Littleborough’s Biggest Ever Clothes Swap Party!
Posted on 17. Oct, 2011 by Lily in Article, Event, Local Business
As October is cancer awareness month local residents are holding a mega clothes swap event at:
The Rake Tapas in Littleborough on Monday 24 October from 6 – 8pm.
Take along your unwanted wardrobe and swap it for something else. Swap your skinny jeans for someone else’s boho sweater. You can even swap your past-it prints for someones flunky floral.
Take part in the raffle, prizes include: express manicure and pedicure, full haircut and blow dry, bouquet, coffee and cake for two, knitting kit all provided by some of Littleborough’s best businesses.
The evening will feature the draw of our fantastic raffle, stalls from Littleborough’s favourite shops, drinks, nibbles and so much more
Simply bring your clothes on the night and enjoy an evening of sharing, swapping and fund raising for Cancer Research. All donations will go directly to cancer research.
Incredible Edible Todmorden’s Royal Praise
Posted on 24. Jul, 2011 by Lily in Article, Food and Drink, Home and Garden
It’s wonderful to hear about the praise Incredible Edible Todmorden received from Garden Organic patron HRH the Prince of Wales. Watch this excellent video of the special day look out for Pam and Mary from Todmorden.
Treasure – Vintage Fair meets Handmade
Posted on 08. Jul, 2011 by Lily in Article, Event, Local Business
For those who are in the Todmorden area this Saturday why not pop along and visit the ‘Vintage Fair meets Handmade’ event at Todmorden Town Hall on Bridge Street. It’s open from 10am – 4pm and for just £1.50 you can have pleasure of searching for that special something among the 30 stalls of vintage loveliness and handmade goodness
The event is brought to you by RoseandBrown.
Easter and eggs
Posted on 25. Apr, 2011 by Lily in Article, Food and Drink, Local Business
With the shops busting at the seams with chocolate eggs, Pennine Life has taken a closer look at the meaning of the Easter Egg and the different non- chocolate eggs available.
Easter is a period of marking re-birth and the egg is the symbol from where all life comes.
There are approximately 11 billion hens eggs consumed in the UK each year. The beauty of eggs is that they are multi-purpose, have flavour and great nutritional value.
Many scientists have previously stated that eggs were diary products but now experts categorise them into the alternates food category.
There are of course many kinds of eggs that we can eat.
Duck eggs have a slightly richer yolk than hen eggs and excellent to use in dishes such as omelettes. They also have slightly more protein in their whites so the eggs are ideally suited for baking. Their thicker shells mean that they will store for a little longer than hen eggs.
Quail Eggs are a delicacy in many countries, they have a higher proportion of yolk to white compared to a hen’s egg, and a slightly stronger flavour. Served with celery salt they are a quintessential English summer canapé.
Gulls eggs are a traditional British classic, the gull egg is available in early spring and is a real breakfast treat served with caviar and toast.
Ostrich Eggs can you believe are equivalent to approximately 24 hen eggs. Can you imagine the huge omelet you could make with one egg!
You can find out where to buy local produce at Pennine Prospects local food mapping project. Happy egg hunting!
Pennine based Garden Centre is Tops!
Posted on 31. Mar, 2011 by Lily in Article, Home and Garden, Local Business
The British garden has long been a topic discussed all over the world. With the revived interest of this favourite UK hobby many retailers have branched out into selling garden-related products and plants.
The consumer magazine Which has recently issued their latest research results concerning the best and worst stores that sell gardening products. Pennine Life are pleased to announce that the Pennines based Gordon Rigg garden centre came second out of the 65 stores rated. They scored an impressive 87% in customer satisfaction ratings.
It seems that more locally based stores in the survey gained better perceived value and customer satisfaction.
The research was conducted from 21 January to 3 February. Which rated stores they had visited on criteria including product quality, price and staff helpfulness with over 7,000 people participating.
So we would like to send our congratulations to Gordon Riggs who have stores in Walsden (West Yorkshire) and Rochdale, a great family owned company.
Local theatre gets Arts Council funding
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by Lily in Article, Culture, Local Business
Pennine Life readers will be pleased to know that the popular Oldham Coliseum Theatre has announced today that it is part of the Arts Council England’s National Portfolio of Organisations.
The theatre will receive £600,000 in funding from ACE for 1212/1213 with inflationary increases for the subsequent two years.
Chief Executive and Artistic Director Kevin Shaw said: “I am delighted that the Arts Council has demonstrated such confidence in the Coliseum, enabling us to continue and develop our work both on stage and in the community. This is tempered by the fact that some very tough decisions have had to be made about levels of funding for our colleagues across the country.”
In addition Executive Director David Martin commented: “This is excellent news for the Oldham Coliseum. The increase in core funding that has been awarded to the theatre is a testament to the skill and dedication of our staff team, volunteers and trustees. It is also recognition of the position of the Coliseum in the cultural life of the borough of Oldham and the North West.”
Country Markets spreading to Cities
Posted on 19. Mar, 2011 by Lily in Article, Environment, Food and Drink, Local Business
Some say buying local is not only a good way to rejuvenating the local economy but it’s also good for the environment – less carbon emissions and if you are buying locally produced food much better for your health.
Buying local is all about the individual producer, products are unique and are produced with care.
