Friday, January 30, 2009

Would you like to see an alley-gate scheme in your neighbourhood?

Residents in Blackburn with Darwen are being asked to put forward areas to be considered for a new crime prevention initiative.

Alleys, ginnels or walkways are useful for residents to access the rear of their properties or as short cuts – but they are also used for crime and anti social behaviour.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has already identified areas in the borough to become pilots for the first alley gates and these will be installed shortly

The lockable gate at the entrance to an alley or walkway restricts access to householders who have a key. (picture for illustration purposes only)

Before a decision is made on whether an alley gate will be installed, the proposed areas will be looked at in more detail.

A 28 day statutory consultation will be held and residents directly affected by the scheme will also be contacted, before a final decision is made. All householders affected by the scheme are entitled to a key at a cost of £10.00

If the area is not found to be suitable, alternatives measures will be looked at to address the problems being suffered by local residents.

The Blackburn with Darwen community gating project was set up following a recommendation by councillors to address concerns about domestic burglaries, anti-social behaviour, deliberate fire setting as well as significant fly-tipping in some areas of the borough.

Local councils have been given powers to make “gating orders” where it can be shown that problems of persistent crime and anti social behaviour are made worse by a right of way remaining open.

If you think a scheme would be suitable in your area, contact your local councillor, shared neighbourhood team or the gating co-ordinator on (01254) 585784.

Take part in crown green bowling free as part of re:fresh

Season tickets are now available at centres across Blackburn with Darwen, for the 2009 crown green bowling season, and anyone aged 16 or over who has a beez card and fits the re:fresh criteria, can get their ticket free as part of the re:fresh your health and wellbeing scheme.

Councillor Michael Law-Riding, executive member for leisure and culture said: “Bowling is a sport for all ages and I’m pleased that bowlers can now get their tickets free as part of re:fresh. I’m particularly please that so many young people are now taking part in the sport.”
Tickets are available from Audley Sports & Community Centre on Chester Street, Shadsworth Community Centre on Rothesay Road and the Regency Gym at Darwen Vale High School.

The Council’s bowling greens open on April 9 for 2009 season.

For further information about crown green bowling telephone Steve Lee on (01254) 680012.

For information about the re:fresh scheme or how to get a beez card telephone (01254) 682037.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Try Your Hand At Willow Weaving

A willow-weaving weekend is planned for this Saturday and Sunday in Corporation Park, Blackburn.

Councillor Michael Law-Riding, executive member for leisure and culture said: “This is another example of the wide variety of activities on offer across Blackburn with Darwen.

“Willow weaving can be enjoyed during any season of the year, not just summer time and can be restful and therapeutic. On a practical level it is much cheaper than buying the ready made article so can save you money.”

The activity will take place between 10am and 3pm on both days at the West Park Lodge entrance to Corporation Park.

For full information telephone (01254) 692203 or if you wish to buy a book on the subject visit Amazon

Blackburn and Darwen Brass band make a big noise at Butlins

Blackburn and Darwen Brass band beat stiff competition to win the Butlins Mineworkers Open brass band festival.

The band beat over 26 other brass bands in their section to take the first prize in the competition with a musical piece written especially for the competition. The music was called Hostile Skies and written by Richard Grantham. The competition featured bands from all over the UK, making the win extra special for "B and D", the premier brass band in the area.

Steve Rigby, Director of Culture, Leisure and Sport at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said, “I am delighted for the band and their success in the competition. They set an excellent example and inspiration to other local groups and I wish them well for the future.”

The band will travel to Holland in July to play in the World Music Competition, but before that faces a stiff test in Blackpool on 1st March at the qualifying contest for the National Finals, for which the band qualified last year. You can check out the bands progress and local concert calendar at www.blackburnanddarwenband.co.uk

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Half Term Activities In Blackburn & Darwen

The 2009 Multi Sports Festival is taking place at Pleckgate High School in Blackburn, over the February half-term break, 16 – 19 February.

Thirty places are available to children aged between 9 and 16. Children can have the opportunity to train and have high level coaching in Table Tennis, Basketball, Football, Athletics and Badminton.

