The Clitheroe Thursday, April 13th, 2006


Fiist days at school


PAGE 16


A cash lifeline for first-timers


by Duncan Smith


CASH is up for grabs by first-time buyers in Ribble Valley in a new scheme aimed at tackling the area’s chronic shortage of


affordable houses. Ribble Valley Borough


Council has joined forces with SPACE Housing Association to offer first-time buyers an interest-free loan on up to 15% of the price of a proper­


ty- The loan, available on prop­


erties up to the value of £125,000, is then registered as a land charge until the prop­ erty is re-sold, when 15% of the sale price is repaid. Ribble Valley property


prices have seen a 100% hike since 2001, whereas incomes have risen by just 9%. A two-bedroomed terrace in


a typical Ribble Valley village now,costs up to £150,000 - almost double the price of similar houses in East Lan­ cashire and around £4,000 more expensive than their South East equivalent. Many first-time buyers are


being driven out of communi­ ties that their families have been part of for generations in


the property as their principal


home. They must demonstrate


that they have a mortgage offer of 85% of the property value and will not be able to purchase the property with­ out financial assistance. Coun. Joyce Holgate (pic­


tured), chairman of Ribble Valley Borough Council’s Housing Committee, said: “Affordable housing is a huge concern in Ribble Valley, with many first-time buyers now unable to get on the housing


• ladder. “Ribble Valley Council is


I S


doing all it can to tackle this problem and Homebuy is one way of giving first-time buy­ ers much-needed help. “Young people with long


the hunt for affordable accommodation, with disas­ trous consequences for com­ munity infrastructure, as vil­ lage post offices, shops, schools and pubs go to the wall. To qualify for the new


“Homebuy” scheme, partici­ pants must live or have worked in Ribble Valley for at least three years and occupy


histories in Ribble Valley can­ not afford to live in the area, because house prices are so high. “We have been doing all we


can to tackle the problem and hopefully this new scheme will give some first-time buy­ ers the help they need.” Further details of Homebuy


are available from the coun­ cil’s Housing Strategy Officer, Rachel Stott, on 01200 414567.


- ' SIS I Xif -ifBVk M


•'wi '■V


'Vi l'-.'?' •W


vertiser an imes No. 6,246 . news and views from the Centre of the Kingdom


wwwi.clithieroetbday.cb.uk Price 60p


Bonnets out in style!


M J PAGE 20


T Greetings card fit for a Queen


BIRTHDAY greetings fit for a monarch are being sent from Clitheroe to the capital. Residents at Well Court have teamed up to pro­


duce a beautiful hand-made card to mark the Queen’s 80th birthday. Designed and painted by 91-year-old Andy


Hindle, the foreground of the card is dominated by a red rose of Lancashire, while an outline of Clitheroe Castle can be seen in the background. A fitting verse was penned by resident poet


Margaret Willacy, while Margaret Holden was responsible for addressing the card using her cal­ ligraphy skills. Her husband, Maurice, was given the task of collecting as many signatures as possi­ ble from among the 50 plus readents and the job of posting the card on to Buckingham Palace fell to manager Christine Brockbank. It took Andy just a couple of hours to complete


his image using acrylics. He copied the picture of the castle from a book and paid attention to detail with the symbolic rose. He then passed the card on


to Margaret Holden who addressed the card to Your Majesty, Duke of Lancaster, before adding the lyrics written by Margaret Willacy: “Sincere wishes to our dear Queen on this your special day, good luck, good health and God bless as you go on your way.” The former district nurse and midwife, who has


been writing poems for the past 18 years, spent some time pondering on the exact wording for the Queen, as she is known at Well Court for her humorous verses, but did not think them appro­ priate on this occasion. As well as sending a card, residents will be cele­


brating the Queen’s 80th birthday in June with a special party-just one.of many social events held


at the complex. Our photograph shows Andy holding the c^d


with other residents, complex manager Christine Brockbank, right, and on the back row, poet Margaret Willacy and calligrapher Margaret Holden. (A100406/2)


WIN! WIN! WIN! FREE RYANAIR FLIGHTS IN OUR FANTASTIC COWIPETITION - SEE PAGE 36 i i the ultim


ate :ec//ner *1


Relax your body - free your mind


Stressless®


Mayfair with Stool


Stressless® Vegas with Stool


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33