A HAUGHTON Green care home is getting ready to show off what it now offers following a full refurbishment And Greatwood House now has an additional nine residential dementia beds has seen about £558,000 invested into it to upgrade what it can offer residents It includes an extension of the community with the extra bedrooms in addition to the existing 22 and further communal spaces for residents to socialise in electrical works and a new kitchen servery being installed It was based on feedback and ideas from residents and relatives and a ‘jobs around the house’ station has also been added to a breakout zone in Greatwood House’s corridor to help residents living with dementia reminisce of past days and give them an activity to enjoy should be complete in June with the Shrewsbury unit’s work finished at the end of March And people can see the effect it has had when Greatwood House opens its doors on an open day on Friday and the wellbeing team held a resident meeting ahead the work starting where residents helped choose designs and colour schemes of the bedrooms and lounges in the Shrewsbury and Elderberry communities She said: “We are committed to fostering an environment that really feels like home and décor and facilities are an important part of this “We’re really excited to re-open our Shrewsbury community which offers residential dementia care services to members of the local community “We look forward to welcoming in the local community in to visit the home and view our newly refurbished and reopened Shrewsbury community.” For more details about the open day or to enquire about Greatwood House’s care services, please contact it by either calling 0161 336 5324 or emailing odette.lilley@hc-one.co.uk A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy has received parliamentary recognition for his efforts in keeping his area clean Often before attending Manor Green Primary School Rayne Wallwork Hough is out picking up litter around Haughton Green Now his work has earned him a Citizens Award from Andrew Gwynne As well as getting his litter picker out and cleaning himself – sometimes filling two bags in just 30 minutes – Rayne has also set up events and inspired others across the constituency to get involved It is all part of him wanting to bring awareness of the harmful effects litter has on the planet and wildlife as well as trying to educate about dropping rubbish And when he was presented with his Citizens Award – which recognise inspirational people in the area who go above and beyond for communities – at Haughton Green Park Andrew Gwynne MP said: “It was a pleasure to recognise Rayne’s efforts in helping to keep our constituency clean “His efforts are an inspiration to us all and show how even small things like litter picking can have a big impact on our local environment I encourage you to join one of Rayne’s litter picks and help make our area just that little bit more cleaner and greener.” Andy's Man Club are a men’s suicide prevention charity offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online They have seen an increase in numbers at their regular Monday evening session at Ashton's Hurst Cross Stadium They want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation they are opening an new weekly meeting at The Oasis Centre There's no need to book; you can simply turn up for a brew and biscuits and chat to like-minded men If you'd like to know more information Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570885408825 Instagram link https://www.instagram.com/andysmanclubuk ALL the fun of the fair will be coming soon to a Haughton Green primary school That’s because St John Fisher RC Primary will be hosting a big top circus for the first time The grounds of the Manor Road school will be turned into an extravaganza of acrobatics and amusement for all of the family to experience Organised by the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) it will help raise funds for the school to help with resources and opportunities for the pupils There will be two-and-a-half hours of entertainment featuring acrobats tickets must be bought in advance – which is advised sooner rather than later before they sell out Tickets are £12.50 per person or £40 for a family of four, while Under 2s are free. They can be bought at the main school office, by calling 0161 336 5308 or emailing admin@st-johnfisher.tameside.sch.uk children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult A HAUGHTON GREEN veterinary surgery has left a dog owner thankful after taking on a huge problem – a lump the size of a football underwent surgery at Manchester Vet Centre after being presented with the issue in his groin Now his owner Hayley Tucker has joined forces with the practice to highlight the benefits of regular health checks Vet and clinical director Dr Alex Schofield said Mrs Tucker brought Zeus in because she was worried about a lump on his side a small swelling was also identified in his groin she decided they should operate on the first lump because it was suspected it could be cancerous where it was discovered the lump in his groin had grown rapidly Dr Schofield said: “Zeus recovered very well from his first procedure but his owner noticed he was moving more slowly and found it difficult to get comfortable when laying down “They brought him in so we could take another look at his groin and because the mass had increased in size considerably they asked us to remove it to make Zeus as comfortable as possible “The surgery took about an hour and it was a delicate procedure as I had to carefully cut around the lump while keeping as much skin intact as possible so the wound could be closed “There are also important structures in that area that you have to be careful to avoid.” both the lumps in Zeus’ groin and on his side were non-cancerous fatty tumours known as lipomas Dr Schofield said if the lump in the groin had been left to grow it could have impinged on other important internal organs and as well as making it uncomfortable for Zeus to move around it would have affected his ability to pass urine He added: “We treat many pets with lumps and tumours but this is one of the biggest I have ever seen “Older pets in particular can be prone to developing lumps “You can also check your pet yourself when you groom them and doing this regularly helps you learn what’s normal for their body and you can feel for any unusual lumps or bumps “If you find something you’re not sure about give your vet practice a call for advice.” Zeus is now back home in Ashton-under-Lyne with Mrs Tucker and her husband Gary She said: “Since the lump was removed from his groin Zeus has been like a different dog and he’s much more comfortable “He’s enjoying going for walks again and he’s been more keen to play with his favourite octopus and badger toys “We are so grateful to Manchester Vet Centre for looking after him so well “We live a few miles away from the practice but we always come here because we trust the team and they look after Zeus so well “Having regular vet checks means things like lumps or other health issues can be spotted early and you can get the right advice “It was shocking how quickly the lump inside Zeus grew so it’s really important to keep an eye on your pet and we can see how much happier he is now he’s not carrying such a huge weight around.” A CONTROVERSIAL scheme to build apartments on the site of a former Denton hotel has been given the go ahead – despite more than 200 objections to an ‘insult.’ All three local councillors and MP Andrew Gwynne came out against the proposal to develop what was The Old Rectory Tameside Council’s Speaker’s Panel (Planning) committee approved it Now the hunt is on to find a housing provider to add their name to the seven two-bedroomed and 11 one-bedroomed units July 24 after 222 objections were received removal of a ‘historic’ wall and the impact the extra residents will have on those already living in the area were among those voiced acting on behalf of colleagues George Newton and Claire Reid said: “We don’t have an objection per se to development on this site we acknowledge there’s a clear need for affordable housing in Haughton Green it needs to be of the right size and scale of development We also acknowledge the applicant has made efforts to reduce the scale of the building – although we don’t believe this goes far enough “We don’t believe this is acceptable and is an insult to the area The application seeks to undermine the very special nature of Haughton Green and Haughton Dale “Meadow Lane is the beating heart of Haughton Dale “It will naturally have a material impact on the quality of life for residents and adversely affect the tranquillity of the area there are other sites that would be better suited to this development.” the agent for applicant Collaborate Living confirmed Irwell Valley had withdrawn from the scheme at the Old Rectory which was demolished in 2011 to make way for a proposed care home But he claims there are several interested parties and insisted they are ‘reputable’ and described what they propose as ‘a positive residential environment.’ “Conditions include safeguards with regards to 100 per cent nominations to the council on first lets and at least 50 per cent on subsequent lets to ensure households on the Tameside local housing waiting list are prioritised,” he said “We widened site access – the existing retaining wall will be relocated and rebuilt to facilitate this – and enhanced areas for amenity and landscaping “The building is no higher than the former hotel and smaller than its footprint allowing it to be sited centrally and away from surrounding properties “The one-bedroomed apartments will be for just one occupier.” every other member of the panel approved it Our beautiful Lane will be lost forever if this development goes ahead The loss of 17 mature trees & a pavement on a single track bridleway we have a special planning document that isnt worth the paper its written on Andrew Gwynne didnt involve himself in our plight as he apparently did with Denton Baths he states he worked with colborate living for 2 years he couldnt spare the time to come & look at the outline of this ridiculous pavement I am disapointed & let down as are all our residents A NEW friends’ group is being set up to help look after Haughton Green Playing Fields The group is being established by Denton South councillors Jack Naylor They are encouraging local people to become members “We need you to get involved,” the councillors said “This will be an informal group of like-minded park lovers who want to make a difference and help make Haughton Green Playing Fields greener and cleaner.” The group will help to arrange litter-picks and plant-ups raise funds to make changes and improvements and help crack down on anti-social behaviour Anyone who is interested is asked to fill out a simple form by clicking here with some brief details to be invited to the group’s first get-together POLICE say they “strongly believe” two shootings at separate addresses in Tameside in one evening were targeted and are linked Nobody was seriously injured at either location following the attacks The incidents took place at a house on Standish Walk in Haughton Green at around 9pm on Monday and then shortly after at nearby Mill Lane in Hyde GMP says although no arrests have been made they are making “good progress” as they carry out “a number of lines of enquiry to understand fully what has happened” Scenes remained in place throughout Tuesday so that specialist officers could conduct searches and obtain evidence Uniformed officers have also been on patrol to reassure residents in the area as the force appeals for information that could prove vital in their investigation “Officers are visible in the area to provide reassurance to our local communities who will rightly be shocked to learn about what has happened whilst the victims continue to be supported,” said Chief Superintendent Chris Foster “We are at a crucial stage in our investigation and I would like to appeal to those in the local area to come forward in confidence if they have any information that could help us “All details will be handled sensitively as we remain focused on tracking those responsible to ensure we can bring them in for questioning.” Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 9262 or 101 details can be passed on anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 A SCHOOL in Haughton Green has been left devastated after a minibus bought in memory of a teacher was stolen St John Fisher RC Primary School said the bus was stolen from the staff car park during the summer holidays It was named after the school’s former deputy head teacher Charlotte Conlon who died in May 2016 at the age of 32 from cancer To help replace what it calls Charlotte’s bus the Manor Road establishment has launched a fundraising campaign Head teacher Mandy Harris said: “She was a big motor racing fan and she always wanted our school to have our own minibus so the children could make lasting memories on school trips her parents donated a minibus to our school in her memory Charlotte’s bus has been instrumental in ensuring our children are able to go swimming school trips and work within the community “It has also provided us with a constant reminder of this most special teacher our school gates were forced open and Charlotte’s bus was stolen we were devastated – not just because we have lost our minibus but also the sentimental loss because it was Charlotte’s bus.” The school has launched a GoFundMe page in the hope of raising £15,000 towards buying a new minibus Donations can be made by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-replace-charlottes-bus MORE than 50 TransPennine Express trains will be fitted with defibrillators by the end of March The operator runs trains which serve Stalybridge The devices – which give a high energy shock to the heart of someone in cardiac arrest – will be available for both staff and passengers to use The life-saving units – which are already installed on TPE’s Nova 1 trains – will be fitted on all 51 of the company’s 185 trains by technology firm Siemens Mobility “This roll-out will ensure that people travelling on our services will feel safe and confident that defibrillators are available to help in the event of an emergency potentially saving lives,” said Bushra Khan which explain how to use it on someone in an emergency Computers inside the defibs work to analyse a person’s heart rhythms to find out if an electric shock is needed and electrodes then automatically deliver the shock if required TPE