From Stockport Council:

Traditional pie-tasting and intriguing Town Hall tours are just some of the new events on offer in Stockport for this year’s Heritage Open Days, from Thursday 9th – Sunday 12th September.

A pie-tasting event will take place at Stockport Tourist Information Centre on Saturday 11th September. John Titterton and his father Tom are part of a distinguished family of master butchers dating back to 1875, when John’s great-great grandfather founded the business. The current shop was opened in the 1920s and Tittertons has been a feature of Stockport Town Centre ever since.

Stockport Town Hall will also be offering special tours throughout the weekend with The Mayor of Stockport, including the recent discovery of an intriguing County Borough Of Stockport Committee Wage Book, which dates back to 1942.

The large metal bound and leather covered book details the names, weekly wages, sickness records and overtime details of staff employed at the Town Hall.

In Stockport this year there will be over 45 free events co-ordinated by Stockport Council. Visitors can grab the chance to explore somewhere that is normally closed or usually charges an entrance fee. Other highlights of this year’s festival include ‘Remembering Rationing’ at Stockport Air Raid Shelters and ‘Dig Again for Victory’, at Woodbank Park Nursery both on Saturday 11th September.

Stockport Heritage Open Days are organised and funded by Stockport Council with additional funding from English Heritage. For more information about this year’s Stockport Heritage Open Days, please visit www.visit-stockport.com or contact Stockport Tourist Information Centre on 0161 474 4444.

 Pam and I would like to congratulate the Cheadle Green Focus Group, Village Partnership and everyone else involved in this celebration, and enhancement, of Cheadle Green.

Celebrate the 200 year anniversary of Cheadle Green, discover the history of Cheadle Hall and view the improvement project.

Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September from 11am to 4pm at Cheadle Green.

For more information, please contact Brian Nash 0161 474 4519 or brian.nash@stockport.gov.uk.

View Cheadle and Gatley in a larger map

Here are the dates for the Primary School cross country races this season. All the meetings start at 10am, at William Scholes Playing Fields, Gatley.

The league is free to all schools. It’s been in existence for 35 years and around 300 runners come to each race meeting. For more information contact Ian Burnett on 0161 485 2155 or email i.b.burnett@googlemail.com.

Wilf Richards Memorial Primary School Cross-Country League

Saturday 18th September 2010

Saturday 9th October 2010

Saturday 6th November 2010

Saturday 15th January 2011

Saturday 5th February 2011 (includes parents race at 10.30)

Thursday 17th February 2011 - Walter Hesketh Trophy Cross Country Relays

Saturday 5th March 2011

From Stockport Council:

Thursday, 12th August sees Stockport Market’s first Family Dog Show, running from 11 till 3! Classes include:-

· Waggiest Tail
· Scruffiest Dog
· Best Six Legs (Dog and Handler most alike!)
· Saddest Eyes
· Dog the Judge would most like to take home

Entry costs £1.50 per class (£1 per class for Leisure Key Holders) and £1 for each try at the time trial Agility Course! The Agility Course will run all day.

Collect your entry forms from Dave the optician in the Covered Market Hall or the Tourist Information Centre at 30 Market Place; you can either pay on the day or in advance.

Bring your whole family (and your dogs) for a great day out - we will also have demonstrations by the Guide Dogs for the Blind, dog grooming, dog identity chipping by SMBC dog wardens and agility exhibitions in St Mary’s churchyard.

From the Council:

Stockport Council has been awarded a Silver Gilt at this year’s National Flower Bed competition at the RHS Tatton Flower Show.

The entry, which was designed and created by the Council, took inspiration from Stockport’s historic market, which is celebrating its 750th birthday later this year.

Judges and visitors alike were impressed with the interesting and creative display, which included bright rainbow stripes of summer bedding plants, a rustic cart of plant produce, and a metalwork representation of the Grade II landmark market hall.

This weekend we took 15 Cubs and 5 leaders to Chamboree, a big once-every-four-years Cheshire camp at the county showground near Knutsford.

I was never in the scouting movement as a kid so I’ve never really known what to expect from camps. I started helping out at Beaver Scouts because my children were going and now help out at 1st Gatley Cubs as an Assistant Leader.

In total there were over 4,000 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and leaders on the site on Sunday afternoon. The Beavers were there for the day, the Cubs for the weekend and the Scouts and Explorers for the whole week.  Most were from Cheshire but we had visitors from as far afield as South Africa, Sierra Leone, Sweden and Germany.

The Cubs get a flavour of what’s on offer over their two days (Scouts have five days to cover the activities the Cubs do in one). Among the activities our Cubs enjoyed were

• Crossing the rope bridge
• Inflatable assault course & gladiator-style battles
• Human table football
• Circus skills - learning the diablo
• Airhockey, pool table, table football and a load of stuff like that
• Air rifle shooting
• Archery
• Football with a six foot inflatable ball.
• Climbing wall
• Volleyball, softball
• BMX track
• Handbell ringing
• Cooking drop scones

There’s a fair bit more I can’t remember, plus lots of extra for the Scouts and Explorers (on the Sunday, Explorers were off at CSI crime skills day in the woods, with the help of Cheshire police).

On the Sunday afternoon, we watched a medieval jousting display and then broke the world record for the most people playing the wobble-board (yes, I’ve dreamed of that moment all my life).

