A fledgling Leigh company is leading efforts to cut the number of cars on our roads. http://www.isanyonegoingto.com (external link)is a car sharing website that puts travellers in touch with one another before they make a journey – and with 20,000 members it’s already the fastest growing car share site in the UK. Founder Craig Slater says the social networking site is targeted especially at 18 to 25 year olds and businesses – and could be especially useful for festival goers this summer.
Leigh Sports Village and Robin Park Arena and Sports Centre have both been included in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide. It means that both sites could be used as training facilities by competing nations from across the globe as part of their preparations for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics to be held in London.
Police and council road safety officers caught more than 200 motorists driving illegally in just one day. Officers on patrol around Newtown and Robin Park stopped and spoke to drivers using mobile phones at the wheel and not wearing seatbelts as well as people using illegal number plates.
Tyldesley’s historic centre has come under the spotlight in a detailed new study. Wigan Council is reviewing the town’s conservation area, which was first created almost 20 years ago in 1989. Now a fascinating report looking at its architecture and history has been produced.
A new group has been formed in Wigan for sufferers with the neurological condition Ataxia that affects muscle coordination. For details of local support and activities contact John Gurhy on 01942 862464, or email johngurhy@btinternet.com
The stars came out in Golborne when the Royal Observatory came to town. All Saints Primary School had a videoconferencing date with the famous Greenwich institution in a national competition organised by the Joint Academic Network (JANET). Greenwich and Golborne linked up for ‘Earth and Beyond’, a fantastic opportunity for schoolchildren to learn about the solar system, using striking images of the planets direct from the home of Greenwich Mean Time.
Council chiefs and police have hit out at ‘irresponsible’ adults who buy alcohol for children. An investigation into underage sales in Ashton and Bryn targeted off-licences alleged to be selling alcohol to young people. But it found that many adults were willingly buying alcohol then passing it on to children as young as 13. Anyone with information about underage alcohol sales can call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 (calls charged at local rate).
Former England rugby union coach Brian Ashton has touched down at the new Leigh Sports Village complex. Leigh-born Brian was guest speaker at the borough sports council’s annual meeting. He told guests: “I can’t believe what a transformation the sports village has made to Leigh, and the range of fantastic sporting facilities now available to the people of the town.”
Congratulations to Bobbie Masnyk of Ashton, and Lynn Healy and Chloe Jordan from Wigan. All three won book tokens in our Spring literary Wordsearch. And well done Mr Dooley from Astley and Mrs Aspinall in Standish for winning a meal and trip in our Romance restaurant boat competition.
Visitors to Wigan Pier can now see the magnificent Trencherfield Mill engine for free every Sunday. You can experience it working as it did all those years ago - full steam ahead! Viewing slots available every Sunday are: 11am to 11.45am, and 1pm to 1.45pm. No booking is required.
Borough residents can still have their say about alcohol following last month’s Big Drink Debate across the North West. Visitors to www.saferwigan.org.uk can tell the Wigan & Leigh Community Safety Partnership what they think are the highs and lows of alcohol, and what they think about related issues such as advertising and drinkfuelled crime.
Hundreds of Wigan teenagers will soon be able to study for new diplomas that have been hailed as ‘the future qualification of choice’ in England’s schools and colleges. The council has been given the go ahead to teach seven of the new diplomas, which are being introduced by the government following a major review of education for 14 to 19 year olds.
A new service to help people make a swift transition from a state of dependency to independence is being introduced by Wigan Council. The council’s reablement team will support people who have just left hospital or residential care – or work to prevent them from having to go there in the first place.
