
SANDBACH LIGHTS SWITCH ON
With 31 days left to Christmas the Sandbach Lights Committee have arranged the annual switch on in the town.
On Sunday the 18th November 2018, the Sandbach Round Table and volunteers put up the lights in the town with features on the Literary Institute, Town Hall and the newly refurbished Market Hall. There is also the usual parking spot for Santa Clause and his sleigh waiting at the Community Garden on the corner of Scotch Common by the Library and Fire Station and PC Frosty is standing guard outside the Police Station ready to make sure the sleigh has enough room to take off on its journey on Christmas Eve. This year the lights are complimented by some wonderful new displays that have been installed in the shop windows for Christmas shoppers and also to be judged on Friday the 30 November by the Mayor, Richard Hovey as part of the Christmas Market which is part of the town’s countdown to the celebration of the birth of Jesus on the 25th December.
Sandbach Round Table were also on hand at the Switch On, to look after Father Christmas as he not only helped to switch on the lights with the Mayor of Sandbach, Richard Hovey, but also listened to a long line of children’s lists of what they want for Christmas. The Round Table have agreed a new contract with Father Christmas to take him on tour around the town in the next few weeks when children (And adults) will be able to meet him before he sets off on his great journey on the morning of Christmas to deliver all the presents. They also have a website where you can track the Sandbach Santa as he travels around the local streets.
The original lights were switched on in Sandbach about 1977-8 when Dennis Robinson, John Moore, and later Roy Sutton joined Russell Kinsey of the Chamber of Trade to bring them to the town. Light displays were supplied from the Blackpool Illuminations which were collected by Graham Alcock and committee members who then installed them around the town with some soldiers being attached to the Military Arms on Congleton Road and other displays being attached to the old cement street lighting with cables run down the posts into the timer at the bottom behind a cover which was left open to the elements, something health and safety today would condemn. Rope lighting was also strung down Bold Street and outside Just Jill’s where they were plugged into a 13amp socket in the shops with a choc block connection distributing the power to various strings.
When Russell Kinsey left the Chamber of Trade the organisation of the lights became the responsibility of a group of volunteers. The committee included Graham and Elsie Alcock who became part of the organising committee at the end of the 1990’s and are now responsible for the maintaining of the lights, design and organising of the funding for the switch on event and running costs.
The tree on the Market Square this year has cost about £1,000 and was funded by Sandbach Town Council who have also made up the £6,500 grant which the organisers have collected to spend on this year’s display. Costs have been incurred for the lights, cherry picker used to put them up, insurance and the launch event with a sound system and the stage that cost £1,000 for the night.
Back in 2005, the Sandbach Town Council gave the Christmas Lights Committee £2,000 to help with the costs of the season with the rest of the money being supplied by shop keepers in the town but as the high street shops started to lose business to the internet and out of town centres, they became reluctant to donate to the lights and at one time their future was not looking very bright and was in jeopardy of going out. But due to the dedication of the volunteers they were kept going and have now become an integral part of many events during the Christmas season.
With global warming in the news a few years ago the committee decided to throw away the old tungsten filament bulbs and changed to the new LED lights which not only save electricity but also still give as bright a light as the old type.
Previous events included in 2007 entertainment provided by the Sandbach Ladies Choir and Sandbach School Band, in 2013 Peter Pan and the Fairy from the Pantomime at the Lyceum Crewe arrived with Dot Flint of the Sandbach Partnership, Fiona Bruce (MP) and Silk 106.9 to press the button.
The 2014, switch on had Peter Piper (Comedian) from the Pantomime “Jack and The Beanstalk”, along with local traders getting into the spirit of the occasion with one of the restaurants running a name the snowman competition and the Market Tavern on the square switched on their own lights at the same time as the town’s illuminations.
On the 28 November 2015, the switch on was dampened when rain drenched the Market Square as hundreds of people turned out to see the cast of the Crewe Lyceum Pantomime, “Cinderella” turn on the lights along with Father Christmas (Santa to his friends) and Sandbach Mayor Gill Merry. Alice Baker who starred as Cinderella was joined by Richard Foster King and Darren Southworth who were the Ugly Sisters on stage as they appeared to choose the best fancy dress costume as well as entertain the crowds.
In 2016, Sandbach had its annual Light Switch-On in Fog with the star attraction of Malcolm Lord who was playing Dame Widow Twankey in “Aladdin”. Malcolm Lord was the third actor to play Bungle in the Children’s programme Rainbow a show that was shown on ITV in the 1970’s.
Last year again had rain as the organisers arranged the fairground rides and of course the annual visit of Father Christmas with the Round Table float.
Praise this year must go to Elsie and Graham Alcock, who arranged the day and have spent the last few months checking all the lights, looking at them one by one to make sure they all worked.
The lights will be seen over the Christmas Season and will enhance the Christmas Market on the 30 November in the Market Square, High Street, Town Hall, Market Hall and Small Car Park.
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11 November 2018
ARMISTICE DAY IN SANDBACH
With the end of the Great War exactly 100 years ago to the day Sandbach paid a fitting tribute to all who had fallen during the bloodiest war the people of Great Britain had seen. With conscription being introduced for the first time to replace soldiers who were facing the fiercest opponent the world had ever seen, there were 726 men who signed up in the St Mary’s Parish, with 80 of them not returning to the town and more than 162 who failed to come home from the whole area of Sandbach.
There must have been over 1,000 people at the War Memorial in the town centre in Sandbach to remember those not only from WW1 but also conflicts around the world in the 100 years since.
In 1918, on the day that war ended there was a procession from Elworth and Wheelock by the workers from the Foden factory and Messrs Brunner Mond, with the Foden Motor Works Band marching in the afternoon from Elworth while playing lively airs in celebration of the peace treaty. Flags were flown at most of the windows and the church bells were rung. This year the procession was led by the Roberts Bakery Band who trumpeted the arrival of the dignitaries, Royal British Legion members, Council officials and Councillors, with members of the Armed forces, youth groups and representatives of the Police and Fire services as they marched from Westfields on Middlewich Road to the War Memorial in the Market Square.
Unfortunately, at 10.20am the Council staff at the memorial found that the power supply to their equipment was unavailable due to a technical fault. Having checked the fuses and plugs it was decided to enlist the help of two local people, Ian Alexander and Susan Walker who both had battery powered speakers to help supply the sound for the service at 11am.
The Lions Band had been playing since 10.30am on the cobbles and now were ready for a small service on the square with a local choir joining those gathered for the first hymn, “O Valiant hearts who to your glory come”.
With the sound equipment installed Reg Dunning and the Revd Thomas Shepherd then continued with the last post played by a member of Roberts Bakery Band, the Ode to the Fallen, “They shall not grow old…” a minutes silence and then the laying of the wreaths with the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Mr Tony Garnett, first followed by Sandbach Mayor, Richard Hovey, Cllr Barry Moran (Sandbach and Cheshire East) and local organisations including the ATC, Army Cadets, Brownies, Girl Guides, Scouts, Sandbach School, Sandbach Girls School and Sandbach Fire Cadets.
After the parade had moved on to St Mary’s Church for a Service of Remembrance the public then came forward to pay their own respects to family members who had died during conflicts including Olivia Harris (aged 7) who planted a cross for her Grandad Tom and Grandma Iris.
Remembrance Day moved to St Mary’s Church where on the 17 November 1918 the town held a United Thanksgiving service at 3pm with “All people that on earth do dwell”, “God is our hope and strength” opening the singing, with Foden’s Band playing “The Hallelujah Chorus” as well as accompanying the hymns.
Although the Vicar didn’t follow the 1918 service one member of Foden’s Band in his own way connected the two events together as he played with the Lions Band, following on from his predecessor in the Foden’s Motor Works Band which had played in the St Mary’s Church 100 years before. Iain McKnight of Foden’s Band played the Eb Tuba as the congregation sang, “Eternal God, before whose face we stand” and heard lessons and psalms from the vicar and members of the congregation. Mrs Marjory Newton laid a wreath at the back of the church on behalf of the Royal British Legion under their flags which are situated by the memorial window, before the vicar started the prayers of intercession read by an ex-serviceman, a funeral director, a current member of HM Armed Forces, a civilian, a Sergeant in the Police force, the Mayor of Sandbach, a cadet and three young people.
The service ended with the National Anthem and Blessing as it did in 1918 but unlike the end of the war service when Foden’s Band played a concluding voluntary the bells of St Mary’ started to ring out in 2018 across the town at the start of a 3 hours peal which ended at 3.30pm.
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11 November 2018
ARMISTICE DAY IN SANDBACH
With the end of the Great War exactly 100 years ago to the day Sandbach paid a fitting tribute to all who had fallen during the bloodiest war the people of Great Britain had seen. With conscription being introduced for the first time to replace soldiers who were facing the fiercest opponent the world had ever seen, there were 726 men who signed up in the St Mary’s Parish, with 80 of them not returning to the town and more than 162 who failed to come home from the whole area of Sandbach.
There must have been over 1,000 people at the War Memorial in the town centre in Sandbach to remember those not only from WW1 but also conflicts around the world in the 100 years since.
In 1918, on the day that war ended there was a procession from Elworth and Wheelock by the workers from the Foden factory and Messrs Brunner Mond, with the Foden Motor Works Band marching in the afternoon from Elworth while playing lively airs in celebration of the peace treaty. Flags were flown at most of the windows and the church bells were rung. This year the procession was led by the Roberts Bakery Band who trumpeted the arrival of the dignitaries, Royal British Legion members, Council officials and Councillors, with members of the Armed forces, youth groups and representatives of the Police and Fire services as they marched from Westfields on Middlewich Road to the War Memorial in the Market Square.
Unfortunately, at 10.20am the Council staff at the memorial found that the power supply to their equipment was unavailable due to a technical fault. Having checked the fuses and plugs it was decided to enlist the help of two local people, Ian Alexander and Susan Walker who both had battery powered speakers to help supply the sound for the service at 11am.
The Lions Band had been playing since 10.30am on the cobbles and now were ready for a small service on the square with a local choir joining those gathered for the first hymn, “O Valiant hearts who to your glory come”.
With the sound equipment installed Reg Dunning and the Revd Thomas Shepherd then continued with the last post played by a member of Roberts Bakery Band, the Ode to the Fallen, “They shall not grow old…” a minutes silence and then the laying of the wreaths with the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Mr Tony Garnett, first followed by Sandbach Mayor, Richard Hovey, Cllr Barry Moran (Sandbach and Cheshire East) and local organisations including the ATC, Army Cadets, Brownies, Girl Guides, Scouts, Sandbach School, Sandbach Girls School and Sandbach Fire Cadets.
After the parade had moved on to St Mary’s Church for a Service of Remembrance the public then came forward to pay their own respects to family members who had died during conflicts including Olivia Harris (aged 7) who planted a cross for her Grandad Tom and Grandma Iris.
Remembrance Day moved to St Mary’s Church where on the 17 November 1918 the town held a United Thanksgiving service at 3pm with “All people that on earth do dwell”, “God is our hope and strength” opening the singing, with Foden’s Band playing “The Hallelujah Chorus” as well as accompanying the hymns.
Although the Vicar didn’t follow the 1918 service one member of Foden’s Band in his own way connected the two events together as he played with the Lions Band, following on from his predecessor in the Foden’s Motor Works Band which had played in the St Mary’s Church 100 years before. Iain McKnight of Foden’s Band played the Eb Tuba as the congregation sang, “Eternal God, before whose face we stand” and heard lessons and psalms from the vicar and members of the congregation. Mrs Marjory Newton laid a wreath at the back of the church on behalf of the Royal British Legion under their flags which are situated by the memorial window, before the vicar started the prayers of intercession read by an ex-serviceman, a funeral director, a current member of HM Armed Forces, a civilian, a Sergeant in the Police force, the Mayor of Sandbach, a cadet and three young people.
The service ended with the National Anthem and Blessing as it did in 1918 but unlike the end of the war service when Foden’s Band played a concluding voluntary the bells of St Mary’ started to ring out in 2018 across the town at the start of a 3 hours peal which ended at 3.30pm.
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11 November 2018
PEAL OF BELLS FOR ARMISTICE DAY IN SANDBACH
To mark the end of the First World War, bell towers across the world have played a Peal in celebration of the event, similar to what happened in 1918 after the bells had been silent for the years of conflict. When they got the news at the end of the war the campanologists from all the towns in Britain took to the ropes to ring out the bells so the whole country could find out that there would be no more fighting and their brave soldiers would return home.
Sandbach is one of a number of towers that have decided to take this a stage further and attempt a Peal of Bells which lasts three hours non-stop. I am told that if you make a wrong note in the 5,040 changes you have to stop. The team of eight ringers managed to do the full peal from 12.30pm to 3.30pm a feat not performed in Sandbach since it was last attempted in 1973. This wonderful sound and tribute to the fallen including the 1,400 bell ringers who took part in the great war and lost their lives fighting for their country and freedom.
Daryl L Bratt, Lynne P Hughes, Cathy E Potter, Jason Bowden-King, Thomas A Nestor, Steven Stoker, Timothy M Davis and Andy Guest took part in this unique experience with Lynne returning from Dawlish in Devon to take part in the event having been encouraged to take up the hobby by her mother who usually rings the bells at St Mary’s. The ringers managed the peal and looked as fresh as they did when they started but I am sure they were ready for a rest. However, most of the ringers returned to the bell tower in the evening to ring for the service and one went to Crewe where they were ringing in the town centre church tower for the last time as it was becoming unsafe.
If anyone fancies having a go the church are looking for volunteers maybe to ring for a short time but I am told they would like to attempt the full peal again next year.
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11 November 2018
PEAL OF BELLS FOR ARMISTICE DAY IN SANDBACH
To mark the end of the First World War, bell towers across the world have played a Peal in celebration of the event, similar to what happened in 1918 after the bells had been silent for the years of conflict. When they got the news at the end of the war the campanologists from all the towns in Britain took to the ropes to ring out the bells so the whole country could find out that there would be no more fighting and their brave soldiers would return home.
Sandbach is one of a number of towers that have decided to take this a stage further and attempt a Peal of Bells which lasts three hours non-stop. I am told that if you make a wrong note in the 5,040 changes you have to stop. The team of eight ringers managed to do the full peal from 12.30pm to 3.30pm a feat not performed in Sandbach since it was last attempted in 1973. This wonderful sound and tribute to the fallen including the 1,400 bell ringers who took part in the great war and lost their lives fighting for their country and freedom.
Daryl L Bratt, Lynne P Hughes, Cathy E Potter, Jason Bowden-King, Thomas A Nestor, Steven Stoker, Timothy M Davis and Andy Guest took part in this unique experience with Lynne returning from Dawlish in Devon to take part in the event having been encouraged to take up the hobby by her mother who usually rings the bells at St Mary’s. The ringers managed the peal and looked as fresh as they did when they started but I am sure they were ready for a rest. However, most of the ringers returned to the bell tower in the evening to ring for the service and one went to Crewe where they were ringing in the town centre church tower for the last time as it was becoming unsafe.
If anyone fancies having a go the church are looking for volunteers maybe to ring for a short time but I am told they would like to attempt the full peal again next year.
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3 November 2018
FODEN’S BAND SOLO, DUET AND QUARTET COMPETITION
Brass Band, “National Championship” winners Foden’s Band has been busy with its youth projects in Sandbach over the last two weeks culminating in their eighth Solo, Duet and Quartet competition at Sandbach School on the 3 November 2018. This was a week after a Youth Festival funded by the Arts Council of England on Sunday the 28th October, involving tuition for youngsters along with a series of small concerts to show what the players had learnt and culminated in a show with local band’s taking part with Foden’s Band.
The competition this week has become an international affair with 64 players taking part in over 14 classes (Competitions) of which at least 26 competitors were from continental Europe. Four players took on the challenge of four different classes with 13 taking part in 3 classes of competition which ranged from Open Slow Medley, Open Air Varie, through Open Duet and Quartet to a new class the Parent and Child Duet which was possibly inspired by the duet of Tim Pannel and his son Archie who at the age of 5 last year wowed audiences before the lunchtime presentation of awards.
The competition was adjudicated by Gary Curtin (Foden’s Band Solo Euphonium player.), Jimmy Hayes (Scottish Funeralcare Co-op Band Cornet Solo), Dr Brett Baker (Black Dyke Band Solo Trombone) and Philip Tait who was given the task of awarding a new prize by judging the best Cornet Player of the competition with a cash prize donated by Foden Band Patron, Mrs Pat Smith.
Started in 2011 with eleven classes the organisers of the competition have secured sponsorship for various classes from past and present members of the band like Jimmy Charles who donated an award under his late wife’s name for the Louise Charles Memorial Trophy which was awarded to the 16 to 21 Air Varie. Granville Jennings donated the trophy for the under 16 Air Varie, while Mark Wilkinson (Principal Cornet) supplied the Open Slow Melody trophy. There were also a number of other trophies donated for musicians who deserved a special mention including best local player donated by Sandbach Town Council and youngest player.
However, the star award was not handed out during the competition as on display in the main hall was the National Championship Trophy which the band won at the Royal Albert Hall on the 6th of October 2018 when they beat Cory Band into second place, Brighouse and Rastrick into third with Black Dyke and Fairey coming in fourth and fifth. Competitors lined up to take their picture with the trophy while at the same time hoping they could take home some silver for themselves from the prize table next to it.
Main organiser Fiona Rolfe and members of the band have again excelled themselves with the competition which brought talent from all over the world to Sandbach.
Europeans, Benjamin and father Juergen Krauss took part in the Parent and Child class on trombones while Emil and brother Florian Krogsaeter from Norway joined Roman Mohylergts from the Ukraine, now living in Norway, in various categories of the competition, looked over by their Belgium teacher. Family members Margot, Martijn and Simon Binon all returning from last year with Hannah Taylor from Rode Heath and Lilly Mae McLaren from Biddulph joining Bethany and India Harby, both from Sandbach, to make this a truly international event.
With the freedom of movement still available while we are in Europe the increase in those from abroad was noticeable at this year’s event but what will happen next year may tell a different story. However, the standard of local musicians is improving with the help of Foden’s Band so next year if the Europeans do manage to get here, they will be in for some stiff opposition and a wonderful day of competition in a very welcome Sandbach.
3 November 2018
FODEN’S BAND SOLO, DUET AND QUARTET COMPETITION
Brass Band, “National Championship” winners Foden’s Band has been busy with its youth projects in Sandbach over the last two weeks culminating in their eighth Solo, Duet and Quartet competition at Sandbach School on the 3 November 2018. This was a week after a Youth Festival funded by the Arts Council of England on Sunday the 28th October, involving tuition for youngsters along with a series of small concerts to show what the players had learnt and culminated in a show with local band’s taking part with Foden’s Band.
The competition this week has become an international affair with 64 players taking part in over 14 classes (Competitions) of which at least 26 competitors were from continental Europe. Four players took on the challenge of four different classes with 13 taking part in 3 classes of competition which ranged from Open Slow Medley, Open Air Varie, through Open Duet and Quartet to a new class the Parent and Child Duet which was possibly inspired by the duet of Tim Pannel and his son Archie who at the age of 5 last year wowed audiences before the lunchtime presentation of awards.
The competition was adjudicated by Gary Curtin (Foden’s Band Solo Euphonium player.), Jimmy Hayes (Scottish Funeralcare Co-op Band Cornet Solo), Dr Brett Baker (Black Dyke Band Solo Trombone) and Philip Tait who was given the task of awarding a new prize by judging the best Cornet Player of the competition with a cash prize donated by Foden Band Patron, Mrs Pat Smith.
Started in 2011 with eleven classes the organisers of the competition have secured sponsorship for various classes from past and present members of the band like Jimmy Charles who donated an award under his late wife’s name for the Louise Charles Memorial Trophy which was awarded to the 16 to 21 Air Varie. Granville Jennings donated the trophy for the under 16 Air Varie, while Mark Wilkinson (Principal Cornet) supplied the Open Slow Melody trophy. There were also a number of other trophies donated for musicians who deserved a special mention including best local player donated by Sandbach Town Council and youngest player.
However, the star award was not handed out during the competition as on display in the main hall was the National Championship Trophy which the band won at the Royal Albert Hall on the 6th of October 2018 when they beat Cory Band into second place, Brighouse and Rastrick into third with Black Dyke and Fairey coming in fourth and fifth. Competitors lined up to take their picture with the trophy while at the same time hoping they could take home some silver for themselves from the prize table next to it.
Main organiser Fiona Rolfe and members of the band have again excelled themselves with the competition which brought talent from all over the world to Sandbach.
Europeans, Benjamin and father Juergen Krauss took part in the Parent and Child class on trombones while Emil and brother Florian Krogsaeter from Norway joined Roman Mohylergts from the Ukraine, now living in Norway, in various categories of the competition, looked over by their Belgium teacher. Family members Margot, Martijn and Simon Binon all returning from last year with Hannah Taylor from Rode Heath and Lilly Mae McLaren from Biddulph joining Bethany and India Harby, both from Sandbach, to make this a truly international event.
With the freedom of movement still available while we are in Europe the increase in those from abroad was noticeable at this year’s event but what will happen next year may tell a different story. However, the standard of local musicians is improving with the help of Foden’s Band so next year if the Europeans do manage to get here, they will be in for some stiff opposition and a wonderful day of competition in a very welcome Sandbach.
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27 October 2018
HALLOWEEN EVENT IN SANDBACH
The Sandbach Partnership have again staged a Halloween Event in the town with various stalls and a fancy-dress competition with children dressing up in their monstrous costumes. The Street Dance Academy staged a version of the Time Warp.
27 October 2018
HALLOWEEN EVENT IN SANDBACH
The Sandbach Partnership have again staged a Halloween Event in the town with various stalls and a fancy-dress competition with children dressing up in their monstrous costumes. The Street Dance Academy staged a version of the Time Warp.
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27 October 2018
AUTHOR AT LIBRARY EVENT
On Saturday the 27 October 2018, Children’s writer Fiona Barker paid a visit to Sandbach Library as part of a tour to launch her latest book “Danny and the Dream Dog”. The book is published locally in Stockport and is about a boy called Danny who desperately wanted a dog but like Fiona’s parents she was denied the opportunity for a pet until things take an unexpected turn. Fiona is also in the same position with her daughter who keeps asking for a dog and despite Fiona’s patents having dogs before she was born their daughter Fiona have so far not succumbed to the temptation to get a pet for her daughter as it has not been practical but the experience has become the inspiration for the book.
In 2016, Fiona self-published her first book “Amelie and the Great Outdoors” which was illustrated by Rosie Brooks, however when she met an illustrator called Howard Gray at a writer conference two years ago while he was pushing his own book idea and had his own illustrations to show to publishers, Fiona thought they looked good and asked him if he would be interested in illustrating her book if was published. This is Howard’s first Children’s Picture Book and soon a publisher was found who agreed to take on the book, writer and also Howard as illustrator.
Like a lot of writers Fiona didn’t think of starting her writing until she had a child and started reading picture books to her daughter. This was a time when she became aware of the great illustrations available for younger readers with the pictures helping to tell the story for both the reader and the listener as it is read to them. This bond between reader and listener can bring the child closer to the story as together they visualise the settings and characters in the book. The child leans to read the picture as well as the words and it helps them with the develop of their emotional literacy and experience to interpret their expressions in everyday life. They lean to experience emotions that they won’t always experience on a daily basis and get to try them out via the picture books through the image rather than just the text making this a good way of introducing children to books and their imagination.
As a child of the 70’s, Fiona grew up in a time when there was an explosion of ‘Picture books’ and vividly remembers the books she was read when she was a child and still remembers seeing the pictures and bits of the text from those stories. “That is the great thing about these books they stay with you for life and become a part of growing up and it is a massif privilege to be a part of that world and to think that in the future someone will look back on her books”.
When growing up Fiona remembers books like “Whistle for Willie”, which like her own book was about a dog. It was about a little boy who wanted to learn to whistle to be able to call the dog. Another book which starts with the words “Every night after the sun went down Buzzy, Jane and Snapper….”, is remembered by the author for the opening lines of the book, but she cannot remember the title, which shows how important an opening line is to a story as it captures the imagination and makes you want to read on.
The work of a writer has certainly changed over the years as You-Tube, Twitter and Facebook now play such a big part in publicising a book with versions available as cartoons and digital versions on Amazon. But the picture book format for youngsters doesn’t fit into this internet world of E Books as the market is very small and because the best way to appreciate them is for a relative to read to the child while looking at the illustrations. Publishers have a format for picture books that works for the reader and rather than taking a guess as to how to do this type of book the writer is moved into the template if they want their book to succeed and be published.
Fiona Barker also looks after the ‘Picture Book Club’, which is for adults who love picture books and want to find out more about them as well as appreciating the format. With regular gatherings all over the country they have speakers from the world of picture books with authors, illustrators, publishers and agents coming to meetings to talk about their role in the publication world and then they have cake, which is decorated in a style connected to the speaker from book covers to character illustrations.
The day job of the author is as an audiologist in a hospital, who helps people who have balance problems to get better through diet and education about life changes. So, this new venture into the book world is an interesting side-line and going to libraries is something Fiona Barker enjoys as she meets her readers and this time round talks dogs.
27 October 2018
AUTHOR AT LIBRARY EVENT
On Saturday the 27 October 2018, Children’s writer Fiona Barker paid a visit to Sandbach Library as part of a tour to launch her latest book “Danny and the Dream Dog”. The book is published locally in Stockport and is about a boy called Danny who desperately wanted a dog but like Fiona’s parents she was denied the opportunity for a pet until things take an unexpected turn. Fiona is also in the same position with her daughter who keeps asking for a dog and despite Fiona’s patents having dogs before she was born their daughter Fiona have so far not succumbed to the temptation to get a pet for her daughter as it has not been practical but the experience has become the inspiration for the book.
In 2016, Fiona self-published her first book “Amelie and the Great Outdoors” which was illustrated by Rosie Brooks, however when she met an illustrator called Howard Gray at a writer conference two years ago while he was pushing his own book idea and had his own illustrations to show to publishers, Fiona thought they looked good and asked him if he would be interested in illustrating her book if was published. This is Howard’s first Children’s Picture Book and soon a publisher was found who agreed to take on the book, writer and also Howard as illustrator.
Like a lot of writers Fiona didn’t think of starting her writing until she had a child and started reading picture books to her daughter. This was a time when she became aware of the great illustrations available for younger readers with the pictures helping to tell the story for both the reader and the listener as it is read to them. This bond between reader and listener can bring the child closer to the story as together they visualise the settings and characters in the book. The child leans to read the picture as well as the words and it helps them with the develop of their emotional literacy and experience to interpret their expressions in everyday life. They lean to experience emotions that they won’t always experience on a daily basis and get to try them out via the picture books through the image rather than just the text making this a good way of introducing children to books and their imagination.
As a child of the 70’s, Fiona grew up in a time when there was an explosion of ‘Picture books’ and vividly remembers the books she was read when she was a child and still remembers seeing the pictures and bits of the text from those stories. “That is the great thing about these books they stay with you for life and become a part of growing up and it is a massif privilege to be a part of that world and to think that in the future someone will look back on her books”.
When growing up Fiona remembers books like “Whistle for Willie”, which like her own book was about a dog. It was about a little boy who wanted to learn to whistle to be able to call the dog. Another book which starts with the words “Every night after the sun went down Buzzy, Jane and Snapper….”, is remembered by the author for the opening lines of the book, but she cannot remember the title, which shows how important an opening line is to a story as it captures the imagination and makes you want to read on.
The work of a writer has certainly changed over the years as You-Tube, Twitter and Facebook now play such a big part in publicising a book with versions available as cartoons and digital versions on Amazon. But the picture book format for youngsters doesn’t fit into this internet world of E Books as the market is very small and because the best way to appreciate them is for a relative to read to the child while looking at the illustrations. Publishers have a format for picture books that works for the reader and rather than taking a guess as to how to do this type of book the writer is moved into the template if they want their book to succeed and be published.
Fiona Barker also looks after the ‘Picture Book Club’, which is for adults who love picture books and want to find out more about them as well as appreciating the format. With regular gatherings all over the country they have speakers from the world of picture books with authors, illustrators, publishers and agents coming to meetings to talk about their role in the publication world and then they have cake, which is decorated in a style connected to the speaker from book covers to character illustrations.
The day job of the author is as an audiologist in a hospital, who helps people who have balance problems to get better through diet and education about life changes. So, this new venture into the book world is an interesting side-line and going to libraries is something Fiona Barker enjoys as she meets her readers and this time round talks dogs.
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27 October 2018
LAUNCH OF POPPY APPEAL
On the 27 October 2018 the Royal British Legion launched its annual Poppy Appeal in Waitrose with the help of the Fire Cadets and the local PCSO.
27 October 2018
LAUNCH OF POPPY APPEAL
On the 27 October 2018 the Royal British Legion launched its annual Poppy Appeal in Waitrose with the help of the Fire Cadets and the local PCSO.
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26 October 2018
ART COMES TO SANDBACH
The Sandbach Art Club held their annual exhibition at the Masonic Hall in the town on Friday the 26th October, Saturday (27th) and Sunday (28th) with 188 submitted pictures from 36 artists.
Subjects were as varied as the choice of medium and style of art work with ink drawn hares, oil painted boats, scenes of Cheshire towns in watercolours and a pack of dogs in various colours. Relief works, oil and acrylic paintings surrounded the main room at the hall during the second exhibition at the venue this year. The Sandbach Art Club also hold an event during the annual Sandbach Transport Festival in April and individual members show off their works during the monthly Sandbach Concert Series at St Mary’s Church Hall on the last Wednesday of the month.
Guests at the opening of the exhibition included the Leader of the Cheshire East Council, Cllr Rachel Bailey, Cllr Paul Bates, and Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey, who all enjoyed looking at the artists work. Rachel Bailey was keen to attend the exhibition after the request from the art club arrived on her desk and liked a number of pictures including one of a sailing yacht that managed to capture the movement of the sea perfectly.
The Art club meets every Friday at the Masonic Hall between 9.00am and 12.00noon with between thirty and forty active members, along with a waiting list of people wanting to join this thriving community of artists who enjoy talks and workshops during their meetings. The latest speaker will be showing them how to paint without brushes. The club have recently acquired a camera and projector to capture the demonstration and project the small details onto a larger screen so members can appreciate the finer points of the speakers work, thus giving them more information about the different styles of art work. The artists also go on trips to gain more knowledge of different media with a recent trip going to see Lino prints at Hepworth and in November they will be attending the Craft Fair at the NEC in Birmingham.
If you missed the exhibition and would like to see some more of the pictures, the next display by the society will be at the Snowdrop Walks at Rose Heath on the 8 February to the 1 March 2019 and the Concert Series on the 31 October and 28 November 2018.
Anyone wishing to be added to the list of prospective members should contact [email protected] (Chairman) or [email protected] (Secretary)
26 October 2018
ART COMES TO SANDBACH
The Sandbach Art Club held their annual exhibition at the Masonic Hall in the town on Friday the 26th October, Saturday (27th) and Sunday (28th) with 188 submitted pictures from 36 artists.