Taking the Cubs camping has to be one of the most exhausting experiences of my life - and this is just the second time I’ve done it.   At some point, if I can summon the energy, I’ll post a bit more about what it’s all like as a leader (especially for someone like me who isn’t really into camping or that outdoors stuff).

Meanwhile, the Scouts and Explorers are there to Friday - I’m sure they’re having a great time.

Stockport Council is supporting national Playday by holding an event in Torkington Park on Wednesday 4th August.

Playday is the annual celebration of children’s right to play. The theme for Playday 2010 is ‘Our Place’ which aims to put children at the heart of the community and asks everyone, young and old, to help create better places for all of us to live and play.

The free event, organised as part of the Stockport Boost campaign, is being held from 11am-4pm and will include bouncy castles, sand play, den building, clay making, bird feeders, craft activities and face painting. The event is ideal for all ages.

Children and adults will all be given a special Playday passport. When an activity is completed the passport will be stamped. Once 10 stamps have been received they will be entered into a free prize draw to win a gift voucher.

People will also have the opportunity to tell the Council what they think about play in Stockport. People’s ideas and suggestions will help raise awareness of any issues that are restricting children and young people from being able to play. For more information about this event and play opportunities for children and young people, contact the Council’s Play Development Team on 0161 474 4471.

From the Council:

Stockport Music Service showcased a very successful week of five summer concerts at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. All the pupils involved had a great experience on their respective nights.

The Stockport Council service celebrated the achievements of its young musicians, aged between five and 21 years and of all abilities, representing 9 Stockport primary schools, one special school, and a wide variety of musical groups and genres of music.

There were also adult singers, including teachers, comprising the Sing Up Choir. Anybody wishing to join any of the Music Centre groups in September or wanting more information should contact Stockport Music Service on 0161 483 7636 or email craig.eastwood@stockport.gov.uk.

(I was there on the Friday, watching my son and his friends in the brass Five Notes Band and Prep Band).

From the Council:

People of all ages can explore the world of books and learning with Stockport Council’s week long ‘Reading Comes Alive’ celebrations between 31st July- 6th August. A series of lively and informative free events will be taking place throughout the week in Merseyway Shopping Centre precinct, including:

· Saturday 31st July 10am-4pm and Sunday 1st August 11am-4pm – “Summer Reading” – what’s hot and what’s not; find out about the best of summer reading

· Monday 2nd August – “Help yourself to better health” – help and support from organisations such as Stockport Health Trainers, stop smoking, weight management and alcohol NHS services and Disability Stockport

· Tuesday 3rd August 10am-4pm – “Your Heritage Your History” – a chance to find out more about Stockport’s fascinating history

· Wednesday 4th August 10am-4pm – “Making the Most of Your Money” – free help, information and specialist advice on everything from how to manage your debt to claiming benefits, fuel efficiency in the home to discounts on leisure facilities.

· Thursday 5th August 10am-4pm – “Stories Come Alive” – lots of books to share with babies and children

· Friday 6th August 10am-1pm – “Going the extra mile” – find out more about the Home Library Service in Stockport

Look out for more information in Stockport libraries about the week of events, ring 0161 217 6009 or email libraries@stockport.gov.uk.

The Cheadle Muslim Association Fun Day last Sunday passed off without the pouring rain we had yesterday, and was the best attended I can remember.

The event, at the mosque in Heald Green, is for the whole community and is well attended by muslims and non-muslims alike.

Attractions on Sunday included stalls selling everything from curries to jewellery, a bouncy slide, football, cricket, tours of the mosque and a magic show and archery demonstration for the kids.

I was able to demonstrate my rather limited athletic prowess, leading my team to fifth place (out of six) after the relay race, egg and spoon race, sack race and tug of war.  The highlight was a tug-of-war between the winning team and the mosque committee.  To make it a little fairer, the committee were assisted by three fine member of our neighbourhood policing team and that swung a tight 2-1 victory for the committee and police.

These fun days get better every year and I can genuinely say it’s a good and very enjoyable afternoon out for the family.

Somehow we’ve managed to just stay on the right side of the weather again.  At the Gatley Fun Day last Sunday the rain and wind held off enough for everyone to have a great time and, despite a few moments of drizzle, it managed it again this evening at Gatley Primary for the Family Fun Picnic.

You know the sort of thing: BBQ, smoothies, face painting, fire engine, games, raffle… Here are a couple of photos.

The day of the Gatley Festival (or, technically, the Gatley Fun day, since the festival has been running for the last week).  I spent most of the day on the field, but still put in a small fraction of the effort the volunteer organisers have been making over the last few weeks and months.

My small part in today’s proceedings was to help run the Lib Dem stand (a tombola by the entrance) and helping to set up and pack away the Cubs coconut shy and refreshments in the scout hut.

Setting up in the morning we all got pretty nervous: grey skies and gusting winds didn’t bode well.  In the end, the weather held up (just) and a good time was had by all.

Frustrations included putting up an enormous ten foot wide sign directing people to the scout hut for refreshments, only to have the hospital bus park across the path, blocking the sign and virtually assuring we had no passing trade.   We’ve never quite managed to get large numbers to the scout hut (though it’s probably the one part of the fun day that would benefit from a downpour).  Still, we’ve got the sign for next year and we’ll be trying again.

The coconut shy also ended up being tucked away - perhaps we needed a signpost banged into the ground.

Pam, Mark and I all had a good look around everything.

