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Home , Bollington, Higher Hurdsfield, Nicholas Winterton, Rainow

TheNo.9 Winter 2009Raven The quarterly magazine for the whole of

G Village News G Social Events G Parish Council News G Clubs & Societies G School & Church

The Parish Council would like to wish everyone a very.... Happy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year All the Best for 2010 Civic Service Community Pride Competition The Civic Service at the end of September was a great To celebrate winning our award in the Community Pride success with many compliments being received from the Competition 2009, Landscape Trust provided an guests. oak tree for planting at Mount Pleasant. The tree planting party included Mrs. Helen Carey (Chairman of Cheshire Landscape Trust, Vice Chairman of Cheshire Community Action and former National Chairman of the Women's Institute), Bob Price (Cheshire Landscape Trust Vice President) a representative from Cheshire Community Action and Katie Lowe (Chief Executive of Cheshire Landscape Trust). Planting took place on Tuesday 1st December at 11 a.m. with your Parish Councillors, Clerk and dogs present.

Procession to the school

Sir Nicholas Winterton attended along with representatives of the Parish Councils of and and with Councillors Harold Davenport, Matthew Davies and Diana Thompson. The boys and girls from beavers, brownies, guides, cubs and scouts also took part together with the Rose Queen and her attendants. Steve Rathbone provided a splendid service and Brass Band accompanied the choir and congregation with the hymns. Tree planting at Mount Pleasant Once again a big thank you to all the villagers who helped to make this such a successful event. Councillors Signage would particularly like to thank Jo Poyser. At long last we have managed to persuade the Highways Photographs of the event will be available on our website. Authority to get the “Rainow” sign between Higher Hurdsfield and Rainow moved to the correct position close More success for Rainow in the Village of the Year to the corner of Road and the B5437. competition In the last Raven you heard about the village’s achieve- New Boundary proposals ment in winning the Cheshire Community Pride Award We have had the consultative report from the Boundary (sponsored by Shell) and subsequent selection as Committee (part of the Electoral Commission). The draft Cheshire’s entry to the Calor Village of the Year proposal is for a redrawing of the Electoral Boundaries for competition. The judges for this competition visited Rainow East Cheshire, putting Rainow in a new single member at the beginning of October to see a very impressive ward to be known as Sutton which would include , display masterminded by the Best Kept Village team and Forest, and Sutton. A fuller to meet people from the village involved in every aspect of explanation is on the website: village life. The effort put in by every local group was www.boundarycommittee.org.uk. The Boundary Committee remarkable and the judges went away impressed by the have asked for all representations to be made in writing by enthusiasm they met. The release of white doves as they 1st February 2010. The Parish Council would appreciate left must surely have made their visit particularly being copied in on any comments you make to them. memorable! The upshot was that Rainow won the Northern Region Award in the Communications category Notice Boards against some fierce competition and went forward to the Parish Council notice boards are for use by Rainow National Finals in that category. At the end of November, residents or others authorised by the Clerk to the Rainow however, we heard that we had not managed to clear the Parish Council. Residents are welcome to use the boards final hurdle and had to be content with the considerable but it would be appreciated if once your notice is out of success achieved in reaching a National Final. The village date you would remove it. One of the comments from the of Newton-le-Willows in North Yorkshire (not our judges in this year’s Best Kept Village competition was Lancashire neighbours) was the winner of Village of the that some boards looked rather scruffy so the Council Year and in the Communications event we were pipped at would appreciate your help in keeping the boards smart. the post by Great Bardfield in Essex. Christmas Tree Cheshire Community Action appointment Please keep a look out for our Christmas Tree this year, The council is very pleased to announce that Cllr John supplied from Cheshire East Council free. Grateful thanks

arish Council News Cantrell was elected to serve as a Trustee for Cheshire to everyone who has helped with the installation and a Community Action, the body which promotes the interests of special thank you to Bill and Helen Bennett for supplying people in rural communities across the whole of Cheshire. the electricity for the lights!

