Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 01282 478111 (Advertising), 01282 422331 (Ciassified) 10 Clitheroe Advertiser &Times, Thursday, August 14th, 2008 Our NHSis


heaven sent THANK Heaven for our NHS! I refer to the alarmist and poorly .


informed article by Contrarian in the August 7th issue of the Advertiser


■ (‘Heaven help our NHS’). I write as a resident of Clitheroe for •


-the past 24 years who has spent a working lifetime in business with one of the country’s major industries, and who in the past nine years has held non-executive board positions in the ■NHS (currently a non-executive director of East Lancashire Hospitals .. Trust).


Marie Burnham (chief executive of ..


the Trust) has taken over a hospital • trust in the process of a major recov^: ery from a financially unsustainable, position.


:' The Trust was in serious financial.. deficit from its formation in 2002, -- basically'trying to run two identical ■ hospital operations on the Burnley. , and Blackburn sites.


: Following a major public consulta­ tion in 2006 with patients, the public,


staff, local authorities and general practitioners, a plan was put in place essentially to make Blackburn the ■ centre for emergency activities, and Burnley the centre for planned opera-. tions. When complete, this plan will


■ significantly improve the quality of hospital services to the residents of


' East Lancashire and enable the Trust to operate within the financial frame-


. work that the Department of Health and Treasury demand. The first part of this plan involved


creating the emergency department at Royal Blackburn Hospital (\vith a 24-hour Urgent Care Centre at Bum- ley General Hospital, capable of see­ ing almost nine out of 10 “old style” accident and emergency cases); this became operational in November 2007. The next phase, which has just started, is an investment of approxi­ mately £30m. at Burnley to create a new world-class Women’s and New­ born Centre. Contrarian bemoans the fate of Burnley folk who are taken to Black­ burn for the “999 blue-light” major emergencies. Does he/she know that it takes longer to get from Chtheroe to Blackburn than it does from Bum- ley! Obviously Contrarian does not live m Chtheroe and does not care about Ciitheroe residents if he/she thinks Burnley folk are getting a less than clinically appropriate service! Mane Burnham has taken over at


a hospital trust in the process of recovery - she IS a nurse by profession and has a passion for providing the best of services for her patients. She has an excellent track record, most recently having resolved a similar problem in North Cumbria. She deserves the support of patients, pub­ lic, politicians, peer clinicians and the press m her mission to deliver a truly


. world-class acute health service for the residents of'East Lancashire. MARTIN HILL MBE, Ribblcsdaic Avenue, ClUheroe .


I was a victim of


‘health marriage’ CONTRARIAN’S article last week • about Blackburn Hospital has come


: months and months after the great ■ unrest of the Blackbum-Burnley hos­ pital saga.


: There have been great problems from the start - the nurses could tell you some tales. No-one with any


Wnlc t^T h c Editor, Clillicroe AdicrUrcVand Tunes, 3 lOng Street, ClilhcroeB\72EW or e-mail vmcn mcallKgcaslIancsnciis co uk Stream was a shoppers’ delight


OVER the past few months’ sh'ojj-,^ pers at Sainsb’


urys in Clitheroe have;!?


been fascinated to see a.smalls stream being revealed by,:builders?; working on the land between the.: store and the new Homeb'ase site. • „ ■ Much interest and speculation-;


took place as to how the stream was going to be incorporated into the landscaping of the ground between the two stores. .


' ' -


' Two very attractive stone arched bridges came to light and some mal-. lards had taken up residence on the water. This week shoppers could barely believe what had been done ■ - the whole area has been concreted ■; over and the stream completely hid­ den from ■view. What a missed opportunity to


incorporate such a wonderfully nat- . ural feature into the groundwork ; around the stores. How very sad


common sense at all thought it would be for the good of the patient. It is all about cost-cutting, Wt the spin is, what we’re all so used to hearing time, and time again, well ‘The King has no clothes”. And as for spin, that’s all it is. I was unfortunate enough to be a