say the defibrillators have been purchased from the British Heart Foundation charity the biggest independent funder of heart and circulatory research in the UK THE SITE of Denton’s former swimming pool will have apartments built on it after planning permission was granted Collaborate Living Ltd and Irwell Valley Homes were unanimously given the go ahead to place 35 affordable rented properties on the vacant area at Victoria Street He said: “The application reflects al most two years’ worth of work “All 35 apartments are proposed as affordable housing and local people on Tameside’s housing waiting list will be prioritised for placement “And the relationship with Victoria Park will be enhanced compared to the former swimming baths.” Denton’s former baths were demolished in 2021 after the pool moved to the nearby Wellness Centre 46-unit building sparked an outcry from those living nearby and the town’s MP this redrawn plan – consisting of 27 one-bedroomed and eight two-bedroomed properties – was approved by Tameside Council’s Speaker’s Panel (Planning) committee on Wednesday And planning officer Steven Kirkham said: “The location is deemed to be highly sustainable and the proposals would make a much-valued contribution to the affordable housing stock in the borough.” A NEW application has been made to convert a former Denton hotel into apartments – but has already received almost 150 objections After the last attempt to develop The Old Rectory site in Haughton Green was withdrawn It would place 18 units – down from the previous 24 and seven of which would be two-bedroomed – over three floors on the Meadow Lane site including the widening of site access to a provide dedicated pedestrian footway relocation of the retaining wall and enhanced areas for amenity space and landscaping Irwell Valley Homes has also been removed as a joint applicant the Manchester-based form – of whom Lee Robinson is listed as its sole director – is the only one looking to build But 144 people have already registered their opposition to the scheme Documents supporting the plan state: “The vision for this site is to create a secure outward looking scheme for affordable rent “Collaborative Living want to provide housing for general needs with the aim of creating a balanced community and to promote tenure diversification in the area “Collaborative Living has carefully considered feedback received from the council statutory consultees and the local community and changes have been made to the scheme to reflect the feedback received “The proposal seeks the redevelopment of a redundant site which has the potential to contribute towards the delivery of sizeable homes within a sustainable location “It will be a positive addition to the housing offer within Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council boundaries and should be approved.” Local opposition to the last attempt to convert The Old Rectory It was originally used as the Rectory for St Mary’s Church and a single dwelling with the first buildings occupying the site from 1867 before being sold in 1967 and later used as a hotel Clair Reid and George Newton have asked people living nearby to make their views clear to Tameside Council They said: “We encourage residents to leave comments on the planning portal once the application is live “We will share updates with residents once we have more information.” I agree with the above resident’s comments Also the stone wall which is the character of Meadow lane I’ve been a resident over forty years and walk meadow lane often…the start of our local beauty spot Houghton Dale A CONTROVERSIAL plan to ‘overdevelop’ the site of a former Denton hotel by building 24 apartments has been dropped Haughton Green saw huge opposition to Irwell Valley Homes and Collaborate Living’s joint proposal to construct the affordable properties where The Old Rectory once stood on Meadow Lane Now that threat has gone after the housing firm withdrew its application the pressure is now on the landowner to smarten it up The applicants contended their proposal represented ‘a high-quality development which will complement and contribute successfully to its wider setting.’ including ward councillors and MP Andrew Gwynne Now they want the landowner to make sure the area is well kept after it became a ‘horrible eyesore.’ Jack Naylor and George Newton said: “The residents fought tirelessly against this and it shows that when you work together you get results “It’s a shame that the current owner of the land was allowed to knock it down in the first place and to let the grounds grow wildly with no maintenance or proper groundskeeping and turning the gate and entrance into a horrible eyesore The plan claimed it would ‘reinforce the existing ‘sense of place’ adding further identity as an extension of the neighbouring housing area.’ saying: “Haughton Green is a special place Meadow Lane is the jewel in the crown of Haughton Dale “We accept there is a clear need for additional affordable housing these must be the right kinds and scale of developments in order to make sure our communities are sustainable “The application is quite simply at odds with the planning policies governing Tameside and Haughton Green “It seeks to undermine the very special nature of the Haughton Green and Haughton Dale area through overdevelopment and a lack of consideration for local characteristics “We can and must do better for the all the residents of Haughton Green including those who may eventually live in properties on the Old Rectory site “We must not overdevelop a very special area and undermine the existence and growth of a sustainable community.” Even though they appear to have won the fight to stop the area being overdeveloped the concept of housing on The Old Rectory site which saw the building mostly demolished in 2011 The political opponents to this scheme added: “It is the case that the construction of a smaller number of individual dwellings on the Old Rectory site as opposed to an apartment block would be a far more sensitive use of the land when considering the topography of Meadow Lane “This would provide much needed additional housing in Haughton Green but would also respect the special characteristics of the area “We are fully sympathetic to the need for affordable housing and indeed welcome it to ensure future generations are afforded the same opportunities we have all had.” PRIMARY school children in Denton joined forces with local leaders to show how easy it is to carry out a community clean up Children from St John Fisher RC Primary School Andrew Gwynne MP and representatives of Irwell Valley on 13 October to clean up the area around Tatton Park The park is close to the Oasis Community Centre which is one of a network of now 18 litter hubs available across the borough where residents can pick up and borrow free equipment to help them to help clean up their local neighbourhoods the litter hub network has now expanded across the borough and is on hand to support community minded citizens who want to join forces and participate in the Tameside Litter Pledge or form a clean-up to support the council’s Our Streets campaign for a greener Litter and fly tipping are a blight on resources everywhere but encouraging residents to take pride in their local places is an ideal way to help already