Subjects were as varied as the choice of medium and style of art work with ink drawn hares, oil painted boats, scenes of Cheshire towns in watercolours and a pack of dogs in various colours. Relief works, oil and acrylic paintings surrounded the main room at the hall during the second exhibition at the venue this year. The Sandbach Art Club also hold an event during the annual Sandbach Transport Festival in April and individual members show off their works during the monthly Sandbach Concert Series at St Mary’s Church Hall on the last Wednesday of the month.
Guests at the opening of the exhibition included the Leader of the Cheshire East Council, Cllr Rachel Bailey, Cllr Paul Bates, and Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey, who all enjoyed looking at the artists work. Rachel Bailey was keen to attend the exhibition after the request from the art club arrived on her desk and liked a number of pictures including one of a sailing yacht that managed to capture the movement of the sea perfectly.
The Art club meets every Friday at the Masonic Hall between 9.00am and 12.00noon with between thirty and forty active members, along with a waiting list of people wanting to join this thriving community of artists who enjoy talks and workshops during their meetings. The latest speaker will be showing them how to paint without brushes. The club have recently acquired a camera and projector to capture the demonstration and project the small details onto a larger screen so members can appreciate the finer points of the speakers work, thus giving them more information about the different styles of art work. The artists also go on trips to gain more knowledge of different media with a recent trip going to see Lino prints at Hepworth and in November they will be attending the Craft Fair at the NEC in Birmingham.
If you missed the exhibition and would like to see some more of the pictures, the next display by the society will be at the Snowdrop Walks at Rose Heath on the 8 February to the 1 March 2019 and the Concert Series on the 31 October and 28 November 2018.
Anyone wishing to be added to the list of prospective members should contact [email protected] (Chairman) or [email protected] (Secretary)
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16 September 2018
SANDBACH STRIDERS RUN FOR 2K AND 10K
The Sandbach Striders are keeping the tradition of road racing alive with their 11th year of staging a race in Sandbach. Originally starting at Elworth Cricket Club the race was moved last year to Bradwall Village Hall and has produced one of the best 10k races in the country according to competitors.
A record 85 children took part in the 2k race at 10am on the 16th September 2018, which this year was won by a young lady called Ellie Hudson (Vale Royal) in a course record time of 7 minutes 29 seconds with Harry Parker McLean (Crewe and Nantwich) coming second for the second year running, with exactly the same time of 7 minutes 35 Seconds that he had last year. Thomas Stokes also of Crewe and Nantwich came third with a time of 7 minutes 52 Seconds.
After a bit of rain just before the children’s race and a rather dull sky at the start of the run, conditions which were ideal for running, the sun came out for the senior 10K race at 11am which like last year started halfway down Pillar Box Lane just past Bradwall Manor. Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey started both races and handed medals to the first three winners across the line. At a prize giving ceremony the Mayor, along with a representative of the events sponsors Butcher and Barlow (2K) and British Salt (10k) who gave prizes in various categories making it an equal opportunity for all age groups and abilities to win something.
The 10k race was won by Andrew Miles of Vale Royal in a time of 34 minutes 14 seconds followed by Matthew McCormack (Crewe and Nantwich – 35 minutes 01 seconds) in second place and Mark Ward (Unattached) in third place with a time of 35 minutes 03 Seconds. The women’s race was won by Chloe Clarke (Wilmslow) with a time of 40 minutes and 28 Seconds just 18 seconds slower than last years winner, with Shelly Fairey (Matlock) second in a time of 42 Minutes 45 Seconds and Rebecca Loton (Sandbach Striders) in third with a time of 44 minutes 17 seconds. This year there were 364 competitors in the race with the last person under the finishing line in a time of 1 hour 26 seconds.
Various other Categories were then awarded by the organisers with the men’s 40-plus award going to James Ainsworth (Vale Royal), 50-plus winner Neil Skellern (Unattached) and Paul Norris of Wilmslow won the 60-plus category. The women’s awards were as follows, 40-plus Emma Jane Hough (Unattached), 50-plus Glennis Richardson (Hyde Village Striders) with Bev Holding winning the 60-plus category.
Another award handed out at Sandbach was for the best local runners which this year were won by Rory Barton (Men – Sandbach Striders) and best out of the top three women was Karen Dickson (Unattached).
With live music and various charity stalls on site the profits from the food and other fundraising activities like a collection in the car park went to the three charities supported by the Sandbach Striders, Aquarius (Disabled Swimming group), New Hope and Child of Mine.
Crowds of supporters lined the end of the route and cheered on all the athletes including those who came in last place with all of them deserving a medal and applause for their performances around South Cheshire.
16 September 2018
SANDBACH STRIDERS RUN FOR 2K AND 10K
The Sandbach Striders are keeping the tradition of road racing alive with their 11th year of staging a race in Sandbach. Originally starting at Elworth Cricket Club the race was moved last year to Bradwall Village Hall and has produced one of the best 10k races in the country according to competitors.
A record 85 children took part in the 2k race at 10am on the 16th September 2018, which this year was won by a young lady called Ellie Hudson (Vale Royal) in a course record time of 7 minutes 29 seconds with Harry Parker McLean (Crewe and Nantwich) coming second for the second year running, with exactly the same time of 7 minutes 35 Seconds that he had last year. Thomas Stokes also of Crewe and Nantwich came third with a time of 7 minutes 52 Seconds.
After a bit of rain just before the children’s race and a rather dull sky at the start of the run, conditions which were ideal for running, the sun came out for the senior 10K race at 11am which like last year started halfway down Pillar Box Lane just past Bradwall Manor. Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey started both races and handed medals to the first three winners across the line. At a prize giving ceremony the Mayor, along with a representative of the events sponsors Butcher and Barlow (2K) and British Salt (10k) who gave prizes in various categories making it an equal opportunity for all age groups and abilities to win something.
The 10k race was won by Andrew Miles of Vale Royal in a time of 34 minutes 14 seconds followed by Matthew McCormack (Crewe and Nantwich – 35 minutes 01 seconds) in second place and Mark Ward (Unattached) in third place with a time of 35 minutes 03 Seconds. The women’s race was won by Chloe Clarke (Wilmslow) with a time of 40 minutes and 28 Seconds just 18 seconds slower than last years winner, with Shelly Fairey (Matlock) second in a time of 42 Minutes 45 Seconds and Rebecca Loton (Sandbach Striders) in third with a time of 44 minutes 17 seconds. This year there were 364 competitors in the race with the last person under the finishing line in a time of 1 hour 26 seconds.
Various other Categories were then awarded by the organisers with the men’s 40-plus award going to James Ainsworth (Vale Royal), 50-plus winner Neil Skellern (Unattached) and Paul Norris of Wilmslow won the 60-plus category. The women’s awards were as follows, 40-plus Emma Jane Hough (Unattached), 50-plus Glennis Richardson (Hyde Village Striders) with Bev Holding winning the 60-plus category.
Another award handed out at Sandbach was for the best local runners which this year were won by Rory Barton (Men – Sandbach Striders) and best out of the top three women was Karen Dickson (Unattached).
With live music and various charity stalls on site the profits from the food and other fundraising activities like a collection in the car park went to the three charities supported by the Sandbach Striders, Aquarius (Disabled Swimming group), New Hope and Child of Mine.
Crowds of supporters lined the end of the route and cheered on all the athletes including those who came in last place with all of them deserving a medal and applause for their performances around South Cheshire.
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15 September 2018
SANDBACH TODAY EVENT 20 YEARS AND STILL GOING
It is twenty-one years since the first Sandbach Today Event in the town and there are still large numbers of people who volunteer and enjoy the various groups and clubs in the town and who were available to put on displays at St Mary’s Church Hall on Saturday the 15 September 2018 to attract more people to their organisations and inform the people of Sandbach and the surrounding area that they exist. It was also a good opportunity to networks with other like-minded organisations or to see what other people are doing in the town.
Twenty-six groups attended this year’s event, which was organised by the Sandbach Partnership. Started in 1997 at Sandbach Town Hall by Congleton Borough's Arts officer Carol McGregor and Cllr Dorothy Flint the Sandbach Partnership took over when it was formed to look after community projects and funding for local organisations and events. The event moved to St Mary’s Church Hall after the cost of the Town Hall became too expensive and has now become a fixture in the diaries of many local groups. Some of the organisations have attended all of the events including the History Society, the Rotary Club and the RNLI (Lifeboat) but most of the organisations attending this year have been formed since the event started with an increase of public involvement groups like the Woodland and Wildlife group and the Sandbach Footpaths. Other organisations have taken over some of the responsibilities of the County Council by improving the parks in the area and public spaces (Friends of …. and the Clean Team) with the usual health and wellbeing organisations for humans and animals attending the mornings events, including the Sandbach Animal Rescue which were joined at the event by the more human based groups dealing with Dementia, Disability and the new organisations of ‘Migraine and Me’ and the ‘Smile’ Group (Postnatal Depression). The core element of all the events over the 21 years have been a chance to enjoy life or retirement with the original line up of the Ladies Association, Scouts, Folk Club and Transport Festival missing from this year a new set of organisations have appeared over the years including the U3A and the SADOS (Sandbach Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society) which is a reformation of the old Sandbach Players who attended the early events in the 1990’s and who disbanded many years ago.
In 2007, Dot Flint one of the organisers of the event wrote “I had only intended to do this as a one off, but I am pleased to have been a part of it and seen how it has grown over the past 10 years”. With 21 years under her belt the organisation of the Sandbach Today Event has changed very little but the number of organisations attending had gone down with many using social media to advertise their existence rather than attend events like this. The only other change was the talked about catering with the Sandbach Partnership taking over the catering duties this year with Dot Flint in charge of the vegetarian platters available with the exception of the famed Bacon Butties that have been a feature for a number of years at the hall, not even a vegetarian bacon butty was in sight.
Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey and Local MP Fiona Bruce attended the event and chatted to the organisations including the Brereton Bell Ringers who in 2007 met at the Bradwall Methodist Chapel, but due to its closure have found another home at Ettiley Heath and at the event gave Fiona Bruce a crash course in the art of hand bell ringing.
Groups attending the event were as follows - Sandbach Footpaths, Sandbach Animal Rescue (Cats Home), Sandbach Choral Society (were Sandbach Voices), Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Sandbach Photographic Society, Grass Roots Disability / Sandbach Connected (Disabled Group), Friends of Sandbach Park, Sandbach Concert Series, Brereton Bell Ringers, Sandbach Clean Team, Sandbach Police, Woodland and Wildlife Group, Care 4 CE, Dementia awareness, Sandbach History Society, The Lifeboat, Rotary Club of Sandbach, Sandbach Cancer Research UK, SADOS (Sandbach Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society, U3A, Sandbach Arts for Health, Probus, Sandbach Allotment Society, Sandbach Garden Trail, Migraine and Me and the Smile Group (Postnatal Depression).
15 September 2018
SANDBACH TODAY EVENT 20 YEARS AND STILL GOING
It is twenty-one years since the first Sandbach Today Event in the town and there are still large numbers of people who volunteer and enjoy the various groups and clubs in the town and who were available to put on displays at St Mary’s Church Hall on Saturday the 15 September 2018 to attract more people to their organisations and inform the people of Sandbach and the surrounding area that they exist. It was also a good opportunity to networks with other like-minded organisations or to see what other people are doing in the town.
Twenty-six groups attended this year’s event, which was organised by the Sandbach Partnership. Started in 1997 at Sandbach Town Hall by Congleton Borough's Arts officer Carol McGregor and Cllr Dorothy Flint the Sandbach Partnership took over when it was formed to look after community projects and funding for local organisations and events. The event moved to St Mary’s Church Hall after the cost of the Town Hall became too expensive and has now become a fixture in the diaries of many local groups. Some of the organisations have attended all of the events including the History Society, the Rotary Club and the RNLI (Lifeboat) but most of the organisations attending this year have been formed since the event started with an increase of public involvement groups like the Woodland and Wildlife group and the Sandbach Footpaths. Other organisations have taken over some of the responsibilities of the County Council by improving the parks in the area and public spaces (Friends of …. and the Clean Team) with the usual health and wellbeing organisations for humans and animals attending the mornings events, including the Sandbach Animal Rescue which were joined at the event by the more human based groups dealing with Dementia, Disability and the new organisations of ‘Migraine and Me’ and the ‘Smile’ Group (Postnatal Depression). The core element of all the events over the 21 years have been a chance to enjoy life or retirement with the original line up of the Ladies Association, Scouts, Folk Club and Transport Festival missing from this year a new set of organisations have appeared over the years including the U3A and the SADOS (Sandbach Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society) which is a reformation of the old Sandbach Players who attended the early events in the 1990’s and who disbanded many years ago.
In 2007, Dot Flint one of the organisers of the event wrote “I had only intended to do this as a one off, but I am pleased to have been a part of it and seen how it has grown over the past 10 years”. With 21 years under her belt the organisation of the Sandbach Today Event has changed very little but the number of organisations attending had gone down with many using social media to advertise their existence rather than attend events like this. The only other change was the talked about catering with the Sandbach Partnership taking over the catering duties this year with Dot Flint in charge of the vegetarian platters available with the exception of the famed Bacon Butties that have been a feature for a number of years at the hall, not even a vegetarian bacon butty was in sight.
Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey and Local MP Fiona Bruce attended the event and chatted to the organisations including the Brereton Bell Ringers who in 2007 met at the Bradwall Methodist Chapel, but due to its closure have found another home at Ettiley Heath and at the event gave Fiona Bruce a crash course in the art of hand bell ringing.
Groups attending the event were as follows - Sandbach Footpaths, Sandbach Animal Rescue (Cats Home), Sandbach Choral Society (were Sandbach Voices), Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Sandbach Photographic Society, Grass Roots Disability / Sandbach Connected (Disabled Group), Friends of Sandbach Park, Sandbach Concert Series, Brereton Bell Ringers, Sandbach Clean Team, Sandbach Police, Woodland and Wildlife Group, Care 4 CE, Dementia awareness, Sandbach History Society, The Lifeboat, Rotary Club of Sandbach, Sandbach Cancer Research UK, SADOS (Sandbach Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society, U3A, Sandbach Arts for Health, Probus, Sandbach Allotment Society, Sandbach Garden Trail, Migraine and Me and the Smile Group (Postnatal Depression).
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9 September 2018
LLOYDS CLOSE COUNTERS IN BANK RUNDOWN
With the unexpected closure of Congleton Post Office on the 7 September 2018 it shows that nothing is secure in the world of personal banking and this applies to the banks in Sandbach as this year both Barclays Bank (Closed 20 July 2018) and the Royal Bank of Scotland (Closed on the 9 August 2018) have closed their doors in Sandbach and now Lloyds Bank are closing their counter facilities in the town which will then mean the end of the personal service we have come to expect when we visit our own banks.
Due to close on Friday the 2nd of November for a refit to remove the “over the counter” smiles and good service the branch will reopen on Thursday the 22nd November when new changes coming into operation.
Lloyds are hoping that many of the facilities currently made over the counter will be taken up by the Post Office in Sandbach. Facilities like paying in coinage and change giving will be taken over by the Post Office or the branch in Crewe according to letters sent out to customers which have outlined the proposed schedule of the branch closure for the refitting to install new self-service points and easy to use tablets that will give customers access to common banking services. According to the letter once the bank reopens one member of the bank will be on hand to help customers with the new technology however, paying in or withdrawing coins and making bill payments using Bank Giro Credit will no longer be available. Customers with Passbook accounts will also not be able to have access to their accounts as they cannot be dealt with by machines with the nearest branches available for these services at Crewe and Tunstall. Talking to staff at the branch they tell us that no one will be made redundant with all three counter staff available to show customers what to do and re-educate them in what is essentially internet banking in branch.
Lloyds Bank in Sandbach will not allow coins to be paid in, more than 5 cheques in one transaction will need to take up more transactions via their computers, Cheques of more than £100,00 will not be supported and anyone with more than 50 notes will be asked to do more than one transaction forcing them to bank at the Post Office if they want to save time. Other facilities being dropped are Bill Payments, ISA Payments other than a transfer from a Lloyds Account, Deposit Point and the Travel money facility for changing UK money into Euros or Dollars etc. will all be dropped by the bank.
This is another blow to the high street shops as change giving will be unavailable at Lloyds as well as depositing the days banking which will have to be done via the Post Office at their busiest time of day when they have their last collection of post. Lloyds seem to have made the decision to downgrade the Sandbach branch without consideration for the size of the Post Office in the town and its ability to hold large amounts of money as well as the long queues during the day which will delay shops getting their services. Local Charities will also be affected as takings from a days fundraising will be unavailable to be banked straight into their account as they will have to deposit them into the Post Office. Some charities will also find it difficult to get a float for events as the post office do not have an agreement with Lloyds for change giving as the Post Office needs a Santander based change giving account to access this facility.
Is this a sign of things to come as account holders will be forced to use hole in the wall machines, which many of the older generation have tried to avoid over the years feeling that the mechanical transaction is not as reliable as the over the counter experience and is open to computer hackers, scammers and in some cases thieves who hang around these un attended machines ready to snatch pensioners withdrawals, as have been reported on a regular basis in nearby Congleton. Two people in Congleton this year have been assaulted by bag snatchers in the town, one in a shop after withdrawing £600 from their Post Office account via a machine and one outside a cash dispenser who ended up in hospital with broken bones.
It seems banks are working towards a cashless society with them becoming a place to store money rather than give investment advice or that personnel service we have enjoyed for the 164 years there has been a bank on that site. A ‘Sandbach Savings Bank’ was opened on the site of Lloyds in 1854 becoming the Sandbach Trustee Savings Bank in May 1966. By the 1990’s the TSB had extended the building into what was Pimlott’s Fashion and between 1999 and 2013 traded as Lloyd’s TSB before the bank was forced to split again by the monopolies commission. We now wait to see what future developments happen to the banks in the run up to Christmas.
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9 September 2018
LLOYDS CLOSE COUNTERS IN BANK RUNDOWN
With the unexpected closure of Congleton Post Office on the 7 September 2018 it shows that nothing is secure in the world of personal banking and this applies to the banks in Sandbach as this year both Barclays Bank (Closed 20 July 2018) and the Royal Bank of Scotland (Closed on the 9 August 2018) have closed their doors in Sandbach and now Lloyds Bank are closing their counter facilities in the town which will then mean the end of the personal service we have come to expect when we visit our own banks.
Due to close on Friday the 2nd of November for a refit to remove the “over the counter” smiles and good service the branch will reopen on Thursday the 22nd November when new changes coming into operation.
Lloyds are hoping that many of the facilities currently made over the counter will be taken up by the Post Office in Sandbach. Facilities like paying in coinage and change giving will be taken over by the Post Office or the branch in Crewe according to letters sent out to customers which have outlined the proposed schedule of the branch closure for the refitting to install new self-service points and easy to use tablets that will give customers access to common banking services. According to the letter once the bank reopens one member of the bank will be on hand to help customers with the new technology however, paying in or withdrawing coins and making bill payments using Bank Giro Credit will no longer be available. Customers with Passbook accounts will also not be able to have access to their accounts as they cannot be dealt with by machines with the nearest branches available for these services at Crewe and Tunstall. Talking to staff at the branch they tell us that no one will be made redundant with all three counter staff available to show customers what to do and re-educate them in what is essentially internet banking in branch.
Lloyds Bank in Sandbach will not allow coins to be paid in, more than 5 cheques in one transaction will need to take up more transactions via their computers, Cheques of more than £100,00 will not be supported and anyone with more than 50 notes will be asked to do more than one transaction forcing them to bank at the Post Office if they want to save time. Other facilities being dropped are Bill Payments, ISA Payments other than a transfer from a Lloyds Account, Deposit Point and the Travel money facility for changing UK money into Euros or Dollars etc. will all be dropped by the bank.
This is another blow to the high street shops as change giving will be unavailable at Lloyds as well as depositing the days banking which will have to be done via the Post Office at their busiest time of day when they have their last collection of post. Lloyds seem to have made the decision to downgrade the Sandbach branch without consideration for the size of the Post Office in the town and its ability to hold large amounts of money as well as the long queues during the day which will delay shops getting their services. Local Charities will also be affected as takings from a days fundraising will be unavailable to be banked straight into their account as they will have to deposit them into the Post Office. Some charities will also find it difficult to get a float for events as the post office do not have an agreement with Lloyds for change giving as the Post Office needs a Santander based change giving account to access this facility.
Is this a sign of things to come as account holders will be forced to use hole in the wall machines, which many of the older generation have tried to avoid over the years feeling that the mechanical transaction is not as reliable as the over the counter experience and is open to computer hackers, scammers and in some cases thieves who hang around these un attended machines ready to snatch pensioners withdrawals, as have been reported on a regular basis in nearby Congleton. Two people in Congleton this year have been assaulted by bag snatchers in the town, one in a shop after withdrawing £600 from their Post Office account via a machine and one outside a cash dispenser who ended up in hospital with broken bones.
It seems banks are working towards a cashless society with them becoming a place to store money rather than give investment advice or that personnel service we have enjoyed for the 164 years there has been a bank on that site. A ‘Sandbach Savings Bank’ was opened on the site of Lloyds in 1854 becoming the Sandbach Trustee Savings Bank in May 1966. By the 1990’s the TSB had extended the building into what was Pimlott’s Fashion and between 1999 and 2013 traded as Lloyd’s TSB before the bank was forced to split again by the monopolies commission. We now wait to see what future developments happen to the banks in the run up to Christmas.
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9 September 2018
LORRY BAN IN SANDBACH DUE TO FALSE READINGS FROM MONITORS
Cheshire East Council are to discuss the banning of HGV Lorries from Sandbach, Crewe and other town centres in a move to cut pollution levels in the area.
Councillors are due to discuss a ‘Local Air Quality Strategy, Air Quality Action Plan and Low Emissions Strategy’, at a meeting of the Environment and Regeneration and Scrutiny Committee at Macclesfield Town Hall on the 17 September 2018.
Sean Hannaby the Cheshire East Director of Planning and Environment said “While Cheshire East generally has good air quality, we can always take action to improve it and these papers set out how we will do this over the next five years”.
However, at a Cabinet Meeting of the Council on the 12 July 2017, the quality of the air in Cheshire East was bought into question when a report stated that “As part of the preparatory work for the 2015 annual report and return to DEFRA, a number of data inaccuracies have been identified that impact on the 2015 report and the 2014 report that has already been submitted.” After further checks the 2012 and 2013 figures were also deemed questionable so to judge the air quality so soon after these unknown figures have been published would be unfair to the people of the town and a proposed ban on HGV and Diesel vans would be a blow to business who would then be unable to get deliveries. This would include the supermarkets, public houses and flower shops all of whom have long HGV’s delivering their products during the daytime. Waitrose and Iceland have container like vehicles plus small transit vans for home deliveries which will be affected while the pubs have beer wagons delivering barrels during the daytime and Williams Delicatessen has cheese deliveries by Fridge containers which will also be kept out of the town centre according to the proposals by Cheshire East.
Cheshire East has about 100 sites throughout the borough to monitor the Nitrogen Dioxide levels to improve the air quality of Cheshire and the results are used to review planning applications by assessing the impact it would make on the area with increased traffic. Last year it was thought that the false readings may have influenced planning applications for new houses in the Sandbach, Congleton, Crewe, Holmes Chapel and Nantwich areas however a Council spokesman said that these readings were in so many different areas that they couldn’t influence the output of one singular planning application but recent statistics which put Sandbach towards the top of the list of polluted areas of Cheshire East were considered unfair to judge the town as two of the monitors are situated at both the M6 Junction and Middlewich Road near the Ashfields Surgery making them the most polluted area of the town as traffic lights next to the Middlewich Road monitor stop cars from moving through the area with the result that when vehicles are at a standstill they create more pollution than passing traffic. Add to this the tailbacks of traffic caused by roadworks during the monitor period which dogged the Middlewich Road at the time and has added up to give a false impression of Sandbach as an over polluted area.
Sandbach has a number of Diffusion Tubes (Monitors) including the two on Middlewich Road which are considered to be inaccurate by +/- 20% especially as the results are only being taken on a monthly basis so the Council cannot accurately account for incidents that take place on a weekly basis including roadworks.
Going by current figures Sandbach is still considered a very low risk area with a maximum of 54.59 ug/m³ on the Holmes Chapel Road in 2013 and an average of 34.55 ug/m³ over the last 4 years. Middlewich Road as expected is a high pollution area with a current figure from 2017 of 48.14 ug/m which is still well within the governments lowest risk figure of between 0 and 67 ug/m (High Risk = 401 to 467 ug/m).
We wait for the results of the meeting on the 17 September to see how it will change Sandbach and the surrounding area.
9 September 2018
LORRY BAN IN SANDBACH DUE TO FALSE READINGS FROM MONITORS
Cheshire East Council are to discuss the banning of HGV Lorries from Sandbach, Crewe and other town centres in a move to cut pollution levels in the area.
Councillors are due to discuss a ‘Local Air Quality Strategy, Air Quality Action Plan and Low Emissions Strategy’, at a meeting of the Environment and Regeneration and Scrutiny Committee at Macclesfield Town Hall on the 17 September 2018.
Sean Hannaby the Cheshire East Director of Planning and Environment said “While Cheshire East generally has good air quality, we can always take action to improve it and these papers set out how we will do this over the next five years”.
However, at a Cabinet Meeting of the Council on the 12 July 2017, the quality of the air in Cheshire East was bought into question when a report stated that “As part of the preparatory work for the 2015 annual report and return to DEFRA, a number of data inaccuracies have been identified that impact on the 2015 report and the 2014 report that has already been submitted.” After further checks the 2012 and 2013 figures were also deemed questionable so to judge the air quality so soon after these unknown figures have been published would be unfair to the people of the town and a proposed ban on HGV and Diesel vans would be a blow to business who would then be unable to get deliveries. This would include the supermarkets, public houses and flower shops all of whom have long HGV’s delivering their products during the daytime. Waitrose and Iceland have container like vehicles plus small transit vans for home deliveries which will be affected while the pubs have beer wagons delivering barrels during the daytime and Williams Delicatessen has cheese deliveries by Fridge containers which will also be kept out of the town centre according to the proposals by Cheshire East.
Cheshire East has about 100 sites throughout the borough to monitor the Nitrogen Dioxide levels to improve the air quality of Cheshire and the results are used to review planning applications by assessing the impact it would make on the area with increased traffic. Last year it was thought that the false readings may have influenced planning applications for new houses in the Sandbach, Congleton, Crewe, Holmes Chapel and Nantwich areas however a Council spokesman said that these readings were in so many different areas that they couldn’t influence the output of one singular planning application but recent statistics which put Sandbach towards the top of the list of polluted areas of Cheshire East were considered unfair to judge the town as two of the monitors are situated at both the M6 Junction and Middlewich Road near the Ashfields Surgery making them the most polluted area of the town as traffic lights next to the Middlewich Road monitor stop cars from moving through the area with the result that when vehicles are at a standstill they create more pollution than passing traffic. Add to this the tailbacks of traffic caused by roadworks during the monitor period which dogged the Middlewich Road at the time and has added up to give a false impression of Sandbach as an over polluted area.
Sandbach has a number of Diffusion Tubes (Monitors) including the two on Middlewich Road which are considered to be inaccurate by +/- 20% especially as the results are only being taken on a monthly basis so the Council cannot accurately account for incidents that take place on a weekly basis including roadworks.
Going by current figures Sandbach is still considered a very low risk area with a maximum of 54.59 ug/m³ on the Holmes Chapel Road in 2013 and an average of 34.55 ug/m³ over the last 4 years. Middlewich Road as expected is a high pollution area with a current figure from 2017 of 48.14 ug/m which is still well within the governments lowest risk figure of between 0 and 67 ug/m (High Risk = 401 to 467 ug/m).
We wait for the results of the meeting on the 17 September to see how it will change Sandbach and the surrounding area.
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30 August 2018
LAST DAY OF PROMOTIONAL EVENTS FOR MARKET HALL
Thursday the 30 August 2018 was the last day for events to publicise the reopening the Market Hall after its refurbishment and improvements.
Starting with the official opening on the 26 July with Punch and Judy, A Magician along and appearances by Elsa and Spiderman the event drew a large crowd to see the new building with the proposal by the Council to stage events to keep the interest going in the indoor market over the next few weeks. The Council pulled out the publicity machine and with local involvement from groups and traders they have had a six-week events list to attract shoppers to the town over the School Summer Holidays.
The 2 August had an arts event outside the town hall with a chance to paint tiles with pictures connected to the market with illustrations of products to stall holders adorning the tiles with this event being staged by the Sandbach Arts-room based over the road in the high street. The following week, the 9 August was designed to bring back the stall holder’s participation in promoting the market as shown in the Elizabethan Markets of the 1970’s as traders dressed up in fancy dress including, Jayne Sanderson of Sugar Fairies who dressed as Little Bo Peep, the Penkridge Bedding stall holder dressed as a member of ABBA and Stephen Kidwell of Kitchen Corner dressed as a Nurse.
Week four of the events on the 16 August was moved to outside the Black Bear with a Petting Zoo of various animals with the chance to find out about the creatures and of course handle them in a safe environment.
Week four also included an event on the Saturday with the visit to the town of Star Wars, Stormtroopers who raised money for the Donna Louise Trust with week five bringing face painting to the town and in week six there was a chance to have glitter tattoos along with the appearance of Cheshire Police and Sandbach ATC who were available to chat to those in the town on the 30 August 2018.
Cheshire Police in the form of PCSO “Spike” Elliott and PC Steve Dutton parked a couple of police vehicles on the Market Square and gave the public a chance to sit inside their Land Rover Defender (25 Years Old) which had been used in the Macclesfield area as a four wheel drive vehicle and is now a training vehicle for new drivers as well as a transporter for pulling a trailer and a display model to take to events as one of the older vehicles in the car pool. Joining the Land Rover was a new Peugeot used by PC Dutton in the execution of his duty. Surprisingly, the older model was the more popular vehicle with the youngsters on the Market Square.
Spike and Steve were asked about a variety of issues including parking in the town, nuisance neighbours as well as promoting ‘Cheshire Alert’, a new internet facility which keeps Cheshire East residents informed about crime issues in the county as well as promoting events via an E Mail Alert as well as appeals from Cheshire Police for information relating to ongoing cases in your area. Spike, who has been a PCSO for about 10 years has seen a lot of changes in policing including the introduction of social media on the internet with Facebook and Twitter pages to pass on information not only for Cheshire Police but also town “beats” like Sandbach Police where the officers post items about events in their town and what they are doing in the area including the latest event on the Market Square which had a picture and small write up on Sandbach Town Police’s Twitter and Facebook pages soon after they had set up their stand.
The other promotion stand on the 30 August was for the ATC 1873 (Sandbach) Squadron which has been going since 1941 and hold meetings twice a week on a Wednesday and Friday between 7pm and 9pm in Flat Lane off Union Street. Their meetings include a parade designed to build up individuals into a team and developing each member’s characteristics. The group also has various members of the RAF coming to talk to the ATC about life in the Forces. During the Summer and Easter breaks there are opportunities to go on trips to various MOD and RAF Stations to gain an insight into what life would be like in the forces.
