Two little girls from Whaley Bridge will learn what it’s like to be a royal when they head the town’s Rose Queen Festival parade on Saturday 27 June.

Seren Adlington

Seren Adlington, eight, and Katie Fairs, six – both pupils at Whaley Bridge primary school – will represent the festival’s ‘royal family’ for the event’s 40th anniversary.

Katie Fairs

Seren said:  “My hobbies are kickboxing, climbing, drama and singing.

“I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, our budgies and dogs.

“I am looking forward to representing Whaley Bridge  and waving to everyone from the float.”

Katie said: “I enjoy ballet and tap dancing and I am also in the Rainbows at Whaley Bridge and performing in the New Mills musical ‘Honk’. I look forward to seeing you on Carnival day.”

Campaigners against a controversial housing estate on a greenfield site in Whaley Bridge have expressed dismay that High Peak Borough Council chose to announce approval of the plan on its website on 7 May, Election Day.

The battle against the estate; on idyllic fields leading into the Goyt Valley has been raging for nearly 18 months. Whaley Bridge Matters, a group that has been fighting the plan for up to 107 houses on the site between Linglongs Road and Macclesfield Road, representing hundreds of concerned residents and objectors, has called the council’s decision ‘a mockery of democracy’.

Jean Dusgate, speaking on behalf of the group’s Executive, added: “We have been disgusted at the way the council has dealt with this application from the outset. Its latest action in forcing the approval through to a deadline agreed with the developer smacks of a whitewash.

“We still believe that many aspects of our objections have not been fully or properly considered, and that the council ignored its own resolution to bring our latest concerns before the planning committee in public.

“For the council’s decision to be made by outgoing councillors behind closed doors, and announced on Election Day, makes a mockery of democracy. Our seriously-considered objections have been simply brushed aside. We are now seeking legal advice.”

Details of planning application number HPK/2014/0119 made by Gladman Developments of Congleton, together with the council planners’ reasons for their decision, can be found HERE on the council website.

Over 14 months into the fight against controversial plans for houses on a greenfield site in Whaley Bridge, campaigners at a meeting of High Peak Borough Council’s planning committee witnessed, for a second time, a vote in favour of the plan, 7-2.

But it still isn’t over! At the meeting, the council announced yet another public consultation, over 35 days, after they failed to properly consult the public earlier in the process. The council stated that, should any material issues be raised by the public during this consultation, the application would need to be sent back to the development control committee yet again for them to reconsider and vote again!

The campaigning group Whaley Bridge Matters (WBM) is now taking the fight into a 15th month. More than 30 WBM members and residents crowded into Chapel en le Frith town hall on Wednesday 11 March), to witness the latest battle against developer Gladman’s plan to build up to 107 homes on the green fields between Macclesfield Road and Linglongs Road.

At one point in the meeting, Continue Reading →

Whaley Bridge’s big summer event, the Rose Queen Festival, celebrates its 40th anniversary on Saturday 27 June. Organisers, looking back to 1975 when the festival was first taken over by a village committee to launch the new era, want people to celebrate the vivid spirit of the 70s  pop, fashions, extraordinary stories, the start of modern sports heroes.

Tim Mourne, who was re-elected as chairman at the recent annual general meeting, said: “We can see some wonderful entries in the parade this summer, inspired by the 70s. Think of all the pop stars and fashions. We are working on the idea of a 70s disco some time on carnival day. We are also inviting former royalty from those early years to get in touch, and tell us their stories and memories.”

The patchy history of the Rose Queen goes back to Continue Reading →

Dads, granddads and local town councillors are being invited to join a

game of ‘walking football’ in Memorial Park, Whaley Bridge, and

experience the fitness and fun idea that is sweeping the country.
The group plays every Wednesday at the all weather

pitch near Whaley Bridge FC’s ground in the top part of the park. The signed

entrance is off Macclesfield Road, turning into Park Road. Get togethers will

take place weekly on Wednesdays at the same time.
The sessions, supported by High Peak Borough Council and Whaley Bridge

Town Council, are organised by WellFit Health and Wellbeing. Director Mick

Owen has been running well supported games for the past year in the

Glossop area. Last October, a promotional tour with a travelling game took in

Buxton, Bradwell, Whaley Bridge and Glossop.

Walking football: getting fit and keeping well, using those old football skills

Mick says: “It makes people feel happier and healthier. We have

evidence that people who come to us enjoy an increase of wellbeing.

Between January and June last year, 40 per cent had improved feelings about

life.”
Anyone coming on Wednesday should wear casual clothing and footwear

such as astroturf trainers.
While Mick was distributing posters in Whaley Bridge, a visitor from Blackpool

stopped to discuss walking football which he plays and enjoys in the resort.
Walking Football developed slowly through the Extra Time programme

initiative by Sport England and the Football Association. It is now widespread,

with support from such top clubs as Manchester City,

Final word from Mick Owen: “Women have more places to go and do thing

Men like the link with football and are enjoying Walking Football all over the

country. Come on, men of Whaley Bridge, and have a good time while

keeping fit and healthy.”