I did embarrassingly badly on the bike obstacle course - turns out my road cycling skills were no good dealing with ramps, rumble strips and slaloms - I just don’t have the co-ordination.

Despite blocking our path to the scout hut, the bus from South Manchester University Hospital (previously Wythenshawe Hospital) was great - an educational resource for anyone wanting to know more about first aid, with lots of models.  We’ll be looking at getting them along to give the Cubs some fun  practical first aid training.

The Police were there all day (a special hello to Sgt Darren Spurgeon, someone else admitting to reading my blog).  We had a bit of excitement at the end when the fire brigade had to return  and deal with a burning gas canister, but it was all sorted.

Here’s a great  10 minute video of the festival (you can find it on YouTube to, it was taken by Derek Brennan)

View Gatley Festival in a larger map

From Mark Hunter:

Last Saturday 26th June local MP Mark Hunter joined residents at this year’s Heald Green Festival, held on the playing field behind the Village Hall on Outwood Road. Held in the blazing sunshine, the day was a great success and was attended by record numbers of local people.

Dozens of local organisations had a stall at the event and the fairground and other sideshows provided a variety of the entertainment for young and old alike. The Mayor of Stockport, Cllr Hazel Lees, was in attendance and Mark Hunter MP presented prizes to local children who were competition winners.

Commenting, Mark said:

“Heald Green Festival is a great community event and date in my diary that I look forward to every year, and it meets – and exceeds - expectations every time. Well done to all concerned!

“The efficient organisation is always matched by a resounding response from local groups and the wider public.

“This year the weather was glorious and I’m sure everyone who came along enjoyed themselves – once again it really was a great day out for all the family.”

From the Council:

Stockport Town Hall is flying the Armed Forces Flag throughout the week, and the Council has organised special events including the presentation of a Veteran’s Badge and displays by the armed services in the Market Place. The weekend also marks the 70th anniversary since wartime evacuees from the Channel Islands arrived in Stockport.”

The programme of events for the day is:

· 10.00am: The Mayor of Stockport and the Leader of Stockport Council, Councillor Dave Goddard, will present a Veteran’s Badge to a war veteran in a private ceremony at Stockport Town Hall.

· 10.30am: Photograph of evacuees from Guernsey and the Mayor of Stockport next to the War Memorial to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the evacuation of children from Guernsey to Stockport. A photo was taken at this spot exactly 70 years ago.

· 11.00am: Army, Air, Sea and Royal Marine Cadets will parade from St Petersgate to Stockport Market where the Mayor will take the salute outside Staircase House.

· 11.00am onwards: Market Place: There will be an inflatable obstacle course, an armoured military vehicle, the Boon Army XFM mini, and information stalls from the Army, Air, Sea and Royal Marine Cadets

· 11.30am-3.30pm: Armed services displays as follows: 11.30am: Sea Cadets - PT Display; 12noon: Royal Marines Cadets - camouflage and concealment display; 12.30pm: Army Cadets - foot drill display; 1pm: Air Cadets; 1.30pm: Sea Cadets - PT display; 2pm: Royal Marines Cadets - camouflage and concealment display; 2.30pm: Army Cadets - foot drill display 3pm: Air Cadets; 3.30pm: Sea Cadets - PT Display.

For more information about Armed Forces Day visit www.armedforcesday.org.uk.

Gatley festival starts on Saturday with the carnival and fun day on Sunday 4th July.

There’s a great programme of events during the week - check out the full list on the Gatley Festival website.

So, for example, we’ve got a day of living history from an authentic 18th century British Redcoat unit in Gatley Rec from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 26th June (sorry - I’ll be at the Heald Green festival), the stream clean at Gatley Rec at 10am on Sunday 27th and a gentle 8 mile cycle ride setting off from Gatley Station at 7pm on Wednesday 30th.

I’m not going to copy down all the events, so visit the site.

Stockport’s Hat Works, the UK’s only museum dedicated to the hatting industry, opened its latest exhibition entitled Decade Parade: Small Hats Big Look last weekend. 2010 is Hat Works’ 10th birthday and to celebrate the museum is showcasing this special exhibition featuring the very best entries from its international miniature millinery competition launched in honour of this landmark birthday.

Alongside the exhibition the museum is running a series of workshops aimed at anyone who is interested in acquiring hat making skills of their own. Young people can sign up for the ‘Eat My Hat’ workshops on 12th and 13th August to create a hat good enough to eat. Adults can join Jane McDonalds two day Beret workshop on the 25th and 26th September.

Finally on the 9th October hatting experts will teach basic hat construction techniques.

To book a place on these workshops, contact the museum on 0161 355 7770 Decade Parade will be showing at Hat Works until 28th November.

Admission to the exhibition is FREE Hat Works is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10.00am to 5.00pm and Sunday and Bank holidays, from 11.00am to 5.00pm. For more information visit www.hatworks.org.uk.

From the Council:

Celebrations for Stockport Market’s 750th anniversary commence with a day of fun in the town centre on Saturday 5th June in the Market Place, between 10.00am to 4.00pm. ‘Making Markets Matter’, organised along with the National Market Traders Federation, will offer free fun activities for all the family including chef demonstrations, exciting prizes, children’s activities, live music and dance, street entertainment and fabulous freebies.

