20 Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, December 16th, 2004


www.clitheroetoday.co.uk


Ciitheroe 422324 (Editoriai), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)


Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)


wvAV.clitheroetoday.co.uk


Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, December 16th, 2004 21


Write to: The Editor, Clitheroe Advertiser and Times, 3 King Street, Clitheroe BB72EW Editorial e-mail: vivien.meath@eastlancsnews.co.uk 4 Write to: The Editor, Clitheroe Advertiser and Times, 3 King Street, Clitheroe BB72EW Editorial e-mail: Yivicn.mcath@castlancsnews.co.uk Count us out of your


town’s economy! MY wife and I have recently “discovered” Clitheroe as a shopping centre. Attracted orign^y by the quality and vari­


ety of the goods on offer in its supermarket, we have also been delighted by the charm of its other shops and the helpfulness and expertise of their staff. In the last couple of weeks, with the


CLITHEROE’S bustling Castle


the run-up to Christmas


approach of Christmas, we have spent several hundred pounds in Clitheroe’s shops on items including groceries, wine, CDs, musical instru­ ments and household goods; we have also patronised your cafes. Last Saturday after-


Last Chance To See


m Includes A Gift m In His


This Weekend 12 noon-4 pm


• Ladies & Men's Fashions


• Knitwear & Cashmere


• Lingerie • Children's Clothing


' Shoe Shop


' Golf Clothing & Equipment


' Homeware & Textiles


> Food & Gifts • Clearance Area


YORKSHIRE REAL ALE & WHISKY SHOP


• 90 o r m o re s in g le m a lt s to s am p le b e fore you buy


• B o t tle d Cop pe r Drag on R e a l A le - n o w a v a ila b le in s to re


m m


I ® ■ '1 ................. B W i l iM l H l i


Street on a wet and noon we parked on the market car'park in windy morning in Clitheroe, paying 70p for a two-hour stay. Somewhat loaded dovvn with bulky purchas­ es, we did not quite allow enough time to return within the two hours.


4 ■■ ■ ^ ' . ' Apprenticeships We were, in fact, 11 minutes late, arriving at


4-25 p.m. to discover a parking tvarden a t t^ - ing a penalty charge notice to the car tvind-


screen. The car park was, by this time, almost


empty. Nei^ess to say, Parkwise’s little upholder of


the law was not open to reason and we have £30addedtothe costof our shopping (provid­


ing we remember to pay within 14 days). I wonder whether Ribble Valley Borough


Council is aware of the impact that this sort of inflexibility makes on a visitor’s impression of Clitheroe. It has certainly soured relations as far as we are concerned and it is unlikely that my vvife and I will be making any further con­ tributions to Clitheroe’s economy in the fore­ seeable future


EL.HUNWICK, King’s Drive, HoddIcsdcn, Danvcn


Leave these trees for


others to enjoy IT is with sadness that I write to ask why a treasure within our park has been lost and what further beautiful trees are to be taken? A week ago on Monday a great weeping


beech of about 60 years was felled in the lower bowling green. It came as a shock to many who frequent, love and work within the castle grounds. The "Elephant" or "Rhinocerous" tree as


it was known to many, was apparently so strong and healthy. During recent daily walks my child and I


have observed red marks upon many bushes and trees surrounding the 1920s ornamen­ tal garden and above the steps leading do\vn to the old bowling green. How much winter shelter and coverage


has now been lost to the birds in that area? There are many beautiful trees within the


park. The Elephant tree had a special qual­ ity that only time, nature and weather can give, its remarkable resemblance to another great creature. Such wonder in nature is quite magical


for a child to find. Children love to be outside and deserve to


have the beauty and wonder of nature around them. Our park with its many mature bushes and trees provides this through their shapes, leaves, flowers and berries in each season. In January 2002 the Clitheroe Advertiser


Festive snack and meals available, plus Costa speciality coffees - served here


m


Looking for staff next year? To take part in JOBS NIGHTi2005: phone Liam Brannon on


01282 724274. SPendlBTramingfsan^Egujjl.Opportunid^ • FREE PARKING • COFFEE SHOP • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK


and Times published a map and report of proposals for the development of the Castle grounds. The Ribble Valley Borough Council


invited residents across the Ribble Valley to view the proposals and submit their own thoughts and suggestions. Many, including myself, took time to do


this, also asking tor further clarity and detail, particularly with regards to the sug­ gestions for a “rolling gran effect”, land­ scaping to link the castle keep slopes with the lower Castle playing fields. To this date I cannot say that there has


been any further clarification or outline pre­ sented to the residents of the Ribble Valley.