Corporal Wilkinson who spoke to me at the event said that his experience with the ATC had made him want to join the RAF Regiment, a military arm of the RAF and having spoken to personnel at the RAF Stations they had shown him how to apply and what was involved in his choice of career.
The Market Hall promotion has certainly been a success with the public taking part in the events and stall holders have seen an increase in trade over the last few weeks, either due to the sunny weather, School Holidays spent at home or the promotions so it has certainly been worth while doing to boost the market in Sandbach.
30 August 2018
LAST DAY OF PROMOTIONAL EVENTS FOR MARKET HALL
Thursday the 30 August 2018 was the last day for events to publicise the reopening the Market Hall after its refurbishment and improvements.
Starting with the official opening on the 26 July with Punch and Judy, A Magician along and appearances by Elsa and Spiderman the event drew a large crowd to see the new building with the proposal by the Council to stage events to keep the interest going in the indoor market over the next few weeks. The Council pulled out the publicity machine and with local involvement from groups and traders they have had a six-week events list to attract shoppers to the town over the School Summer Holidays.
The 2 August had an arts event outside the town hall with a chance to paint tiles with pictures connected to the market with illustrations of products to stall holders adorning the tiles with this event being staged by the Sandbach Arts-room based over the road in the high street. The following week, the 9 August was designed to bring back the stall holder’s participation in promoting the market as shown in the Elizabethan Markets of the 1970’s as traders dressed up in fancy dress including, Jayne Sanderson of Sugar Fairies who dressed as Little Bo Peep, the Penkridge Bedding stall holder dressed as a member of ABBA and Stephen Kidwell of Kitchen Corner dressed as a Nurse.
Week four of the events on the 16 August was moved to outside the Black Bear with a Petting Zoo of various animals with the chance to find out about the creatures and of course handle them in a safe environment.
Week four also included an event on the Saturday with the visit to the town of Star Wars, Stormtroopers who raised money for the Donna Louise Trust with week five bringing face painting to the town and in week six there was a chance to have glitter tattoos along with the appearance of Cheshire Police and Sandbach ATC who were available to chat to those in the town on the 30 August 2018.
Cheshire Police in the form of PCSO “Spike” Elliott and PC Steve Dutton parked a couple of police vehicles on the Market Square and gave the public a chance to sit inside their Land Rover Defender (25 Years Old) which had been used in the Macclesfield area as a four wheel drive vehicle and is now a training vehicle for new drivers as well as a transporter for pulling a trailer and a display model to take to events as one of the older vehicles in the car pool. Joining the Land Rover was a new Peugeot used by PC Dutton in the execution of his duty. Surprisingly, the older model was the more popular vehicle with the youngsters on the Market Square.
Spike and Steve were asked about a variety of issues including parking in the town, nuisance neighbours as well as promoting ‘Cheshire Alert’, a new internet facility which keeps Cheshire East residents informed about crime issues in the county as well as promoting events via an E Mail Alert as well as appeals from Cheshire Police for information relating to ongoing cases in your area. Spike, who has been a PCSO for about 10 years has seen a lot of changes in policing including the introduction of social media on the internet with Facebook and Twitter pages to pass on information not only for Cheshire Police but also town “beats” like Sandbach Police where the officers post items about events in their town and what they are doing in the area including the latest event on the Market Square which had a picture and small write up on Sandbach Town Police’s Twitter and Facebook pages soon after they had set up their stand.
The other promotion stand on the 30 August was for the ATC 1873 (Sandbach) Squadron which has been going since 1941 and hold meetings twice a week on a Wednesday and Friday between 7pm and 9pm in Flat Lane off Union Street. Their meetings include a parade designed to build up individuals into a team and developing each member’s characteristics. The group also has various members of the RAF coming to talk to the ATC about life in the Forces. During the Summer and Easter breaks there are opportunities to go on trips to various MOD and RAF Stations to gain an insight into what life would be like in the forces.
Corporal Wilkinson who spoke to me at the event said that his experience with the ATC had made him want to join the RAF Regiment, a military arm of the RAF and having spoken to personnel at the RAF Stations they had shown him how to apply and what was involved in his choice of career.
The Market Hall promotion has certainly been a success with the public taking part in the events and stall holders have seen an increase in trade over the last few weeks, either due to the sunny weather, School Holidays spent at home or the promotions so it has certainly been worth while doing to boost the market in Sandbach.
PREVIOUS STORIES
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Written / Pictures by Stewart Green for Newspaper articles
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13 January 2018
ST LUKE’S CHARITY SHOP REOPENS AFTER REFIT
Sandbach has for many years been the home of one of the nine charity shops which raise funds for the St Luke’s Hospice. On the 13 January 2018 they reopened their Congleton Road shop after a major refurbishment with the Mayor of Cheshire East, Cllr Arthur Moran and his Consort Mrs Carole Thomas cutting the ribbon. Various volunteers joined Manager Julie Middlehurst, Area Manager Carol DeRosa and Head of Retail Steve Holmes in a drink and celebratory small cakes at the reopening of the St Luke’s shop since it closed on the 23 December in preparation for the alterations by Nigel Hargreeves and his team.
The new look shop has given more space to the entrance by moving the till to a back room allowing customers to look around in more spacious premises. New brighter shelves and railings brighten up the shop which hopes to continue to raise funds for the Mid and South Cheshire Hospice known as St Luke’s Hospice which is based in Winsford.
The Hospice has been running since 1988 and has been a provider of palliative care to over 1,000 local people a year in the Cheshire area.
The idea for the hospice started in 1983 through the efforts of Howard Hassall and Jim Littlemore who started holding public meetings to establish support groups in the area to bring their vision of a place where people can go to die in surroundings that are both friendly and also with the medical assistance they need to make their final days comfortable.
The next stage was the purchase of Grosvenor House in Queensway, Winsford from funds raised by those support groups and voluntary subscription with the first “Day care” patients admitted to the building in March 1988 with Their Royal Highnesses the Prince Charles of Wales and Princess Diana of Wales officially opening the facility on the 18 May 1988.
In 1990, further facilities were opened and in 1992 a new extension was opened to house a multi-purpose area for Day Care and lectures along with rooms for volunteers and administrative staff. It was also at this time that the Hospice started to have financial support from the Health Authority.
By 1996, new bathing facilities were added and the Day Care facilities were increased to 15 with Cheshire Hospices Education beginning palliative care training to nurses and medical professionals.
Between 2002 and 2006 the Hospice went into partnership with the Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Macmillan Cancer Support to open new Lymphoedema Clinic’s at various locations around the area.
With support via the ‘Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service’ which was presented by the Duke of Gloucester, the hospice went from strength to strength during 2007 and 2009 along with the purchase of a Big Red Bus nicknamed “Luke” which was refurbished by staff at Bentley in Crewe at no cost to the hospice and has become a major boost to the profile of the Hospice at local events.
Other shops which raise funds for the charity are at 3 Crewe Road, Alsager (Shop), 285 Chester Road, Hartford (Shop), 76 Wheelock Street, Middlewich (Shop), 19 Pepper Street, Nantwich (Shop), 99 Witton Street Northwich (Shop), 38a Dingle in Winsford (Shop), 72 Delamere Street in Winsford (Furnishing, Fashion and Food) and the Furniture Warehouse and House Clearance centre at Unit 8 Pineapple Park, Road One Winsford.
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26 January 2018
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE
Cheshire East Council held its annual Holocaust Memorial Day Service on Friday the 26 January 2018 a day earlier than the actual Holocaust Memorial Day so Council workers, Mayors from around the area and children from three East Cheshire Schools could take part in the days events.
The proceedings were presented by the Mayor of Cheshire East Cllr Arthur Moran who said that one of the first to liberate a concentration camp was a tank driver from Crewe (John Cole who was in the first tank to liberate the Bergen-Bensen Camp). Cllr Moran then introduced Sandbach Mayor Martin Forster who read various poems about the Holocaust followed by a clarinet solo by Sandbach School pupil, Mark Wheeler who played the theme to Schindler’s List (John Williams). Music was also provided by the Knutsford Academy 6th Form Vocal Group who sang two beautiful versions of the songs ‘Tears in Heaven’ (Eric Clapton) and John Lennon’s, ‘Imagine’.
Now in its fifth year the service has for the last two years included the introduction of memories by people caught up in the events of the Holocaust. Last year retired dentist and survivor from Austria, Peter Kurer spoke about the debt that he owed to the Quakers who had petitioned parliament to allow the children of Jewish parents to come to England thus saving nine members of his family. This year it was the turn of sisters Gisela Feldman and Sonia Sternberg who with their mother managed to get on the ship the St Louis which set sail on the 13 May 1939, with 937 Jews and travelled from Hamburg to Cuba, but were turned away as Visas issued to the Polish / German Jews were withdrawn before they arrived and so they were eventually turned back only to land in London where they spent the rest of the war.
Mark Palethorpe from Cheshire East invited the audience to hold a two-minute silence after which the congregation were asked to light candles for those who hadn’t survived the Holocaust followed by prayers from the vicar of St Mary’s, Sandbach the Rev. Thomas Shepard.
Giesla and Sonia recounted their lives in Germany just before leaving as well as the journey to a new life.
Giesla was born in 1923 of Polish parents with the family moving to Germany where she and her younger sister were the only Jewish girls in their school, a place without discrimination where they enjoyed the usual school life enjoying making friends, invitations to birthday parties as well as taking part in games with the other students. When Hitler came into power in German after he became Chancellor in January 1933 making himself the leader of a one-party country there were marches in the street on the 1st May with workers on one side and the SS Marching on the opposite side of the road. As things progressed there were a number of people shot and the bodies were dragged into the street in full view of the young girls. As a 10-year-old Giesla knew that life would never be the same again. Brown shirts as they were known stood outside Jewish shops trying to persuade Germans not to buy from them, which was in general ignored by regular customers. However, as time went on people started to become more afraid of these supporters of Hitler who would daub words like “Jew Supporter” on the buildings of people who had purchased goods from the Jewish community with some of them being attacked in the streets. Fearing for their families, support suddenly disappeared and it became more and more difficult to run the family business as wholesalers refused to supply goods and on a number of occasions Giesla and Sonia’s father was beaten up just for being Jewish.
At the age of 11 Giesla moved to a Jewish Grammar School where life was a little easier.
In October 1938, there was a knock on the family door and two men told her father to get dressed and bring his passport as he was being taken away with no explanation as to what was happening. Not knowing what was going on Giesla went into the kitchen to make some sandwiches for her father to take with him on what turned out to be a two-day journey which they found out later was because he was being deported back to Poland where he was born and so the food became very useful. Poland had decided that anyone who had a Polish Passport and had not been back to their country after a certain length of time would lose their nationality and so had no right to be in any country apart from Poland. With this position from the Polish Government, Germany decided to deport these unwanted citizens to Poland so they were not left with illegal immigrants. Germany at first only sent back the men of the household as they didn’t have enough trains to cater for whole families. With their father in Poland the family home soon came under threat from the German Government as a German family wanted their rooms. They were threatened with eviction but Giesla and Sonia’s mother decided to fight the decision and went to court where she won a stay of eviction for three months, a period of time the Judge gave them to clear out the house of all their belongings. This move by Germany to get rid of its Jewish population by eviction started to show that something had to be done by the family before it became worse and so Giesla and Sonia’s mother applied to the Cuban Embassy for a Visa to get as far away from Germany as possible. She was successful, in her application for herself, Giesla and Sonia her husband who in theory was able to come back from Poland as long as it was only in transit and this is where things started to go wrong for the “family”.
Germany as usual was a very organised country but Poland was not as efficient and through a mix-up Giesla and Sonia’s father was not given his Visa as his brother was issued with his papers and sent back to Germany rather than their father leaving him to make his own way on a later ship with a new set of papers his wife had secured for him two weeks later.
The family finally left for the port after a mix-up with their own Visas on a Friday to board the ship which is not usual for Jews as they shouldn’t travel on a Friday. They were seen off by friends of the family who knew this would be the last time that they would see them as they went to their new country. They boarded the German ship the St Louis which set sail on Saturday the 13 May 1939, with 937 Jews travelling from Hamburg to Cuba.
Sonia said that the Captain was wonderful towards the passengers even allowing the Jewish women to light candles on a Friday.
They eventually reached Havana Harbour in Cuba on the 27 May 1939, but as they tried to dock they were told that they couldn’t land and had to wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow turned out to be seven days later despite Captain Gustav Schroeder, speaking directly to the Government of Cuba pleading for them to let in his passengers. One man who Sonia thought had been in a concentration camp before he left Germany tried to commit suicide by jumping off the ship into the water. He had been released by the Germans only because he could prove he had somewhere outside of Germany to go to with his wife, but as they arrived in Cuba the Cuban immigration department would only allow him to enter their country as he had a valid US Visa but his wife had to stay on board as she was not welcome. After being pulled from the water he was evacuated to a Havana Hospital for treatment but it is not clear what happened to his wife at this time.
After seven days being refused entry to Cuba on the 2 June 1939 the Captain turned the ship towards America and sailed along the Florida coast towards Miami but due to the US Immigration and Nationality Act of 1924 limiting the number of immigrants to the USA in each year they were refused entry despite their being a large amount of media coverage and various passengers sending cables (Electronic Mail) to President Franklin D Roosevelt himself. Another possibility was Canada who again like the US they refused entry for the Jews. An American diplomat did however talk to a number of European Countries about the passengers and four Countries agreed to take them. The Captain turned the ship towards the East with France taking 224 passengers (a temporary refuge as Germany Invaded their Country), Holland (181 Passengers), Belgium (214 Passengers) and Great Britain who took 228 passengers with all but one of them surviving in the UK during the war (The one killed was in an air raid in 1940).
However, with the publicity about the ship in the papers their father never made it to Cuba or Britain as the ship he was on only reached Antwerp before the Captain heard the news that the St Louis had been refused to land in Cuba and he turned the ship back to Germany. From Germany Gisela and Sonia’s father was sent back to Poland just before war broke out and the family never saw him again. What happed to him we may never know as he seemed to just disappear from the records. German Jews were catalogued and their records are kept but the Jews records in Poland were not as well documented and so there doesn’t seem to be a record of Sonia and Gisela’s father being killed or dying in an air raid or being taken prisoner and sent to a concentration camp.
When Sonia, Gisela and their mother arrived in London they were met by the sight of bunting at the railway station which was not for them but the King and Queen had been abroad and were coming back on the same day.
Gisela was sent to do domestic work while Sonia and her mother found a room in North London where after the first night Sonia found she had blotches all over herself from Bed Bugs. The following day they found a Jewish lady who took them both in. Gisela went on to make uniforms when the War broke out and now both have families in Britain and are able to relate their story to a receptive audience at the Holocaust Memorial Day Event at Sandbach Town Hall.
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7 February 2018
ANOTHER SANDBACH HISTORIC BUILDING BITES THE DUST
At the start of February, the building used by Wright’s Printers as a warehouse and shop on Wesley Avenue was demolished by builders as part of a new development to build two sets of flats on the site, totalling 10 apartments. The development is funded by Mr and Mrs P Hitchen and Mr David Andrew Sehne who in 2012 took over the printing works and soon found creditors from the paper suppliers demanding payments which put the company into liquidation. In a bid to pay back what is owed Mr Schene agreed to the sale of the land to develop new houses in a bid to reimburse those owed by the printing company.
In 2007 plans for 22 apartments and a Class A3 restaurant were put before Congleton Borough Council but rejected followed in May 2008 and September 2008 by amended plans which were also turned down. In 2009 Cheshire East came into being and another set of plans were submitted in February 2010 which went to Sandbach Town Council for approval on the 8 August 2011 these plans for a more traditional design incorporating features used in the Literary Institute were approved by members and on the 26 July 2012 Cheshire East approved the new designs and gave the go ahead for the demolition of the warehouse at 5 Bradwall Road and the renovation of The Hollies an old building next to the Wesley Avenue Chapel.
On the 3 July 2012 David Andrew Sehne agreed with creditors to buy back his business for £25,000 giving him access to start the development however a year later on the 31 July 2013 the business went into liquidation closing the printing works and making the staff redundant.
Empty since the 31 July 2013 the warehouse building has been a part of Sandbach life since the 1920’s having had a variety of uses starting in 1921 when the land was earmarked by Mr Jack Beech (of The Cottage, Middlewich Road) to build a Cinema. However, the foundations were found not to be strong enough and it was decided to abandon the project in favour of a new location in Congleton Road where it remained for many years as the Palace Cinema and later a Bingo Hall.
The next stage was to build a garage on the site which didn’t survive long and by 1938 the building became Sandbach’s first shopping mall and housed a number of businesses including Percy Ryder (Hairdresser) at the front of the building to the left and a Betting Shop.
By 1962 the building had been purchased by Tom Painter a local decorator, funeral director and building contractor who also had a shop over the road next to the Post Office. A picture from 1962 showed the building in the background of a civic march which clearly shows he was using the structure to house his workshop. By the 1980’s it had been sold to Wright’s (Paper) Ltd in Sandbach (established in 1896) who used the building as a warehouse for its paper and as Wright’s Printers Shop.
In 1896, the business known as Wrights Printers had been formed in Sandbach by George Wright and over the years produced leaflets and publications for the town as well as many national companies like Bentley.
The company had originally produced twine and paper with George living at 9 Middlewich Road (Now 9 Old Middlewich Rd), along with his family and the printing shop was built behind his house and towards Bradwall Road. The house and works were originally to be demolished to make way for flats in the early plans but have now been saved for a while as the new plans only uses the area of the Hollies garden and the old warehouse.
In Kelly’s Directory of 1902, George Wright and Co were Wholesale Paper Merchants, Paper Bag Manufacturers, Twine Dealers and Printers.
On the 17 October 1928 the business was registered as being incorporated as a Registered Company with company’s house.
In 1961, Graham Galloway (.b. 1946) started working for the company and on his first day met up with Kathleen (.b. 1943) who he was later to marry. Graham started as an apprentice compositor at the age of 15 in 1961 and started working up the ladder until in the 1970’s he became foreman and was made a Director of the Company in the early 1980’s a job he continued until his retirement in November 2008.
The company continued to grow over the years with major companies using their facilities to produce booklets but as technology increased with desktop publishing taking over from the outdated block printing used by Wright’s and cheaper rivals the work started to dry up.
In June 2012 the company went into administration but was rescued by Andrew Schne who bought the business hoping to revive its fortunes.
However, on the 31 July 2013 the company went into liquidation for a second time and closed its doors for the last time ending 117 years of business.
After many applications for redevelopment on the 26 July 2012 plans were approved for flats to be built on the site of the Hollies and Wright’s warehouse.
By April 2017, work had started clearing the area with garages backing onto the Wesley Centre being demolished and renovation work on the Hollies started to put it back as a house. With work progressing on the renovation the next stage was to clear the rest of the site and the demolition of the warehouse.
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24 February 2018
POLICE INCIDENT IN WELLS STREET
On Saturday the 24 February 2018, at about 11.30am two ambulances and a police car turned up to a house on Wells Street next to the Range Cooker and Stove Centre on the corner of Cross Street. By 1.45pm a forensic team had arrived to investigate the incident.
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26 February 2018
50 YEARS AGO, THE BOLD STREET POLICE STATION WAS DEMOLISHED
The Sandbach Chronicle 22 February 2018, noted that the Bold Street Police Station in Sandbach had been demolished 50 years ago this week. Writing a history of the Fire Brigade and Police in Sandbach it is amazing that no one seems to have taken a picture of either the original building of the local Fire Station (Location unknown) its successor in 1873 (Except in the background of other photos) or the Police Station which only exists only in an aerial picture.
The Police station in Bold Street was part of a new look to Policing in Cheshire as on the 20 April 1857 the new Cheshire Police Force came into operation on this day with stations being occupied all over the county by new officers with its first headquarters at 4 Steller Street, Chester. Previously law and order had been down to individual Town Council’s or landowners like Lord Crewe to keep order in their area.
The venue for the Sandbach Police Station was in Bold Street where the Barclays Bank is now (New Building). The “New County Police Station” had been erected in 1857 at a cost of £800 with an edifice of Brick and Stone. It had offices, cells and a residence for the chief officer. The building was demolished in 1968 but the Cells within the original Police Station are still there and are now used as a storage area.
It was at this time that the Literary Institute came into operation (1857) and along with the usual cattle sales and meetings the building was also used as a court house. The Petty Sessions and Special Police Courts were held in the building situated next to the new police station.
In 1858 a document from the Chief Constables Office in Chester dated the 9 March 1858 shows “The Full Rent will be charged to each constable occupying a County Police Station and the following will be the several sum allowed to be charged per week for cleaning and same including brushes, soap and materials”. Sandbach had 2 Cells at 2/6 per week (Police rate and County rate) with Crewe having 4 Cells at 2/- per week (Police rate and County rate), Nantwich had 4 Cells at 1/- per week (Police rate) and 2/- per week (County rate), Congleton had 6 Cells at 1/6 per week (Police rate and County rate) and Middlewich had 6 Cells at 2/- per week (Police rate and County rate).
Cases dealt with by the new Police Station included on the 27 August 1861 when Martin Doyle was executed at Chester for the attempted murder of Jane Brogiue at a place near Sandbach. In October 1869, a report in the local paper told of an assault on PC James Green by Middlewich Shoemaker, George Edgerton and Sandbach Bricklayer, William Yates who were brought up before the Sandbach Police Court in front of Mr G Latham and J.H. Deakin esq. who put them both on remand. PC James Green was also the first Cheshire Policeman to be murdered while on duty when his body was discovered in the canal at what was known for many years as stabbers bridge (Now demolished) on the Trent and Mersey Canal at Moston near Elworth.
There was another incident in 1883 when the “Smallwood Double Murder” took place, when Thomas Earlam aged 64 and his common-law wife Mary Moarne aged 62 from Ireland, were killed at their lodging house in 127 Turnpike Road, Smallwood just outside Sandbach. On the 9 February 1883, their bodies were discovered by John Stack and Edward Sampey (or Samped), two lodgers at the house, with Thomas already lying dead from him having been brutally battered and Mary was barely alive from the attack. The house had also been robbed and a hammer was found next to the bodies. A tramp called Patrick Carey had disappeared soon after the bodies had been found was the only suspect of the murder. First called to the scene by a Mr Gorton who rushed to Sandbach to call a Doctor and to summon the Police to the scene of the crime while a Mr Austin sort out the local Smallwood Constable. An hour later Sergeant Oldham of Sandbach Police with a number of Constables turned up at the cottage to start investigating the attack. On the 24 February 1883, Patrick Carey (John White) had been found by Police Detective Sergeant Jackson at a Booze / Lodging House in 1 Court, Ashley Lane, Charter Street, Manchester where he was arrested and taken to court wearing clothes he had taken from the Smallwood lodgings and belonging to Mr Edward Sempey. News spread quickly back to Sandbach that the couple were on their way to the Railway Station where a group of 2,000 people turned out to greet the Police and to see the murderer. The following day some 600 to 700 people gathered outside the Police Station to again catch a glimpse of the Murderer. Patrick Carey pleaded guilty to stealing clothes and other items but throughout the trial continued to plead innocence to the crime of Murder. The Jury took just six minutes to convict Carey of the Murder during the trial at the Chester Assizes and he was sentenced to death by hanging.
In 1896 the Sergeant at Sandbach was Charles Green with six men based at the Bold Street, station.
In the 1902 Kelly’s directory Sergeant Charles Dean and 6 men occupied the building in Bold Street and the same directory in 1906 still lists the following serving officers at Sandbach, Charles Dean (Sergeant of Police living at Hightown, Sandbach) and William Elwood (Constable living at Bellevue Terrace, Sandbach).
In 1914 William Lawson was the Sergeant in charge with six men in Bold Street and at the beginning of August 1914, a local Police Constable passing the Holly Bush Inn, Sandbach noticed flames from the rear of the house. On investigation the Constable discovered the body of landlord George Eccles in flames. He immediately called out the Sandbach Fire Brigade to put out the fire and an investigation was started into the landlord’s death.
The 1960’s saw the Cheshire Police Force investing in new modern Police Stations to replace the 1896 buildings they had acquired at the start of Cheshire Constabulary.
At the start of 1965 Margery Hare was asked by one of her neighbours a local policeman if she would be interested in a cleaning job and making cups of tea for the police at Bold Street. Margery was soon put upon as she started at 6.30am when Officers were starting to come on duty they asked her if she could make them some breakfast. In those days there were no cornflakes for workers it was bacon and eggs with toast and occasionally some black pudding which she would then take their orders and what they hadn’t got in she would pop down the road to Yates Butchers to get for their fry-up. So keen were the policemen to have their early morning breakfast they soon started to pick up Margery in the morning, with her loaf of bread and take her to the station.
In June 1965, Sandbach Police did a “Moonlight Flit” from their offices in Bold Street to rooms behind the Courtrooms in Middlewich Road with their first enquiry at the new offices at 3 O Clock, when a man asked them where the Police Station was!
In February 1968, the building in Bold Street was demolished to make way for a new Barclays Bank which now stands on the site.
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27 February 2018
WRITER AMANDA BROOKE VISITS SANDBACH
Amanda Brooke visited Sandbach Library on the 27 February to talk about her latest book “The Bad Mother” which had only just been released on the 22 February in her home city of Liverpool.
Oksana Newman of Sandbach library organised the event, the latest of a series which brings writers to the town to offer advice about writing and to give an insight into the stories behind their books. “The Bad Mother” is the latest of nine books published by Amanda and Harper and Collins. Her first book “Yesterday’s Son” was written while her son Nathan had terminal cancer and died at the age of 3 and is based on his life. Since then her books have been inspired by events in her life including organ donation in “The Goodbye Gift” and the choices you have to make in life with “The Missing Husband” a mystery book.
With one book a year it is possible that Amanda Brook will be returning to talk about the book she is writing at the moment, the audience at Sandbach Library are certainly looking forward to her next instalment.
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SANDBACH CONCERT SERIES 28 March 2018 Concert - Sophie Rosa and Benjamin Powell (Violin and Piano).
The March musical entertainment at the Sandbach Concert Series will be Sophie Rosa and Benjamin Powell (Violin and Piano). Sophie is a regular at these events having first come to the town on the 30 October 2013 and playing again in 2015 and in 2015,2016 and 2017 was a judge at the Sandbach Transport Festival “Young Musician of the Year” competition in the town hall run by the Sandbach Concert Series.
Sophie is an accomplished violin player having played on BBC Radio 3 and had played with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Manchester Camerata.
At the age of seven, Sophie played a solo concert for HRH Princess Margaret. Later she studied at the Chetham School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music. After completing the RNCM International Artist Diploma in Solo Performance she continued her studies in America.
In 2006 Sophie Rosa was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year and has played with notable musician including Martin Roscoe, Craig Ogden and James Gilchrist as well as being a member of the Classical and Contemporary Music Collective.
Sophie’s debut CD ‘Reve d’Enfant’ in 2016 was described as a very desirable record of the year and has been working on an album of violin duets called “Warp and Weft” which was released in April 2017.
Sophie is joined in Sandbach by Benjamin Powell (Pianist) who she was also accompanied by in the Wigmore Hall in March 2017. He like Sophie studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and was a contestant in the BBC Young Musician of the Year and in 2015 was an accompanist for Alan George (Viola) at that year’s competition.
Since 2007, Benjamin has worked at the RNCM as a staff pianist and travels from Glossop where he lives with his wife and three children.
The Concert will have music centred around Beethoven’s Violin Sonata in G Major op 96 and works by Fritz Kreisler and Brahms Hungarian Dances.
Tickets for the performance are £9.50 (Adults), £8.00 (Concessions / Senior Citizens), £3.00 (School Children) and a family ticket (2 Adults and 2 Children) £20.00 and are available via the website at www.sandbach-concert-series.co.uk/tickets.htm or at Bramwells Opticians (4 Hightown) and Demeters Wholefoods (12 Welles Street) or on the door. 6.30pm Doors Open, 7.00pm Spotlight Concert by Local Talent, 7.30pm Intermission / Raffle for Local Charity / Art Exhibition, 8.00pm Main Concert.
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27 Mar 2018
FODEN’S BAND LAUNCH HISTORY WEBSITE
Foden’s Band held a special concert to launch their new website which will show off their 118-year history. The performance at Sandbach Town Hall on the 27 March 2018 was watched over by William Foden’s bust which had been saved from a fire at the band-room a couple of years ago and had been restored as part of a project to preserve the bands past.
With special guests including the Mayor of Sandbach, Martin Forster and members of the public there was an opportunity to see and exhibition of artefacts donated to the band for its archive, various cups and trophies plus a medal collection loaned by Allan Littlemore.
The evening included interval music from the 78 collections of the band digitally remastered for the archive.
Interval food was also provided by Daniel Williams of Godfrey Williams and Son.
The website can be seen at www.fodensbandheritage.co.uk
27 Mar 2018 CONCERT / LAUNCH OF THE HISTORY WEBSITE
At Sandbach Town Hall
1. Viva Rimmer (William Rimmer arr J Whittle
written in 1956 Pub Besson and Co)
2. Scena from L’Etoile Du Nord (Meyerbeer arr William Halliwell)
Tenor Horn Solo Johnathan Bates
3. Old Mother Hubbard (Heley-Hutchinson)
4. Dance of the Willo-the-Wisps (Berlioz arr William Halliwell)
5. Egmont – Overture (Beethoven arr Unkn)
INTERVAL
1. The Cossack (William Rimmer)
2. The Sunshine of your Smile (Leonard Cooke (W) and Lilian Ray (Music)
Solo Cornet Mark Wilkinson
3. Bobby Shafroe (Trad arr Gordon Langford)
4. The Golden Lady (Goff Richards)
5. Someone to Watch Over Me (George Gershwin arr Alan Fernie)
6. Procession to the Minster (Richard Wagner arr Howard Snell)
ENCORE
Westwood Ho (Edwin Firth)
The evening included an exhibition
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2 April 2018
BARCLAYS BANK TO CLOSE ON THE 20 JULY 2018
It is with great sadness that the news has come to our attention that Barclays Bank in Sandbach is to close on the 20 July 2018 after 96 years in the town, the victim of Internet Banking and a change in policy for banks to move customers from buildings to the faceless On-line and phone banking with physical deposits and withdrawals being taken over by the local Post Offices.
Formed on the 17 November 1690, in London when John Freame and Thomas Gould formed the Goldsmith Banking business which later took on a James Barclay the son in law of John Freame who became a named partner in the business in 1736.
In 1728, the Goldsmith Bank moved to 54 Lombard Street and adopted the “Black Spread Eagle” logo which has stayed with the company ever since.
Smaller banks, Backhouse’s Bank and Gurney’s Bank joined together to form the larger Barclays and Co Bank in 1896.