To celebrate World Environment Day, the event will include fun and informative stalls to help visitors find out more about going green. Meanwhile, St Peter’s Square will be hosting a celebration of bikes, with the Stockport Loves Bikes event. On offer will be bike displays and demonstrations, bike dressing workshops, a best dressed bike competition, bike parade, pedal powered music, bike repair service and cycle training, safety and security.

Thanks to everyone from the Cheadle Muslim Association who braved the wind and rain to put on a a fun day raising money for the Seashell Trust (our school for the deaf, an excellent local charity).

We came, we (the kids, anyway) enjoyed their marshmallow-and-melted-chocolate kebabs, fruit-and-melted-chocolate kebabs,  bouncy castle and more.  I didn’t quite make it onto the bouncy castle (probably for the best, if we’re being honest) and enjoyed the rest on offer.

Looking forward to the annual mosque open day in the summer - and hoping for better weather.

As part of the Culturefeast festival Stockport’s Library Service is hosting a special ‘Meet the Authors’ event on Saturday 22nd may at the Peter Barkworth Theatre at Stockport College.

The event is an opportunity to hear well known authors Stephen Booth, Marian Veevers (who writes as Anna Dean) and Anne Chilvers talking about their books and writing experience.

Tickets cost £5 pre-booked or £8 on the day and are available from Stockport Libraries, Tourist Information Centre Tel: 0161 474 4444 or the Reader Development Team Tel: 0161 474 5751 email readers@stockport.gov.uk.

The Culture feast festival is running from 13th – 31st May 2010.

Gatley Carrs Conservation Group invites you to a walk & talk on the nature reserve conducted by Mr P. Wolstenholme (RSPB).

Monday 17th May, assemble in car park at the end of Brookside Road (behind the Horse and Farrier) at 6.30pm.  Duration 1-2 hours.

Everyone welcome.

Stockport’s annual arts festival, Culturefeast, is set to be the biggest, best and most creative yet. The festival, which runs from 13th – 31st May, features a wide range of free fun activities and events. Launching the festival will be Museums at Night from 13th – 15th May, when Stockport’s museums and attractions open their doors to the public for an annual after hours celebration.

Friday 14th May sees the launch of the spectacular new exhibition at Stockport Art Gallery - ‘Reggie’s Roller Palace’ - an installation of 110 life-size, ceramic, roller skating dogs. The launch weekend also sees the ‘Dancematters’ showcase and open air roller disco at St Peter’s Square in the town centre.

The festival finale weekend on Sunday 30th and Monday 31st May, promises an exciting line up of entertainment in the town centre including live music showcase and talent competition in the Market Place, and Vintage Fair in the Covered Market Hall.

To enter ‘Stockport’s Got Talent’ contact Stockport Art Gallery on 0161 474 4453 or stockport.artgallery@stockport.gov.uk. The competition is open to all talents and ages

For more information about the festival visit www.visit-stockport.com or call 0161 474 4444.

Yesterday’s Cheadle Area Committee was at Cheadle library - not the usual venue.  It was a quick meeting too (normal service will  doubtless resume after the election).

The surprise of the night was on funding for the Gatley Festival.  The organisers are having trouble raising the £8,000 needed to run the week of events and had come to ask the Cheadle & Gatley councillors for help.

We have £3,900 to hand out to local community groups over the next year (let me know if you’d like to apply for some of it).  We all want the Gatley Festival to succeed so we were keen to give what we could, but felt the full £1,800 being asked for was just too big a chunk of our total budget and would mean other groups losing out.

In the end we all agreed on £1,200.

Then, after we’d heard a planning application, the applicant shocked everyone by saying he’d match our donation, making £2,400 in total.  He explained that he was a businessman, and had previously been wheelchair-bound for a year so was happy to donate towards the money - much of which is for flooring to go around the entrance of the field, stopping it getting too muddy and making it accessible for disabled visitors.

I don’t yet know the name of the gentleman - the paperwork only named his agent - but I’d like to say a big thank you for such a generous and unexpected gesture.

(We were also very glad it was only mentioned after the planning application had been granted!).

A Gala Concert and three course meal will be held in celebration of St George on Friday, 23 April 2010 at 7.00 pm in the Ballroom at Stockport Town Hall. The event is being held on aid of The Mayor of Stockport Charity Fund.

Entertainment will be provided by Stockport Operatic Society, Stockport Recorder College, Stockport Youth Orchestra and Ian Gough (organist).

Tickets are available for £40 each, or £350 for a table of ten from the Town Hall Box Office on 0161 474 3256.

Anyone looking for a fun and a cost-effective day out at Easter should come along to Bramall Hall for its Grand Easter Festival. The charity event which is organised by the Friends of Bramall Hall & Park, aims to raise much needed funds for the continued conservation of the Hall and surrounding parkland.

The event takes place on Sunday 4th April from 11.00am to 4.00pm, and will cater for all the family. Entrance is £1 for adults and free for children. However guided tours will not be available. For more information about the event, call Bramall Hall on 0161 485 3708 or go to www.bramallhall.org.uk.

Stockport Photographic Society (SPS) will unveil its annual exhibition at Stockport Art Gallery on Saturday 27th March.

SPS was founded in1890 by an enthusiast and is one of the oldest photographic societies in the country. The society has always played an important part in contributing to Stockport’s photographic archive.

SPS provides opportunities for professionals and amateurs to improve their photographic skills through competitions, workshops, talks and exhibitions.