pressured budgets A number of days of action have taken place across the borough and successfully prove that teamwork involving community support is invaluable to help make local towns cleaner The network includes lots of community meet up spots and popular venues across Tameside such as Aqua Nurture ridge hill Gee Cross) Big Local -Stalybridge and Hattersley Big Community Garden Each hub has equipment available including hi-vis jackets and black bags and a safety checklist to help people undertake the litter pick safely Dedicated volunteer hub champions are taking the reins at local hubs to help give the power back to the community but there are still champions needed for some of the hubs if there are local volunteers who feel passionate about keeping their town or area clean It’s easy to take part in a litter picking activity and all sorts of groups have made a start on cleaning up the borough from friends Tameside Executive Member for Environmental Services said: “Providing free equipment in accessible areas for residents is proving to really help make a difference in involving the local community in clean ups Working together and taking a co-operative approach to tackling litter really helps boost the pride in the local area and makes Tameside a cleaner place for everyone.” add the #Ourstreets and the council share your posts on social media POLICE are trying to track down a man they believe could have vital information after a pensioner was attacked with a hammer in Haughton Green The 69-year-old received non-life threatening or life changing injuries in the incident on Portal Grove at about midday on Thursday A suspect made off from the location towards Mill Lane now the Greater Manchester force wants to identify and speak to a man pictured on a distinctive black and yellow pedal bike Officers believe he has vital information that can help with their enquiries Detective Constable Emma-Louise Woodhead of GMP’s Tameside district said: “Since this incident was reported to us shortly after it happened we have undertaken and investigated a number of lines of enquiry in relation to this we are in a position to appeal to the local public for any further detail they may have we are keen to speak to the person pictured on a distinctive pedal bike that we feel may be able to assist us in our investigation.” Anyone with information or details that may help with enquiries are asked to call 0161 856 9262 direct details can be passed on anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 A HAUGHTON Green restaurant is celebrating and thanking its customers after being named the best Indian in Greater Manchester walked away with the title at the 2022 Euro Asia Curry Awards They said: “Thank you to all our customers for supporting us We wouldn’t have won this award without you all!” Spice Inn was one of 50 winners out of 370 nominees at this year’s prestigious ceremony And its success has been greeted with many messages of ‘well deserved’ from people living nearby The restaurant says its mission is to ‘provide you with the most stylish and comfortable dining environment where quality cuisine It also hosts regular nights with tribute acts including Elvis Presley and Freddie Mercury who says the industry supports the economy to the tune of £5 billion a year He said: “It was wonderful to once again celebrate the many talented teams and individuals who make the UK curry industry as fantastic and popular as it is “The pandemic hit our restaurants and takeaways hard It was particularly brilliant to see so many Christmas party bookings this year FLATS are to be built in a 209-year-old former Methodist chapel which has fallen into a state of disrepair and was damaged in a fire during lockdown is to be converted into homes under plans approved by Tameside council’s planning department The building on Two Trees Lane has not been used for worship since 2011 after it was vacated by the congregation with part of the roof collapsing in July following a fire Plans to convert it into two four bedroom houses had been submitted and then withdrawn last year Now proposals by Ibrahim Janneh of Manchester company Demicon to convert the building into four two bedroom flats have been approved by the local authority There had been concerns about the protection of the gravestones at the site under the redevelopment plans But the documents show these would be preserved but moved to the rear of the site as part of the conversion proposals Denton South ward councillor George Newton said: “Haughton Green Methodist Church has been in a state of disrepair for several years since the congregation moved out of the building “It has exchanged hands a number of times with each potential developer not interested in the site’s historical importance nor having much regard for local neighbours “The new developer is in the process of creating four apartments out of the existing church building — we believe this to be the best option “The new plans are respectful to the community minimise the impact on local residents and pay tribute to the church’s 200 year history by protecting the graveyard.” The work would include the construction of a first floor extension some alterations to the external elevations and new windows and brickwork put in place There would also be four new car parking spaces at the site According to the decision notice by council planners the development must begin within three years HAUGHTON Green has found itself at the centre of a bomb explosion – but nothing was damaged For this particular incident saw a spate of yarnbombing Things were improved with the addition of Gloria Gladrags Even a post box did not escape as a decorative topper sat on top of it which appeared at the beginning of the month was the result of weeks of hard work put in by members of Haughton Green Craft Club – and they did not just come from the village Some of the 500 online pals come from Droylsden Their appearance was largely down to the work of Debbie Prince who often packs her car boot with dozens of knitted or crocheted additions “We just wanted to brighten up the village,” Debbie told The Correspondent “Some new members who had just joined helped out we had older members contribute and even members who do not attend our meetings but knit and craft have donated We’ve had people from all over the area add to them “The teddy bear’s picnic came from a member we have in Stalybridge and the post box topper was done by my mum Sue – I helped with some of the flowers on there I was on holiday in Sutton on Sea in Lincolnshire and saw a post box topper featuring starfish and other things you’d find under the sea We’ve a lovely little village and a great craft club The items in place certainly added more to the village green Haughton Green Centre and other parts of the area Just seeing Gloria Gladrags against a tree proved a hit especially among younger members of the community And Debbie admitted her instructions when she had the idea were not exactly specific “How long it took to make them depends on how fast you are at the craft What can take someone 30 minutes can take someone else three days I did it in phases – it wasn’t supposed to be!” A HAUGHTON Green community campaigner has been recognised for her work by receiving a Citizen’s Award from MP Andrew Gwynne Cathy