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ISSUE No 7 Mid JANUARY 2011

PANEL MEETING: FRIDAY 4th FEBRUARY

There are a number of vacancies on the Panel. We

meet on the first Friday of each month in the Town

Centre between 12.30 and 2.30. Help CEN have a

stronger voice. Please contact the office for

further information.

Ann has stood down as Chair as is no longer on the

Executive. She will be contentrating on the

CENterprise Project. At the January meeting

Chris was elected to be the new Chair.

St. Helens Festival 2011

You may have noticed in the local press that The Council is resting the Sherdley Park Festival and transferring many of its activities to the town centre in an effort to save a dying town centre, in terminal decline with symptoms and causes too

numerous to mention, and best practices elsewhere not being discussed in the open, if at all.

Participants in the past Festival are being invited “to build on your successful involvement in our town centre events programme.” The Events Team will be

“contacting you shortly to explore in more detail how you might wish to get

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involved. Focused on the town centre, the programme is intended to draw more visitors and custom to the heart of the Borough during these difficult economic

times. We want to organise events that involve as many local groups as possible and give local people more opportunities to enjoy and engage in cultural activities.”

Rainford Parish Church Amateur Dramatic Society

Just a note to say thanks for the publicity you gave to the above Society’s

Pantomime, Dick Whittington. It was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by all who came to see it – we had capacity audiences, which made all the hard work,

worthwhile!

CARER’S COMPLAINTS CHOIR

Rehearsing in the MASH Gallery in Haydock Street.

Karen Machin writes “Jez Kerr, who is writing our carers song, is currently one of

the pick n mix artists on the Radio 2 Radcliffe and Maconie show - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/the-radcliffe-and-maconie-show/pick-and-mix/

All votes appreciated - vote for his song 'play sumthing fast' to get played every

day on radio 2. Full song is on youtube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keGYPf4FLS8 Please spread the word!

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UC Crew "Break Dancing Lessons"

Friday 5:00-6:00

Queens Park Leisure Centre

Boundary Road

St Helens WA10 2LT

£3.00 Age 7 +

www.uccrew.co.uk

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Please check out our website www.uccrew.co.uk

Winners of:

Epic Awards Creativity Category 2010 (Voluntary Arts England)

St Helens Voluntary Arts Sector Award in the St Helens Cultural Awards

2010

St Helens Youth Arts Award for Outstanding Achievement in the St

Helens Cultural Awards 2009

Newton Gardener' Association events

“Hi Chris

“Your last newsletter reminded me to do this overall picture of the Newton Gardener' Association events for the coming year. If there are more details

regarding each talk, I will update nearer the time.

TALKS & DEMONSTRATIONS + AGM Always Thursdays, always at Newton Sports(Cricket) Club, Crow Lane East.

7.30 start. Free admission. Raffle and sometimes the speaker will bring plants or produce to sell. This will be clarified nearer the time of each event:

27th January AGM 24th February Craig Hughes – All About Bees.

31st March Ken Whittaker – Friend or Foe? 28th April Phil Dunnett – Climbers.

26th May Bill Blackledge – Hanging baskets & containers. 30th June Peter Foley – Alpine & Rock Garden Plants.

27th October John Steedman – All About Bulbs.

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SHOWS

30th May (Monday) A stall at the Willow Park Rural Craft Display,

Newton. 10th September (Saturday) NLWGA Flower & Vegetable Show. This will be a

change of location. St.Aelred's school will be demolished by the time of the Show so we have moved the venue to the smaller Penkford School, who have been very

generous in offering their facilities. There will be more about this as the year goes on as we finalise the details and try to publicise the change as widely as possible

HUT (Rob Lane) OPENING TIMES FOR MEMBERS (membership by coming down to

the Hut and paying a yearly sub - £3, or £2 fo over 60's). All sorts of garden

supplies available for purchase, as well as bedding plants in the spring.

Saturdays 8th January – 29th October 10.30 – 12.00 Sundays 9th January – 30th October 10.30 - 12.00

Wednesdays 6th April – 22nd June 7.00 – 8.00

“Lots of details available as we go along, The website www.nlwgardeners.co.uk is kept well updated.

HAYDOCK MALE VOICE CHOIR

“Here is the programme for the coming year. We have seven concerts within the St.

Helens boundary. All start at 7.30pm. Prices vary according to the whim of the organisers.

05/02: St. John’s Church, Burscough.

26/02: St. Helens Cultural Awards, –Town Hall 12/03: Rainford Parish Church – St. Helens Rotary Club

09/04: St Matthew’s Church, Highfield.

30/04: St. Paul’s Church, Fairhaven. 14/05: St. George’s Hall, Liverpool – Liverpool Rotarians.

04/06: Celebrity Concert with the Fairey Band – St. Helens Parish Church. The Fairey Band have been National Champions on 25 occasions!

25/06: Skelmersdale Ecumenical Centre. 10/09: The Ministry Centre Aughton.

01/10 Celebrity Concert with Miss – Demeanour – St. Helens Town Hall. Miss – Demeanour are the current national champion Ladies

Barbershop Quartet. 22/10 Padgate Community Centre – in aid of the N.S.P.C.C.

