Hale Independent Issue 172

NOVEMBER 2024 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 2024. 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 GREATER Man- chester has set out its ambition to ena- ble more children and young people to travel to school and college in an active and sustainable way. Walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting to school or college has the potential to improve children and young people’s physical and mental health, and boost their attainment in lessons. And t ravel l i ng actively on public trans- port can improve air quality near to schools, colleges and commu- nities and reduce con- gestion for everyone on the transport network during pick up and drop off times. A new draft School Travel Strategy is being developed as a shared priority between the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Transport for Greater Manches- ter (TfGM) and the 10 local authorities includ- ing Trafford. Every day around 460,000 pupils travel to more than 1,200 schools and further education establishments across CHILDREN across Trafford have been given computers as part of a digital inclu- sion campaign across the borough. Trafford Council and local housing association L&Q delivered devices to pupils throughout Octo- ber as part of a Greater Manchester-wide ‘Digi- tober’ campaign and to celebrate the national Get Online Week. Trafford’s digital inclu- sion team, along with representatives from L&Q, gifted laptops to 100 high school children across the borough. Liz Patel, the council’s exec- utive member for econ- omy and regeneration, said: “Everyone in our borough needs to be able to access services online these days and it is heart- breaking to hear that so many can’t. “ This scheme is extremely important to us as it helps bridge the gap between those who have and those who do not have suitable access to devices to get online. Thank you to our partners L&Q for helping us provide lap- tops to those children who A L T R I N C H A M is turning blue t h i s mont h i n support of men’s health initiatives. The annual ‘Paint Altrincham Blue’ cam- paign will run through- out November to raise awareness of prostate and testicular cancer as well as men’s men- tal health. The month-long pro- gramme of events will also raise funds for the charities Prostate Cancer UK and Andy’s Man Club. Businesses across the town are being encour- aged to join in by deco- rating their windows in blue, dressing in blue as a team for the day, and hosting blue-themed activities such as bake sales, cocktails, and more. A bowling net- working event, pub quiz and a comedy night at Altrincham FC are among the events taking place during the month. Tony Collier, organiser of the event, said: “Rais- ing awareness about prostate and testicular cancer is crucial. “Early detection saves lives, but many men don’t know the signs, or there often are no signs. Having been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, I know firsthand how vital it is to encour- age men to speak up and seek help. “Paint Altrincham Blue brings our com- munity together for a cause that can change lives, and I’m incredibly proud to see how much it’s grown.” THE first Black person to become a councillor in what is now Trafford has been honoured on the 150th anniversary of his birth. A Blue Plaque was unveiled outside the former home of Edward Theophilus Nelson, who served as a councillor on Hale Urban District Council for 27 years. The unveiling was part of Trafford Council’s cele- bration of Black History Month. People who attended the ceremony included Cleveland McCurdy, who was born in Guyana like Mr Nelson. John Moss, a lay reader from St Peter’s in Hale where Mr Nelson worshipped, also spoke alongside Altrin- chamGrammar School headteacher Graeme Wright and Year 12 student Oluwatosin Ariyo. Trafford mayor Amy Whyte also attended the unveiling and spoke about Mr Nelson’s achievements. She said: “To become the chair of Hale Council on two occasions shows the trust and esteem he was held in by his colleagues. “To become the chair of the Cheshire Urban Dis- trict Councils Association shows how he was rated by his peers to be someone of supreme ability.” BREWERandpubretailerHydeshascrownedthe2024 winner of its annual‘Pub Factor’singing competition. Samm Lawrence, who works at The Sam Brooks pub in Sale, was voted the overall winner. She performed the 2013 ballad‘Say Something; by Great BigWorld andChristinaAguilera and scooped a £1,000 cashprize for her live renditionof the hit song. The event, which has been running for the past three years, attracts entrants fromacross Hydes’man- aged and tenanted sites throughout theNorthWest. Eachindividualheatwinnerwasinvitedtotakepart in the grand final held atThe Cross Keys in Cheadle. Samm said: “I’m thrilled to have won and the whole event was great fun, although it was quite nerve-wracking at the grand final singing in front of so many people. The £1,000 prize will come in very handy. Adam Mayers, the brewery’s managing director, said: “We’ve got some very talented people working with us and there are future plans to invite previous winners and runners-up for a champion-of-champi- ons event.” Getting active on school travel Priority: Greater Manchester wants to see more young people walking or wheeling to school (Photo credit: TfGM) Greater Manchester. Around15 per cent of all trips in Greater Man- chester are to access education, and in the peak periods between 8-9am and 3-4pm almost half of trips are educa- tion related. Grater Manchester’s active travel commis- sioner, Dame Sarah Sto- rey, said: “School Travel is one of my six priorities in the Active Travel Mis- sion and it is important that we build on the pos- itive impact of School Streets and broaden the scope of the work to make better use of all modes within the Bee Network for journeys to and from places of education. “In order to enable young people and fami- lies to travel to school and further education on foot, bike or public transport; those choices need to feel safe, easy and accessible – and the draft School Travel Strategy sets out how we will be aiming to do this. “A public consultation is being launched as part of this work so that we can better under- stand everyone’s journey needs and I hope pupils, parents, teachers and support staff at all of our education establishments will feed in to this so that we can refine the plans and make it work for everyone.” As part of the draft strategy, Greater Man- chester is aiming for 70 per cent of primary school students in Greater Man- chester to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to school by 2030, up from 63 per cent at present. At secondary schools, the goal is for 80 per cent of pupils to walk, wheel or cycle or use public trans- port to travel to school, up from 74 per cent. The target for young people going to college or fur- ther education is also 80 per cent, up from 66 per cent. Targeted areas of proposed activity include creating safer streets around schools and continuing to deliver walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure. In addition, the draft strategy sets out how the Bee Network will deliver more reliable, accessible and afforda- ble bus services for chil- dren and young people. Vernon Everitt, trans- port commissioner, said: “Supporting journeys to school is a key function of the Bee Network. “Our draft School Travel Strategy sets out how we want to enable young people and their families to make these essential journeys safely and reliably, while making the most of the opportunities presented by the Bee Network. “Engag ing with schools, colleges and communities will be key to the draft School Travel Strategy and we will be launching a pub- lic consultation in the coming weeks to pro- gress with these conver- sations. Whether you’re a parent, teacher or part of a school community, we welcome your views.” SAMM SHOWS STAR QUALITY Winner: Samm Lawrence took home the £1,000 prize Getting young people online Tech delivery: Some of the laptops being gifted to young people in the borough need them most.” Danny Sutherland, workplace technologies analyst at L&Q, said: “Seeing the benefit that our laptops can bring to schools, low-income families, and vulnerable residents, in helping them to get online, and the difference that can bring to their lives, is truly heartwarm- ing and inspiring.” Earlier this year, Traf- ford Council launched Trafford Tech4All to provide hundreds of vul- nerable people with lap- tops, free data, affordable broadband and digital skills training. With its tech-refurb partner Community Computers it handed 265 laptops to low-in- come families at pop-up shops attended by more than1,000 people in areas including Altrin- cham and Sale. Town is turning blue! Honouring Edward’s many achievements Plaque: a reminder of Edward Nelson’s many achievements