Newton has dedicated her life to making sure the area of Denton makes the most of what it has – and is not afraid to sing its praises And after founding the Forever Green group she was given the accolade by the Denton and Reddish parliamentarian Helping organise numerous events in the community supporting the village’s food bank and getting involved with things like litter picks was not enough For she has also secured the installation of four lifesaving defibrillators across the Denton South area Andrew Gwynne said “Cathy is a credit to the community a renowned campaigner and volunteer who always puts the area THE UK’S fallen soldiers are being remembered with a fabulous display created in a Denton garden has turned the grass into a fitting memorial as the country enters its period of reflection It is the latest in an increasing array of showpieces that have featured on Portal Grove Haughton Green after residents in the community made up of the elderly and less able got together to improve the area And it comes from talks with those who see it every day after previous installations Sharon said: “The residents loved it and started chatting with people diverting to walk through our space to see the decorations and lawn art this time I had a little acrylic paint and emphasised the lawn art “It took about an hour-and-a-half and if we had more project money I would have completely coloured the poppy red.” This latest artwork will help raise money for the BEEHappym34 group which is also making and Christmas gifts and selling through Facebook with all proceeds working towards a memorable and warm Christmas for residents Sharon’s involvement comes out of Covid-19 lockdowns and the effect they had on her mother’s neighbours and their need for community So she and Patricia Clegg – described as her counterpart – decided to make the grove safe attractive and a place where community would flourish They formed a residents’ group and with the help of the projects part of Jigsaw Housing Carolyn Alston and ground maintenance they say they are making good progress to achieve their goals And what they are doing is going a lot further than Haughton Green Sharon added: “The grove is now much safer from motorbikes using it as a rat run and so putting our residents in danger as we applied for and received funding to put our bespoke designed BEEHappy barriers “We have made planters and garden plant displays from upcycled pallets and extra large bean tins Many plants and seeds were donated locally and nationally and we have supporters from Norfolk to Southend to Scotland “We basically want to bring wellbeing to our grove and wider community So therefore we bring celebrations to the grove “Patricia and her husband Frank have for so so long wanted the grove improved but it is an absolute team effort.” The artwork idea was kicked off by the 75th anniversary of VE Day then for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee And the forthcoming festivities will not go unnoticed as Sharon told The Correspondent: “We have a grotto coming and are hoping for a 25ft Christmas tree to be planted for this year and future years if we can locate a donor we will hopefully be pulling our application together for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Green Fund round two “We will hopefully be working with landscape gardening students for them to come up with a design to completely re-landscape the community and incorporate a warm wellbeing hub.” Wow absolutely amazing and very well done lovely xx VOLUNTEERS from the Forever Green Community Group have been spreading festive cheer at their annual Christmas afternoon tea hosted at the Oasis venue in Haughton Green saw more than 70 residents coming together to celebrate the festive season on Tuesday Attendees feasted on an array of sandwiches Those unable to attend the festivities in person were not left out Special treats were prepared and delivered directly to the doors of residents who couldn’t make it The event was made possible thanks to hard-working volunteers in the community Guests enjoyed entertainment from ‘Delvis’ and a raffle and all attendees have received a special present A HAUGHTON Green primary school is to be kept in special measures by Ofsted – despite undoubted progress in tackling issues Manor Green Primary Academy has also been told to not appoint teachers early in their career and get pupils attending more regularly The Mancunian Road school was ordered to improve after inspectors in April deemed pupils were not feeling or being safe and teachers not knowing exactly what pupils should be learning A fiercely-worded report stated: “Pupils at Manor Green Primary School do not benefit from a high-quality education “The behaviour of a number of pupils in key stage 2 is particularly poor Leaders allow the violent outbursts of a small but significant number of pupils to repeatedly disrupt the learning and playtimes of other pupils “Leaders do not deal effectively with bullying or name-calling pupils do not feel safe nor are they safe in school “Pupils do not gain the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful Many pupils are not ready for their next stage of learning “There is no structured teaching programme to help older pupils in key stage 2 who have fallen behind in reading to catch-up quickly there is a considerable number of pupils across the school who cannot read accurately or fluently.” Now after a follow-up visit to investigate what Manor Green was doing to put things right Ofsted has decided that even though progress has been made Victoria Saville has taken over as head and is trying to turn things around But Ofsted said: “Leaders have made progress to improve the school but more work is necessary for the category of concern to be removed “I strongly recommend that the school does not seek to appoint early career teachers The school should take further action to improve pupils’ attendance especially for those pupils who do not attend school regularly enough to help them to overcome the gaps in their learning.” to help pupils with emotions and behaviour They added to Mrs Saville: “A short-term provision has been put in place to help pupils to manage their emotions and behaviour have taken decisive and effective action to tackle the considerable shortcomings identified at the previous inspection You have established a solid foundation on which to secure further improvements to the quality of education for pupils due to time and energy being spent where it is needed most You are dealing with the most pressing issues and making sure that improvements are sustainable “You and the staff have avoided lamenting over the last inspection you have drawn a line in the sand and moved on “This explains why so much has been accomplished in a relatively short amount of time Pupils no longer experience a jumbled education there is a now a well-thought through curriculum the current curriculum does not go far enough in identifying the essential knowledge that pupils should learn The impact of this positive change is varied “Some teachers have strong subject knowledge These teachers think carefully about the small steps that pupils need to make to understand a new concept teachers do not know enough about pupils’ prior learning They persist with new subject content