??/11 St. Julie’s Church, Eccleston – in aid of Willowbrook Hospice. ( Organisers have not yet picked a specific date, will inform you as

soon as I know.) 03/12 Joint Choral/ Carol Concert with Bleak Hill School – St. Helens

Parish Church.

20/12 Choral/Carol Concert – Haydock Conservative Club. Alan Gaskell, Secretary, Haydock MVC

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Opportunity For The Local Community To Get Creative By Owen Hutchings

On Saturday 19th March 2011 9.30am – 2.45pm, St.Helens Council is organising a conference to inspire our local communities of what the benefits of participating and engaging with arts activity brings to the people and communities in our neighbourhoods. Funded by Arts Council England the conference is predominantly aimed at Tenants and residents organisations, community groups, and the voluntary and faith sectors. Those attending do not need to have any knowledge of the creative arts, just an interest! The conference will explore how dance, drama, music, the visual arts and other creative activity can be used to rejuvenate and regenerate our communities and improve our sense of well -being. The conference will also launch an exciting bite-size training programme for local community groups that will equip participants and organisations with the relevant skills required to be able to vision, fund, develop and run their own arts programmes of work for their organisations and communities. Says Councillor Barrie Grunewald, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Culture, Communications and the Town Centre: ‘This conference is a really fantastic opportunity for community leaders and those people active in groups throughout the borough to be inspired by excellent examples from across the country and the training programme will be of an excellent standard which will lead to some inspirational activity in our communities – I would encourage anyone interested in how the arts can be used to rejuvenate their locality to book themselves onto the conference.’ Please note: Places on the conference are limited and there is a priority for groups and organisations from the community, however artists and arts groups are also welcome to register interest but priority will be given as outlined above. To register your interest in the conference please contact Kimberley Whitfield on 01744 675492 or email kimberleywhitfield@sthelens.gov.uk A free lunch and refreshments will be provided. If you are from a community, tenants and residents, voluntary or grassroots group and are interested in registering an interest for the training programme please contact Owen Hutchings on 01744 674401 or owenhutchings@sthelens.gov.uk for a discussion about what the training will involve.

ENJOY, SUPPORT AND JOIN IN JUST SOME OF THE

MANY COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE IN

December and January

Send me your details for the next issue asap.

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THURSDAY 27th Jan at Rainford Library. 11am. Vivien Hainsworth from the Local History and Archives Library will talk about exploring Family History resources -

from basics through to more detailed online resources. Tea and coffee also available - all free of charge. Ring 677820

THURSDAY 27th Jan at the Town Hall, Room 8, 7pm. St. Helens Townships Family

History Society.

MONDAY 31st Jan at the Police Club, Bishop Road at 7.45. St Helens Camera Club.

“Portrait Competition”

FEBRUARY 2011 FRIDAY 4th Feb. Epochalypse Party Night. Under 18’s Dry Bar. 7.30 at the Citadel.

£5.

MONDAY 7th Feb at the Police Club, Bishop Road at 7.45. St Helens Camera Club. “A Surprise from one of our Own Members”

FRIDAY 11th Feb. Overload Local Bands Night Under 18’s dry bar. At the Citadel

7.30. £5

MONDAY 14th Feb: 7.30pm. Rainhill Railway & Heritage Society at Rainhill Village Hall. “Sutton Manor: From Colliery to Dream”. An illustrated talk with Gary Conley

MONDAY 14th Feb: Formerly the Black Bull Local History Group. Now at the

Sprayhurst Club, Boundary Road. 7pm till 9pm. “Peeps Into The Past” video show

with Chris Coffey.

MONDAY 14th Feb at the Police Club, Bishop Road at 7.45. St Helens Camera Club. “Pictures From An Exhibition”

MONDAY 21st Feb at Newton Library, 5pm t 7.30 . Newton Local History Discussion

Group first meeting. Open to all and free admission.

MONDAY 21st Feb. St. Helens Historical Society at the Friends Meeting House. 7.30. Small admission charge. “Profile of a doomed elite: English landowners in 1066”

with Chris Lewis.

MONDAY 21st Feb at the Police Club, Bishop Road at 7.45. St Helens Camera Club. “St Helens v Atherton APS”

TUESDAY, 22nd Feb at Rainhill Millenium Centre. 7.30. Rainhill Civic Society presents a presentation from wildlife photographer John Fairclough. Info

rainhill.civic@gmail.com

THURSDAY 24th Feb at Newton Sports Club, Crow Lane East, 7.30. Newton-le-Willows Gardeners Association: Craig Hughes – All About Bees. Admission Free.

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THURSDAY 24th Feb at the Town Hall, Room 8, 7pm. St. Helens Townships Family History Society.

MONDAY 28th Feb at the Police Club, Bishop Road at 7.45. St Helens Camera Club. “Member’s Evening”

WEEKLY EVENTS:

EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT – The Wooden Horse Folk Club at Squires Bar, Billinge, 8.30

p.m. to 11.00 Nominal charge on door.

