community index chorlton 0ct 2012

communityChorlton & Whalley Range

Oct 2012index

View online at www.communityindex.co.uk

Established in 2008

to advertise call Lesley on 0787 589 5604 or email [email protected]

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chorltonhistory.blogspot.com

Contents6. The Story of Chorlton-cum-Hardy

8. Singing for our Lives

10. Making Wood Work

12. Book Reviews

19. October in your Garden

26. Tag! New Members & Great Offers

28. Chorlton History Wall

CommunityI N XD EPUBLISHERCommunity Index

EDITOR/ADVERTISINGLesley Swann

SUB-EDITOR/WEBSITESam Paechter

CONTRIBUTIONSAndrew Simpson, Tree Station, Peter ToppingCarol Thompson, Jules Gibb, Chorlton Bookshop, Katherine Watson

COVER PHOTOGRAPHCarol Thompson

CONTACT USTel: 0787 589 [email protected] Manchester Road, Chorlton, M21 9PH

ADVERTISING DEADLINE FOR THE NOVEMBER EDITION17th October 2012

Community Share OfferWood is an amazing material and if properly managed is a genuinely renewable resource. A local, wood-based economy can, and must play a vital role in the transition to an ethical and sustainable world. Do you share our vision? Then become part of it by buying shares in our community enterprise! Get more information at www.treestation.co.uk/share-offer

Our aim – to raise £140,000 by 31st October 2012 for: » Increased working capital » More machinery for wood processing and environmentally sensitive woodland management » Higher stock levels so that we have the capacity to tender for local biomass woodchip contracts » Marketing and project development

You get: » Membership including full voting rights » Interest on your investment (expected to be 5%) » Discount scheme » Shares repaid on request, subject to board approval

Local Ethical Firewood & Tree WorkWe use the timber produced during the maintenance of local parks, gardens and woodlands to make firewood, timber for joinery and biomass woodchip. Our quality firewood is made from native hardwood species, and is air dried to a moisture content of less than 25%.

Firewood prices, including free local delivery: 1 Cubic Metre for £100 | 2 for £190 | 3 for £270

We also offer a full range of tree services including consultancy, please contact us for a quote/info.

www.treestation.co.uk — 0161 231 3333

Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd - [email protected] FSA Mutuals registered number 31552R









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The Story of Chorlton-Cum-Hardy Andrew Simpson

Andrew Simpson’s book The Story of Chorlton-cum-Hardy will be published in October

Picture: from the collection of Carolyn Willitts

ISBN: 978186077671-7

RRP: £18

The History Press Ltd

“The summer of 1847 promised to be a good one which was an important consideration for a rural community and a good starting point for our story. After all 96 of our families were engaged in some form of farming and so a good harvest would put food on the table, guarantee work for the many and help the village through the dark cold winter a head. Equally important for the sixteen families who made their living as tradesmen and retailers the harvest was central to their fortunes. Only the gentry might be more relaxed at the weather. But even they would have been aware of the distress and possible social unrest which might follow a bad year in the fields.

Three years before there had been a bad summer, which had meant a meagre hay crop and even more disastrous harvest. The following year had proved little better and this further aggravated the poor condition of the livestock. And while the

cycle of bad summers was broken in 1846 leading to a plentiful harvest, the potato blight which had first appeared the year before now devastated the crop and led to the first famine year in Ireland. We were luckier. It had been a very dry and cold winter and less than an inch of rain fell through January, March,

April and July and the summer months proved to be very hot.” Chapter 2, The Story of Chorlton-Cum-Hardy.

All of which is by way of announcing that the book of the story of Chorlton will be published during October.

It didn’t actually start as a book, but just a quest to find out more about Samuel and Elizabeth Nixon who ran the Travellers Rest on Beech Road and are buried in the parish churchyard. Their Chorlton was that rural community of just 700 or so people, their customers would have been agricultural labourers and from their door

step they would have had views of the local blacksmith, the fields and farms around the green and the old parish church.

It was a world of horses, carts, candles and oil lamps but a place on the edge of change. The railway arrived in 1849 mains water from Manchester in 1864 and gas a little later. Their son ran the new Post Office, and their granddaughter was a telegrapher, so from oil lamp to telegram in just two generations.

And this seemed the story to write, a story which took us from small rural community to suburb of Manchester in little over forty years. But very quickly it narrowed to just the first half of the 19th century as I came across so much material.

