has announced the sale of Atherstone In-Practice Pharmacy in Warwickshire Built around You.Your expert business property advisers Established in 2013, Atherstone is an extended-hours pharmacy that dispenses an average of 23,000 items per month It is located in a densely populated residential area in the Warwickshire town of Atherstone The pharmacy was owned by the GP partners at Atherstone Surgery Following a confidential sales process with Carl Steer at Christie & Co, and with funding sourced through David Ward at Christie Finance it has been purchased by an established consortium of buyers headed by Jay Sahota who also owns and operates Atherstone Pharmacy in the town ‘’At the time of instructing Christie & Co the business had a 100-hour contract but soon after this the landscape changed with many 100-hour operators novating to extended hour contracts and many operators choosing to reduce hours to 72 hours per week This had a huge impact on the popularity of 100-hour/72-hour contracts and saw very good levels of interest in this sale where offers and a sale were quickly secured.” “Following the mass of corporate pharmacies hitting the market over the last 24 months lenders have been a little more cautious on finance for pharmacies looking closely at the ability of any pharmacy to easily cover its outgoings The reduction in the base rate will certainly help to ease some of those concerns Jay and his partners are hugely experienced Pharmacists and I am certain that they will continue to provide a valuable community service to Atherstone.” Atherstone In-Practice Pharmacy was sold for an undisclosed price Visit Christie & Co’s Business Search page to find out more about current medical listings. Keep up-to-date with our latest listings and more… © Christie & Co 2024 | A member of Christie Group Passengers travelling to or from Atherstone station are being advised about disruption to southbound journeys while rail engineers plan repairs to damaged overhead line equipment One of four railway tracks through Polesworth between Tamworth and Nuneaton on the West Coast Main Line was closed to trains on Thursday (5 December) after engineers found damage to an overhead line equipment structure during a routine inspection of the railway The disruption means that trains running southbound towards London are unable to call at Atherstone station until further notice London Northwestern Railway is running a replacement bus service between Tamworth Northbound trains are still able to call at Atherstone and fast services on the West Coast Main Line will continue to run in both directions trains will run at slower speeds through the area and the affected section of track will remain closed until repairs have been completed The first phase of the repair will involve installing metal propping next to the damaged overhead line structure which is planned to take place over the weekend Once the structure has been successfully propped rail engineers will plan a permanent repair in Polesworth director of Network Rail’s West Coast South route said: “I’m sorry to passengers affected by a defect with our overhead line equipment between Nuneaton and Tamworth and in particular to those who are having to use rail replacement buses at Atherstone station “Our engineers are working as quickly as possible to plan repairs so that we can safely reopen the affected section of track. I want to urge passengers to check www.nationalrail.co.uk for the latest travel information.” customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway said: “We are sorry to passengers at Atherstone who are temporarily impacted by cancellations as a result of this issue We are working closely with Network Rail as their teams carry out repairs as quickly as possible "Northbound trains are continuing to call at Atherstone as normal but for passengers travelling south rail replacement buses are in operation to connect customers to nearby alternative stations.” The Met Office has issued weather warnings for strong winds and rain across the country over the weekend so rail passengers are being advised to take extra care and plan their journeys in advance People should check before they travel with National Rail Enquiries to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker who has passed away at the age of 55 following a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer learned the game at a Warwickshire golf club that has been a fertile source of talented golf pros The Hunt brothers and future Ryder Cup players winners of six and two DP World Tour events respectively a lifelong friend of Andy and fellow PGA Professional “We were at school together and grew up playing at Atherstone,” recalled Challis “Then we started our working lives together at nearby Purley Chase Golf Club in the late eighties Andy then spent two years as a teaching pro in Austria before returning to Loughborough in Leicestershire for spells lasting a combined total of 15 months firstly at Charnwood Golf Centre and then Charnwood Forest Golf Club his stay at Lee Marston Golf Centre was somewhat longer He was a teaching pro at the facility in north Warwickshire for 30 years before the illness that claimed his life forced him to retire in the autumn of 2024 Andy had earned a reputation as a talented player not least in winning a PGA Midlands Order of Merit