Cheshire Independent Issue 144

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020 2 Follow us on Facebook: Cheshire Independent THE Barnaby Festival has been awarded a welcome £57,000 National Lottery grant as the countdown continues to Macclesfield’s big summer cultural and arts event. The Arts Council England (ACE) National Lottery project cash will secure commissions including international visual artist Liz West. The award will enable a number of new arts commissions and art- ist residencies for the 2020 event. Barnaby Festival will run from June18-28, falling over two week- ends, celebrating its tenth anni- versary with ten days of cultural activity and exploring the theme of Vision. TheArts Council award will see Barnaby Festival commission a new installation from British visual artist LizWest, who creates site-specific art works combining the phenomena of colour and light to create a sensory experience for the viewer. Liz returns to Macclesfield and Barnaby, having exhibited in 2013 with her work Consumed. Her works have been shown nationally and internationally including London Design Festival, National History Museum, The National Trust and Paris Fashion Week. The first weekend of Barn- aby, will be billed as First Light and will explore midsummer and the summer solstice. Another commission will be artist Simon Buckley who produces the Not Quite Light project. Simon will be exploring the connection of Macclesfield to the forest with a new piece of work entitled Our Future is Ancient. Barnaby’s second weekend, billed as Second Sight, will be exploring the way technology and digital culture can work to benefit society. Future Everything, the Man- chester-based organisation, will be working with Barnaby Festival to curate a programme looking at how technology and the arts create new perspectives and ways of seeing. The programme will be looking at the application of technologies such as virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. Barnaby Festival will also be working with Brighter Sound, a music charity that works with young and emerging musicians. Its ambassadors include musi- cians Beth Orton and Nadine Shah. Brighter Sound will be producing a week-long residency CHESHIRE East has secured a cash boost of more than £400,000 for its strategy to help the bor- ough’s rough sleepers. The council will receive £438,329.30 from a £112m funding pot as part of the government’s rough sleep- ing programme. Working with charities and faith groups, the council will use the money to continue its drive to reduce the number of people sleeping on the streets. The initiative includes funding beds in various locations together with a pro-active team of support workers who actively encourage rough sleepers to use recognised accommodation. Government funding received last year by the council enabled the author- ity to appoint a rough sleeping coordi- nator and build an outreach team to support rough sleepers, encouraging them to come in off the streets. The team can also direct those in need towards emergency and longer- term accommodation. They also pro- vide long-term help and advice, which can lead to more permanent accommo- dation and employment. Nick Mannion, council cabinet member for environment and regen- eration, said: “This further round of funding will help us to develop impor- tant work in prisons and in our hospi- tals where some of our rough sleepers can end up. “We want to make sure they have somewhere to go when discharged back into society and prevent a ‘revolv- ing door’ scenario – where people end up back on the streets, sleeping rough. “We have managed to keep our numbers of rough sleepers in the bor- ough fairly low but one rough sleeper is one too many. “We are eager to tackle the harm- ful effects of homelessness through a proactive prevention programme, as these can have a severe impact on family life and on children as well as an individual’s mental health and wellbeing.” The council is encouraging res- idents to report a rough sleeper by calling 0300 123 5017 so that they can be helped. In the year to March 2019, the council helped 129 homeless people on the streets into longer term accom- modation and continued that with a further 97 successful outcomes later in the year. Retailers of fine furniture & upholstery. Makers of custom built furniture for all the rooms in your home. Over 100 years of furniture. Modern Oak, Rustic Oak, Painted Furniture, Dining Room, Bedroom, Sofas, Recliners, Chairs www.brownsfurniturecongleton.co.uk Telephone: 01260 273403 36 Lawton St, Congleton, Cheshire CW12 1RS EST 1902 Brown’s Furniture Welcome help for the homeless PEOPLE across Cheshire East are being urged to join its trading standards ‘nom- inated neigh- bour’ scheme. The scheme has been developed to tackle bogus call- ers, rogue traders and other means of distraction thefts and burglaries. The project ena- bles people to be protected by some- one they know and trust, such as a neighbour or relative. The vulnerable person is given a card they hold up to a window or door, which advises any unidentified or unexpected caller to go to the address of a nom- inated neighbour or speak to them over the phone. This person will then check thae caller’s identity. If they are genu- ine, the nominated neighbour will return with them and supervise the visit to make sure that nothing unto- ward takes place and will remain there until the caller has left. Mick Warren, Cheshire East cab- inet member for Become a nominated neighbour communities, said: “This scheme helps people within our communities feel safer in dealing with unwanted or unexpected people who call at their homes. In turn, it protects our resi- dents and reduces incidents of door- step crime. “When the nom- inated neighbour card is shown to the caller, it replaces any need for the occupant to speak with that person. “Agenuine caller will not mind fol- lowing the instruc- tions andwe believe that no criminal, who preys on the elderly or vulnera- ble, would like this type of scrutiny.” For more details contac t Ci t i - zens Advice on 0345 040506. Cash boost for Barnaby with leading figures in the music industry working with local emerging artists who will perform in the festival. Alongside the Arts Council England award, Barnaby Festi- val has also received funding from Cheshire East and Macclesfield Town councils as well as support from local businesses, including The Picturedrome. Abi Gilmore, who is co-chair- ing the festival, said: “We’re really excited that we have received the ACE award and support from local businesses and councils. “It will help us programme the high standard of visual arts, music and culture that Barnaby has built a reputation for delivering. “However, we are still looking for financial support. Barnaby Festival is a great cultural event for Macclesfield, bringing the town to life and creating some great economic opportunities. “We want to make 2020 a great success and deliver one of the best festivals yet. If you are interested in supporting us, please do get in touch on sponsor@barnabyfesti- val.org.uk ” Independent Family Businesses Since 1853 Working together to serve the communities of Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Prestbury, Bollington & Macclesfield Albert R Slack Ltd 84 South Oak Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 6AT 01625 525063 JW Brocklehurst Ltd 17 Macclesfield Road, Prestbury, SK10 4BW 01625 829232 www.cheshirefunerals.co.uk Albert R Slack Ltd & JW Brocklehurst Ltd Funeral Directors Independent CHESHIRE SalesDirector: ROBINATKINS 01625501675 robin@cheshireindependent.co.uk Editor:JOHNPATRICK john@independentnewspapers.co.uk ClassifiedSales:JESS MUSCHAMP 01204 478812 jessica@independentnewspapers.co.uk No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher of the Cheshire Independent accepts no responsibility for claims made. 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