Country Markets roots go back to 1919 when the then equivalent to DEFRA the Agricultural Organisation Society sponsored the setting up of co-operative markets to sell surplus produce. Today it is a membership-based co-operative social enterprise with a turnover of £10million with over 65 regional Market Societies throughout England it is now going to be established in Manchester. Check out the details below:
A Country Market for Greater Manchester
What?: A meeting to bring together people interested in establishing a new Country Market for Greater Manchester.
- Can you produce good quality fresh food and crafts?
- Would you like to work from home and around your family commitments?
- Would you like to be part of a social enterprise that has co-operation, community and quality at the core of its values?
Interested? Become a producer, and/or help set up this new Country Market.
Where? Go along and find out more at Manchester Friends’ Meeting House (6 Mount Street M2 5NS)
When?: Tuesday 22nd March at 6.30 pm.
To find out more about plans to establish a Country Market for Greater Manchester contact Beate on 07746 395 101 or email us on gmcountrymarket@gmail.com.
For more information about Country Markets see www.country-markets.co.uk or http://gmcountrymarket.wordpress.com
Can’t make the meeting? If you are interested in getting involved but are unable to make the meeting, please get in touch by email, indicating whether you’d like us to add your email address to our mailing list [email gmcountrymarket@gmail.com].
Dad preserves voice for baby son
Posted on 07. Mar, 2011 by Lily in Article, Culture, Home and Garden
A father suffering from Motor Neurone Disease is ‘banking’ his voice so that he can continue reading bed time stories to his baby son even if he loses the power of speech.
Laurence Brewer, from Bolton, is using pioneering technology to record 1600 phrases and sentences that will enable him to preserve his voice for years to come.
If he completes the recordings he will be the first known MND sufferer in the UK to successfully bank his voice using the software – and it will enable him to leave a lasting legacy for his 13 month old son Stan.
His story is told on Inside Out North West, BBC One on Monday (March 7th at 7.30pm).
Laurence, who works at Salford University, was diagnosed with the degenerative illness three years ago and told that he may only have between two and five years to live.
There is no cure for the disease, which results in the loss of mobility in the limbs and difficulties with swallowing, breathing and speech. In many cases, MND sufferers lose their speech completely.
Many use a voice synthesiser, choosing from a selection of pre-recorded voices to communicate with – the same type of technology used by Professor Stephen Hawking. But the software Laurence is using is different in that it enables users to communicate using recordings of their own voice.
For Laurence, 43, and his partner, Danijela, it’s a major concern that their young son could grow up not knowing his father’s voice.
He is now working tirelessly in his spare time to record the 1600 sentences and phrases the software needs to create a whole database of speech – all in Laurence’s voice. It’s a long and time consuming process.
Laurence says: “I think personally that I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t for Stan. I wouldn’t have that motivation, I really don’t. Knowing that he’s around…passing that on, it’s a key driver for me.
“If my voice goes within the next six months he might not recognise me, recognise my voice particularly, and also in five years time if I have the voice banked then he can hear what I sounded like or an idea of what I would have sounded like. So it’s a memory.”
“I quite like the idea that the technology’s not very advanced, it’s not word perfect and I imagine that the final outcome will be a bit like a Lancastrian dalek which makes me smile quite a lot. I quite like that idea, that Stan will hear that and it’ll be part of me and part of my cultural identity.”
It was while researching the disease on the internet that Laurence’s partner, Danijela, came across the new type of voice software, called ‘Model Talker’.
Danijela says: “I learnt that of all the losses with MND, that most people who have been affected with MND have felt that losing their voice was the biggest loss. It did come as a surprise because I felt that perhaps losing ones mobility or being unable to breathe properly would be more devastating, but it seemed to be something which is very closely tied up with ones sense of identity.”
She explains why recording Laurence’s voice matters so much to the family: “Laurence used to play and sing in a band, so his voice is important to him and I cannot imagine not having his voice around and I would certainly like Stan to know the timbre of Laurence’s voice in some form. I don’t know what kind of quality we’re going to end up with this product but it’s a try, it’s doing something positive and being proactive and just allowing Stan to have that part of his father even after he’s gone.”
Laurence’s story is told on BBC Inside Out North West, BBC One, Monday, March 7th at 7.30pm.
Viewers outside the North West can view the programme on digital channel 978 or at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Mountain biking round Watergrove
Posted on 06. Mar, 2011 by Lily in Article, Environment
It’s a cold winters morning but who cares when you’re working hard riding your mountain bike on the Pennines. These guys really enjoyed the freedom of the moors last week.
Thanks to MrDazpl’s footage on Youtube.
Flying ambitions
Posted on 20. Feb, 2011 by Lily in Article
Otto Dawes is a typical 12-year-old in many ways except that in his spare time he uses his pocket money for flying lessons.
The would-be pilot, began flying at the age of 11 after becoming obsessed from a young age. His story is told on BBC Inside Out North West on Monday, February 21st at 7.30pm.
He says: “I first got interested in aeroplanes when I was 6. I was pony trekking at the end of a runway at RAF Valley in Anglesey and I was watching a Hawk training and taking off and landing and doing these jumps. I sat there for 20 minutes gazing at them. It was awesome, I loved it and I’ve always wanted to be a pilot since.”
Viewers outside the North West can view the programme on digital channel 978 or at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
If Otto’s ambitions inspire you there are Helicopter lessons from Pennine Helicopter Ltd or you can try another sort of flying with the Pennine Soaring Club