There has been another delay to the final verdict of High Peak planners on outline plans for the controversial Gladman housing estate which the Congleton-based developer wants to build in Whaley Bridge.

In a packed Town Hall in Chapel-en-le-Frith on Monday (16 Feb), campaigners from Whaley Bridge Matters (WBM) attended a meeting of High Peak Borough Council’s development control committee. They were expecting the committee to vote on the application again, after an earlier vote in favour had been set aside following a legal challenge.

Monday’s meeting was over in a matter of minutes when councillors decided in a unanimous vote that the planning officers needed more time to respond fully to the questions.

Gladman Development Ltd is seeking planning permission to build up to 107 houses on a greenfield site between Macclesfield Road and Linglongs Road. There has been a strong campaign against the plans, first made public more than a year ago.

Andy Brown from WBM said after the latest delay: “The Committee took a very responsible approach. Through our legal advisers we had been urging the Council to defer their vote in light of outstanding issues in several areas, including inadequate consultation, problems with the Officer’s report, and further material information coming forward. We are glad the Committee appears to have recognised the serious impact that these plans would have on Whaley Bridge.
Councillors now have the opportunity to consider properly and fully all the arguments put forward by and on behalf of the community.”

The campaign against controversial plans to build over 100 houses on a greenfield site near the boundary of the Peak District national park in Whaley Bridge has forced a new vote from High Peak borough councillors.

Whaley Bridge Matters (WBM), now into its second year in the fight against developer Gladman’s plan for 107 homes on the site between Macclesfield Road and Linglongs Road, is taking legal advice in advance of a meeting of the Development Control Committee on Monday 16 February.

The committee has been forced to hold a new vote on the plan after a legal challenge to their decision last autumn. WBM representatives are expected to be given a short time to make their views known at the February meeting.

Whaley Bridge campaigners against building plan at a key meeting last summer

Francesca Read, a member of the campaign, said: “We have succeeded in getting the committee to rethink their earlier vote, which we always argued was unsound. We have been shown the draft of their new report, which still recommends approval, but believe that this report is also open to significant challenge and are consulting with our legal team.”

WBM was set up in January 2014 after the building plans became public just before Christmas, 2013. Members and supporters have been donating to a new fighting fund to obtain expert advice, including a detailed legal assessment of the latest HPBC report.

Francesca said: “People have been incredibly generous. This is a campaign which caught public imagination in Whaley Bridge. Since then we have appeared in the local media and national and regional newspapers and TV.

“We hope that, given a second chance to consider this application, the committee make the right decision for the future of Whaley Bridge by protecting this beautiful site from development”.

For further information, visit http://whaleybridgematters.squarespace.com

The parish of Whaley Bridge is bringing a new dimension to Sunday: Café Church. Starting from next Sunday (8 February) in Holy Trinity on Buxton Road, Café Church is for ‘people who don’t regularly attend church’.

The Rev Margaret Jones, priest in charge of the parish which also includes St James’, Taxal, said: “Café Church will allow people to experience church in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, over a cuppa and cake. We will discuss topics important to life today, and there will be things for the children to do.”

Holy Trinity, which has chairs instead of pews, is easily adaptable to a ‘café setting’, as happened at the recent Christmas Tree Festival.

Holy Trinity at the Christmas tree festival, now to host Café Church

Café Church will be on a Sunday afternoon, alternating with Messy Church, a family session of fun and worship, which is now in its third year.

Whaley Bridge resident James Dunlop, who chairs the committee running the charity canal narrowboat New Horizons, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List.

James Dunlop MBE with committee member Sue Woodgate on the New Horizons

New Horizons, which provides canal trips for disabled people, is a frequent visitor to the canal basin at Whaley Bridge. It visits the Water Weekend every June, raising substantial amounts of money that go towards the boat’s running costs.

Ulster-born Mr Dunlop has been a trustee and chair of the Stockport Canal Boat Trust since 1998. He is a former factory director at the McVitie biscuit works in Stockport.

The 70ft long narrowboat, a familiar sight on the Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals, was commissioned by Prince Charles 33 years ago with his famous words: “A canal boat trip is the nearest a disabled person can come to a walk in the countryside.”

New Horizons is a regular visitor to Whaley Bridge, seen here during the Water Weekend

John Pritchard, chair of Whaley Bridge town council, centre in the picture, congratulates recipients of grants from the Rose Queen Festival committee.The grants, ranging from £50 to £150 raised at last summer’s carnival, went to youth-related organisations in the town. A total of £1,400 included items such as a bike shed at Taxal and Fernilee school, help to pay for an entertainer at Uniting Church toddler group, replacement of the 1st Taxal Scouts’ camping equipment, and instrument repairs for Whaley Bridge Band. There were special grants of £200 for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which supplied a Hurricane flypast on carnival day and £150 to parade favourites the Billerettes.

The presentations followed a children’s disco in the Bowling Club. Festival chair Tim Mourne urged people to help encourage candidates for Rose Queen at next year’s 40 the anniversary of the event to come forward.