16 plate - Wrekin News

Transcription

16 plate - Wrekin News
ews
Wrekin
FREE
PLEASE TAKE
YOUR COPY
Keepi ng you inform ed and entert ained!
April 2016 Issue 204
Telephone: 01952 415334 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk / @WrekinNews1
Jodie
Prenger
Musically Sound
WINTS
An exclusive interview with Jodie
Prenger, winner of TV’s I’d Do Anything.
WIN TICKETS
Win a pair of tickets to
see Jodie Prenger in Tell
Me on a Sunday!
See page 35.
Huge choice of
latest Ford models
National Homebuilding
& Renovating
Show
KEEPING
PROMISES
TICKtE
he
to
show
George Evans with more memories
and stories from Wellington Market
16 PLATE
Available for
immediate
delivery
Visit: www.furrows.co.uk to see all our special 16 PLATE offers
Haybridge Road, Telford. Tel: 01952 641433
All offers subject to stock availability, terms and conditions. Information correct at time of publication E&OE.
1**.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:48
EDITOR’S
WELCOME
ews
Wrekin
Keeping you informed and entertained!
with Dave Gregory - email - dave.gregory@ppmedia.co.uk
Published by:
Partnership Publishing Ltd,
Bridge Road, Wellington,
Telford TF1 1RY
Tel: 01952 415334
Fax: 01952 522567
WELCOME
TO A PACKED
APRIL
ISSUE OF
THE NEWS
Editor: David Gregory
dave.gregory@ppmedia.co.uk
Publisher & Design: James Baylis
james.baylis@ppmedia.co.uk
News Editor: Martin Scholes
martin.scholes@ppmedia.co.uk
Advertising Sales Manager: Irene Winning
irene.winning@ppmedia.co.uk
Specialist writers: George Evans
Sports News: Lez Dean, Fraser Watson
Production: Kieran Buckley & Lizzie Colbert
kieran.buckley@ppmedia.co.uk
O
To subscribe to Wrekin News please
call Irene Winning on 01952 415334
NCE again we have a wonderful mix of news,
features and a bumper selection of competitions
in this issue of Wrekin News.
Wellington Town Council have taken space in
the next few issues celebrating all that is good about our
market town and we have a feature on Donnington where
Nicola Casey has picked up a prestigious award for her
Casey’s Cordingly Hall facility. Wellington’s oldest hotel
has also picked up an award so well done to them both.
Printed in Telford by PCP
Every care is taken over the accuracy of material in Wrekin News but the publishers
cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Views and opinions of
contributors, advertisers and interviewees to Wrekin News are not necessarily those
of the publishers who cannot accept responsibility for such contributions.
© Partnership Publishing Limited 2016 - All rights reserved. No part of the publication
may be reproduced in any form without the prior consent of the publisher.
www.wrekinnews.co.uk
@wrekinnews1
MASTERS OF PROFESSIONAL DRY-CLEANING & LAUNDRY
ews
Wrekin
FREE
PLEASE TAKE
YOUR COPY
GEORGE
EVANS
Keeping promises!
Keeping you informed and entertained!
April 2016 Issue 204
Telephone: 01952 415334 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk / @WrekinNews1
W
Jodie
Prenger
Musically Sound
WIN TICKETS
Win a pair of tickets to
see Jodie Prenger in Tell
Me on a Sunday!
See page 35.
Huge choice of
latest Ford models
National Homebuilding
& Renovating
Show
WIN
An exclusive interview with Jodie
Prenger, winner of TV’s I’d Do Anything.
KEEPING
PROMISES
The Wrekin’s
favourite
columnist!
TS
TICKE
the
to
show
George Evans with more memories
and stories from Wellington Market
16 PLATE
Available for
immediate
delivery
Visit: www.furrows.co.uk to see all our special 16 PLATE offers
Haybridge Road, Telford. Tel: 01952 641433
More market
memories from
George Evans
> Stationary is
once again on sale
in the market
of course, buy some of the
wonders to take home.
Dean and Dana are local
people - in fact we think
I taught Dana’s mother
at Prince’s Street School,
rather a long time ago.
They went on holiday to
Mexico and were so enchanted by the local people
and their culture that they
brought back many things
for the stall. They said that
all we hear about Mexico
is about murder and drugs
and people trying to get
into the USA. They assured
me that for most Mexicans
it was nothing like that at
all; they are just ordinary
human folks trying to earn
a living. ‘It’s like that with
all these foreigners, they’re
all the same - different!’ But
that’s not news for the media, especially in newspapers owned by people who
neither live in this country
nor pay British taxes. (Rant
over.)
Opposite the Mexican
stall is one selling wigs and
hairpieces and such. That
amuses me a bit as what bit
of hair I have left has moved
from my head and now
hangs from my chin. That
reminded me of a session
we had at Bennetts Bank
Youth Centre, many years
ago. There was a young
lady doing a demonstration
of wigs one evening. None
of the girls would volunteer
to let her try on her wigs, so
I volunteered; I was already > Malcolm has been selling rugs in the market for many
going bald anyway. In the years
end I stayed for a cup of berry blonde wig. That got nia and is owned by S&A
Caribbean Shop of 21 Marcoffee and wandered round plenty of laughs.
The stall is called Cava- ket Street, though it was
the centre wearing a straw-
being looked after by Tina,
who didn’t have a Caribbean accent when I talked
to her. I asked where she
came from and she told
me Ghana, which is rather
a long way from the Caribbean. If you don’t know,
Ghana is in West Africa
and used to be called The
Gold Coast. It was a British
colony and is often referred
to as the most peaceful
country in Africa, which, I
suppose, is why it isn’t on
the news often. The media
never seem to be interested
in peaceful places do they?
Who are their best customers? Perhaps those with
‘Afro’ style hair. My great
granddaughter Mia writes
poetry, which is very popular with those who have
heard her perform; she’s
primarily a performance
poet and I am far too prejudiced to be allowed to comment on its quality; I think
she’s wonderful, but then, I
would, wouldn’t I? Inciden-
tally, one of her best poems
is about her natural, lovely
curly black hair. She has
read this one at our Literary Festivals. You should
hear it. My third stall for this
month is the carpet stall of
the friendly chap I call Pony.
His real name is Malcolm
but he has assured me
that he doesn’t mind being
called Pony because he has
a considerable ponytail that
distinguishes him from the
rest of us. I remember first
noticing him when he had
a stall at Bridgnorth market,
and I bought a rug from
him then. How long ago
was that? It may have been
over 30 years ago. It was a
pleasure to see him again in
Wellington and he must be
happy here because he’s
been with us a long time.
Do you buy rugs often? I
don’t, but it’s always from
Malcolm. The last time was
when the white rug in my
bedroom became too full
of talc to use any more and
had to be replaced.
When chatting to him
the other day he told me
he learned the carpet trade
from Brinton’s in Kidderminster, where he comes from.
Unfortunately the great firm
of Brinton’s along with other
carpet firms has been overtaken by foreign firms who
have much cheaper labour
and can undercut British
manufactures by quite a
lot. Malcolm was a carpet
designer and found himself
out of a job.
Wellington market is a
fascinating place and well
worth keeping. It’s by far
the best market in the old
county of Salop and is one
of the best features of the
town. ‘If you don’t want to
lose it, use it.’ The market’s
second only in importance
to Wellington people.
10 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
All offers subject to stock availability, terms and conditions. Information correct at time of publication E&OE.
1**.indd 1
hen you’re a
teacher you
HAVE to keep
promises. If
you don’t you have lost all
your ‘street cred.’ That’s except for jokes like, ‘If you
don’t behave yourself I’ll
tear both your ears off!’ And
you have to be sure that
the kid is bright enough to
understand it’s a joke. Last
month I left out a piece
I’d promised to put in; this
was about the Mexican
stall, which had fascinated
me, so I had to go round
and apologise to Dean and
Dana Parker-Gill and promise to include them in this
month’s kiloverb. I hope
their picture goes in too.
They’re a lovely couple
and they have an amazing
collection of goods, some
of which reminded me of
my memories of Wellington
market when I was taken
round it in the middle of
the 1920s. They have some
tiny toys made by the original inhabitants of Mexico
and Guatemala who are descended from the Mayans
who were there long before
the Spanish invaded and
conquered their country.
These toys are hand made
from products of the forest - shells and nuts and
such. They reminded me
of Peacock’s Penny Bazaar,
which sold little toys made
of paper and cardboard,
all for a penny, which was
my week’s pocket money. I
wonder how many readers
can remember them, ninety
years ago.
Do go and have a look
at the wonders on display
at the Mexican stall. There
are lots of amazing things
representing the ‘Day of the
Dead’, a part of the ancient
religion of the Maya before
the Spanish invasion. And,
24/03/2016 17:48
10 George Evans.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:43
We have three theatre competitions in this issue and a
bumper list of competitions with our advertisers. There are
some very nice prizes to be won so why not have a go.
Wrekin News remains the favourite local monthly
newspaper because it brings you news of your area and
our reader’s letters pages demonstrate what our readers
think.
Enjoy
email the Editor: dave.gregory@ppmedia.co.uk
send your letters to: Wrekin News, Bridge
Road, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1RY
Telephone: 01952 415334
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2 Welcome.indd 1
24/03/2016 19:33
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The #PRH4Me campaign is organised by
Telford & Wrekin Council,
with backing from all party
leaders.
It aims to show public
support for the hospital as
health chiefs in Shropshire
and Telford & Wrekin will
soon make decisions on
the future of services at the
PRH and Royal Shrewsbury hospitals.
NHS Future Fit is undertaking a review of acute
hospital services in Shropshire.
The review’s aim? To
determine where best to
place hospital services
while ensuring financial
sustainability of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals
Trust, which faces a growing financial deficit.
It’s likely some services
will relocate, but the preferred option detailing
these changes is unlikely
to be released until later
this summer, with formal
consultation due to begin
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The #PRH4Me campaign will help the local
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24/03/2016 16:42
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4 Hosting English Student.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:41
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24/03/2016 17:59
Your Wellington
WELLINGTON LITERARY FESTIVAL
REACHES A 20 YEAR MILESTONE
2
016 SEE’S Wellington Literary Festival
reach its 20th year.
To mark this achievement Wellington Town Council and the Literary Festival
Committee have expanded
this year’s programme to
incorporate arts, music and
drama. We do hope that the
new and improved ‘Wellington Festival’ appeals to a
wider audience. If you would
like to be more actively involved in the ‘Wellington on 01952567696 for further
Festival’ Contact Caroline details.
Pride in your
high Street
Town celebrates
Charter Day in style
THE TOWN COUNCIL
were disappointed in
January this year to receive
the news that they had
been unsuccessful in their
recent bid to the Pride
Fund to enhance Market
Street. Better news came
to the March Town Council
meeting in the form of the
bids that were successful,
with diverse projects for
enhancing the look of the
town and helping local
businesses and most
importantly the Borough
agreed to set up a ‘fund’ for
future projects in Wellington
more news on this in the
coming months
Wellington a ‘Paperless’
Council - Your Town
Council is trying to save
money and staff resources.
ON 29TH FEBRUARY 1244,
King Henry III signed Wellington’s first market charter.
It was amongst the earliest
awarded to a Shropshire
town, and as a town that
still boasts one of the biggest and busiest markets in
the country eight countries
later; it’s an occasion worth
marking. The first Saturday
of March each year is celebrated as Charter Day.
A day consisting of street
theatre, the King’s Herald on
horseback, Morris dancing,
a ‘scone-test’ baking and ale
tasting.
Pride in your High Street
project - what’s in it for
Wellington?
Telford and Wrekin Council recently
announced a major funding programme
for a number of projects as part of its
Pride in Your High Street initiative, which
is aimed at helping town centres across
the borough to flourish again.
Representatives from some of the
towns involved in the scheme attended
a briefing session on Thursday (23
March) arranged by local company
Good2Great to discuss how they could
work together to help town centre
businesses thrive.
The idea is that if shops and other
businesses in high streets can become
more sustainable they will attract more
shoppers and visitors to town centres,
helping to reverse the downward spiral
of recent years.
Councillor Phil Morris-Jones MBE,
Mayor of Wellington, said “Our town
centre does need help, and although
we have some very good businesses
in Wellington there’s certainly room for
plenty more.
“We need to work towards getting
the right blend of businesses in
Wellington, which will really raise the
bigand shop
Think
THINK BIG AND Shop Small Look up an array of
shops & interiors businesses that you maybe never
knew existed. Find thrift & vintage value. Meet talented
traders, traditional family butchers, greengrocers, craft
makers, gift sellers, bakers, caterers and even a gin
and moonshine distiller. Which grows its own barley,
locally!
The long standing market operates 4 days a week
and houses over 100 stalls, selling everything from
local cheese, bread & the freshest eggs to pipe
tobacco, vintage comics & mobile phones.
small
The population of Wellington at the time of the 2011
Census was 25,554 it will be well over that number
now and Wellington is the largest market town in the
region, with more houses being built on the outskirts
of the town and closer to the town centre, itself.
Did you know if you spend local with a business on
your own high street, your pound is worth 400% more
to your local economy. Thinking BIG and Shopping
SMALL will keep our money local, revive local market
towns & help communities to thrive 210 Independent
businesses in & around the town of Wellington.
town centre up.”
Gary Halpin and Johnny Themans,
of Good2Great, told councillors about
the support which will be on offer,
including practical training to help town
centre businesses improve their sales
and marketing skills, window dressing
masterclasses, and how to become a
sustainable business.
There will also be a communityfocused project called ‘Being Big In
Your Community’ encouraging retailers
and high street businesses to work
closely with their communities.
Sally Themans, of Good2Great,
said: “We will be working in seven
town centres - Donnington, Hadley,
Ironbridge, Wellington, Madeley,
Newport and Oakengates - and it’s vital
that we involve as many people as we
can to make sure everyone gets the
most they can out of these projects.
“Every town centre is different and
it’s important to engage with as many
people as possible so we can tailor the
projects to be exactly what’s needed
and wanted by the businesses in each
town. ”
Landmark agreement
reached for Wellington
WELLINGTON ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES - Wellington Town Council have
over many years significantly
contributed to keeping the
streets of Wellington clean
and tidy by employing three
litter wardens and paying
for extra time for the street
sweeping contract over and
above the ‘normal’ provision
of Borough Council services.
A major decision made at
the Full Council meeting in
March should further improve provision because
Councillors agreed to work
in Partnership with Telford &
Wrekin Borough to create
a Wellington Environmental
Services Team. The team
will be more mobile and will
enhance the maintenance
work that the Borough Council already does to keep
streets and open spaces in
good condition. Their work
will cover enhanced litter
picking, leaf fall clearance,
repairs to street furniture,
conservation and improvements to landscaped areas.
www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk
7 Wellington Council.indd 1
24/03/2016 20:20
Dates for
your diary...