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Be on your guard! There have been a number of burglaries in the area recently so please take even greater precautions in securing your home, outbuildings and vehicles. Many burglaries, the police say, occur Welcome to because of insecure locking of homes and vehicles. Post Boxes Unfortunately the post boxes on Hawkins Lane and at Kerridge End were damaged by fireworks around Bonfire Night (Rainow was not alone in being on the receiving end of this stupidity). The post boxes have now been replaced by the Royal Mail but if one of your letters has gone astray it was probably burnt or blown away. Blame the thoughtless vandal. BT invitation to adopt local red telephone kiosk The (Mount Pleasant) We have been invited by BT to adopt the local telephone kiosk aven “ se it or lose it”R is a familiar phrase these days. We often take at Mount Pleasant without the telephone equipment (instead of closure and removal). The Council received a number of letters Usomething for granted and never think about it until suddenly from the area expressing interest in keeping the kiosk even it’s not there any more. Post boxes for example! Until some though it will no longer have a telephone installed. Councillors idiot (probably not a Rainow resident) put fireworks in the Royal have agreed that the kiosk should be adopted for the princely Mail boxes by the Rising Sun and at the Kerridge End bus stop sum of £1 but should it become vandalised or become difficult to we never realised how handy it was to be able to walk across the look after then it will be removed. Could anyone who can help road and put a letter into the system. Royal Mail have replaced look after the kiosk on a daily basis please contact the Clerk or a the damaged boxes but the incident is a reminder to keep using member of the Council. We would like to put together a rota for local facilities. this. Also we would very much welcome any suggestions for its It’s too late, however, to make more use of the telephone kiosk at future use. BT has suggested a notice board or gallery! Mount Pleasant which we all assumed would just be there for A message to dog-walkers ever … even though we rarely used it. Now BT have decided it The Parish Council is still desperately trying to rid Rainow of the just isn’t economic to maintain the kiosk because so few calls are scourge of dog waste being left on pavements and grass verges. made from it and they are going to pass it on to the Parish It takes just one or two irresponsible owners to give everyone Council (see Council News) but without a phone in it! Removing else a bad name. Please, please pick up your dog’s waste. As a the phone in this day of mobile phones may seem logical but resident you can notify the Council of any dog walker who actually many mobile systems don’t cover the area and in case persistently allows their dog to foul without cleaning up. You do of emergency a mobile isn’t always available. But we didn’t use it not necessarily have to provide your name and address. Also and now we are losing it. there are currently two active dog wardens covering Cheshire East and they are Keith Massey and Dave Brewster who can be In the past there were several shops in Rainow and many will still contacted on 01270 529599. remember the post office/shop. But we didn’t use the shops and they too are now lost to us. When the Parish Plan was put Future Meetings together three years ago, quite a lot of us – especially young people - were keen on having some kind of shop. So far no-one 19th January 2010 16th February 2010 has come up with a plan to have one, partly because of the fear 16th March 2010 20th April 2010 that it wouldn’t be used, but it’s not impossible that some kind of retail outlet could be proposed. VIRSA – the charity which helps rural communities to re-introduce village shops – believes Rainow could support a community shop of the type which some villages have, for example. If someone were brave Your Parish Councillors enough to take the initiative and set up some kind of retail outlet, we would certainly have to make use of it. Hopefully, prospects Ken Butler (Chair) 433168 would be better than in the eighties as we now see buying locally Mary Marsh (Deputy) 573508 as “green” and rising fuel costs make it prohibitively expensive to Ian Brammer 426059 “pop down to town” for a forgotten item. Alan Brett 576108 Not many people need persuading to go to the pub! John Cantrell 422107 Nevertheless we are lucky still to have three pubs in Rainow at a Geoff Cooper 574878 time when dozens are closing their doors every week elsewhere. Vivienne Law 575201 So “use it or lose it” applies. If you haven’t tried a visit recently, John Leigh 574327 why not pop in and see what the landlords have been up? John Stagg 572816 Finally, what about the buses? It must be tough for the operators Alan Taylor 575544 to keep the service we have now because you can see the small Wendy Vernon 572812 numbers on board many of the buses. Nowadays we have real Judy Wilkinson 614650 incentives to leave the car at home; reducing our carbon footprint is good but avoiding parking in Macclesfield and cutting our costs Clerk: Sarah Giller 850532 may be more persuasive! [email protected] Borough Councillor for Rainow Editorial Team: Ian Brammer (01625 426059) Harold Davenport 01663 763986 Bob Langstaff (01625 573761) County Councillor for Rainow Tony Nicol (01625 421297) Sylvia Roberts 01625 575306 Design by Mel Wilcox (01625 576182)

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School Celebrates 25 years! by Mark Bertinshaw

The choice and so it appears on the tee- constantly supervising children and Anniversary Cake shirts and sweatshirts worn by the pupils. making sure they are safe.” The new school replaced the existing In the first year of opening, our new his year, Rainow School celebrates Methodist and Church of school had 70 pupils and 4 teachers. T25 years on its current site schools, where children were taught in Today, we have 164 pupils and 8 full time Opened in November 1984, the Rainow poorly lit, quite spartan classrooms, with teachers but, despite the obvious School was described as the most rows of desks and few modern facilities. changes, some things have not changed. modern school in the county geared up Even the playground was problematic as Our uniform, now green, (it was grey and to launch the young into the space age. the children needed to cross a busy road yellow then) still proudly displays the Built in line with the latest educational to get to it – it’s where the school’s car Raven logo, and our school motto, thinking and to modern standards, the park is today. Ted Robinson, Rainow ‘caring, learning, achieving’, still holds school was praised by children, parents, School’s then headmaster commented true. teachers and conservationists. The that the new school meant that “staff can Rainow School hasn’t forgotten the District Education Officer of the time now concentrate on teaching rather than former school’s history in the nineteenth even described it as “one of the most century. The founding plaque, first hung beautiful schools I have ever seen’! in a Rainow school in 1853, still hangs in The Raven logo was adopted for the the school foyer, and an oil lamp, new school and was chosen because of reminds visitors of Rainow’s Edwardian the way the name of our village has past. evolved over the centuries. It first If you have memories or photographs of appeared as Raven’s Clough or a cleft your school days in Rainow and would where ravens live, then came like to share them with today’s pupils, Ravenhough, Ravenhoe, Ranoo in we would greatly appreciate it if you Elizabethan times, Rainowe and finally would write a short note and drop it into Rainow. When looking for an emblem for school so that we can share it with the the school this bird seemed the natural A time capsule is buried at the school children.

Out & About with the Cubs by Sue Grimes

Finger printed Cub On Parade at the War Memorial his term we discovered some budding for ‘rocket parts’ and, when complete, TJamie Olivers by doing the Chef’s firing a real rocket. Badge. We had an excellent turnout at the Thanks to sterling efforts by some Mums, Collared Cub Remembrance Service with some every Cub (thirty-one children on these twenty-six Cubs marching well and particular nights!!) made a variety of looking very smart. fingerprinted all the Cubs and brought cakes and decorated them and then the various items of uniform for them to try For our night out this term we following week each made an individual on. went to Laser Quest and pizza and cooked it. They were certainly the Climbing Wall at the busy and any spare moment was spent Unfortunately the District Sports Day was Trafford Centre trying to identify different foods while cancelled but we entered a team in the which they blindfolded. To complete the badge the Swimming Gala and just missed out on enjoyed very much. Cub had to cook a two course meal and winning two finals. Our next visit is clear up at home. Quite a few parents Probably the most exciting night was a to watch the Gang were very impressed by their efforts. wide game in the dark, finding foil Show put on by We had a visit from the Police who covered stones and exchanging them Scouts, Guides and Cubs.