“■victim”, sorry “patient”, at a time of the great unrest, when nurses were fighting for their jobs, morale was at an all time low. They haven’t even got a separate


lift m our brand new purpose-built hospital. They take you down for operations or investigations, when you are at your most vulnerable. I was vomiting continually and put in a lift with members of the public. Where was the dignity in that? When I came home, I wrote to the


then chief executive, Jo Cubbin, and she said they had trained the porters to ask the public to give priority to patients. That’s not good enough. It isn’t a porter’s issue, it’s the people who made a decision to allow this to happen. I think it IS dangerous, apart from


the human dignity aspect, when you are a t your lowest ebb and your immune system is low, to be put m a lift with member of the public. This surely can’t be nght. In the year 2008 they should be


able to come up with something bet­ ter, for all our sakes. As for the saga of Burnley-Blackburn Hospitals’ mar­ riage, I think it will go full circle and there will m the future be a divorce. ; CONCERNED


Tree vandalism


is depressing! I AM sure many readers will join me m condemning the recent acts of van­ dalism on newly planted lime trees in the Castle park. ■ I What I find particularly depressing ; as a member of the borough council’s ground maintenance section, was a comment from the staff who planted them in January - it’s only a matter of time before the vandals strike. ■


:: Over the past 25 years, the Castle Grounds have been subjected to a


that developers could not have retained such a lovely stream in their plans, adding much delight to local shoppers. If safety was a prime reason for not retaining the stream, attractive railings would have added to the landscaping. What a shame! Please could this


variety of vandalism, and as a direct result of this activity, a very expen­ sive system of CCTV has been installed in various locations in the park. The main function of these cameras is not to snoop on people, but to deter crime. Sadly, in the case of the lime tree incident, the vandals have not been recorded. The Castle Grounds were pur­


chased by the people of Clitheroe, in remembrance of those townsfolk who gave their lives in two world wars. You could say that every Chtheroe ratepayer owns a piece of the Castle Grounds. The grounds are the envy of many neighbouring towns and have proved ideal for functions due to the huge expanse of the Castle field. The


'bandstand is a natural amphitheatre. And the ■views from the Keep are sim­ ply breathtaking. , /.; • I am sure many of-you will agree


that in terms of attracting tourism, the Castle park IS worth its weight in


gold. The grounds maintenance budget has been drastically cut to balance the borough council’s books and, sadly, where 25 years ago the staff based in the grounds consisted of seven full-time staff, m 2008 this has been reduced to one. I understand that the vandalism to the lime trees . has cost the ratepayers £800. Obvi­ ously this sum has come from the grounds maintenance budget. I


■ would like to think that the trees will be replaced, but you have to ask your­


self —will the vandals stnke again - : and can the borough council afford to


replace them? COUN. SIMON ENTWISTLE, Chlhcroc Town Council


Plan would blight


Kibble Valley RIBBLE 'Valley residents, and indeed anyone who knows and appre-


• dates the unique atmosphere and beauty of the area, should be alert to the planning application (Number 05/2008/8885) for a wind power sta­ tion on Brightenber Hill, at Nappa, near Helhfield, overlooking the upper Ribble Valley, which was received-


letter be passed to the Homebase site engineer to ask if it is not too late to rethink their decision. JENNIFER LOCKWOOD (MRS), Woodlands Park, Whalley # Sec page 16 for detailed report.


recently by Craven District Council. Although the proposal for the five


100-metre tall (328ft) turbines is only three-and-a-half miles from the For­ est of Bowland Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Lancashire border, as of last week Ribble Valley Borough Council planning depart­ ment had not even received formal notification of the application. This is even more extraordinary when so much of the Ribble Valley stands to be blighted if the application were to succeed. Plans by the German wind power developer, EnergieKontor, show that all five turbines would be visible from as far as Blackburn, Tod- morden, Blubberhouses and even from beyond Kirkby Lonsdale. Each turbine would be taller than Big Ben and would fit the wing span of a jumbo jet within its blade sweep. They would rum an unbroken and unmatched landscape and possibly open the door to a proliferation of wind farms in the area... Typically, the application has been


slipped m at holiday time and anyone wishing to object needs to respond to Craven Distnct Council August 29th to state their opposition. For more


■ information please see our website - (www.focl.org.uk) and object before it


■. istoolate. Please act now, every objection e-


• mail or letter will count. We cannot let these inefficient, monstrous mdus-


• trial machines destroy this uniquely beautiful landscape.