April - May 2016
20th April Bayley Mile
Road Race
Has your school entered yet?
If not you could be missing out!
Wellington’s annual Bayley
Mile scheduled for
Wednesday 11th May 2016.
This historic road race always proves popular
with school children and with it being its 20th
anniversary also this year why not either
enter your school to compete, or yourself to
run in the open race, join as a race marshal
or simply come to cheer on the children.
Contact Caroline on 01952 567696
Next council meeting...
Next Full Council meeting will take place
on Tuesday 12th April at 7.00pm - all are
welcome.
Annual Town Assembly /
Grants Evening
The Grants Cheque Presentation Evening
will take place on 19th April at 6.30pm to
be followed by the Annual Town Council
Assembly
Come back next month for more dates
of local events to add to your diary
25,554
Population of
Wellington
210
Independent
businesses in
and around
the town
70
1244
The year when the
first Market Charter
was awarded to
Wellington
The number of years
that ‘Margaret with the
Eggs’ has been working
in Wellington Market!
Jodie
Prenger
Musically Sound
An exclusive interview with Jodie
Prenger, winner of TV’s I’d Do Anything.
J
ODIE Prenger shot to
musical theatre fame
after being crowned
winner of TV’s I’d Do
Anything, winning the role of
Nancy in Oliver!
She went on to enjoy success in a long list of box
office and critical hits, from
comedy One Man, Two
Guv’nors to classic musical
Calamity Jane.
After a three-week run in
Andrew Lloyd Webber and
Don Black’s Tell Me On A
Sunday at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury, she now
takes the one-woman show
on a 54-venue UK tour.
She plays Emma, a
young woman who heads
to New York in search of life
and love. Her story is told
through song in a series of
conversations with friends
and letters to her Mum.
Q: How was the Watermill experience?
A: Beautiful. It’s the most
gorgeous chocolate box
theatre, but this is by far
the most daunting thing
I’ve ever done. We’d just
begun rehearsals when I
got a really bad cold and
sounded like Barry White,
but Andrew Lloyd Webber
and Don Black have been
really involved throughout,
writing and re-writing and
adapting to really make the
piece work again.
Q: Tell Me On A Sunday
has had many incarnations
since 1979, from a song
cycle to the first half of
Song and Dance to a selfcontained one-act show in
itself. What can audiences ple - I can hear them sniffing!
expect this time?
Q: So you can empaA: We thought about do- thise with Emma?
ing it as Song and Dance
A: Absolutely. We’ve all
again but the world wasn’t
ready for me in head to toe gone through what she goes
through, bought the t-shirt,
Lycra (laughs).
What we do this time is got the scars. And I really
the one-act show, and then understand her. It’s so brilhave a second act which is liantly written and we’ve
me singing at the piano, and gone through the lyrics
then we have a question and with a fine toothcomb. They
aren’t just lyrics, it’s a script
answer session.
set to music.
She’s got the guy who
Q: What do audiences
want to know in the Q&A cheats on her, then the man
whose pink mansion should
sessions?
have told her something,
A: Mostly they like to find then the younger man (who
out behind-the-scenes stuff I call Brad) that she pins
and ask questions about her hopes on but it crumthe lighting or scene chang- bles, and then the married
es. I get the occasional odd man (who I call George). It’s
question like “will you come all familiar stuff. I’ve been
skiing with me?” (I said I cheated on, lied to, I’ve had
thought we’d peak too horrible things said to me
soon!) or “why aren’t there but I think women have a
more DVDs of musicals?” strength, a fight in them
(how should I know?). But which makes them get up
generally they’re really in- again and carry on despite
the knockbacks. We’re surviterested and lovely.
vors. It’s lovely it isn’t a hapQ: What drew you to the pily ever after ending where
she runs off into the sunset
show?
with a man.
A: The songs are beautiQ: The early part of
ful, little gems. Years and
years ago I had a “best of your career involved a lot
the musicals” double cas- of club gigs and cabaret
sette and it had Take That shows. Now you’re perLook Off Your Face and Tell forming solo again, albeit
Me On A Sunday on it. I in character. How much
loved it and played it over pressure does that add?
and over. But all the songs
A: There’s no-one else,
together create a journey
that every woman has gone no-one to fill in if you forthrough at some point in get a line, of course that’s
daunting. But even when I
her life.
Tell Me On A Sunday is a was doing the clubs I was
song that really affects peo- always singing musical thea-
tre songs so I’ve probably
always sung in character.
There was one song during rehearsals for Tell Me
On A Sunday where I just
couldn’t get the lyrics right,
although fortunately I’ve not
got it wrong on stage yet. It’s
a huge amount of pressure
when it’s just you, you’re
incredibly exposed, and it’s
physically and emotionally
draining.
Q: The show was written
in the late 1970s. Would
Emma’s story still be true
now, with social media,
email and Skype?
A: There was a production with Denise Van Outen
which included speed dating and tried to bring it up
to date in that way, but I
think there’s a certain oldfashioned romantic element
to the way Emma sits down
and writes to her Mum and
waits for her response. If she
was emailing or chatting on
Skype it wouldn’t have the
same effect. Communication
is so instant nowadays, but it
was so different for Emma to
be out in New York, without
a mobile phone, not able to
call her Mum for advice as
soon as she has a problem.
That element of being out
there and having to fend for
herself really adds a heightened sense of emotion to
the piece.
* Jodie Prenger stars in
Tell Me On A Sunday, touring from March 3 to June 8,
2016. Dates and details can
be found at www.tellmeontour.co.uk
www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 7
7 Wellington Council.indd 2
24/03/2016 20:20
On your
Patch
RANDLAY
Tenant tell
of Nuplace
dream home
Email the News Editor:
martin.scholes@ppmedia.co.uk
T
HE FIRST tenants to
move into the completed Nuplace development in Randlay say they love the location
on the edge of Telford Town
Park.
Michael and Irene Kelly
first
found out about the Pool
Wrekin News, the independent local magazine published since 1999, has relaunched
View development in Randits Shop Local, Shop Wrekin Campaign.
lay when they read the most
What, exactly, does Shop Local, Shop Wrekin mean?
recent issue of the council’s
Everyone can participate in this innovative Wrekin News campaign. Every local
magazine Your Voice.
shopper and every local business, too.
They had lived in private
One idea you can consider is to spend at least £10 on yourself or a loved one this
rented accommodation elsemonth.
where in the borough for
How? Take them out for a meal, buy something for a pet, get a little something for the
the past nine years but had
garden, buy something for their bracelet and so on. Need inspiration of how you can
no doubt they had found
become a Shop Local, Shop Wrekin champion for a tenner? Read through the current
their dream home after lookissue of Wrekin News and see what you can find by way of inspiration.
ing round the two bedroom
Local businesses and councils who wish to participate in the Shop Local, Shop
house.
Wrekin Campaign can discuss a variety of methods including adverts in the print and
“From the outset, the
online editions of The Wrekin News.
team in the Nuplace ofLocal businesses, from shops to dentists to independent supermarkets to IT firms,
fice has been brilliant and
hairdressers, solicitors and the like should call 01952 415334 or email irene.winning@
the process has been so
ppmedia.co.uk to discuss a wide range of modestly priced advertising options.
smooth,” said Mr Kelly.
“We have been kept informed from start to finish
and that has only added to
our excitement of moving
in.”
Irene works in Telford
Town Centre so Pool View’s
close proximity to both that
and the Town Park is ideal
for the Kellys.
“We can’t wait to walk
to Telford Town Park on a
Sunday to watch our grandson play rugby with his local
Please ring for FREE
team,” said Irene.
brochure & price list
The couple are also de01952 457980 lighted with their new home
and having the council as
Our ‘Space Saver’ interior
FREE with every wardrobe for
their landlord.
readers of Wrekin News
“The layout of the house
is exactly what we had in

mind, especially having a
downstairs toilet. Also an ensuite bathroom in a two bedroom property is unheard of
but will come in very useful when our grandchildren
Please ring for
FREE
visit,” said Michael.
brochure & price
“For list
years we have rented
from a private landlord but
there is always the uncertainty around selling up and
Our ‘Space Saver’having
interior
to move home. We
FREE with every wardrobe for
now have so much more
readers of Wrekin News
security and are confident
any maintenance issues will
Please ring for FREE
be fixed quickly.
brochure & price list
“We would advise any01952 457980
Wrekin News relaunches its Shop
Local, Shop Wrekin Campaign
01952 457980

one thinking about renting in Telford & Wrekin to
just send in their application form to Nuplace. It was
completed quickly and now
we are moving into a brand
new home so it is definitely
worth it.”
Nuplace is a commercial
company set up by Telford
& Wrekin Council limited by
shares and established to
develop and manage a programme of 400 market rental
properties.
It has the aim of supporting social and economic
regeneration, addressing a
shortfall in providing quality
homes in the rental market
and generating revenue to
protect frontline council services.
Councillor
Richard
Overton, Telford & Wrekin
Council’s cabinet member
for Housing, said: “I am delighted that Mr and Mrs Kelly
> Michael and Irene Kelly
are looking forward to living at Pool View in Randlay
and I would agree it’s an
excellent location. “All the
properties there are now let
but we still have availability
at the second Nuplace site at
Woodland Walk in Madeley.
People can make enquiries
via info@nuplace.co.uk or
call 01952 384222.”
BROSELEY...
Officer attends
POLICE COMMUNITY Support Officer Mike Watkins
attended the Broseley Council Meeting on Tuesday 8th
March 2016.
PCSO Mike Watkins represented the Safer
Neighbourhood Team to brief local Councillors and to keep
up to date with local issues.
Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Mike Watkins
attended the Broseley Council Meeting at the Birchmeadow
on Tuesday the 8th of March 2016, representing the Safer
Neighbourhood Team (SNT).
The Safer Neighbourhood Team attend Council meetings
throughout the area to stay informed on local issues and
pass on any necessary details of Police incidents and
activities that may have an impact in the local area.
The meeting was very well attended and PCSO Mike
Watkins was made to feel very welcome.
School 999 talk
AFTER A SPATE of 999 calls from a local call box in
Leegomery, PCSO Tyrer attended a local school to talk to
children about correct use of a 999 call.
PCSO Tyrer used a power point presentation to
emphasise the implications of a wasted call. The children
accepted the information and found it useful.
Another benefit to this talk was giving children
knowledge on what to do in an emergency. There have
been recent good news stories in the press about children
calling 999 and helping save a life by being calm and
helping emergency services attend sooner.
8 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
Our ‘Space Saver’ interior
FREE with every wardrobe for
readers of Wrekin News

8, 9* On your Patch.indd
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24/03/2016 19:54
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ON YOUR PATCH…
NEWPORT
Newport CFRs look
ahead to the future
THE HEAD OF a Community First Responder scheme
has outlined plans to recruit
more volunteers and get a
new response vehicle.
Russell Brooks, 43, co-ordinates Newport Community
First Responders. He has
been a volunteer for fifteen
years, giving up his spare
time to respond to medical
emergencies while a bluelight ambulance is en-route.
“If I didn’t enjoy it, I
wouldn’t do it,” he said.
“I think it’s nice to realise
you make a difference to
people’s lives, you made a
difference in people’s moment of need. There aren’t
many things you can do as a
volunteer where you can say
you have such a massive
impact on people’s lives.”
The Newport Community
First Responder scheme began in 2000 under Shropshire Ambulance Service.
Members have attended
thousands of jobs and they
celebrated two successful
resuscitations: “One was a
young guy on the astro turf
at Lilleshall. The other one
was a few years ago, one of
our volunteers was at Penkridge market where somebody collapsed. She wasn’t
on call, but happened to
Throughout April only
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Now, Russell is one of five
volunteers. Between them
they provide cover to Newport and surrounding areas
for over twelve hours a day.
A sixth volunteer is being
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Russell’s ultimate aim would
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www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 9
8, 9* On your Patch.indd 2
24/03/2016 19:54
GEORGE
EVANS
T he W re ki n’s
fa vourite
colu m nist!
Keeping promises!
W
hen you’re a
teacher you
HAVE to keep
promises. If
you don’t you have lost all
your ‘street cred.’ That’s except for jokes like, ‘If you
don’t behave yourself I’ll
tear both your ears off!’ And
you have to be sure that
the kid is bright enough to
understand it’s a joke. Last
month I left out a piece
I’d promised to put in; this
was about the Mexican
stall, which had fascinated
me, so I had to go round
and apologise to Dean and
Dana Parker-Gill and promise to include them in this
month’s kiloverb. I hope
their picture goes in too.
They’re a lovely couple
and they have an amazing
collection of goods, some
of which reminded me of
my memories of Wellington
market when I was taken
round it in the middle of
the 1920s. They have some
tiny toys made by the original inhabitants of Mexico
and Guatemala who are descended from the Mayans
who were there long before
the Spanish invaded and
conquered their country.
These toys are hand made
from products of the forest - shells and nuts and
such. They reminded me
of Peacock’s Penny Bazaar,
which sold little toys made
of paper and cardboard,
all for a penny, which was
my week’s pocket money. I
wonder how many readers
can remember them, ninety
years ago.
Do go and have a look
at the wonders on display
at the Mexican stall. There
are lots of amazing things
representing the ‘Day of the
Dead’, a part of the ancient
religion of the Maya before
the Spanish invasion. And,
More market
memories from
George Evans
of course, buy some of the
wonders to take home.
Dean and Dana are local
people - in fact we think
I taught Dana’s mother
at Prince’s Street School,
rather a long time ago.
They went on holiday to
Mexico and were so enchanted by the local people
and their culture that they
brought back many things
for the stall. They said that
all we hear about Mexico
is about murder and drugs
and people trying to get
into the USA. They assured
me that for most Mexicans
it was nothing like that at
all; they are just ordinary
human folks trying to earn
a living. ‘It’s like that with
all these foreigners, they’re
all the same - different!’ But
that’s not news for the media, especially in newspapers owned by people who
neither live in this country
nor pay British taxes. (Rant
over.)
Opposite the Mexican
stall is one selling wigs and
hairpieces and such. That
amuses me a bit as what bit
of hair I have left has moved
from my head and now
hangs from my chin. That
reminded me of a session
we had at Bennetts Bank
Youth Centre, many years
ago. There was a young
lady doing a demonstration
of wigs one evening. None
of the girls would volunteer
to let her try on her wigs, so
I volunteered; I was already
going bald anyway. In the
end I stayed for a cup of
coffee and wandered round
the centre wearing a straw-
> Stationary is
once again on sale
in the market
being looked after by Tina,
who didn’t have a Caribbean accent when I talked
to her. I asked where she
came from and she told
me Ghana, which is rather
a long way from the Caribbean. If you don’t know,
Ghana is in West Africa
and used to be called The
Gold Coast. It was a British
colony and is often referred
to as the most peaceful
country in Africa, which, I
suppose, is why it isn’t on
the news often. The media
never seem to be interested
in peaceful places do they?