The exhibition will run until 2nd May 2010. Stockport Art Gallery is open Tuesday – Friday 1.00pm to 5.00pm, Saturdays from 10.00am to 5.00pm and Sundays from 11.00am, to 5.00pm. Admission is free.

Stockport residents are being encouraged to come along to Brinnington Lantern Parade on Saturday 27th March.

Giant clocks will star in this year’s lantern procession, and the parade will take a slightly different route this year past the newly created ‘Lantern Close’.

Everyone is welcome to join this family event. People will be meeting on Hampshire Road, Brinnington (by the shops) at 6.30pm for a 6.45pm departure. The parade ends at Brinnington Park, where hot refreshments will be served.

Following the success of the Christmas Market, GatleyNet are putting on an Easter Market that promises to be a well worth a visit.

Come along to BossCo on Gatley Road  from 3:30pm-8pm on Thursday 25th March and see what local goodies are on offer.

SPRING are hosting their 3rd Sport Relief event on Sunday 21st March on William Scholes playing fields.

It starts at 1pm, with registration from 12, should be a bit of muddy fun this year! Please come along to get involved or to cheer those doing the running.

The fun run is either 1 , 3 or 6 miles. runners can decide how far they want to
go.

You  sign up online at sportrelief.com (find my nearest mile) and  get a pack sent in the post with sponsorship forms.

Staircase House is launching its ‘Time For Bed’ season in March to celebrate the work of a local group of embroiders.

Staircase Stitchers will be showcasing their work from the past five years designing and creating six replica 17th century bed-hangings for the historic bedroom in the house.

The special event to display the textile pieces is called ‘17th Century Changing Rooms’ and is being held on Tuesday 23rd March, from 1.00pm to 5.00pm. Two of the completed bed-hangings, along with a selection of other embroidered items will be on display at the event.

The group of volunteers meet twice a month and were formed in partnership with Stockport’s Heritage Trust. The group has been working under the guidance of Jane Dew, embroider for Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, to learn more about the historic embroidery techniques used in a 17th century house.

Members of the Staircase Stitchers will be present at the event to answer questions about their work and the inspiration behind it. Also, attending the event will be Manchester Metropolitan Embroidery Students who will answer questions about modern embroidery techniques.

The BA Embroidery Students from the School of Art and Design at the university have also developed an exhibition inspired by the theme of sleep and the historic beds found at Staircase House, Bramall Hall and Stockport’s Air Raid Shelters. The exhibition, entitled ‘The Art of Sleep’, forms a trail around the three venues and complements the work of the Stitchers with its contemporary take on the subject.

The ‘Art of Sleep’ exhibition can be viewed until the end of March and is open during normal visiting hours. Residents can take advantage of the Combined Ticket and visit all three venues for £10.

For more information about the events visit Staircase House, Bramall Hall or the Air Raid Shelters or visit www.staircasehouse.org.uk or call 0161 474 4444.

A request from Martin Davey:

I am updating the History of Gatley in Pictures written by Frank & Terreta Mitchell and published by St James Church in 1981. I make no claim to emulate the historical research skills of the Mitchells but I do have the advantage of numerous witnesses to the changes in the period I am covering. I believe that as someone who has known the village during that period your thoughts and observations combined with others with similar and different view points would help me to produce a rounded narrative to accompany the pictorial records of that time. I have listed below some headings which may stimulate particular memories for you but please do not feel that these are exclusive.

Transport

Shopping

Restaurants

Take Aways

Public Buildings

Religious Buildings

Housing Developments

Education/School Buildings

Gatley Hill House

Conservation Issues

Green Space

Local Characters

Community Events

Library Provision

Provision for Minority Groups

Youth Organisations

Local/National Government Boundaries

I would be grateful for your views or memories on any or all of the above as they have affected Gatley. I cannot guarantee to include all items submitted but those used will be acknowledged.

I hope to begin collating the material supplied towards the end of February 2010.

Martin Davey

Please let me have your input by mail or email to;

4 Mount Grove, Gatley, CHEADLE, SK8 4HR Or m_g_davey@hotmail.com

At yesterday’s Local Area Committee, I’d asked for the issue t Cheadle’s Christmas lights to be put on the agenda and Council officer Brian Nash waited very patiently for the item to come up - over three hours into the meeting!

I commented that I’d had lots of positive comments about the Christmas displays this year - the lights and trees.  Gatley looked great, and Cheadle did too - except for the five lights that were out.

Cllr Jones also mentioned problems with the small Christmas trees for shops, which didn’t really work (partly because Brian was in hospital for much of the period).

Although the street-lighting people didn’t get the five sets of lights working in Cheadle, they did (at a day’s notice) get the lights for the tree on Cheadle Green working when it was needed.

We’re all keen to improve the lights year-on year.  My view is that we need to avoid over-stretching - these things are tricky to organise and we  do better to put on a good display and do it well than to attempt to do more and more and have it go wrong when something unforeseen happens (an it always does, of course!)

Tickets are now on sale for the Annual Hatters’ Ball in aid of the Mayor of Stockport’s Charity Fund.

The Ball will be held on Friday, 29 January 2010 at 7.00 pm in the Ballroom at Stockport Town Hall.

Tickets cost £50 each and are available from the Town Hall Box Office by calling 474 3256.

Stockport Council will be marking the UK’s 10th annual Holocaust Memorial Day on Wednesday 27th January. Holocaust Memorial Day aims to educate people about the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism and all forms of discrimination.