event and an indefatigable and inspirational coach “He had a very natural golf swing and was one of the hardest working teaching pros you’ll ever come across,” added Challis “He’d play in tournaments in the daytime and then follow up by taking lessons in the evening His enthusiasm for the game was infectious and he had a great sense of humour and a love for life.” The PGA extends heartfelt condolences to them and Andy’s other family members and many friends on their loss *Andy’s funeral will be held at 13.00 on Friday January 24 and followed by cremation at Nuneaton Crematorium PGA HeadquartersCentenary HouseThe BelfrySutton ColdfieldWest MidlandsB76 9PT ®PGA is a registered trademark of The Professional Golfers’ Association LimitedPGA Golf Management Ltd is a subsidiary of The Professional Golfers’ Association LimitedPGA.info is the official web site of The PGA © 2025 People travelling on the West Coast Main Line are being urged to continue to check their journeys following damage to overhead line equipment in Warwickshire.  Following a routine track inspection on the railway through Polesworth on 6 December rail engineers discovered damage to an overhead line structure which carries the wires that provide power to electric trains engineers have successfully installed a temporary prop which has allowed passenger and freight trains to continue running safely London Northwestern Railway services travelling southbound are unable to call at Atherstone station Bus replacement services will be in place between Tamworth Atherstone and Nuneaton in the southbound direction only for customers travelling to/from Atherstone said: “We’re working hard to keep passengers and freight services moving through Polesworth while we complete urgent repairs to a damaged overhead line structure we’ve been able to safely increase the speed trains can run through the area however journeys are still being affected and passengers should continue to check before they travel.“I’m sorry for the ongoing disruption and want to assure passengers that we’re working on a plan to fully reopen the railway as soon as possible.” customer experience director at London Northwestern Railway said: “We apologise for the disruption caused to customers in Atherstone while Network Rail complete vital repairs to the overhead cables Rail replacement services will be in operation until southbound services are able to call at the station once again with timetables available to view on journey planners.” said: “We’d like to thank customers for their patience while Network Rail carry out vital repairs to the infrastructure near Tamworth we’d encourage those making journeys on the West Coast Main Line to check before they travel.” Engineers are working around the clock to prepare the railway embankment for work to replace the damaged structure A full repair plan is being developed which will see a four-track railway returned as soon as possible A petition has been created calling for a derelict building in Warwickshire to be demolished "without further delay" Part of the Britannia Mill in Atherstone was blown down due to the strong winds of Storm Darragh North Warwickshire Borough Council said it's "now considering what further action needs to be taken once it has surveyed the current state of the building and that will include discussions with the owner" closed in 1999 ending the town's long history as a major centre for the British hatting industry; it's believed that Tommy Cooper's famous fez was made there BBC CWR's Sally Johnson went to have a look The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Our free Warwickshire email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters Council bosses say legal tests will be undertaken to see if owners of an Atherstone building can be forced to demolish it The news comes after the town's historic hat factory collapsed when Storm Darragh battered the area on Saturday night (December 7) Bricks started tumbling from the grade II-listed building onto the street forcing police to close off part of Coleshill Road due to the danger it posed to locals This closure remained in place yesterday morning (December 8) as desperate attempts were made to secure the building The former Britannia Works building holds an important place in the town's proud heritage as a "hatting" town but, since its closure, it has been targeted by trespassers and vandals. Its owner does have planning permission to flatten the building and redevelop the area READ MORE: The desperately needed item in Nuneaton's Christmas Toy appeal as demand rises READ MORE: Every local Environment Agency flood alert listed in wake of Storm Darragh But the once imposing building has stood as an empty shell the council says it is going to undertake legal tests to see if it can take the case to court and force the owner to take action North Warwickshire Borough Council issued a statement on its Facebook page It explained: "Brief update on Britannia Mill in Atherstone - the council’s building control staff worked until 3am this morning to secure the premises Building control will report on whether the legal tests for Court action are now met in view of this weekend’s events The council won’t be able to comment further whilst that process takes place." "The owner’s contractors will also visit this week The owner has full planning and listed building consent to demolish and redevelop the site "Thanks to Warwickshire Police for their action." Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right WHEN the dust settles, how will Justin Welby’s archiepiscopate be remembered Will he be seen as one of the great Archbishops of Canterbury of modern times or was his a career of unfulfilled promise the Archbishop has been increasingly concerned to secure his “legacy” What is that legacy to the Church of England Proper analysis must await the release of his papers under the Church of England’s current 30-year closure rule will become available between 2044 and 2055 the Church of England lags behind best practice: the Government and the National Archives now release papers after 20 years to enhance public transparency and accountability But some significant themes are already apparent and we will probably not see his like again His appointment in 2013 signalled a decisive break with the past Every previous Archbishop of Canterbury since the Reformation had been ordained in his twenties Not since the 17th century had an Archbishop had less episcopal experience before appointment to that office Yet he brought to Lambeth more business acumen than all his predecessors put together He was welcomed by the press as “CEO of the C of E” a leadership style that he readily embraced Other Archbishops have been theology professors, or headmasters, or college principals. But Archbishop Welby was different, fresh, exciting. That sense of buoyancy is reflected in my own biography of his early ministry, The Road to Canterbury (Books, 29 August 2014) published to coincide with his enthronement Lord Adonis said that Archbishop Welby had “what it takes to be a great leader of what has become virtually a leaderless institution” Another peer welcomed him as “the best person we’ve had for ages” ARCHBISHOP WELBY’s rise through the ecclesiastical ranks was meteoric: from canonry to Canterbury in just five years He was promoted so rapidly that he never stayed in one place long enough for the sheen to wear off bringing decisive action and a wave of optimism when hopes for women bishops crashed in the General Synod Archbishop Welby offered a fresh way forward (the Five Guiding Principles) Here was Welby the great reconciler in action It will go down as one of his greatest achievements But Canterbury has proved a very different prospect from everything that he faced before If he had been Archbishop for only three or four years he would be remembered as a ministerial genius But 12 years is another matter entirely: it allowed time for his flaws to become increasingly apparent I interviewed Lord Williams in the Master’s Lodgings at Magdalene College to retire from Canterbury at the age of 62 immeasurably better than I ever was at prioritising.” Professor David Ford one of Archbishop Welby’s closest theological advisers observed that he stood out from his predecessors by the level of his “strategic thinking” This has been another marked feature of Archbishop Welby’s Lambeth career that strategy was focused on three emphases: renewal of prayer and the religious life; reconciliation within the Church and wider society; and evangelism which the Archbishop summarised as “telling people the good news of Jesus Christ” Archbishop Welby has pushed for change in almost every area of Church of England life as expressed in its national institutions: Lambeth Palace to make the Church of England safer and more diverse such as the redistribution of financial assets and the Prayers of Love and Faith Lord Randolph Churchill famously described Prime Minister Gladstone trying to rush through as many reforms as possible before he was removed from 10 Downing Street he has tried to force as many reformist schemes over the finishing line as possible THIS has been the Archbishop’s ultimate undoing his appointment was welcomed enthusiastically by every part of the Church and his resignation was energetically demanded by every part of the Church Whether the Smyth scandal will permanently overshadow everything that went before he points us all to “the person of Jesus Christ my saviour and my God; the bearer of the sins and burdens of the world The lowest moments in Archbishop Welby’s career have, ironically, been among the highest points of Christian testimony. This, perhaps, is his greatest legacy.The Revd Dr Andrew Atherstone is Professor of Modern Anglicanism in the University of Oxford, and author of Archbishop Justin Welby: Risktaker and reconciler (Darton Letters for publication should be sent to letters@churchtimes.co.uk Letters should be exclusive to the Church Times Your name and address will appear below your letter unless requested otherwise are part of these wartime children’s memories We are a partnership of six diverse and welcoming congregations in the northern districts of Milton Keynes offering a rich tapestry of worshipping traditions – Anglican USPG is looking to appoint 3 Trustees (lay or ordained) committed to global mission within the Anglican Communion The Diocese of Gloucester is looking for a practical team member to join the Department of Mission and Ministry who brings a creative and flexible approach as we seek to develop and implement innovative approaches to collaborative ministry across the Diocese The Bishop of Lincoln seeks an ordained