The sports festival is priced at £20 per child and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

For more information or to book a place for your child, contact the sports development team (01254) 587243 or e mail sportsdevelopment@blackburn.gov.uk

Friday, January 23, 2009

Learn New Skills To Beat The Credit Crunch

Learning new skills could help local people beat the current economic gloom and doom.

That’s the message from Blackburn with Darwen Council which has just launched a new adult learning programme with over 70 new courses.

The programme ranges from useful courses for work, such as computing or first aid, to recession busting skills such as cookery or sewing to help people save money and confidence boosting and keep fit to help them feel better.

“It’s a very wide ranging programme and there’s plenty of help and support for anyone who hasn’t been in a classroom for a long time and feels nervous about getting back to learning,” said Councillor John Slater, executive member for neighbourhoods and customer service.

“We often find people who start with a simple course, such as learning how to send emails or cookery, get such a boost to their self esteem that they go on to take more courses and qualifications. The more people can upgrade their skills and confidence, the better, particularly in these difficult economic times.”

Among the courses on offer is one looking at new world foods, where people can bring their own ingredients to taste and try out recipes along with courses in internet shopping, healthy eating on a budget, keep fit and nail art.

Full details of all the courses are available in a free booklet called Courses for adults, learning for life and leisure. It’s available from the Council’s learning centres in Audley and Queen’s Park, Bank Top and Darwen (access point) or by calling (01254) 585564.

UK Recession - It's Official

Official figures released today have confirmed the UK is in a recession following the sharpest quarter on quarter shrinkage of GP in almost 20 years.

The GDP (gross domestic product) for the UK shrank for the second successive quarter when figures showed a decline of 1.5% between October and December 2008.

The fact that the UK is now in a confirmed recession comes as no surprise but the actual figures are actually worse than predicted and many experts now believe the recession could extend into 2010 making it the worst economic situation since World War II.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Household Litter On Our Streets

Littering is still a problem in Blackburn and Darwen, and the problem isn't just confined to people disposing of empty crisp packets, drinks cans or cigarette buts while out and about.

It has been reported that some people have left household waste in back alleys across the town including Christmas trees, sofas, electrical items and car tyres. These items are probably dumped in the hope that the council will eventually remove the rubbish at no expense to their original owners.

However, a Blackburn man is today counting the cost of leaving rubbish in a back alley.

Mohammed Patel of Walter Street, Blackburn, failed to appear at Blackburn magistrates court on Friday (January 16). He was convicted in his absence of failing to comply with a section 46 notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, requiring him dispose of rubbish correctly in the bin.

Patel was fined £350 with £377 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. The case was brought by Blackburn with Darwen Council after the offence in October.

A reminder that people are made to pay for their irresponsible actions when caught.

Featured Website Links

Interested in exchanging links with Darwen Online for free? Rather than create a directory listing for your site, we can alternatively run a free link exchange on this page, especially useful for non-local or personal websites & blogs.

Local websites can request a recipricol link exchange in addition to a directory listing to help increase your exposure on our website. Link exchanges are FREE but we reserve the right to refuse links and require a link back to us before adding you to our list.

Bent Council - A blog about nuisance neighbours and more

Friday, January 16, 2009

Empty Houses Up For Sale By Council

Three houses which were presumably purchased as part of the Queen St/Harwood St regeneration have been put up for sale by the council.

They are unlikely to receive much interest in the current market and the houses, which have been empty for over 2 years, are still FOR SALE despite being on the market for a number of weeks already. In a falling market it's unlikely that the council will recover the money they originally paid for them.

The houses form part of a row of terraced houses on Harwood Street which were considered for demolition but the proposed move was rejected because most of the houses were "fit for human habitation".


This made selling the houses on the open market difficult because nobody wanted to buy houses which were once considered for demolition due to their condition.

It is believed that one option was to sell them to a housing association but local opposed this idea and the council have been left with empty properties that it can't sell.

Darwen Lidl Refused Advertising Sign

Darwen's Lidl supermarket has been refused permission to erect a 7 metre flagpole with an illuminated sign by Blackburn with Darwen Council because it's size and location would be 'visually detrimental' to the surrounding area.

Lidl opened it's doors in Darwen on 11th December 2008 on the A666 near Vale Street.