Between 1905 and 1916, Barclays Bank acquired many small local English banks and in 1918 the bank acquired the London Provincial and South Western Bank, a year later in 1919 the British Linen Bank with the Mercantile Credit Union joining in 1975 and the Woolwich Building Society in 2000.
On the 27 June 1967, Barclays deployed the world’s first Cash dispenser with “On the Busses” actor Reg Varney becoming the first to use the Cash Machine in their Enfield Branch.
Between 2001 and 2016 Barclays sponsored the Premier League football.
By 2018 the company had 4,750 branches in about 55 countries with 1,600 in the United Kingdom.
Barclays Bank came to Sandbach on the 17 July 1922, when it opened its first building at 6 – 8 Crewe Road with its first mention in a local trade directory in 1933 when the other banks listed in the publication at the time in the town were the District Bank (Now the Nat West Bank), and the Sandbach Permanent Benefit Building Society (Meeting at the Literary Institute 1st Tues in the Month 6.30pm to 8pm c/o Mr Herbert Price - Secretary, Middlewich Road, Sandbach, the Sandbach Savings Bank (C Richardson – Actuary) at 10 High Town. There was also the Savings Bank – Sandbach Branch, Westminster Bank Ltd and the Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd.
By 1938, the Sandbach Barclays Bank was managed by Arthur A Goodwin and was still in Crewe Road.
By 1943, Barclays Bank Ltd was joined on the streets of Sandbach by newcomers the Westminster Bank Ltd and Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd with the other banks still in the town being the Savings Bank and the District Bank Ltd.
By the 1960s’ a bigger bank was needed in the town and in 1965 the Cheshire Police decided to downsize from its Bold Street Police Station and moved to behind the Magistrates Court in Middlewich Road leaving a space in the road that could be filled by the bank. In February 1968 the bulldozers moved in to demolish the Police Station and work started on the new building to house Barclays Bank which had been designed by Architects “Green Lloyd and Sons” of London and opened on the 23 June 1969.
Since then the bank has stayed pretty much the same in its design until this year with its impending closure. It is always sad when a part of the town closes down but this business is different than most as it is the last of the banks to have existed in Sandbach without having been taken over since the 1920’s.
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5 April 2018
SANDBACH DENTIST BECOMES MASTER CHEF CONTESTANT
As the final of Masterchef is held on TV we can look back at the series as Sandbach Dentist Chris Harbour has been one of this year’s contestants in the popular BBC TV Series Master Chef presented by Greg Wallace and John Torode. His first appearance in episode 10 had him cooking a fish dish which allowed him to go through to the next round and was described by Greg Wallace as a cross between Patrick Stewart and himself. One of the dished he made during the series was the first meal he cooked for his wife at their new home, a flat above the Dentists in Crewe Road.
Chris’s influences in cooking are numerous and keeps a copy of Heston Blumenthal’s book in the kitchen and likes to use it to experiment with his cooking.
In his final appearance in episode 16 Chris experienced the pressures of a professional kitchen when he was taken to ‘Sartoria’ in London’s Mayfair where he was put to work making a crab dish by chef and owner Francesco Mazzei and spent most of his time taking the shell out of the crab. However, a return to a fish dish to show how much Chris had improved failed to impress the judges and guest Nathan Outlaw and he left the series at the end of that programme but should be very proud of the progress he made and the skills he showed on TV.
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21 April 2018
SANDBACH CONCERT SERIES YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
2018 is the year of the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year competition and event held every second year, however Sandbach can go one better with its own Competition as part of the Sandbach Transport Festival weekend. The Young Musician of the Year Competition is run by the Sandbach Concert Series and is held on the Saturday of the Event with guest adjudicators giving constructive tips on performances by Senior players and Juniors who play in-front of an audience who come in for free to the Town Hall to listen to some wonderful playing. This year is no exception with the quality of players vying for that first place in the Senior section and the Juniors hoping to impress the audience with their playing. Evie Palethorpe (Cello), Tillie Palethorpe (Flute), Jim Baldwin (Piano), Emily Leavy (Clarinet) and Matthew Franklin (Clarinet) all went home with a prize bag in the Junior section, with Emily Leavy (Clarinet) impressing judges Mark Wilkinson (Foden’s Band) and Joy Naylor (Vocal Coach from Middlewich who has sung with Opera North) so much that she was awarded a special prize donated by Bramwell Tovey a famous conductor who has conducted Foden’s Band in competitions and on a recent visit was so impressed with the competition he gave a trophy which this year included a £25 bursary sponsored by Nigel Birch.
In the Senior section Ben Jackson (Saxophone) was awarded the first prize trophy with a £100 bursary sponsored by Crewe Male Voice Choir and presented by Stephen Davies of the Choir who has also poached Ben and Nadia James (Cornet) who came second with a trophy and a £50 bursary (Sponsored by Sandbach Music), for a guest appearance at one of the CMV Choir Concerts. Third Prize in this section went to Mark Wheeler (Clarinet) with a £25 Bursary again sponsored by Nigel Birch with Catherine Potter (Voice), Ellie Corker (Piano), Matthew Haworth (Saxophone) closely following the standard set by the first three winners.
Hosts Andy and Lauren Scott thanked all who had been involved with the organisation of the event as well as sponsors Astute Music and the Love Music Trust and guests Fiona Bruce MP and Sandbach Mayor Martin Forster.
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21-22 April 2018
SANDBACH TRANSPORT FESTIVAL 2018
The 28th Sandbach’s Transport Festival had everything during the weekend from Dinosaurs, a replica Spitfire, fun fair, hog roast, Musical entertainment and various arts activities from Spare Parts. The festival also included numerous vehicles from all over the country which showed not only what Sandbach had produced with Foden’s, ERF and the Jimp. The weather was also varied with Sunshine on Saturday which brought out the largest crowds seen on the first day of the festival for a long time with Rain, Sunshine, Rain, Sunshine and various temperatures on the Sunday which kept visitors away until lunchtime when as Foden’s Band played outside the Town Hall the visitor numbers increased to enjoy the parade to the Old Hall followed at about one thirty by the St Luke’s Motor Bike riders arriving in the town with 150 bikes. Having built various contraptions, the Spare Parts group then held their own procession through the town with local people taking part with a Cheater on a bike and a tribute to 100 years of “Votes for Women”. Both days ended with a procession of vehicles that had been on display on Scotch Common.
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21-22 April 2018
NEW FIRE ENGINE AT SANDBACH
The Sandbach Transport Festival in 2018 was a great opportunity for the people of Sandbach to see their new Fire Appliance (Fire Engine to you and me) as the County purchased four new machines for deployment at Lymm, Macclesfield, Runcorn and Winsford with their old appliances being moved to other stations and in a general swap round one from Warrington has been given to Sandbach to replace its old Mercedes Atego (Y495PTU) which according to fire personnel at Sandbach was getting old. This new appliance a Scania P320 (MX65BCF) has more and better facilities on board including a portable pump which is able to expel water at different pressures for different types of fires and incidents as part of this new upgrade.
One noticeable difference is the height of the cab the crew have to get into which will present a few problems in the early days until they get used to its new layout.
The other noticeable difference is that the name Sandbach does not appear on the side of the Fire Engine. A new policy at Cheshire Fire Brigade is to make the appliances anonymous when attending incidents or relief cover when a station is already on call. This may be to make the public less aware of extra cover in places like Crewe when Sandbach replaces the crew as they are tackling a call, but for those who want to look at what their own appliances are doing it makes it difficult to keep tabs on number plates for the Fire engine spotter or enthusiast as they are continually changing and to see in pictures of incidents who is attending and what their role is at the “Shout”. Seeing the name of the town on the side of an appliance justifies having a station in their town. Let’s hope that the name Sandbach will soon return to the appliance and that this new appliance will keep up the tradition of great cover for the town and the surrounding area.
This new appliance will be one of over 23 that have been stationed in the town since the 1860’s when it was reported in the local paper’s that Sandbach had its own Fire Brigade with a compliment of between 12 and 18 fire-fighters and on Wednesday the 3 January 1866 at 1.10am a large fire took place at Crewe Hall with fire brigades from Crewe, Sandbach, Nantwich and Chester turning up to tackle the blaze to no avail. As Lord Crewe owned most of this area it makes sense that he would contact his own staff to tackle the blaze and would have a network of people to contact them should anything happen on his estates.
The only other fire brigade in Sandbach at the time worked for one of the local salt extraction works at Ettley Heath who used large salt pans to evaporate the water from the salt / Brine who on a number of occasions caught fire so they had a fire crew on standby from the 1800’s.
The first known picture of the Sandbach Fire Brigade appeared in 1870 and shows the crew in-front of a Carnival float along with children and possibly the two horses that drew the fire appliance. Another picture near the Black Bear, possibly from 1900 shows the horse drawn fire engine / pump drawn by two white horses wearing black plumes which are usually are a sign of a death or funeral.
By about this time in 1870 the Superintendent was a Mr John Cooke a local Blacksmith of 10 Congleton Road who by 1895 had a horse called Polly which was stabled at his smithy (Where the Palace Cinema used to be) and on hearing the fire bell would trot over the road to the fire station to be harnessed to the “Engine”.
In 1873, the town had a new Fire Station erected on the corner of Scotch Common which was a plain structure of red brick and consisted of an engine house only with the horses housed elsewhere in the town. The fire station did have a small space at the back of the building which was used to do the administration of the brigade as well as to hold training meetings as well as a place to hang up the hoses to dry them out.
During this time fires were mainly during the summer with hay bales catching light and then on the 4th May 1842 steam trains started coming through Sandbach Station and suddenly there was a new type of fire the verge fire caused by sparks from the trains lighting the dry grass at the side of the track or buildings nearby.
In 1894 the Local Government Act put the responsibility for fire cover onto Local Government / Council’s to provide cover for the town and the Sandbach Urban District Council (1894-1974) took on the responsibility of providing the fire cover and purchased the existing fire station and equipment to fulfil its obligation.
A report in the 20 March 1914, Nantwich Guardian tells of a new Sandbach Steam Fire Engine turning out for a test on Saturday the 14 March 1914 with satisfactory results. The brigade was led by Fire Superintendent Edmund Allen and had 10 Men under him to cover for calls.
An interesting article appeared on the 4th March 1939 in the local paper, the Crewe Chronicle announced that two women had become qualified to drive the Sandbach Fire engine for the first time. A picture showed Captain Thomas Leese showing new drivers Mrs Harrison and Mrs Robinson with the Sandbach fire engine. Unfortunately, they didn’t last in Sandbach during the war as one member of the wartime crew reported there were no women in the brigade at the time. However, they could have been redeployed as at the start of WW2 Sandbach was split into two groups with a new crew being based in the town and a second Auxiliary Fire Brigade unit based in Liverpool or Manchester.
On the 20 May 1941, the Fire Services (Emergency Provisions) Act 1941 was passed through Parliament, establishing a National Fire Service (NFS) with Local Authorities providing 75% of the funding for a regular Fire Brigade and the Country being divided into 12 regions with Sandbach in Region 10 included (Cheshire, Lancashire, West Moreland and Cumberland). This was then divided into smaller areas with Sandbach coming under Fire Force No 26 with its headquarters at “Holly Mount”, Mill Lane, West Derby, Liverpool 12 and was commanded by a former London Fire Brigade Officer Mr Charters.
In 1947 another Act of Parliament gave rise to the Cheshire Fire Service which started its duties on the 1 April 1948 with 28 Stations in 5 Districts (Districts designated from A to E).
In about 1948, the Fire Brigade moved to a new fire house which was situated in the old Temperance Hall on Scotch Common a building that was demolished and then rebuilt to house the Market Stall for the Sandbach Town Council.
With various changes in Cheshire a plan of building new Fire Stations was started with the present Sandbach Fire Station being officially opened on the 21 June 1961 by Alderman F.D. Gee the Chairman of the County Fire Brigade Committee. These plain brick buildings would go on to last for through to date with Holmes Chapel, Congleton, Middlewich and the larger Crewe stations all being built in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
The 1960’s also introduced the station to the major transport accident as the M6 Motorway was opened and with the freedom to travel at great speeds the number of accident started to grow and still continues to dominate the figures with the M6 being the cause of at least one call out per week if not more.
Two major fires in the area since the 1960’s included the call in September 1995 to the old Foden Factory which was now being used as a Go Carting circuit with appliances from all over Cheshire and Staffordshire bring called to the incident. Firefighters were still dampening down the area on the 24 September 1995.
The other incident was on the 17 July 2015, at 9.11am when fire crews were called to a village between Congleton and Macclesfield for what became known in the media as the Bosley Mill Fire. The incident was in a wood clip mill and was so fierce that it took weeks to put out completely and to recover bodies, one of which has never been found.
Today Sandbach is one of the busiest fire stations in the County with its retained firemen saving the community from dangers and rescuing people and animals 365 days a year.
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NEW FIRE APPLIANCES ARRIVE IN CHESHIRE
4 x Scania P320 arrive for Lymm, Macclesfield, Runcorn and Winsford.
MX17GBE
MX17GBF
MX17GBO
MX17GBU
LIST OF SANDBACH FIRE APPLIANCES
1800’s Horse drawn pump.
July 1913 Messers Shand, Mason and Company
1937/40 Jennings (Body 1934 to ERF) Sandbach Urban District Council – Fordson 7V (1937)
For some reason the word Thomas appears on the grill on the front.
1930’s-40’s Dennis (Sandbach Urban District Council)
1946 AFS Vehicle (Used in either Manchester or Liverpool by Sandbach Crew)
1950’s Dennis F1
1958 Dodge Flat Backed Wagon and Pump (2nd Appliance)
1961 Commer QX (Possible – Built in 1954 or Commer QX Mark IV)
1961 Land Rover Series 2 Redwing (AMB587B)
1960’s Dennis F8 (Number not known / Possibly Audlem’s RMB996)
1960’s Rolls Royce – Number unknown – On loan for a short while.
1965 Dennis F38 (FTU716B) Also at Audlem
1969 Dennis F38 (MTU317H) Red and Silver with Bell on Front. It served from 1969 at
Macclesfield and was also housed at Nantwich.
It became the Rolls Royce in Crewe appliance before going into Preservation
with the Dennis Society.
It was on loan to Sandbach.
1970’s Dennis F45 (WLG317J) based at Sandbach for most of its life then at ICI Winnington.
1975 Dennis F8 (Picture 1975 checking Hydrants possibly RMB996 as a loan appliance)
1981 Land Rover Stage One V8 L4T (DMB902X) 1981 Land Rover Series III Jennings.
Repainted it was used by cadets from 2002 when the Land Rover Fleet were
taken “Off the Run” until the 11 Feb 2009 (10 Feb 2009 Final day as a Cadet Unit)
when it was sold into preservation with Craig Howell (Sandbach).
1982 Dennis F45 (WLG317J) Red and Silver with Bell on Front the appliance went to
ICI in Winnington.
1987 Dennis / Carmichael SS133 (D688PMB). (Picture C21 in Transport Festival Date Tba)
Originally stationed at Sandbach it was then moved to Wilmslow.
To 1997 Mercedes 1124 (K628KMB) Also stationed at Widnes.
1997 Dennis Sabre (R42FMA) at Sandbach by 2 Aug 2011 (Introduced to Cheshire in 1995).
(Now on reserve duty with Cheshire Fire and Rescue)
After 2000 to 2018 Mercedes Atego (Y495PTU) At Winsford in 2000, Runcorn then Sandbach
Now location not known.
2007 Rapid Response Unit (Range Rover DK56OTN)
April 2018 Scania P320 (MX65BCF) Was at Warrington.
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17 May 2018
SANDBACH HAS A NEW MAYOR
Elected at the 44th Annual Meeting of the Sandbach Town Council on the 17 May 2018, Richard Hovey was elected Mayor of Sandbach the ninth to be in the role since Cheshire East took over from Congleton Borough allowing Sandbach to again have its own Town Mayor.
During his year of office, he hopes to help school age residents to play musical instruments and encourage them to appreciate music of all sorts as well as continuing his work for people living with dementia in Sandbach.
Councillor Mike Muldoon was also elected Deputy Town Mayor.
Cllr Richard Hovey was elected in 2016 to the Ettley Heath and Wheelock Ward of Sandbach Town Council and is the grandchild of the original owners of the Zan works in Wheelock which produced a number of items in Sandbach from 1919 when it moved from Scotland as the Hopol company. Zan / Hopol closed as a business many years ago with the site becoming a number of small units which Richard manages.
Richard is also coming to the end of his Chairmanship of the Rotary Club of Sandbach and has been part of the community all of his life in the town.
One thing he is looking forward to in his year of office is getting out for events but has reservations about controlling the Councillors during meetings especially in this year as the Town Halls, Market Hall alterations come into life and they also look into ways of improving how the town could change to address the issue of a 30% increase of Population in Sandbach due to the new housing estates.
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24 May 2018
SANDBACH MARKET HALL RENOVATIONS BEGIN
After many years of discussions, the improvements to the Sandbach Market Hall have begun. A disastrous scheme and questionnaire in May 2016 to put in a floor above the market stalls for office space for the Town Council was put to rest with the public and stall holders getting together to put forward plans for an improved look to the market to increase footfall which were approved by Sandbach Town Council with a set of designs being submitted in October 2017 by architects David Trowler Associates and a presentation to the public in the Town Hall by Councillors.
Work started on the outside of the building during the beginning of May with Scaffolding being placed inside the Market Hall on the 20 May 2018 allowing work to start painting the ceiling and alter the electrics above the stalls.
Repairs to the tiled flooring took place from the 16 – 18 May 2018, with Baby Changing facilities and Toilet improvements being made outside the main hall.
Alterations to the Market will continue from the 7 May 2018 to the 5 July 2018 (44 Days) with the instillation of new glass canopies on top of the side stalls from the 16th June to the 5th July 2018, New signage will be added from the 2nd to the 4th July 2018 and the lobbies next to the doors will be improved between the 4th to the 29th June 2018 with new picture shutters being added to the side stalls that will include scenes of old Sandbach supplied by local historians.
The Indoor Market will be closed on the 21st and 23rd June 2018 with stalls moving outside on these days to continue trading during the period of closure but will also be open during the rest of the period on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Work should be completed with a hand over hopefully on the 6 – 7 July 2018 and then a new era will begin for this historic building.
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26 May 2018
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND TO CLOSE
The Royal Bank of Scotland is to close in Sandbach on the 9 August 2018 along with their branch in Nantwich on the 26 July and locally Hanley, Newcastle, Stafford and Uttoxeter. This is the second bank to announce its Sandbach Branch closure after Barclays announced in April the closure date of 20 July 2018.
Based at 2 Bradwall Road the site of the building has been a bank since the time of the First World War with only a few years when it was a grocery shop.
In 1914 it was listed as Parr’s Bank Limited (Manager Arthur Edgar Slade), followed by the Westminster Bank before it moved to 3 High Town when in 1957 Godfrey Williams opened his shop before closing the building by 1976 when it was boarded up.
By the 1980’s the building was the “Williams and Glyn’s Bank Limited” which was part of the Royal Bank of Scotland group who renamed the branch a Royal Bank of Scotland by 1987 and were due to relaunch many branches as a separate “Williams and Glyn’s Bank” this year but plans failed to be realised.
On the 1 May 2018, the bank announced that they would be closing 162 branches with the loss of over 800 jobs over their network due to customers using the internet rather than visiting branches. A spokesman for the company said that their Hanley branch only has 27 customers visiting the bank on a regular basis making unviable to keep these buildings open.
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28 May 2018
FIELD HOUSE BECOME UNDERTAKERS
Originally the home of a Mill owner in 1843, “Field House” on Congleton Road became a Maternity Hospital, a Job Centre and now an Undertakers have taken over the building so you could say the building has come full circle dealing with people from birth via jobs and then to the grave in 175 years.
In 2013 with cuts in Benefit offices the building was put up for sale and lay unused for many years. The portacabin next to it enjoyed a new lease of life for a bit as a gymnasium but soon closed with the portacabins falling to pieces literally as the roof fell in.
In September 2015 an application was made to demolish the Field House building (15/3974c) and erect 7 dwellings and 4 apartments. These plans were never approved and a local business put forward another suggestion.
In 2018 plans were submitted to turn the building into an undertakers and in May 2018 works started on clearing the grounds and preparing the building for conversion into its new use.
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28 May 2018
WHEELOCK HISTORY WEEK A SUCCESS
Wheelock Congregational Church held its latest History Week after a break of three years. The Rev. Clifford Millington has put together an exhibition of picture from the history files of the Wheelock Congregational Church which was started after the parish records were destroyed by bonfire when a previous vicar tried to clear out the church. The Rev. Millington then appealed for information about marriages that had taken place at the church along with local information to try and repair the records for future generations. Parishioners then started to donate pictures of Wheelock from the past which was expanded to the area of Sandbach and the surrounding villages and now forms the basis of a great archive of material.
The Rev. Millington had not been interested in history before this project, but now has become immersed in the project gathering pictures and information about the area which he started to share in two books about Wheelock and the biannual exhibition which came about after numerous people wanted to see the pictures.
The exhibition in the church that ran from the Bank Holiday Monday to the 2 June 2018 and had features on Wheelock, Sandbach, Hassell Green, Foden’s Works, Cricket club, Football, Shackleton’s Toys, The Salt Works and Bone Works. Many of the pictures featured had not been seen before which for the local historians gave them an opportunity to fill in some of the gaps in their own knowledge.
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1 June 2018
SANDBACH REMEMBERS THE FALLEN OF WW1
This year marks a significant milestone in the History of Foden’s Band and also commemorates the final list of 79 men who laid down their lives for their country in the First World War during 1918 and 1919. Over the last four years the British Legion has planted a named cross for each of the men who died during that year starting in 2014 with the 100th anniversary of 1914 and culminating in 2018 with the final list of names of soldiers who died during that conflict as well as those who were still fighting or died of their wounds in 1919.
For Foden’s Band its significance is that on the 1st June 1918 one of their bandsmen Edwin Firth lost his life when a shell exploded, killing him instantly when he and his party were returning from the front. He had been the principal cornet player with the band and had recorded numerous 78’s with Fodens Motor Works Band along with a solo 78 which has become a “must have” recording in the Brass Band world.
By arrangement with the Royal British Legion the laying of a wreath at Elworth’s War Memorial where Edwin Firth’s name appears and the laying of the crosses to the 79 soldiers were combined on this anniversary to make the events in Sandbach a special commemoration of this tragic event, one that has touched the lives of so many generations.
The Rev. Jeff Cuttell of Astbury who used to be in the Parachute Regiment and is the minister for the Royal British Legion led the Service of Remembrance at 1.30pm in Elworth where Fodens Band played a hymn to their bandsman with Alan Littlemore laying a wreath on behalf of the band having been the band manager and who has also written a history of the band which included a chapter dedicated to the memory of Edwin Firth. Marjorie Newton also laid a wreath on behalf of the RBL while the Mayor of Cheshire East Cllr Lesley Smetham (and Consort David Smetham), Mayor of Sandbach Cllr Richard Hovey, various Councillors and most important of all the relatives of Edwin Firth, Martyn Firth (Grandson) and Edwin James Firth (Great Grandson) with wives and friends attended a very noisy main road location due to roadworks near the Fox Inn, for this very personal service. This was a very fitting tribute to the bandsman and formed the start of coverage by Andy Gill and a camera person from North West Tonight who joined the day’s events as they continued into Sandbach Town’s, Market Square where at 2.30pm Edwin Firth was again commemorated by the laying of a cross, this time by his grandson Martyn Firth. The cross for him was laid out as his name was read out to the accompaniment of recordings from Fodens Band (1909 to 1918) and Edwin’s own “Cleopatra” and “Pandora” 78’s with five members of Foden’s Band (6 at Elworth) again playing a hymn during the service, this time for all those who had died from the town with Mark Wilkinson (Principal Cornet with the band) playing the last post for the minutes silence.
In Sandbach the Rev. Jeff Cuttell again led the service of remembrance with Reg Dunning and Marjorie Newton taking part before the list of 79 soldiers were read out with a cross bearing their name being planted at the base of the War Memorial.
It was also a time for remembering the ex-pupils of Sandbach School who had died during 1918-19 and as their names were read out current pupils from the school laid their crosses in the flower beds of the war memorial a tribute they have performed over the last four years.
It was a day the sun shone on a sombre event with a pleasing and fitting tribute to the Fallen of Sandbach.
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1 June 2018
EDWIN FIRTH TRIBUTE CONCERT’S
Foden’s Band and the Royal British Legion paid tribute to Edwin Firth the principal cornet player with Fodens Motor Works Band from 1909 until his untimely death on the 1 June 1918, with a wreath laying ceremony at Elworth War Memorial (Where he is named) and later at the Market Square War Memorial in Sandbach exactly 100 years to the day since his death.
On the 1 June 2018 (7.30pm) and the 3 June (2pm) Fodens Band paid their own tribute to Edwin Firth with a special concert in his honour.
The anniversary concert was a great success with the programme being made up of pieces connected to the Principal Cornet player starting with the band’s theme tune “The Cossack” and then there was a chance to hear Edwin Firth himself playing “Cleopatra” via a recording remastered for CD and shown with a video of pictures of the cornet player.
Next was a piece called “Fodenian” written as a tribute to Edwin Firth by Robert Thornton and played by the band from a rearrangement by Philip Littemore from the only copy known to exist of the original handwritten piece which has been lost from the band’s library but was copied by the evenings narrator Alan Littlemore on an old photocopier many years ago. As it was a tribute to the Principal Cornet player from 1918 the 2018 seat holder Mark Wilkinson played this tune as the first of two solo slots he would perform during the evening.
In 1913, The British Bandsman (Newspaper) decided to hold a competition to find the best new march. It was won by Edwin Firth with his composition “Westwood Ho” which was the next tune in this concert and one that has become a favourite with many of the Brass Bands around the country including Fodens who played it at the recent History website launch earlier in the year and at various other concerts in the run up to this tribute weekend.
Edwin Firth was again featured with the B side of his 78 “Pandora” being played on a big screen with video tribute followed by the 1 October 1910 National Brass Band Championships test piece played at Crystal Palace, London, called “Gems of Schubert” which was arranged by William Rimmer. Fodens Motor Works Band were the second band to play in the competition with Edwin Firth on Solo Cornet an order of play many thought would be a handicap but the band defied the odds and came first gaining the double win of the two major championships in the same year with this and the British Open Championships, a feat the band has only achieved twice with the second being in 2013. In 1910 they were awarded £40, a Boosey’s Cornet and medals along with a trophy which had to be returned the following year.
There then followed an interval in the concert when the audience had a chance to see an exhibition of items belonging to Edwin Firth including his cups and instruments along with pictures of the player and a family tree.
The second half was a time for reflection for not only Edwin Firth but also others who had died in the conflict with the opening “Fanfare and National Anthem” (Jacobs) followed by the Rev David Page the Vicar of St Peter’s Church, Elworth, paying his tribute to Edwin and the Fallen of WW1 leading into the emotive piece by John Williams, “Hymn to the Fallen” from the film “Saving Private Ryan”.
Two more pieces followed which Edwin and the band could have played during the 1909 to 1918 period. The first of the two was, “The Lost Chord” (Arthur Sullivan) which had featured Edwin Firth on Solo Cornet when the band played for King George V and Queen Mary “By Royal Command”, on the 23 April 1913 at Crewe Hall where the band played in-front of the building at 9.30am after they had travelled by Steam Wagon to Crewe from Sandbach and they changed into some new uniforms that had been specially purchased for the event. The King and Queen then went on to visit Crewe Town Centre, Sandbach and Congleton as part of their trip round the “Industrial North”. Next was “Threnody” (Henry Geehl) followed by the most poignant tune of the evening.
“Goodbye” by Tosti arranged by J Ord Hulme. It was a tune that had been played by Edwin Firth on the 11 August 1917. Having joined the Artists Regiment, the 28th London Regiment as a Private (766890) in 1917 this would be his last solo with the band before his untimely death on the 1 June 1918. The band and Edwin Firth were playing at Chester Groves by the River. The tune he chose to play as an encore was “Goodbye” by Tosti, which he thought would be appropriate. However, his fellow band members tried to talk him out of playing it as they saw this as a bad omen. How right they were. At the two concerts Mark Wilkinson played this solo using Edwin Firth’s own cornet handed down from his father Squire Firth and left behind by the player as he went on his fateful trip to France. Edwin had taken a battered cornet from the band-room to the front to keep his lip in working order and that cornet was returned to the family along with his other items after his death, leaving the player in France where he is buried.
The concert itself finished with the tune “Light Cavalry” (Suppe arr Greenwood) which was a fitting end to this tribute to Edwin Firth.
Edwin’s relative’s Martyn Firth (Grandson) and Edwin James Firth (Great, Great Grandson) and family attended the Friday night concert which also included an appearance by the band’s ex conductor James Scott and local MP Fiona Bruce.
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17 June 2018
SANDBACH MAYOR’S CIVIC PARADE AND SERVICE
The torrential downpour of Saturday was not in evidence when the Sandbach Mayor’s Civic Parade and Service took place on Sunday the 17 June 2018. Starting on Scotch Common, Richard Hovey the new Mayor of Sandbach joined other Civic Leaders from Cheshire East Nantwich, Alsager and Winsford in the annual march to St Mary’s Church where the Revd. Thomas Shepherd led the service.
The procession included representatives from local organisations along with Deputy Mayor Mike Muldoon, the Fire Cadets, Air Cadets and the drums of Cheshire Police who led the procession followed by Royal British Legion members, Town Crier Dennis Robinson, Sandbach Town Council members and a number of Mayors from the area, Cllr Shirley Jones from Alsager, Cllr Lesley Smetham of Cheshire East, Cllr David Marren from Nantwich and Cllr Gina Lewis with her Consort Denis Lewis from Winsford. The Sandbach Royal British Legion standard barer was unavailable this weekend due to another commitment but Haslington Royal British Legion which has Cllr Richard Hovey among its ranks kindly lent their standard bearer, Robert Cave who volunteered his services to help with the parade.
As the procession moved from the common via the Town Hall, onto the War Memorial where Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey and Cheshire East Mayor, Lesley Smetham laid wreaths for the fallen soldiers of the town which has become part of the traditions of the Sandbach march which started in 1973.
The parade moved to St Mary’s Church where they held the Civic Service with hymns and readings by Cllr Richard Hovey and the Deputy Mayor of Sandbach Cllr Mike Muldoon. The Revd. Thomas Shepherd opened his sermon as he did last year by saying he had been in the town for the last 10 years (Coming to Sandbach in 2008) and he still hadn’t decided why he liked being in Sandbach. He then talked about a conversation he had had on the phone with Kate Simon who along with Suzanne King has compiled a “Slow Travel Guide” which mentions the area of Crewe, Alsager, Congleton and Sandbach saying that they had all grown out of an Industrial plan coming out from a country backwater area with the introduction of the railways. Sandbach according to the new book was described as the most attractive of the four towns and had a good report of Sandbach Park. The Revd. Shepherd finally talked about the role of the elected council and that the church said a prayer each week for them to continue their work before saying the ‘Prayer of Intercession’, which lays out via the bible what a council should look at while in office, from the care of the community to caring for animals, property, those who live in poverty and hunger along with seeking guidance and keeping “Your Commandments”.