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An Evacuee in Rainow

his is the second part of Pat Rogers’ recollections of her time Tas a child evacuee at Calrow Fold Farm. Pat now lives on the Fylde but visited Rainow three years ago to recapture her experiences.

I should mention that the reason I was evacuated was that I was petrified of the air raids. Living in the Kingsway area of , half a mile from my house in one direction was Hans Reynolds, a factory that made tanks and in the opposite direction was Fairey Aviation. I have to admit, scared of the air-raids as I was, my mum said she’d heard me saying my prayers and I had included “Please God let the sirens sound tonight then I won’t have to go to school; but please God don’t let anybody be killed”. Pat Rogers (second from left) One aspect of country life I didn’t like with her daughter-in-law and was the lavatory arrangement. This daughter at Calrow Fold Farm with the present owner Elizabeth Brimelow (far left) consisted of a wooden box with two seats, housed inside a small shed-like During harvest time, which as far as I I remember the summer as being a very building. There was a slurry pit beneath can recall lasted about three days, I was happy time with so many wonderful safe and the aroma was pretty pungent. I allowed to stay out in the fields until places to play. I used to go home to was just hoping no one else would want dusk. Extra help came but I think they Manchester in the school holidays. I to relieve themselves when I felt the must all have been teetotal as they always had a weep when it was time need. This happened only once when toasted the successful harvest in to return to Rainow even though I Mrs Shaw and I sat side by side and for buttermilk! experienced only kindness from the once I wasn’t talking. About once a month my mum, along Shaws. I used to go to Sunday school at Rainow with my younger brother Eric, came to I went home for the Easter holiday. Wesleyan Chapel where I was actually visit. It was on one of these visits that Eric had chicken pox and consequently allowed to play the “pump-up” type of my mum remarked that I could do with I caught it. I didn’t want to go away organ. I could play one tune only “In our some new dresses for summer. Mrs. again even though I was terrified of the dear Lord’s garden.” Shaw kindly offered to make them and air-raids. My mum and dad wrote to the I used to look forward to the weekly visit of course my mum would have bought Shaws explaining and thanking them for to Macclesfield market with Mrs. Shaw. the material. The dresses were duly taking care of me. I was particularly partial to the wonderful made and Mrs Shaw and I set off to I returned when I was seventeen and oatcakes that were purchased every meet mum and Eric. Eric spotted me deeply regretted not having returned to Saturday and served wrapped round first as my mum didn’t recognise the little Rainow earlier. I was saddened on pork sausages for Sunday breakfast, girl in the ankle length dress and straw arrival to hear of the death of Mr Shaw absolutely scrumptious. Mrs. Shaw bonnet! My mum diplomatically was some weeks before. Mrs Shaw had sold bought sweets for me. I think I must about to suggest the dress could be six up and was packing, ready to move. have had the sweet coupons for both inches shorter but Mrs Shaw reiterated Sadly I never saw her again. This I do her and Mr. Shaw as I seemed to have that I must grow into it so nothing more regret. a generous supply. was said. One of the highlights of living on the farm was that I was allowed to choose the name of a beautiful newborn calf. I rather liked the name Judy so that’s Carole Harvey Telemarketing who she became. There was a lovely farm horse named Violet – she was enormous. I remember feeling more New Business Development than a little afraid of her when she came over to me where I was playing. There Appointment Setting was one night when another farmer came to the farm. A pig was to be Telephone Marketing slaughtered and I was sworn to secrecy; this made me feel very important. I have to say I didn’t see or hear anything. 22 Millers Meadow, Rainow, Macclesfield 01625 573576 [email protected]

5 Rainow Scoops the Tourist Awards!

Ivor and Lyn Williams take Sue Stevenson welcomes guests to Harrop Fold Farm a break at Kerridge End Kerridge End Co ttages n Rainow we have tourist Stevenson at Harrop Fold Farm gained this year’s country on our doorsteps. When visitors Countryside Alliance Local Food Award for North West Iwant to share our enjoyment of our countryside there are England along with the Barclays Bank Family Business of the several attractive places to stay – all within easy range of Year award for the North West. Harrop Fold was also named both the Peak District National Park and the Cheshire plain. Bed & Breakfast of the Year by Visit and Cheshire. This year two have won prestigious awards. Lyn and Ivor At Common Barn Farm Rona and Geoff Cooper are setting out Williams’s Kerridge End Cottages became the first Cheshire to rival the Williams’s with the conversion of a derelict barn in accommodation to be awarded Silver status in the national Saltersford to provide a four bedroom holiday cottage with Green Tourism Business Scheme. To add to this success, at disabled facilities. Meantime their existing bed and breakfast the end of September they also picked up the Tourism for All and self-catering accommodation continues to be well booked Award for the North West given for accommodation which and the tea-room has new winter opening times. Campers are offers easy access to all visitors, including wheelchair users. now welcome. Earlier in 2009 the five star cottages had already gained the Catering for both tourists and business visitors, the Robin Hood Visit Chester and Cheshire Self-catering Holiday of the Year offers four en-suite bedrooms with breakfast available; the and Access for All Tourism awards. newly refurbished accommodation is in an adjacent converted The Williams’s were not the only award winners. Sue barn. Campers can stay nearby, too.