School Table Tennis Championships Sponsored by Belgrave Carpets

Darwen firm Belgrave Carpets is sponsoring the British Primary Schools International Table Tennis Championships which are being held in Blackburn for the third successive year.

The championships, which take place in April, will be held at St Bede’s High School on Green Lane in the town.

Organiser David Pilkington, said “I am absolutely delighted to have secured such a prestigious international competition once again. I hope that holding the competition in St Bede’s we help to raise awareness of the sport in our primary schools and across the borough as a whole.

Along with organising the event, David is also acting as team coach to the England boy’s team, he says “There is much hard work ahead prior to staging this event but it will be worthwhile when play gets underway. The players are all under 12 yet play to a standard that belies their years, it is a pleasure to be part of the whole event.”

David added: “I’d like to thank Steve Lee at Blackburn with Darwen Council for his help and dedication and to Des Callaghan, head teacher at St Bede’s and the board of Governors for allowing the school to host the competition, along with our sponsors Belgrave Carpets of Darwen.

Councillor Michael Law-Riding, executive member for leisure and culture for the Council said: “This is excellent news for the town and for the borough as a whole. The whole experience will be shared by students from St Bede’s who will be assisting with the championship.

“Those acting as umpires will gain a Junior Umpires qualification and along with these there will be a small army of volunteers working in the background to ensure all runs smoothly.”

Do you enjoy playing table tennis? Where do you go to play locally?

Fathers Plus: Active Dads Scheme - Darwen

An innovative scheme to help dads play a bigger role in their children’s lives is launched in Blackburn with Darwen today.

The Fathers Plus project aims to provide a range of new services and activities through schools and children’s centres that will appeal to dads and male carers and encourage them to have fun with their children.

It’s part of a new fathers strategy developed by the Council in line with national research showing that children perform better at school, have improved behaviour and are less likely to get into trouble with police when they have positive male role models in their lives.

The project is being launched at a special event at the Business Development Centre, Eannam Wharf, for organisations that provide services for children to find out about play and education activities that dads and children can do together.

Executive member for children’s services, Councillor Chris Thayne, said: “In Blackburn with Darwen we recognise how essential male role models are to families, and we understand the positive impact that they can have on their children’s lives.

“The launch of Fathers Plus will bring lots of opportunities to promote the role of dads and highlight their importance in the family. The project will seek to address gaps in services and activities making them more fathers friendly and easier to access.”

Peter Morgan, strategic director of children’s services, added: “We are ready to move forward with this commitment in the borough. As well as focussing on dads, the project will also include training for staff who support the provision of services and activities.”

For more information visit www.fathersplus.org

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Half Term Ice Rink Plan For Darwen

Darwen Forum'Prizefinder81' has responded to a forum post about plans to turn an area of Darwen town centre into an outdoor ice rink during half term in February in a bid to attract more trade for local shops.

The mini ice rink, which will be in the town centre February 19th-21st, is part of a bigger event set-up by the new neighbourhood board to help boost local trade. A range of other activities will be taking place including Irish dancing, food demonstrations and a disco roadshow.

AuthorSubject: Darwen Ice Rink Plan
staffHas anyone heard about the plans to turn parts of Darwen's outdoors into an ice rink in an effort to boost town centre trade? What are your thoughts on this proposal?
prizefinder81It's a decent idea and I hope it works. I just hope it attracts the right kind of people (families with young children etc) and they aren't put off by too many chavvy teenagers ruining it for everyone.

There is a link to more on Lancashire Telegraph's website: http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/news/4046410.Darwen__ice_rink__plan_unveiled_to_boost_trade/
tomI think thats quite an excellent idea, should be very interesting to see.
joeWell I hope it does draw people in but somehow I doubt it. Why would anyone come to Darwen to ice skate when there is a first facility in Blackburn. I've seen one of these outdoor ice rinks over in Bolton but I can only surmise that it attracts teenagers. I doubt many families would make use of this short-term facility in Darwen.

If it's like the one that was in Bolton it will be a rigid marquee with an ice rink inside, rather than an outdoor rink. Also it will be quite small compared to a proper rink. Might keep a few teenagers entertained. It all depends on the charge for admission.

Perhaps some of our local traders might venture on to the ice.

