Carnival scrapped for second year but plans for future
ORGANISERS of Bacup and Stacksteads Carnival have reluctantly taken the decision to cancel this year’s event.
This year’s scheduled carnival would have been on June 27, just six days after the restrictions could be relaxed, if the Prime Minister’s roadmap goes exactly to plan.
Catherine Smyth, chairman of Bacup and Stacksteads Carnival Organisation, BASCO, said:
“Although, thanks to the vaccination programme going so well, we are all starting to see light at the end of the dark Covid tunnel, there is no guarantee that the roadmap will be able to stick to its projected timetable. If, over the next few months, just one of those dates set out could not be met, then our event could not take place.
“As a committee, we agreed there was too much uncertainty to have the confidence to go ahead with this year’s event. However, BASCO remains in a strong financial position and we had already raised a significant amount towards the costs of last year’s carnival that also had to be cancelled because of the pandemic. These funds will carry forward to support 2022.”
Bacup Pride is, however, ,going ahead with its Flowerpot Festival this year.
For a flowerpot sculpture kit, email Bacup Pride chairman Pat Smith on bacuppride@gmail.com
BASCO is now working towards the next Bacup and Stacksteads Carnival on Sunday June 26, 2022.
EAST Lancashire Railway (ELR) has received an interest-free loan of £300,000 to safeguard its future.
The railway secured the funding as it fights against the impact of the ongoing pandemic.
ELR Trust, a charity made up of four groups of trustees including the three local authorities the railway runs through (Bury, Rochdale and Rossendale) provided the heritage railway with the loan. It’s hoped the money can help the railway get through the remainder of the challenging winter period and provide moral support to its staff and volunteers.
Lockdown over winter resulted in an extensive amount of cancelled services and events, which have meant that apart from a short few days leading up to Christmas the railway has been closed since last November. It was unable to run its much-loved Santa Specials in December due to local coronavirus restrictions – depriving it of its most important source of income of the year.
As such the railway, which usually sees around 200,000 visitors every year, turned to the ELR Trust – which owns the land and leases the railway line to the ELR – for support.
Brian Davies, chairman of the ELR Trust, said: “Covid-19 has devastated charities like the ELR right across the country.
“However, for the Trustees there is only one ELR and we will do whatever we can in our power to make sure this beloved railway survives.”
He also said he hoped the railway could open again soon and allow visitors a unique glimpse of what the North West has to offer.
●● TO support East Lancashire Railway visit www.eastlancsrailway. org.uk.
THIS week, we are looking at the work of The Social Prescribing Team.
Many things affect our health and well-being. GPs tell us that a lot of people visit them feeling isolated or lonely, stress out by work, money and housing problems.
Sometimes it’s managing long term health conditions. Social prescribing is essentially making connections that give people a sense of belonging that comes from being part of a community group.
The Social Prescribing Team are there to help people find a new sense of purpose and to enjoy activities they might not otherwise have tried before that will help people stay physically and mentally well for longer and also manage the long-term conditions that they might be living with.
The team works in partnership and collaboratively with GPs, nurses, pharmacists and other support groups and agencies that can provide legal and debt advice and access to local resources that can offer both opportunities to practice familiar skills and pass tips on to others, or take up new activities that offer a challenge and opportunities to socialise and make new friends.
As we begin to come out of the Covid restrictions, it is a great opportunity to make a new start.
Supporting our Rossendale community
Barry Hyde – chair of the Rossendale Community Support Network
The Social Prescribing Team is part of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Council for Voluntary Service and are funded by the East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group, and the Link Workers provide support with all the non-medical issues that impact on your health and wellbeing.
The team’s mantra is “Together, we empower you to enhance your life and address the problems.”
FOR further information on social prescribing please visit www.england.nhs.uk/ personalisedcare/ social-prescribing/ or contact team member Debbie Dewhurst at deborah.dewhurst@ bprcvs.co.uk.