Coming soon to the WI Meet the by Mary Meecham Councillors ainow Women’s photographs, mainly of old Rainow, Name: VIVIENNE LAW Institute held its collected in the village by the History RAnnual Meeting Group. This will be an open meeting and Time on Council: 1 year Georgiana in November. all are welcome. Born: 2 February 1965 Apart from planning As well as the monthly meetings, we also for the new WI year, this always includes a Home: Lamaload Road. Lived in Rainow run a Book Club, a Quilting Group, Ladies review of the old year’s events. This never 15 years who Lunch, Walks, and varied Outings. ceases to amaze all who hear it; the We also, of course, are part of a County Family: Husband David, children Theo number of activities had reached a and National organization, representing and Connie, Bob the Dog, Fudge, hundred before I gave up counting. women’s views on many government O’Malley, Dunthorne (Kune Kune) 2010 promises to be an equally busy year bodies. Occupation: Runs an international with a full and varied programme designed healthcare to suit all tastes and interests. The The WI is expanding nationally and market research meetings are in the Institute at 7.30pm on locally, and into new areas, away from its company from the second Monday of each month. The historical territory. There is now a branch in Rainow with the subjects range from practical to Didsbury and several have been formed HQ in London entertaining – Georgiana, Duchess of recently in Universities. It’s good that Devonshire, the Homeless of Manchester, young people are discovering that some of Hobbies: Walking Along the River Dove, and Newts! the skills and values which are missing in Tennis, the world today can be found in the WI. The February meeting is of particular local walking, interest, with Bob Langstaff showing some Why not come along to one of our photography of the slides from the Rainow Archive. This meetings (perhaps with a friend) for a now contains more than seven thousand ‘taster’ evening? You will be very welcome.

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Cheshire Cheese by Andrew Renshaw of the Rainow Countryside Group

A farmer’s wife usually had responsibility briny liquid pressed out of cheese to for cheese making and 18th and 19th evade salt duty. century applications for farm tenancies to Three different types of cheese were landlords such as Lord Derby who produced. owned much land locally, would often extol the virtues of wives and daughters 1. An early ripening, stronger as cheese makers. Within living memory flavoured cheese containing (just about) both cheese and butter were considerable moisture. made at local farms and relics of cheese presses are still quite common. 2. A medium ripening cheese, drier The basic production process (rather with a finer cut curd, ready in six abbreviated) uses mixed evening and weeks. This could be kept for six morning milk, the evening milk stored at months. room temperature overnight, and then here is a tradition, without reliable the morning milk added with a ‘starter’ 3. A slow maturing long keeping evidence, that the Romans sent sometimes made from soured cream. cheese, still drier with even finer cheese from Cheshire to the Then it’s breakfast time for the hard cut curd, the most traditional Cheshire T cheese. Many 18th century farmers continent. Be that as it may, working farmer’s wife. After about an the historian William of Malmesbury hour, rennet, obtained from a calf’s made this cheese, keeping it for a whole describes fairs at Chester in the 11th stomach, is added to coagulate the milk season for sale to a cheese factor in one century where there were apparently which takes about 45 minutes. The batch. ‘piles of local cheese’ available. Of resulting curd is cut into ‘dice’ with Quality, taste and texture are not strictly more local interest, records exist of multi-bladed knives, one with horizontal definable but the very distinctive cheese being made in Harrop in the blades, and the other with vertical. The Cheshire cheeses must be reasonably 14th century and, in 1379-80 an curd and whey are stirred for a time and similar to be accepted as such. The account made for Princess Joan then the curd is allowed to settle or ‘pitch’ many factors that influence the complex (‘The fair maid of Kent’, widow of before the whey is drained. Extracted chemical reactions that occur must be Edward the Black Prince) by her from the vat, after further drying, the curd under careful control today, as the stock-keeper, included one woman is ‘milled’ to break it up, salt is added and resulting product is consistently uniform hired for dairy work for five weeks at it is placed in cylindrical moulds lined with very wide availability. A comparison a cost of two shillings. with cheesecloth in a warm room. There made between a supermarket Cheshire it drains and solidifies overnight. cheese and several examples obtained By Tudor times a distinctive cheese was One to three days in a cheese-press at the Cheshire show from small being made in Cheshire, its particular follow, where the remaining whey is producers, did show a small but definite quality then thought to be due to some expressed by gradually increasing the degree of superiority in flavour for the unique ‘goodness and virtue’ in the pressure. The cheese is then bandaged small producers (in my opinion!). Very grass. Of course it is actually the and put into store to be turned daily at occasionally a blue cheshire cheese is production method rather than the first and then at gradually increasing available, the texture being smoother geographical area which is significant. intervals. About 1 lb of cheese is than that of the white, a worthy rival to Cheese factors who bought from obtained from a gallon of milk and the Stilton as the ‘King of Cheeses’! producers were operating in the 16th whey was often used to feed pigs. Salt century and cheese was marketed in Many thanks to Jane Laughton for her spread on rough pasture was thought to kind assistance. Macclesfield in the 17th. Hundreds of be of benefit, but carried a duty of 15 tons were carted across Cheshire and shillings per bushel until 1823. Excise to be shipped down the Trent officers pursued some farmers at that to Hull and then to London. time, suspecting them of spreading the

Cheese Press Stone in a gateway ...and in a local farm building

7 . Beavers haveon theirArmistice wreath Day at the ready

Leadin g lights of the Best K celebrate their succes ept Village team s in the Robin . The Raven’ s Eye View

A huge cr urner and the owd paid their respect to R . den David T rial repare to join in the on Armistice Day chwar ar Memo ainow Chur ch Choir p ’s fallen gs at the W . Chur din procee

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Village of the Y ear judges quiz schoo lchildren.

’s Janet Norman in her Mayo rates her glmatch-and ral r Alf at the Civic Serobes with husband opean 9 Eur vice. sy Christiansen celeb ’s Is nder 1 s. Rainow g goal against Slovakia in En clinchin pionship Autumn in the U n’ s Eye View

Ken Butler and V al Taylo Bob L judge r prepare f an ’s visit. or the of R gsta ainow toff the describes Chief Judge the wonders of the Calo r V illage of the Y ear com petition .