Post Reply

Monday, January 12, 2009

Shopper Discount And Rewards

A Darwen resident enrolled in an online membership programme known as Shopper Discount and Rewards. The programme, operated by Webloyalty, offers online savings and discounts at over 500 online retailers.

However, the scheme, which allows people to earn cash rebates of up to 20%, has come under criticism on various forums on the Internet where it has sometimes been accused of being a scam.

The business which runs the scheme, Webloyalty, recently got in touch with Darwen Online to response to such claims.

"To be absolutely clear: Webloyalty cannot “sign people up” or accept credit or debit card information without the consumer’s approval. Typically, a consumer takes four affirmative steps to join and authorises the transfer of his/her personal and credit/debit card information." Martin Child explained.

The shopper discount is free for the first 30 days and, if the member doesn't cancel, is charged £8 per month for the service. Mr Child went on to tell us how the new member is taken to a page which plainly and explicitly advises them that they've just joined the Webloyalty service.

The member is also sent numerous emails confirming membership including a reminder of the date which their free trial expires. Some people, including the Darwen resident, still deny knowledge of the recurring payment until they receive their credit card statements.

Webloyalty has 2 million members worldwide, including hundreds of thousands of members here in the UK and they deny any accusations of being a scam stating that they make every effort to be straightforward with their offers, allowing consumers to make educated choices regarding their decision to join the membership programme.

Darwen Online are pleased to announce that Webloyalty have agreed to refund the Darwen pensioner who was unaware of the recurring payment or its origins until spending over £30 on the scheme.

Our advice - make sure you read everything carefully before confirming payment and be sure you know what you're signing up for. Webloyalty offer a FREE trial before charging for the service and members can phone the freephone number displayed in the footer of all their emails. - 0808 234 1539.

For your reference the payment might show up on your statement as WLI Shopper Discount or WLI Reservations and customers are encouraged to contact customer services with any question you may have about the service.

Optare Moving To Walker Park

Local bus maker Optare PLC (formerly known as Darwen Group) are relocating to the former Walkersteel/Corus Group building on Walker Park, Blackburn.

Work is underway on refurbishment before the business relocates from it's current site a Whitebirk, a move which will safeguard 300 jobs and potentially boost the local economy with prospects of new jobs being created.

Optare expects to be in the new factory early this year and the move will allow the company to increase it's output and efficiency.

Originally known as East Lancashire Coachbuilders the company became known as Darwen Group in 2007 before being renamed Optare PLC following a reverse take-over last year.

In the same year Optare reported two significant contracts to supply buses worth over £16.5 million, helping the company grow despite the current economic downturn.


Optare released a statement regarding the developments at Walker Park, which read "The closure of the Group's manufacturing activity in Rotherham is expected to be completed by the end of 2008, with the relocation of its Blackburn production facilities progressing well and completion anticipated for April 2009."

Anyone interested in career opportunities at Optare should visit their website for more information and to request an application form.

Optare also offers a comprehensive apprenticeship programme in Blackburn offering young people in the area a chance to pursue a number of different trades.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Community Clean Up In Darwen

rubbishAs part of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, volunteers in Darwen braved the cold to help pick up litter in the Sudellside area of Darwen, Lancashire.

On a morning which saw local temperatures struggle to get above -2C, volunteers gathered outside Sudellside Community Centre at 10am hoping their efforts will help combat the problems of littering.

Armed with rubbish bags, litter pickers, gloves and special tabards, the group of adults and children made their way round the surrounding area, cleaning up rubbish which littered the streets.

litter collecting
The event was organised by Sudellside Environment Team in partnership with the Neighbourhoods and Learning Service in response to the local littering problem and it is hoped that not only will the streets look cleaner after the operation but it will also help deter people from littering in the future.

Hopefully residents will realise what's involved with cleaning up mess that other irresponsible people make and The Big Tidy Up encourage you to pick up and dispose of any litter you see on the streets to help keep Britain tidy.

The photograph above show some of the volunteers ready for action and the one below gives you some indication of what they had to contend with and how cold it was!

People involved in this community clean up included local residents, young offenders carrying our community reparation, Groundwork, Reach Out, the Police and the Council.

