Congleton Radio (2025)

29/10/2024

Congleton’s Community Transport Partnership Marks 10 Years of Driving Connection and Care!

Congleton is celebrating a decade of making a difference on wheels! During this year’s Community Transport Week ( ), which wrapped up on October 18th, the local community proudly marked 10 years of providing the transport service. This milestone coincided perfectly with the nationwide celebration of the dedication and impact of community transport efforts.

Since 2012, when Cheshire East first donated an 8-seater minibus to the Congleton Partnership, followed by a 17-seater minibus from the Department of Transport in 2017, the community transport program has grown into a vital resource for residents. Set up and managed by Cllr Glen Williams through Congleton Partnership, in collaboration with New Life Church, which manages the vehicles, the service has helped countless residents maintain their independence and stay connected.

Reflecting on CTWeek, Cllr Glen Williams said: "The week shone a spotlight on the tireless dedication of our volunteers and hardworking coordinators who go above and beyond to provide essential, reliable transport. They’re a lifeline for people facing mobility challenges and groups that can't afford commercial hire. Congleton’s Community Transport Partnership plays an invaluable role in helping isolated community members stay connected.”
One shining example is the All Saints Luncheon Club in Buglawton, which hires the minibus every Friday to bring local residents together for a shared meal at the community centre—possibly their only outing of the week.

Despite its vital role, community transport is often overlooked in policy and funding discussions. Cllr Williams emphasised, “We must continue to raise awareness of the incredible value these services provide and ensure they get the support they need.”

Any groups affiliated with the Congleton Partnership are eligible to hire the minibus, and the service is actively seeking volunteer drivers. Full training will be provided. If you're interested in helping to keep this service on the road, please contact [email protected].

29/10/2024

Congleton Will Remember Them

Congleton Town Council is anticipating another fantastic turnout for the Congleton Remembrance Service at the Lawton Street Cenotaph on Sunday 10 November, as the community unites to remember those who gave their lives in service to the country.

The parade will assemble at West Street Car Park from 10am, ready to depart at 10.30am. Led by Steve Evans from the Congleton Branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL), the parade will march along West Street to Swan Bank, through the pedestrian area, High Street, Market Square, and Bank Street, reaching the Cenotaph at 10.50am.

Following the two-minute silence at 11am, Revd. Ian Enticott, Rector of All Saints Congleton, will conduct a short outdoor service. Master of Ceremonies Gary Dolman, RBL will call upon dignitaries and associations for the laying of wreaths. For all wreath enquiries, contact William Brownlee, RBL via email: [email protected]
Congleton Town Mayor, Cllr Kay Wesley expressed her pride in the event, stating: “The Remembrance Service is an important occasion for our town, bringing people together to honour the sacrifices made by so many, including our very own veterans. It is heartwarming to see such strong community support, and we are especially grateful to the Prinses Irene Brigade travelling over from Holland again. Together, we remember and reflect on the bravery of those who served.”

After the service, the parade will reform and march to the rear of the town hall via Market Square, where they will be dismissed. The town council has invited dignitaries and groups in the parade to return to the Town Hall for refreshments, with a performance by the Mossley School Choir.

To ensure the parade can march safely to the Cenotaph, there will be temporary 15-minute rolling road closures between 10.30am and 10.50am on West Street, Swan Bank, Mill Street, Moody Street, and Market Street. Full road closures will be in place on High Street, Canal Street, Kinsey Street, Bank Street, and Market Square from 10am-12.30pm. Motorists are advised to allow extra time for their journeys.

On Armistice Day, 11 November, the RBL will hold a short service at the Cenotaph at 11am, with all welcome to attend. The official launch of the Poppy Appeal will take place on Saturday 26 October. The RBL stall will be outside the All Ranks and Community Café next to Morrison’s. Volunteers for the Congleton Poppy Appeal will be collecting daily at Tesco and Morrisons, as well as at West Heath Shopping Centre on weekends until 9 November.

Congleton Town Hall will be illuminated with Remembrance Poppies from 7-13 November from 4.30pm-9pm. The town council would like to thank Lightech and Reeds Rains Estate Agents for their support in making this happen.

The Remembrance Service is organised by Congleton Town Council in collaboration with the Congleton Branch of the Royal British Legion. The town council sponsors the event, funding the road closures, sound system, band, and other associated expenses and logistics. The Royal British Legion organises the parade, acts as Master of Ceremonies, and coordinates the Poppy Appeal.

14/09/2024

Get Ready for a Spooktacular Half Term

Congleton Town Council is excited to host a Haunted Halloween-themed half-term, offering free spooky fun for young ghosts and ghouls. Partnering with 40 town centre businesses, the Halloween Trail will take place from 26 October to 2 November. The gothic town hall will also be home to more thrilling activities, with the return of 'Witchy Wednesday' on 30 October.