Who are their best customers? Perhaps those with
‘Afro’ style hair. My great
granddaughter Mia writes
poetry, which is very popular with those who have
heard her perform; she’s
primarily a performance
poet and I am far too preju> Malcolm has been selling rugs in the market for many
diced to be allowed to comyears
berry blonde wig. That got nia and is owned by S&A ment on its quality; I think
plenty of laughs.
Caribbean Shop of 21 Mar- she’s wonderful, but then, I
The stall is called Cava- ket Street, though it was would, wouldn’t I? Inciden-
tally, one of her best poems
is about her natural, lovely
curly black hair. She has
read this one at our Literary Festivals. You should
hear it. My third stall for this
month is the carpet stall of
the friendly chap I call Pony.
His real name is Malcolm
but he has assured me
that he doesn’t mind being
called Pony because he has
a considerable ponytail that
distinguishes him from the
rest of us. I remember first
noticing him when he had
a stall at Bridgnorth market,
and I bought a rug from
him then. How long ago
was that? It may have been
over 30 years ago. It was a
pleasure to see him again in
Wellington and he must be
happy here because he’s
been with us a long time.
Do you buy rugs often? I
don’t, but it’s always from
Malcolm. The last time was
when the white rug in my
bedroom became too full
of talc to use any more and
had to be replaced.
When chatting to him
the other day he told me
he learned the carpet trade
from Brinton’s in Kidderminster, where he comes from.
Unfortunately the great firm
of Brinton’s along with other
carpet firms has been overtaken by foreign firms who
have much cheaper labour
and can undercut British
manufactures by quite a
lot. Malcolm was a carpet
designer and found himself
out of a job.
Wellington market is a
fascinating place and well
worth keeping. It’s by far
the best market in the old
county of Salop and is one
of the best features of the
town. ‘If you don’t want to
lose it, use it.’ The market’s
second only in importance
to Wellington people.
10 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
10 George Evans.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:43
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www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 11
11 Adverts.indd 1
24/03/2016 19:53
Buckatree Hall wins top accolade
A
N HISTORIC familyowned hotel set
in the shadow of
Shropshire’s best
known landmark has been
named the best loved hotel
in Telford & Wrekin.
The Buckatree Hall Hotel
has been rated the top hotel
in the Best Of Business of
the Year 2016 awards.
It came fourth in the
Telford & Wrekin category
overall.
General Manager Wayne
Jenson said: “This is a huge
coup for us. It’s the latest
in a series of awards we
have won, all votes by our
guests, making it even more
important.
“We love meeting our
customers and getting to
know them, as an independent family-owned hotel we
have time to invest in this
and can make special arrangements for people when
required.
“I’m pleased this contin-
>Wayne Jenson
ued dedication is setting us
apart from other local hotels.
There’s a lot of them, but not
many independents.
“Enjoying your stay’s one
thing, but to then get round
to leaving an online review
is another step which we
appreciate when guests
take the time to do so.
“We’ll always continue
to strive to improve and
consider all feedback,
good or not!”
Regionally the top
businesses in the Best
Of Business of the Year
2016 awards were Casey’s
Cordingly Hall, Telford
Thai Boxing, Cottage Kennels and Buckatree Hall
Hotel.
The annual competition is based on business
gaining the most verified
customer reviews.
This latest award comes
at the same time as the
hotel earned a Guest Review Award by Booking.
com, which showcases
the hotel as a symbol of
excellence as a best guest
experience provider.
This is only weeks after it
garnered Top Rated status
in the 2016 Simply the Guest
Awards, run by Laterooms.
com.
And last year it received
a TripAdvisor™ Certificate of
Excellence award.
The accolades by Booking.com and Laterooms are
only handed to hotels with
a minimum genuine review
Enjoy the Spiceland Experience
DREAMING OF a meal that
is as healthy and as tasty
as it is authentic? For the
people of the Wrekin News
area that doesn’t have to be
a dream, it can be a reality when they either order a
takeaway from Wellington’s
Spiceland or book a table
at their Market Street restaurant. And with free evening
parking only yards away at
the Market Street carpark,
the whole Spiceland Experience is a very pleasant and
enjoyable one.
Buckatree
Hall Hotel
Look good.
Feel better.
Live longer.
Tel: 01952 641 821
Wanted
dog lovers to care for lovely dogs
whilst their owners are away
Become a host with
Barking Mad
It’s great fun, all of the benefits of dog
ownership without the emotional or
financial commitment. We carefully
match dogs to your home.
To find out more please contact
Anne Kessell
01952 677704
anne.kessell@barkingmad.uk.com
BarkingMad.uk.com
score of 80%, and the TripAdvisor award goes only
to establishments with an
overall rating of at least four
out of five.
“We’ve put a lot of work
into the hotel and customer
satisfaction’s always our top
priority,” Mr Jenson added.
“As an independent hotel we rely on our visitors
enjoying their stay, telling
others and coming back.
There’s no greater seal of
approval than customer
recognition.
“As it’s based on customer reviews, this award is
a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and
our continued commitment
to ensuring everyone enjoys their stay with us in
Shropshire.”
For details visit www.
buckatreehallhotel.com,
email sales@buckatreehallhotel.com, call (01952)
641821, search for Buckatree Hall Hotel on Facebook or follow them on
Sunday Lunch
Fantastic Value
£13.95
3 Courses
THE WREKIN, TELFORD, SHROPSHIRE, TF6 5AL
Email: reception@buckatreehallhotel.com
The menu is a sensitive
blend of traditional cuisine
from the Indian sub-continent, but using modern,
healthier ingredients coupled with innovative preparation and cooking methods
to ensure the dishes are
cooked to perfection, that
the flavours of the traditional
herbs and spices that are
carefully sourced from some
of the world’s best spice
merchants are locked in.
And the extensive wine
list is well selected to match
the dishes, being chosen by
a top sommelier and obtained from one of the region’s top traditional wine
merchants.
And there is a wide range
of carefully selected chilled
beers, lagers and non-alcoholic drinks, designed to
complement the flavours of
the meals. If you have food
intolerances please tell them
in advance so their expert,
experienced chefs can arrange a version of the menu
items to suit.
To learn more or to book
on line visit http://spicelandrestaurant.com or call them
on 01952 248417.
12 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
12 Buckatree.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:03
Heritage View (Wrekin News) W-C 21.03.16_Layout 1 18/03/2016 18:58 Page 1
C Fr
ar ee
pe
ts
*
A new home for
just £7,000 down!
Now you can afford a
home of your own...
With a Help to Buy interest free loan, you can buy a new two
bedroom semi-detached home at Heritage View in Hadley
with just a 5% deposit - here’s how it works:
Buy a two bedroom semi-detached:
2, 3 & 4 bedroom homes available
The purchase price is:
£140,000
Get a 20% interest free loan of:
£28,000*
Get a 75% mortgage for:
£105,000
Pay a 5% deposit of only:
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Heritage View,
Sommerfeld Road,
Hadley, Telford,
TF1 5RY
Example based on plots 15 and 16, two bedroom Hawthorn, priced at £140,000
Showhome open
10am to 5.30pm daily.
Telephone: 07496 244146
or 0845 873 2893†
Help
to Buy
www.lioncourthomes.com
†Calls will be charged at seven pence per minute from a BT landline and may cost considerably more from mobile and other phones. Contact your service provider for more details. Photographs show a typical Lioncourt
home interior. *All offers are subject to terms and conditions. £7,000 deposit is based on a purchase price of £140,000 and is for example purposes only. There is no fee charged on the equity loan for the first 5 years.
At the start of year 6 a fee is collected of 1.75% of the market value of the property at the time the loan is entered into multiplied by the outstanding percentage under the equity loan, the annual fee of 1.75% will be
uplifted by RPI +1% p.a. Conditions apply and mortgage is subject to status. Please speak to our sales negotiator for more information..
lioncourt fullpage.indd 1
23/03/2016 17:14
National Homebuilding Renovating Show
returns with inspiration and advice
T
HE
NATIONAL
Homebuilding &
Renovating Show is
gearing up for over
450 exhibitors, 16 free seminars and over 50 masterclasses. The show, at the
NEC, Birmingham, 14-17
April 2016, and sponsored
for the first time by Velux.
Over 15 property specialists and TV stars will be
on hand to discuss building
and renovating queries, and
top firms will present their
latest services and products
like architecture; design;
financials; kitchens; bathrooms; doors and windows;
lighting; heating; ventilation;
planning permission, etc.
The show will be packed
with advice and guidance
and case studies.
Besides free one-on-one
advice, seminars and masterclasses, the event introduces workshops offering
50 people the chance to
attend immersive one-hour
sessions on vital eco topics
like oak frames, underfloor
heating, insulation, heat
pumps, etc. This lets visitors interact with experts, as
Flagship National Homebuilding
& Renovating Show returns with
inspiration and guidance to the NEC
www.homebuildingshow.co.uk/national
they’ll be required to send
the panellists questions to
ensure people can access
key information regarding
their projects.
Debuting is a mobile app
to personalise your visit.
Charlie Luxton, presenter of More 4’s new ‘Building
the Dream’ series, and Julia Kendell, co-presenter of
ITV’s ‘Rebuild Our Home’,
make their comeback, being available for 15-minute
individual consultations.
Velux will advise visitors
on the top options for adding light and space.
Resident DIY Doctor,
Mike Edwards, will host live
demonstrations to inspire
visitors to take matters into
their own hands and take
care of some key aspects of
their projects without using
contractors.
Tutorials from coating
walls to installing insulation
will be available.
The Advice Centre is
where self-builders can run
their ideas past experts.
Standard tickets are £12
in advance or £18 on the
door (children under 16 go
free). For details visit www.
homebuildingshow.co.uk/
national or call 0844 854
0503 (calls cost 7p per minute plus network extras).
WINTS
TICKtE
he
to
show
Wrekin News has 20 pairs of tickets to offer our
readers! To enter please send your name and address to Home Building Show Competition, C/O
James Baylis, Wrekin News, Bridge Road,
Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 1RY, or email
jamesbaylis@ppmedia.co.uk.
Cain & Sons
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Tel: 01952
877012
· Mob: 07976
556460
14 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
14 NEC Show.indd 1
24/03/2016 20:22
Linley Grange (Wrekin News) W-C 22.02.16_Layout 1 28/02/2016 17:10 Page 1
Just Released
New homes now on sale
in historic Broseley
Linley Grange,
Coalport Road, Broseley,
Shropshire TF12 5AW
Our latest development, which borders the
Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage site in
Broseley, is now on sale.
Get in early and get the pick of the wide range
of delightful 3 and 4 bedroom homes available.
Prices start from £190,000
with Help to Buy available
Call: 07496 335970 or
0845 873 2881†
www.lioncourthomes.com
†Calls will be charged at seven pence per minute from a BT landline and may cost considerably more from mobile and other phones. Contact your service provider
for more details. *All offers are subject to terms and conditions, please ask our Sales Executive for full details. Photographs show a typical Lioncourt home.
lioncourt fullpage.indd 1
23/03/2016 17:19
YOUR
LETTERS
Share your memories
W of the lido
T he W re ki n’s
most read
pa ge s!
email the Editor:
dave.gregory@ppmedia.co.uk
send your letters to: Wrekin News
Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford
Shropshire TF1 1RY
E CARRIED
THESE two
photographs
in our last
issue about
the Wellington Lido. It was
situated next to the Sir John
Bayley Club at the bottom of
Haygate Road.
The Lido was situated
in private grounds which
stretched to where the estate
agents is now on the opposite side of Haygate Road.
The owner of the house and
grounds was Jack Rutter
who, as well as being the
local Post Master, also doubled up as steward of the
Bayley Club.
During the war the property was owned by Mrs Arm.
Her house (which has now
made way for a row of semidetached houses) was large
enough to double-up as an
emergency hotel for army
officers stationed at COD
Donnington.
Wendy, who told us the
story, said her mother and
father, who also lived in Haygate Road, would also help
by putting up army officers.
They would also offer breakfast to help the overstreched
make-do hotel.
Fascinating stuff, we’ve
also heard that a Doctor
Rose also lived in the property for some time.
If you want to share your
memories with us, please
get in touch.
ews
Wrekin
Keeping you informed and entertained!
Follow the Wrekin’s
favourite
monthly news
title on Twitter
@WrekinNews1
Carline Electrical
More information about the
Groom family comes to light
HERE IS SOME more information
about my great grandfather James
Groom and my great great grandfather Richard Groom which shows
that they did live in Dothill House,
writes Ken Wynne-Dyke.
In the census of 7th April, 1861,
Richard and his first wife Jane
Vaughn were at the farm Arleston,
south of Wellington in Shropshire.
With them were James Groom
aged 10, scholar born in Wellington and William Edward Groom
aged 8, scholar also born in Wellington. It states that Richard was
a Timber Merchant and Farmer and
that the farm was 72 acres in extent
and employed 7 men and 1 boy.
In the Census of 3rd April, 1881
Richard and his wife Harriet and
four of their children were found
at “Dothill House” near Hadley,
just north west of Wellington. His
occupation is given as Timber Merchant.
Also at the house were Mary
Ralphs, aged 26, the cook, Emma
Davis, aged 24, the house maid
and Agnes Mary Dodd, aged 16,
the under house maid.
Between these two census
Jane, Richards wife died in 1862
and he married again to Harriet.
Competitive
prices
Call now for a
FREE
estimate
Tel: 01952 257275 · Mobile: 07704803657
Domestic electrical installations, repairs, rewires,
new sockets lights, CCTV Install, small jobs accepted
Call Anthony Carline to dicuss your requirements
Manor Rise, Wellington, Telford, TF1 2ND
www.carlineelectrical.co.uk
PART P REGISTERED
16 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
16 Your Letters.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:27
Rose Manor
Ketley Park Road, Ketley, Telford, Shropshire
Set in a vibrant new
community, Rose Manor is
a brand new purpose built
development, offering a
selection of spacious one and
two-bedroom apartments
exclusively for those over 55.
2 bedroom apartments
Available to buy
Sale prices from £40,000*
*Based on purchasing a 25%
share, rent is applicable on
the remaining share.
Sanctuary
The art of living
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23/03/2016
17:20
25/02/2016 16:05:31
Village life interrupted by the
W horrors of war
E LADS often
gathered at the
village crossroads adjacent
to the school. A favourite
meeting place in fact. A low
stone wall provided any
seating arrangements. The
top was polished smooth by
the many bums that sat on it
over the years.