The Big Tidy Up campaign was started in September 2008 to help combat littering with the country's biggest ever tidy up! Their website www.thebigtidyup.org feature more advice on attending future tidy up operations in your area or how you can start your own local operation.

litter
To date over 9,000 Tidy Up groups have been arranged up and down the UK and you can find your nearest upcoming event by entering your post code into the form on their website.

There is also an area for tracking the results of recent campaigns. To view how many bags of rubbish were collected by Sudellside Community Clean Up click here.

If you are interested in arranging a Tidy Up in your area please register your details with their website to receive a free tidy up kit with posters, stickers, tabard bibs and badges together with some top tips and essential guidance to carry out your tidy up safely!

Worst Road In Darwen, Lancashire?

4000 holes in blackburn lancashireThe state of disrepair of some local roads has sparked a debate - which is the worst road in Darwen?

David Scott of Design hairdressers described the A666 as possibly the worst road in Lancashire, yet other residents are now claiming that they know of worse roads - within Darwen!

Blackburn with Darwen council are reportedly aware of the problem and are investigating solutions. However, this isn't a new problem for the council as the Beatles' lyrics of "A Day In The Life" talk about "4000 holes in Blackburn Lancashire".

Potholes Darwen
The lyrics supposedly refer to a news article about how Blackburn council spent so much money identifying how many potholes were in the towns' roads that they didn't have enough money to repair them!

Given that this was based on a story from 1967 it is probably fair to presume the local problem is over 40 years old.

Blackburn and Darwen is unlikely to be the only area with this problem, in fact other places are possibly worse, but there is no avoiding the state of our roads is unacceptable.

The A666 carries so much traffic, including HGV's that it has got to be expected to show some 'wear and tear' but what about our side roads like Harwood Street?

Pothole temporary repair
We are going to run a poll on Darwen Online to find out which road you think is worst affected by potholes, but first we are looking for 5 or so nominations. To register your initial vote please visit our new look forum by clicking here.

What do you think about the roads in Darwen? What is the solution? Do you live in another town and think you have worse roads?

Filling in the holes as a temporary fix (see photo above) just isn't working and quite often the original holes will re-appear within weeks but which roads should the council include in their investigation for a more permanent solution?

Darwen Cuban Salsa Group Celebration

Darwen Cuban Salsa Group celebrated their 1st anniversary last night with a special family social evening at Sudellside Community Centre.

The doors opened at 8pm and the party was still alive at midnight. The event was held to celebrate the group, which teaches local people of all ages and abilities how to dance salsa, being one year old.

Dance tutor, Florentin, volunteers his services to help teach people the basics of salsa dancing. He told Darwen Online 'Many people in Darwen lack confidence on the dancefloor and it seems they only start dancing once they've had plenty of drink! I was taught how to dance as soon as I could walk and salsa isn't that difficult to pickup once you start learning."



"I'd like to help local people of all ages to realise that they can have the confidence to dance without being drunk. I have a beginners class and an advanced class which I run on Wednesday evenings and at the weekends. People of all ages attend - from children to pensioners."

"Dancing is great fun, it gets people out of the house, exercising and provides an opportunity for people to meet each other. Whenever possible I try to encourage people to change dance partners when they attend my classes but nobody is ever forced to do anything they're not comfortable with."



The classes, which are held at Knott St Community Centre and St Joseph's Church Hall in Darwen are only £1 per session with a Beez card so it's very affordable and each class lasts for at least an hour and half.

When asked about the difficulty of Salsa, Florentin told us "In the beginners class we just teach five basic salsa steps including the meringue. The Cuban form of salsa, which we teach, is simply based around movements to the drum beats, so it's usually in beats of 4."

"I just start people off slowly then eventually people build enough confidence to start attending of advanced classes - it's been a very successful first year for us and everyone seems to enjoy themselves!"

When introducing the night Florentin thanked everyone for coming and for all the support he's had during the past 12 months. He also reserved special thanks for Joyce Baron, who has been attending the classes since they first started in January 2008.

Although the salsa party was a one off celebration event residents are encouraged to attend on of the classes to start learning salsa. For more information contact Florentin on 07784 290181 or Knott St Community Centre.

Project365: A Unique Challenge by Jamie Dodd

Jamie Dodd 365Project365 is a unique challenge which a local 30 year old man has set himself - to work a different job every day for a whole year! Unique? Yes, possible? Watch this space........

