31st August 2010

Its time to be Artistic in Atherton and Inventive in Ince!
Free Arts and Enterprise sessions are taking place throughout September at Community Centres in Atherton and Ince. Everyone is welcome!
The AWE Project is aimed at adults in the Wigan Borough who want to learn new skills, who want to make positive changes in their lives, or simply want to have fun!
To discover more about AWE and meet the people involved in the exciting project come along to AWE taster days.
The first taster Day is Wednesday 1st September at Ince Community Centre- 1pm-3pm.
A warm welcome along with tea, coffee, and home-made cakes and biscuits is promised.
There is no pressure to join any groups. The taster sessions are two hours long but spaces are being taken quickly, so to reserve your place at the venue of your choice fill in an application form online at:
awesomefutures.org.uk/#/application-form/4538977762
or text AWE to 077028 111 24

27th August 2010

 The 24th August edition of the Wigan Courier has been published, featuring Wigan Life Centre's topping out by the Council's Chief Executive Mrs Joyce Redfearn,a super summer sale at Abbott  & Smith Furnishers, the not-to-be-missed Beer and Cider Festival at the Crown Hotel in Worthington ( August 26th - 30th), a great offer for senior citizens at the White Crow in Worthington, the Star Trekkers Ladies Walk for Wigan and Leigh Hospice, and Wish FM, our local radio station, comes to Langtrees Restaurant at Standish Golf Club on September 12th. There's also more information for the public about the proposed new health centre for Standish.

27th August 2010

ARE YOU PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR JOB ADVERTISING??

 You will be if you advertise your vacancy with Lancashire Publications Limited! One company, Falkirk-based Johnston Press, owns all these titles. All different circulations, with a massive price for advertising a job vacancy. Despite the fact that it’s the SAME PERSON looking at the SAME PAGE in their papers, they charge far more for a job ad on one page than for ads on other pages of the same paper.

The all-colour, Wigan-owned, good news only Wigan Courier covers more than 34,000 homes, newsagents and distribution points in Wigan

We don’t believe that customers advertising jobs should be charged a fortune, so we’ve decided to SLASH the price of job advertising in the Courier to help you fill your vacancy cheaply and get the local economy on the move. We want to help the businesses that have supported the Courier throughout the recession and before that, so all current display advertising customers in the Courier will be given the opportunity to take either ad size 1 or ad size 2 FREE OF CHARGE from now on. It’s one ad per customer per edition, when running your display ad. Minimum paid ad size to qualify for this Free Offer is 10cms deep x 3 cols.

31st August 2010

Blackburn 11 Wigan 15
Lancashire Trophy
Saturday 28th August 2010

Wigan went through to the 2nd round of the Lancashire Trophy following an 11-15 win away to Blackburn. With a stiff breeze in their favour Andy Whittle thumped over a long range penalty in the second minute to give Wigan the lead.
Good work at the set piece where Roy Caine and Lee Roby were making a return to competitive action after long absences put the home side under pressure.Eventually this told as Caine set up a ruck from where Steve Peacock slipped through to touch down under the posts Whittle adding the conversion.
Wigan had chances to extend their lead but failed to capitalise on the breaks by full back Danny Winrow and strong running from lock Alex Austin.
Early in the second period from a blindside move Jon Blan chipped through for Winrow to gather the ball and score.
Blackburn pulled back 6 points through a drop goal and penalty in the third quarter but poor handling let them down in the face of some determined Wigan defence but in the closing minutes Blackburn did claim an injury time consolation try.

Birchfield 27 Orrell 24
Lancashire Trophy
Saturday 28th August 2010

Despite a spirited second half come back Orrell were unable to overcome a 27-7 half time deficit and are now out of the Lancashire Trophy.
Playing at Widnes RUFC's ground and taking full advantageof a stiff breeze the 'home' side rattled in three converted tries and slotted two penalties to take a 27-0 lead.
Orrell hit back with a try by John Whittacker just before the interval, the prop crashing over after a series of drives by the pack had sucked in opposition fringe defenders. Dean Swift added the conversion to give the 'Black and Ambers some hope at the start of the second period.
Alex Simpson brought up the second the No8 picking up at the back of an attacking scrum five metres out to plough over the line, Swift's conversion making it 27-14.
Following a break down the right Andrew Unsworth popped up on the inside for a well worked third and from a penalty in the Birchfield '22' John Presho entered from the blindside wing to create the extra man before releasing Neil Kerfoot who put Louis Whitfield clear for the fourth.
Just four points adrift Orrell were pressing hard but were unable to add to their score.
Geoff Lightfoot

1st September 2010

NHS Ashton, Leigh and Wigan is pleased to announce the Appointments Commission has re-appointed Alan Stephenson as Chair of NHS Ashton, Leigh and Wigan.
Alan Stephenson was a Wigan MBC Councillor between 1998 and 2004, was Chair of the Social Services Committee, Chair of Wigan and Leigh CHC, and Chair of the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service NHS Trust between 1997 and 2006, prior to becoming the PCT Chair in 2006. 
The re-appointment is for a four year term from 1 October 2010 until 30 September 2014 and he will receive a remuneration of £36,779 per annum.

The re-appointment has been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice. All non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointee’s political activity to be made public. Alan has declared being politically active in the Labour Party in the last five years, has stood as a Councillor, held office in a local branch of the Labour Party, and canvassed on behalf of the Labour Party. Alan does not hold any other Ministerial appointments.