The service ended with the Civic Prayer led by the Mayor “Grant us a Vision of our town; a town of justice, where none shall prey on others; a town of plenty, where there will be no place for poverty; a town in community, where success shall be founded on service, and honour be given to worth alone; a town of peace, where order shall not rest on force, but on mutual respect, Send us out from this place, in the power of your Spirit, that we may live and work to your praise and glory”.
Following on from the service the congregation were treated to a cup of tea or coffee with a great spread of food in the Church Hall along with a chance to talk to the Mayor, who during a short speech of welcome mentioned that his chosen charities this year were for Dementia Awareness for the town, an initiative run in conjunction with the Sandbach Partnership and encouraging young people to learn to play musical instruments and to encourage music within the town.
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17 June 2018
SEASON END FOR THE SANDBACH CONCERT SERIES
The Sandbach Concert Series comes to a season end on Wednesday the 27 June 2018, when the Euphonium and Tuba quartet “Tralaté” plays St Mary’s Church Hall.
The quartet has been together for over 27 years (Formed in 1991) and as the first known tuba and euphonium combination has become one of the leading brass ensembles in the country. As graduates from the Royal Northern College of Music they have travelled from Europe, to Russia, Latvia and the USA playing at various prestigious venues.
On the 14 November 1998, “Tralaté” played for Prince Charles’s 50th Birthday party at Buckingham Palace a concert organised by Her Majesty, The Queen.
Made up of Paul Walton (Euphonium), John Powell (Euphonium), Ryan Breen (Tuba) and Les Neish (Tuba) Tralaté will be playing music by J S Bach, Nicklas Schmidt, Bordin, Peter McGarr, John Stevens and Sandbach composer Andy Scott with his tune, “Bite the Bullet” on the 27th June at 7.30pm along with young musicians from the area in a spotlight concert.
Paul Walton (Euphonium) has played with the Black Dyke Band, Desford Colliery and the Fairey Band along with appearances with Sandbach based Fodens Band in 1994. Paul has also conducted the Poynton (Vernon Building Society) Brass Band for the North West Area finals. John Powell (Euphonium) has been with the Almeida Opera Orchestra, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and has conducted the Denbighshire County and Trading Band while Ryan Breen (Tuba) has played with the Wigan Brass Band and Les Neish (Tuba) is the more well-known member of the group having played from 2005 to April 2010 with Foden’s Band and recorded the solo CD with the band, “Salt of the Earth” (2009) and was part of the “Double Trouble” CD with Fodens Band, Tralaté and Barbara Thompson (Saxophone player on the “A Touch of Frost” theme) who co-wrote the music while struggling against Parkinson’s Disease, with her friend Andy Scott the resident composer with Fodens and one of the organises of the Sandbach Concert Series. Les Neish is now a tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, Salford University and the Birmingham Conservatoire with his experience and knowledge making him the ideal choice to judge the 2012 Foden’s Band Solo Competition and latterly the BBC Radio 2 “Young Brass Player of the Year”.
Tickets for the performance are £9.50 (Adults), £8.00 (Concessions / Senior Citizens), £3.00 (School Children) and a family ticket (2 Adults and 2 Children) £20.00 and are available via the website at www.sandbach-concert-series.co.uk/tickets.htm or at Bramwells Opticians (4 Hightown) and Demeters Wholefoods (12 Welles Street) or on the door. 6.30pm Doors Open, 7.00pm Spotlight Concert by Local Talent, 7.30pm Intermission / Raffle for Local Charity / Art Exhibition, 8.00pm Main Concert.
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17 June 2018
END OF A LONG AND FRUITFUL ERA
It has come to my attention that the best local photographer of the last thirty plus years has finally hung up his camera and decided to retire from the Sandbach Chronicle / Congleton Chronicle series. Glyn Boon has taken his last picture for the paper and handed in his last SD card to be printed in what has been a wonderful documentation of the history of the area. I for one will miss his quality pictures in the paper and his great friendship not only towards me but the whole community of Sandbach who looked forward to his arrival and his unique way of taking local paper pictures by organizing the people, standing on a chair or platform to get that different angle and the professionalism he brought to the occasion when he blended into the background for those unplanned shots he took at concerts and special occasions.
I first remember him at my first play with the Sandbach Players “Basinful of the Briny”, when he unexpectedly for me stood on a chair to take the group picture something I had never seen a photographer do and still today is the only one that regularly does that unexpected shot to give the Chronicle a great picture for the paper, one that captures the occasion perfectly. He probably turned up at my school in the early days to take the picture of a play they were doing or the opening of a new part of the building while I was there but I don’t remember. It was only when I was sent out into the community in the 1980’s that he seemed to be everywhere from the village fate to the Elizabethan Market. Events, plays, concerts, openings, celebrity appearances, transport festivals, shop openings, Mayor’s events, British Legion Ball, Remembrance Day Marches, Armed Forces Day, Charity fund-raises, murders and fires. He even appearing in the background in the BBC’s coverage of the Bosley Mill Fire of the 17 July 2015.
In 2009, Glyn Boon was given the title ‘Citizen of the Year’ by the Rotary Club of Sandbach for his work in the community, an accolade he richly deserves as he has been a big part of that community for many years.
For me he has taught me how to take pictures, not just how a camera works but how to make that picture special by the odd little tip he has given me while on assignment or by watching what he does. He has also taught me never to be afraid of asking someone to do something out or the ordinary like holding a prop or turning in a certain way to make the picture better.
In those early days when Glyn started it was all on film so you were never sure what a photograph would turn out like or if it would turn out at all with faulty film or a light leaking camera, but as Glyn took the picture you could be pretty sure that it would appear in that week’s paper and so would rush out to buy it for your archive. As digital cameras started to appear, Glyn was one of the first professionals I saw with one of the new SLR camera kits and he grasped the technology with both hands and was soon confident in this new medium that he was able to show the public what he had taken that day to make sure that they were happy with the results and of course to make sure that he was also happy he had the picture he wanted for the cover or an inside feature. With Digital cameras it is now easy to take hundreds of photographs without worrying about the cost and on many occasions, Glyn has said to me he had better stop taking pictures of an event as he had only one page to fill.
As a Hospital Radio presenter our paths crossed at many events over my 35 years of broadcasting and while taking pictures of events and he has always been courteous in letting myself and others take their picture of a setup before moving on to his next shot or assignment.
A few years ago, Glyn thought about retiring but had second thoughts and has continued into his 70’s, Chronicling events in the area. The public face of the Sandbach / Congleton Chronicle etc. Glyn’s private life has been just that, private but his public life has been welcomed by all as he went about his job of taking pictures.
He will be missed in Sandbach and I am sure the rest of the Chronicle area, so I end with one word for this great photographer on his retirement from all those he has taken pictures of over the years, THANKS.
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30 June 2018
ARMED FORCES DAY AND FAMILY FUN DAY IN THE PARK
A sunny day could not prise the Motor Racing and Football fans off the sofa to go to Sandbach Park for a wonderful “Family Fun Day” on Saturday the 30 June 2018, but many who ventured into the town enjoyed the sunshine and entertainment provided for them by Sandbach Town Council.
It was also Armed Forces Day in the town and so the Royal British Legion in Sandbach conducted a service at the start of the day near the tennis courts with the ‘Sandbach and District U3A Brass Band’, playing the accompaniment to the hymns while The Rev. Jeff Cuttell of Astbury led the prayers and service to those serving in the armed forces.
At St Mary’s Church the Sandbach School CCF (Combined Cadet Force / Army, Navy and RAF) celebrated their 100th Anniversary by abseiling down the clocktower of the Church to raise money for SSAFA (Soldiers and Sailors Families Association / The Armed Forces Charity). Organised by the previous Contingent Commander at the school, Richard Ayres who is now ACF Cheshire Commandant the 25 or more pupils from both Sandbach School and Sandbach High School climbed the thin, steep, steps inside the tower to the roof where they were greeted with a wonderful view of Sandbach against a deep blue sky before being attached to a rope and lowered over the top for the trip down the outside of the building, only pausing to stretch out their arms to show how safe the assent was. Sarah Burns the Headteacher of Sandbach School also made the assent at 11am, having abseiled before many years ago and like the members of the CCF she enjoyed the experience in perfect conditions.
The CCF also had a stall at the entrance of the Fire Station next to a display of police cars and a 60 second bike challenge organised by PCSO Spike Elliott and PC Steve Dutton, who gave members of the public the chance to cycle on a fixed bike for one minute to see how far they can go. Competitors from the age of 8 to 74 years old took part along with a friendly rivalry between the police, fire brigade and armed forces as well as brothers and sisters trying to beat each other’s times. Bob from the police vehicle management team cycled the furthest distance with 2.8km followed by Bob from Alsager (1.99km), with some doing the challenge in special uniforms. Craig Howell of the Fire Cadets cycled in Fire Brigade kit for 1.39km and in ordinary clothes for a distance of 1.73km while J B went for a distance of 1.98km in police armour. I only managed a distance of 1.31km followed soon after by last year’s Mayor of Sandbach, Martin Forster at 1.21km a distance that was a great achievement for all who took part in the challenge as many like myself hadn’t ridden a bike for a number of years.
Walking past the Fire Station display of equipment and their new fire engine into the park for more fun and entertainment. The sound of the U3A band drifted through the park till 1pm as they played popular brass band tunes like the ‘Lincolnshire Poacher’, as well as paying their own tribute to Edwin Firth the Foden Band player who died on the 1 June 1918, by playing his composition “Kenilworth March”.
The park also had displays from Girl Guiding in Sandbach who looked at 100 years of inspirational women from Princess Diana, Anne Frank, Emmeline Pankhurst, Marie Curie, Mother Teresa to Paralympic Swimmer Ellie Simmonds. Other groups features included The Royal British Legion, Aquarius, Friends of Sandbach Park, The Army Cadet Force as well as a chance at Zorbing and to play games of Quoits, Jenga, Boules and to walk on stilts, have your face painted, cake decorating and willow weaving.
The hundreds who turned up including local MP Fiona Bruce, thoroughly enjoyed the event, one of many planned for the park over the next 12 months.
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6 July 2018
FIRE AT ARCLID
Crew’s from Congleton and Crewe tackled a fire at a Farm on Arclid Traffic lights.
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7 July 2018
PARTY IN THE PARK – FODEN’S BAND
Foden’s Band failed to light up the sky but impressed the record breaking turn out for the “Party in the Park” on the Saturday the 7 July 2018. This eventful day when England made it through to the Semi-finals of the World Cup had all the makings of a small audience with supporters wishing to follow the football and celebrate the English 2-0 win against Sweden. However, Sandbach must have had a lot of supporters of Foden’s Band and the Sandbach School Big Band as by the time the big band had come off stage all the 750 tickets printed by Sandbach Town Council had been sold and the public were still coming into Sandbach Park to hear, “Musical Theatre Classics” followed by the “Last Night of the Proms” played by Foden’s Band. Unfortunately, after seven years of Party in the Park, the planned Firework ending was cancelled due to high winds, which were apparently in the wrong direction making it unsafe to launch the rockets.
The first part of the concert had John Barber introducing the Sandbach School Big Band with singers including Giorgio, Mark, Matthew, Tom, Alex and Jemma who performed a range of music from Jungle Books ‘The bear necessities’ via ‘Reach for the stars’, ‘Somebody told me’, ‘Are you going to be my girl’, to a five-singer version of the Take That song ‘Relight my Fire’.
After an interval of thirty minutes Foden’s Band was introduced by Cllr Mike Benson who gave a brief history of the band and its celebration this year of the life of Edwin Firth who died in 1918. This was then followed by an introduction to the bands guest conductor Richard Evans who has an association with certain members of Foden’s Band and has deputised for them before as a conductor since 1996. Richard has also been the conductor of the Leyland DAF Band / BNFL Band, YBS Band, Fairey Engineering and various other bands and brought his years of experience to the concert of popular music from the Musicals starting with ‘Strike up the band’, a selection of tunes from ‘South Pacific’ and the Bond theme ‘Live and Let Die’, from soloist Richard Poole. Highlights included ‘I dreamed a dream’ from solo cornet player Mark Wilkinson and ‘Hushabye Mountain’ played on the flugel horn by Melanie Whyle with other solos by John Barber and Gary Curtin in the second half of their concert performance which lead to the usual ‘Last Night of the Proms’ finale which has the traditional patriotic flag waving that the audience had done throughout the show and now hit its climax before they headed off home to chants from the local public houses of “It’s Coming Home”. This beautiful evening and large crowd certainly showed that good music is coming home to Sandbach in a big way, which will see its return to the town next June for another “Party in the Park”.
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14 July 2018
ROBBIE WILLIAMS AND THE ROLLING STONES PLAY SANDBACH
Sandbach saw the greatest line up of musical talent since “Live Aid” with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles from the 1960’s playing alongside Robbie Williams and Taylor Swift with Ariana Grande and Coldplay thrown in for good measure with all the profits from the concerts going to local charities. Simon Gregson and Andy Miller (The Chef at the Rugby Club) have put together this event for the second year running to give the people of Sandbach “something for the community” and a great day’s entertainment.
The event was also a great opportunity for the AMMF Charity to raise funds for its Cancer appeal. The AMMF is the only charity in the UK to raise money to fund research into Cholangiocarcinoma (Liver Cancer) for which only surgery is a cure that is if it is found in time. As it is hard to diagnose many people are faced with a terminal diagnosis which for Andrea Sheardown of Sandbach was fortunately found early and she has survived the procedure after being found to have the cancer in October 2015. Andrea now along with her family including her three children raise funds for this worthy cause at events like the Rock and Pop Festival where they had a stall and held a raffle, as well as holding their own events like the forthcoming Mad Hatters Cycle Tea Party on the 27 August.
Copy groups or Tribute acts were joined at the Rugby Club on Bradwall Road, by five local performers who not only gave their versions of popular songs but also some of their own compositions. Samantha Lloyd, Harry Holmes and Typical Tricks opened the afternoon performances with Totally Taylor (Melissa Tomlin from Manchester) a Taylor Swift tribute returned from last year’s line-up and this time the performer also brought her persona of Arianna Grande to the show.
Desert Rain and Acoustics filled the final two slots of local performers proceeding tributes to Coldplay (The Coldplayer), Rolling Stones (Tumbling Dice) with Dan Budd as Robbie Williams who had the best reception of the evening. The crowds then dissipated from the tent leaving only the 1960’s fans who waited patiently for the Beatles Tribute act ‘The Cheatles’ to take to the stage for the finale of the evening.
Local performer Samantha Lloyd is from Stoke on Trent and composes her own music as well as performing cover songs. She has made an EP called “Now That You’re Gone” which reached number 12 on the I Tunes Country Album Chart in 2016 and a follow up single called “So Don’t Try” in 2017.
Guitarist Harry Holmes is also from Stoke on Trent and unlike Samantha who plays the Midlands, Harry has been booked to play in Manchester and Birmingham and now lives in Liverpool where he also writes songs like “Dance at the Party”.
The group ‘Typical Tricks’, also played a mixture of their own songs including ‘Crying Blue’ and cover versions like ‘Foxy Lady’ the Jimmy Hendrix Song also recorded by Alice Cooper and ZZ Top.
‘Acoustic’ with drummer (Cajon) Dan Coppock, Guitarist Matt Long, Guitarist Danny Wilde, Bass player Josh Brough and Singer Lauren Hall come from Congleton and have played the Fake Festival as well as local venues including the ‘Ye Olde White Lion’ and ‘Stock at the Pavilion’, both in Congleton.
‘Desert Rain’ is the only true Sandbach band as they rehearse in a small studio in the town and cover songs by Noel Gallagher, Stereophonics, Foo Fighters and the band copied later, The Rolling Stones. The band consists of lead singer Scott Edwards, Nathan (Guitarist), Rob (Bass) and drummer Alex (New to the band). Desert Rain have been seen before in the town at the recent Sandbach Transport Festival in 2018.
Professional performers at the Rock and Pop Festival started with Melissa Tomlin who goes under the stage name of Melissa Tributes and has a number of artists that she performs as from Megan Trainor, Jess Glynne (At Sandbach last year), Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Cheryl Cole and an Abba (Solo) tribute. This year Melissa came back to Sandbach with the popular Taylor Swift impersonation and new to the area Ariana Grande.
Surprise of the day was the Coldplay tribute which turned out to be one-person Seth, who performed as Chris Martin with various songs by him including ‘Fix You’ which seemed to be the popular song to perform as at least two groups performed the song during the day.
‘Tumbling Dice’ the Rolling Stones tribute band is one of many bands with the same-ish name. There is the Manchester Band, ‘Tumbling Dice’ do a number of tributes while a similar named band in the USA do a Rolling Stones set and “The” Tumbling Dice from Aberdeenshire and one from Peterborough also join the list of tributes to the Rolling Stones, but the group that appeared in Sandbach was possibly the best as they had impersonations of Mick Jagger and others in the band that were impeccable.
Dan Budd as Robbie Williams was for the audience the highlight of the event, with looks that were very close to the original and the performance that was a typical Robbie show with all the popular songs and banter even when presenting the raffle ticket numbers for the AMMF (Cancer Charity) he kept up the style. Coming from Stoke on Trent like Robbie Williams, Dan Budd has become one of the best impersonators and was one of the artists on the “Let it Shine” show on the BBC and was at the time described by Gary Barlow, “It’s unbelievable how much you sound and look like Rob”. Having been in a number of cover bands, Graham Wilkes told Dan that he sounded like Robbie and he should concentrate on the one performer which he did to the delight of the Robbie Williams fans in the audience. Later in the year Dan Budd will be joining a Gary Barlow tribute (Jon Fisher) at the new ‘Jollies Cabaret Venue’ for a special tribute night.
As soon as Dan left the stage the audience started to disappear and those young ladies who had come dressed in 1960’s gear with headbands and mini skirts came into their elements as the Beatles tribute, “The Cheatles” performed songs from the Beatles back catalogue, even letting their Ringo Starr drummer sing one of his songs.
The band have performed all over the country including Liverpool’s Albert Dock, Cruise Ships and the Natural History Museum so as darkness fell over the Rugby Club the band brought the music of the Beatles back to life (With a few minor technical issues) for a fitting end to the days events.
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26 July 2018
SANDBACH MARKET HALL OFFICIALLY OPENED
Improvements to the Sandbach Market Hall have finished after work started at the end of May to make the building into something that the people of Sandbach could be proud of and hopefully improve the footfall of the market to bring back the numbers of visitors it used to enjoy. The added publicity surrounding the renovations have certainly helped with the shoppers visiting the market and with a plan that includes special events it looks as though the market is starting to get back on its feet.
Culminating in an opening ceremony on the 26 July 2018, when Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey cut the green ribbon, a colour that matches the paintwork of the new look stalls around the sides of the hall, the event attracted a large crowd of people connected to and interested in the final results.
The day also included a visit from “Punch and Judy” (Ian Davis from Staffordshire), Elsa (Frozen Character) and Spiderman (Crime Fighter) along with street magician Ian, who all entertained the children who were off from school and the adults coming to the market.
Architects David Trowler Associates oversaw the painting of the ceiling, new electrics, lighting above each stall new facades for the stalls, signage and new sliding doors which in winter will keep the building a lot warmer than it has been in the past. Councillors and Staff at Sandbach Town Council have also kept a close eye on the project which has been a collaboration between them and the Market traders who wanted the improvements to the Market to help restore it back to the vibrant facility it once was for the town.
Each of the shutters on the stalls has a picture from Sandbach’s Past supplied by the Minshull Archive. Managed by Stephen Minshull who has taken over his father’s archive of pictures of the town the archive consists of images taken from old postcards and photographs (On Slides) that his father John Minshull captured of the streets and shops of the town from the 1960’s until his death 20 years ago in 1998. Stephen has digitised the archive of about 6,000 images and picked the best ones that reflected the town’s history along with a journey from the Wheat Sheaf down Hightown and around the town via its historic buildings, with the foyer shops decorated with images from the town’s former industries of Fodens, ERF and the Silk Mills. Stephen then had to upgrade the images from 35mm film to a very high quality digital image that could be enlarged to fill the shutters. These were then made into plastic transfers which were added to the shutters and can now be seen when the market closes or on dates when the hall is open for other events like the record and craft fairs.
A few minor alterations will finish off the project, which most people who saw it on the opening day and surrounding market days says is a great improvement and will be an asset to the town.
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1 August 2018
ALL INCLUSIVE PLAY DAY IN SANDBACH PARK
The first Wednesday in August each year since 1991 has been a National Play Day in Great Britain with the Sandbach Partnership organising the event in Sandbach Park each year since the 4 August 2014.
The event in Sandbach Park on the 1 August 2018 enjoyed the sunshine with children of all ages taking part in various events and attractions including an Egg Race, Bouncy Castle, Face Painting, Community Scrap Shack (Making things from old items), Cheshire Arts for Health, Sandbach Arts Room, Demolition Zone, Everybody – Leisure for Life (Wellie Throwing and Football Game) with the Friends of Sandbach Park holding a friendly competition to identify trees in the park which Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey decided to take part in and wondered round the wooded area to see what he could name. The other two attractions included animals which were provided by Nessa’s Ark a collection of interesting animals which the public could touch and get to know their origins. The group has just won the “Best Educational Care Home Entertainment” award in the GHP Social Care Awards for 2017-18 and brings animals to schools and events of which the Play in the Park in Sandbach has been a regular booking. Animal brought to Sandbach included snakes, dogs, frogs, Iguana, Chameleon and a weird looking creature with a runny nose called a Tenrec from Madagascar which was both cute and also intriguing. The other highlight was Frank the wandering giant tortoise who wandered round the park, much to the delight of the children who could pat it and have their photograph taken with it.
The National Play Day started in 1986 by Mick Conway, Paul Bonel and Kim Holdaway after threatened cuts to School based play centres they held a meeting of playworkers which was not well attended. However, they were determined to start a day of play in the UK and held the first events in 1987 which like the meeting was not well organised with only a few venues taking part. The following year’s the event grew to take in about twelve events in London in 1989, with a National Event taking place across the country in 1991. In 2017 there were more than 850 events nationally including Sandbach.
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18 August 2018
STORMTROOPERS INVADE SANDBACH MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF THE INHABITANTS
The latest event to draw the public to see the new look Market Hall in Sandbach on Saturday the 18 August 2018, included an invasion of the town by Imperial Stormtroopers from the Star Wars film series, much to the delight of the inhabitants. I’m not sure who was more excited the young children or the older adults who all wanted to have their pictures taken with the armoured men and other characters from the films.
Members of the ‘Staffs Imperial Stormtroopers’, are a non-profit-making group who dress up in characters from the film to take part in various events including this weekend when they were raising funds for the Donna Louise Trust (Children’s Hospice in Stoke on Trent), a charity close to their hearts and for whom they recently attended a ‘Superheroes Picnic’, at Dorfold Park near Nantwich. Mainly publicising the film series, they have been in great demand at Comic Conventions like the Nantwich Comic Con on the 9 June 2018 and at the opening screening of the new films including “Solo: A Star Wars Story” at Cineworld in Stoke on Trent.
On a sunny day in Sandbach their planned 60 minutes soon turned into a three hour walk around the town posing for pictures at every opportunity allowing children and adults to play with their blasters and pose in true Star Wars style with everyone knowing exactly what to do.
John Beddows of Sandbach Market said that “It was a fab day in Sandbach, the team were brilliant and made it a really great day. You can tell they love what they do especially with the children. There will be another invite to Sandbach very soon”.
The next events at Sandbach Market will be a ‘Face Painting Event’ on Thursday the 23 August and a ‘Cheshire Police and Sandbach Air Cadets’ event plus extras on the 30 August.
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18 August 2018
AUTHORS SIGNING EVENT AT TOWN HALL
Eleven writers attended an author signing event in Sandbach on Saturday the 18 August 2018.
This was the 3rd event held at Sandbach Town Hall and organised by Sandbach Town Hall’s Conference and events officer, Laura Surgenor (Writer Elizabeth Morgan) who was the only face from the previous events to appear this year.
Like the previous occasions it was a great opportunity to talk to local writers and to find out about the wide variety of subjects covered in the new self-publishing world.
Writers came from all over the North West including our own home town.
Sarah Lysaght who has lived in Sandbach for over 20 years is the writer of three books, “37 Downing Street” which is based on her own family tree and was published in 2012 is about a bricklayer turned fishmonger in Farnham and chronicles the family from the time of Queen Victoria to the 1930’s through tragedy and pain with and unexpected ending. Based on her own family history, which Sarah has been researching for the last 20 years the saga continues into her second book “Loyalty on the Home Sweet Home Front” which looks at the life of George who in 1944 is suddenly taken ill and starts to reminisce about his life including his time in the Boar War and the Army Canteen as a NAFFI inspector.
Sarah’s third book “The Manchester Bradshaw’s” is another book based on family history but this time it is her husband’s family connection that is featured with over five generations of exceptional men she explores their lives mixes with a hint of fiction that is seen in all her novels.
Published and available on Amazon this was the first time Sarah had been involved with a publicity event for her books which she wrote as a hobby rather than as a commercial undertaking and through word of mouth has managed to gain a good recommendation with between 4 and 5 stars on Amazon.
Susi Osborne lives in Cheshire with her Scottish husband and actress daughter. This former library assistant has been writing for about 12 years and writes contemporary fiction starting with “The Ripples of Life” (2008), “Grace and Disgrace” and “Secrets, Lies and Butterflies” (2013) which are all linked together and are about family dramas with plenty of humour. Her forth book “Angelica Stone” (2017) is very much a book about the lives of the homeless and mental illness and was researched by Susi meeting those without a home on the streets as well as her experience with her own mothers Alzheimer’s and the incidents she had looking after her. Looking after her mother also gave Susi the opportunity to start writing as she had time to sit down and think as well as it being a time when her children had left home so she could spend a couple of hours a day writing her novels without being disturbed.
(Nigel) N J Cartner, writes about a trip to Las Vegas, when the main character Ricky Lever comes to a crossroads in his life. “Lost in Manchester found in Vegas” shows how sin city can influence a man in life after he has split from his girlfriend and lost his job at the same time with this theme planned to continue in N J Cartners next instalment which he is writing at the moment. Having written reviews for fanzines and some community radio experience, Nigel decided it was time for his first novel and sat down to write about his experience in the USA with added musical references including songs that have played a big part in his life and the back of the book he has compiled a discography of the music featured in the book itself so you can play the tunes as you read the book to give it a film like quality which has influenced his writing.
K Spencer has three books out with the central character of Canyon Devils MC and who appears in “Angel” (2016), Princess (2017) and the latest instalment “Sparky’s Treasure” which was published on the 8 August 2018.
Other authors at the event were Lucy Felthouse (Erotic Romantic novels), Scribbelious (various books), Paul Bernardi (Historic Suspense Novels, “To the Devil his Due” and “Thurkill’s Revenge”), (Tracy) T N Traynor (Mystical Quest Novel Series, “Oracle’s Quest”, (Charlotte) C A Keith (Ghostly Writes Anthology), Claire Plaisted (Female secret investigator and also featured in the Ghostly Writes Anthology of short stories), and Elizabeth Morgan (Urban Fantasy and Erotic Horror).
Elizabeth / Laura hopes to stage another event next year with more writers hoping to promote their books.
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20 August 2018
END OF AN ERA – THE SAXON MAGAZINE CLOSES
Started in February 2013, although the date read 2012, the Saxon Magazine was started by Mark Hilditch and was designed to inform the people of Sandbach what was going on in a small news format. At the time I was doing a programme on Congleton based “Beartown Radio” called “Sandbach Soundbites” which as my Soundcloud page continues to do, reports on events and people in Sandbach, so I arranged a meeting with Mark to discuss the newspaper and ended up supplying the magazine with a What’s On Page from information gathered for my programme which to give us some publicity and in a way payment was originally in association with Beartown Radio and then in September 2013 after Beartown Radio cut the programme on Sandbach I decided to change the sponsorship of the What’s On Diary to Hospital Radio Leighton who I have been broadcasting for over the last 35 years (Started in 1983) and now through myself have provided the events list for the magazine ever since.
Published by Volume PR (Founded 2008) at Frederick House, Princess Court, Beam Heath Way, Nantwich the magazine was delivered free to 14,000 readers with advertising making up the cost of publication and was part of a number of similar magazines including “The Dabber” (Nantwich). The Saxon Magazine set up a twitter account in October 2012, Facebook a little later and also a website to show the latest news before the paper version could be published.
Some of the early photographs were supplied by Simon J Newbury (Professional Photographer) with regular back page rugby features from Sandbach Rugby Club and stories from the public with Stewart Green (me) being the only featured writer for the magazine and who over the years has attended a large number of events in the town covering them for both the Saxon and also Hospital Radio Leighton. Stewart’s first item was a letter reply to the question what was available in Sandbach shops to which the reply was there are 276 shops in the town with a variety of different things to sell. The first feature by me was in the April 2013 edition and was an update on the proposed plans to improve the information boards around the Saxon Crosses.
Coverage of the planning proposals seemed to dominate the front pages of the first few editions with sad news of locals who have died in tragic circumstances scattered among the monthly covers including the tragic death of a young boy in Platt Avenue a story that continued to appear up until the penultimate edition. Another regular feature was the Sandbach Transport Festival with headlines as to what was coming and features about what had been with the added advantage in the early days of more pictures from the event being published on the website with the single photograph only available in the magazine itself due to a lack of editorial space.
The April 2014 edition was the last to have the year clearly stamped on the cover as the June edition became the June / July edition and subsequent magazines straddled two months with the next edition being July / August.
Having supplied pictures for the front-page coverage of the referendum of the Sandbach Town Neighbourhood Development Plan in the January / February 2015 edition and the following month’s Transport Festival funding feature it was not until the August / September issue of 2015 that I finally got a feature on the Front Cover with an article about the demolishing of the old Magistrates Court in Middlewich Road and other developments in the town.
The political rows over who did what in Cheshire East and the demise of Michael Jones also caught the headline along with planning permission rows both knocking down, Heritage sites to be saved and of course the planned suspended ceiling to the Town Hall Market which was eventually abandoned in favour of a renovation of the market hall area to bring it into the 21st century all dominating the covers in the 63 editions of The Saxon.
With the closure of the magazine, the hope is to continue to cover events in Sandbach for social media and also as a filler for the Sandbach Chronicle as well as continued coverage on Hospital Radio and Soundcloud.
Its been a wonderful time in my life even if it has meant late nights up until 2am getting articles ready for publication.
Many thanks Mark Hilditch and all involved.
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27 August 2018
MAD HATTERS BIKE RIDE FOR CHARITY
August Bank Holiday Monday the 27 August 2018 was a fundraising day for the AMMF Charity to raise funds for its Cancer appeal. The theme of the event was the Alice in Wonderland characters “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” which involved three bike rides round the county with each branch of the ride ending back at the Sandbach Rugby Club in Bradwall Road for part of the overall tea party.