It is commemorated internationally on 27th January, the date in 1945 when the allies liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp. The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2010 is The Legacy of Hope.

The Council’s 14 libraries have organised special displays during the week to mark the event which was established to remember the victims of the Holocaust and Nazi persecution, and to reflect on more recent genocides. As well as displays, library staff will direct people to booklists, for adults and children, on the Holocaust Memorial Day website www.hmd.org.uk

Stockport libraries open on 27th January are Central Library, Bredbury, Brinnington, Edgeley, Great Moor, The Heatons and Reddish. Hazel Grove and Marple are open until 1pm on the day. For more information about your local library please telephone 0161 217 6009.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

 Between today and 3rd January I’ll be spending some time at home and some time visiting relatives around the country.  I will be checking email and voicemail so you’re welcome to give me a call or send me an email - just bear in mind that I might take a day or so to respond.

On Sunday 20th December Bramall Hall is hosting its annual Christmas Cracker event from 11.00am to 5.00pm.

Experience Bramall Hall decked out for Christmas in this year’s Winter Wonderland theme. It will be a magical day with ‘cracking’ entertainment for people of all ages.

Tickets for children (up to nine years old only) to see Father Christmas, including the festivities, are priced at £6.00 and £5.00 for Leisure Key. For further information about this event, call Bramall Hall on 0161 485 3708 or visit www.bramallhall.org.uk.

Many thanks to the Cheadle Muslim Association who welcomed 1st Gatley Cubs to their mosque a couple of weeks ago.  As well as a tour of the mosque, we had a presentation from Mr Mirza and snacks all round.

In the presentation, the Cubs learned something about Islam, with the emphasis on the many similarities with Christianty and Judaism.  Mr Mirza was keen to point out how some practices associated with Islam, such as forced marriage, are cultural and have no religious basis.

Cheadle Muslim Association is always keen to open their doors and engage with the local community. They ran sports training in the recent inter-faith week (there’s a small football pitch and cricket nets in the grounds) and frequently have visits from school groups.

My thanks to Gatley & District Rotary Club, who kindly invited me to speak to them last Wednesday - I even got a meal and a drink into the bargain, which can’t be bad.

The Rotary Club  do a lot of good work.  It’s 1.2 million members wordwide are currently raising money to tackle polio in the developing world (Bill Gates will donate three hundred million if they can match it with their own fundraising).

Locally, the Rotarians do everything from providing the Santa for the Walter Stansby Memorial Park to funding a special garden for the Seashell Trust and kitchen equipnent for Gatley Youth Club.

The Rotary Club, which meets most Wednesdays at Cheadle Golf Club, are always looking for new members - drop me a line if you’re interested and I’ll put you in touch.

Stockport Council’s Revenues and Benefits Team won the ‘Quality of Service and Innovation Award’ by creating extra capacity for the department through working more efficiently. Instead of cutting jobs the spare capacity was offered to other Local Authorities and Benefit processing work taken on. This brought in extra income for Stockport Council and enabled jobs to be retained that would otherwise have been lost.

The success of this scheme meant that the Revenues and Benefits team were able to create Apprenticeship posts for 12 local young people to train as Benefit Assessment Officers. There are plans to further increase the work done for others to create more long term jobs in Stockport.

The judges were impressed by the innovative way the team used spare capacity to help other Local Authorities at the same time as boosting the local economy. Alongside this innovation, the quality of service for Stockport residents remains high. By retaining and expanding its Revenues and Benefits team, the Council has the expertise and capacity to cope with the impact of the economic downturn.

Happy Hanukkah to all my Jewish readers.  I always enjoy seeing the candles lighting up over the week (and even listening to the odd Hanukkah tune).

Anyone interested in finding out more about Hanukkah could start by visiting this site.

A big thank you to everyone involved in the primary school carol concerts at St Georges Church in Heaviley, Stockport.  I was there on Monday night, along with fellow councillors Wendy Orrell, Stella Humphries and June Somekh, not to mention several hundred friends, parents, relatives and teachers come to watch the choirs.

On Monday evening, eleven school choirs including  Gatley Primary gathered to entertain us.  The church was warm (how do they do that?), the length of the concert just about right and the whole thing expertly led by Rev Alan Ball, with the choirs directed by Jill Henderson-Wild.

Having everyone singing a good number of the hymns, plus the instrumental sections, makes the whole event work really well.

Tonight is the second of the two events with a further ten Stockport primaries - I’m sure it will be another very enjoyable evening.

Stockport residents are encouraged to get into the festive spirit by coming along to the Enchanted Christmas event at Hat Works.

This magical family fun day is filled with Christmas delights for all ages and takes place on Sunday 6th December, from 1.00pm to 4.30pm. Throughout the event visitors will be able to enjoy seasonal craft activities, music and dance performances.

The Liberty Bells barbershop choir and The Warren Wood School Brass Band promises to raise the rafters with their Christmas carols and the festive dance performances by the Arlette Muldoon School of Dance are sure to entertain with their new moves. Children are invited to visit Father Christmas in his magical grotto where they will receive a small gift.

They can also enjoy free Christmas crafts and face painting for a small charge throughout the afternoon. Admission price is £3.00 for adults and children are FREE. A visit to Father Christmas is £2.00 per child and face painting is £1.00. For more information, contact Hat Works on 0161 355 7770 or visit www.hatworks.org.uk.