colleague to lead in vocational discernment within the Diocese The Diocese of London is delighted to welcome applications for the position of Area Director of Ministry (Willesden) and Diocesan Clergy Wellbeing Adviser run jointly by Sarum College and The Church Times tickets available This online seminar, run jointly by Modern Church and The Church Times discusses the theology underpinning the drive for growth tickets available Read reports from issues stretching back to 1863 search for your parish or see if any of the clergy you know get a mention Explore the archive To explore the Church Times website fully, please sign in or subscribe. Non-subscribers can read four articles for free each month. (You will need to register.) Author: Phil Johnson Published: 24th February, 2025 @ 12:02Updated: 24th February, 2025 Midland Football League Premier DivisionSaturday 22nd February 2025 Stone Old Alleynians put in a determined display against play-off contenders Atherstone Town but suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat after conceding in the 87th minute. The match was tightly contested, with few clear chances for either side, making the late winner a bitter pill to swallow for the visitors. The Old Boys had an early chance to take the lead in the 9th minute when a quick throw-in found Sam Wilson in space, but his shot was well saved by Atherstone goalkeeper Finn Osborn at the base of the post. Atherstone saw more of the ball but struggled to break through the Alleynians’ defensive setup. The visitors also looked dangerous on the counter, with Kacper Mikulski testing Osborn after a strong run in the 15th minute. A minute later, defender Zayn Sadiq pushed forward and struck an effort on goal, but Osborn saved comfortably. The best chance of the half fell to Alleynians captain Matt Thomas in the 35th minute when his header from a corner rattled the crossbar. Moments later, a long throw from Josh Sedgley was flicked on by player-manager Luke Askey, nearly setting up Wilson, but Osborn denied him again. Half-time: Atherstone Town 0-0 Stone Old Alleynians Atherstone came out strongly in the second half, but the Old Boys continued to frustrate their hosts. In the 51st minute, Wilson thought he was through on goal, only for the assistant referee to flag for offside. The home side threatened on the hour mark, heading over from a free-kick before midfielder Lewis Collins burst through the defence, only to blaze his shot over the bar. Alleynians had a golden opportunity with 15 minutes to go when they won a free-kick on the edge of the box. Askey stepped up and sent his effort just wide of the post. As full-time approached, it looked like the visitors had done enough to earn a point. However, in the 87th minute, a moment of hesitation in defence proved costly. Atherstone cleared the ball towards Jack Tomlinson, who went down under pressure and appealed for a free-kick. The referee waved play on, and Atherstone’s Ryan Harkin pounced, breaking through, rounding goalkeeper Lewis Cleland, and slotting the ball into the empty net. With little time left to respond, Alleynians pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Atherstone held firm to take all three points. Full-time: Atherstone Town 1-0 Stone Old Alleynians Stone OA Starting XI:Cleland, Baxter, Minshall S, Sedgley, Thomas (C), Sadiq, Connolly, Askey, Wilson, Tomlinson, Mikulski Substitutes: Griffiths, Bowater S, Bowater J, Goodwin, Newton-Taylor Since 2010, A Little Bit of Stone has been providing the latest, and most up to date, news, sport, events, jobs and more for our wonderful town!  Copyright © 2010 - 2025 • A Little Bit of Stone new video loaded: Players Tussle in English Town’s Centuries-Old Football Game transcriptBackbars0:00/1:09-1:09transcript Aldi is considering a restructure at its HQ in Atherstone Warwickshire with up to 350 roles potentially at risk of redundancy The proposed changes could impact positions in buying It comes just days after Aldi announced a wage increase for store assistants who will earn £12.75 an hour nationwide and £14.05 within the M25 from March as it battles to be the UK’s highest-paying supermarket A spokesperson from Aldi said: “To support our continued growth and to offer the best experience to our customers we are consulting over proposals to restructure some Head Office teams and no final decisions will be made until the consultation process is complete “We are committed to supporting our colleagues throughout this process we will seek to redeploy affected colleagues within the business.” and Sainsbury’s in cutting jobs after October’s budget Sainsbury’s revealed plans to eliminate 3,000 jobs and shut down all in-store cafes while Tesco reduced its workforce by 400 to streamline operations announcing the loss of over 200 positions in its retail team Atherstone Ball Game organisers have issued a brilliant message after the 825th event The time-old Shrove Tuesday tradition was upheld in fantastic fashion as crowds piled into Long Street Marcus Cooper emerged from the scrum and was crowned the winner It takes a mammoth effort to stage the event and the Ball Game organisers have issued a post thanking all those who made the event happen In it includes a brilliant ending 'Long Live the Atherstone Ball Game' Now preparations will start for what will be the 826th event on February 