University of the Third Age

Last week I was invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the Ashton and District branch of the University of the Third Age at the YMCA in Hilton Street. The event was very well attended and I am sure there will be enough enthusiasm to make it a success in the long run.

The U3a, as it is known, is a life-long co-operative for older people who are no longer in full time work. It provides opportunities to share learning experiences in a wide range of interests - pursuing learning not for exams or qualifications but for fun and mutual benefit. (It reminds me very much of when I was at university in the 60s - how I got a degree I will never know.)

To give a flavour of what you can expect if you join here some examples of sessions held at a neighbouring group:

1. short walks

2. singing for fun

3. tap dancing

4. theatre visits

5. wine tasting

6. theology and philosophy

These are just a few of many classes being held.

If any reader wants to know more details about the U3a as it is known then they can log on to www.u3a.org.uk

Brown bins - update

I have now been informed that the brown bins are now to be delivered in the Manor Park / Bolton Road / North Street area on May 11th.

Love food - Hate waste

I attended the launch of the Love food Hate waste campaign in Manchester on Thursday which aims to highlight how much food we waste and ways that we can rectify this.

Apparently we in the UK waste 6.7 million tonnes of food a year. An average family would save £600 a year if they used the food that they already bought.

One of the features of the launch was to inform people how to cook what would be considered left overs destined for the rubbish bin and a well known local chef Andrew Nutter gave a cookery demonstration as part of the launch. I have sample recipes if anyone would like them.

Wigan Council will be continuing the campaign in the area and I will let readers know when they are coming to Ashton.

George's pond

Following comments about the state of George's pond by local residents I asked local residents if they would like to form a Friends of Georges pond group and was pleased to receive names of several volunteers. To launch this group we invited the local press to do an article which appeared last week in the Wigan Evening Post - see picture showing myself, Ian McCartney and local residents.


Last night the group met for the first time and an action plan for improving the area around the pond and the pond itself was drawn up. One of the events that the group decided on was to have a litter pick on Saturday 23rd May at 10.00 am.

I will give readers of this blog an update of improvements as they happen

New Puffin Crossing on Wigan Road

I have been informed that all the Council procedures are complete for the installation of a new puffin crossing that will link the two parks on Wigan Road. The Council is currently waiting for a construction start date from Greater Manchester Urban Traffic Control, (GMUTC), who manage and maintain all the signals across GM.

As soon as I get more information about the programme for this work, I will post it on my blog.

Re-cycling - update

Recycling in Wigan borough just got even easier with the news that residents can now put the following range of paper products into their white sack:

1. Yellow Pages

2. White envelopes with or without windows

3.Phone directories and

4.Birthday and Christmas cards (without glitter)

All these items can now be put out for the fortnightly waste paper recycling collection.

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Parrots - correction

I have received the following message from a reader:

Your blog is interesting reading.

I especially like the bird photos. Unfortunately your description of the parrot is wrong.

The ones in London are these, see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose-ringed_Parakeet

The Ashton parrot is one of these

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-fronted_Amazon