You are just one click away from the Lai^est selection of New and Approved Skoda


, y |./ J. My concern now rests with the remaining


mature bushes and trees within that central area, the heart of the park, where bird-song and wildlife are most concentrated. The borough engineer manager Mr Graham dagger explained:“l t is likely that when the majority of landscaping is done the area will look very, very different and people will be surprised and shewed byit.” (CAT January 24th, 2002). I ask: the Ribble Valley Borough Coun­


cil present a clearer, detail^ explanation of their proposals and consult once more the peo­ ple of the Ribble Valley? Care must be taken of this beautiful and


mature park, so thoughtfully planted and cared for since the 1920s. It has t^en this long to become the wonderful place it is today. Please do not remove this beautiful, natural


area from our children and us. Perhaps a garden manager and small team


of gardeners could be appointed once more, to tend and care for the Castle park, giving it the time and attention it deserves.


LEANE WILSON, Wilson Street, Clitheroe


We are always glad of


some extra help I WOULD like to take this opportunity to thank those who give their time for others, particularly during the festive season. Christmas is a time of joy for most of us,


a time to reflect and spend time with our loved ones. Please spare a thought for those who mil be alone during the holiday season or perhaps in hospital. WRVS volunteers deliver meals to the


elderly and isolated in the community, for some recipients, the WRVS volunteer is the only social contact. WRVS volunteers also work in hospital shops and coffee bars, their continuing good humour can make a stay or visit a more pleasant experience. WRVS Emergency Services volunteers are on hand to assist in case of any incident throughout the year, not just Christmas. If any reader would like to know more


about these or any other volunteering opportunities and how they can make a real difference in the local community, they should contact 0845 6014670 or log on to www.Yvrvs.org.uk A very happy Christmas and New Year to all.


KAREN MOLYNEUX Regional Volunteering Manager WRVS, 9 Manor House Close, Maghull


Why not tackle these


highway problems? FOLLOWING last week's letter from John Shorter, instead of making stupid com­ ments, why not tackle the problems: ® Double parking on a main road in Sabden ® When will the Devil's Elbow work be fin­ ished and at what cost?


W. JOHNSON, Bush burn Drive, Langho


the Original _ Established Over 60 Years Burnley Roatd, Colne. 01282 864266 vw\AA/.sinripspns.skoda.co.uk Fll keep trying to


become a native! I AM in my late 70s and a widower. My daily routine is: rise at 7 a.m.,


make a cup of tea, then make break­ fast. After this, clean through the house (yes, men can do this). By this time the paper has arrived, I read it thoroughly then shave, wash and dress. By tWs time it is 12-15 p.m. I walk up to town, as I walk I can


see the curtains twitching, they prob­ ably think “there he is, off to the pub”. It isn’t like that, there is a group


of three or four who meet in our local watering hole. We liken ourselves to the American


Red Indians of yore, smoking their pipes of peace, discussing that one of their braves has made a squaw preg­ nant and where to erect an extra tepee to house them and their baby, or the African chiefs round the fire talking about their crops and if they are sufficient to feed their people. Today we talked about modern


youth and came to the conclusion that modem funky music made them disorientated and do wild things, but then we all admitted that we were n o t l it t le angels at th a t age and agreed that youth will bum itself out one way or another. In the equation someone men­


tioned (honest) to ile t rolls, and a snob in the group said he wouldn’t have anything but double quilted (my goodness!). We all agreed that the medical service in’ Clitheroe is first class and the council is doing a good job. . . ; ■ Tomorrow we are going to tackle ■


the Blunkett saga. I am sure that will separate the Libs from Labs from the Cons. I am an asylum seeker from


Manchester, I have lived in your love­ ly town for the past six years, I asked the rest of the group how long will it take to be a Clitheronian? I got a resounding “Never”. Ah well I will keep applying.


