Midcheshire Independent Issue 178

MAY 2025 2 No part of this publicationmay be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for claims made. © Investors in Publishing Ltd 2025. This newspaper is publishedmonthly by Investors in Publishing, Publishing House, 3 Bridgebank Industrial Estate, Taylor Street, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PD. 01204 478812 EDITOR Ged Henderson ged@hendersonnewsandmedia.com CONTACT JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 or 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk ADVERTISING Robin Atkins 07767 840274 robin@cheshireindependent.co.uk CONTACT US A CHERISHED green space in Northwich has undergone a trans- formation to make it more accessible. Access improvements car- ried out at Leftwich Meadow include dropped kerbs, acces- sible gates, improved path- ways and new signage. Cheshire West and Chester Council secured UK shared prosperity fund (UKSPF) funding to carry out the work to allow more people to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the meadow. Council officers worked in collaboration with the But- terfly Conservation, and a key highlight of the project has been the creation of an engaging and educational information panel. It pro- motes awareness of the vital role elm trees in the Meadow play, as a habitat for the elusive White-Letter Hair- streak butterfly. The new access routes are now open to the public and visitors are encouraged to explore the Meadow and cel- ebrate its biodiversity. Stuart Bingham, the council’s cabinet member for community safety and neighbourhood pride, said: “The collaboration between the council, local organisa- tions and Butterfly Conser- vation, as well as the access to UKSPF funding, has pro- vided a fantastic opportunity to improve our community’s connection to nature.” – is also now back in coun- cil control. The services were previously managed by Orbitas Bereave- ment Services Ltd and Ansa Environmental Services. The switch follows an extensive review of two of the cash-strapped council’s wholly-owned companies and a decision by its finance sub-committeemade last June. Lata Anderson, vice chair of the council’s finance sub-com- mittee, said: “The decision to bring the services delivered by Ansa and Orbitas back in-house is considered the best way to deliver these ser- vices to our residents going forward, and it forms a key part of our whole-organisation transformation programme. “Our key priorities while bringing these services back in-house have been to ensure that high-quality frontline services continue to be delivered efficiently and effectively, and that all staff affected by these changes have been supported. “I would like to reassure residents that services, including bin collections, will continue as normal, while ensuring value for money for the council and our residents. “The council also recognises that both Ansa and Orbitas colleagues have brought with them a lot of knowledge, commitment and experience, which will be of great value as the authority moves towards delivering exciting transfor- mational change.” NANTWICH town square was bursting with music, colour, and community spirit as crowds flocked to enjoy a free open- air event. The day long Funky Choir and Friends musical extrava- ganza attracted hundreds of happy spectators. As well as the choir, they enjoyed performances from the Grove Singers, Nant- wich Concert Band and the Sandbach and District U3A Choir. CHESHIRE Police is sup- porting a national opera- tion aimed at addressing the ‘Fatal Five’ and reducing criminality on the roads. The policing operation is running throughout April and focuses on the five key factors that contribute to the majority of serious and fatal road collisions. These are speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving, not wearing seatbelts, and careless driving. Throughout the oper- ation officers will be conducting roadside checks, enforcing speed limits, and taking action against road offenders in order to prevent collisions, protect lives, and hold offenders accountable. Officers will also be target- ing offenders who are using the roads to conduct their criminal activities, including stopping uninsured drivers, as research shows those engaged in criminality are statistically more likely to be uninsured. Inspector Brad Hughes, from Cheshire’s Roads and Crime Unit, said: “In Chesh- ire we are dedicated to policing the roads all year round, how- ever this operation gives us an opportunity to highlight and target these high-risk behav- iours in order to educate road users, prevent collisions and make our roads safer. “For each person injured or killed on the roads there are friends, families or communi- ties affected. I am encourag- ing the public to use the roads safely and not contribute to any unnecessary and prevent- able collisions. “My message to anyone who intends to use the county’s roads for their criminal activi- ties – we will take action.” A DEDICATED swimmer from Nantwich is mak- ing waves in his latest challenge to support a local charity. Ethan Carroll, 22, is push- ing himself to swim the equiv- alent distance of the English Channel during his training sessions at Crewe’s Seahorse Swimming Club (SC). His ambitious 22-mile swim at Crewe Lifestyle Centre aims to raise funds for Wish- ing Well, a charity commit- ted to enhancing the health and wellbeing of the local community through a range of services. Ethan, pictured, has been a member of Seahorse SC for a decade and is also a service user at Wishing Well. During the week, he works at Supported Community Business (SCB), an organisa- tion that provides employment opportunities for individuals with special needs. No stranger to swimming challenges, Ethan previously undertook a fundraising initiative in 2020, swimming 20 lengths of the pool on 20 separate occasions in support of the Wingate Special Chil- dren’s Trust 2020 Appeal. Despite interruptions due to Covid-19 lockdowns, he suc- cessfully completed the chal- lenge in 2021, raising £145 for the Wrenbury-based charity. Gareth Roberts, Secretary of Seahorse SC, said: “Ethan enjoys taking on swim- ming challenges. “He regularly represents Seahorse SC at galas, and swimming the length of the English Channel from Dover to Calais should be within his reach as he normally swims 40 lengths in each session.” Seahorse SC provides swimming opportunities for people with disabilities and meets every Thursday evening from 6.30pm to 7.30pm at the Lifestyle Centre in Moss Square, Crewe. Anyone wishing to support Ethan’s fundraising efforts can contact Gareth Roberts on 01270 629958 to donate. ACTON Operatic Society’s ‘Songs from the Silver Screen’ concert delighted the audience at St Mary’s church. Under the musical direction of Rachel Willis, the concert featured an impressive array of solo, duet, group, and ensemble performances from the talented members of the group. The audience was treated to a diverse selection of movie-themed music. The proceeds from the event will be shared between St Mary’s and the society. Sunshine, song and smiles On song: The Funky Choir and Friends perform (Photo credit: Jonathan White) Boost for beauty spot Council brings services back in-house Tackling the ‘Fatal Five’ Ethan makes a splash CHESHIRE East Coun- cil has brought its waste, recycling and bereave- ment services back in-house. The range of services now being directly delivered by the local authority includes bin collections, street cleans- ing, the maintenance of green spaces, parks development and fleet services. Bereavement services – including the management of cemeteries and crematoriums Opera society hits the right high notes Performance: Acton Operatic Society in full voice (Photo credit: Jonathan White)