You can follow Jamie's build up to the big day when he starts his challenge and follow his unique "road trip" through his facebook page or his own dedicated website - project365.co.uk.

The website describes his task in more detail:

On May 8th, 2009, a 30 year old, unemployed father of three, from Lancashire, will attempt a unique challenge that will take him the length and breadth of the British Isles. Jamie Dodd will work 365 different jobs, one each day, for an entire year.

There will be no days off. No holidays. And definitely no sickies. This record breaking achievment, in conjunction with monster.co.uk, will see Jamie thrown in at the deep end...365 times!

At www.Project-365.co.uk you can follow his progress every single day, from May 8th 2009, all the way to May 7th 2010 and Jamie's 31st birthday and his extra special Final Job.

Jamie Dodd
As well as reading Jamie's blogs and catching up with his video diary, you too can be part of Project-365. Simply register and get involved. Our forums are ready and waiting for your stories and dream jobs, even your own insane projects. Chat and meet other users, network and exchange ideas.

This really is the site for people who don't think their glass is half empty or half full, it's for those people who stand up, stamp their feet and scream, until a brand new and altogether full glass, is set before them.

Britain seems quite bleak these days. With the credit crunch upon us and the unnerving suspicion that the house you're sat in right now, is worth less than the burglar system you've installed to keep marauding gangs of hoodies at bay.

The country, as a whole, needs a lift. Project-365 isn't about hoping for a better life. It's about getting out there and kicking life in the teeth until it gives you it's lunch money. Jamie Dodd is here to show you what can be achieved by a simple idea, a good deal of cheek and the human spirit. Most people would climb Everest but, to be honest, he's a bit fat.

So join Jamie and let's all start stamping together....

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Are You Recycling At Work?

Darwen NewsRecently released recycling figures have shown that many of the world's most recycled drinks packaging, steel and aluminium cans, used outside of the home aren't being recycled.

It is estimated that about 30% of the 8 billion drinks cans purchased in the UK are consumed at work or in public places where the waste isn't recycled properly because of insufficient facilities.

At home more and more people are recycling their empty drinks packaging in Blackburn and Darwen, especially since homes in Darwen now have their own dedicated 'household waste' and 'recyclables' bins.

Darwen Recycling
However, a problem which is worrying Alupro (Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation) is that most work places don't encourage employees to recycle their waste whilst in their buildings.

Increasing landfill prices, increased household recycling participation and local interest in how much of our money is being wasted has resulted in Alupro launching a campaign to encourage people to continue their recycling efforts at work.

The campaign, called Every Can Counts aims to help employers setup and promote drinks recycling in their workplace.

Executive director of Alupro, Rick Hindley, says "The energy saved by recycling one can is enough to run your computer for one hour."

Their website also explains how every drinks can you recycle can be a new one withing just 6 weeks!

Visit their website at Every Can Counts for more information or for more information on local recycling efforts please visit Blackburn with Darwen's website.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Line Painting Outside Darwen Vale

Line PaintingLine painting is being carried out on the main road outside Darwen Vale causing temporary traffic disruption.

The lines and road arrows are being painted on the A666 just before the turning onto Earcroft Way.

Whilst the work is being carried out the road leading into Darwen has been restricted to one lane, meaning motorists heading into town will share the same lane as those wanting to join the M65.

Line Painting Traffic JamAlthough traffic was moving freely when we took the pictures (above) around 9.45am on Wednesday, it is likely to cause cues along the A666 towards Darwen during heavy traffic.

Earcroft Way, Google Map

Explosion at St Edward's Church, Darwen

St Edward's Church DarwenA gas explosion has caused damage to the roof and chimney of St Edward's Church, Darwen. Worryingly the explosion happened at around 8.30am when parents were dropping their children off at the nearby school and nursery.

Firefighters were called to Sacred Heart and St Edward's school on Tuesday 6th January when gas escaping from the faulty boiler ignited.

Luckily although many children were making their way to the nearby primary school no injuries were reported as a result of the explosion which caused considerable damage to the chimney stack which resulted in some debris crashing to the floor.

dARWEN cHURCH eXPLOSION
A gas engineer condemned the two boilers which had been lit for the first time since the Christmas holidays but the school will remain open as normal.