I’ve spent time over the last couple of days working with Council officers to get all the Christmas lights up and working in Gatley.

The street-lighting people have been out fixing stars down Church Road and (from my check last night) all of them seem to be working - let me know if not.

The christmas tree by the bowling green on Altrincham Road is all set up, of course.  The one on Gatley Green is still in its netting.  It hasn’t been forgotten!  It just takes time to get round all the trees in the Borough and it’ll be done early next week.

I’m also reminding the Council that they need to connect up the lights in Walter Stansby Memorial Park.

Local businesses joined together with Christmas cheer on Thursday the 26th November, for the Gatley Net Christmas Market organised by local business BOSSco in support of the CLIC Sargent Charity.

14 local businesses snapped up stalls at the Gatley.Net Christmas Market and brought the community, new and unique gifts for Christmas unavailable on the high street such as handcrafted items from Sue Rawlinson, Manchester Uni design students and Former Glory.

Market goers were so positive with comments such as “It’s great that such a variety of stalls have been brought to our village, their are some beautiful gifts”

With over 600 visitors to the market and special guests Batman, Star Wars Storm Trooper and Tusken Raider, the market had a real buzz and Christmas spirit. Children got creative on the Edibles stall designing their own chocolate lollipops and many Christmas shoppers gobbled down delicious delights from Manchester Tarts and local eatery Armenique. Eye catching jewellery from Just So Silver, Posh and Crystal Angels had the ladies in the village filling up their Christmas Lists whilst Lorna Mai had all the pampering goods a girl could wish for.

Picture Left: Hollywood Heroes Storm Trooper and Batman picture with local school children. Picture Right: Manchester Tarts delicious cupcakes tempt shoppers of all ages.

The Market provided great exposure for all the stallholders and showed Gatley some of the exciting new businesses that are being formed in and around Gatley. Stallholders from Gatley included Mooli Mooli, Party Lite and Knitting Nirvana who enjoyed bringing their products to their community in a successful Christmas shopping event that all enjoyed.

Picture Left: Posh bring glamorous costume jewellery to Gatley Net Market. Picture Right: Children personalise their chocolate lollipops on the Edibles stall, with coloured icing.

Many shoppers said how the Christmas Market was a welcomed shopping experience within the village and stall holders too enjoyed the location and event organised by BOSSco “If BOSSco are to do any more markets please let us know as soon as possible, it’s been absolutely great”.

BOSSco said “We are so happy to have held such a successful event that promoted local business, whilst also raising £260 for charity”

I’m chasing up why only one of Gatley’s Christmas stars is lit up, and why the tree on Gatley Green isn’t lit.  Could be a good explanation, but elsewhere the lights seem to be up and running (including Heald Green, the other Local Centre in our area).

The Gatley United Reformed Church in Elm Road is holding its Christmas Fayre tomorrow, on Saturday 28th November.

• Visit Father Christmas in his Never Never Land Grotto
• games
• face painting
• tombola
• toys
• cafe
• cakes
• home produce
• gifts
• plants
• and more…

Admission only 50p, children free

Don’t miss Gatley’s Christmas Market at BossCo’s car park this afternoon, from 3.30 to 8pm.  More information here.

 Bramall Hall will be hosting a special Tudor Living History Day on Sunday 22nd November.   People can immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of an authentic recreation of the 16th century as the Davenport family welcome you into their home.   

Visitors can find out more about traditional crafts such as spinning and carding, embroidery and the art of calligraphy. Or learn about the health properties of herbs and spices in the Still Room with Good Wife Kate.  There will be an opportunity for children to help the family cook prepare the herbs for baking and roll out the jumbles (Tudor biscuits). Or perhaps you would prefer to watch the hilarious jig puppet show in the Ballroom.

All the activities will be brought to life by a variety of costumed characters and traditional Tudor music playing throughout the Hall.  The event takes place between 11.00am and 4.00pm and there is no need to book in advance. Admission costs £4.95 for Adults and £3.50 for Concessions/Under 16s and Leisure Key.   For more information about the event, contact Bramall Hall on 0161 485 3708 or visit www.bramallhall.org.uk

See the PDF flier

From David and Sue at BossCo:

This year GatleyNet will be hosting its very first outdoor Christmas Market on the 26th November, for all the local community to enjoy.

The new Christmas Market featuring 16 festive stalls will provide an array of seasonal treats from local traders and crafts people this winter. Stalls will be selling unique crafts and Christmas decorations, Belgian chocolates, handcrafted accessories and artisan jewellery as well as fun puzzles and games for all the family.

Organised by BOSSco in support of the Clic Sargent charity, the outdoor Christmas Market aims to bring together the community and local traders from Gatley and surrounding areas. The Christmas Market will run from 3.30pm- 8pm on the BOSSco car park which is set in the heart of Gatley, next to the old Tatton Cinema.

Those needing inspiration for Christmas gifts or looking for a special present can be sure to find it at the Gatley Christmas Market, with retailers Edibles World, Crystal Angels and Just So Silver amongst others already confirmed. Hot beverages will be on offer to keep you warmed up whilst doing your Christmas shopping and entry to the Market is free.

For community Christmas cheer pop down to the Gatley Christmas Market on the 26th November with all the family between 3.30pm and 8pm.

A big thank you to everyone at Gatley’s Yeshurun Synagogue for the warm welcome we were given this morning.