There were about 70 riders booked to do the three-loop challenge with some only managing to do part of the routes, including a lady called Emma who took her dog Treacle in a basket attached to the front of her bike along the trail.
Loop one was named the “White Rabbit” and took in 34 Kilometres starting at the S.R.U.F.C. turning right out of the car park and heading towards Middlewich, past Kinderton Park and then back via Warmingham Lane, Clay Lane, over the M6 towards Malkins Bank and then back via Newcastle Road to end at the Rugby Club for the first course of Sandwiches.
Loop two, “The Cheshire Cat” route was another 34 Kilometres heading towards Brereton Pool and the Swettenham Arms coming back via Sandy Lane, Congleton Road, New Inn Lane and again via Malkins Bank to the Rugby Club and the second part of the meal, Cake.
The “Mad Hatter” Loop, three was a 31 Kilometre (19 Miles) ride via Back Lane, the Bears Head, School Lane, Blue Bell Pub, Brownlow Pub, down the A34, Betchton and again via Malkins Bank and back to the Rugby Club for a final drink and a rest.
Each “Loop” took in some stunning Cheshire scenery with the added bonus of a spot prize as one of the characters from Alice in Wonderland was positioned somewhere along the route and cyclists were asked to take their picture with the character with the best framed image winning a prize.
Andrea Sheardown, the organiser of the event was also running a raffle with many prizes donated by Halfords (Crewe and Congleton), Bicycle Remedies (Wheelock), The Cycle Store (Congleton) who also donated water bottles for each participant with the main attraction being a cycle jersey supplied by “Team GB” with signatures from medal winners Cullum Skinner, Katy Merchant and Ryan Owen. Andrea tells us that Team GB have also supplied two other signed jerseys by other team members, which will be raffled off as part of other events later in the year and next year to raise more money for the AMMF Charity.
The AMMF is the only charity in the UK that raises money for research into Cholangiocarcinoma (Liver Cancer) for which there is at the moment only surgery available as a cure if it is found in time. As it is hard to diagnose many people are faced with a terminal diagnosis which thankfully for Andrea Sheardown of Sandbach who in October 2015 was found to have the cancer was able to have the surviving surgery.
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Written / Pictures by Stewart Green for Newspaper articles
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13 January 2018
ST LUKE’S CHARITY SHOP REOPENS AFTER REFIT
Sandbach has for many years been the home of one of the nine charity shops which raise funds for the St Luke’s Hospice. On the 13 January 2018 they reopened their Congleton Road shop after a major refurbishment with the Mayor of Cheshire East, Cllr Arthur Moran and his Consort Mrs Carole Thomas cutting the ribbon. Various volunteers joined Manager Julie Middlehurst, Area Manager Carol DeRosa and Head of Retail Steve Holmes in a drink and celebratory small cakes at the reopening of the St Luke’s shop since it closed on the 23 December in preparation for the alterations by Nigel Hargreeves and his team.
The new look shop has given more space to the entrance by moving the till to a back room allowing customers to look around in more spacious premises. New brighter shelves and railings brighten up the shop which hopes to continue to raise funds for the Mid and South Cheshire Hospice known as St Luke’s Hospice which is based in Winsford.
The Hospice has been running since 1988 and has been a provider of palliative care to over 1,000 local people a year in the Cheshire area.
The idea for the hospice started in 1983 through the efforts of Howard Hassall and Jim Littlemore who started holding public meetings to establish support groups in the area to bring their vision of a place where people can go to die in surroundings that are both friendly and also with the medical assistance they need to make their final days comfortable.
The next stage was the purchase of Grosvenor House in Queensway, Winsford from funds raised by those support groups and voluntary subscription with the first “Day care” patients admitted to the building in March 1988 with Their Royal Highnesses the Prince Charles of Wales and Princess Diana of Wales officially opening the facility on the 18 May 1988.
In 1990, further facilities were opened and in 1992 a new extension was opened to house a multi-purpose area for Day Care and lectures along with rooms for volunteers and administrative staff. It was also at this time that the Hospice started to have financial support from the Health Authority.
By 1996, new bathing facilities were added and the Day Care facilities were increased to 15 with Cheshire Hospices Education beginning palliative care training to nurses and medical professionals.
Between 2002 and 2006 the Hospice went into partnership with the Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Macmillan Cancer Support to open new Lymphoedema Clinic’s at various locations around the area.
With support via the ‘Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service’ which was presented by the Duke of Gloucester, the hospice went from strength to strength during 2007 and 2009 along with the purchase of a Big Red Bus nicknamed “Luke” which was refurbished by staff at Bentley in Crewe at no cost to the hospice and has become a major boost to the profile of the Hospice at local events.
Other shops which raise funds for the charity are at 3 Crewe Road, Alsager (Shop), 285 Chester Road, Hartford (Shop), 76 Wheelock Street, Middlewich (Shop), 19 Pepper Street, Nantwich (Shop), 99 Witton Street Northwich (Shop), 38a Dingle in Winsford (Shop), 72 Delamere Street in Winsford (Furnishing, Fashion and Food) and the Furniture Warehouse and House Clearance centre at Unit 8 Pineapple Park, Road One Winsford.
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26 January 2018
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE
Cheshire East Council held its annual Holocaust Memorial Day Service on Friday the 26 January 2018 a day earlier than the actual Holocaust Memorial Day so Council workers, Mayors from around the area and children from three East Cheshire Schools could take part in the days events.
The proceedings were presented by the Mayor of Cheshire East Cllr Arthur Moran who said that one of the first to liberate a concentration camp was a tank driver from Crewe (John Cole who was in the first tank to liberate the Bergen-Bensen Camp). Cllr Moran then introduced Sandbach Mayor Martin Forster who read various poems about the Holocaust followed by a clarinet solo by Sandbach School pupil, Mark Wheeler who played the theme to Schindler’s List (John Williams). Music was also provided by the Knutsford Academy 6th Form Vocal Group who sang two beautiful versions of the songs ‘Tears in Heaven’ (Eric Clapton) and John Lennon’s, ‘Imagine’.
Now in its fifth year the service has for the last two years included the introduction of memories by people caught up in the events of the Holocaust. Last year retired dentist and survivor from Austria, Peter Kurer spoke about the debt that he owed to the Quakers who had petitioned parliament to allow the children of Jewish parents to come to England thus saving nine members of his family. This year it was the turn of sisters Gisela Feldman and Sonia Sternberg who with their mother managed to get on the ship the St Louis which set sail on the 13 May 1939, with 937 Jews and travelled from Hamburg to Cuba, but were turned away as Visas issued to the Polish / German Jews were withdrawn before they arrived and so they were eventually turned back only to land in London where they spent the rest of the war.
Mark Palethorpe from Cheshire East invited the audience to hold a two-minute silence after which the congregation were asked to light candles for those who hadn’t survived the Holocaust followed by prayers from the vicar of St Mary’s, Sandbach the Rev. Thomas Shepard.
Giesla and Sonia recounted their lives in Germany just before leaving as well as the journey to a new life.
Giesla was born in 1923 of Polish parents with the family moving to Germany where she and her younger sister were the only Jewish girls in their school, a place without discrimination where they enjoyed the usual school life enjoying making friends, invitations to birthday parties as well as taking part in games with the other students. When Hitler came into power in German after he became Chancellor in January 1933 making himself the leader of a one-party country there were marches in the street on the 1st May with workers on one side and the SS Marching on the opposite side of the road. As things progressed there were a number of people shot and the bodies were dragged into the street in full view of the young girls. As a 10-year-old Giesla knew that life would never be the same again. Brown shirts as they were known stood outside Jewish shops trying to persuade Germans not to buy from them, which was in general ignored by regular customers. However, as time went on people started to become more afraid of these supporters of Hitler who would daub words like “Jew Supporter” on the buildings of people who had purchased goods from the Jewish community with some of them being attacked in the streets. Fearing for their families, support suddenly disappeared and it became more and more difficult to run the family business as wholesalers refused to supply goods and on a number of occasions Giesla and Sonia’s father was beaten up just for being Jewish.
At the age of 11 Giesla moved to a Jewish Grammar School where life was a little easier.
In October 1938, there was a knock on the family door and two men told her father to get dressed and bring his passport as he was being taken away with no explanation as to what was happening. Not knowing what was going on Giesla went into the kitchen to make some sandwiches for her father to take with him on what turned out to be a two-day journey which they found out later was because he was being deported back to Poland where he was born and so the food became very useful. Poland had decided that anyone who had a Polish Passport and had not been back to their country after a certain length of time would lose their nationality and so had no right to be in any country apart from Poland. With this position from the Polish Government, Germany decided to deport these unwanted citizens to Poland so they were not left with illegal immigrants. Germany at first only sent back the men of the household as they didn’t have enough trains to cater for whole families. With their father in Poland the family home soon came under threat from the German Government as a German family wanted their rooms. They were threatened with eviction but Giesla and Sonia’s mother decided to fight the decision and went to court where she won a stay of eviction for three months, a period of time the Judge gave them to clear out the house of all their belongings. This move by Germany to get rid of its Jewish population by eviction started to show that something had to be done by the family before it became worse and so Giesla and Sonia’s mother applied to the Cuban Embassy for a Visa to get as far away from Germany as possible. She was successful, in her application for herself, Giesla and Sonia her husband who in theory was able to come back from Poland as long as it was only in transit and this is where things started to go wrong for the “family”.
Germany as usual was a very organised country but Poland was not as efficient and through a mix-up Giesla and Sonia’s father was not given his Visa as his brother was issued with his papers and sent back to Germany rather than their father leaving him to make his own way on a later ship with a new set of papers his wife had secured for him two weeks later.
The family finally left for the port after a mix-up with their own Visas on a Friday to board the ship which is not usual for Jews as they shouldn’t travel on a Friday. They were seen off by friends of the family who knew this would be the last time that they would see them as they went to their new country. They boarded the German ship the St Louis which set sail on Saturday the 13 May 1939, with 937 Jews travelling from Hamburg to Cuba.
Sonia said that the Captain was wonderful towards the passengers even allowing the Jewish women to light candles on a Friday.
They eventually reached Havana Harbour in Cuba on the 27 May 1939, but as they tried to dock they were told that they couldn’t land and had to wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow turned out to be seven days later despite Captain Gustav Schroeder, speaking directly to the Government of Cuba pleading for them to let in his passengers. One man who Sonia thought had been in a concentration camp before he left Germany tried to commit suicide by jumping off the ship into the water. He had been released by the Germans only because he could prove he had somewhere outside of Germany to go to with his wife, but as they arrived in Cuba the Cuban immigration department would only allow him to enter their country as he had a valid US Visa but his wife had to stay on board as she was not welcome. After being pulled from the water he was evacuated to a Havana Hospital for treatment but it is not clear what happened to his wife at this time.
After seven days being refused entry to Cuba on the 2 June 1939 the Captain turned the ship towards America and sailed along the Florida coast towards Miami but due to the US Immigration and Nationality Act of 1924 limiting the number of immigrants to the USA in each year they were refused entry despite their being a large amount of media coverage and various passengers sending cables (Electronic Mail) to President Franklin D Roosevelt himself. Another possibility was Canada who again like the US they refused entry for the Jews. An American diplomat did however talk to a number of European Countries about the passengers and four Countries agreed to take them. The Captain turned the ship towards the East with France taking 224 passengers (a temporary refuge as Germany Invaded their Country), Holland (181 Passengers), Belgium (214 Passengers) and Great Britain who took 228 passengers with all but one of them surviving in the UK during the war (The one killed was in an air raid in 1940).
However, with the publicity about the ship in the papers their father never made it to Cuba or Britain as the ship he was on only reached Antwerp before the Captain heard the news that the St Louis had been refused to land in Cuba and he turned the ship back to Germany. From Germany Gisela and Sonia’s father was sent back to Poland just before war broke out and the family never saw him again. What happed to him we may never know as he seemed to just disappear from the records. German Jews were catalogued and their records are kept but the Jews records in Poland were not as well documented and so there doesn’t seem to be a record of Sonia and Gisela’s father being killed or dying in an air raid or being taken prisoner and sent to a concentration camp.
When Sonia, Gisela and their mother arrived in London they were met by the sight of bunting at the railway station which was not for them but the King and Queen had been abroad and were coming back on the same day.
Gisela was sent to do domestic work while Sonia and her mother found a room in North London where after the first night Sonia found she had blotches all over herself from Bed Bugs. The following day they found a Jewish lady who took them both in. Gisela went on to make uniforms when the War broke out and now both have families in Britain and are able to relate their story to a receptive audience at the Holocaust Memorial Day Event at Sandbach Town Hall.
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7 February 2018
ANOTHER SANDBACH HISTORIC BUILDING BITES THE DUST
At the start of February, the building used by Wright’s Printers as a warehouse and shop on Wesley Avenue was demolished by builders as part of a new development to build two sets of flats on the site, totalling 10 apartments. The development is funded by Mr and Mrs P Hitchen and Mr David Andrew Sehne who in 2012 took over the printing works and soon found creditors from the paper suppliers demanding payments which put the company into liquidation. In a bid to pay back what is owed Mr Schene agreed to the sale of the land to develop new houses in a bid to reimburse those owed by the printing company.
In 2007 plans for 22 apartments and a Class A3 restaurant were put before Congleton Borough Council but rejected followed in May 2008 and September 2008 by amended plans which were also turned down. In 2009 Cheshire East came into being and another set of plans were submitted in February 2010 which went to Sandbach Town Council for approval on the 8 August 2011 these plans for a more traditional design incorporating features used in the Literary Institute were approved by members and on the 26 July 2012 Cheshire East approved the new designs and gave the go ahead for the demolition of the warehouse at 5 Bradwall Road and the renovation of The Hollies an old building next to the Wesley Avenue Chapel.
On the 3 July 2012 David Andrew Sehne agreed with creditors to buy back his business for £25,000 giving him access to start the development however a year later on the 31 July 2013 the business went into liquidation closing the printing works and making the staff redundant.
Empty since the 31 July 2013 the warehouse building has been a part of Sandbach life since the 1920’s having had a variety of uses starting in 1921 when the land was earmarked by Mr Jack Beech (of The Cottage, Middlewich Road) to build a Cinema. However, the foundations were found not to be strong enough and it was decided to abandon the project in favour of a new location in Congleton Road where it remained for many years as the Palace Cinema and later a Bingo Hall.
The next stage was to build a garage on the site which didn’t survive long and by 1938 the building became Sandbach’s first shopping mall and housed a number of businesses including Percy Ryder (Hairdresser) at the front of the building to the left and a Betting Shop.
By 1962 the building had been purchased by Tom Painter a local decorator, funeral director and building contractor who also had a shop over the road next to the Post Office. A picture from 1962 showed the building in the background of a civic march which clearly shows he was using the structure to house his workshop. By the 1980’s it had been sold to Wright’s (Paper) Ltd in Sandbach (established in 1896) who used the building as a warehouse for its paper and as Wright’s Printers Shop.
In 1896, the business known as Wrights Printers had been formed in Sandbach by George Wright and over the years produced leaflets and publications for the town as well as many national companies like Bentley.
The company had originally produced twine and paper with George living at 9 Middlewich Road (Now 9 Old Middlewich Rd), along with his family and the printing shop was built behind his house and towards Bradwall Road. The house and works were originally to be demolished to make way for flats in the early plans but have now been saved for a while as the new plans only uses the area of the Hollies garden and the old warehouse.
In Kelly’s Directory of 1902, George Wright and Co were Wholesale Paper Merchants, Paper Bag Manufacturers, Twine Dealers and Printers.
On the 17 October 1928 the business was registered as being incorporated as a Registered Company with company’s house.
In 1961, Graham Galloway (.b. 1946) started working for the company and on his first day met up with Kathleen (.b. 1943) who he was later to marry. Graham started as an apprentice compositor at the age of 15 in 1961 and started working up the ladder until in the 1970’s he became foreman and was made a Director of the Company in the early 1980’s a job he continued until his retirement in November 2008.
The company continued to grow over the years with major companies using their facilities to produce booklets but as technology increased with desktop publishing taking over from the outdated block printing used by Wright’s and cheaper rivals the work started to dry up.
In June 2012 the company went into administration but was rescued by Andrew Schne who bought the business hoping to revive its fortunes.
However, on the 31 July 2013 the company went into liquidation for a second time and closed its doors for the last time ending 117 years of business.
After many applications for redevelopment on the 26 July 2012 plans were approved for flats to be built on the site of the Hollies and Wright’s warehouse.
By April 2017, work had started clearing the area with garages backing onto the Wesley Centre being demolished and renovation work on the Hollies started to put it back as a house. With work progressing on the renovation the next stage was to clear the rest of the site and the demolition of the warehouse.
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24 February 2018
POLICE INCIDENT IN WELLS STREET
On Saturday the 24 February 2018, at about 11.30am two ambulances and a police car turned up to a house on Wells Street next to the Range Cooker and Stove Centre on the corner of Cross Street. By 1.45pm a forensic team had arrived to investigate the incident.
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26 February 2018
50 YEARS AGO, THE BOLD STREET POLICE STATION WAS DEMOLISHED
The Sandbach Chronicle 22 February 2018, noted that the Bold Street Police Station in Sandbach had been demolished 50 years ago this week. Writing a history of the Fire Brigade and Police in Sandbach it is amazing that no one seems to have taken a picture of either the original building of the local Fire Station (Location unknown) its successor in 1873 (Except in the background of other photos) or the Police Station which only exists only in an aerial picture.
The Police station in Bold Street was part of a new look to Policing in Cheshire as on the 20 April 1857 the new Cheshire Police Force came into operation on this day with stations being occupied all over the county by new officers with its first headquarters at 4 Steller Street, Chester. Previously law and order had been down to individual Town Council’s or landowners like Lord Crewe to keep order in their area.
The venue for the Sandbach Police Station was in Bold Street where the Barclays Bank is now (New Building). The “New County Police Station” had been erected in 1857 at a cost of £800 with an edifice of Brick and Stone. It had offices, cells and a residence for the chief officer. The building was demolished in 1968 but the Cells within the original Police Station are still there and are now used as a storage area.
It was at this time that the Literary Institute came into operation (1857) and along with the usual cattle sales and meetings the building was also used as a court house. The Petty Sessions and Special Police Courts were held in the building situated next to the new police station.
In 1858 a document from the Chief Constables Office in Chester dated the 9 March 1858 shows “The Full Rent will be charged to each constable occupying a County Police Station and the following will be the several sum allowed to be charged per week for cleaning and same including brushes, soap and materials”. Sandbach had 2 Cells at 2/6 per week (Police rate and County rate) with Crewe having 4 Cells at 2/- per week (Police rate and County rate), Nantwich had 4 Cells at 1/- per week (Police rate) and 2/- per week (County rate), Congleton had 6 Cells at 1/6 per week (Police rate and County rate) and Middlewich had 6 Cells at 2/- per week (Police rate and County rate).
Cases dealt with by the new Police Station included on the 27 August 1861 when Martin Doyle was executed at Chester for the attempted murder of Jane Brogiue at a place near Sandbach. In October 1869, a report in the local paper told of an assault on PC James Green by Middlewich Shoemaker, George Edgerton and Sandbach Bricklayer, William Yates who were brought up before the Sandbach Police Court in front of Mr G Latham and J.H. Deakin esq. who put them both on remand. PC James Green was also the first Cheshire Policeman to be murdered while on duty when his body was discovered in the canal at what was known for many years as stabbers bridge (Now demolished) on the Trent and Mersey Canal at Moston near Elworth.
There was another incident in 1883 when the “Smallwood Double Murder” took place, when Thomas Earlam aged 64 and his common-law wife Mary Moarne aged 62 from Ireland, were killed at their lodging house in 127 Turnpike Road, Smallwood just outside Sandbach. On the 9 February 1883, their bodies were discovered by John Stack and Edward Sampey (or Samped), two lodgers at the house, with Thomas already lying dead from him having been brutally battered and Mary was barely alive from the attack. The house had also been robbed and a hammer was found next to the bodies. A tramp called Patrick Carey had disappeared soon after the bodies had been found was the only suspect of the murder. First called to the scene by a Mr Gorton who rushed to Sandbach to call a Doctor and to summon the Police to the scene of the crime while a Mr Austin sort out the local Smallwood Constable. An hour later Sergeant Oldham of Sandbach Police with a number of Constables turned up at the cottage to start investigating the attack. On the 24 February 1883, Patrick Carey (John White) had been found by Police Detective Sergeant Jackson at a Booze / Lodging House in 1 Court, Ashley Lane, Charter Street, Manchester where he was arrested and taken to court wearing clothes he had taken from the Smallwood lodgings and belonging to Mr Edward Sempey. News spread quickly back to Sandbach that the couple were on their way to the Railway Station where a group of 2,000 people turned out to greet the Police and to see the murderer. The following day some 600 to 700 people gathered outside the Police Station to again catch a glimpse of the Murderer. Patrick Carey pleaded guilty to stealing clothes and other items but throughout the trial continued to plead innocence to the crime of Murder. The Jury took just six minutes to convict Carey of the Murder during the trial at the Chester Assizes and he was sentenced to death by hanging.
In 1896 the Sergeant at Sandbach was Charles Green with six men based at the Bold Street, station.
In the 1902 Kelly’s directory Sergeant Charles Dean and 6 men occupied the building in Bold Street and the same directory in 1906 still lists the following serving officers at Sandbach, Charles Dean (Sergeant of Police living at Hightown, Sandbach) and William Elwood (Constable living at Bellevue Terrace, Sandbach).
In 1914 William Lawson was the Sergeant in charge with six men in Bold Street and at the beginning of August 1914, a local Police Constable passing the Holly Bush Inn, Sandbach noticed flames from the rear of the house. On investigation the Constable discovered the body of landlord George Eccles in flames. He immediately called out the Sandbach Fire Brigade to put out the fire and an investigation was started into the landlord’s death.
The 1960’s saw the Cheshire Police Force investing in new modern Police Stations to replace the 1896 buildings they had acquired at the start of Cheshire Constabulary.
At the start of 1965 Margery Hare was asked by one of her neighbours a local policeman if she would be interested in a cleaning job and making cups of tea for the police at Bold Street. Margery was soon put upon as she started at 6.30am when Officers were starting to come on duty they asked her if she could make them some breakfast. In those days there were no cornflakes for workers it was bacon and eggs with toast and occasionally some black pudding which she would then take their orders and what they hadn’t got in she would pop down the road to Yates Butchers to get for their fry-up. So keen were the policemen to have their early morning breakfast they soon started to pick up Margery in the morning, with her loaf of bread and take her to the station.
In June 1965, Sandbach Police did a “Moonlight Flit” from their offices in Bold Street to rooms behind the Courtrooms in Middlewich Road with their first enquiry at the new offices at 3 O Clock, when a man asked them where the Police Station was!
In February 1968, the building in Bold Street was demolished to make way for a new Barclays Bank which now stands on the site.
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27 February 2018
WRITER AMANDA BROOKE VISITS SANDBACH
Amanda Brooke visited Sandbach Library on the 27 February to talk about her latest book “The Bad Mother” which had only just been released on the 22 February in her home city of Liverpool.
Oksana Newman of Sandbach library organised the event, the latest of a series which brings writers to the town to offer advice about writing and to give an insight into the stories behind their books. “The Bad Mother” is the latest of nine books published by Amanda and Harper and Collins. Her first book “Yesterday’s Son” was written while her son Nathan had terminal cancer and died at the age of 3 and is based on his life. Since then her books have been inspired by events in her life including organ donation in “The Goodbye Gift” and the choices you have to make in life with “The Missing Husband” a mystery book.
With one book a year it is possible that Amanda Brook will be returning to talk about the book she is writing at the moment, the audience at Sandbach Library are certainly looking forward to her next instalment.
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SANDBACH CONCERT SERIES 28 March 2018 Concert - Sophie Rosa and Benjamin Powell (Violin and Piano).
The March musical entertainment at the Sandbach Concert Series will be Sophie Rosa and Benjamin Powell (Violin and Piano). Sophie is a regular at these events having first come to the town on the 30 October 2013 and playing again in 2015 and in 2015,2016 and 2017 was a judge at the Sandbach Transport Festival “Young Musician of the Year” competition in the town hall run by the Sandbach Concert Series.
Sophie is an accomplished violin player having played on BBC Radio 3 and had played with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Manchester Camerata.
At the age of seven, Sophie played a solo concert for HRH Princess Margaret. Later she studied at the Chetham School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music. After completing the RNCM International Artist Diploma in Solo Performance she continued her studies in America.
In 2006 Sophie Rosa was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year and has played with notable musician including Martin Roscoe, Craig Ogden and James Gilchrist as well as being a member of the Classical and Contemporary Music Collective.
Sophie’s debut CD ‘Reve d’Enfant’ in 2016 was described as a very desirable record of the year and has been working on an album of violin duets called “Warp and Weft” which was released in April 2017.
Sophie is joined in Sandbach by Benjamin Powell (Pianist) who she was also accompanied by in the Wigmore Hall in March 2017. He like Sophie studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and was a contestant in the BBC Young Musician of the Year and in 2015 was an accompanist for Alan George (Viola) at that year’s competition.
Since 2007, Benjamin has worked at the RNCM as a staff pianist and travels from Glossop where he lives with his wife and three children.
The Concert will have music centred around Beethoven’s Violin Sonata in G Major op 96 and works by Fritz Kreisler and Brahms Hungarian Dances.
Tickets for the performance are £9.50 (Adults), £8.00 (Concessions / Senior Citizens), £3.00 (School Children) and a family ticket (2 Adults and 2 Children) £20.00 and are available via the website at www.sandbach-concert-series.co.uk/tickets.htm or at Bramwells Opticians (4 Hightown) and Demeters Wholefoods (12 Welles Street) or on the door. 6.30pm Doors Open, 7.00pm Spotlight Concert by Local Talent, 7.30pm Intermission / Raffle for Local Charity / Art Exhibition, 8.00pm Main Concert.
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27 Mar 2018
FODEN’S BAND LAUNCH HISTORY WEBSITE
Foden’s Band held a special concert to launch their new website which will show off their 118-year history. The performance at Sandbach Town Hall on the 27 March 2018 was watched over by William Foden’s bust which had been saved from a fire at the band-room a couple of years ago and had been restored as part of a project to preserve the bands past.
With special guests including the Mayor of Sandbach, Martin Forster and members of the public there was an opportunity to see and exhibition of artefacts donated to the band for its archive, various cups and trophies plus a medal collection loaned by Allan Littlemore.
The evening included interval music from the 78 collections of the band digitally remastered for the archive.
Interval food was also provided by Daniel Williams of Godfrey Williams and Son.
The website can be seen at www.fodensbandheritage.co.uk
27 Mar 2018 CONCERT / LAUNCH OF THE HISTORY WEBSITE
At Sandbach Town Hall
1. Viva Rimmer (William Rimmer arr J Whittle
written in 1956 Pub Besson and Co)
2. Scena from L’Etoile Du Nord (Meyerbeer arr William Halliwell)
Tenor Horn Solo Johnathan Bates
3. Old Mother Hubbard (Heley-Hutchinson)
4. Dance of the Willo-the-Wisps (Berlioz arr William Halliwell)
5. Egmont – Overture (Beethoven arr Unkn)
INTERVAL
1. The Cossack (William Rimmer)
2. The Sunshine of your Smile (Leonard Cooke (W) and Lilian Ray (Music)
Solo Cornet Mark Wilkinson
3. Bobby Shafroe (Trad arr Gordon Langford)
4. The Golden Lady (Goff Richards)
5. Someone to Watch Over Me (George Gershwin arr Alan Fernie)
6. Procession to the Minster (Richard Wagner arr Howard Snell)
ENCORE
Westwood Ho (Edwin Firth)
The evening included an exhibition
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2 April 2018
BARCLAYS BANK TO CLOSE ON THE 20 JULY 2018
It is with great sadness that the news has come to our attention that Barclays Bank in Sandbach is to close on the 20 July 2018 after 96 years in the town, the victim of Internet Banking and a change in policy for banks to move customers from buildings to the faceless On-line and phone banking with physical deposits and withdrawals being taken over by the local Post Offices.
Formed on the 17 November 1690, in London when John Freame and Thomas Gould formed the Goldsmith Banking business which later took on a James Barclay the son in law of John Freame who became a named partner in the business in 1736.
In 1728, the Goldsmith Bank moved to 54 Lombard Street and adopted the “Black Spread Eagle” logo which has stayed with the company ever since.
Smaller banks, Backhouse’s Bank and Gurney’s Bank joined together to form the larger Barclays and Co Bank in 1896.
Between 1905 and 1916, Barclays Bank acquired many small local English banks and in 1918 the bank acquired the London Provincial and South Western Bank, a year later in 1919 the British Linen Bank with the Mercantile Credit Union joining in 1975 and the Woolwich Building Society in 2000.
On the 27 June 1967, Barclays deployed the world’s first Cash dispenser with “On the Busses” actor Reg Varney becoming the first to use the Cash Machine in their Enfield Branch.
Between 2001 and 2016 Barclays sponsored the Premier League football.
By 2018 the company had 4,750 branches in about 55 countries with 1,600 in the United Kingdom.
Barclays Bank came to Sandbach on the 17 July 1922, when it opened its first building at 6 – 8 Crewe Road with its first mention in a local trade directory in 1933 when the other banks listed in the publication at the time in the town were the District Bank (Now the Nat West Bank), and the Sandbach Permanent Benefit Building Society (Meeting at the Literary Institute 1st Tues in the Month 6.30pm to 8pm c/o Mr Herbert Price - Secretary, Middlewich Road, Sandbach, the Sandbach Savings Bank (C Richardson – Actuary) at 10 High Town. There was also the Savings Bank – Sandbach Branch, Westminster Bank Ltd and the Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd.
By 1938, the Sandbach Barclays Bank was managed by Arthur A Goodwin and was still in Crewe Road.
By 1943, Barclays Bank Ltd was joined on the streets of Sandbach by newcomers the Westminster Bank Ltd and Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd with the other banks still in the town being the Savings Bank and the District Bank Ltd.
By the 1960s’ a bigger bank was needed in the town and in 1965 the Cheshire Police decided to downsize from its Bold Street Police Station and moved to behind the Magistrates Court in Middlewich Road leaving a space in the road that could be filled by the bank. In February 1968 the bulldozers moved in to demolish the Police Station and work started on the new building to house Barclays Bank which had been designed by Architects “Green Lloyd and Sons” of London and opened on the 23 June 1969.
Since then the bank has stayed pretty much the same in its design until this year with its impending closure. It is always sad when a part of the town closes down but this business is different than most as it is the last of the banks to have existed in Sandbach without having been taken over since the 1920’s.
