Hale Independent Issue 194

JULY 2026 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 Mike Hulme mike@independentnewspapers.co.uk CONTACT JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk ADVERTISING Robin Atkins 07767 840274 robin@cheshireindependent.co.uk CONTACT US SHOWROOM: 410 Flixton Road, Flixton M41 6QY DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL ROLLERS - ROMANS - WOOD VENETIANS - VERTICALS bd BLINDS DIRECT Flixton For a FREE no obligation quote call: 0161 749 8525 A HALE Barns school is marking a landmark year, celebrating its 65th anni- versary alongside winning a prestigious Schools Green Flag Award for environmen- tal excellence. Elmridge Primary School first opened its doors on 1 May 1961 and has since become a corner- stone of the local community, educating generations of Hale Barns children. To mark the anniversary, pupils spent a week taking part in special activities looking back at the school’s history and forward to its future. These included historical workshops, the creation of a time capsule, acts of kindness, gratitude ses- sions and a festival day complete with games, arts and crafts, and inflatables donated by the PTA. The celebrations also show- cased close ties between schools in the Bright Futures Educa- tional Trust, with A-level His- tory students from Altrincham Grammar School for Girls help- ing pupils explore what life was like in the 1960s. Themilestone year was capped by the school earning the Schools Green Flag Award, recognising its work on sustainability and environmental responsibility. Under the guidance of Mr Stant and the school’s Eco-War- riors group, pupils have put together a Climate Action Plan, boosted biodiversity across the school grounds and woven sus- tainable practices into daily school life. Projects have included new wildlife habitats, pollina- tor-friendly planting, litter picks, encouraging active travel, and expanding outdoor learning. The school has also made ener- gy-efficient upgrades, including LED lighting and solar panels, cutting its environmental foot- print while encouraging pupils to think of themselves as respon- sible global citizens. Elmridge has continued invest- ing in its facilities alongside these achievements, refurbishing its Music Hub and Breakfast Club spaces. The school’s nursery is also undergoing a remodel, with the improved space due to open in time for the new academic year. PLANS for a new residential development on land adjacent to Willow End in Styal have been refused. GR Jones Property Ltd applied to build ten houses and a three storey building consisting of ten apart- ments on Moss Lane in Styal. The site is undeveloped land, located within the Green Belt and known to have surface water flooding issues. Councillors voted unanimously for refusal. THE famous chandeliers that once held centre stage in Manchester Airport have been reborn as an iconic art installation in its new £1.3bn super terminal. For decades, four glass chan- deliers hung in the former Ter- minal 1, greeting millions of people as they prepared to fly on holiday or for business – before being taken down in 2003. Since then, they have just represented a fond memory for those who recalled a favourite family trip or friends’ getaway. Now, they have been brought back to life in a 482-piece instal- lation that features colourful parachutes with stunning glass droplets made from the original chandeliers. They welcome pas- sengers as they move from the security hall to the departure lounge in Terminal 2. The installation, named Atmos- pheric Reflections of the North, references the North’s industrial heritage with a nod to the airport’s own history as a training facility for the Parachute Regiment in 1940 during World War 2. The droplets are clustered into cloud formations, an appropriate nod to the weather in the North, with each parachute reflecting a unique pattern of lines that repre- sent the flight paths of the airport. Aluminium hexagon tags are attached to each chandelier, reflecting the city’s industrial history. Each one has been allo- cated to an individual or organi- sation associated with the airport. Replica commemorative tags have been made out of brass similar to memorial coins received during significant historical milestones. TRAFFORD Council has completed the first phase of a scheme to upgrade bus stops across Sale, withwork now finished on Firs Way and Manor Ave- nue and around 40 more stops earmarked for improvement. Residents in Sale will have noticed a fresh look to some of their local bus stops, as the council wraps up phase one of a borough-wide accessibil- ity drive. The scheme covers a key corridor running through Sale West and into north Altrincham and forms part of a wider push to remodel road junctions in the area for the benefit of pedestri- ans and cyclists, as well as bus passengers. Eight stops have been improved in this first phase, all on Firs Way andManor Avenue. Work began in spring with the northbound and south- bound stops at Chepstow Avenue on Firs Way, before crews moved on to the northbound and southbound stops at Cat- terick Avenue. The programme then continued on Manor Ave- nue, where it has now been completed. The improvements were car- ried out by the One Traf- ford partnership, which brings together the coun- cil and contractor Amey and funded by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). They include new surfacing, kerbs, poles and shelters, along with level changes designed to cut stepping distances and make boarding and Styal homes plans refused Bus stop upgrades rolled out alighting easier. The council says the changes will be of particular benefit to wheelchair users and people with impairments, as well as improving comfort and safety for everyone using the bus. It’s only the beginning of a much bigger scheme – around 40 bus stops are due to be upgraded in total, with this corner of Trafford one part of a wider bus stop improvement programme being rolled out across Greater Manchester. Further phases of the upgrade programme are expected to be rolled out in the coming months as work continues along the route. Airport marks completion of its reimagined chandeliers How the original chandeliers looked in the former Terminal 1 The reimagined chandeliers at Manchester Airport Landmark year for school