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Badgers in the Garden here is growing concern around short term. So you can be pretty sure underneath to tip it over. the village about the increasing that you won’t be able to persuade the For more information on the subject incidence of badger damage to local bobby to wait for Brock at the T there are hundreds of websites giving gardens in general and to lawns in bottom of your garden with his truncheon advice and expressing opinions across particular. There have also been at the ready! the board. But have a look at the Badger numerous reports of rubbish bins being The only remaining option would seem Trust, DEFRA and the NFU sites. It’s all overturned and the contents scattered in to be community action - but action in a there in black and white! search of titbits. Badgers, it is claimed, defensive rather than offensive sense. are the major culprits and are widely blamed for these and other acts of For those with gardens that are nocturnal, antisocial behaviour. vulnerable to badger intrusion, you will simply have to build bigger and stronger So what can we do about it? barriers. Brock can climb dry-stone walls and scale fences up to a metre high. He is also a creature of habit and tends to follow established routes – you should be able to spot his entry point into your garden and take steps to block it up. But remember, these are strong and persistent animals so temporary measures are unlikely to succeed. For details of recommended defences, including electric fencing (simpler than you might think) go to the website of the Badger Trust. For those of us who are untroubled by Well, far from being an endangered badger visits and don’t really see it as species, badgers are highly successful our problem, there is the issue of and the national population continues to community responsibility. The badger is grow. So the problem isn’t going to fade our biggest carnivorous mammal with the away. strength and tenacity to do considerable On the other hand, they are a protected damage throughout our village. And species and, in the view of many people, attractive and appealing though they they are attractive and lovable creatures may be, they should really have no that should be welcomed into our neigh- place in our domestic gardens. HarropRainow Fold Farm bourhoods. Whether you agree with this So please remember that although your Tel: 01625 560085 or not you should be aware that any own garden may be badger free, attempt to injure of kill these animals or irresponsible behaviour can help make destroy their setts would make the life hell for your neighbours. And if you’ve Somewhere very special... perpetrator liable to criminal prosecution seen the colossal damage that has A Quintessentially English Experience, and a possible jail sentence. wrecked several much-loved gardens Delightful Award Winning Officially sanctioned culls occasionally around the village, you will understand 5 Star Guest Farmhouse and take place but these are almost always the need for all of us to think beyond our Self-catering Cottage Accommodation for research purposes rather than own perimeters. attempts to contain population or limit set in 20 acres with breathtaking So let’s not encourage them by leaving views over the Cheshire Plain. incursion into private property. food out. Doing so will simply persuade A large proportion of the cattle and dairy the badgers to become more frequent We offer ’Cupcakes Galore’ - farming industries would like to see these visitors and possibly help to support a hands on cookery courses as well as a culls carried out in a more meaningful larger population of animals than would ‘Cornucopia of Canapés’ - manner because of the common belief occur naturally. You should particularly hands on Canapé courses along with that badgers are responsible for avoid leaving peanuts out for garden Cookery Demonstrations with Lunch or increasing the spread of bovine birds in a position that Brock can get to, Dinner using the finest local ingredients tuberculosis. And while there is some because they are highly desirable led by our own Cordon Bleu trained Chef. evidence to support this view, there favourites (along with bulbs, roots and is an equally vociferous lobby of wildlife tubers) for our black and white friends. Day & Residential Art Courses supporters who believe that the research Ideally, your bird feeder should be at with our Resident Professional Artist. findings are ambivalent and that the case least 1.5 metres above ground level. Gift Vouchers available and Corporate and for culling is far from proven. And if you see any evidence of your Group Bookings welcome. It seems most unlikely, wheelie bins being attacked, then try to therefore, that there will be strap them to your fence or, alternatively, www.harropfoldfarm.co.uk any institutional interference put stones around the bottom so that the www.michaelmooreart.co.uk in the badgers’ population growth in the badger can’t get his powerful nose www.leahspantry.co.uk

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Recipe of the Month Jamie Comes to Rainow Leah Stevenson’s (Well nearly) Chocolate Brownie telly ad featuring young Mister Oliver, Cupcakes in which he will be seen hopping down from the cab having supervised deliveries around the country. Or so we’re supposed to believe! Rainow, with its picturesque and much- painted-and-photographed Pedley Hill was chosen as a typical rural through route – lets just hope that it doesn’t encourage too many other truck operators to follow suit! The director of the commercial (seen Here is one of my favourite chocolate centre in our picture) was the very cupcake recipes. I call it a chocolate successful film maker Peter brownie cupcake recipe because it has a Cattaneo who crumbly looking top once baked and looks famously great even undecorated. brought Ingredients mid much bitching about the cold The Full 125g Butter A wind, this camera crew was found Monty 100g Dark Chocolate waiting impatiently just above to our screens. 2 Eggs Lamaload Road for a Sainsbury’s truck to wend its way through the village. The 150g Caster Sugar sequence they were there to film was just 150g Self-raising flour a tiny piece of the grocer’s Christmas Method 1. Place the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a bain-marie until the Computer & I.T. Solutions mixture is molten. for home or office 2.Remove from the heat and add the sugar and eggs. Stir in the flour. Commonside Farm Ecton Avenue, Buxton Road, Macclesfield 3.Spoon into cake cases and bake in SK10 1RB the oven for about 20-25 minutes on 150C. Contact STUART [email protected] 4. Leave to cool and decorate with a dark chocolate ganache. 01625 669750 or 07770315443 To make the ganache: 100g Dark Chocolate buttons 75ml Double Cream Place the chocolate buttons (or broken up chocolate pieces) into a mixing bowl. Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Leave to sit for 1 min, then stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and smooth, spoon over the cake. Leave to set for about 3 minutes and decorate. To decorate: Glace cherries Dried cranberries Walnut halves Crystallised ginger To decorate the cakes arrange the fruit on top by placing a half cherry in the centre and ginger pieces cut in half around it, next a circle of cranberries Richard Buckley T/A Travelbreeze, Higher Fold Farm, Rainow Road, Macclesfield and finally walnut pieces.