The Halloween Trail invites participants to grab their broomsticks and explore the town, uncovering clues, experiencing the delights of Halloween in a safe and enjoyable environment. Closer to the time, trail forms will be available to download or picked up from the Congleton Information Centre where little ones can start their spooky journey and return to collect their special treat.

The fun ramps up with ‘Witchy Wednesday’ on 30 October at the Town Hall. The event is free to attend, with a small donation requested for pumpkin carving (minimum £1 per child). Families are encouraged to come dressed in their most spellbinding costumes and get ready for ghoulish activities, including, Face Painting, Creepy Crafts, Scary Cake Decorating and a Fancy Dress Competition. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times during the event. Advance booking is required for children attending the free sessions, adults do not need to book. Each booking is limited to one time slot and up to four children.

Choose from 11am-12pm, 12.30pm-1.30pm and 2pm-3pm. To book, scan the QR code or visit: Congleton Town Council event tickets from TicketSource. (www.ticketsource.co.uk/congleton-town-council)

Rachel McCarthy, Congleton Town Council’s Town Centre and Events Officer, said: "We’re thrilled to bring the community together for these free, fun-filled activities in the heart of Congleton. Last year marked our first Halloween event, the Haunted Trail built on the success of our popular Easter Trail and Witchy Wednesday, a brand-new experience, was such a hit that we've introduced a free ticketing system this year to manage demand and ensure we don’t run out of pumpkins! We encourage everyone to join in these safe, family-friendly events. See you there... if you dare!"

For more information contact the Congleton Information Centre, tel: 01260 270350 or email: [email protected]. Visit the town council website: www.congleton-tc.gov.uk

14/09/2024

East Cheshire NHS Trust celebrates workforce diversity, with more than 60 nationalities from across the globe now represented

East Cheshire NHS Trust’s workforce now includes colleagues from more than 60 nations across the globe, with staff from overseas playing a key role in providing excellent patient care across its services.

The Trust, which manages Macclesfield District General Hospital, Congleton War Memorial Hospital, and Knutsford District and Community Hospital, along with community-based health care services across East Cheshire, has recently welcomed colleagues from ten countries that had not been represented among the Trust’s colleagues previously.

The last 12 months has seen the Trust welcome recruits from countries including Cyprus, Malaysia, Sweden, Jordan and Tanzania.
This means that people from a total of 65 different nations across the globe currently contribute to patient care and the smooth running of the Trust and its services throughout the local community, bringing with them a range of diverse experiences, cultures and perspectives.

Recruits from overseas are met with a warm welcome from the Trust, and receive focused pastoral care, to help them settle into their new workplace. Earlier in the year, the Trust was awarded the Pastoral Care Quality Award, this prestigious award recognises the commitment the Trust has made towards international recruitment and the high-quality pastoral care provided to internationally educated nurses and midwives.

Jake Mairs, Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at East Cheshire NHS Trust, said: “As a Trust, we remain committed to ensuring diversity is championed and celebrated across our organisation.

“We are deeply passionate in supporting and nurturing diverse talent, being a great place to work, and providing high quality care for patients, families and communities.

“We are also proud that we were awarded the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award earlier this year, in recognition of the ongoing support and dedication provided to our colleagues.”

Working as a Paediatric Nurse at Macclesfield District General Hospital since 2022, Stephen Kwarteng, who is from Ghana said: “It’s been absolute fantastic ever since l joined the Trust at Macclesfield Hospital in September 2022.

“It’s been a blessing to be part of the hospital and I am very proud to execute my role as a Paediatric Nurse within the Trust.
“The training I have acquired has made me very competent and confident in delivering holistic care to patients. A big thanks to the Trust for making me what I am today.”

The Trust currently employees over 440 colleagues from overseas in total.

14/09/2024

Double delight for East Cheshire NHS Trust as staff and volunteers shortlisted for two prestigious NHS Parliamentary Awards 2024

The care, compassion and dedication of staff and volunteers at East Cheshire NHS Trust will be recognised at this year’s NHS Parliamentary Awards, with the Trust shortlisted nationally in two categories.

The awards saw a record-breaking number of submissions, with 318 MPs putting forward 918 nominations across England, and following an extensive regional shortlisting process, the Trust will be represented at the awards by ward volunteer, Remi Livesey who has been shortlisted for the Volunteer Award, and the Trust’s Maternity and Neonatal team, who have been shortlisted for the Nursing and Midwifery Award.

East Cheshire NHS Trust Chief Executive, Ged Murphy said: “Our staff and volunteers work incredibly hard to provide great care and we are delighted to put forward two very worthy nominations for this year’s NHS Parliamentary Awards.