I don’t think I was quite prepared for how that material would reveal so much of the lives of the people who lived here from the way they worked, relaxed, and the ever present threat of ill health and hard times.

Some of which has been uncovered is new and some of it unique and all of it provides an insight into what it was like to live in the edge of Manchester.

So there you have it, the story of our place, what it was like and who you have to be polite to in the summer of 1847.

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There is a famous protest song by Holly Near that says,

“We are the gentle angry peopleAnd we are singing for our lives.”

And it’s is certainly true that singing, especially with other people can, if not actually save your life, can certainly transform it.

There has been a little revolution going on in community singing over the past twenty or so years.

There are community choirs and singing groups led by musical directors who teach without using written scores, without using backing tracks or piano music and who never ask anyone to audition for a place. Suddenly singing is as simple as breathing - you don’t need any equipment or training or experience - you just turn up, open your mouth and sing.

Academia is picking up on it. Choirs are being studied for the health benefits of their members as well as the effects on singer’s mental and emotional health. Remember all those Famous Five stories where the Five would be trapped in a cave or somewhere and would sing to keep their spirits up? Well - it’s official - research has shown that you can’t be scared and sing at the same time and that singing lifts your mood. Here’s what a member of Manchester’s Golden Voices said in a recent interview by Keele University

“I’ve never been to singing yet where I haven’t come away feeling better. You can go feeling absolutely horrendous, whether physically or whatever and by the end of a couple of hours singing you do feel one hundred percent better.”

You can’t move for Gareth

Malone swooping into communities and turning ordinary people into heroic singers who are doing something big for themselves at the same time - and doesn’t it make great T.V?

How ever did we lose touch with this most miraculous and most ordinary activity?

A tradition of song has survived in Scotland, Ireland and Wales but in England community singing has only survived in church services or football matches.

I went on holiday to what is now Bosnia some years ago and heard the most fantastic harmony singing coming from a big rowing boat. Were they a choir? Did they come from some singing community, church, group? No- they just came from the same village and all knew the song.

So what happened to our songs? Why we did we lose touch with community singing?

Frankie Armstrong, one of the founder members of the Natural Voice Practitioner’s Network, has a theory that in Victorian times music came indoors and

became a more formal form of entertainment with recitals and piano accompaniment. Suddenly there became a right way to

do it and the insidious idea that certain people

“couldn’t sing” began to take

hold.

I can’t count the number of workshops I’ve done where someone has

come to me at the end saying

they were told as a child not to sing! What?

Really? Have you ever met a child who couldn’t sing? Humans are born to sing! The Natural Voice Practitioners Network says that singing is our birthright and there lies the revolution. No right or wrong way, no need to read music, no need to sing by yourself, just sing.

More and more people are finding natural voice community singing groups and choirs on their own doorsteps and in Chorlton and Whalley Range we are spoilt for choice.

You can sing you know... Everyone can. Give it a go and within 20 seconds you’ll wonder why you waited so long!

Singing for our Lives Jules Gibb

Jules will be starting a new weekly drop-in singing workshop called Quire as Folk at the Nip and Tipple Whalley Range on Tuesday 23rd October 6pm -7pmTo find an NVPN Choir near you www.naturalvoice.netWorkshops in Old Trafford, Hulme and nationally try Faith Watson www.singingforlarks.netOpen Voice at St Margaret’s www.carol-donaldson-music.co.ukManchester Community Choir www.manchestercommunitychoir.org.ukManchester Gay and Lesbian Chorus www.mlgc.org.ukPicturehouse Choir at Band on the Wall www.bandonthewall.orgGolden Voices Community Choir (for older people over 55)www.facebook.com/goldenvoicescommunitychoir Tel: 0161 665 3468

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An exciting new project is being set up in Manchester to make the most of wood that is a by-product of park management and recreational woodlands in the area. Greater Manchester TreeStation is the brainchild of local tree surgeon Phil Benn who has been doing treework in the local area for many years. Phil said: “It seemed crazy that getting rid of wood was a problem for most tree surgeons. It was just being thrown away or used as mulch, and it is potentially so much more useful.”