As part of Stockport’s inter-faith week, we local politicians were invited to a service at the synagogue, along with representatives from the police, fire brigade, Cheadle Muslim Association, local churches and faith groups and more. Fellow councillors Pam King and Paul Porgess, plus Mark Hunter MP, came along.

Whilst some elements of the service at the synagogue will be familiar to church-goers, others might seem quite different.

There are songs, prayers, readings from the Bible and a sermon.  A great deal is in Hebrew, and readings (in the case of the Books of Moses, from a scroll) are sung.  Luckily for those of us not quite up to speed with our Hebrew, the service book provides an English translation, and some commentary.

Where a church might have a choir, Yeshurun has a single  (and very talented) singer - Chazan Muller - sometimes leading the congregation and sometimes performing solo.

The sermon from Rabbi Chaim drew on the story of Abraham’s search for a wife for Isaac to talk about the value of kindness and contrasting it with charity. It wouldn’t have seemed out of place in any church or mosque, and Rabbi Chaim used the stage to good effect.

After President Elliot Cohen had read out the messages and announcements, we retired to a pretty fantastic buffet, with wine and whisky for all who wanted (which has to be a pretty effective way to get people through the doors).

The Yeshurun Hebrew Congregation was founded in Gatley in 1963, and the present synagogue built in 1968.  The Yeshurun congregation is  modern orthodox.

Stockport’s Victorian Christmas Extravaganza, Saturday 28th November, 10.30am to 4pm in the Covered Market Hall, a year after its restoration.

Events over the next eleven days:

• Aged 14-16?  Use the Urban Evolution themes to inspire your own piece of creative writing with help from professional writer Julian Jordan.  Ideal for beginners.  2-4pm, Satuday 14th November, Stockport Story Museum (SK1 1ES).  Free, booking essential (call 0161 474 4453).
• Vintage photography.  What do your clothes say about you?  Happy Goth?  Sad Punk? Angry Rocker? Try dressing in the ‘looks and locks’ of young people from the past and capture it all with some ‘vintage’ photography.  Hat Works Museum (SK3 0EU), 2-4pm, Sunday 15th November, ages 13-25 years.  Free - call 0161 355 7770 to book.
• Design an album cover and have it displayed. Remaster a cover for an album you’ve inherited in your collection.  Finished artwork will be displayed in the Urban Evolution exhibition.  Stockport Story Museum (SK1 1ES), 1-4pm, Saturday 21st November, ages 13-25 years.  Free - call 0161 477 6517 to book.
• Identify Yourself. Give Gok Wan a run for his money.  Design a T-shirt which expresses your unique identity.  Discover the history behind Manchester gangs and learn how Victorian gang members customised their outfits to demonstrate their group identity .  T-shirts supplied, but feel free to bring another item of clothing you’d like to design into.  Stockport Story Museum (SK1 1ES), 2-4pm, Sunday 22nd November, ages 13-25 years.  Free - call to book on 0161 477 6517.

This evening I took the family to the opening night of the Urban Evolution exhibition at Stockport Story, next to the covered market - and I can strongly recommend it.

The exhibition takes a look at our history over the last seventy years, from the perspective of what it was like to be a young person in each age, from the Second World War through the fifties’ teenager’s bedroom to transistor radios and what it means to be a young person today.

That’s not all.  Not only did young volunteers contribute much of the content for the exhibition, they also planned the whole layout -a mixture of photos, film, posters, artefacts, sculpture and more.

Everyone involved can be very proud of what they’ve achieved. The Urban Evolution exhibition runs from 11th November 2009 to 28th February 2010 at Stockport Story Museum - don’t miss it.

Inspector Dave Turner spoke about Guy Fawkes Night at the Cheadle Area Committee meeting.

He noted that last year not a single person in the whole of Stockport Borough had ended up in casualty as a result of fireworks or bonfire injuries, something we’re hoping to repeat this year.

If you’re concerned about something on or around 5th November:

• Call 999 if there’s an immediate threat to property or life (for example, if someone were repeatedly throwing fireworks at your door).
• Calling 0161 872 5050 for other  issues.

Both in the call centre and on the ground, policing numbers will be higher around 5th November.

Sadly there will be no bonfire/fireworks display at Together Trust on Schools Hill, Cheadle this year.

AboutMyArea has the full story.

So where can you go for a bonfire and fireworks?

Two places to look:  Kidsguide and  Stockport Express.

Currently Stockport, like most local authorities, is run on a leader/executive model.  The leader of the Council is a councillor (currently Dave Goddard for Stockport; the two previous leaders were Brian Millard and Mark Hunter).

Each year all the councillors elect the leader (in practise, the leader of the Council is chosen by the Lib Dem councillors, who hold a majority of the seats).

The Government has decided all councils have to choose between new systems, and we have to choose before the end of the year.

Option 1 is the “strong leader” model.  It’s pretty simlar to what we have today, except the leader is elected for a four year term, or for as long as they’re a councillor if it’s less.

Option 2 is to have an elected mayor.  The mayor would be an individual elected by the whole of Stockport to run the council for four years.

That’s about as exciting as it gets, but if you want more detail, take a look at pages 59-65 of the Cheade Area Committee agenda. If you have a preference, let me know what you think - and make sure to include the reasons too, please.

Come along to the sixth annual Fairtrade Fair at Stockport College, 10.30am - 3.30pm Saturday November 14th at Stockport College on the A6.

poster-2009-v3.pdf