. CHARLIE YORKE, Liltlemoor, v j Clithcroc ■ .


i


We don’t want ‘turbine alleys’


■ CRAVEN’District Council has received a planning application to build five 100-metre (328ft.) high wind turbines plus all the ancillary roads and sub stations that go with them at Bnghtenber Hill, Bank New- ton.:'-’ '


. " We all know they are only 25%


. efficient, are an industrial develop­ ment, not a farm, and are alien to this


■ ■ ■■ ■ www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk Ciitheroe 422324 (Editoriai), 01282 478111 (Advertising), 01282 422331 (Ciassified) ¥w^v.clitlieroeadvertiser.co.uki,


beautiful landscape. All the energy contribution from onshore or offshore turbines will have to be backed^hy conventional power stations for^^n the wind isn’t blowing as it can’t be stored for later use.. The Government recently


. blanketing the country with turbines j is to tick EU boxes.


There is now growing evidence!


across the country that once turbines are built, the landscape quality is downgraded and the surrounding countryside is swamped with tur­ bines, creating “Turbine Alleys”. Once the developers have a foot in the door, wham! They’re in, stealing our countryside and lives, building more and more turbines. House prices drop; tourism drops which inevitably leads to job losses and a creeping depression. I guess it’s now Craven’s turn. The turbines will be utterly cat­ astrophic to the communities living close by. This part of Craven has soft rolling drumlins, pretty cottages, farmsteads and lovely people. Within one and a half miles of the site there are six villages, 46 Grade II and seven Grade II* Listed Buildings. In a recent Landscape Assessment Study undertaken by Land Use Consultants Ltd, who are regularly commissioned by central Government, they stated that in this area “it would be difficult to place a wind farm without dimin­ ishing the character given by the complexity of land form”. On June 28th, 2008, the Prime


Minister insisted wind farms would be sited m the right locations to min­ imise the impact on local communi­ ties. I wait to see if CDC listens to what Gordon Brown says. This isn’t about Nimbjnsm, but about human rights and the nghts of ordinary peo­


ple trying to live a normal life. Sadly, it will probably be the largest bat roost m the North West with 700-plus


. bats roosting a mile away that will save us and not people’s concerns for their fellow human bemgs. If you too want object to this plan­


ning application (ref number 05/2008/8^5) you can contact me for further information. STEPHANIE EMMETT, Ivy End, Bank Newlon 01756 748499 or Slephanie(g crcmmctl.plus.com


Wind farm will


be colossal blot THE proposal for a wind farm at Brightenber Hill is quite unnecessary and would be a colossal blot, visible nght down the valley. Our “Supreme Leader” wants to


• see offshore wind farms creat^|nd he IS right, that's where they SSuld be. The pressures on councils from | central government, combined with the substantial financial inducements to landowners and energy companies (paid for by you and me) should not | allow the crushing of local opinion. RODERIC MATHER, East Thornber, Wigglesworth


announced that in order to encourage the development of more (useless) turbines, a £6 billion increase in con­ sumer subsidy would be levied by 2020. Thisjs based on today’s prices. This £6 billion will not be paid by Government, but by you and me, hid­ den in our electric bills. This is on top of the cost of rising oil prices. I have already made serious changes to my lifestyle, reduced my electricity con­ sumption and I do not mind paying i extra to help reduce the country’s car­ bon emissions and help stop climate change. But, alas, the only reason for