Wood is AmazingTrees are beautiful. They purify the air, nourish the soil and help prevent erosion. Trees have always been central to human life and culture. Wood from local trees must form a part of the kind of locally based economy

that we need if we are to live sustainably. It is madness to import wood from Lithuania or Columbia to burn or to make into furniture, when we have not made proper use of the trees on our own doorstep.

Greater Manchester TreeStationThe idea is to collect wood from local tree surgeons and from woodland management activities of local councils, and use it to give the maximum benefit. Larger trunks are cut into planks and sold to local joiners. Other wood (mainly from native hardwood species) is made into logs for burning in stoves, whilst lower grade wood (conifer, willow and poplar) is made into woodchip for biomass boilers.The TreeStation is a not-for-profitsocial enterprise based in Gorton and is constituted as a Society for the Benefit of the Community.

Burn Local and CleanBurning wood makes sense if the wood is local and you burnit efficiently. The TreeStation sources timber from gardens,parks, and local amenity woodlands. And if you use a DEFRA approved stove then you get about 80% of the energy into your room, compared to 20% for an open fire. Approved stoves burn clean, producing very little ash or smoke, making them suitable for smoke-free zones.

Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)This government grant scheme pays businesses, and will soon pay individuals, to burn renewable fuels in biomass boilers, which can be installed instead of the normal gas boiler and can heat the whole house and the hot water. Local firewood can be used to fire your RHI subsidised boiler. The TreeStation also makes woodchip for large institutional biomass boilers,using byproduct wood and where necessary softwoods bought from local commercial forests.

Beautiful FurnitureYou don’t need to damage rainforests if you want a fabulous hardwood kitchen table. Traditional British hardwoods such as oak, ash and beech are all plentifully available from the TreeStation – and it couldn’t be more local.

Further information about the TreeStation can be found at www.treestation.co.uk or by emailing [email protected].

The TreeStation is also currently seeking funding from customers and supporters, via a community share issue – see www.treestation.co.uk/share-issue.

Please support your local TreeStation!

Making Wood Work









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Book Reviews from Chorlton Bookshop

State of Wonder Ann PatchettThis book was shortlisted for this year’s Orange prize for fiction which does seem to be a guarantee of quality. It’s a bit of a slow burner which definitely takes a few chapters to ignite but is well worth the effort. Set mainly within the Brazilian Amazon the reader is totally and utterly transported to another world. The science in the book does sometimes seem slightly far-fetched but by creating such well-rounded and interesting characters we are able to forgive that.

Dr Annick Swenson is an enigmatic but brilliant scientist currently developing a drug which will alter the lives of women forever. When one of Swenson’s lab assistants dies in mysterious circumstances his friend and colleague Marina is sent to the jungle to unravel the mystery. Marina’s journey is extremely tense and perilous. Will she discover the truth or will she too become another mysterious disappearance.

One of the joys of this story is the way you’re kept guessing all the way to the end. Having read and enjoyed previous novels by Ann Patchett, this one certainly doesn’t disappoint. If you enjoy this then try “Bel Canto” by the same author, which is also set in South America.

Song of Achilles Madeline MillerClassical scholars, please look away now! However for a modern twist on an ancient tale then this is a must read. A beautiful retelling of this classic story, it was certainly a deserving winner of the Orange prize this year.

Patroclus is the son of a Greek king but is banished from his own Kingdom after committing an unforgiveable act. Forced into a life of servitude he believes his life is to be one of misery and hardship. When the prince of the kingdom befriends him, Patroclus finds it hard to comprehend. However this is the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the demi-god Achilles. We follow them through childhood right through to the fulfilment of Achilles’ destiny during the Trojan War. Along the way we bump into familiar characters, names such as Agamemnon and Odysseus, straight from the pages of Homer’s Iliad.

This is a really well written account of friendship finally blossoming into love. Despite being based on stories from Ancient Greece, Miller has made it relevant and completely understandable to a readership today.

For The Record Ellie IrvingTen-year-old Luke lives on Jersey with his mum, in the curious little village of Port Bren. He's pretty anxious about going up to high school, but suddenly that gets dwarfed by a whole new threat. The island's due to gain a new waste incineration plant, and consequently Luke's house has a date with a bulldozer. So he hatches an audacious scheme to combine his life-long fascination with world records with a bid to save the village. If the locals can break 50 world records in a week, it'll be deemed too historically important to knock down. Easy, right?

