Hale Independent Issue 176

MARCH 2025 2 ! Continued from page one The full event pro- gramme is now availa- ble for download or to be picked-up from Altrin- cham Library and par- ticipating businesses. Mandy White, Altrin- cham BID director, said: “A Taste of Altrincham is all about celebrating the incredible diversity of the town’s food and drink offerings. “Whether you’re a foodie looking to explore new flavours or someone simply wanting to enjoy a meal with family or friends, there’s something for everyone. “We are thrilled to have Myerson Solicitors on board as our head- line sponsor, and we are grateful for the support provided by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in bringing this event to life.” Whetting the appetite GREATERManchester is to receive £20.8million to fund new walking, wheeling and cycling routes. The cash will help the city region deliver a range of active travel schemes and is part of a £291m national pot to build ‘happier, healthier and greener’ places. New guidance to help councils engage and ensure local communities are involved in new projects The funding is yet to be allocated locally yet but will focus on a range of walking and wheeling projects, the strategic cycle network, travel to school, access to cycles and integration with public transport. To mark the announcement, local transport minister, Simon Lightwood visited Stockport to see some of the good work Greater Manchester is doing to build a fully-integrated public trans- port system and active travel network in Stockport. Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Helping more people to get the health benefits of walking, wheeling and cycling is at the heart of the Bee Network. “Our plan to connect 95 per cent of our residents to within 400m of high-qual- ity active travel routes is arguably the boldest in the country. “We’re already seeing more people choose active travel over the car for short journeys. This latest funding will help us build on our success to date and demonstrates confidence – at the highest level – in the Bee Network. “Stockport is the blueprint for what we want to deliver across Greater Manches- ter, focusing new homes and regenera- tion around excellent public transport infrastructure in our town centres. “The more people we can persuade to leave the car at home, the more we will make the traffic flow and the roads better for everyone.” The national funding package will allow the construction of more than 300 miles of new walkways and cycle lanes across the country. PEOPLE in Altrincham, Sale and Hale are being urged to help shape pharmacy services in Trafford by taking part in a quick survey. The council, the NHS, Healthwatch and the Community Pharmacy Eng- land are all keen to find out more about what services people use and need, and how they could be better provided. The Greater Manchester-wide Phar- maceutical Needs Assessment, which takes place every three years, is open until Friday March 21 and printed cop- ies are available on request. As well as dispensing prescrip- tions and over the counter drugs, pharmacies typically deliver medicine to people’s homes, they provide urgent supplies to the NHS and dispose of unwanted medications. They often open early and late, and at the weekend, and work with NHS 111, give advice, offer emergency and other contraception, perform vaccina- tions and a range of health checks. Other services sometimes include supporting people to stop smoking, or access free items to treat minor ailments. They also help people with substance misuse issues, for example overseeing medicine consumption. Jane Slater, council executive mem- ber for healthy and independent lives, said: “A lot of people think of pharma- cies as a place to pick up their prescrip- tion from, but they do so much more in our communities. “This survey is a chance for residents to talk about the positives of what their pharmacy does for them – but also we need to know of anything negative, such as gaps in services local to them, or problems such accessibility, that might make it difficult to call in.” NORTHERN has moved a step closer to the largest ever investment in its fleet which could even- tually see up to 450 new trains travelling across its network. The publicly owned operator has invited major manufacturers to begin negotiations to supply new trains to operate across the North, serving stations includ- ing Altrincham. The new trains will be introduced on a phased basis, replacing the oldest units in Northern’s exist- ing fleet, most of which have been in service since the 1980s and 90s. Approximately two thirds of the existing fleet is targeted to be replaced in the next ten years. They will be a mix of electric and multi-modal (diesel/electric) powered trains and prospective manufacturers have been asked to include battery-powered trains as part of their proposals. Multi-modal units in the order will be capable of conversion to battery or electric-only operation during their lifetime, in line with the govern- ment’s commitment to Top chef: Robert Owen Brown from the Cheshire Cookery School (Photo credit: Altrincham BID) CHEF DEMOS ANDWORKSHOPS • Sourdough baking class withMOST Bakery • Cooking with fish and shellfish, a live demo with Cheshire Cookery School • Sushi making demo with Unagi • Cocktail making at Memories Cafe Bar • Children’s sushi workshop with Cheshire Cookery School • Pizza Masterclass at Nell’s Pizza FOOD AND DRINK EXPERIENCES • The‘Ultimate Altrincham Pudding’final • Supper clubwith tasting menu at Blanchflower • Six course tastingmenu at Aspire Restaurant, Trafford College •Wine and cheese night at Alibi • Crime and Nourishment Book Groupwith set menu and author Q&A •‘Sip and Paint’at Tre CicciowithMoss Studio •‘Foodie Films’at the Everyman Altrincham • Gin tasting event at Gin Can To stay up to date on the latest events, offers and exclusive experiences during the festival visit visitaltrincham.com/ taste-of-altrincham 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. Tel. 01204 478812 EDITOR : Ged Henderson ged@hendersonnewsandmedia.com CONTACT: JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 / 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk ADVERTISING: Robin Atkins 07767 840274 robin@cheshireindependent.co.uk CONTACT US Have your say on pharmacy services On track for new trains £21m boost for active travel deliver a cleaner, greener railway as part of its net- zero objectives. By reducing the num- ber of different types of trains, it will signif- icantly simplify oper- ations, help with staff training, and lower maintenance costs – all of which will help reduce taxpayer subsidy. Tricia Williams, man- aging director of North- ern, said: “Almost 60 per cent of the trains in our fleet are between 32 and 40 years old and, while they’ve served the region well, it’s important we get the ball rolling on their replacement. “It’s game-changing for Northern and will trans- form the look and feel of our fleet for millions of customers – and it also cements electric and battery as the long-term power source of choice for our fleet.” It is expected the con- tract will be awarded to the successful bidder or bidders in 2026, with an aim to have first trains delivered to Northern by 2030. Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 ser- vices a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England. MANCHESTER Airport has released a fly-through video giving passengers a taste of what its Terminal 2 will look like when it is fully open. The video follows the full passen- ger journey from arriving in the new check-in hall, going through security and into the new section of the departure lounge It shows passengers where shops, bars and restaurants like Chanel, LEGO, the airport’s first JD Wetherspoon pub and its showpiece Great Northern Market will be Manchester Airport’s ambitious £1.3billion,10-year transformation programme will be completed later this year. The first phase of the programme – an extension that doubled the size of Terminal 2 – opened in 2021. Since then, work to revamp the original part of the building, creating more space for seating, security, shops and restaurants and check-in has been ongoing. Last year, the airport announced the names of more than 20 new shops, cafes, restaurants and bars will be opening in the new part of the terminal. They include a Chanel outlet, Lego Store, the airport’s first Wetherspoon pub, a Fever-Tree bar and its new Great Northern Mar- ket – a dining experience featuring a range of street-food-style kitch- ens around a central eating area. Now the airport has shared a first look at what passengers will experience when they use the new terminal via a fly-through video that augments computer generated imagery of parts of the terminal that are under construction with the parts that have been finished to show the full experience. Airport managing director Chris Woodroofe said: “There’s a huge amount of work going on all over the airport but this video shows it will all be worth it.” Airport’s fly-through video takes off HERE IS A SNEAK PEEK AT JUST A FEW OF THE EXCITING EVENTS PLANNED: To advertise call Jayne on 01204 478812