EVERY MONDAY MORNING: - 9.30 to 12.30 Paint Pots Arts Self Help Group at Park

Farm ACYP Centre, 54 Kentmere Ave., Carr Mill

EVERY MONDAY NIGHT from 6th September - St Helens Gilbert & Sullivan Society resume rehearsals for their next production, 'The Gondoliers', in March 2011.

Rehearsals at the Baptist Church, Hall St from 7.45 p.m. Info 01744 612075 after 7pm.

EVERY TUESDAY EVENING: at Haydock Conservative Club between 8pm and 10pm,

rehearsal for Haydock Male Voice Choir -

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Live Trad Jazz with the Dixie Kings at the Black Bull, Knowsley Road, 8.30 to 11.15pm. Free admission.

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Jam Rock Nights live at the Duke off Cambridge on

Duke Street, around 9pm. Admission Free.

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Sing Out Choir Rehearsals at the Citadel. 6.30pm –

8.30pm. Concession prices £2.50. Everyone welcome.

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Join the Riverside Harmony Chorus. Four part harmonies. Diamond Club, Grey Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield.

EVERY THURSDAY MORNING - The three A's art group at Peter St Centre 10.30

a.m. until 12.30 p.m. The cost is £3 per week

MOVED TO EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT – Acoustic rock jam nights live at the Duke of Cambridge on Duke Street, around 9m. Admission Free.

EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT - from 7-9 pm there is a portrait drawing group which

meets in the Community Room of the Gamble Institute.

EVERY FRIDAY MORNING 10am to 12 at the Deafness Resource Centre. Beginners

Card-Making Classes. £1 entry.

EVERY FRIDAY: Art class for beginners & improvers 2-4pm at Reeve Court Retirement Village, Eltonhead Rd. Non-residents very welcome! (Details from Mary

Christie ph: 01744 813493)

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EVERY FRIDAY: Break Dancing lessons with U.C. Crew. 4pm to 8. LSQ Academy of

Dance. 42 Ormskirk Street.

EVERY FRIDAY EVENING: St. Helens Parish Church Hall between 7.30pm and 9.30pm, rehearsal for Haydock Male Voice Choir – .

EVERY SATURDAY: FREE New Music and Dance Workshops for young people aged

10 to 18 at The Citadel.

EVERY SATURDAY: Break Dancing lessons with U.C. Crew. 3 to 5pm. Chain Lane Community Centre.

EXHIBITIONS:

WORLD OF GLASS: PAST MEETS PRESENT. Past and present members of the Art Club, St. Helens. 15th January to 13th March.

MARY CHRISTIE: PEOPLE AND PLACES: Tuesdays to Saturdays at the Citadel.

January to March 2011.

WORLD OF GLASS: HOME SWEET HOME. Objects from the St. Helens Collection

associated with the history of the home. 15th January to 13th March.

The Unnamed Players taking a bow at the Citadel.

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The very excellent Cit Dis Arts Christmas Carol Concert at the Citadel.

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Even the Citadel balcony is full for that Carol Concert. (photographer Terry Caffrey)

And the folks in Newton gather for the Tree Switch-On at St.Peters (photo Tracey Sherer)

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From: Diane Humphreys Sent: 02 November 2010 10:30

To: Willowbrook All Users Subject: APARTMENT FOR SALE!

Apartment

For Sale

Beautiful one bedroom ground floor apartment for sale, with study/bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.

All carpets and curtains are new, and it has a new fitted kitchen and a new bathroom suite. All works are to a high standard and have been very kindly donated and completed by Arena housing.

The apartment is very conveniently located on a lovely development on St James Road in Rainhill; close to shops and amenities, churches and motorway networks.

Own this apartment for just £100,000

You will have a beautiful new home, and Willowbrook Hospice will gain a donation from your purchase of 80% of the purchase price!

(This flat has been part left as a legacy to the hospice.)

For more details call Mark Gilbertson Estate Agents on 01744 750064.

With thanks

Diane Humphreys Fundraising - Events & Marketing

T: 01744 453 798

F: 01744 735 174

W: www.willowbrook.org.uk

A: Fundraising Office, 56 Claughton Street, St Helens, WA10 1SN

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VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO HELP CEN

We do need volunteers to help us with the various tasks we have set ourselves,

from working at home on a computer, to using your free bus pass if you have one to travel around the Borough on various tasks, to working in our office a couple of

hours or more a week, or a mixture of the above as suits. Please get in touch if you would like to help.

EQUIPMENT MEMBER GROUPS CAN BORROW:

Up to three Desktop Folding Panel Kits. Includes three folding framed panels, a header panel, and a header panel. Covered in loop nylon so your display notices and photos etc will need to be attached with matching Velcro squares etc., on the rear.

Disco System. One McGregor 100watt guitar amp with phono imput for CD/DVD player. Mike socket. Two disco speakers. Additional mixing desk and radio mikes and appropriate wires.

CEN OFFICE 105 Corporation Street, WA10 1SX

Phone 01744 759390 email sthelenscen@googlemail.com

Staff: Simon Skidmore and Diane Roberts WEB SITE www.censthelens.org.uk

CEN HELENS Editor Chris Coffey ~ Chair CEN