What follows is a glorious mix of the very, very silly – as the dotty villagers throw themselves into breaking every record they can think of – and the more thoughtful, as Luke negotiates around his recently bereaved mum, whilst coping with his own grief for his late dad. That's not to mention the machinations of those greedy parties plotting against him. But at all times this remains a wonderfully breezy read, populated with immensely likeable characters up to their eyes in peculiar situations. Winningly daft stuff, then, but with a careful dose of substance too. Suggested reading age 9-12.

please mention Community Index when responding to adverts

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SALES: 0161 882 2233 [email protected]

[email protected]: 0161 882 2244 430 Barlow Moor Rd

Chorlton M21 8ADwww.jpbrimelow.co.uk@jpandbrimelow Offices also in Didsbury 0161 448 0622 & Withington 0161 445 9700

Thanks to their competitive rates, effective marketing and a team of dedicated and helpful staff, JP & Brimelow have a long stream of satisfied clients. Here’s the latest glowing reference to arrive at their Chorlton office...

Hi Eddie,

Just wanted to let you know we have exchanged contracts.I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and all your team for looking after us over the past five months. I can honestly say that everyone that I have dealt with at youroffice has been helpful

friendly and professional. I would have no hesitation in recommending your firm in the future. And a special thankyou goes to Carole for putting up with my rants over the past two weeks!

Thanks againClaire TweedSale of 33 Chandos Road South, Chorlton

Another satisfied customer...

JP & Brimelow know South Manchester inside out.

HEN it comes to selling or letting your houseyou want to make sure you choose the rightagent.

Naturally, you want to be sure you get the best price,in the shortest time frame with the minimum of fuss.

JP & Brimelow has many years’ experience sellingand letting properties in South Manchester’s mostaffluent suburbs.

Our team understands the unique nature of the areaand the many attractions it has to offer, and we havethe enthusiasm and determination to actively marketyour property to the most likely occupier, irrespectiveof the market conditions.

And because we invest in and retain high calibrestaff, with a dedication and commitment to customerservice, you’ll always see a friendly and familiar faceevery time you visit the office.

W

News Bulletin

Originally built in 1879, St Clements Old School has been converted into four large, four bedroomed townhouses. Designed by award winning architect Jonathan Davidson at 02 architects, many of the existing features have been retained and are complimented by striking modern interventions, built to the highest specification and standards to create four, individual outstanding new homes. The houses are on Chorlton Green which is a Conservation Area and is close to Chorlton Park and Meadows. Internal inspection is highly recommended by appointment only on 0161 882 2233.

GRAB YOURBAG

Call into our Chorlton office & pick one up for a donation to our chosen charity

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www.jpbrimelow.co.uk

News Bulletin St Clements Old School

NOW available Prices from £525,000 to £695,000 Every detail of this conversion has been carefully considered from the hard wearing reclaimed oak flooring on the ground floor and the luxurious bedroom carpets, to the generous sized family bathrooms and the grown up en-suites. Two of the houses (B & C) have full height entrance atriums, while house A has been extended so the original gable end is now a beautiful internal feature and the floor of the entrance hall to house D retains its original York stone.

Located in Chorlton Green, one of the most popular places to live in Manchester; full of character and close to many independent bars, cafes, restaurants and shops. Each house has parking for one vehicle and Chorlton Green has good road connections to Manchester city centre and Manchester Airport. The Chorlton Metro link stop is just a ten minute walk away and it takes twelve minutes to get to Manchester city centre on the tram.

For more details and to arrange a viewing, call the Chorlton office on 0161 882 2233.

SALES: 0161 882 2233 [email protected]

[email protected]: 0161 882 2244 430 Barlow Moor Rd

Chorlton M21 8ADwww.jpbrimelow.co.uk@jpandbrimelow Offices also in Didsbury 0161 448 0622 & Withington 0161 445 9700

ONE SOLD

THREE

REMAININ

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Everyone Loves Chorlton!Our new CHORLTON office is now open!

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Stretford Office:164 Barton RdStretfordManchester, M32 8DPTel: 0161 865 [email protected]

Chorlton Office:571 Barlow Moor RdChorltonManchester, M21 8AETel: 0161 860 [email protected]

Stockport Office:410 Reddish RoadStockportSK5 7AATel: 0161 442 [email protected]

If you are thinking of selling please call Managing Director Steven Cox on 0161 860 0000

to book your free market appraisal or visit:

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Everyone Loves Chorlton!