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The main difference, however, is that the almost £700! Events planned for next FRS involves more than just parents and year include a quiz night, fashion show teachers. “The PTA had been considering and sponsored walk. Special events are widening its appeal for some time”, being planned to celebrate Rainow explains the new Chairman, Manon School’s 25th anniversary and these will Higgins-Bos. “They wanted to include be announced in the new year. other school staff as well as grandparents, So where does all the money go? In the child minders, carers, residents and also autumn term, the FRS pledged over others, such as ex-pupils or parents of £3000 of funding to make the school an children who attended the school in the even better place for the children. There past. The school is such a hub of activity, are too many items to mention them all, it makes sense to include everyone but they include the provision of Design & involved with it – not just the parents, Technology materials, an Artist in teachers and pupils.” Residence, National Trust membership for Introducing The FRS was launched this term with a the school, a Pantomime by an external new committee, constitution and logo. theatre company, contribution towards Friends of Thanks go to the outgoing committee, Rainow School 25th birthday celebrations chaired by Andrew Wild, and supported and Music Instruction for year 5. by secretary, Julian Cox, and treasurer, If you’d like more information on any of Rainow School Clair Arnold, whose efforts on behalf of the events mentioned please check the the PTA have been widely appreciated by riends of Rainow School, is school website, and if you’d like to be all involved with the school over the past the new name for Rainow’s involved in the FRS, contact the few years. Festablished Parent Teacher Chairman, Manon Higgins-Bos, or come Association (PTA), and The new logo, designed by Sophie in along to the next meeting on Wednesday includes parents, teachers and Year 4, was the winning entry to a school 13th January at 8:00pm at the Robin others who have an interest in the competition to design a new identity. The Hood – everyone is welcome! school. School Council, which is run by the pupils, Building on the success of the had a tough job choosing the winner from Further information: PTA, the FRS has the same set of more than 60 entries, and are happy that Chairman – Manon Higgins-Bos aims and objectives – raising they’ve chosen something that reflects the Tel: 01625 432330 money and supporting the school, organisation’s new, more inclusive ethos. Email: [email protected] and also providing opportunities The FRS’s first fund raising event of the Secretary – Nancy Bunyan for parents and others to be more term, a disco and buffet at the Rainow Tel: 01625 424564 involved with school life. Institute, was a huge success, raising Email: [email protected]

New path to officially opens Busy Times ver the past 3 years, the Kerridge Ridge and Ingersley for the Ravens OVale (KRIV) project team has been working on a number of initiatives to restore historical features in the landscape. ots of new Ravens members have One of the project’s major achievements has been the enjoyed a busy term at the Church development and opening of a brand new footpath up to the LCentre. We had a makeover famous landmark – White Nancy. The new path, which was evening where the girls left looking built entirely by the KRIV volunteers, offers walkers an very glamorous. We have made milk alternative route to the steep ascent up the stone path laid to shakes of all sorts of flavours, climbed celebrate the Millennium. The new path is altogether a much the church tower to see all across gentler route, weaving through Redway Wood and up 223 Rainow, played pool, darts, volleyball steps to reach the top. The footpath has taken over 2000 and tabletennis. Watched films played hours to build and involved fifty six volunteers over the three on singstar, dancemats, and 'murdered' years. It is truly amazing and well worth a visit. each other in the dark! Played drums and guitars and generally chilled out and The KRIV project has also launched three publications to chatted with friends. help document the historical facts of the local area. The book, a Landscape History is written by local historian George New members are always welcome Longden and complemented with stunning photographs and watercolour pictures of views along the ridge and vale. Ravens 1 (Years 7 & 8) is 6.30 - 8pm The Heritage Map is a unique watercolour of the project area Ravens 2 (year 9+) is 8 - 9.30pm detailing all the historical features that can be found in the Youthgroup 1 is 7 - 8.30 landscape. Both of these items are available to buy from Youthgroup 2 is 7.30 - 9.00 local outlets or the KRIV volunteers. The third publication is Film night starts at 7pm an education pack for the local primary schools which will hopefully encourage the children to explore the countryside For more info Phone Jenny on 433557 on their doorstep.

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How do we turn Rainow greener? by Graham & Pat Mellish

here are many environmentally-aware people living in all a tremendous baseline to work from. But if you want to get Rainow who are already doing their own thing to help the started right away, here are the top five tips to keep you greener Tvillage become a little greener. But wouldn’t it be even better this winter. if we all banded together, spread our ideas to the rest of the 1. Only heat the parts of the house you are using and close village and eventually got the village known as one of the the doors behind you when you move from room to room greenest communities in the UK? There are many ways we can to stop the colder parts of the house taking away the heat do this and there’s a good example of what can be achieved right from the warm parts. on our doorsteps. 2. Stop drafts by ensuring seals on doors and window are Three years ago the Carbon Revolution (BCR) group intact. There are grants available to help you do this. was only an idea originating from within the Civic Society, but earlier this year it was already one of the finalists for the Future 3. Turn down the heating by 1°C and save 10% of your Friendly Awards and visited No 10 Downing Street at the heating bill. invitation of Department of Energy and Climate Change. In the 4. Put on warmer clothing when inside the house instead of next ten years they are looking to save +£5M in CO2. turning up the thermostat. It would be nice to match and surpass our neighbour in going 5. Try to cut down your car use by just five miles a week. green. So, to start the village ball rolling, why not take advantage of a FREE personalised home energy report sponsored by Let’s hear your ideas for turning Rainow greener Cheshire East Council that will show you how to save around £300 pa in wasted energy. Just call 0800 512012 or email Anyone interested in forming a green committee for the village, [email protected] and request a FREE energy please contact Graham or Pat Mellish on 574523. check for your home. If the whole village does this it will give us