Bill Anslow had only a
short time ago returned
from four years of utter horror experienced in the awful trench warfare fought in
France. It was seldom any
of the men who returned
from the hell mentioned
their part in this war.
One day Bill joined us
lads. He paused by the wall.
We all nudged each other
and wondered if the signal
for a story was now to be
made by him. He was the
exception to the rule as regards his exploits and tales
of warfare. Sure enough,
he dug his heels hard into
the ground and spat on the
floor. Yes, we were to be
Les Beamond has kept us entertained with his stories of a village in
the early years of the last century - a time of innocence but also a
time interrupted by the horrors of the Great War. Bill Anslow was a
villager who played his part in that war.
‘entertained’ it seemed.
This was always the signal
for a story to be told by
him. Without asking or being told, we knew this was
to be another army story.
“Me and Clarkie, my
pal, were standing on a
huge mound of earth on
the battlefield,” he said. “As
usual, Clarkie was on the
cadge for a cigarette. ‘Gis
us a fag,’ he asked. With
that a Jerry (German) shell
wooshed by taking his head
clean off. It rolled down the
steep slope and I could
hear the words: ‘Give us a
fag, giss us a fag, giss us
a fag, being repeated all
the way down the slope.”
Several of us lads were a bit
pale at this grizzly tale.
Our silence may have
made him think we were
waiting for more, so he continued. “Two Germans were
coming straight at me,” he
announced. “I had only one
bullet left in my gun so I
placed my bayonet blade
edge on, in front of the
gun barrel and pulled the
trigger. This split the bullet
in half and killed both the
Germans!”
He followed this with a
story of how he had organised a smokescreen by
burning hay (horse fodder)
then adding wet hay on
top to make the smoke
very thick. He claimed this
saved his platoon from certain oblivion. Later, thinking
about this particular event
and knowing Bill Anslow,
we decided that he had
probably dropped a lighted
cigarette end onto the hay
by accident.
One of us boys asked
him ‘what rank were you,
Mr Anslow?’ in fact he was
a private, but he thought
this was probably not what
we lads wanted to hear. He
replied: “Well after I had
saved the platoon they
wanted to promote me, but
I was having none of that
thank you because some
of them high-ranking officers inna very bright. They
dunna get in and fight as
us in the front line did. No
good them trying to kid me,
in wouldn’ be a general if
they asked me to be, no
not for all the tea in China.”
This brought a smile
to our faces. Imagine we
could have been in the
presence of a general, or
so he would have us believe.
Ironically, some twenty years later, one of the
boys who was sitting on
that wall, Leslie Wadsworth
who related this story, was
to find himself in the same
country as Bill Anlsow had
been, fighting the Germans again. This time is
was WWII and the D-Day
invasion on the Normandy
beaches of France in June
1944. A historical event if
ever there was one. Fortunately he survived. We are
proud and thankful that he
did and was able to relate
this story to us.
No regrets for nostalgic thinking Rona Harris
I AM feeling just a little
nostalgic at present, writes
Rona Harris, because as I
was about to start writing
to you when some music suddenly came into
my lounge some that Les
and I used to dance to
and some on our more
romantic moments too,
and I found myself really,
really weeping, it was as if
I couldn’t stop, but it’s OK
I am somewhat recovered
now, some of you will understand I am sure.
I never think about
loneliness but being the
person that I think I am, I
usually keep busy doing
various things and being a
“gobby person” also I am
very active, but I suppose
even I (ha ha) have my
“off days”.
It is very strange sometimes how certain songs
(especially the 40’s and
50’s and the bands that
played them on the radio.
Now my first husband
(Dennis) really loved
classical music and opera etc., whereas Les my
second husband also
loved most classical musicbut he was an
old romantic at heart and
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loved the smoochy 70/80’s
music and songs and especially the words.
Now when these come
into my head it makes me
feel very sad to be without
him, but oh! so lucky to
have known these songs
and the lovely man who
shared them with me, and
I have also arranged for
some of these songs to be
played at my funeral too.
Anyway like I say, life
goes on, and I do have a
lot more past than future.
But thinking of my past,
both as a child and in my
youth life was not easy
in so many ways, it was,
in particular completely
ordered with “do’s and
don’ts”, and that’s not just
in my childhood.
It is 41 years last month
(24th March 1975) when
my lovely Les and I were
married, and as everyone
else, I suppose my memories of that wonderful day
still linger and appear in
my vision, in fact at the
ceremony (Registry Office
in Wellington) there were
only four of us present,
but I will always maintain
that no one could have
had a more beautiful day
than Les and me, Oh yes
it was certainly a day to
remember and then afterwards just the two of us
at home not going to work
for a few days, just a few
wonderful days that belonged just to us alone,
happy and in love, which
does prove that people
don’t have to be frivolous
and young to enjoy a
wonderful marriage for all
those years.
But now I have my
thoughts and memories
which are all very comforting and cannot be taken
away from me.
I have just one photograph of the two of us on
our wedding day, but as I
said it was a small quiet
wedding and just what the
two of us wanted.
I must say that neither
of us regretted a single
moment of that entire day,
there was no comparison
to my first marriage some
21 years previous, church,
white wedding, guests,
and hotel reception, but
I did not miss or want
anything like that this time
around.
Just meeting and marrying my Mr Wonderful Les who gave me 23
years of love happiness
and contentment.
On that note I must
close now and will write
more next time.
18 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
18 Letters.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:24
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www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 19
19 Adverts.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:14
2016 - A bumper year for weddings
reports Mal at Kings Menswear
I
T’S A bumper year
for weddings, reports
Mal Johnson of Kings
Meanswear and Wedding Hire. He told the
Wrekin News: “I am lucky
that I work in such a fascinating profession. We have
to really keep up with our
game, so we are constantly
updating our stock and refining what we offer to our
discerning clientele.”
He went on to explain:
“Whilst it is true that we
must make sure that we are
at the cutting edge of the
modern wedding trends,
we obviously will not be
forgetting those men who
want to feature a more traditional look to their wedding.
“A new trend that I, personally, like is the trend for
classic cut waistcoats to
be making a comeback,
especially the tweed waistcoats.”
One visitor said: “I like
men wearing those waistcoats as it means that even
when they remove their
jacket, they still look so
very smart.”
Another new trend is for
slim fit or slim cut suits for
men. “They can be very
flattering,” adds Mal.
Mal related a fascinating story. He said: “Almost
every man knows that it is
considered highly fashionable to have the bottom
button on their waistcoat
undone, but there’s very
few people who know the
story behind this. From
being a thin young man
who loved dancing, King
Henry VIII aged into a rather corpulent monarch and
although he still loved to
wear his waistcoat. However, due to his by now
avoirdupoisal nature, he
decided to leave his first
button undone.
His courtiers noticed
this and, as they wanted to
SPECIAL PRIZE
curry favour with the king,
they copied his apparent
fashion statement.
Eventually men of quality and fashion outside
the Royal Court decided
to ape this new trend and
that’s why it is fashionable
to leave your first button
on your waistcoat undone.
Mal at Kings has decided to offer a special prize of a
fob watch and a pair of cufflinks to the person who
can answer this question: “Which King set this trend?”
Send your entry, plus your name and address to:
“Kings Menswear Competition, C/O James Baylis,
Wrekin News, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 1RY, or jamesbaylis@ppmedia.co.uk.
Weddings at Wroxeter Hotel
Wedding Open Day 3 in 1 day
24th April & 10th July 12.00 – 16.00
Leighton Hall
Morrells Wood Farm
The Wroxeter Hotel
A wide range of beautiful
Wedding packages to
choose from including
our Vintage Package
Have your very own dream
wedding with our Vintage
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Features can include a Bird cage
table decorations and vintage
bunting,Traditional afternoon tea
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pink lemonade with the meal and
much much more.
Further packages include Fabulous Fall, Winterwonderland,
Winter Extravaganza, Small & Intimate, Olympus, Cupid,
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For more information contact: Tel: 01743 761256 or
email info@thewroxeterhotel.co.uk www.thewroxeterhotel.co.uk
Kings Menswear & Suit Hire
Tel: 01952 259107
Email: info@kingsmenswear.co.uk · www.kingsmenswear.co.uk
32 Woodside Road, Ketley, Telford, Shropshire TF1 5EZ
20 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
20 King Menswear.indd 1
24/03/2016 20:24
REKIN N
EW
EW
H
T
EW
REVIE
B
PU
S
Wine
&Dine
✬✬✬ Dorrell’s at Hadley Park ✬✬✬
AURANT AN
ST
D
RE
Hadley Park
Georgian splendour on our doorstep
W
E settled with
a drink from
the amazingly
stocked bar,
with aged single malt whiskies, locally produced wines
and for the discerning lager
drinkers, Peroni.
The courteous staff explain the specials and extras
and leave you to choose
from the wide selection on
the menu.
We started with Pan
seared scallops for my mum,
and duck salad for me.
My mum assured me that
the scallops melted in her
mouth and were beautifully
cooked. I loved the duck
salad and have to say that if
you were looking for more of
a lighter meal this could easily fill the gap and tastily too!
We decided to try some
old classics with a modern
twist. I had the Dorrell’s
pie of the day with my two
choice of sides. To my delight this was Lamb pie with
peas and minted gravy, I
choose sweet potato chips
and battered onion rings
which were absolutely beautiful.
My mum had the good
old favourite beer battered
hake and hand cut chips,
with a side of mushy peas
and as my mum told me,
the best tasting tartar sauce
ever!
The generous portions,
excellent quality produce
combined with the expertise
cooking made for a magnificent meal.
All this time we were
waited on by the lovely Elle,
who, though being attentive
> Pan seared Scallops, salt backed cod bonbons,
tomato and cumin dressingwith pickled carrots
remained discreet throughout.
We had the choice to
continue straight away with
our desserts or take a moment to enjoy the company.
By now the restaurant was
quite full, I expressed this to
my mum, as it was a miserable Monday I had assumed
we would be dinning alone!
Apparently, the secret is out
that Dorrell’s is worth a visit.
I had decided on the
cheese board, and was not
disappointed, with a wide
choice of beautifully locally
produced cheeses crackers
and grapes.
My mum, who has a
sweeter tooth than me, was
very impressed with the treacle pudding.
All in all we had a relaxing evening with exquisite
food and in delightful surroundings.
The Hotel is a One Rosette establishment, an accolade that it has proudly
worn for the last 13 years.
They are also a proud
supporter of local produce,
pointing out that 'over 65%
of their food is sourced locally.'
For those diners who prefer dining earlier in the evening the Hadley Park Hotel
offers an early bird discount
of 15% off the total bill, when
dining before 7.30pm.
> Freshly prepared beer battered Hake with hand cut chips
> Celebrating a special occasion? There’s always
Champagne on ice!
Dorrells Restaurant
Hadley Park House Hotel,
Hadley Park East,
Telford, Shropshire TF1 6QJ
Tel: 01952 677269
Email: info@hadleypark.co.uk · Web: www.hadleypark.co.uk
www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 21
21 Restaurant Review.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:29
Spotlight on
Donnington
Supporting your local towns and communities
Donnington - a very
strong mining heritage
Donnington was once a
mining community but this
ceased in 1979 when Granville Colliery closed. The
Parish Council offices and
community hall is located
in Turreff Avenue, sharing
the building with the library.
The original Donnington
village was to the northeast of the current centre of
Donnington and was under
the Duke of Sutherland’s
estate. It was an industrial
centre where C&W Walker
Ltd. iron works produced
components for gasometers and ships’ engines.
By Katie Sherry
The Clock Tower restaurant commemorates Walker’s
Clock, now on an island
near where “Walker’s works”
stood, a hundred metres
north of the centre of the
original Donnington village.
Only 600 yards further north,
at The Humbers, iron-making
is thought to have started in
the 16 Century. The name
‘Humbers’ deriving from water-driven ‘hammers’ which,
in 1580, were owned by the
Duke of Sutherland, whose
Lilleshall Ironworks was one
of the Midland’s first blast
furnaces. The Hammers
were located at a mill on
Lubstree Pool, which once
belonged to the Canons of
Lilleshall Abbey.
The current centre of
Donnington is the centre of
New Donnington, a housing development, begun in
the late 1930s when the
War Office bought land to
house the workers to be
employed at the Donnington Army Ordnance Depot,
established in 1936 and
which remains in use as a
logistics base.
Are looking for a
May
May King
King &
& Queen
Queen
FOR IT’S SUMMER FESTIVAL ON
2ND MAY 2016
TO BE HELD AT CORDINGLEY HALL, DONNINGTON.
ENTRIES ARE WELCOMED FOR:
May King and Queen
Children in Years 5 & 6
May Prince & Princess
children in years 3 & 4
Page boy and Flower girl
children in years 1 & 2
For more details and an application form please email: clerk@doningtonmuxtonpc.org
Or call into the parish office at: Turreff Hall,Turreff Avenue, Donnington
A competition will be held at Cordingley Hall on Sunday 17th
April 2016 to choose the successful candidates.
Caseys is tops!
And that’s official!
> Nicola Casey with her award
I
N A survey of the
UK’s top 100 entertainment venues,
there was a result
that might have sent a
frisson of fear through
some longer established
entertainment venues in
the region.
Because Donnington’s
Casey’s came fifteenth
out of the one hundred.
Some venues could
wonder how this happened and might be
tempted to commission
an expensive 15,000
word report to establish
why this occurred.
Wrekin News can save
their money. We can reveal, in two words, the secret behind the success
of Casey’s and how, in
only three years, Casey’s
has firmly established itself as one of the UK’s top
entertainment venues.
Those words are: “Hard
work.”
Nicola Casey is an example of how hard work
and dedication can be
your route to success.
Nicola was Birmingham’s youngest licensee
at Miss Moneypennys
and in 2003 Nicola entered wedding catering.
In fact, over the years
Nicola’s attended, professionally, over 300 weddings.
By 2009 she launched
her own mobile bar company. Was it successful? It
included people like Kisty
Allsop and her Channel
4 TV show as clients, so
that speaks for itself.
In 2013, the Donnington venue Nicola took
over was a shadow of its
former self, tired and run
down. But Nicolas immediately set to revamping,
remodelling and revitalising it, turning it into the
star attraction that it is
today.
The kitchen employs
three chefs and has a five
star hygiene rating.
The main ballroom has
a stunning glitter ball, and
the room has the same
dimensions as that of
Strictly Come Dancing’s
massive set.
On the first Friday of
every month the special
VIP lounge is open (prebooking essential) with
themed nights.