The fire crew were assisted by Transco to ensure the area was safe and an aerial ladder was used to dismantle loose stones and clear the roof of any remaining debris.

Church events will also continue as normal although, understandably, there won't be any heating until the boilers are repaired or replaced.

Darwen Church Damaged
Our pictures above show the damage caused by the explosion at St Edward's Church, Darwen on Tuesday 6th January 2009.

Does your child attend the nearby school or nursery and/or did you witness the explosion . . . add your comments below or visit our forum.

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Working Together To Reduce Fuel Poverty

With temperatures plummeting to sub-zero, Jake Berry Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Rossendale and Darwen is calling for action to reduce the cost of heating fuel oil.

Heating fuel oil, used by those who are not on mains gas is one of the few unregulated energy industries in the UK. Although the price of oil has come down by 70% on the international markets the prices charged to the people of Rossendale and Darwen have only decreased by around 50%.

Jake Berry commented “This is a problem faced by those in rural communities across Rossendale and Darwen. Fuel oil has to be bought in large quantities and people have to buy when their tank is empty not just when the price is low."

"Fuel poverty tends to be at its greatest in rural communities where people are often on lower wages”

Jake also commented “People can bring the price of fuel down, often by several pence per litre, by bulk buying for several houses. I have recently helped set this up in another area and would be happy to hear from anyone who would like my help in doing this. "

"Long term the solution has ton be to continue to pressure the local suppliers to keep their prices inline with the whole sale price of oil. If I am elected as MP I will negotiate with local supplier to bring prices down and keep them down for local residents.”

The Dangers Of Thin Ice

The recent cold snap has seen some local ponds freeze over and with temperatures not expected to rise until the weekend a layer of ice is expected to remain on the surfaces - even throughout the day.

Although it may look suitable to walk on at times, the ice can become thin very quickly and it's often difficult to judge the thickness of ice which is likely to be thinner in some places.

A walk through Sunnyhurst Woods is quite stunning currently with snow lying on the ground and crisp, clear mornings, however, walkers are warned against the temptation to walk on the ice which covers the 'duck pond' between the band stand and the kiosk.


Elsewhere there have been stories of children playing on Derwentwater in the Lake District whilst their parents watched on and a 25 year old dog owner who risked his own life to save his pet.

The man was walking his cocker spaniel near Manchester when it became trapped in the middle of a frozen lake.

Mr Greenhalgh, from Langley, was criticized by some people for risking his own life and those of others should he have needed rescuing himself but he defended himself by claiming any dog owner would have done the same.

This story (read more here) had a happy ending but many others don't and parents are advised to warn their children of the dangers of playing on thin ice - regardless of how shallow the water may seem.

Monday, January 05, 2009

TVCatchup - Watch Freeview Online

Darwen FreeviewDigital TV is set to replace analogue TV in Darwen starting on 4th November 2009 yet some residents are worried that they still can't receive a digital signal.

This affects homes which pick up their television signal from the Darwen relay transmitter rather than Winter Hill's main Granada transmitter.

A quick scan of neighbouring rooftop aerials should tell you which transmitter you are using. If they point to the relay at the top of Marsh House then it's unlikely that you will be able to receive digital TV / Freeview just yet.

However, once the switchover begins the Darwen relay transmitter will be transmitting digital TV for us all to enjoy providing you have a digital TV or set-top box.

Those with Sky or Cable aren't affected and you should already be able to access Freeview channels through your subscription.

Some people in our forum have been discussing options prior to the switchover - how can you access freeview channels before November if your aerial can't pickup the Winter Hill signal?

Option 1: You can watch TV online through your laptop, computer or, in some cases, with other equipment such as a PS3 by connecting to one of the free services offered by TVCatchup, BBC iPlayer, 4OD or ITV Catchup.

Darwen Digital Switchover
Option 2: If you just want the free channels without any subscription fees then try FreeSat. Because it uses a satellite dish to display channels you won't have to wait for the digital switchover and you can enjoy digital TV right away.

Additional options allow you to watch in high definition and/or pause, rewind and record live television with the freesat+. You will need to buy a set-top box if freesat isn't integrated into your TV already and have a satellite dish installed costing around £80.