17 with the organisers saying 'see you there' READ MORE: First look at new homes on old Nuneaton school site READ MORE: Atherstone Ball Game 2025 in pictures - all of the action from the 825th event The full post reads: "Marshals did a hard and marvellous job again to keep all of the community safe Masters Bakery and Gaytons Bakery for the food "Russel and Laura at Russel Coyle Mortgages also Nick and Jamie-Lee at the Legion for being fabulous hosts All of the community for coming together with donations and businesses with sponsorship without this we wouldn’t be able to make it possible "Congratulations to the 825th winner Marcus Cooper Home   News   Article It is 17 years since the tragedy at Atherstone-on-Stour which claimed the lives of four local firefighters formerly of Shipston and based at Stratford Fire Station in addition to Ian Reid aged 44 all lost their lives in a major fire at a site owned by Wealmoor Atherstone Ltd on 2nd November 2007 Bidford firefighters joined the Warwickshire-wide tribute last night They said: “Tonight at 19:28 the Bidford crew paid their respects to our four fallen brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice at Atherstone on Stour 17 years ago today Warwickshire Fire Service added: “Today marks 17 years since we lost 4 firefighters at Atherstone-on-Stour pausing at 7:28pm to remember Darren Yates-Badley Hereford and Worcester and the West Midlands and five ambulance crews were sent to the blaze during that fateful night Warwickshire County Council is pleased to announce a series of improvements to bus services in the Nuneaton Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning said: "We are committed to improving public transport across Warwickshire and these changes will provide passengers with more frequent services We're confident these enhancements will make bus travel a more attractive option for everyone." Increased frequency: Service 4/4A has been extended in Cawston Grange via Trussell Way and will run every 15 minutes during weekdays (7am-6pm) Extended service area: Service 41 will now operate via the George Eliot Hospital main entrance and extend to Baxterley and Baddesley Ensor with additional journeys between Nuneaton and Atherstone New evening journeys: Services 15 (Tamworth-Kingsbury) 41 (Nuneaton-Atherstone) and 56 (Nuneaton-Coventry) will offer additional evening departures New service: Service 57 replaces part of Service 56B providing a direct link between Bermuda Bridge New service: Service 66 offers a new route between Tamworth and Birch Coppice via Polesworth. This service will replace the 766/7 service which has previously served this section of route 761 and 85/85B will have revised timetables Full details of all service changes and timetables can be found on the Warwickshire County Council website The Council encourages all passengers to familiarise themselves with the new timetables before travelling Warwickshire County Council is committed to working with bus operators to improve services across the county These changes are part of an ongoing programme that is using Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus (BSIP+) funding to make bus travel a more convenient and attractive choice for everyone Oxford diocese is modelling generosity towards conservative ordinands with the five ordination candidates outside Christ Church Cathedral AMONG the Michaelmas ordinations in cathedrals across the country last weekend, a particularly significant event occurred in Oxford. It involved five ordinands — three deacons and two priests — who declined to be ordained in the usual way by the Bishop of Oxford because of the Bishops’ public advocacy for the Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) After a pre-ordination retreat at St Mary’s Convent, Wantage, the five candidates were ordained in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, by Dr Graham Tomlin, a former Bishop of Kensington, supported by their new congregations. The whole diocese was invited, and the service, with its dignified liturgy and choral tradition, was live-streamed on the cathedral’s YouTube channel made possible through the generosity of Dr Croft himself A similar “alternative” ordination took place last September, in a parish church near Oxford. On that occasion, four candidates were ordained (two deacons, two priests) to assistant curacies in the diocese. The ordaining bishop, at the request of Dr Croft, was the Rt Revd Tim Wambunya, originally consecrated in Kenya and soon to be the new Bishop of Wolverhampton (News, 30 August) Their number is likely to increase next year These new clergy are on the diocesan payroll and are integrated with their wider curacy cohort through ministerial training (IME2) arranged by the diocese But they are out of fellowship with their bishops “a differentiation of ministry and oversight” is necessary Dr Croft insists that this provision is “vital” The alternative ordination service in Christ Church Cathedral last weekend is a cautious experiment in that direction It seeks a way for all ordinands to flourish in the diocese even those out of step with the diocesan hierarchy and is a model of generosity and pastoral care for other dioceses to follow A sizeable number of ordinands are in a similar situation. The network Orthodox Ordinands, launched in February last year, is a