Incidentally, Casey’s is
well aware of its importance to the local community and is eagerly
awaiting its opportunity
to participate in the big
event with Donnington
and Muxton Parish Council which will take over
the venue, inside and out
with rides, face painting
and entertainments.
22 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
22 caseys.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:28
Caseys March 2.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:58
Spotlight on
TO ADVERTISE IN THE MAY ISSUE OF WREKIN
NEWS PLEASE CALL IRENE ON 01952 415334
Donnington
Supporting your local towns and communities
Building homes
and supporting
local communities
T
HE Wrekin Housing Trust has a
number of developments in the
Donnington area,
either recently completed,
under construction or
planned for the near future.
By building new properties, they not only provide
much-needed affordable
homes, but create jobs and
apprenticeships, generate
huge amounts of money to
the economy and support
local businesses, schools
and clubs.
An example is their site
at the Glebelands and the
Common, where the first
eight homes were completed recently.
Here they have worked
in partnership with the de-
veloper Harper to forge
links with the local schools.
At Donnington Wood C of E
Junior School school, building materials, hard hats and
high-vis vests were provided for the children’s building site where they learn
about mathematics, engineering and science whilst
being outdoors and having
fun on their own building
projects.
At the Coddon Club in
Trench the Trust has provided the opportunity for
two people to get fantastic
work experience in the form
of apprenticeships on site.
In total their development
sites across Shropshire and
Staffordshire are currently
providing 64 apprenticeships, as well as those employed directly by the Trust.
22 new homes were recently completed at Talbot
Road in Trench and happy
new residents have started to move in. The Trust
also has plans for 32 new
homes on Gordon Road in
Trench.
To find out more about
their work in the area, or for
information on what developments the Trust has coming up, please visit www.
wrekinhousingtrust.org.uk
OPENING HOURS
PUB
1200 - 2300
Each day
FOOD SERVED
Monday - Friday*
1600 - 2200
Saturday
1300 - 2200
Sunday lunch
1200 - 1600
Grill menu (Sunday)
1600 - 2200
A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY...
MONDAY 2ND MAY
Come join us on the 2nd of may to
celebrate may day with some great
pub grub and quality Beers!
*Orders taken up to 2200
CONTACT US....
01952 670943
The New Dun Cow, Trench Road
Trench, Telford, TF2 7DU
24 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
24 Dun Cow.indd 1
24/03/2016 19:30
SPOTLIGHT ON DONNINGTON
Unique approach to
carbon footprint
at Unique Copiers
U
NIQUE Copiers
offers a free print
survey to potential
clients. It takes an
impartial view of current contracts, machines required,
current usage and costs.
It’s been found many
schools, colleges and busi- > Adrian Casey
nesses have unethical con- cided to become a Toshiba
tracts with a print recording main dealer in September
system logging more than 2013.
one count when printing and
Unique Copiers was
copying. Unique Copiers founded in 1988 by MD Adrinever employ such unethical an Casey. He has always
contracts. They’ve installed looked to improve recycling
new equipment in many rates. Over the years various
establishments resulting in initiatives in Unique Copiers
reduced cost for them.
helped boost all areas of
In early 2013 Unique recycling these include toner
Copiers decided to seek a cartridges, waste toner colsupplier able to uphold their lectors, used parts, plastic,
ideals regarding recycling cardboard, etc. He also imand carbon
plemented
a change in vehihalffootprint.
page ad.pdf 1 23/03/2016
16:01:40
As a result, Unique de- cles used at Unique Copiers
based on emissions. The results of the partnership with
Toshiba vindicates the decision to work with Toshiba,
points out Mr Casey.
Since 2009 Toshiba TEC
have been offsetting the carbon emissions produced by
their MFP’s to make them
“CarbonZero”.
After receiving the report Mr Casey commented
that the decision made by
Unique Copiers has provided a massive impact and
improvements in areas of
our planet that we would not
otherwise have been able to
improve. Moreover we have
helped to improve the lives
of children and adults within
these areas and I am proud
that our dedication and decision making has resulted in
these types of benefits.
PHOTOCOPYING
PRINTING
NEED AN ENGINEER
DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS
238
Contact us
UNIQUE COPIERS LTD
St Georges House
jobs includingSt Georges Road Industrial Estate
Telford
Shropshire
7AS
apprentices TF2
Sales: 0845 108 9050
Service: 0845 108 9051
E-mail: info@uniquecopiers.co.uk
11
Over
£25m
103
C
new homes
M
to the
economy
238
jobs including
11
apprentices
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Building homes
and supporting
communities in the
Donnington area.
25 Unique Copiers.indd 1
24/03/2016 19:17
Spotlight on
Donnington
Supporting your local towns and communities
St Tropez Liqueur
a touch of Riviera
close to home
I
T’S NOT every day we
find a touch of French
Riviera glamour locally,
but that’s what you’ll find
if you visit Core Convenience stores in Trench and
Wellington.
The Core Stores are the
exclusive retailers of the St
Tropez Liqueur brand which
they are thrilled to be able
to offer to local discerning,
sophisticated adults.
The history of this drink
dates back to ancient times.
It’s lovingly hand-crafted in
accord with an ancient tradition (which predates other
distillation methods) as far
back as 500 BC.
Local artisans would
gather wild white peaches
from the hillsides overlooking St Tropez and distil them.
Traders who plied the
sea routes between Southern France and Madagascar made the return journey
with essential oils like Ylang
Ylang.
Eventually the first Japanese merchants to venture
to Southern Europe landed
in St Tropez carrying with
them an exotic fruit called
Yuzu.
The traditional distillers
of the local wild peaches
began to experiment and,
using the wild white peaches
combined with Ylang Ylang
and the Yuzu fruit created
the first St Tropez Liqueur
which proved extremely
popular.
Now a new generation of
skilled artisans have carefully and skilfully recreated
the ancient formula which is
on sale at the Core Convenience Stores.
It’s best served chilled
and makes an ideal drink
in its own right and is also
a superb cocktail ingredient. For example, 25ml of
St Tropez in a flute glass
topped up with Champagne
or Prosecco makes a really sophisticated, refreshing
summertime drink.
How best to describe St
Tropez? “It’s like a bowl of
fresh peaches, but with a
unique sunny taste of its
own, due to the Ylang Ylang
and yuzu fruit.” And the
score out of 10? “Between 7
and 9,” was the opinion.
WIN
A BOTTLE
OF ST
TROPEZ
LIQUEUR
AND ONE LUCKY reader
can enjoy a bottle of
this marvellous liqueur
courtesy of The Wrekin
News and the core
Convenience Store. All
you need so is send your
name and your contact
details including your
phone number and your
date of birth to: St Tropez
Liqueur Competition,
C/O James Baylis Wrekin
News, Bridge Road,
Wellington, Telford,
Shropshire, TF1 1RY
or emai james.baylis@
ppmedia.co.uk.
MAKE IT A
CORE DAY,
EVERYDAY!
Proud To Bring
You Great
Value Locally
Monday to Sunday 8.00am - 9.00pm
CORE CONVENIENCE STORE
& DRINKS STORE
1-3, KING STREET, WELLINGTON, TF1 3AJ OPEN:
8.00am - 10.00pm Mon - Sat
& 8.00am - 10.00pm Sunday
National Lottery
now available
EXCLUSIVE STOCKIST OF
ST.TROPEZ LIQUEUR
CIROC VODKA all flavours only £26.59
CORE CONVENIENCE STORE & DRINKS STORES
1-3, KING STREET, WELLINGTON, TF1 3AJ AND 146B TRENCH ROAD TELFORD TF2 7DU
BEERS, WINES, SPIRITS, SOFT DRINKS, SNACKS, CONFECTIONERY,
FRESH & FROZEN FOOD, NEWS, PAYPOINT, NATIONAL LOTTERY, FREE ATM
26 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk0
26 Spotlight on Donnington.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:13
NEWS FROM THE GEORGIA WILLIAMS TRUST
Plans announced for
spring bike challenge
FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS of last year’s bike
ride, The Georgia Williams
Trust will be holding another
similar event on Sunday
17th April 2016. The Spring
Bike Challenge promises
to be even bigger and
better than last year, and
with three routes available,
there’s something for even
the most adventurous rider.
The Wellington Cobbler is
a 23-mile ride which is directed towards the ancient
Roman city of Wroxeter, the
Little Wrekin is a 53-mile ride
which goes through Church
Stretton, and finally, the
Wrekin Giant is a whopping
90-mile ride which heads
out beyond Church Stretton
and over the Stiperstones
to Clun.
The event opens at 8am,
stationed at AFC Telford
United, and the first riders
for the 90-miler will set off at
9am. All routes will be wellmarshalled and signposted,
What’s on at The Wroxeter Hotel
Afternoon Cream Tea £9.95pp
Served Thursday – Sunday
Mother & Baby Fayre
10th April 12.00 - 15.00
Michael Buble Tribute Night
16th April £21.95pp
Wedding Open Day 3 in 1 day
24th April & 10th July 12.00 – 16.00
Leighton Hall
Morrells Wood Farm
The Wroxeter Hotel
May Day Fayre & Hotel Open Day
2nd May – FREE ENTRY
11.30 – 16.00
Las Vegas Themed Evening
Friday 13th May - £21.95pp
with set rest stops for riders to rehydrate and refuel.
Additionally, there will be
people on hand for technical assistance when and if
needed. Are you up to the
challenge?
All proceeds raised will
be split between The Georgia Williams Trust and West
Mercia Search and Rescue.
Under-16s must be accompanied by a parent/guardian, and riders between
16-18 must have written
permission from a parent/
guardian. For more information, and to sign up for a
ride please visit https://www.
britishcycling.org.uk/events/
details/141336/The-GeorgiaWilliams-Spring-Challenge.
Train to be a Super Hero
Featuring Spiderman, Superman & Thor
Sunday 15th May – £13.95 / £11.95pp
12.00 – 14.00 / 16.00 – 18.00
Lunch with the Disney princess’s
Sunday 22nd May - £12.95/£9.95pp
12.00 – 14.00
To reserve your tickets please contact us on Tel: 01743 761256 or email
info@thewroxeterhotel.co.uk www.thewroxeterhotel.co.uk
www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 27
27 Spring bike challenge.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:48
YOUR PETS MATTER...
In the Wrekin News garden
The first steps to Petunia takes the
starring role
finding your new
best friend
E
VEN BEFORE you
go to visit your new
companion your investigation work begins, you should ensure the
puppy or kitten you’re about
to buy is happy and healthy!
You can’t be too nosey, ring
and ask questions!
Did the breeder breed the
puppies or kittens? It’s not a
good idea to buy from anyone other than the breeder.
Who was the father? Will
he be present to visit? If not,
see if you can contact his
owner; ask questions about
his temperament, health and
other litters.
Happy with the breeders and their answers? You
should visit. Always ensure
you see mum and offspring
together. It’s often best to
arrange a viewing when
there’s more than one puppy
/ kitten to see.
Do the puppies or kittens
interact well together? Look
for signs of illness like runny
eyes, sneezes or diarrhoea
on their tails. Ensure mum’s
healthy. Watch them all in
their environment before deciding.
There are lots of impor-
micro chipped? Has the litter been wormed? It’s worth
doing some research about
your chosen breed. Are
By Dr Amy
Watkins
BSc
BVetMed
MRCV
tant pieces of information to
learn about your new little
one. Check its environment
and routine, what it eats and
how often.
Ask to see a sample or
a bag of food, can you buy
this yourself or take some
home? Where is the puppy
or kitten kept? Has it interacted with lots of people,
been exposed to noises like
TV, vacuum cleaners or children?
A puppy, which has been
in a quiet environment, may
have to be carefully introduced to new experiences
to ensure it doesn’t grow
up afraid!
Learn of its medical history. Have the puppies had
their vaccinations, are they
there any diseases they’re
susceptible to?
E.G. British Short Haired
cats can inherit certain
heart deformities and Labrador Retrievers can pass
on genes for poor hip and
elbows.
Different breeds have
different screening tests to
ensure the chance of passing inherited diseases is
low. Ask to see certificates
of screening for problem
diseases, vaccinations, and
micro chipping.
When you’re ready to
choose an individual pet,
don’t be rushed, spend
plenty of time with the litter
and watch the puppies or
kittens grow - hopefully one
of them will become your
responsibility and will enrich
your life for many years to
come. By Dr Amy Watkins
BSc BVetMed MRCV.
挀栀椀瀀猀 最椀渀最椀瘀椀琀椀猀 搀椀猀攀愀猀攀 猀洀攀氀氀礀 戀爀攀愀琀栀
PETUNIA ‘NIGHTSKY™’ is
so special you can let your
imagination run riot in your
garden, to be enjoyed in
dozens of different ways:
Party-ready your patio,
planting it in baskets and
containers for fabulous, instant effect. Twirl sparkly
fairy lights between the
planters to add to the starry
effect.
Treat lunch guests by
creating a unique table centrepiece? Gift the finished
piece to the star guest as a
memento of the occasion.
Take a potted ‘NightSky™’ petunia as an alternative gift for a dinner party. For
less than a bottle of wine, it
provide months of pleasure.
Plant a pair of hanging baskets by your front
door, creating a spectacle
of starry wonder to warmly
welcome friends and family
to your home. Every flower
is unique, with a myriad of
star-like speckles creating
a ‘Heaven’s Mirror’ effect.
They flower from spring
through to first frosts and the
colour’s stable, so doesn’t
vanish during the season.
Petunia ‘NightSky™’ is semitrailing, so it’s perfect for
growing in hanging baskets
and tiered containers where
its trailing stems create a
beautiful, flower rich effect.
For best results and value
buy garden ready. You can
plant them out after the last
frost of spring and they’re
easy to grow.
Keep the compost moist
NEIL THE ODD JOB MAN
Based in Telford, Neil is the solution to all those jobs
you have got to do and keep putting off!
Gardening, Gutter Cleaning
and Repairs, Jet Spraying,
Painting and Decorating etc.
All other work considered.
Call Neil today for a free estimate on
01952 272354 or 07588 897768
www.neiltheoddjobman.co.uk
but not waterlogged. Don’t
let it dry out completely,
keep water droplets off the
flowers if possible.
Feed them for tip-top
condition. Choose a soluble plant food for flowering
plants to encourage plenty
of flowers and apply when
watering, or add a slow release flowering plant fertiliser
to the compos.
Dead head regularly as
the flowers start to die, remove the whole flower and
the developing seed capsule
behind the flower. Healthy,
robust and eye-catching
plants will be available in
garden centres from April.
Or mail order from Thompson & Morgan.