ERIC SNAPE, Clitheroe


Kindly provide a


reply to my query THE Rev. Shepherd states in his let­ ter (December 9th ) : “Perhaps the writer (which is not me ) could now display some moral courage by revealing their identity and explain­ ing equally clearly to us what reasons there are, other than racist, for not wanting a mosque ‘built anywhere in the town’.” Well, whatever reasons they had


before, like me they certainly have another one now. "(ionfusion". Since when has Islam been a race rather than a religion? When I was called an “infidel” I


did not consider it a racist comment, rather that I just was not a Muslim. I will be refreshingly honest and


say that the three adjectives that described the word “infidel’ did noth­ ing whatsoever to endear me to


Islam. I was baptised and confirmed into


the Church of England. I am no longer an attender. I am not sure what that makes me in his eyes, but I can assure the Rev. Dr Peter Shep­ herd that I am not racist.


I give two instances to support my


claim that I am neither racist nor colour prejudiced. First I am the proud “keeper” of


a Siouan chanupa ( the portable “altar” of the Lakhota) made for and" presented to me by a Sioux man. I doubt very much that I would b e . allowed to be a “keeper” if, after sev­ eral meetings, I had given any indica­ tion of a dislike of Native Americans. In fact, some members of the tribe are against non-members “keeping” one for fear of a lack of respect for it (the pipe, not the tribe). Second, our family doctor for over


30 years was a Hindu, originally from India, who we trusted and respected. Now, if I am to be considered racist just because I am not endeared to either Islam or the Church of Eng­ land, would the Rev. Shepherd please be so kind as to explain why?


JOHNAUBIN, Kenilworth Drive, Clitheroe


Campaign against


waste of money TRADITIONALLY, Christmas has been a good time for governments to drive through controversial legisla­ tion when the public's thoughts are elsewhere. The Identity Cards Bill, just out,


seeks to charge us heavily for being issued with an ID card. N o t just once, but every time it is renewed, or replaced after being lost or stolen. A.population register will hold a mass of information on usV Even if someone else has made an .error on it, we will effectively have to pay for the card to be updated. MeanwMle we stand to lose access to the public ser­ vices for which we have paid.


It is nothing less than a tax on exis­


tence. Far from improving public ser­ vices, it might clog up police stations as law-abiding people are fingerprint­ ed like criminals, and clog up the courts as people are fined £1,000 for forgetting to notify a change of per­ sonal details. Other countries' experience shows


that ID cards do not stop illegal immigration, crime or terrorism. So why have them? The Government shies away from admitting that it signed up to a vast, bureaucratic EU smart card scheme in 2000. It has since run not one but three


“public consultations” to whitewash this decision. However the public is hardly enthu siast ic. One survey shows that support drops to 19% even if the cards were priced as low as


£25. I urge readers to lobby their MPs


to vote against this waste of taxpay­ ers' money and to send a SAE for our free fact sheet (also on www.idcards- uk.info)


MRS ANNA CALDER, Campaign Manager, New Alliance, PO Box 13199, London, SW6 6ZU


Childline needs


help at this time THIS year, because of an urgent need for funds, ChildLine is launch­ ing a special Christmas Appeal. That's why I am writing to ask


your readers if they could spare a thought for the children who ring ChildLine this Christmas. For them, this time of year can be


especially painful. Cne' child told me it was like look­


ing through a window at a warm, bright room, when she was outside, cold and alone.' She, like many of the young people


who ring us, was struggling to sur­ vive abuse and neglect. ChildLine was the only place she fe lt cared about her - her phone calls were the only time she felt safe. ■When children call ChildLine at


Christmas, it is vital that we are able to answer their cries for help, but due to lack of funds not all children get through. In order to help ChildLine reach


more desperate children this Christ­ mas we aim to raise £152,000 - the cost of helping the 4,000 children who ChildLine counselled la s t Christmas. By calling 0870 242 02 03 and


donating to ChildLine's Christmas Appeal, you can help ChildLine make sure that more children get the comfort, protection and advise they need this Christmas.