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07989968841www.fatgrass.co.uk

October in your Garden October can be studded with some lovely days if the last few years are anything to go by, so what better than to strike out to some of the public gardens in the North West and beyond? When we think of spectacular autumn gardens we tend to think of arboretums such as the famous Westonbirt in Gloucestershire with around 2,000 specimens of maple providing a fiery autumn display, or nearer to home the Thorp Perrow arboretum in North Yorkshire with its collection of Sorbus. But many of our more local gardens are open to visitors until the end of October and put on some interesting events and lectures for both adults and children. One of my favourite ever gardens is Wollerton Old Hall near Market Drayton - a bit of a drive, but worth it for its

autumn open day on the 12th October where you can see the last flush of colour in swathes of Asters, Dahlias, Salvias and Euonymous. Nearer to home, Ness Botanic garden (South Wirral) is putting on a range of events through the month including a tree trail with head gardener Tim Baxter. There is a dry stone walling course this month at Gawthorpe Hall in Burnley and willow weaving-a-gogo at Arley Hall Cheshire. Pumpkin carving is seeing a revival in a number of gardens: Biddulph Grange is hosting ‘Halloween and the Spooky Tunnel’ with the woodland trail bedecked with pumpkins carved by the gardeners as well as a pumpkin carving workshop. If Biddulph is a bit too far, Lyme Park and Quarry Bank Mill both have pumpkin

carving on the October agenda with the latter also putting on spooky tours, family fungi walks and the beautifully bucolic sounding ‘Apply Days’. Tatton Park are also having an Apple Day and Norton Priory in Runcorn are upping the ante by having an apple and quince day. So if there’s not much happening in your own garden this month, pop on your smock-frock, grab a pumpkin and enjoy some of the October delights of our local gardens.

Katherine Watson, Fat Grass Garden Designs


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EXPERIENCEDlocal plumber

Bathrooms and tilingBlockages and leaksPipework alterations

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Taste of Anatolia

SARAY CAFÉ BAR AND RESTAURANT

609 Wilbraham Road • Chorlton • M21 9AN www.saraycafebar.co.uk

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OPENING HOURSCall to book your table Tel: 0161 881 8292

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“Excellent restaurant and great service. We will

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Don’t take their word for it though, come and see for yourself!

CELEBRATION

515 Barlow Moor Road • Chorlton [email protected]

Big Display & Family Fireworks

Family Boxes start from £5

£80 BOX now £32£24 BOX now £9.50

FREE Sparklers with orders over £10

Pre-order and we will store for you until Bonfire Night!

Bloody WeaponsMasksDecorationsPropsSmoke machine hire

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FireworksLATE NIGHT OPENING until 7pmWed 24th Oct - 5th Nov

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Festivals, Markets & EventsManchester Street Market3rd Saturday of the month outside Chorlton Library

Pampering Day @ St Werburgh’s ChurchSaturday October 6th 11.30am- 4.00 pm Mini Manicures, Henna Hand Painting, Chiropody, Facials, Eyebrow Threading, Indian Head Massage, Hair Braiding,Portrait sketching, face-painting. Contact Kay on 0161 881 9717/[email protected]

Family Fun Day for The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital 6th October 2-6pm raffles, tombola’s, games, make up artists, manicurists, facepainters, massagers, entertainment, henna tattooists, bands, stalls and more! At The Nip n Tipple 197 Upper Chorlton Rd, M16 0BH. Contact Gemma on 07545915578 or email [email protected].

Clubs, Societies & GroupsChorlton Aikido Club Wednesdays 7.30-9.30pmSt Ninians, Wilbraham Rdwww.lancashireaikikai.org861 8456

Community Allotment & Apiary Scott Avenue AllotmentSat 11am, Sun 2pm0797313906807521500223uk.groups.yahoo.com/ group/grow_for_it/

Chorlton Bridge ClubChristine Blackburn Tel: 225 8854 www.bridge webs.com/chorlton

Chorlton Civic SocietyNext meeting Tuesday 13th November 7.30pm Chorlton Library meeting room. Chair - Jenny Slee 0757 0879 091 www.chorltoncivicsociety.org.uk

Chorlton Good Neighbours881 2925 [email protected]