Telford
Timber
Supplies
Sheds Made to Order
Erection & Delivery Available
CALL:
01952 242916
Unit 1, Hadley Business Park, Telford
TREE
SURGEON
JOFFREY WATSON RFS CERT ARB (HONS)
䐀䔀一吀䄀䰀 圀伀刀䬀
䌀氀愀椀洀 礀漀甀爀 瘀漀甀挀栀攀爀 漀渀氀椀渀攀 愀琀 猀攀瘀最⸀挀漀⸀甀欀⼀搀攀渀琀愀氀
漀爀 愀猀欀 愀琀 礀漀甀爀 氀漀挀愀氀 戀爀愀渀挀栀 昀漀爀 洀漀爀攀 搀攀琀愀椀氀猀
䈀爀椀搀最渀漀爀琀栀 ㄀㜀㐀㘀 㜀㘀㌀ 㤀㤀㠀
眀眀眀⸀猀攀瘀最⸀挀漀⸀甀欀
20 years of experience fully
qualified and insured
ALL ASPECTS OF TREE
CARE AND REMOVAL
Please call for a free quote
01952 727966 or 07813 685091
28 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
28, 29 pets gardening.indd 1
24/03/2016 16:53
YOUR PETS MATTER...
In the Wrekin News garden
The first steps to Petunia takes the
starring role
finding your new
best friend
E
VEN BEFORE you
go to visit your new
companion your investigation work begins, you should ensure the
puppy or kitten you’re about
to buy is happy and healthy!
You can’t be too nosey, ring
and ask questions!
Did the breeder breed the
puppies or kittens? It’s not a
good idea to buy from anyone other than the breeder.
Who was the father? Will
he be present to visit? If not,
see if you can contact his
owner; ask questions about
his temperament, health and
other litters.
Happy with the breeders and their answers? You
should visit. Always ensure
you see mum and offspring
together. It’s often best to
arrange a viewing when
there’s more than one puppy
/ kitten to see.
Do the puppies or kittens
interact well together? Look
for signs of illness like runny
eyes, sneezes or diarrhoea
on their tails. Ensure mum’s
healthy. Watch them all in
their environment before deciding.
There are lots of impor-
micro chipped? Has the litter been wormed? It’s worth
doing some research about
your chosen breed. Are
By Dr Amy
Watkins
BSc
BVetMed
MRCV
tant pieces of information to
learn about your new little
one. Check its environment
and routine, what it eats and
how often.
Ask to see a sample or
a bag of food, can you buy
this yourself or take some
home? Where is the puppy
or kitten kept? Has it interacted with lots of people,
been exposed to noises like
TV, vacuum cleaners or children?
A puppy, which has been
in a quiet environment, may
have to be carefully introduced to new experiences
to ensure it doesn’t grow
up afraid!
Learn of its medical history. Have the puppies had
their vaccinations, are they
there any diseases they’re
susceptible to?
E.G. British Short Haired
cats can inherit certain
heart deformities and Labrador Retrievers can pass
on genes for poor hip and
elbows.
Different breeds have
different screening tests to
ensure the chance of passing inherited diseases is
low. Ask to see certificates
of screening for problem
diseases, vaccinations, and
micro chipping.
When you’re ready to
choose an individual pet,
don’t be rushed, spend
plenty of time with the litter
and watch the puppies or
kittens grow - hopefully one
of them will become your
responsibility and will enrich
your life for many years to
come. By Dr Amy Watkins
BSc BVetMed MRCV.
挀栀椀瀀猀 最椀渀最椀瘀椀琀椀猀 搀椀猀攀愀猀攀 猀洀攀氀氀礀 戀爀攀愀琀栀
PETUNIA ‘NIGHTSKY™’ is
so special you can let your
imagination run riot in your
garden, to be enjoyed in
dozens of different ways:
Party-ready your patio,
planting it in baskets and
containers for fabulous, instant effect. Twirl sparkly
fairy lights between the
planters to add to the starry
effect.
Treat lunch guests by
creating a unique table centrepiece? Gift the finished
piece to the star guest as a
memento of the occasion.
Take a potted ‘NightSky™’ petunia as an alternative gift for a dinner party. For
less than a bottle of wine, it
provide months of pleasure.
Plant a pair of hanging baskets by your front
door, creating a spectacle
of starry wonder to warmly
welcome friends and family
to your home. Every flower
is unique, with a myriad of
star-like speckles creating
a ‘Heaven’s Mirror’ effect.
They flower from spring
through to first frosts and the
colour’s stable, so doesn’t
vanish during the season.
Petunia ‘NightSky™’ is semitrailing, so it’s perfect for
growing in hanging baskets
and tiered containers where
its trailing stems create a
beautiful, flower rich effect.
For best results and value
buy garden ready. You can
plant them out after the last
frost of spring and they’re
easy to grow.
Keep the compost moist
NEIL THE ODD JOB MAN
Based in Telford, Neil is the solution to all those jobs
you have got to do and keep putting off!
Gardening, Gutter Cleaning
and Repairs, Jet Spraying,
Painting and Decorating etc.
All other work considered.
Call Neil today for a free estimate on
01952 272354 or 07588 897768
www.neiltheoddjobman.co.uk
but not waterlogged. Don’t
let it dry out completely,
keep water droplets off the
flowers if possible.
Feed them for tip-top
condition. Choose a soluble plant food for flowering
plants to encourage plenty
of flowers and apply when
watering, or add a slow release flowering plant fertiliser
to the compos.
Dead head regularly as
the flowers start to die, remove the whole flower and
the developing seed capsule
behind the flower. Healthy,
robust and eye-catching
plants will be available in
garden centres from April.
Or mail order from Thompson & Morgan.
Telford
Timber
Supplies
Sheds Made to Order
Erection & Delivery Available
CALL:
01952 242916
Unit 1, Hadley Business Park, Telford
TREE
SURGEON
JOFFREY WATSON RFS CERT ARB (HONS)
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qualified and insured
ALL ASPECTS OF TREE
CARE AND REMOVAL
Please call for a free quote
01952 727966 or 07813 685091
28 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
28, 29 pets gardening.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:16
n
Chris - The ‘to go’ man
CHRIS NICHOLS, the expert
behind the highly successful
Deckling and Pergolas Ltd.,
reveals that he is eager to
commence business in the
Wrekin News area.
Previously trading in the
town of Solihull, Chris built
up a reputation for the ‘go to’
mvan for tasks like designing and constructing decking, pergolas, water features, low voltage lighting,
garden design and build,
repairs, maintenance and
much more besides.
Whilst the garden owners
of Solihull will feel rueful that
they are losing the services
of Chris, gardeners in the
Wrekin News area can thank
St. Fiacre, the Patron Saint
of gardeners, that Chris decided to move to our neck of
the woods.
Chris always listens very
carefully to what his clients
say, and liaises with them
throughout the entire process.
With Chris there are no
unexpected surprises. Chris
is thorough. So through that
during his preliminary survey
he actually takes the time to
take into account the needs
and safety of your pets.
He also works to the
budget that you can realistically afford and always re-
spects the sensibilities of the
customer and the integrity of
the garden.
For any questions you
can call Chris on 07739
546167.
LILYHURST
LILYHURST
P LANT
CENTRE
LILYHURST
PLANT CENTRE
P L A N T Locally
C
EN
T Plants
RE
Grown
at Wholesale Prices
For a professional, high quality, personal service.
We offer uniquely designed pergolas and decking
to enhance your home & lifestyle, adding value to
your property.
“Detail by Design”
Locally Grown Plants at OPEN
WIDE SELECTION OF
Wholesale
Prices
DOAPIEL
Locally
Grown
Plants
at SHRUBS
TREES AND
NY
Wholesale
Prices
D
A
IL
GET ADVICE DIRECT
Y
WIDE SELECTION OF
FROM
THEOF
GROWERS
WIDE AND
SELECTION
TREES
SHRUBS
On Lilyhurst Road, between
TREES AND SHRUBS
DIRECT
DIRECTFROM
FROMTHE
THE GROWERS
GROWERS
Sheriffhales & Lilleshall.
TF11 8RL
OPEN
DAILY
(01952) 606546
n Lilyhurst
Road,
between
on Lilyhurst
Road,
between
Sheriffhales
Lilleshall.
Sheriffhales
&&
Lilleshall.
TF11
8RL
TF11
8RL
(01952)606546
606546
(01952)
A518
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A5
Lilleshall
Lilleshall
Before
After
Telford based company servicing
the Shropshire region
WE
WE ARE
ARE
HERE
HERE
Sheriffhales
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A41
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B4379
Shifnal
For more information and to arrange a FREE
quotation call Chris Nichols on :
Telephone 07739 546167
chris.nichols@btconnect.com
www.deckingandpergolasltd.com
Shifnal
WOODLAND TIMBER PRODUCTS
FENCING, SHEDS & DECKING
Simon Bradbury
Tel: 07725 040408
The Coach House,
Holyhead Road,
Albrighton,
Shropshire,
WV7 3BT
Lap Panels
From £8.50
Wicket
Panel
Sheds and
Summerhouses
Posts & Rail Fencing
General Timber
Pressure Treated
Omega
Panels
Telephone
orders are
welcome
❁ Tree Pruning
❁ Tree Removal
❁ Hedge Trimming
❁ Topiary
❁ Domestic and commercial
❁ Grounds Maintenance inc. Grass Cutting
❁ Fully Insured
❁ Over 15 Years Experience
01743
709383
Concrete Posts & Gravel
Boards. All Prices inc. VAT.
Many sizes in stock.
Gates
Pine Sleepers
ideal for raised garden beds
WWW.WOODLANDTIMBER.COM
HAUGHMOND HILL, SHREWSBURY
on B5062, SY4 4RW
01902 375244
Tel:
Email: sbtreeandgardensolutions@gmail.com
www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 29
28, 29 pets gardening.indd 2
24/03/2016 17:16
Bereavement
TAKING CARE OF YOUR LOVED ONES
Footwear and funeral dress code
N
EARLY A third of
us (29%) believe
it’s acceptable
to wear trainers
to a funeral according to a
new research project into
the UK’s love of trainers by
footwear protector Crep
Protect. The survey found
that one in ten of us (12%)
has actually turned up to
a funeral wearing trainers,
and a further 17% would if
the occasion arose.
The research has
found that many of us are
Would you wear trainers to a funeral?
One in ten of us has, finds survey from
Crep Protect
wearing trainers to a wide
variety of events from job
interviews to the opera,
signalling a shift in what
is deemed appropriate
attire at some of the most
formal events we’ll ever
attend.
The survey also found
that over a quarter (29%)
of us believe wearing
trainers to a job interview
is acceptable: over one
in ten (13%) has actually worn trainers to a job
interview, and a further
16% would if the occasion
arose.
FIVE GENERATIONS OF
CARE AT NORTHWOOD
FIVE GENERATIONS of independent funeral directors
have continually traded from
the premises of Northwood
and Sons. Owned and run
by Andrew and Karen Woodhouse since September
2012, you can be assured
that from the first contact you
have with Northwood and
Sons, right through to the
day of the funeral, and beyond, you will be dealing with
the same person, allowing
you the comfort of a familiar
friendly face to guide you
through what can be a most
difficult time.
We are licensed members of The British Institute
of Funeral Directors and also
members of The National Association of Funeral Directors, and strictly adhere to
their new code of practice.
We offer every type of funeral services, from the planning stages with our own extremely popular funeral plans
that can be tailored to your
exact requirements, right
through to after the funeral
takes place and the decision
to place a suitable memorial.
If we can’t provide a service
ourselves then we have a
large network of mainly local trusted companies that
we can call upon to provide
everything you could want,
from special vehicles through
to doves and horses.
Our local funeral plans
provide the reassurance
that your loved ones will be
spared much of the burden
of organising a funeral at the
time of need. Also with our
funeral plans you can choose
to just simply cover to costs
of the funeral, or if you prefer,
plan the event in as much
detail as you wish. Towards
the end of 2015 we were
certified for our “excellence
in customer care” from our
funeral plan provider.
Everyone at Northwood
and Sons take an immense
amount of pride in our motto
‘Your wishes always carried
out in a quietly dignified
manner’. We realise what an
entrusted position you place
us in, when there is only one
chance to provide a funeral
service for your loved one.
This is why the funerals we
provide are not about us or
our company but are about
your loved one and their family’s wishes.
NORTHWOOD & SONS
FUNERAL DIRECTORS
Your wishes always carried out in a quietly dignified manner
Family business · Home visits available
· Private chapel of rest · 24 hours service
Our funeral plans can be tailored to your exact needs
Visit: www.northwoodfunerals.co.uk
Call Andrew Woodhouse:
01952 727248
Other highlights of the
research include:
 Nearly a third (30%)
believe wearing trainers to
a wedding is acceptable:
15% has actually worn
trainers to a wedding, and
a further 15% would if the
occasion arose;
 Over half (54%) believe wearing trainers to a
dinner party is acceptable:
nearly a third (31%) has
actually worn trainers to a
dinner party, and a further
quarter (23%) would if the
occasion arose;
 Over half (56%)
believe wearing trainers
to the theatre or Opera is
acceptable: over a third
(35%) has actually worn
trainers to the theatre or
Opera, and a further fifth
(21%) would if the occasion arose.
The research also
found that trainers are
increasingly adopted both
when we socialise and
during working hours:
 Two-thirds (66%)
believe wearing trainers to
a club is acceptable: 44%
has actually worn trainers
to a club, and a further
fifth (22%) would if the
occasion arose;
 70% believe wearing
trainers on a date is
acceptable: almost half
(49%) actually has worn
Pryce
Memorials
Independent family run business for all your
gravestone & monumental requirements
· Quality granite &
· All areas covered
natural stone memorials · Free brochure available
4, Tan Bank, Wellington, Telford, TF1 1HJ
www.prycememorials.co.uk
Call us on: 01952 243233
trainers on a date, and a
further fifth (21%) would if
the occasion arose;
 Three-quarters (75%)
believe wearing trainers
at work is acceptable: half
(50%) actually has worn
trainers to work, and a further quarter (25%) would if
the occasion arose.
Jason Black, co-founder
and director of Crep Protect, said:
“Dress codes, particularly the unwritten ones,
can be difficult to get right
but it’s clear that many of
us are shunning what is
“traditional” and opting for
a more a modern look at
a wide variety of events.
As such, sneakers are
increasingly being seen as
acceptable footwear in all
manner of social situations
- from night clubs to red
carpets and even at weddings. The massive range
of sneaker styles available
these days means there
is more choice than ever
before, and the “no hats,
no trainers” rule is quickly
becoming outdated.”
30 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
30 Bereavement.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:33
T
HE SHROPSHIRE
FUNERAL PLAN is provided
by experienced, local and
qualified independent funeral
professionals ~ experts
in their field of work
The Shropshire
Funeral Plan
For your complete peace of mind please talk to us and
gain expert local advice regarding your every requirement.