grass-roots movement bringing together people at different stages of the ordination process, from discernment through to their title curacy (News, 23 February) but all united in their distress at the House of Bishops’ advocacy of PLF Provision has been made for seven of them in Oxford diocese — but what about the other 193 they are spread across 38 of the Church of England’s 42 dioceses where ordinands have asked for alternative provision to be made The episcopal response can best be characterised as “My way or the highway.” Tales of ordinands’ being browbeaten by bishops and other senior diocesan clergy are But the “Orthodox Ordinands” have declared emphatically that they are not seeking to cause trouble or play ecclesial politics Their focus is on joyfully serving in their parishes and their desire to be ordained by a bishop who does not advocate the PLF agenda is a matter of deeply held theological conscience and conviction To be asked to bend or break your conscience on ordination day puts ordinands in an impossible situation or have felt pushed out of the Church of England altogether What should be a day of rejoicing becomes a day of deep anguish others who sense the call of God to ordination decline to enter the discernment process at all because they have no confidence that provision will be made for them when the day comes It is a bitterly cruel way to treat ordinands who are one of the Church of England’s most precious resources bishops never seemed to bother very much about the “figure of unity” bullet point that sat somewhere in their job description NO ONE yet knows the final shape of the negotiated Church of England settlement to emerge from the current PLF ferment it will require alternative provision for ordinands which is not dependent on the generosity of individual bishops If there is to be any hope of a breakthrough in the current impasse bishops need to demonstrate a willingness to cede some of their power and prerogatives concerning ordinations and licences for candidates to be ordained in one diocese on behalf of another diocese by Letters Dimissory This solution was used in Oxford diocese in the 1950s when ordinands and bishops found themselves at loggerheads over another matter of conscience: not marriage but priesthood and its ritual implications Evangelical ordinands were sent by successive Bishops of Oxford (Kenneth Kirk and Harry Carpenter both strict Anglo-Catholics) to the Bishop of Rochester (Christopher Chavasse an Evangelical) for ordination to curacies back in Oxford diocese It was a practical solution that enabled those ordinands to flourish It would be easy to reinstate this practice immediately without the need to change our current canons is for a diocesan bishop to ordain a team of unpaid “episcopal chaplains” who are then deployed as curates to other dioceses where they are funded by their local congregations They would hold a licence and title post in one diocese With the good will and generosity of the bishops on both sides of the diocesan border and funding will look very different in the post-PLF future from how they look at present The 20th-century patterns that we have taken for granted are in the melting pot and PLF is a powerful catalyst accelerating those changes But ordinands do not have time to wait for that new future to be agreed temporary provision for ordinands is required immediately in every diocese By the time the General Synod gets round to its next substantive PLF debates the Petertide ordinations will already have occurred — and building on last weekend’s experiment in Oxford’s cathedral The Revd Dr Andrew Atherstone is Tutor at Wycliffe Hall and Professor of Modern Anglicanism in the University of Oxford Michaelmas lists Non-subscribers can read four articles for free each month Our free Nuneaton & Bedworth email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Changes to bus timetables in Nuneaton and North Warwickshire come into force this week It includes some new evening services and well as extensions to existing services to cover new areas The changes are set to come into force on Saturday (July 20) and are part of a Warwickshire-wide bus service change The county council has said that the improvements should make it easier for more people to access bus services But the changes come with the timetables being revised for some services Shire Hall is urging all passengers to check the new look timetable READ MORE: Air ambulance called to woman in 'serious condition' in Nuneaton house incident READ MORE: England Euros 2024 star Jude Bellingham's life-saving legacy in Nuneaton Extended service - Service 41 will now operate via the George Eliot Hospital main entrance and extend to Baxterley and Baddesley Ensor, with additional journeys between Nuneaton and Atherstone New evening journeys - Services 15 (Tamworth-Kingsbury) New service- Service 57 replaces part of Service 56B New service - Service 66 offers a new route between Tamworth and Birch Coppice via Polesworth This service will replace the 766/7 service which has previously served this section of route Councillor Jan Matecki, cabinet member for transport and planning at Shire Hall, said: "We are committed to improving public transport across Warwickshire We're confident these enhancements will make bus travel a more attractive option for everyone." Full details