“Our maternity and neonatal team have continued to work tirelessly to provide the highest quality care to mothers and their babies, with their commitment and compassion ensuring that every family receives the support they need.

“We have around 200 volunteers at the Trust, and they are the heart and soul of our community, providing invaluable support and care which Remi has showcased and his dedication and selflessness has made a profound difference in the lives of both patients and staff.”
Following the reinstatement of the service in June 2023, the Trust’s midwifery team have received a huge amount of positive feedback from patients, with over 1200 babies born, demonstrating local women’s support of the service.

East Cheshire NHS Trust’s Head of Midwifery, Nicola Biggar, said: “We are very proud and delighted to have been shortlisted for the Nursing and Midwifery Award at this year’s NHS Parliamentary Awards.

“Our maternity services are dedicated to ensuring that every mother and baby receive the best possible care, and our team is committed to supporting families through every stage of pregnancy and beyond, ensuring a safe and positive experience for all.”

Volunteering at Macclesfield District General Hospital for over two years, Remi has been recognised for his outstanding contribution and the huge impact on the patients and staff he has supported.
The awards, which were launched in 2018, recognise the outstanding contribution of staff, volunteers and others working in the health and care sector.

This year’s winners will be announced at the NHS Parliamentary Awards 2024 ceremony in London on Monday 14th October.

24/08/2024

The hospital is currently caring for many, many animals and is running low on the items below.
We'd very much appreciate if you could help us to top up!
Items can be found on our or feel free to purchase from wherever you prefer.
The delivery address is
Lower Moss Wood Nature Reserve
School Lane
Ollerton
Knutsford
WA16 8SJ

We can't do what we do without people like you - thank you! 🦊

https://amzn.eu/7hPCKtQ

24/08/2024

If you are looking for something to do today, why not attend the Dobermann Rescue Open Day at Siddington Hall.

24/08/2024

Hospital staff on mission to help patients get home quicker

Staff at Macclesfield District General Hospital have starred in a new information video produced to encourage inpatients in hospital to ‘get up, get dressed and get moving’.

The video was produced by East Cheshire NHS Trust, which manages Macclesfield Hospital, along with Congleton War Memorial Hospital and Knutsford and Community Hospital.

Occupational Therapists (OTs) at the Trust, Chloe Grindey and Simran Sequeira feature in the short video which incorporates key messages and tips from the Trust’s ‘Dressed is Best’ campaign, which aims to reduce the length of time patients spend in hospital and speed up their recovery.

Many patients, particularly older people, who spend time in hospital find that they no longer feel able, or confident, to live independently, or take part in their usual activities when they are discharged.

This is because of the impact that spending an extended amount of time in bed can have on the body. In fact, for every ten days of bed rest in hospital, the equivalent of ten years of muscle ageing can occur in people over 80 years old, and building this muscle strength back up takes twice as long as it does to deteriorate.

Getting up, dressed, and moving during the day while spending time in hospital can help patients to avoid falls and maintain their mobility, reduce their risk of skin damage and chest infections, enhance their sleep quality, mood and appetite, and even get home quicker and recover better.

Rachel Pepler, Head of Allied Health Professions (AHPs) at East Cheshire NHS Trust, said: “Little things like this can have a huge impact not only on someone’s independence and confidence, but also their mental health and wellbeing too.
“Our patients who get themselves dressed and up and about tell us that they feel much better, and many are able to go home sooner too, which is fantastic.”

Family and friends of patients are also being asked to support by ensuring that they have suitable footwear and plenty of clean clothes to wear during their hospital stay.

Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/dNsCc5pjuoc?si=O7LTNSMZ3kvVyLjC

24/08/2024

Have your say! Share your experiences of health and care in East Cheshire

Residents in East Cheshire are being encouraged to share their experiences of local health and care services.
East Cheshire NHS Trust are inviting those who have used their services to provide a valuable insight of their experience through a short survey.

Information gathered will help with the development of the Trust’s new Patient and Public Experience and Engagement strategy, which will focus on developing existing patient priorities as well as continuing to develop and improve our services to meet the needs of the communities we serve East Cheshire NHS Trust’s Deputy Chief Nurse, Paul Devlin, said: “We are encouraging everyone who lives in East Cheshire to take part in the survey to let us know about their experiences and views of our local NHS and care services.
“It matters to us that we are truly listening to what our patients and communities say, how we can continually improve the services that we offer, and how we develop our services in partnership with our patients and service users.”

The survey will take approximately ten minutes to complete and asks participants about their experiences of current services, what is working well and where further improvements could be made.
The survey can be completed online: https://ow.ly/mESE50T4Qus
or by filling out a questionnaire at one of Macclesfield, Congleton or Knutsford Hospitals.

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