Chorlton Philosophy GroupMeets every Tuesday at 7.30pm, upstairs at the Lloyds pub. All welcomesites.google.com/site/chorltonphilosophygroup

Chorlton Reading GroupOnce a month in the meeting room behind Chorlton library 7.30pmAll welcome 881 [email protected]

Friends of Alexandra Park226 7525 www.friends ofalexandrapark.org.uk

Friends of Chorlton Meadows 881 6276www.friendsofchorltonmeadows.blogspot.com

Friends of Longford [email protected]

Manchester Flower Lovers’ Guild St Werburghs Church Hall, Chorlton M21 0TJ Anne 881 6591 flowersnorthwest.net

Shakespeare House Community CentreWhalley RangeM16 8NR, [email protected]

Whalley Range ForumJN8 Youth & Community Centre, 82 Cromwell Ave, M16 0BG 881 3744 [email protected] www.whalleyrange.org

Whalley Range 4 [email protected]

50+Social GroupArts/Walking/HolidaysLila, [email protected] 2261214

Health & FitnessAlexander TechniqueOne-to-one sessions in Chorlton & Didsbury, group evening classes.Contact: Sue Fleming on 861 8848, 07796470163www.alexandertechnique.co.uk

50+ Fitness ClassesEvery Tues morning 11am at Longfords Gym, Ryebank RdContact Earl 07725 199 940 www.50plus-fitness.co.uk

The Yoga RoomsThursday 10-11.15am Drop-in Yoga (all levels) Friday 10-11am Drop-in Pilates (all levels)Full Programme at www.theyogarooms.co.uk

Pilates Classes Sarah 07776196504 www.energyflowfitness.co.uk

Arts & CraftsAlex Jerman PhotographyPhotography & Camera Training, one to ones, workshops www.alexjermanphotography.com

Battyandgorgeous www.battyandgorgeous.com

Beetlefelt Craft WorkshopsCarol Mowl

Tel: 881 6309 www.beetlefelt.co.uk

Chorlton Sewing Club1st Thursday of the month 7.30 - 9.30pmChorlton Library chorltonsewing.wordpress.com

Creative Recycling Gallery40 Beech Rd M21 9ELcraftscreativecourses.co.uk

Drum & Percussion GroupPlaying Brazilian and Cuban rhythms. Thursday evenings 7-9pm St. Margarets Church, Whalley Range Sue 226 4311

The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre Manchester Rd, Chorlton Tel: 282 9776www.watersedgearts.com

Making Miniatures Group4th Monday of the month, 8pm Scout Hut, English Martyrs Church, Alexandra Rd South, M16Contact Ann 07814 861 285

Ministry of Craft 07850 894 752 www.ministryofcraft.co.uk

Rubbish Revampedwww.rubbishrevamped.org.uk

South Manchester Camera ClubClub Meets Monday nights at 8pm Didsbury Methodist Church M20 5LRwww.smcc.org.uk

Sewing Courses at Pottery Corner, Beech Rd Basic Sewing Skills, Tues 7-9pm 5 x 2hrs sessions - starts 12th NovemberContact Ruth Tel: 881 9861 [email protected]

Community I N D E X

FREE for voluntary/not for profit groups - email your notices to: [email protected]

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Community I N D E XMusic & EntertainmentBop Local presents Laugh LocalFriday 16th November 7pm. Justin Moorhouse plus special guests Steve Royle and Pete Johansson. Tickets £12 via www.boplocal.com or from the Irish Club.Chorlton Irish Club, 17 High Lane, Chorlton

Chorlton Film InstituteA Separation Thurs 18th October. Doors Open 8.10pm Film starts 8.30pm Entrance £5 St Clements Church

Chorlton Folk ClubThursdays 9pm Ellesmere Rd Cricket Club

Chorlton Irish Club17 High Lane, Chorlton M21 9DJ 0161 881 2898 www.chorltonirishclub.co.uk

Dulcimer DJs every Friday & Saturday and live acts from around the world every week www.dulcimer-bar.co.uk

Folk Songs and Tunes at The BeechIf you enjoy folk songs and tunes even older than the Beech. 1st & 3rd Wednesdays for Songs2nd & 4th for Tunes.Beech Road, Chorlton, M21 9EG