• ' - a - #


www.ciifheroeadvertiser.co.uk


RIBBLE VALLEY


• shoppers are being urged .to not only keep their custom in Clitheroe but do their bit for the local envi­ ronment in a new scheme being trialled by the mother and . daughter


team.,


behind the “Have a Heart - Shop Local” initiative.?^ As from now, anyone,


with shopping to do,. dry cleaning to collect,


■ a hair appointment or who needs to go the bank or post office and who uses public trans­ port to go into Clitheroe on a weekday market day (Tuesdays and Thursdays) will be entitled to a free cup of tea or coffee at Maxwell’s, the cafe bar attached to Dawson’s department store in King Street, provided they make a purchase in the store and can show a valid bus or train ticket. ■In addition, should


that purchase be cum­ bersome, heavy or frag­ ile, Dawson’s will deliv­ er it; free to any home address within the Rib­ ble Valley’s boundaries. Mandy. Dawson and


. her mother Judith introduced the“ Haive a Heart” project in May to remind people of the


- S r ie & S S '


need to support Clitheroe’s retail and other businesses to ensure a healthy future for the Ribble Valley. She said: “We have


received a lot of positive feedback on the ‘Have a Heart - Shop Local’ ini­ tiative since its launch. “The only gripe we


have encountered so far is on the issue of park­ ing in Clitheroe, which some customers have suggested can be diffi­ cult, particularly on busier days such as


Encounters with poetic nature


ON a sunny and showery day, six ram- ■ biers, led by Lesley Luckin, set off for


Heptonstall. 'They stopped briefly at the tomb of the famous American poet Sylvia Plathwho


is buried in the new graveyard there. She visited Heptonstall with her husband, Ted , Hughes, former poet laureate, who had relatives there.


Leaving the churchyard, the walkers found the Calderdale Way which provided


• ■


stunning views across the valley to Stood- ley Pike, before passing above Lumb Bank^ - now a writers’ centre - continuing on paved field paths to higher water where the group turned north to Knoll Top. Not­ ing the Weaver’s windows at the terrace of cottages, they reached Mount Pleasant and followed the Pennine Way across open


■ moorland. Turning to Clough Head they descended on steep old stone steps, previ­ ously used by mill workers, to Gibson Mill. Now restored by the National Trust, the mill blends history and self-sufficient modem technology, and has a lovely cafe. ■ i After lunch the group went north, enss- crossing Hebden water until they reached


^the green open plateau above Black Dean. Ploining the minor road, they reached the, ^ pretty hamlet of Walshaw. On field paths below Shackleton Knoll, the walk contin­ ued, with lovely ■views cross the valley, to pick up the old Haworth to Hebden. Bridge road, once used to transport wool and cotton through the valley. From here, the way. went down, past Hojlin Hal! to Midgehole Weir, Leemill Bridge and back into the centre of Hebden Bridge. ,,


M y t to n F o ld (i() n \ u( )i !•' roMj^uj^ Sunday


September 7tu 11.30am-3 .3 0 pm


IVlmoN F old - Hotel Et Golf Complex


i Lang!io, Blackburn, Lancs;BB6 OAB ' A Fashion Show


by Lulu Brown o f Clitheroe . and Alan Lund Hire Direct > will beheld at 1.30pm


. FREE ADMISSION ' . 3 t


to ~ca/'s^, /nel-i' lo /lofiim toon n /.. .1T (S im a tk o n iu /'o p f


For details o f trade stands, please ring Sharon ’ ' on 01282 478119


j & m


market days. There is


■ not a lot we can person­ ally do to ease this problem other than re­ launch our home deliv­ ery service to enable shoppers to consider.


: using public transport as an alternative to bringing the car. “We have always


offered free delivery on larger items bought in store such as garden furniture and barbe-. cues, which most people couldn’t fit m their car, but even towels or bed


linen can be a bit cum­ bersome for the bus or


• train so no matter what the product is, its size or how much it costs, we will deliver it, pro­ viding the address is a Ribble Valley one. In- addition, we recognise customers’ environ­ mental effort with a free cuppa!” Pictured preparing


for an extended deliv­ ery round is Dawson’s warehouse and home delivery manager Bill Briggs.(s) :.


East Lancashire'Newspapers:


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