We are a telephone call away
· A local Funeral Plan
· A local price
· A local independent Funeral Director
· A national Funeral Planning Trust Fund
The C J Williams Funeral Service of Telford
Dawley Bank
01952 505835
Madeley
01952 580616
Shropshire
Funeral Plans
from £3,250
Harry Edwards of Wellington
John Williams of Shifnal
01952 244949
01952 460669
www.theshropshirefuneralplan.com
Oakengates
Limes Walk, Oakengates, Telford,
Shropshire TF2 6EP
01952 613660
Madeley
Care when it’s
needed most
- 24 Hour Service
- Pre-Paid Funeral Plans
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01952 586956
Wellington
8 Market Square, Wellington, Telford,
Shropshire TF1 1BP
01952 253188
Bridgnorth - High Town
82 High Street, Bridgnorth,
Shropshire WV16 4DS
01746 766715
Bridgnorth - Low Town
58 Mill Street, Bridgnorth,
Shropshire WV15 5AG
01746 769025
www.coopfunerals.co.uk
www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 31
31 Adverts.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:55
Sport relief at
Community the TTC Group
Care &
Email the News Editor:
martin.scholes@ppmedia.co.uk
Telephone: 01952 415334
Visit: www.thewellingtonnews.net
Follow us for more news: @WellingtonNews1
IS A&E REALLY YOUR
BEST OPTION?
E
MERGENCY DEPARTMENTS at
Shropshire’s two
acute hospitals
continue to be very busy.
In one recent week,
Emergency Departments
at the Royal Shrewsbury
Hospital and the Princess
Royal Hospital in Telford
saw a total of 2,365 people, almost 340-a-day.
This was an increase
of 215 on the previous
week, 30 people each
day.
A number of people
who attended the Emergency Departments did
not require the special-
ist services they provide
and could have been
seen more quickly by accessing alternative services in the community.
Examples include people who:
Visited A&E with
coughs and colds
Wanted to check their
medication
Had dental pain
Sara Biffen, Deputy
Chief Operating Officer
at The Shrewsbury and
Telford Hospital NHS
Trust, said: “We are continuing to see high num-
bers of people attending
our A&E departments.
“We know many people who have been to our
A&E departments could
have used an alternative local service, which
would have avoided what
can be a stressful visit to
hospital.
“Your GP practice can
give you general medical
advice and care, including prescriptions. When
your practice is closed
you can contact Shropdoc, the out of hours service, on 0333 222 66 55.”
Express Denture Repairs
Same day denture
repairs(usually about an hour)
‘Good as new’ renovations
Copy Dentures
New
HOME TOOTH
WHITENING SYSTEM!
8-10 Haygate Road, Wellington TF1 1QA TEL: 01952 253522
Now open in Bridgnorth
27 West Castle Street, WV16 4AD
01746 764334
> Mayor Leon Murray talks to staff
DONATIONS from across
the UK pouring into a call
centre in Telford.
Staff from the TTC
Group, a training organisation from Hadley Park,
Telford, volunteered to give
up their evening to run
more than 50 phone lines in
aid of Sport Relief from 7pm
to 11pm.
Telford mayor Leon Murray and Telford and Wrekin
Council leader Kudlip Sahota called into the HQ to
talk to call handlers and
wish them well.
Organiser Steph Davis
said: “We are very proud
to have played our part for
Sport Relief. It has all gone
very smoothly. Feedback
from BT was that we did a
great job and they were im-
pressed with our call ratio.”
This is the first time the
TTC Group has volunteered
as an appointed call centre
for Sport Relief.
More than 60 volunteers,
some from neighbouring
firm Network Telecom, enjoyed a meal donated by
Sofood and each received
a goody bag of presents.
Staff raised £350 in a raffle.
Snacks were provided
by the Pheasant Inn, Admaston, Krispy Kreme and
Greggs.
Companies who donated
prizes for the event included; Network Telecom, Softcat, West Midlands Safari
Park, Holliday Inn, Hadley
Park Hotel, Epson, Reech,
Telford Hotel Golf Resort,
Misco, C.E.S Car Parts,
Friends of The Princess
Royal Hospital Telford Ltd
Friends of the Princess Royal Hospital Telford
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!
Who are we?
We are a group of volunteers of all ages who work
together to raise funds for the hospital.
Friends of Princess Royal Hospital run a very busy
Coffee Shop within the hospital open weekdays 9-6
and weekends/bank holiday 1-5. To maximise our
profits we rely on volunteers to help our small number
of paid staff. All our profits are used to buy equipment
for the hospital trust and this amounted to
£63,600 last year.
If you have any time to spare our volunteer shifts are 2
hours and offer a variety of duties, if you would like to
know more information call in to Shop Manager:
01952 641222
Ext: 4721/4211 for an informal chat.
Tanya Griffin:
John Powell Mobile Mechanic, Park House Shifnal,
Dukeshill Ham Company,
Cycle Experience, Telford
Steam Railway, Will’s Wild
Encounters, Hoo Farm, Halfords Auto Centre, Telford,
Closer To The Edge Ltd,
Telford High Ropes, Costa
Coffee Telford, Epson, Gifts
from the Forest Gift Shop,
Halfpenny Green Vineyard,
Hadley Test & Repair, Toby
Carvery, Hobby Craft, J K
Cuts and Colours, Jungleland, Madeley Testing Station, Sainsburys, Telford,
Tayleur Arms, Longden Upon Tern, The Entertainer Toy
Shop, Telford The Grand
Theatre, Wolverhampton,
The Place, Oakengates
Theatre, Whitehouse Hotel,
Muxton, William Withering
Wetherspoons, Wellington,
Wonderland, Telford, Woolpack Inn, Shawbirch, Wroxeter Hotel, Wroxeter.
Chrisbeon Office Supplies, Farmfoods, Ketley,
Gra-Bern Electrical Limited,
Lyreco, McDonalds, Telford,
Morrisons, Lawley, Paramount Cleaning Services,
Promofix, Telford & Wrekin
Council, Telford Whitehouse
Hotel,
Decorations kindly provided by Wilsons Motor Auctions, Trench Lock.
In the run up to Sport
Relief staff have been raising
money by holding competitions, various sweepstakes
and a dress down day at
work.
There were raffles held
on the night with prizes including a laptop, an I-pad
and hotel stays ñ with all
proceeds going to the Sport
Relief charity.
32 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
32 Care and Community.indd 1
24/03/2016 20:11
AEQ006 ADVERT:- 09/02/2016 16:39 Page 1
Monumental walk
for Telford couple
T
HE SUN was shining for The Wrekin
Housing Trust’s Retirement Living Coordinator Aneta Hodgkiss
and her team mate, Trust
resident Peter Peake, as
they left High Mount scheme
to complete an eight mile
sponsored walk to the
Lilleshall Monument in aid had a heart bypass, he did reassurance combined with
of Severn Hospice, recently. really well on the walk and services that give choice,
Aneta joked: “We fol- loved taking part. He said flexibility and freedom; enlowed the main route for it was a trip down memory suring residents remain
safety, due to Peter having a lane for him, as he got to living life to the full. The
quadruple heart bypass four walk through some local apartments are available
years ago.”
places he hadn’t seen in to people over 55 and our
Starting off at The Wrekin over 30 years, all whilst rais- bungalows are available to
Housing Trust’s High Mount ing money for charity”.
people aged 65 and above.
Retirement Living scheme
So far, the two trekkers
For details about Wrekin
in Donnington, the plucky have raised £670 from their Housing Trust Retirement
pair walked through Don- sponsored eight mile walk Living and the services ofnington to Muxton, and then and are hoping to raise fur- fered, please visit https://
on to the scenic village of ther funds at a spring fayre goo.gl/AipRSN.
Lilleshall, stopping off at event that takes place at
All available Retirement
St Michael’s Church for a the High Mount scheme this Living properties are adselfie!
week.
vertised through the Trust’s
Aneta said: “It was a loveThe Trust’s Retirement website where you can find
ly day. Peter is 72 and even Living provides homes of- out more about applying for
though Wrekin
he has
safety,1 security
and16:49:03
a home.
Newspreviously
spring 2016 - fering
half page.pdf
24/02/2016
“
Heel and Foot Pain Expert.
Specialist in Orthotics.
”
t:01952 677063
Foot Pain Experts and Sports Injury Clinic
For your Foot Ankle and Leg injuries
ORTHOTICS
The very best foot Scanning and Orthotics
Manufactured, on site, by Mr Steven Dowdeswell.
Specialist in Orthotics and Gait Analysis.
SHOCKWAVE
The latest pain relief and injury rehabilitation for the
foot and leg.
Heel Pain, Arch Pain, Bunions, Arthritis, Shin Splints,
Runners Knee, Achilles tendon injuries
Full Rehabilitation with Musculo-Skeletal Podiatry.
The only healthcare professional’s specifically trained
by the NHS, in entirety, for medical based foot and leg
complaints.
Seek an experienced and qualified specialist for your pain.
HEEL PAIN l BALL OF FOOT PAIN l TENDONS PAIN/STRAIN l ACHILLES TENDON
l SHIN PAIN l KNEE PAIN l HIP PAIN l FUNGAL NAIL INFECTIONS l DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND
01952 677 063
www.thefootdoctor.co.uk
Independence and peace of
mind at the touch of a button
C
Fro
m
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jus
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A WATCH alarm provides reassurance and help when needed,
24 hours a day through a dedicated response team.
To book a FREE home demonstration please call
01952 217151
www.watchalarms.co.uk
32 Care and Community.indd 2
24/03/2016 20:11
Home
Services
If you would like to advertise
in Home Services...
Call Irene Winning on 01952 415334
Email: irene.winning@ppmedia.co.uk
WG
Wholesale GLASS
& Glazing
From replacement, broken
or misted glazed units
To Mirrors, shelves, greenhouse
& picture glass
“IF IT’S GLASS,
WE DO IT!”
24/7 EMERGENCY REPAIR
CALL: 01952 216060
www.wholesaleglasstelford.co.uk
Stafford Park TF3 3BA
HEMS LTD
SPECIALISTS IN
FLAT ROOFING
Residential, Commercial, Retail
refurbs/refits, Extensions
For a free Quote
Call Duncan on
FREE ADVERTS
Belling bread and
dough
maker.
Good working order.
£10.00.
Bionaire air purifier.
Never used, £20.00
Telephone) 01952
529512
Bosch leaf blow-
er/vacuum. Used
once. Guarantee.
£20.00 Telephone)
01952 612967 after
1pm
Sale of various DIY
workshop items to
include 14” bandsaw, crosscut hand
tools and power
tools. Telephone)
01952 603773 after
5pm
Small hutch. Nearly new. Only used
once. 3ft wide 1 1/2ft
depth. £20.00 ono.
Telford 404472.
SALOP MOBILITY
Bible Prophecy
and The Gospel Message
Are you aware that:JESUS CHRIST has PROMISED to
RETURN to the EARTH
International events fulfilling Bible Prophecy proclaim
his coming is near
What are you doing to prepare for that day?
Send for further information to:The Secretary, Apostolic Fellowship of Christ
Bethgur, 52a Dartford Road, Dartford Kent, DA1 3ER, UK
07788 952 381
Based in Ironbridge
YOUR LOCAL COMPANY
Mobility Specialists
Free Assessment
Free Delivery
23 High Street, Market Drayton
Shropshire, TF9 1QF
Tel: 01630 654 381
Mob: 07736 681 6003
Email: info@salop-mobility.co.uk
ROOFING
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SELL YOUR UNWANTED
ITEMS FREE THROUGH THE
WREKIN NEWS!!
RECOVERY
Auto Mechanical
Rescue & Repair
24hr Recovery for buses, coaches,
cars, motorcycles, light, heavy,
commercials. Fuel drain
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point Hilton Park Services, Staffs
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TEL: 01952 583600
HALESFIELD 21 · TELFORD · SHROPSHIRE TF7 4NX
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CALL NOW ON:
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OR EMAIL AT
Send coupon to WELLINGTON NEWS, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1RY.
d.allmark@sky.com
34 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
34 Home Services.indd 1
24/03/2016 19:05
Theatre
Time
INCLUDING
Two pages of the best theatre reviews, listings and competitions!
Jodie Prenger at
Theatre Seven
Our own
Events Around
the Wrekin
listing
Derek Ryan in concert
T
HEATRE SEVEN are
proud to announce
that Jodie Prenger
will be starring in her
one-woman show, Tell Me
On A Sunday on Thursday
and Friday 26-27 May.
Following her acclaimed
performance in the Watermill
Theatre’s 2014 production
of Calamity Jane, she now
steps into Andrew Lloyd
Webber and Don Black’s
classic musical, TELL ME
ON A SUNDAY. Charting the
romantic misadventures of
an English girl in New York
during the heady days of the
1980’s, this iconic musical
features a wonderful original
score including the charttopping Take That Look Off
Your Face.
Performed by many legendary musical theatre stars
including Marti Webb and
Sarah Brightman, this new
2016 production directed by
Paul Foster includes an intimate post-show chat with
Jodie about life, love and
playing the role of Emma.
Win tickets to see Jodie
Prenger
n
i
W
to
tickets ie
d
see Jo
Theatre Severn and
Wrekin News are combining to offer a pair of tickets
to see Jodie Prenger in Tell
Me On A Sunday.
All you have to do is answer this simple question.
Don Black has co-written
this evergreen musical but
what famous song writer
has he collaborated with
on this particular production.
There, we said it was
easy. Now send your answers with a daytime telephone number to: James
Baylis, Wrekin News,
Bridge Street, Wellington,
Telford TF1 1RY or email
James at: james.baylis@
ppmedia.co.uk
DEREK RYAN IN Concert is
coming to The Place, Oakengates on Wednesday 27
April.
Derek Ryan’s rise to become one of the biggest
stars of Irish Country music has been phenomenal.
IN just over five years few
artists have made such an
impact on the Irish country scene like the County
Carlow singer songwriter. He
has brought a fresh, distinctive sound to Irish country
with many of his own songs.
Win a pair of tickets to see
WIN A PAIR OF
TICKETS TO SEE
DEREK RYAN
Derek Ryan
All you have to do to see
Derek Ryan in Concerts is
answer this easy question.
Derek is from southern
Ireland but can you name
which county he hails from?
There, we said it was
easy. Now send your answers with a daytime telephone number to: James
Baylis, Wrekin News, Bridge
Street, Wellington, Telford
TF1 1RY or email James
at: james.baylis@ppmedia.
co.uk.
March Competition Winners
There are three winners of our Actipatch
competition:
Mrs M Jackson, Wellington.