of all changes, including revised timetables can be found on the bus section the county council website here Get all the Nuneaton and Bedworth news sent direct to you Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Thousands of bikers are set to hit the A5 between Nuneaton and Atherstone today It is one of the main routes for a huge ride-out that will end at the the National Memorial Arboretum near Burton on Trent There are set to be more than 7,000 bikers attend the event many from our local area who are set to use the A5 this morning (Saturday October 5) so that they can pay their respects at the Ride To The Wall (RTTW) event The national bikers' pilgrimage sees bikers from across the country gather to pay their respects to serving and fallen service men and women at the Midlands-based arboretum There have been several social media posts locally urging those who spot the bikers making their way to the event to 'pip their horn' It also appeals to fellow motorists to be patient as the bikers make their way to the event READ MORE: Every new planning application listed including Nuneaton petrol station expansion READ MORE: This Warwickshire village that gave the world some of the most beautiful cars ever built One reads: "Please be patient with us we are on our annual pilgrimage to pay honour to our fallen military heroes the roads will be busy all day from around 8.30 as bikers and foot soldiers arrive right up to around 6pm as they leave please give us a wave and the space we require as a motorcycle "We may look intimidating in numbers but we are there for one reason - to pay respect to our fallen More details can be found on the event's website here things have been freshened up at Atherstone Bus Station A partnership enabled by Warwickshire County Council (WCC) and which includes The Atherstone Partnership and Atherstone Town Council has enabled changes in this key arrival point to the town.  WCC’s area of focus on creating vibrant places requires communities and partners to work together to create spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone. Back in August 2022, work was completed on Husly, now dedicated to the memory of Queen Elizabeth II and part of the Our Spaces series a project which bought commissioned public art to Warwickshire towns The interest and focus of the Husly project brought together partners to think about what else could be done to improve the space. Taking a place-based approach meant all the partners could consider what resources were needed to improve the shelter Atherstone (WCC) enabled the subsequent project via his local Delegated Budget on behalf of WCC with other partners contributing to the overall project resources including time and expertise he said “Atherstone is a wonderful place to live and work but old bus station area was looking tired and did not do the town justice I have seen the improvements take place daily and spoken to people who are delighted to see the changes enabled by the Delegated Budget Scheme given to WCC members The scheme involves members in the prioritisation of local works and offers opportunities to undertake works that would not have otherwise been possible given highways prioritisation towards safety and maintenance need or budget constraints It can be used to address local issues raised by parishes community groups and residents which would otherwise not be prioritised: the bus station project fits the bill perfectly.” completed early in 2022 was colour sampled to provide paint accents for the smart black paint work on the bus shelter and noticeboards – these accents add a splash of colour and local distinctiveness. The project has also seen Perspex replaced or cleaned to improve light and visibility Bringing these elements together along with cleansing and weeding has maximised the impact of all the projects in the area offering a pleasant welcome to users of the space the Revd Dr Andrew Atherstone talks about his new book Repackaging Christianity: Alpha and the building of a global brand — the first book length history of the Alpha movement It’s published by Hodder & Stoughton and is available to buy from the Church Times Bookshop for the reduced price of £19.80 The book “tells the remarkable story of Alpha from its origins in the West London dinner party set of the 1970s turbo charged by the influence of John Wimber and the Toronto Blessing in the 1990s to what is now an international movement embraced on every continent in the world” Dr Atherstone talks about what he uncovered while researching the book explains how Alpha has evolved over the years and addresses some of the criticisms that have been directed at the movement Dr Atherstone is Latimer Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and a member of Oxford University's Faculty of Theology and Religion. His previous books include a biography of the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Justin Welby: Risktaker and Reconciler (DLT Click the play button above to listen to this podcast. You can also listen to the Church Times Podcast on the Church Times app for iPhone and iPad, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts Disrupted schooling, danger from the air, and faith, too, are part of these wartime children’s memories, Pat Ashworth writes Nicholas Reed Langen examines the Supreme Court ruling on gender