ESTHER RANTZEN CBE, Chairman of ChildLine


There is help out


there for carers READERS may be aware th a t December 3rd was national “Carers Rights Day”, with more than 400 events’taking place throughout the


, country. Cur aim was to raise awareness of


the benefits and support available to those who provide unpaid care. What readers may not know is the


worrying extent of ill-health among carers. New research we published on the day shows that full-time carers are more than twice as likely to suf­ fer ill-health as those without caring responsibilities. One major cause of this problem is


the lack of information about the benefits and support available to car­ ers which can alleviate some of the pressures they face. Carers can obtain a free copy of


our Carers Rights Guide, a new booklet that gives an overview of the main rights and entitlements avail­ able to carers. Free copies of the Guide can be


obtained by ringing our 24-hour hot­ line 020 8880 8125, visiting our web­ site: www.carersuk.org or emailing: carersrightsday@carersuk.org.


IMELDA REDMOND, Chief Executive, Carers UK


Sincere thanks for


your generosity I WOULD like to thank everyone who supported the De Tabley.Ladies Luncheon Club in Ribchester during 2004. The four lunches raised £4,450 for Make-a-Wish, the charity that grants wishes for children of three to 18 who live with life-threatening con­ ditions. This was the second year that the ladies supported the organisation. Special thanks must go to the


ladies of the committee for all their support during the year and also to the regulars of the Plane Tree Inn in Blackburn who have held events to raise money. A wish can be anything from being


a fireman for the day to wanting to scuba dive off the Great Barrier Reef. Costs of a wish vary greatly but the average cost is £3,000 and for most of this we depend on fund-raising. The ladies who supported the


lunches have helped greatly towards putting magic in the life of a local child. Many thanks, once again. If anyone would like more informa­


tion about either the lunches planned for 2005 or about the charity please contact me on 07801446099.


KAREN RAINFORD Make-A-Wish Foundation UK, Fowler Lane, Lcyland


We have the power


to change world THE latest Band Aid single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, has gone . straight to number one in the singles chart. Twenty Christmases ago, Bob Geldof’s original version inspired many people to do something about poverty and hunger - it was a wake- up call to a whole generation. As we celebrate International


Human Rights Day tomorrow, more than 60 UK organisations are coming together under the baimer of “Make Poverty History” to ask our govern­ ment and other rich countries for con­ crete action, including increased aid, better trade conditions and debt can­ cellation for developing countries. Please remember the millions who


don’tknow Yvhere their next meal is coming from. Join the fight against the injustice that fuels abject pover­ ty by buying the record, supporting a charity, or even wearing a white wristband, the symbol of Make Poverty History. 'We have the power to change the world.


RICHARD MILLER, Director, ActionAidUK, Macdonald Road, London -


Y o u r l e t t e r s . . .


® The Editor welcomes letters on any subject, but corre­ spondents arc reminded that contributions may be edited or condensed, niust not exceed 350 words and should reach us by noon on Tuesday. Letters with noms dc plume arc now only accepted for


publication if the editor agrees that there is a valid reason for the writer's identity to be withheld. Letters can be sent by post to the Clitheroe Advertiser


and Times, 3 King Street, Clithcroe BB7 2EW, via e-mail to vivien.meath@eastlancsnews.co.uk, via fax to 01200 4434G7 or texted to 0779969G447. Letters submitted by any of these methods must, how­ ever, include the writer’s name and full postal address.


babies or toddlers coming to stay?


need to hire highchairs, cots, prams etc all in excellent condition?


Then call us for rental details on 077935 64398


Long may this bus


service continue! AS keen walkers we were pleased with your article on the success of the Bowland Transit Service. We have used these buses from the


beginning, and have found them invalu­ able for getting us to the countryside around Chipping, Slaidbum and Settle. I t is a reliable service, with helpful and


friendly drivers. The day ranger ticket is excellent value. Hopefully this service will continue to be a success for a long time to come.


M. EDWARDS AND K. MERCER, Clitheroe


P iw l


and Outside Courts and Pitches Will be closed for


Christmas and New Year and will re-open


Tuesday, January 4th, 2005 at 8.00 a.m.


iitaff at tlje J o o l tooulh I lk to


all our


£U£itomer^ a berp Happp Cljrisitma^ anb^ealtljp l ^ e b j g e a r


E D I S F O R D R O A D , C L I T H E R O E T E L E P H O N E 0 1 2 0 0 4 2 4 8 2 5


Christmas Opening Times ^(^East Lancashire


Newspapers Ltd first for local information in print and on-line These offices will be CLOSED


Monday / Tuesday 27th & 28th December and Monday 3rd January


IM


Wishing all our customers a Mer/y and a Happy New Year


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