Readers Letter Christmas Services Dear Editor by Mary Meecham ast issue It was encouraging to read the piece in your l table gardening and I wish the (The Plotters) about vege s I write, Christmas is coming ever nearer, and everybody is opping concept. busy with plans, cooking, shopping and wrapping parcels. authors luck with their sharecr A pting off and on But, of course, Christmas is more than all this, it is the However, as someone who has been attem celebration of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem over 2000 years ainow for the past thirty odd to grow vegetables in R ago. ation of micro-climate years, I believe that our combin resent special problems. Or am In Rainow, we celebrate with a variety of services in our three and altitude contrives to p rticultural inadequacies? churches, attracting all age groups. The first is the Toy Service, I just seeking to excuse my ho when our children bring their gifts for the local children's home. lved all Is there any fellow enthusiast out there who has so ach (Unfortunately the service will already have taken place by the sfully stopped their spin the problems? Who has succes time you receive your copy of the Raven.) This is followed by the t through to Autumn with from bolting; who can ge end three Carol Services - the popular Carols by Candlelight at russels; who knows how to def Jenkin Chapel on December 20th at 3.00pm, and Forest leaves still on his/her B their plot against rabbits and pigeons? Chapel's on Christmas Eve. Rainow's service, which includes the ime magical candlelit procession of our children, will this year be at deners Question T Perhaps we could have our own Gar lumn in 7.00pm on Wednesday the 23rd. The midnight communion ternatively, a regular co in the Institute or, al s service will start at 11.00pm on Christmas Eve in Rainow, eone who has really got to grip your magazine by som followed by Parish communion at 10 am on Christmas Day. dening in Rainow. with productive vegetable gar Though this may sound rather complicated, it is intended to offer a service to everyone, everywhere, where they will be ary Nicol welcome. Hil Christmas actually starts much earlier in the village, with our carol singers starting out on December 10th round Miller's Meadow. By the time you read this, they will also have visited Rainowlow, Round Meadow, and Kerridge End – we hope you will have enjoyed the carols and even, perhaps, joined in the singing of those wonderful verses. For many years, Julia Sloan has organized the collecting for us and recently we have been able to send about £500 each year to the Children's Society. The Society runs a home in Manchester which offers refuge and care to the many children who, for all sorts of reasons, find themselves on the streets, with nowhere to go. It seems appropriate that, while we are celebrating the birth of the Holy Child in a stable, Rainow’s donation goes to a charity which cares for today’s homeless children.

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JOHN LEIGH (PLUMBING) Plumbing & Heating Engineer

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The Yellow Teapot Café Wellington Road, Bollington SK10 5JR G For jazz G For comedy G For chamber music For your FREE copy G For professional & amateur email us at: [email protected] theatre productions G Homemade scones For talks G Delicious sandwiches For art exhibitions Homemade pies G For poetry readings To advertise in this space Large selection of cakes G For rehearsal space “Follow the yellow teapot signs!” G For classes G For hire call Ian Brammer on Open 10am – 5pm Wed, Sat & Sun For more information visit our website: Common Barn Farm, Smith Lane, Rainow www.bollingtonartscentre.org.uk 01625 426059 Tel: 01625 574878 or ring 573863

A personal and reliable Painting and FAMILY BUTCHERS Decorating service, Palmerston Street, by a local, experienced Bollington Studio/Gallery@Kerridge End craftsman. Tel: 01625 572202 FOR FREE ESTIMATES CALL Cesterbridge Cottage Kerridge End Rainow 114 Wellington Road, 01625-821783 Bollington Telephone: 01625 612478 or 07954 326863 Tel: 01625 573172 54 Sugar Lane, Rainow, Macclesfield, 5 Fountain Place, www.janeosmond.net Cheshire. SK10 5UJ Tel: 01625 872154 ROY McCARTHY Coaches for every occasion 35 - 70 Seaters Please call us for our 2009 brochure with details of our holiday tours and day excursions

Tel: Macclesfield (01625) 425060 www.roymccarthycoaches.co.uk THE COACH DEPOT N SNAPE ROAD N MACCLESFIELD 14

What’s On in Rainow and Bollington DECEMBER 2009 23 7.00pm Carol Service Rainow Church 24 3.00pm Carol Service Forest Chapel 24 11.00pm Midnight Communion Rainow Church 25 10.00am Parish Communion Rainow Church

JANUARY 2010 9 7.30pm Epiphany Carols in aid of UNICEF Rainow Church BBC Daily Service Singers Tickets from Jenny Kelly 01625 575787 Suggested donation adults £7.50 concessions £4.00 inc. mulled wine & mince pies 11 7.30pm Rainow W.I. Bring an Heirloom Rainow Institute Members Evening 9-11 Pantomime – Robinson Crusoe & The Pirates Bollington Arts Centre, Bollington Festival Players. Tickets 01625 875326 13 8.00pm Friends of Rainow School Meeting Robin Hood, Rainow 22 7.30pm Mothers Union – New Year Party Rainow Church Centre 24-28 Sundays 2-4 and Art from the Attic Bollington Arts Centre during events New work by young artists 29 8.00pm Bolly Comedy Club Bollington Arts Centre, Tickets 01625 560774 30 8.00pm Jazz at the Arts Centre Bollington Arts Centre, Savannah Jazz Band - Tickets 01625 574410