without making sure that pupils are ready the gaps in their learning widen rather than close.” Ofsted also believes mistakes and failings of the past are affecting present pupils saying: “The legacy of poor curriculum choices in the past means that many pupils in key stage two have gaps in their basic knowledge and understanding “While pupils are better able to read and talk they are less able to capture their thinking in their written work “The school’s records of poor behaviour and bullying incidents show that the new approach to managing behaviour this is not replicated well enough during the key stage two social times the memories of how it used to be are still at the forefront of their mind Ofsted also sensed some parents need convincing that things are getting better with the comment: “While some parents have noted the improvements at the school many are not convinced that this is making a big enough difference to their child’s experience “Some parents continue to worry about bullying and behaviour Many are not content with the communication channels.” promised changes when it was placed into special measures we have been holding regular meetings with families and have acknowledged that there were some areas of the school which needed addressing “We understand that families will be concerned about this overall judgement but have reassured them that we have been addressing these priorities since September 2021 and especially since April 2022 “We hope they recognise the many improvements to school since Mrs Saville arrived and established her new team we place the wellbeing and academic achievement of our children at the heart of all that we do and we remain committed to working with families to ensure we are meeting the needs of all children and continue to action our areas for improvement.” A FORMER Haughton Green hotel will be turned into 24 affordable living flats if planning permission is granted But local opposition to the scheme to convert The Old Rectory is being led by local councillors Irwell Valley Homes wants to convert the site into what it describes as ‘a high-quality internal living environment.’ would see a mix of one and two-bedroomed properties put in Speaking on behalf of the three Denton South representatives Cllr Naylor said: “We have said all along that we will not support any application which is out of step with the hard-fought Supplementary Planning Document which protects the history and biodiversity of Haughton Green and Haughton Dale “Whilst we would welcome a sensible proposal to redevelop this site this proposal is far too large and would have a significant impact on traffic and the local environment.” Documents supporting the application say they believe it can help a growing problem They state: “The proposed 24 apartments within the affordable rent tenure will help reduce a pressing affordable housing need in the local authority “The proposed mix of one-bed and two-bed apartments responds directly to needs for this dwelling type and bedrooms required identified in the council’s most recent housing needs assessment “The overall philosophy is to create a development that will improve the character of the surrounding area and create a focal point that will meet the needs of its occupiers.” Members of the public had the chance to voice their opinion at two consultation events although they pointed out that none of the area’s councillors attended voice concerns over reports from residents of investigations or works going on at the site and the need for the area – which had previously got the go ahead to be turned inti a care home – to be brought back into an active use The Old Rectory was originally used as the Rectory for St with the first buildings occupying the site from 1867 before the later 20th century uses as a hotel Tameside Council’s Speakers Panel (Planning) committee will decide whether to grant or refuse planning permission Don’t let Irwell Valley get away with this development both of Rivermead Close, have been charged with possession of a Class A drug - cocaine - with intent to supply possession of a Class B drug - cannabis - with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.  Both were refused bail and remanded in custody to appear at Stockport Magistrates Court on Saturday morning (June 6).  Police executed two warrants at an address on Rivermead Close on Friday morning (June 5).  Healey and Maxwell were arrested following the discovery of approximately £15,000 in cash and drugs estimated to be worth over £10,000 - believed to be cannabis and cocaine.  Officers also seized property - including two vehicles - under the Proceeds Of Crime Act.  The raid was carried out by The Tameside District Tasking Team - who were assisted by the Tameside West Neighbourhood Team and the Greater Manchester Police Tactical Dog Unit.  We are sorry to share the sad news that Fr Peter Gooden died peacefully on the morning of 9 May 2020 in Salford Royal Hospital following a short illness the twenty ninth year of his Sacred Priesthood Peter was born on 16th August 1936 in Salford and baptised at St Luke’s In 1984 Peter entered Quarr Abbey as a Postulant and Novice for the Benedictines until 1986 Peter was accepted as an Ecclesiastical student for the Diocese of Salford in 1986 and studied at Campion House Osterley for one year before transferring to the Beda College in Rome Fr Peter Gooden was ordained to the Priesthood at St Luke’s Fr Gooden served the Diocese of Salford in the following appointments: Crumpsall and Chaplain to Booth Hall Children’s Hospital Blackley and continuing as Chaplain to Booth Hall Fr Peter retired in 2009 and resided firstly at Boarbank Hall and then St Mary’s Fr Peter was laid to rest at St Mary’s Cemetery A Memorial Mass will be held in the future A CONSERVATIVE club has been fined after being found to have broken Covid-19 rules The licensed premises in Haughton Green was found by Greater Manchester Police officers to contain people still drinking alcohol at 10.15pm when it should have closed at 10pm And a fixed penalty notice of £1,000 was given out after the incident is managed by the Haughton Green Conservative Club Association and its licensee is listed as Michael Glover it found itself on the wrong side of the law when complaints led to the discovery who confirmed the fixed penalty notice was for £1,000 told The Correspondent: “We received a report that a premises in Denton was open after the 10pm curfew on a number of occasions “Officers attended just after 10.15pm on Saturday October 17 where a number of people were still on the premises and some were consuming alcohol “Officers engaged with the customers and they dispersed as a result especially after the imposition of tier three rules have seen several bars that do not serve food close their doors is expected to make sure they are implemented The local authority has been carrying out spot checks and is not afraid to order venues not complying to close The Snipe Inn in Audenshaw was told to shut its doors for breaching coronavirus regulations after ignoring previous warnings it was found the pub was busy and failing to comply with the regulations and Government advice two officers reported there were at least 20 customers attending a gathering and food was being delivered from an outside