Option 3: Depending on your location you may be able to benefit from upgrading your aerial and re-aligning it to Winter Hill. For this to work you may have to have the aerial placed higher on your roof or even on top of an extension pole. This option probably isn't an option to those who live at the bottom of the valley, near the A666 i.e. Lynwood Avenue, Earnsdale Rd.

Option 4: Upgrade to Sky or Cable. The problem with this is that some services charge extra fees for multi-room meaning each TV will incur an additional subscription fee if you want the receive multiple feeds. However, if you want to receive premium channels in addition to free to air channels then ths is your solution.

Please share your experiences in the Darwen Forum. Are there any other options which we haven't discussed, or any local business's which you suggest for installing a new aerial or freesat?

New Book - Empire Mill At War

A new book has been released by Ashleigh Burrows Books entitled Empire Mill At War.

The book, by Alan Duckworth, details the fictional lives of Darwen factory workers during World War I.

Empire Mill At War is a romance, a family saga, a story of war, but above all the story of the impact of of war on the lives and loves of the people of Over Darwen.

The book is available at the purchase price of £6.00 from Ashleigh Barrow Books by sending a cheque/postal order to: Ashleigh Barrow Books, Hollands Cottage, Wigan Rd, Leyland, PR25 5ud.

Alternatively you can buy online from Amazon

Darwen FC And The First Professional Footballer

There is no doubting Darwen FC's place in footballing history, having formed in 1870 and becoming one of the early teams to adopt Football Association rules, but the football club was also likely to have signed the first ever 'professional' footballer.

Long before players were changing clubs on a regular basis, football teams were made up by people who lived in the town, and a certain level of controversy surrounded neighbouring team Blackburn Rovers using a few residents from Darwen to fill in for some of their absent players.

However, a few years later, Darwen went a step further when they brought Fergus Suter, a stonemason from Glasgow, to the town. Although the transfer, in 1879, was supposed to involve Suter starting work in the North West he soon claimed that English stone was far too difficult to work and he soon gave up his job to concentrate purely on football.

Although the ENGLISH game was still officially amateur in 1879 Suter's situation sparked rumours that he was being paid to play football for Darwen.

Either way, Fergus Suter, caused more controversy by moving to another local team, Blackburn Rovers, in the summer of 1880. Back then the two clubs were bitter rivals and Darwen actually beat Blackburn 3 - 0 in 1880 to win the Lancashire Cup final.

However, the two sides no longer play competitive matches against each other as both teams went their separate ways when Darwen were relegated from the football league shortly before moving to the Anchor Ground.

In this, their final Football League season, Darwen FC set a record of 18 straight defeats which still stands today. It is also believed that Darwen played the first ever game under floodlights at their old Barley Bank ground in 1878.

On their way down through the ranks of English Football, Darwen became founder members of the Football League Division Two when they were first relegated from the top flight in 1892.

So, although your town's football club may currently play in the 10th tier of English football, you can be safe in the knowledge that it's place in footballing history is firmly cemented.

Darwen Severe Weather Warning

Darwen NewsMany Darreners heading back to work after the festive holidays were met with ice and snow on their cars this morning. Although the snow showers were very light during the evening and early hours on Monday morning the freezing temperatures ensured some drivers needed to de-ice their windscreens before starting their first day back at work.

With temperatures forecast to fall as low as -9C in Darwen, the Met Office has issued a weather warning to local motorists. Although the next couple of days are due to be mainly sunny, temperatures will barely rise above freezing creating a widespread hard frost.

In addition to icy roads creating treacherous driving conditions, pedestrians are also being advised to take extra care on slippery pavements.

Darwen Weather
The average overnight temperature for January is +1C making the next couple of nights much colder than the norm. In fact this winter could turn out to be the coldest experienced by Britain in over a decade.

Some forecasters are even predicting that this winter could equal the winter of 1962-63 which was the coldest in England & Wales since 1740!

We have already seen the coldest start to winter for 30 years and, although temperatures are set to rise at the weekend, it would need to remain mild for quite a period of time to even things out.

The current cold snap is expected to last until the weekend and we may see some more light snow showers on Tuesday evening.

One reader, Robert, sent in the photograph above of the morning snow near Earnsdale Rd, Darwen.

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