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5 April 2018
SANDBACH DENTIST BECOMES MASTER CHEF CONTESTANT
As the final of Masterchef is held on TV we can look back at the series as Sandbach Dentist Chris Harbour has been one of this year’s contestants in the popular BBC TV Series Master Chef presented by Greg Wallace and John Torode. His first appearance in episode 10 had him cooking a fish dish which allowed him to go through to the next round and was described by Greg Wallace as a cross between Patrick Stewart and himself. One of the dished he made during the series was the first meal he cooked for his wife at their new home, a flat above the Dentists in Crewe Road.
Chris’s influences in cooking are numerous and keeps a copy of Heston Blumenthal’s book in the kitchen and likes to use it to experiment with his cooking.
In his final appearance in episode 16 Chris experienced the pressures of a professional kitchen when he was taken to ‘Sartoria’ in London’s Mayfair where he was put to work making a crab dish by chef and owner Francesco Mazzei and spent most of his time taking the shell out of the crab. However, a return to a fish dish to show how much Chris had improved failed to impress the judges and guest Nathan Outlaw and he left the series at the end of that programme but should be very proud of the progress he made and the skills he showed on TV.
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21 April 2018
SANDBACH CONCERT SERIES YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
2018 is the year of the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year competition and event held every second year, however Sandbach can go one better with its own Competition as part of the Sandbach Transport Festival weekend. The Young Musician of the Year Competition is run by the Sandbach Concert Series and is held on the Saturday of the Event with guest adjudicators giving constructive tips on performances by Senior players and Juniors who play in-front of an audience who come in for free to the Town Hall to listen to some wonderful playing. This year is no exception with the quality of players vying for that first place in the Senior section and the Juniors hoping to impress the audience with their playing. Evie Palethorpe (Cello), Tillie Palethorpe (Flute), Jim Baldwin (Piano), Emily Leavy (Clarinet) and Matthew Franklin (Clarinet) all went home with a prize bag in the Junior section, with Emily Leavy (Clarinet) impressing judges Mark Wilkinson (Foden’s Band) and Joy Naylor (Vocal Coach from Middlewich who has sung with Opera North) so much that she was awarded a special prize donated by Bramwell Tovey a famous conductor who has conducted Foden’s Band in competitions and on a recent visit was so impressed with the competition he gave a trophy which this year included a £25 bursary sponsored by Nigel Birch.
In the Senior section Ben Jackson (Saxophone) was awarded the first prize trophy with a £100 bursary sponsored by Crewe Male Voice Choir and presented by Stephen Davies of the Choir who has also poached Ben and Nadia James (Cornet) who came second with a trophy and a £50 bursary (Sponsored by Sandbach Music), for a guest appearance at one of the CMV Choir Concerts. Third Prize in this section went to Mark Wheeler (Clarinet) with a £25 Bursary again sponsored by Nigel Birch with Catherine Potter (Voice), Ellie Corker (Piano), Matthew Haworth (Saxophone) closely following the standard set by the first three winners.
Hosts Andy and Lauren Scott thanked all who had been involved with the organisation of the event as well as sponsors Astute Music and the Love Music Trust and guests Fiona Bruce MP and Sandbach Mayor Martin Forster.
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21-22 April 2018
SANDBACH TRANSPORT FESTIVAL 2018
The 28th Sandbach’s Transport Festival had everything during the weekend from Dinosaurs, a replica Spitfire, fun fair, hog roast, Musical entertainment and various arts activities from Spare Parts. The festival also included numerous vehicles from all over the country which showed not only what Sandbach had produced with Foden’s, ERF and the Jimp. The weather was also varied with Sunshine on Saturday which brought out the largest crowds seen on the first day of the festival for a long time with Rain, Sunshine, Rain, Sunshine and various temperatures on the Sunday which kept visitors away until lunchtime when as Foden’s Band played outside the Town Hall the visitor numbers increased to enjoy the parade to the Old Hall followed at about one thirty by the St Luke’s Motor Bike riders arriving in the town with 150 bikes. Having built various contraptions, the Spare Parts group then held their own procession through the town with local people taking part with a Cheater on a bike and a tribute to 100 years of “Votes for Women”. Both days ended with a procession of vehicles that had been on display on Scotch Common.
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21-22 April 2018
NEW FIRE ENGINE AT SANDBACH
The Sandbach Transport Festival in 2018 was a great opportunity for the people of Sandbach to see their new Fire Appliance (Fire Engine to you and me) as the County purchased four new machines for deployment at Lymm, Macclesfield, Runcorn and Winsford with their old appliances being moved to other stations and in a general swap round one from Warrington has been given to Sandbach to replace its old Mercedes Atego (Y495PTU) which according to fire personnel at Sandbach was getting old. This new appliance a Scania P320 (MX65BCF) has more and better facilities on board including a portable pump which is able to expel water at different pressures for different types of fires and incidents as part of this new upgrade.
One noticeable difference is the height of the cab the crew have to get into which will present a few problems in the early days until they get used to its new layout.
The other noticeable difference is that the name Sandbach does not appear on the side of the Fire Engine. A new policy at Cheshire Fire Brigade is to make the appliances anonymous when attending incidents or relief cover when a station is already on call. This may be to make the public less aware of extra cover in places like Crewe when Sandbach replaces the crew as they are tackling a call, but for those who want to look at what their own appliances are doing it makes it difficult to keep tabs on number plates for the Fire engine spotter or enthusiast as they are continually changing and to see in pictures of incidents who is attending and what their role is at the “Shout”. Seeing the name of the town on the side of an appliance justifies having a station in their town. Let’s hope that the name Sandbach will soon return to the appliance and that this new appliance will keep up the tradition of great cover for the town and the surrounding area.
This new appliance will be one of over 23 that have been stationed in the town since the 1860’s when it was reported in the local paper’s that Sandbach had its own Fire Brigade with a compliment of between 12 and 18 fire-fighters and on Wednesday the 3 January 1866 at 1.10am a large fire took place at Crewe Hall with fire brigades from Crewe, Sandbach, Nantwich and Chester turning up to tackle the blaze to no avail. As Lord Crewe owned most of this area it makes sense that he would contact his own staff to tackle the blaze and would have a network of people to contact them should anything happen on his estates.
The only other fire brigade in Sandbach at the time worked for one of the local salt extraction works at Ettley Heath who used large salt pans to evaporate the water from the salt / Brine who on a number of occasions caught fire so they had a fire crew on standby from the 1800’s.
The first known picture of the Sandbach Fire Brigade appeared in 1870 and shows the crew in-front of a Carnival float along with children and possibly the two horses that drew the fire appliance. Another picture near the Black Bear, possibly from 1900 shows the horse drawn fire engine / pump drawn by two white horses wearing black plumes which are usually are a sign of a death or funeral.
By about this time in 1870 the Superintendent was a Mr John Cooke a local Blacksmith of 10 Congleton Road who by 1895 had a horse called Polly which was stabled at his smithy (Where the Palace Cinema used to be) and on hearing the fire bell would trot over the road to the fire station to be harnessed to the “Engine”.
In 1873, the town had a new Fire Station erected on the corner of Scotch Common which was a plain structure of red brick and consisted of an engine house only with the horses housed elsewhere in the town. The fire station did have a small space at the back of the building which was used to do the administration of the brigade as well as to hold training meetings as well as a place to hang up the hoses to dry them out.
During this time fires were mainly during the summer with hay bales catching light and then on the 4th May 1842 steam trains started coming through Sandbach Station and suddenly there was a new type of fire the verge fire caused by sparks from the trains lighting the dry grass at the side of the track or buildings nearby.
In 1894 the Local Government Act put the responsibility for fire cover onto Local Government / Council’s to provide cover for the town and the Sandbach Urban District Council (1894-1974) took on the responsibility of providing the fire cover and purchased the existing fire station and equipment to fulfil its obligation.
A report in the 20 March 1914, Nantwich Guardian tells of a new Sandbach Steam Fire Engine turning out for a test on Saturday the 14 March 1914 with satisfactory results. The brigade was led by Fire Superintendent Edmund Allen and had 10 Men under him to cover for calls.
An interesting article appeared on the 4th March 1939 in the local paper, the Crewe Chronicle announced that two women had become qualified to drive the Sandbach Fire engine for the first time. A picture showed Captain Thomas Leese showing new drivers Mrs Harrison and Mrs Robinson with the Sandbach fire engine. Unfortunately, they didn’t last in Sandbach during the war as one member of the wartime crew reported there were no women in the brigade at the time. However, they could have been redeployed as at the start of WW2 Sandbach was split into two groups with a new crew being based in the town and a second Auxiliary Fire Brigade unit based in Liverpool or Manchester.
On the 20 May 1941, the Fire Services (Emergency Provisions) Act 1941 was passed through Parliament, establishing a National Fire Service (NFS) with Local Authorities providing 75% of the funding for a regular Fire Brigade and the Country being divided into 12 regions with Sandbach in Region 10 included (Cheshire, Lancashire, West Moreland and Cumberland). This was then divided into smaller areas with Sandbach coming under Fire Force No 26 with its headquarters at “Holly Mount”, Mill Lane, West Derby, Liverpool 12 and was commanded by a former London Fire Brigade Officer Mr Charters.
In 1947 another Act of Parliament gave rise to the Cheshire Fire Service which started its duties on the 1 April 1948 with 28 Stations in 5 Districts (Districts designated from A to E).
In about 1948, the Fire Brigade moved to a new fire house which was situated in the old Temperance Hall on Scotch Common a building that was demolished and then rebuilt to house the Market Stall for the Sandbach Town Council.
With various changes in Cheshire a plan of building new Fire Stations was started with the present Sandbach Fire Station being officially opened on the 21 June 1961 by Alderman F.D. Gee the Chairman of the County Fire Brigade Committee. These plain brick buildings would go on to last for through to date with Holmes Chapel, Congleton, Middlewich and the larger Crewe stations all being built in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
The 1960’s also introduced the station to the major transport accident as the M6 Motorway was opened and with the freedom to travel at great speeds the number of accident started to grow and still continues to dominate the figures with the M6 being the cause of at least one call out per week if not more.
Two major fires in the area since the 1960’s included the call in September 1995 to the old Foden Factory which was now being used as a Go Carting circuit with appliances from all over Cheshire and Staffordshire bring called to the incident. Firefighters were still dampening down the area on the 24 September 1995.
The other incident was on the 17 July 2015, at 9.11am when fire crews were called to a village between Congleton and Macclesfield for what became known in the media as the Bosley Mill Fire. The incident was in a wood clip mill and was so fierce that it took weeks to put out completely and to recover bodies, one of which has never been found.
Today Sandbach is one of the busiest fire stations in the County with its retained firemen saving the community from dangers and rescuing people and animals 365 days a year.
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NEW FIRE APPLIANCES ARRIVE IN CHESHIRE
4 x Scania P320 arrive for Lymm, Macclesfield, Runcorn and Winsford.
MX17GBE
MX17GBF
MX17GBO
MX17GBU
LIST OF SANDBACH FIRE APPLIANCES
1800’s Horse drawn pump.
July 1913 Messers Shand, Mason and Company
1937/40 Jennings (Body 1934 to ERF) Sandbach Urban District Council – Fordson 7V (1937)
For some reason the word Thomas appears on the grill on the front.
1930’s-40’s Dennis (Sandbach Urban District Council)
1946 AFS Vehicle (Used in either Manchester or Liverpool by Sandbach Crew)
1950’s Dennis F1
1958 Dodge Flat Backed Wagon and Pump (2nd Appliance)
1961 Commer QX (Possible – Built in 1954 or Commer QX Mark IV)
1961 Land Rover Series 2 Redwing (AMB587B)
1960’s Dennis F8 (Number not known / Possibly Audlem’s RMB996)
1960’s Rolls Royce – Number unknown – On loan for a short while.
1965 Dennis F38 (FTU716B) Also at Audlem
1969 Dennis F38 (MTU317H) Red and Silver with Bell on Front. It served from 1969 at
Macclesfield and was also housed at Nantwich.
It became the Rolls Royce in Crewe appliance before going into Preservation
with the Dennis Society.
It was on loan to Sandbach.
1970’s Dennis F45 (WLG317J) based at Sandbach for most of its life then at ICI Winnington.
1975 Dennis F8 (Picture 1975 checking Hydrants possibly RMB996 as a loan appliance)
1981 Land Rover Stage One V8 L4T (DMB902X) 1981 Land Rover Series III Jennings.
Repainted it was used by cadets from 2002 when the Land Rover Fleet were
taken “Off the Run” until the 11 Feb 2009 (10 Feb 2009 Final day as a Cadet Unit)
when it was sold into preservation with Craig Howell (Sandbach).
1982 Dennis F45 (WLG317J) Red and Silver with Bell on Front the appliance went to
ICI in Winnington.
1987 Dennis / Carmichael SS133 (D688PMB). (Picture C21 in Transport Festival Date Tba)
Originally stationed at Sandbach it was then moved to Wilmslow.
To 1997 Mercedes 1124 (K628KMB) Also stationed at Widnes.
1997 Dennis Sabre (R42FMA) at Sandbach by 2 Aug 2011 (Introduced to Cheshire in 1995).
(Now on reserve duty with Cheshire Fire and Rescue)
After 2000 to 2018 Mercedes Atego (Y495PTU) At Winsford in 2000, Runcorn then Sandbach
Now location not known.
2007 Rapid Response Unit (Range Rover DK56OTN)
April 2018 Scania P320 (MX65BCF) Was at Warrington.
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17 May 2018
SANDBACH HAS A NEW MAYOR
Elected at the 44th Annual Meeting of the Sandbach Town Council on the 17 May 2018, Richard Hovey was elected Mayor of Sandbach the ninth to be in the role since Cheshire East took over from Congleton Borough allowing Sandbach to again have its own Town Mayor.
During his year of office, he hopes to help school age residents to play musical instruments and encourage them to appreciate music of all sorts as well as continuing his work for people living with dementia in Sandbach.
Councillor Mike Muldoon was also elected Deputy Town Mayor.
Cllr Richard Hovey was elected in 2016 to the Ettley Heath and Wheelock Ward of Sandbach Town Council and is the grandchild of the original owners of the Zan works in Wheelock which produced a number of items in Sandbach from 1919 when it moved from Scotland as the Hopol company. Zan / Hopol closed as a business many years ago with the site becoming a number of small units which Richard manages.
Richard is also coming to the end of his Chairmanship of the Rotary Club of Sandbach and has been part of the community all of his life in the town.
One thing he is looking forward to in his year of office is getting out for events but has reservations about controlling the Councillors during meetings especially in this year as the Town Halls, Market Hall alterations come into life and they also look into ways of improving how the town could change to address the issue of a 30% increase of Population in Sandbach due to the new housing estates.
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24 May 2018
SANDBACH MARKET HALL RENOVATIONS BEGIN
After many years of discussions, the improvements to the Sandbach Market Hall have begun. A disastrous scheme and questionnaire in May 2016 to put in a floor above the market stalls for office space for the Town Council was put to rest with the public and stall holders getting together to put forward plans for an improved look to the market to increase footfall which were approved by Sandbach Town Council with a set of designs being submitted in October 2017 by architects David Trowler Associates and a presentation to the public in the Town Hall by Councillors.
Work started on the outside of the building during the beginning of May with Scaffolding being placed inside the Market Hall on the 20 May 2018 allowing work to start painting the ceiling and alter the electrics above the stalls.
Repairs to the tiled flooring took place from the 16 – 18 May 2018, with Baby Changing facilities and Toilet improvements being made outside the main hall.
Alterations to the Market will continue from the 7 May 2018 to the 5 July 2018 (44 Days) with the instillation of new glass canopies on top of the side stalls from the 16th June to the 5th July 2018, New signage will be added from the 2nd to the 4th July 2018 and the lobbies next to the doors will be improved between the 4th to the 29th June 2018 with new picture shutters being added to the side stalls that will include scenes of old Sandbach supplied by local historians.
The Indoor Market will be closed on the 21st and 23rd June 2018 with stalls moving outside on these days to continue trading during the period of closure but will also be open during the rest of the period on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Work should be completed with a hand over hopefully on the 6 – 7 July 2018 and then a new era will begin for this historic building.
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26 May 2018
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND TO CLOSE
The Royal Bank of Scotland is to close in Sandbach on the 9 August 2018 along with their branch in Nantwich on the 26 July and locally Hanley, Newcastle, Stafford and Uttoxeter. This is the second bank to announce its Sandbach Branch closure after Barclays announced in April the closure date of 20 July 2018.
Based at 2 Bradwall Road the site of the building has been a bank since the time of the First World War with only a few years when it was a grocery shop.
In 1914 it was listed as Parr’s Bank Limited (Manager Arthur Edgar Slade), followed by the Westminster Bank before it moved to 3 High Town when in 1957 Godfrey Williams opened his shop before closing the building by 1976 when it was boarded up.
By the 1980’s the building was the “Williams and Glyn’s Bank Limited” which was part of the Royal Bank of Scotland group who renamed the branch a Royal Bank of Scotland by 1987 and were due to relaunch many branches as a separate “Williams and Glyn’s Bank” this year but plans failed to be realised.
On the 1 May 2018, the bank announced that they would be closing 162 branches with the loss of over 800 jobs over their network due to customers using the internet rather than visiting branches. A spokesman for the company said that their Hanley branch only has 27 customers visiting the bank on a regular basis making unviable to keep these buildings open.
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28 May 2018
FIELD HOUSE BECOME UNDERTAKERS
Originally the home of a Mill owner in 1843, “Field House” on Congleton Road became a Maternity Hospital, a Job Centre and now an Undertakers have taken over the building so you could say the building has come full circle dealing with people from birth via jobs and then to the grave in 175 years.
In 2013 with cuts in Benefit offices the building was put up for sale and lay unused for many years. The portacabin next to it enjoyed a new lease of life for a bit as a gymnasium but soon closed with the portacabins falling to pieces literally as the roof fell in.
In September 2015 an application was made to demolish the Field House building (15/3974c) and erect 7 dwellings and 4 apartments. These plans were never approved and a local business put forward another suggestion.
In 2018 plans were submitted to turn the building into an undertakers and in May 2018 works started on clearing the grounds and preparing the building for conversion into its new use.
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28 May 2018
WHEELOCK HISTORY WEEK A SUCCESS
Wheelock Congregational Church held its latest History Week after a break of three years. The Rev. Clifford Millington has put together an exhibition of picture from the history files of the Wheelock Congregational Church which was started after the parish records were destroyed by bonfire when a previous vicar tried to clear out the church. The Rev. Millington then appealed for information about marriages that had taken place at the church along with local information to try and repair the records for future generations. Parishioners then started to donate pictures of Wheelock from the past which was expanded to the area of Sandbach and the surrounding villages and now forms the basis of a great archive of material.
The Rev. Millington had not been interested in history before this project, but now has become immersed in the project gathering pictures and information about the area which he started to share in two books about Wheelock and the biannual exhibition which came about after numerous people wanted to see the pictures.
The exhibition in the church that ran from the Bank Holiday Monday to the 2 June 2018 and had features on Wheelock, Sandbach, Hassell Green, Foden’s Works, Cricket club, Football, Shackleton’s Toys, The Salt Works and Bone Works. Many of the pictures featured had not been seen before which for the local historians gave them an opportunity to fill in some of the gaps in their own knowledge.
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1 June 2018
SANDBACH REMEMBERS THE FALLEN OF WW1
This year marks a significant milestone in the History of Foden’s Band and also commemorates the final list of 79 men who laid down their lives for their country in the First World War during 1918 and 1919. Over the last four years the British Legion has planted a named cross for each of the men who died during that year starting in 2014 with the 100th anniversary of 1914 and culminating in 2018 with the final list of names of soldiers who died during that conflict as well as those who were still fighting or died of their wounds in 1919.
For Foden’s Band its significance is that on the 1st June 1918 one of their bandsmen Edwin Firth lost his life when a shell exploded, killing him instantly when he and his party were returning from the front. He had been the principal cornet player with the band and had recorded numerous 78’s with Fodens Motor Works Band along with a solo 78 which has become a “must have” recording in the Brass Band world.
By arrangement with the Royal British Legion the laying of a wreath at Elworth’s War Memorial where Edwin Firth’s name appears and the laying of the crosses to the 79 soldiers were combined on this anniversary to make the events in Sandbach a special commemoration of this tragic event, one that has touched the lives of so many generations.
The Rev. Jeff Cuttell of Astbury who used to be in the Parachute Regiment and is the minister for the Royal British Legion led the Service of Remembrance at 1.30pm in Elworth where Fodens Band played a hymn to their bandsman with Alan Littlemore laying a wreath on behalf of the band having been the band manager and who has also written a history of the band which included a chapter dedicated to the memory of Edwin Firth. Marjorie Newton also laid a wreath on behalf of the RBL while the Mayor of Cheshire East Cllr Lesley Smetham (and Consort David Smetham), Mayor of Sandbach Cllr Richard Hovey, various Councillors and most important of all the relatives of Edwin Firth, Martyn Firth (Grandson) and Edwin James Firth (Great Grandson) with wives and friends attended a very noisy main road location due to roadworks near the Fox Inn, for this very personal service. This was a very fitting tribute to the bandsman and formed the start of coverage by Andy Gill and a camera person from North West Tonight who joined the day’s events as they continued into Sandbach Town’s, Market Square where at 2.30pm Edwin Firth was again commemorated by the laying of a cross, this time by his grandson Martyn Firth. The cross for him was laid out as his name was read out to the accompaniment of recordings from Fodens Band (1909 to 1918) and Edwin’s own “Cleopatra” and “Pandora” 78’s with five members of Foden’s Band (6 at Elworth) again playing a hymn during the service, this time for all those who had died from the town with Mark Wilkinson (Principal Cornet with the band) playing the last post for the minutes silence.
In Sandbach the Rev. Jeff Cuttell again led the service of remembrance with Reg Dunning and Marjorie Newton taking part before the list of 79 soldiers were read out with a cross bearing their name being planted at the base of the War Memorial.
It was also a time for remembering the ex-pupils of Sandbach School who had died during 1918-19 and as their names were read out current pupils from the school laid their crosses in the flower beds of the war memorial a tribute they have performed over the last four years.
It was a day the sun shone on a sombre event with a pleasing and fitting tribute to the Fallen of Sandbach.
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1 June 2018
EDWIN FIRTH TRIBUTE CONCERT’S
Foden’s Band and the Royal British Legion paid tribute to Edwin Firth the principal cornet player with Fodens Motor Works Band from 1909 until his untimely death on the 1 June 1918, with a wreath laying ceremony at Elworth War Memorial (Where he is named) and later at the Market Square War Memorial in Sandbach exactly 100 years to the day since his death.
On the 1 June 2018 (7.30pm) and the 3 June (2pm) Fodens Band paid their own tribute to Edwin Firth with a special concert in his honour.
The anniversary concert was a great success with the programme being made up of pieces connected to the Principal Cornet player starting with the band’s theme tune “The Cossack” and then there was a chance to hear Edwin Firth himself playing “Cleopatra” via a recording remastered for CD and shown with a video of pictures of the cornet player.
Next was a piece called “Fodenian” written as a tribute to Edwin Firth by Robert Thornton and played by the band from a rearrangement by Philip Littemore from the only copy known to exist of the original handwritten piece which has been lost from the band’s library but was copied by the evenings narrator Alan Littlemore on an old photocopier many years ago. As it was a tribute to the Principal Cornet player from 1918 the 2018 seat holder Mark Wilkinson played this tune as the first of two solo slots he would perform during the evening.
In 1913, The British Bandsman (Newspaper) decided to hold a competition to find the best new march. It was won by Edwin Firth with his composition “Westwood Ho” which was the next tune in this concert and one that has become a favourite with many of the Brass Bands around the country including Fodens who played it at the recent History website launch earlier in the year and at various other concerts in the run up to this tribute weekend.
Edwin Firth was again featured with the B side of his 78 “Pandora” being played on a big screen with video tribute followed by the 1 October 1910 National Brass Band Championships test piece played at Crystal Palace, London, called “Gems of Schubert” which was arranged by William Rimmer. Fodens Motor Works Band were the second band to play in the competition with Edwin Firth on Solo Cornet an order of play many thought would be a handicap but the band defied the odds and came first gaining the double win of the two major championships in the same year with this and the British Open Championships, a feat the band has only achieved twice with the second being in 2013. In 1910 they were awarded £40, a Boosey’s Cornet and medals along with a trophy which had to be returned the following year.
There then followed an interval in the concert when the audience had a chance to see an exhibition of items belonging to Edwin Firth including his cups and instruments along with pictures of the player and a family tree.
The second half was a time for reflection for not only Edwin Firth but also others who had died in the conflict with the opening “Fanfare and National Anthem” (Jacobs) followed by the Rev David Page the Vicar of St Peter’s Church, Elworth, paying his tribute to Edwin and the Fallen of WW1 leading into the emotive piece by John Williams, “Hymn to the Fallen” from the film “Saving Private Ryan”.
Two more pieces followed which Edwin and the band could have played during the 1909 to 1918 period. The first of the two was, “The Lost Chord” (Arthur Sullivan) which had featured Edwin Firth on Solo Cornet when the band played for King George V and Queen Mary “By Royal Command”, on the 23 April 1913 at Crewe Hall where the band played in-front of the building at 9.30am after they had travelled by Steam Wagon to Crewe from Sandbach and they changed into some new uniforms that had been specially purchased for the event. The King and Queen then went on to visit Crewe Town Centre, Sandbach and Congleton as part of their trip round the “Industrial North”. Next was “Threnody” (Henry Geehl) followed by the most poignant tune of the evening.
“Goodbye” by Tosti arranged by J Ord Hulme. It was a tune that had been played by Edwin Firth on the 11 August 1917. Having joined the Artists Regiment, the 28th London Regiment as a Private (766890) in 1917 this would be his last solo with the band before his untimely death on the 1 June 1918. The band and Edwin Firth were playing at Chester Groves by the River. The tune he chose to play as an encore was “Goodbye” by Tosti, which he thought would be appropriate. However, his fellow band members tried to talk him out of playing it as they saw this as a bad omen. How right they were. At the two concerts Mark Wilkinson played this solo using Edwin Firth’s own cornet handed down from his father Squire Firth and left behind by the player as he went on his fateful trip to France. Edwin had taken a battered cornet from the band-room to the front to keep his lip in working order and that cornet was returned to the family along with his other items after his death, leaving the player in France where he is buried.
The concert itself finished with the tune “Light Cavalry” (Suppe arr Greenwood) which was a fitting end to this tribute to Edwin Firth.
Edwin’s relative’s Martyn Firth (Grandson) and Edwin James Firth (Great, Great Grandson) and family attended the Friday night concert which also included an appearance by the band’s ex conductor James Scott and local MP Fiona Bruce.
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17 June 2018
SANDBACH MAYOR’S CIVIC PARADE AND SERVICE
The torrential downpour of Saturday was not in evidence when the Sandbach Mayor’s Civic Parade and Service took place on Sunday the 17 June 2018. Starting on Scotch Common, Richard Hovey the new Mayor of Sandbach joined other Civic Leaders from Cheshire East Nantwich, Alsager and Winsford in the annual march to St Mary’s Church where the Revd. Thomas Shepherd led the service.
The procession included representatives from local organisations along with Deputy Mayor Mike Muldoon, the Fire Cadets, Air Cadets and the drums of Cheshire Police who led the procession followed by Royal British Legion members, Town Crier Dennis Robinson, Sandbach Town Council members and a number of Mayors from the area, Cllr Shirley Jones from Alsager, Cllr Lesley Smetham of Cheshire East, Cllr David Marren from Nantwich and Cllr Gina Lewis with her Consort Denis Lewis from Winsford. The Sandbach Royal British Legion standard barer was unavailable this weekend due to another commitment but Haslington Royal British Legion which has Cllr Richard Hovey among its ranks kindly lent their standard bearer, Robert Cave who volunteered his services to help with the parade.
As the procession moved from the common via the Town Hall, onto the War Memorial where Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey and Cheshire East Mayor, Lesley Smetham laid wreaths for the fallen soldiers of the town which has become part of the traditions of the Sandbach march which started in 1973.
The parade moved to St Mary’s Church where they held the Civic Service with hymns and readings by Cllr Richard Hovey and the Deputy Mayor of Sandbach Cllr Mike Muldoon. The Revd. Thomas Shepherd opened his sermon as he did last year by saying he had been in the town for the last 10 years (Coming to Sandbach in 2008) and he still hadn’t decided why he liked being in Sandbach. He then talked about a conversation he had had on the phone with Kate Simon who along with Suzanne King has compiled a “Slow Travel Guide” which mentions the area of Crewe, Alsager, Congleton and Sandbach saying that they had all grown out of an Industrial plan coming out from a country backwater area with the introduction of the railways. Sandbach according to the new book was described as the most attractive of the four towns and had a good report of Sandbach Park. The Revd. Shepherd finally talked about the role of the elected council and that the church said a prayer each week for them to continue their work before saying the ‘Prayer of Intercession’, which lays out via the bible what a council should look at while in office, from the care of the community to caring for animals, property, those who live in poverty and hunger along with seeking guidance and keeping “Your Commandments”.
The service ended with the Civic Prayer led by the Mayor “Grant us a Vision of our town; a town of justice, where none shall prey on others; a town of plenty, where there will be no place for poverty; a town in community, where success shall be founded on service, and honour be given to worth alone; a town of peace, where order shall not rest on force, but on mutual respect, Send us out from this place, in the power of your Spirit, that we may live and work to your praise and glory”.
Following on from the service the congregation were treated to a cup of tea or coffee with a great spread of food in the Church Hall along with a chance to talk to the Mayor, who during a short speech of welcome mentioned that his chosen charities this year were for Dementia Awareness for the town, an initiative run in conjunction with the Sandbach Partnership and encouraging young people to learn to play musical instruments and to encourage music within the town.
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17 June 2018
SEASON END FOR THE SANDBACH CONCERT SERIES
The Sandbach Concert Series comes to a season end on Wednesday the 27 June 2018, when the Euphonium and Tuba quartet “Tralaté” plays St Mary’s Church Hall.
The quartet has been together for over 27 years (Formed in 1991) and as the first known tuba and euphonium combination has become one of the leading brass ensembles in the country. As graduates from the Royal Northern College of Music they have travelled from Europe, to Russia, Latvia and the USA playing at various prestigious venues.
On the 14 November 1998, “Tralaté” played for Prince Charles’s 50th Birthday party at Buckingham Palace a concert organised by Her Majesty, The Queen.
Made up of Paul Walton (Euphonium), John Powell (Euphonium), Ryan Breen (Tuba) and Les Neish (Tuba) Tralaté will be playing music by J S Bach, Nicklas Schmidt, Bordin, Peter McGarr, John Stevens and Sandbach composer Andy Scott with his tune, “Bite the Bullet” on the 27th June at 7.30pm along with young musicians from the area in a spotlight concert.