caterer The Jolly Hatters in Denton had also been told to close in response to it posing a ‘serious and imminent threat to public health’ Tameside Council’s executive member for neighbourhood services said: “The vast majority of our businesses are sticking to the rules to keep staff and customers safe this shows that we won’t hesitate to take action against venues which disregard regulations designed to stop the spread of coronavirus and protect residents “It’s in everyone’s interest to obey the rules to keep businesses open and keep your loved ones safe particularly if you’re older or more vulnerable to the virus.” Disgusting behaviour from Haughton green conservative club New owners and they are screaming for people going in I have walked past many a times and seen the covid rules being broken on many occasions total lack of professionalism from them both A DENTON primary school teacher is hoping Irish eyes are smiling all the way to the Rugby League World Cup after representing her nation Storm Cobain is educating year four children at Manor Green she was in an altogether different setting as she was the vice-captain of Ireland’s women’s side for their qualifier against Wales who plays club rugby league for Leigh Leopards kicked one conversion as her team lost 28-10 at the Cardiff University Sports Park Now Ireland faces the Netherlands in Dublin in what is essentially an elimination game said: “It’s hard to put into words how special something like this is “It was certainly not something I was expecting if I’m honest but I’m completely honoured to have been chosen as vice-captain for the girls it’s been a dream to pull on the green jersey Storm’s progress – she only started playing rugby league in May 2021 gaining her first international cap just five months later – is a source of pride for everyone at Manor Green said: “We are so incredibly proud of Storm and all her achievements “Her selection as vice-captain for the Rugby League Ireland Women’s team is a testament to her hard work and commitment “You’ve truly earned your place in the green jersey.” Storm joined Manor Green in September after moving up north to focus on rugby league The Ireland women’s national rugby league team Storm has been a part of the squad from its inaugural match And if they qualify for the 2026 tournament she is likely to be heading to Australia or New Zealand – maybe both – as it will be held in that region unless they thrash the Netherlands and Wales lose to them they will have to play teams from the Americas and Asia-Pacific and Middle East-Africa regions at the 2925 World Series But coach Matt Kennerson believes his side showed it can come good saying: “Encouragingly we looked a different side in the second half and eased into the game a little but it was a great experience for the girls – we look forward to the next game.” COUNCILLORS and MP Andrew Gwynne have come out fighting against members of their own party over concerns a former high school will be developed for housing But they have been told the full answers they want will not be given in public Tameside Council has been told it would have to start over again if it wants to dispose if the site Feelings are running high after it emerged the authority is considering marketing the entire footprint of the former Two Trees High School The approval to move forward with declaring an adjoining four acre site on Mill Lane once home to the Haughton Green Gardening Society as surplus to requirements has only raised fears dozens of properties are coming along with Denton South Councillors Claire Reid to question promises made some 12 years ago they state: “The community was promised in a public forum in 2009 by Councillor Ged Cooney that only the footprint of the school would be developed “Members of the community and the Councillors are deeply upset that this promise could be broken “What is the council’s rationale for developing more than just the footprint of the school Will the council consider developing just the footprint of the school as originally intended Councillor Cooney promised the community that should houses be built on the site then only the school footprint would be developed Now Tameside Council has been told by the Department for Education if they want to get rid of Two Trees a completely fresh application would be needed as one sought in 2016 has elapsed “No formal response was received from the council and there have been no recent discussions with the council as to the use of the closed school site “The council’s 2016 application has now been closed and the council would need to re-apply to seek consent to dispose of the site.” A public meeting heard concerns about the impact a development would have on the area’s infrastructure – access to education health services and even extra traffic on the roads – would have Denton Community College was meant to be both a visionary and modern facility to educate our children this new school is at full capacity and has temporary classrooms to accommodate its pupils “Will details be made available to all residents in Denton South and will all local residents’ views on the potential development be accepted and taken into consideration our firm belief is that Two Trees Lane is unfit for purpose at this current moment let alone with any further housing development the four of us have long petitioned Transport for Greater Manchester and council engineers to make adjustments to the road “What is the council’s current view on the capacity of Two Trees Lane If the Government are insisting on council’s building more housing why can’t more money be provided to help with transport infrastructure “It should go without saying that the four of us are incredibly disappointed to receive the details of this proposal and we ask the council to think again “We have long argued that the site should be kept for educational and sporting use and we still strongly believe that.”Despite such a public show of displeasure the quartet was told the fuller answers it wants will not be made in public After backing them for the stance they have taken Cllr Oliver Ryan – Tameside Council’s executive member for finance and economic growth – told a meeting of the executive cabinet: “It’s right they’ve taken the level of consultation they have “What we’ve got to do is recognise we’ve got Government-imposed housing targets we’ve got a real lack of finances to be able to support other projects we have to run so we’re having to look at the development on Two Trees “We want to start the conversation with the community and councillors about what that looks like in future “The letter is very through and I intend to meet Andrew and the ward councillors to discuss those points further and supply a more adequate response outside of a public meeting.” Contractors have recently put-up scaffolding and safety fencing leaving tenants of Castleton Court Southey Court and Fitzgerald Court anxious about the future of the flats and seeking a clear statement of intent from Irwell Valley Homes which manages the towers and the surrounding Mancunian Road estate has already had to be patched up when pieces have fallen off in strong winds leading them to speculate that it is about to be renewed en bloc have demanded urgent answers and pledged to keep the community informed For many it has triggered memories of the constant noise and disturbance they had to endure while the cladding was being installed to revitalise the towers originally built by Manchester Corporation in the 1960s a former high-rise resident who now has a house nearby on the estate recalled that the revamp in 2012 had cost ‘over £2 million’ with the designs by the Red Or Dead fashion brand receiving mixed reviews from the residents the exteriors have significantly deteriorated with some areas appearing visibly unsafe,” she said.  “On parts of the high-rise apartments there is a patchwork of aluminium panels in place to protect further debris falling away The buildings now resemble structures several decades older.” Several tenants have also complained about ongoing problems of damp and water penetration fuelling speculation that the tower blocks could be re-styled with pitched roofs Second floor tenant Mark wondered if they were now ‘past their sell-by date with all the patching up on the outside and raining in who lives in one of the other high-rise blocks I’ve always found Irwell Valley to be a good landlord I grew up round here and this estate is much better now than it used to be.  they don’t explain to you what’s happening like with the scaffolding and what they are planning to do with the cladding.” said: “Resident safety is our number one priority some render at our high-rise blocks in Haughton Green came loose in severe weather.  “We have installed an exclusion zone as a safety measure which will be in place whilst we rectify the issues.” She promised that residents would be consulted over the remedial works in order to minimise disruption.  “We continue to keep customers updated as we understand the situation is concerning The Community Co-ordinators have also visited residents in the blocks and continue to offer a point of contact for our customers there “We are taking the matter extremely seriously and are in contact with the company responsible for supplying and fitting the render.” She added that a £650,000 roofing replacement programme had just been completed to ensure the high-rise blocks continue to be well insulated and watertight.  The company provides a ‘responsive repair service’ and residents are encouraged to report any issues.  New members are also invited to join its buildings safety forum: contact customer voice lead Daniel Isherwood Daniel.isherwood@irwellvalley.co.uk or call 0300 561 1111 Want to get regular round-ups of news in your local area straight to your inbox Simply enter your email address and tick the box below.  MP ANDREW Gwynne has seen first-hand a Denton primary school’s commitment to go as green as possible Manor Green Academy in Haughton Green may have had a huge expansion to an industrial park hanging over it had planning permission been granted But it was refused after the local politician campaigned vigorously against it – now he has seen just how committed pupils and staff are to the environment Manor Green’s Eco Squad is committed to keeping the school grounds in excellent condition with every one of the 402 children attending Manor Green planting a sapling He also saw the results of a bid for funding to convert a yellow school bus into a sensory hub for the school’s stakeholders and local groups Mr Gwynne met with Manor Green’s new Principal and members of the Focus Trust Central Team who informed him a total of £700,000 had been invested on improving the class environment since 2017 And work is set to commence on its new Early Years outdoor area funded through the Trust’s School Condition Allocation As well as being showed the benefits brought to the school the MP heard pupil’s concerns about in the local area and the speed of traffic.Manor Green’s School Council handed him a letter requesting his support for improved signage and ways to encourage passing traffic to abide by the limit outside school A discussion also centred around the lasting legacy and positive environmental impact the sapling planting will have in the future Mr Gwynne said: “I was quizzed by the school council on litter It was fantastic to see pupils so engaged on such important issues “The School Council has also written a letter to me on a range of issues including the problem of speeding cars outside the school “I’ll be taking this up with Tameside Council and Greater Manchester Police it was a really productive and fun morning and it was great to meet the staff and pupils at Manor Green Academy.” said: “A huge ambition of mine as the new principal at Manor Green is for the school to be known as a great one “I look forward to a close working partnership with Mr Gwynne and I thank him for visiting our school.” THE site of a former Denton high school has not been sold to a housing developer And they have revealed they would prefer what was Two Trees to either remain as educational land or become an area of green space Talk had spread through Haughton Green the area would now be turned into 85 homes after a ‘done deal’ with developer Barratt that has been denied and Cllrs Claire Reid George Newton and Jack Naylor said: “We can confirm there is no such deal “Our first preference would be to retain the land for educational use not least because this has been so vehemently expressed by the community regarding the need for school places decides the land does not need to be kept for educational use we want as much open green space on the site to be retained for community use as possible.” Much debate has revolved around what to do with Two Trees which has now been demolished after standing empty since 2012 Local football club Denton Town has examined the possibility of moving their ground there from nearby Whittle’s Park the councillors want the surrounding infrastructure to be looked at first They added: “We all know Haughton Green is a cul de sac and we have all been sat in the traffic on Two Trees Lane at 8am “Our existing roads simply cannot cope with any further development “As soon as we are informed of any plans we will tell the community We will also be asking people to come forward with their ideas of what they would like to see on the site “Presently it is a barren site that is not accessible Two Trees was eventually cleared after asbestos was found on the site and several incidents of people breaking in and vandalism And the cost of trying to maintain security was also revealed The councillors continued: “Securing the site from vandalism was costing £100,000 a year to maintain due to safety concerns criminal damage and potential asbestos poisoning to nearby residents as yobs and vandals were breaking up the fabric of the school.” Police are appealing for help to find a missing man from Tameside Gareth has short dark hair and facial stubble He was last seen wearing a black North Face jacket and may have been wearing a baseball cap Gareth has connections to Stockport and has lived there previously A statement from Greater Manchester Police said: "Officers are becoming increasingly concerned for Gareth and want to make sure he is safe and well." Anyone with information about Gareth’s whereabouts is asked to contact police on 0161 856 69260 or 101 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Falling tree limbs in Birmingham kills one person Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.