FEBRUARY 2010 s On 1 2.00pm Bollington Chamber Concerts - The Albion Quartet Bridgend Centre, Tickets £12/£6. Tel: 01625 560355 or 575287 Bollington 8 7.30pm Rainow W.I. Old Rainow Archive Photographs Rainow Institute Bob Langstaff. All welcome 16 7.45pm Mothers Union AGM followed by Social Time Rainow Church Centre 19 8.00pm True North – Martin Wainwright Bollington Arts Centre Northern Editor of The Guardian discusses his new book £5/£3 pay at door 20 8.00pm Scherzo Brass – RNCM graduate quartet Bollington Arts Centre Tickets £8/£6. Tel: 01625 575287 26 8.00pm Bolly Comedy Club Bollington Arts Centre Tickets 01625 560774 27 8.00pm Jazz at the Arts Centre Bollington Arts Centre – Mart Rodgers Manchester Jazz. Tickets £8 01625 574410

MARCH 2010 5 8.00pm Naked Eye Astronomy Bollington Arts Centre – Andrew Greenwood £5/£3 Pay at door. 7-11 Sundays 2-4 In the Gallery “No Ego” Photography Bollington Arts Centre and during events Katherine Lewis, Ewa James & Kate McLean 8 7.30pm Rainow WI - Georgiana – her life and loves Rainow Institute Lorraine Mayfield 14 8.00pm Bollington Chamber Concerts – The Danel Quartet Bollington Arts Centre Tickets £12/£6. Tel: 01625 560355 or 575287 16 7.45pm Mothers Union - Speaker Margaret Tate Rainow Church Centre 17-20 7.00pm Bollington Players Spring Production Bollington Arts Centre Details: 01625 875326 26 8.00pm Bolly Comedy Club - Tickets: 01625 560774 Bollington Arts Centre 27 8.00pm Jazz at the Arts Centre - T.J. Johnson Band Bollington Arts Centre Tickets £8 Tel: 01625 574410

We have made this list as comprehensive as space permits & it is necessarily a selection of the events we know about. If you have anything planned that you would like us to list in the next issue, please call 01625 426059.

15 What’

Walks for All; Rambles in Rainow by Plodder The walk starts and finishes at the Pym summit, even though our route turns right Chair car park which is at the top of steep just before. Shining Tor is an and winding road rising from Jenkin unprepossessing summit but is the Chapel in Saltersford Valley. highest point in Cheshire and offers good Donning boots, hats, gloves, warm views in all directions. There is a trig point clothing and carrying some food for the there (now redundant) as well as a bench journey make your way back to the road for the weary in the lee of the wall. from the car park and turn left at the Pym After some refreshment, retrace your steps for about 50m to the sign to Lamaload and FP 82. For the fit and adventurous now begins a steep and exciting descent down a grassy path which can be done in a rush...the less agile will need to pick their way carefully down. At the cross track by a stile look back and admire your descent and look back to u START your left to view the ridge you have come along – impressive. Start of the ridge walk Turn right here and follow the FP 1 gently Chair display board. Go through the gate down by a stone wall and then across Walk 5: A Christmas Cracker on the left of the cattle grid and then, after open land to another crossing by a stream Map: Rainow Parish Paths a few yards, turn right onto a steep path and some ruins. Cross into the ruins and take a look around. Soak up the OS Explorer O L24 signposted Shining Tor to reach the start of the ridge. atmosphere. You are below the ridge and approx 4.5 miles (7 km) surrounded by hills on all other sides Distance: As you walk along the road to the start Ascent: about 150m except immediately ahead of you. It will you’ll see Pym Chair to your right along feel very remote and spooky. You have Some soft ground and wet Going: the ridge and below the path you are reached Thursbitch. underfoot about to traverse. This flat piece of rock jutting out towards the Cheshire Plain, This takes its name from Thor’s Bitch or Time: about 2 hours takes its name either from a Dissenting Batch, a homestead. So, the homestead Start and Finish: Pym Chair preacher who preached to the faithful here of Thor. The God of Thunder...let’s hope Car Park away from the prying eyes of the he is not about today. And it was this ruin Anglicans below, or from the highwayman with its strange name and isolated Footpath numbers relate to the Rainow location that inspired Alan Garner CBE Parish Paths map. who spied his victims coming along the toll road below – hence the Highwayman (Cheshire’s own famous novelist) to write pub. his novel Thursbitch. y walks so far have been designed Dragging yourself back to the job in hand, Mfor all, with a view to encouraging Once on the ridge you can bowl along walk through the ruins and follow the path residents and visitors to get out, get surveying all around you but first you rise across a number of small streams walking and enjoy our beautiful parish. to Cat’s Tor (don’t ask me why Cat’s) at keeping the ridge on your right and But our parish also has some handsome about 525m and then the going is fairly heading north. Soon you’ll pick up a good and remote parts that are less accessible. flat for about a kilometre until you start to climb up to Shining Tor. track and follow that to Howlers Knowl This walk is not for the faint-hearted, farm, which it skirts around, and then rising, as it does, to 560m and running You’ll soon come across the beautifully follow the farm lane back to the road. along the exposed ridge forming the laid thick wide stone path built a few years At the road turn right and carefully walk up parish’s (and the County’s) eastern ago by the Peak Park (it does have some the steeply twisting road back to the car boundary. Don’t attempt this walk in poor uses). Now begins a bit of a trudge park...driving home, glance back up at the visibility unless you are an experienced (though good underfoot!) up to Shining ridge and resolve to read Alan’s book. walker. Tor. It is worth going the whole way to the

Easy walking along the ridge Trig point at Shining Tor summit Howlers Knowl among the trees 16