Paul Walton (Euphonium) has played with the Black Dyke Band, Desford Colliery and the Fairey Band along with appearances with Sandbach based Fodens Band in 1994. Paul has also conducted the Poynton (Vernon Building Society) Brass Band for the North West Area finals. John Powell (Euphonium) has been with the Almeida Opera Orchestra, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and has conducted the Denbighshire County and Trading Band while Ryan Breen (Tuba) has played with the Wigan Brass Band and Les Neish (Tuba) is the more well-known member of the group having played from 2005 to April 2010 with Foden’s Band and recorded the solo CD with the band, “Salt of the Earth” (2009) and was part of the “Double Trouble” CD with Fodens Band, Tralaté and Barbara Thompson (Saxophone player on the “A Touch of Frost” theme) who co-wrote the music while struggling against Parkinson’s Disease, with her friend Andy Scott the resident composer with Fodens and one of the organises of the Sandbach Concert Series. Les Neish is now a tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, Salford University and the Birmingham Conservatoire with his experience and knowledge making him the ideal choice to judge the 2012 Foden’s Band Solo Competition and latterly the BBC Radio 2 “Young Brass Player of the Year”.
Tickets for the performance are £9.50 (Adults), £8.00 (Concessions / Senior Citizens), £3.00 (School Children) and a family ticket (2 Adults and 2 Children) £20.00 and are available via the website at www.sandbach-concert-series.co.uk/tickets.htm or at Bramwells Opticians (4 Hightown) and Demeters Wholefoods (12 Welles Street) or on the door. 6.30pm Doors Open, 7.00pm Spotlight Concert by Local Talent, 7.30pm Intermission / Raffle for Local Charity / Art Exhibition, 8.00pm Main Concert.
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17 June 2018
END OF A LONG AND FRUITFUL ERA
It has come to my attention that the best local photographer of the last thirty plus years has finally hung up his camera and decided to retire from the Sandbach Chronicle / Congleton Chronicle series. Glyn Boon has taken his last picture for the paper and handed in his last SD card to be printed in what has been a wonderful documentation of the history of the area. I for one will miss his quality pictures in the paper and his great friendship not only towards me but the whole community of Sandbach who looked forward to his arrival and his unique way of taking local paper pictures by organizing the people, standing on a chair or platform to get that different angle and the professionalism he brought to the occasion when he blended into the background for those unplanned shots he took at concerts and special occasions.
I first remember him at my first play with the Sandbach Players “Basinful of the Briny”, when he unexpectedly for me stood on a chair to take the group picture something I had never seen a photographer do and still today is the only one that regularly does that unexpected shot to give the Chronicle a great picture for the paper, one that captures the occasion perfectly. He probably turned up at my school in the early days to take the picture of a play they were doing or the opening of a new part of the building while I was there but I don’t remember. It was only when I was sent out into the community in the 1980’s that he seemed to be everywhere from the village fate to the Elizabethan Market. Events, plays, concerts, openings, celebrity appearances, transport festivals, shop openings, Mayor’s events, British Legion Ball, Remembrance Day Marches, Armed Forces Day, Charity fund-raises, murders and fires. He even appearing in the background in the BBC’s coverage of the Bosley Mill Fire of the 17 July 2015.
In 2009, Glyn Boon was given the title ‘Citizen of the Year’ by the Rotary Club of Sandbach for his work in the community, an accolade he richly deserves as he has been a big part of that community for many years.
For me he has taught me how to take pictures, not just how a camera works but how to make that picture special by the odd little tip he has given me while on assignment or by watching what he does. He has also taught me never to be afraid of asking someone to do something out or the ordinary like holding a prop or turning in a certain way to make the picture better.
In those early days when Glyn started it was all on film so you were never sure what a photograph would turn out like or if it would turn out at all with faulty film or a light leaking camera, but as Glyn took the picture you could be pretty sure that it would appear in that week’s paper and so would rush out to buy it for your archive. As digital cameras started to appear, Glyn was one of the first professionals I saw with one of the new SLR camera kits and he grasped the technology with both hands and was soon confident in this new medium that he was able to show the public what he had taken that day to make sure that they were happy with the results and of course to make sure that he was also happy he had the picture he wanted for the cover or an inside feature. With Digital cameras it is now easy to take hundreds of photographs without worrying about the cost and on many occasions, Glyn has said to me he had better stop taking pictures of an event as he had only one page to fill.
As a Hospital Radio presenter our paths crossed at many events over my 35 years of broadcasting and while taking pictures of events and he has always been courteous in letting myself and others take their picture of a setup before moving on to his next shot or assignment.
A few years ago, Glyn thought about retiring but had second thoughts and has continued into his 70’s, Chronicling events in the area. The public face of the Sandbach / Congleton Chronicle etc. Glyn’s private life has been just that, private but his public life has been welcomed by all as he went about his job of taking pictures.
He will be missed in Sandbach and I am sure the rest of the Chronicle area, so I end with one word for this great photographer on his retirement from all those he has taken pictures of over the years, THANKS.
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30 June 2018
ARMED FORCES DAY AND FAMILY FUN DAY IN THE PARK
A sunny day could not prise the Motor Racing and Football fans off the sofa to go to Sandbach Park for a wonderful “Family Fun Day” on Saturday the 30 June 2018, but many who ventured into the town enjoyed the sunshine and entertainment provided for them by Sandbach Town Council.
It was also Armed Forces Day in the town and so the Royal British Legion in Sandbach conducted a service at the start of the day near the tennis courts with the ‘Sandbach and District U3A Brass Band’, playing the accompaniment to the hymns while The Rev. Jeff Cuttell of Astbury led the prayers and service to those serving in the armed forces.
At St Mary’s Church the Sandbach School CCF (Combined Cadet Force / Army, Navy and RAF) celebrated their 100th Anniversary by abseiling down the clocktower of the Church to raise money for SSAFA (Soldiers and Sailors Families Association / The Armed Forces Charity). Organised by the previous Contingent Commander at the school, Richard Ayres who is now ACF Cheshire Commandant the 25 or more pupils from both Sandbach School and Sandbach High School climbed the thin, steep, steps inside the tower to the roof where they were greeted with a wonderful view of Sandbach against a deep blue sky before being attached to a rope and lowered over the top for the trip down the outside of the building, only pausing to stretch out their arms to show how safe the assent was. Sarah Burns the Headteacher of Sandbach School also made the assent at 11am, having abseiled before many years ago and like the members of the CCF she enjoyed the experience in perfect conditions.
The CCF also had a stall at the entrance of the Fire Station next to a display of police cars and a 60 second bike challenge organised by PCSO Spike Elliott and PC Steve Dutton, who gave members of the public the chance to cycle on a fixed bike for one minute to see how far they can go. Competitors from the age of 8 to 74 years old took part along with a friendly rivalry between the police, fire brigade and armed forces as well as brothers and sisters trying to beat each other’s times. Bob from the police vehicle management team cycled the furthest distance with 2.8km followed by Bob from Alsager (1.99km), with some doing the challenge in special uniforms. Craig Howell of the Fire Cadets cycled in Fire Brigade kit for 1.39km and in ordinary clothes for a distance of 1.73km while J B went for a distance of 1.98km in police armour. I only managed a distance of 1.31km followed soon after by last year’s Mayor of Sandbach, Martin Forster at 1.21km a distance that was a great achievement for all who took part in the challenge as many like myself hadn’t ridden a bike for a number of years.
Walking past the Fire Station display of equipment and their new fire engine into the park for more fun and entertainment. The sound of the U3A band drifted through the park till 1pm as they played popular brass band tunes like the ‘Lincolnshire Poacher’, as well as paying their own tribute to Edwin Firth the Foden Band player who died on the 1 June 1918, by playing his composition “Kenilworth March”.
The park also had displays from Girl Guiding in Sandbach who looked at 100 years of inspirational women from Princess Diana, Anne Frank, Emmeline Pankhurst, Marie Curie, Mother Teresa to Paralympic Swimmer Ellie Simmonds. Other groups features included The Royal British Legion, Aquarius, Friends of Sandbach Park, The Army Cadet Force as well as a chance at Zorbing and to play games of Quoits, Jenga, Boules and to walk on stilts, have your face painted, cake decorating and willow weaving.
The hundreds who turned up including local MP Fiona Bruce, thoroughly enjoyed the event, one of many planned for the park over the next 12 months.
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6 July 2018
FIRE AT ARCLID
Crew’s from Congleton and Crewe tackled a fire at a Farm on Arclid Traffic lights.
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7 July 2018
PARTY IN THE PARK – FODEN’S BAND
Foden’s Band failed to light up the sky but impressed the record breaking turn out for the “Party in the Park” on the Saturday the 7 July 2018. This eventful day when England made it through to the Semi-finals of the World Cup had all the makings of a small audience with supporters wishing to follow the football and celebrate the English 2-0 win against Sweden. However, Sandbach must have had a lot of supporters of Foden’s Band and the Sandbach School Big Band as by the time the big band had come off stage all the 750 tickets printed by Sandbach Town Council had been sold and the public were still coming into Sandbach Park to hear, “Musical Theatre Classics” followed by the “Last Night of the Proms” played by Foden’s Band. Unfortunately, after seven years of Party in the Park, the planned Firework ending was cancelled due to high winds, which were apparently in the wrong direction making it unsafe to launch the rockets.
The first part of the concert had John Barber introducing the Sandbach School Big Band with singers including Giorgio, Mark, Matthew, Tom, Alex and Jemma who performed a range of music from Jungle Books ‘The bear necessities’ via ‘Reach for the stars’, ‘Somebody told me’, ‘Are you going to be my girl’, to a five-singer version of the Take That song ‘Relight my Fire’.
After an interval of thirty minutes Foden’s Band was introduced by Cllr Mike Benson who gave a brief history of the band and its celebration this year of the life of Edwin Firth who died in 1918. This was then followed by an introduction to the bands guest conductor Richard Evans who has an association with certain members of Foden’s Band and has deputised for them before as a conductor since 1996. Richard has also been the conductor of the Leyland DAF Band / BNFL Band, YBS Band, Fairey Engineering and various other bands and brought his years of experience to the concert of popular music from the Musicals starting with ‘Strike up the band’, a selection of tunes from ‘South Pacific’ and the Bond theme ‘Live and Let Die’, from soloist Richard Poole. Highlights included ‘I dreamed a dream’ from solo cornet player Mark Wilkinson and ‘Hushabye Mountain’ played on the flugel horn by Melanie Whyle with other solos by John Barber and Gary Curtin in the second half of their concert performance which lead to the usual ‘Last Night of the Proms’ finale which has the traditional patriotic flag waving that the audience had done throughout the show and now hit its climax before they headed off home to chants from the local public houses of “It’s Coming Home”. This beautiful evening and large crowd certainly showed that good music is coming home to Sandbach in a big way, which will see its return to the town next June for another “Party in the Park”.
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14 July 2018
ROBBIE WILLIAMS AND THE ROLLING STONES PLAY SANDBACH
Sandbach saw the greatest line up of musical talent since “Live Aid” with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles from the 1960’s playing alongside Robbie Williams and Taylor Swift with Ariana Grande and Coldplay thrown in for good measure with all the profits from the concerts going to local charities. Simon Gregson and Andy Miller (The Chef at the Rugby Club) have put together this event for the second year running to give the people of Sandbach “something for the community” and a great day’s entertainment.
The event was also a great opportunity for the AMMF Charity to raise funds for its Cancer appeal. The AMMF is the only charity in the UK to raise money to fund research into Cholangiocarcinoma (Liver Cancer) for which only surgery is a cure that is if it is found in time. As it is hard to diagnose many people are faced with a terminal diagnosis which for Andrea Sheardown of Sandbach was fortunately found early and she has survived the procedure after being found to have the cancer in October 2015. Andrea now along with her family including her three children raise funds for this worthy cause at events like the Rock and Pop Festival where they had a stall and held a raffle, as well as holding their own events like the forthcoming Mad Hatters Cycle Tea Party on the 27 August.
Copy groups or Tribute acts were joined at the Rugby Club on Bradwall Road, by five local performers who not only gave their versions of popular songs but also some of their own compositions. Samantha Lloyd, Harry Holmes and Typical Tricks opened the afternoon performances with Totally Taylor (Melissa Tomlin from Manchester) a Taylor Swift tribute returned from last year’s line-up and this time the performer also brought her persona of Arianna Grande to the show.
Desert Rain and Acoustics filled the final two slots of local performers proceeding tributes to Coldplay (The Coldplayer), Rolling Stones (Tumbling Dice) with Dan Budd as Robbie Williams who had the best reception of the evening. The crowds then dissipated from the tent leaving only the 1960’s fans who waited patiently for the Beatles Tribute act ‘The Cheatles’ to take to the stage for the finale of the evening.
Local performer Samantha Lloyd is from Stoke on Trent and composes her own music as well as performing cover songs. She has made an EP called “Now That You’re Gone” which reached number 12 on the I Tunes Country Album Chart in 2016 and a follow up single called “So Don’t Try” in 2017.
Guitarist Harry Holmes is also from Stoke on Trent and unlike Samantha who plays the Midlands, Harry has been booked to play in Manchester and Birmingham and now lives in Liverpool where he also writes songs like “Dance at the Party”.
The group ‘Typical Tricks’, also played a mixture of their own songs including ‘Crying Blue’ and cover versions like ‘Foxy Lady’ the Jimmy Hendrix Song also recorded by Alice Cooper and ZZ Top.
‘Acoustic’ with drummer (Cajon) Dan Coppock, Guitarist Matt Long, Guitarist Danny Wilde, Bass player Josh Brough and Singer Lauren Hall come from Congleton and have played the Fake Festival as well as local venues including the ‘Ye Olde White Lion’ and ‘Stock at the Pavilion’, both in Congleton.
‘Desert Rain’ is the only true Sandbach band as they rehearse in a small studio in the town and cover songs by Noel Gallagher, Stereophonics, Foo Fighters and the band copied later, The Rolling Stones. The band consists of lead singer Scott Edwards, Nathan (Guitarist), Rob (Bass) and drummer Alex (New to the band). Desert Rain have been seen before in the town at the recent Sandbach Transport Festival in 2018.
Professional performers at the Rock and Pop Festival started with Melissa Tomlin who goes under the stage name of Melissa Tributes and has a number of artists that she performs as from Megan Trainor, Jess Glynne (At Sandbach last year), Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Cheryl Cole and an Abba (Solo) tribute. This year Melissa came back to Sandbach with the popular Taylor Swift impersonation and new to the area Ariana Grande.
Surprise of the day was the Coldplay tribute which turned out to be one-person Seth, who performed as Chris Martin with various songs by him including ‘Fix You’ which seemed to be the popular song to perform as at least two groups performed the song during the day.
‘Tumbling Dice’ the Rolling Stones tribute band is one of many bands with the same-ish name. There is the Manchester Band, ‘Tumbling Dice’ do a number of tributes while a similar named band in the USA do a Rolling Stones set and “The” Tumbling Dice from Aberdeenshire and one from Peterborough also join the list of tributes to the Rolling Stones, but the group that appeared in Sandbach was possibly the best as they had impersonations of Mick Jagger and others in the band that were impeccable.
Dan Budd as Robbie Williams was for the audience the highlight of the event, with looks that were very close to the original and the performance that was a typical Robbie show with all the popular songs and banter even when presenting the raffle ticket numbers for the AMMF (Cancer Charity) he kept up the style. Coming from Stoke on Trent like Robbie Williams, Dan Budd has become one of the best impersonators and was one of the artists on the “Let it Shine” show on the BBC and was at the time described by Gary Barlow, “It’s unbelievable how much you sound and look like Rob”. Having been in a number of cover bands, Graham Wilkes told Dan that he sounded like Robbie and he should concentrate on the one performer which he did to the delight of the Robbie Williams fans in the audience. Later in the year Dan Budd will be joining a Gary Barlow tribute (Jon Fisher) at the new ‘Jollies Cabaret Venue’ for a special tribute night.
As soon as Dan left the stage the audience started to disappear and those young ladies who had come dressed in 1960’s gear with headbands and mini skirts came into their elements as the Beatles tribute, “The Cheatles” performed songs from the Beatles back catalogue, even letting their Ringo Starr drummer sing one of his songs.
The band have performed all over the country including Liverpool’s Albert Dock, Cruise Ships and the Natural History Museum so as darkness fell over the Rugby Club the band brought the music of the Beatles back to life (With a few minor technical issues) for a fitting end to the days events.
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26 July 2018
SANDBACH MARKET HALL OFFICIALLY OPENED
Improvements to the Sandbach Market Hall have finished after work started at the end of May to make the building into something that the people of Sandbach could be proud of and hopefully improve the footfall of the market to bring back the numbers of visitors it used to enjoy. The added publicity surrounding the renovations have certainly helped with the shoppers visiting the market and with a plan that includes special events it looks as though the market is starting to get back on its feet.
Culminating in an opening ceremony on the 26 July 2018, when Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey cut the green ribbon, a colour that matches the paintwork of the new look stalls around the sides of the hall, the event attracted a large crowd of people connected to and interested in the final results.
The day also included a visit from “Punch and Judy” (Ian Davis from Staffordshire), Elsa (Frozen Character) and Spiderman (Crime Fighter) along with street magician Ian, who all entertained the children who were off from school and the adults coming to the market.
Architects David Trowler Associates oversaw the painting of the ceiling, new electrics, lighting above each stall new facades for the stalls, signage and new sliding doors which in winter will keep the building a lot warmer than it has been in the past. Councillors and Staff at Sandbach Town Council have also kept a close eye on the project which has been a collaboration between them and the Market traders who wanted the improvements to the Market to help restore it back to the vibrant facility it once was for the town.
Each of the shutters on the stalls has a picture from Sandbach’s Past supplied by the Minshull Archive. Managed by Stephen Minshull who has taken over his father’s archive of pictures of the town the archive consists of images taken from old postcards and photographs (On Slides) that his father John Minshull captured of the streets and shops of the town from the 1960’s until his death 20 years ago in 1998. Stephen has digitised the archive of about 6,000 images and picked the best ones that reflected the town’s history along with a journey from the Wheat Sheaf down Hightown and around the town via its historic buildings, with the foyer shops decorated with images from the town’s former industries of Fodens, ERF and the Silk Mills. Stephen then had to upgrade the images from 35mm film to a very high quality digital image that could be enlarged to fill the shutters. These were then made into plastic transfers which were added to the shutters and can now be seen when the market closes or on dates when the hall is open for other events like the record and craft fairs.
A few minor alterations will finish off the project, which most people who saw it on the opening day and surrounding market days says is a great improvement and will be an asset to the town.
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1 August 2018
ALL INCLUSIVE PLAY DAY IN SANDBACH PARK
The first Wednesday in August each year since 1991 has been a National Play Day in Great Britain with the Sandbach Partnership organising the event in Sandbach Park each year since the 4 August 2014.
The event in Sandbach Park on the 1 August 2018 enjoyed the sunshine with children of all ages taking part in various events and attractions including an Egg Race, Bouncy Castle, Face Painting, Community Scrap Shack (Making things from old items), Cheshire Arts for Health, Sandbach Arts Room, Demolition Zone, Everybody – Leisure for Life (Wellie Throwing and Football Game) with the Friends of Sandbach Park holding a friendly competition to identify trees in the park which Sandbach Mayor Richard Hovey decided to take part in and wondered round the wooded area to see what he could name. The other two attractions included animals which were provided by Nessa’s Ark a collection of interesting animals which the public could touch and get to know their origins. The group has just won the “Best Educational Care Home Entertainment” award in the GHP Social Care Awards for 2017-18 and brings animals to schools and events of which the Play in the Park in Sandbach has been a regular booking. Animal brought to Sandbach included snakes, dogs, frogs, Iguana, Chameleon and a weird looking creature with a runny nose called a Tenrec from Madagascar which was both cute and also intriguing. The other highlight was Frank the wandering giant tortoise who wandered round the park, much to the delight of the children who could pat it and have their photograph taken with it.
The National Play Day started in 1986 by Mick Conway, Paul Bonel and Kim Holdaway after threatened cuts to School based play centres they held a meeting of playworkers which was not well attended. However, they were determined to start a day of play in the UK and held the first events in 1987 which like the meeting was not well organised with only a few venues taking part. The following year’s the event grew to take in about twelve events in London in 1989, with a National Event taking place across the country in 1991. In 2017 there were more than 850 events nationally including Sandbach.
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18 August 2018
STORMTROOPERS INVADE SANDBACH MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF THE INHABITANTS
The latest event to draw the public to see the new look Market Hall in Sandbach on Saturday the 18 August 2018, included an invasion of the town by Imperial Stormtroopers from the Star Wars film series, much to the delight of the inhabitants. I’m not sure who was more excited the young children or the older adults who all wanted to have their pictures taken with the armoured men and other characters from the films.
Members of the ‘Staffs Imperial Stormtroopers’, are a non-profit-making group who dress up in characters from the film to take part in various events including this weekend when they were raising funds for the Donna Louise Trust (Children’s Hospice in Stoke on Trent), a charity close to their hearts and for whom they recently attended a ‘Superheroes Picnic’, at Dorfold Park near Nantwich. Mainly publicising the film series, they have been in great demand at Comic Conventions like the Nantwich Comic Con on the 9 June 2018 and at the opening screening of the new films including “Solo: A Star Wars Story” at Cineworld in Stoke on Trent.
On a sunny day in Sandbach their planned 60 minutes soon turned into a three hour walk around the town posing for pictures at every opportunity allowing children and adults to play with their blasters and pose in true Star Wars style with everyone knowing exactly what to do.
John Beddows of Sandbach Market said that “It was a fab day in Sandbach, the team were brilliant and made it a really great day. You can tell they love what they do especially with the children. There will be another invite to Sandbach very soon”.
The next events at Sandbach Market will be a ‘Face Painting Event’ on Thursday the 23 August and a ‘Cheshire Police and Sandbach Air Cadets’ event plus extras on the 30 August.
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18 August 2018
AUTHORS SIGNING EVENT AT TOWN HALL
Eleven writers attended an author signing event in Sandbach on Saturday the 18 August 2018.
This was the 3rd event held at Sandbach Town Hall and organised by Sandbach Town Hall’s Conference and events officer, Laura Surgenor (Writer Elizabeth Morgan) who was the only face from the previous events to appear this year.
Like the previous occasions it was a great opportunity to talk to local writers and to find out about the wide variety of subjects covered in the new self-publishing world.
Writers came from all over the North West including our own home town.
Sarah Lysaght who has lived in Sandbach for over 20 years is the writer of three books, “37 Downing Street” which is based on her own family tree and was published in 2012 is about a bricklayer turned fishmonger in Farnham and chronicles the family from the time of Queen Victoria to the 1930’s through tragedy and pain with and unexpected ending. Based on her own family history, which Sarah has been researching for the last 20 years the saga continues into her second book “Loyalty on the Home Sweet Home Front” which looks at the life of George who in 1944 is suddenly taken ill and starts to reminisce about his life including his time in the Boar War and the Army Canteen as a NAFFI inspector.
Sarah’s third book “The Manchester Bradshaw’s” is another book based on family history but this time it is her husband’s family connection that is featured with over five generations of exceptional men she explores their lives mixes with a hint of fiction that is seen in all her novels.
Published and available on Amazon this was the first time Sarah had been involved with a publicity event for her books which she wrote as a hobby rather than as a commercial undertaking and through word of mouth has managed to gain a good recommendation with between 4 and 5 stars on Amazon.
Susi Osborne lives in Cheshire with her Scottish husband and actress daughter. This former library assistant has been writing for about 12 years and writes contemporary fiction starting with “The Ripples of Life” (2008), “Grace and Disgrace” and “Secrets, Lies and Butterflies” (2013) which are all linked together and are about family dramas with plenty of humour. Her forth book “Angelica Stone” (2017) is very much a book about the lives of the homeless and mental illness and was researched by Susi meeting those without a home on the streets as well as her experience with her own mothers Alzheimer’s and the incidents she had looking after her. Looking after her mother also gave Susi the opportunity to start writing as she had time to sit down and think as well as it being a time when her children had left home so she could spend a couple of hours a day writing her novels without being disturbed.
(Nigel) N J Cartner, writes about a trip to Las Vegas, when the main character Ricky Lever comes to a crossroads in his life. “Lost in Manchester found in Vegas” shows how sin city can influence a man in life after he has split from his girlfriend and lost his job at the same time with this theme planned to continue in N J Cartners next instalment which he is writing at the moment. Having written reviews for fanzines and some community radio experience, Nigel decided it was time for his first novel and sat down to write about his experience in the USA with added musical references including songs that have played a big part in his life and the back of the book he has compiled a discography of the music featured in the book itself so you can play the tunes as you read the book to give it a film like quality which has influenced his writing.
K Spencer has three books out with the central character of Canyon Devils MC and who appears in “Angel” (2016), Princess (2017) and the latest instalment “Sparky’s Treasure” which was published on the 8 August 2018.
Other authors at the event were Lucy Felthouse (Erotic Romantic novels), Scribbelious (various books), Paul Bernardi (Historic Suspense Novels, “To the Devil his Due” and “Thurkill’s Revenge”), (Tracy) T N Traynor (Mystical Quest Novel Series, “Oracle’s Quest”, (Charlotte) C A Keith (Ghostly Writes Anthology), Claire Plaisted (Female secret investigator and also featured in the Ghostly Writes Anthology of short stories), and Elizabeth Morgan (Urban Fantasy and Erotic Horror).
Elizabeth / Laura hopes to stage another event next year with more writers hoping to promote their books.
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20 August 2018
END OF AN ERA – THE SAXON MAGAZINE CLOSES
Started in February 2013, although the date read 2012, the Saxon Magazine was started by Mark Hilditch and was designed to inform the people of Sandbach what was going on in a small news format. At the time I was doing a programme on Congleton based “Beartown Radio” called “Sandbach Soundbites” which as my Soundcloud page continues to do, reports on events and people in Sandbach, so I arranged a meeting with Mark to discuss the newspaper and ended up supplying the magazine with a What’s On Page from information gathered for my programme which to give us some publicity and in a way payment was originally in association with Beartown Radio and then in September 2013 after Beartown Radio cut the programme on Sandbach I decided to change the sponsorship of the What’s On Diary to Hospital Radio Leighton who I have been broadcasting for over the last 35 years (Started in 1983) and now through myself have provided the events list for the magazine ever since.
Published by Volume PR (Founded 2008) at Frederick House, Princess Court, Beam Heath Way, Nantwich the magazine was delivered free to 14,000 readers with advertising making up the cost of publication and was part of a number of similar magazines including “The Dabber” (Nantwich). The Saxon Magazine set up a twitter account in October 2012, Facebook a little later and also a website to show the latest news before the paper version could be published.
Some of the early photographs were supplied by Simon J Newbury (Professional Photographer) with regular back page rugby features from Sandbach Rugby Club and stories from the public with Stewart Green (me) being the only featured writer for the magazine and who over the years has attended a large number of events in the town covering them for both the Saxon and also Hospital Radio Leighton. Stewart’s first item was a letter reply to the question what was available in Sandbach shops to which the reply was there are 276 shops in the town with a variety of different things to sell. The first feature by me was in the April 2013 edition and was an update on the proposed plans to improve the information boards around the Saxon Crosses.
Coverage of the planning proposals seemed to dominate the front pages of the first few editions with sad news of locals who have died in tragic circumstances scattered among the monthly covers including the tragic death of a young boy in Platt Avenue a story that continued to appear up until the penultimate edition. Another regular feature was the Sandbach Transport Festival with headlines as to what was coming and features about what had been with the added advantage in the early days of more pictures from the event being published on the website with the single photograph only available in the magazine itself due to a lack of editorial space.
The April 2014 edition was the last to have the year clearly stamped on the cover as the June edition became the June / July edition and subsequent magazines straddled two months with the next edition being July / August.
Having supplied pictures for the front-page coverage of the referendum of the Sandbach Town Neighbourhood Development Plan in the January / February 2015 edition and the following month’s Transport Festival funding feature it was not until the August / September issue of 2015 that I finally got a feature on the Front Cover with an article about the demolishing of the old Magistrates Court in Middlewich Road and other developments in the town.
The political rows over who did what in Cheshire East and the demise of Michael Jones also caught the headline along with planning permission rows both knocking down, Heritage sites to be saved and of course the planned suspended ceiling to the Town Hall Market which was eventually abandoned in favour of a renovation of the market hall area to bring it into the 21st century all dominating the covers in the 63 editions of The Saxon.
With the closure of the magazine, the hope is to continue to cover events in Sandbach for social media and also as a filler for the Sandbach Chronicle as well as continued coverage on Hospital Radio and Soundcloud.
Its been a wonderful time in my life even if it has meant late nights up until 2am getting articles ready for publication.
Many thanks Mark Hilditch and all involved.
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27 August 2018
MAD HATTERS BIKE RIDE FOR CHARITY
August Bank Holiday Monday the 27 August 2018 was a fundraising day for the AMMF Charity to raise funds for its Cancer appeal. The theme of the event was the Alice in Wonderland characters “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” which involved three bike rides round the county with each branch of the ride ending back at the Sandbach Rugby Club in Bradwall Road for part of the overall tea party.
There were about 70 riders booked to do the three-loop challenge with some only managing to do part of the routes, including a lady called Emma who took her dog Treacle in a basket attached to the front of her bike along the trail.
Loop one was named the “White Rabbit” and took in 34 Kilometres starting at the S.R.U.F.C. turning right out of the car park and heading towards Middlewich, past Kinderton Park and then back via Warmingham Lane, Clay Lane, over the M6 towards Malkins Bank and then back via Newcastle Road to end at the Rugby Club for the first course of Sandwiches.
Loop two, “The Cheshire Cat” route was another 34 Kilometres heading towards Brereton Pool and the Swettenham Arms coming back via Sandy Lane, Congleton Road, New Inn Lane and again via Malkins Bank to the Rugby Club and the second part of the meal, Cake.
The “Mad Hatter” Loop, three was a 31 Kilometre (19 Miles) ride via Back Lane, the Bears Head, School Lane, Blue Bell Pub, Brownlow Pub, down the A34, Betchton and again via Malkins Bank and back to the Rugby Club for a final drink and a rest.
Each “Loop” took in some stunning Cheshire scenery with the added bonus of a spot prize as one of the characters from Alice in Wonderland was positioned somewhere along the route and cyclists were asked to take their picture with the character with the best framed image winning a prize.
Andrea Sheardown, the organiser of the event was also running a raffle with many prizes donated by Halfords (Crewe and Congleton), Bicycle Remedies (Wheelock), The Cycle Store (Congleton) who also donated water bottles for each participant with the main attraction being a cycle jersey supplied by “Team GB” with signatures from medal winners Cullum Skinner, Katy Merchant and Ryan Owen. Andrea tells us that Team GB have also supplied two other signed jerseys by other team members, which will be raffled off as part of other events later in the year and next year to raise more money for the AMMF Charity.
The AMMF is the only charity in the UK that raises money for research into Cholangiocarcinoma (Liver Cancer) for which there is at the moment only surgery available as a cure if it is found in time. As it is hard to diagnose many people are faced with a terminal diagnosis which thankfully for Andrea Sheardown of Sandbach who in October 2015 was found to have the cancer was able to have the surviving surgery.
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