Mrs A Middleton, Priorslee.
Lynn & Barry Lovatt, Wellington.
Tickets for Gardeners World brought four winners:
Mrs J Croker, Wellington.
Kate Chinn, Shawbirch.
Jennifer Bradley, Albrighton.
Mrs Ruth Evans, Horton Lane.
www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 35
35 Theatre Time.indd 1
24/03/2016 17:54
Events around the Wrekin…
YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON WHERE UNDER THE WREKIN IN MARCH
Arabian Nights at
Theatre Severn!
Shifting Sands Theatre present a show that is both hilarious and moving, in a
refreshing and imaginative adaptation of the classic tales. Arabian Nights – and Days!
is being staged at the Theatre Severn on Thursday 5 May.
The Sultan summons a new wife every night. Every morning she is killed. The
number of his victims mounts. The fear grows. Who will be next? Then Scherazade,
the daughter of the High Counsellor, demands to be his next wife. All are
dumbfounded. Has she lost her senses?
Hilarious and moving, ARABIAN NIGHTS ...and DAYS! is a feast of physical theatre
and clowning, a celebration of the power of stories to stir our imagination and to
make us laugh. They reveal our hopes, our dreams... and our demons!
Win a pair of tickets to Arabian Nights!
Wrekin News and Theatre Severn have combined to offer a pair of tickets to one
lucky reader.
All you have to do is answer this simple question. The Sultan takes a new wife
every day; what happens to them the following morning?
There, we said it was easy. Now send your answers with a daytime telephone
number to: James Baylis, Wrekin News, Bridge Street, Wellington,
Telford TF1 1RY or email James at: james.baylis@ppmedia.co.uk
INTO THE SHADOWS
FRIDAY 22nd APRIL 2016
SATURDAY 23rd APRIL 2016
Starts at 8:00pm
Into the Shadows recreate the
unique sounds of The Shadows.
Tickets £12.00
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
THURSDAY 28th APRIL 2016
Starts at 7:30 pm
SUNDAY 1st MAY 2016
Starts at 2:30pm
‘Amazing performance, displaying
excellence in acting, directing, producing
and music...Everyone should see it!’
Tickets £18.00
BOX OFFICE
01746 766477
Town Hall, High Street, Bridgnorth
BOOK ONLINE
www.theatreonthesteps.co.uk
Friday April 1 Alternative
Route, The Malthouse, Ironbridge, 01952 433712
www.themalthouseironbridge.co.uk
Saturday 2 April OD
Slope, Malt Shovel, Leegomery, 8pm 01952 242963 www.
odslope.com
Saturday 2 April The
Kindred The Malthouse, Ironbridge 01952 433712 www.
themalthouseironbridge.
co.uk
Saturday 2 April Ska 2
Nite, Britannia Inn, Aqueduct,
8pm 01952 591488 www.atthebritannia.co.uk
Saturday 2 April Rhi
Moore duo, Unicorn Inn, Little Dawley, 9pm
Sunday 3 April Mark
Stevens Acoustic, The New
Inn, Newport, 6pm 01952
812295 www.atthenewinn.
co.uk www.thenewinnnewport.co.uk
Friday 8 April Microbaby,
The Malthouse, Ironbridge,
01952 433712 www.themalthouseironbridge.co.uk
Saturday 9 April Dave
Falshaw, Britannia Inn, Aqueduct, 8pm 01952 591488
www.atthebritannia.co.uk
Saturday 9 April Black
Country Rock, The Malt-
house, Ironbridge 01952
433712, www.themalthouseironbridge.co.uk
Saturday 9 April Lisa
Stevens, Unicorn Inn, Little
Dawley, 9pm
Sunday 10 April Kev
Thursfield, Unicorn Inn, Little
Dawley, 6.30pm
Friday 15 April HMV
Band The Malthouse, Ironbridge 01952 433712 www.
themalthouseironbridge.
co.uk www.thehmvband.com
Saturday 16 April Alexandra Jayne, Malt Shovel, Leegomery, 8pm. 01952 242963
www.alexandrajaynemusic.
com
Saturday 16 April Kev
Taylor, Britannia Inn, Aqueduct, 8pm Free 01952
591488 www.atthebritannia.
co.uk
Saturday 16 April Kaleidoscope Ensemble Clarinet
Quintet, Cosy Hall, Newport, 7.30pm, £11 (student
£3) 01952 810584 / 01785
822196 www.newportmusicclub.org
Saturday 16 April Urban
Folk Quartet, Moreton Millennium Community Centre,
near Newport, 7.30pm £12
01952 691222 www.millenniumhall-moreton.co.uk www.
APRIL
Friday 1st - Wolff, Koncept & Interrobang
Family Ticket £11.75 Concessions £12.00 Tickets £14.00
MAMA Genesis Tribute
A BLACK COUNTRY
FRIDAY 6th MAY
NIGHT OUT
SATURDAY 7th MAY 2016
Starts at 8:00pm
Back for two nights with two
completely different shows
FRIDAY Mama presents an
evening of Genesis Music
Saturday Mama plays the hits
of Genesis, Phil Collins,
Peter Gabriel and Mike and
The Mechanics
Out and About - Your guide!
FRIDAY 29th APRIL 2016
Starts at 7:30pm
It’s back and packing a punch!!
The legendary Black Country
Night Out, a show full of
music, mirth and merriment.
Tickets £18.00
SHAKESPEARE’S WILL
FRIDAY 13th MAY 2016
Starts at 8:00pm
A play of the moment 400 years ago!
Tickets £12.00
CONCESSIONS £10.00
Saturday 2nd - Collision
Friday 8th - Knucklebones
Friday 15th - The Original Wanted
Saturday 16th - Generations
Friday 22nd- Envy of the State
Saturday 23rd - Steel Monkey
Friday 29th April-Sunday 1st May
All Day Charity Event
Featuring Diamond Head & 25 other bands
Sat 7th May - Guns ‘n’ Roses Tribute band
UT!
ISS O
DON’T M
26 HAYGATE RD, WELLINGTON,
TELFORD, TF1 1QA - 01952 247333
FACEBOOK.COM/THEHAYGATE
theufq.com
Saturday 16 April Jessica
Beckett, Unicorn Inn, Little
Dawley, 9pm.
Saturday 16th April Neon
Collective Birchmeadow Centre, Broseley, 7.30pm £9 adv
or on the door £10 01952
882210 or 07890 057832
www.birchmeadow.org.uk
Sunday 17 April Paul
Parker & All the Right Friends
The New Inn, Newport.
6pm 01952 812295, www.
atthenewinn.co.uk www.thenewinnnewport.co.uk www.
alltherightfriends.com
Wednesday 20 April
Fiddle, Folk, Blues & a bit
of Country too! 8pm 01952
812295 www.atthenewinn.
co.uk www.thenewinnnewport.co.uk
Friday 22 April Project
Jam Sandwich, All Saints’
Church, Broseley, 7.30pm
£8 (U26 £4) U19 £1, 01743
367482 or 01952 882236
www.shropshiremusictrust.
co.uk www.projectjamsandwich.com www.ticketsource.
co.uk/smt
Friday 22 April Living for
the Weekend, The Malthouse,
Ironbridge, 01952 433712
www.themalthouseironbridge.
co.uk
Saturday 23 April Adam
Hodson, Britannia Inn, Aqueduct, 8pm 01952 591488
www.atthebritannia.co.uk
www.adamhodson.co.uk
Saturday 23 April Sonic
Boom, The Malthouse, Ironbridge 01952 433712 www.
themalthouseironbridge.
co.uk
Tuesday 26 April 2016
Telford Wildlife Forum Wolves in Shropshire, Horsehay Village Hall, Bridge Road,
Horsehay, TF4 2NF, SWT’s
Helen Trotman takes a tongue
in cheek look at the reintroduction of the Wolf. Discover
the true wolf, its place in
our history and the outlook,
7:30pm to 9:30pm, £2 SWT
members, £3 non-members
inc refreshments. No booking
necessary. Stephen Mitchell
01952 590820 Rob Doran
01952 407021.
36 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
36 Events.indd 1
24/03/2016 19:47
Act promtply, what
have you got to lose?
You may have seen in
the news recently that
the Financial Conduct
Authority are looking at
setting a deadline for
new PPI claims, and I
would urge you to make
it one of your new year
resolutions to make sure
you do not miss out.
A
RE YOU intrigued
by the Newspaper, Radio and TV
adverts, or sick
to death of the barrage
of phone calls, text messages, and emails asking
“HAVE YOU GOT PPI?”
Have you wondered how
your relatives, friends and
neighbour’s have been
affording new cars, and
expensive home improvements over the last few
years?
cards and mortgages, going back in many cases as
long as 25 years.
The banks have already
paid out an estimated £26
billion.
Many of my clients
didn’t even know they had
PPI on their overdraft, loan,
credit card, mortgage and
Business accounts.
Using the knowledge I
built up as a Senior Manager with a major high
street Bank, over a 32 year
career, I have been able to
PPI FACTS
help more than 400 local
20 million PPI policies people get back everything
were sold on loans, credit that is due to them since
CLEANTEX LINEN AND WORKWEAR RENTAL
Laundry collection
or drop off at
B3 Stafford Park 11,
Telford, TF3 3AY
establishing my business
in 2012.
Whilst settlements vary
from less than £200, to
more than £45000, my average is more than £4500,
and remember this is your
money, and my 12.5% fee
is amongst the lowest you
will find.
The service that I offer
is face to face, in your own
home, and you will not
have to pay a penny until
you actually get a compensation pay out.
What have you got to
lose? Call 07715115076.
Tel: 01952 292393
50% off duvets and pillows for
March - April
HOUSEHOLD
AND
BUSINESS
LAUNDRY
Have you taken out a loan, credit card, finance agreement or
mortgage in the last 20 years?
You may have been mis-sold a Payment Protection Plan (PPI)
and could be due compensation of hundreds or possibly
thousands of pounds!
www.wrekinnews.co.uk / 37
33 Acorn.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:52
Sport
> Rob Smith and Larry Chambers - leading
the Bucks to safety?
Email James Baylis with your sports news
james.baylis@ppmedia.co.uk
BUCKS LEAP
TOWARDS
SAFETY
By Lez Dean
J
UST a few short
weeks ago AFC
Telford United needed to produce promotion form if they were to
escape the threat of relegation, unbelievably that is
just what they are doing.
Four wins on the trot has
propelled Rob Smith’s men
out of the danger area and
looking upward. The job is
not completed yet but Bucks
fans can finally consider
the possibility of salvation.
At last their team is scoring
goals, keeping clean sheets
and perhaps most satisfying
of all, playing their best football for some time.
Telford were hoping to
build on their fine 3-2 win at
Alfreton as they entertained
Chorley. The Lancashire
outfit were on a reasonable
run themselves and looked a
tough nut to crack. It was the
TROTFIELD WINDOWS
CELEBRATING 34 YEARS IN BUSINESS
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Email sales@trotfieldwindows.co.uk or call:
Est. 1982
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Est. 1982
Sunday & Evenings 01952 510595
www.trotfieldwindowsltd.co.uk
1 Madeley Road, Ironbridge, Telford, TF8 7PP
visitors who began the best
and dominated for the first
twenty minutes. They held
the ball well and kept the
recalled James Montgomery in the home goal on
his toes. The Bucks though
are now a resilient outfit and
held off any potential danger
with relative ease. As the half
wore on Telford themselves
pressed for an opener with
the busy Connor McCarthy
looking particularly threatening. It was his persistence
which led to a chance for
Josh Wilson whose shot was
blocked as it looked goalbound.
Soon after, the Bucks took
the lead, McCarthy again
making a nuisance off himself before laying off to John
Cofie whose exquisite curling effort found the corner of
the net. The prospects of a
home win improved greatly
on the stroke of half time
as Chorley’s Andy Teague
was sent off for grabbing
Wilson around the throat in
an off the ball incident. The
resulting penalty was coolly
tucked away by Lucas Dawson. From that point on the
result was never really in
doubt as Telford managed
the situation well.
The Bucks were now
hunting an unlikely third win
on the trot as they travelled to
Wetherby Road, the home of
Harrogate Town. The home
side boasted new signing
Liam Hearn in their line up.
The former Lincoln, Grimsby
and Alfreton man had made
a name for himself as a prolific goal-getter in the non
league scene and was a man
Telford needed to be wary of.
The striker was soon into his
stride and fired wide early
on. Once Hearn had found
his range, Montgomery, who
was to have a fine game,
was on hand to save well
twice. As Town dominated
Dave McGurk was next to try
his luck but again Montgomery was too good. United
made a significant substitution on twenty five minutes as the injured Graham
Hutchison was replaced by
Mike Grogan. The midfielder,
making a rare appearance,
was soon to remind Bucks
fans of what they were missing as he found his way onto
the scoresheet as the half
drew to a close.
The goal came following a
dangerous Dawson free-kick
from the right had found its
way to Grogan’s head inviting him to nod in. It was now
up to the Telford defence to
secure the points as Harrogate pressed forward for the
second forty-five minutes.
Despite a few scares the
Bucks defence held out well.
Montgomery continued to be
the key man and saved from
Hearn again before tipping
a rasping Brendan Daniels
free-kick over the bar. The
young keeper was again on
his toes late in the game
to thwart Jordan Thewlis to
seal the victory and see the
Bucks put some daylight between themselves and the
relegation places.
Bottom club Corby Town
will have been wary of facing
an in form Bucks side at the
New Bucks Head and soon
found their opponents moving the ball quickly. Some of
Telford’s football was slick
but they may have been
guilty of overconfidence as
potentially dangerous moves
broke down as the result of
an over elaborate approach.
As it happened the first
serious chance of the day
did fall to Telford as Grogan’s
powerful header was tipped
over the bar by Town keeper
Sam Donkin. Whilst Smith’s
post match assessment that
his side had been sloppy
during the first period bore
some truth the Bucks always looked the better team
and most likely to break
the deadlock. This they did
midway through the half as
McCarthy battled down the
left before releasing Darren
Campion who fired the ball
across the box where Wilson
was waiting to dive headlong to send the ball beyond
Donks.
Corby were enjoying their
best spell of the game when
McCarthy was involved
once more as Telford scored
again midway through the
second half. The diminutive
striker was tripped in the area allowing Dawson to score
from the spot. It was not
long before the points were
sealed with substitute Izak
Reid scoring with his first
touch a minute later. Telford
now looked forward to the
Easter programme and the
possibility of securing their
National league north status
as they took on Tamworth
and Brackley.
38 / www.wrekinnews.co.uk
38 Sport.indd 1
24/03/2016 19:13
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24/03/2016 11:31
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Furrows Full Page.indd 1
24/03/2016 18:00