Guitar/Songwriting LessonsDominic Kearne 07906 203388 www.dominickearne.com

Home on the RangeDia de Los Muertos -Day of the Dead! Friday 26th October 9pm-1am £5 Free Tequila for Guest (till it runs out!)The Carlton Club, Whalley Range www.carltonclub.org.uk

Manchester Sing Out Choir (Gospel Choir)If you enjoy singing - this is the place to be. Every Tuesday 7-9pmSt Johns Centre, Old Trafford www.manchestersingoutchoir.org [email protected]

Social & Support GroupsCafé Spirit Meets 2nd Monday of the month at Copperfields Café in Chorlton 7.30pm Lesley 882 0848 Email: [email protected]

Chorlton Anxiety Group226 3871

Coffee and Craft Mornings at Chorlton Good Neighbours. Meet friends and have a coffee, with arts and crafts group. Thursday’s 10-11.30am Wilbraham St, Ninian’s Church 881 2925 www.cgncg.org.uk

IntergenVolunteer opportunities for Chorlton residents 55+ to work with local primary school children. Estelle Longmore 881 7693 or 07946761785 www.intergen.org.uk

Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy454 Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton, M21 0BQ 0161 862 9456 www.mcpt.co.uk

New Family Social UK charity for LGBT adopters, foster carers and their children. Meets every 2 months in south Manchester.newfamilysocial.co.uk

Rainbow Families 07903 397 108 rainbowfamilies@ hotmail.com

St. Clements FellowshipContact Barbara Burns on 0161 881 5912 or Ida Bradshaw on 0161 861 7158 for information.

Local Websiteswww.beechroadm21.co.uk

www.chorlton.co.uk

www.chorltoncivic.blogspot.com

www.chorlton.fetch.it

www.sochorlton.wordpress.com

www.whalleyrange.org

Useful NumbersChorlton Library 227 3700

Citizens Advice 0870 126 4094

Manchester City Council234 5000

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For a trustworthy, friendly & tidy service from a reliable professional, call Hana Kubacova

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Hana K PlumbingQualified Female Plumber

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TAG - New Members & Great Offers!New TAG! cards are valid until 2014 AND are on sale now for only £5. The sooner you get one the more you save when supporting local

independent shops and businesses in Chorlton.

Just flash your TAG! card to get your discount and show your support.

Bittersweet, Chorlton’s very own sweet shop is doing a great offer on party bags. Buy 10 at £1 each and get one free and in addition spend over £10 on a single item get 10% off. This includes all those wonderful medium and large retro jars, single sweet, party and special occasion jars. Mmm...

Longford Health & Fitness Club. Pat and the team are offering 15% off 6 month memberships with extras included for TAG! members.

Pramactive - Claire does ‘workout for you and baby comes too’. For Chorlton Water Park session details see www.pramactive.co.uk Claire is offering one class free with a TAG! card (worth £4.50) for limited period.

Epicerie Ludo – Beech Road’s famous French deli and grocers with tastings every Saturday and Sunday. 10% off.

Monkey Puzzle Toys - a local treasure trove for toys. 10% off spends over £25. Is it too early to mention Christmas?!

For all the offers from all TAG! members in Chorlton see www.tagpassiton.com and in-stores.

to advertise call Lesley: 0787 589 5604 [email protected]

Property Repairs Chimneys

PointingRoofs

Gutters

Free Est imates

M Duffin

0161 789 664007944 729 608

Chorlton Gas LtdDomestic Central Heating and Gas Engineers

Service, installation and breakdown repair on all makes of:

fully qualified • fully insured Gas Safe registered • friendly and reliable • local references available

Boilers

Fires

Cookers

Unvented Hot Water Cylinders

Solar Thermal

No Job

too big

or small

Central heating power flushing service available

Call Kevin for a no obligation quote

07722 731 801www.chorltongas.co.uk

Nina WestDecorator“She’s So Neat”

07958 382 682Interiors, ExteriorsPaper HangingColour Advice





15 Years Experience

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Paper Hanging Specialist

27

For those of you not aware of the fact, the biggest exhibition in Chorlton is now open!

Stretching for 80 metres along the hoardings of the old Cosgrove Hall site, the theme is Chorlton-cum-Hardy The Story. Not only will you be able to follow the history of Chorlton but we have designed it so you can walk it in 80 meters.

The beginning of the story on the History Wall starts at Chorlton Green in the 16th century. Here we have stories of the old parish church, the Horse & Jockey and we see what life was like in the village and Beech Road. We then move in time to the tales surrounding Wilbraham Road and Barlow Moor Road during the 19th century, with the history of the changes to the landscape along the route. The story ends up close to the modern tram station with references to our first cinema and the proposed new developments on the old Cosgrove Hall site.

It all started when Andrew phoned me up and asked if he could use my paintings to sit aside the stories in some of his history blogs. This was the beginning of the collaboration

and the mixture of history and photos of bygone times, alongside my paintings of Chorlton today, seemed to be a pleasing formula. We were then asked to put on an exhibition at the Big Green Festival in March which we called Chorlton Past, Present and Future. A big thanks to Sherlock Homes estate agents who sponsored the show. This then lead on to the creation of a series of satellite exhibitions, called The History Trail, which span across six venues in Chorlton and several ongoing exhibitions in Chorlton library featuring pictures and stories

of Chorlton’s past together with paintings from my Moment in Time collection. Having seen the impact of our work we thought what a good idea it would be to have a permanent exhibition. Something that would benefit the whole community. The young could use The History Wall in their local history education, the Elders could reflect on the past and how it has changed and the rest of the community could mark the changes in time.

So the idea of a History Wall was a natural next step but the problem of was twofold. Where would we find a large enough site to display the size of graphic we would need to carry the stories, the photos and the blow up images of the paintings, but more to the point where would we get the funding for such a project?

It was a dream come true when Eric Cruice of McCarthy & Stone, developers of retirement homes, contacted me and offered me the

Chorlton History Wall Peter Topping

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hoardings surrounding the site on Albany Road for 18 months, while the construction of their Later Living development, Cosgrove Court was completed. And when he said that they would fund the project, what could we say but thank you very much!

So what next? We have stories, photos and paintings in pubs, bars, cafes and shops. Exhibitions at the library. And 80 metres of History Wall.

Rumour has it that the old Chorlton Precinct is going to

be knocked down for a brand new redevelopment scheme. Mmm. As Lord Bradley said, commenting on our project, "it is much more interesting to see the story of the area told in this way rather than just having boring hoardings"

The History Wall is open

24/7 for the next 18 months and features blow ups of my Paintings overlaid with stories by Historian Andrew Simpson and photos of the past.

More information about all our projects can be found at www.gladtobe.in

DanRobinsonPainter & Decorator

Interior/Exterior paintingPaper hangingWall & Floor tilingLaminate FlooringFurniture RenovationHigh quality and friendly service

Call for a free quote and advice

07515464830


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Please note: Community Index accepts no responsibility for transactions entered into or work undertaken by any of the businesses advertising in the Index or any loss, harm or damage arising from using any of the products & services listed.

Arts & CraftsSewing Courses 17Building & MaintenanceBest Cellars 2M & H Building Contractors 9Care ServicesMAC 2Carpet CleaningProfresh 22Chimney SweepAcorn Chimney Sweeping Service

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Dry CleanerVillage Dry Cleaner 32ElectricianA M Electrical & Alarm 7Chorlton Electric 19N A Evans Electrical Services 9Estate AgentsJP & Brimelow 14-15Trading Places 16Food & DrinkBattery Park 20Unicorn 30Furniture & JoineryBedfellas 7Garage/MOT CentreRileys MOT Test Centre 18GardensFat Grass 19Perennial Garden Solutions 18Gas Safe EngineerChorlton Gas 27Select Plumbing & Heating 18

Hair & BeautySundas Hair & Beauty 5Handyman/womanChorlton Handyman 9Health & FitnessFarah Ayyub - Nutrition Specialist 5Fifty Plus Fitness 17Male GroomingClose Male Grooming 3Music LessonsDominic Kearne, Guitar/Songwriting 17Painting & DecoratingCarol Smith 7Chorlton Trade Paints 7Dan Robinson 29HMC Decorators 7Nina West 27Party ShopCelebration 23PlumbersBG Plumbing 22Hana K Plumbing 25Select Plumbing & Heating 18

RestaurantSaray 22RooferM Duffin 27Social/EventsHome on the Range 17Laugh Local 21ShoppingTagpassiton 13Therapy, & Healing AJR Therapy 9Sue Fleming, Alexander Technique 2Toys & GamesMonkey Puzzle Toys 5Tree Services Tree Station 11

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community index chorlton 0ct 2012