Cheshire Independent Issue 205

3 SEPTEMBER 2025 Visit our website: www.independentnewspapers.co.uk KEEPING CHESHIRE ON THE MOVE #SUPPORTLOCAL 24 HOURS SERVICE DOWNLOAD THERAPY dogs are bringing joy to patients, vis- itors and staff at East Chesh- ire Hospice. Border collie Jack has been vis- iting the inpatient unit and Sunflower Living Well Centre with owner Barry Chopping for more than three years. His late brother- in-law Raymond Barnes was cared for by the Maccles- field hospice and he wanted to give something back. Bar r y sa id : “Raymond ended his days at the hospice and it’s a nice way for me to contribute as a volunteer. “Jack enjoys his visits. Once he sees me getting out his ‘Pets as Therapy’ jacket, he gets excited and starts jumping about because he knows we’re going to work. “You’d be sur- prised how many of those at the hospice have had dogs. I ask people if they like them and if not, we move on – I realise it’s not for everyone. “Most patients like to engage with Jack. It’s a tactile thing, like giving him a biscuit and it might remind them of their own dogs. “It’s a short break from the sit- uation they’re in. I’ve had 11 dogs over the years. Jack is about the best I’ve had. He’s a youthful nine CHANGES have been made to payment methods at Shirleys Car Park in Prest- bury following repeated acts of vandalism. Motorists will no longer be able to use cash or a card and payment for parking is now only available through the RingGo app. Cheshire East Council has made the decision following repeated incidents of vandal- ism to the payment machines, which it says has led to costly replacements and repairs. In a statement the council said: “A decision has had to be made not to continually repair or replace the damaged equipment. “The machine has been made safe, and appropriate measures have been taken to secure the area. It is neither feasible nor viable to continue to rectify this unwarranted but continuous criminal activity.” A council spokesperson said: “Signs will be installed to clearly inform users that, due to persistent vandalism, this is now a RingGo-only facility. They added: “Some of the signs erected more recently have been removed and as such, mobile CCTV may have to be deployed to assist with the ongoing crim- inal investigations.” Motorists who are not able to use the RingGo app can still use RingGo by calling: 020 3046 0010 and making pay- ment that way. They can also use a text message to park by texting 81025. NEWS IN BRIEF MACCLESFIELD Town Hall is getting ready to welcome visitors on Heritage Open Day on Saturday September 13. The iconic building will also be hosting a ‘Made in Macclesfield’ craft market in the Assembly Room. PLANS to remove Wildboarclough’s telephone box have been scrapped after a campaign involving Macclesfield MP Tim Roca. He said: “In rural areas, public phone boxes remain an important lifeline, particularly in emergencies.” CHESHIRE East Council has published details of the allowances paid to its elected members. The figures made public cover the financial year, from April 1 2024 to March 31, 2025. The total cost of allowances was £1,280,084. CHESHIRE West and Chester Council has joined forces with police to carry out intensive enforcement throughout the borough to tackle fly tipping and waste transfer offences. Four-legged visitors making a difference Happy faces: John Berry and Henrik (Photo credit: East Cheshire Hospice) Welcome visitors: Barry with his dog Jack (Photo credit: East Cheshire Hospice) and obedient. Col- lies are a working breed and keen to work. They need a purpose because they’re bright dogs.” He n r i k , a 10-year-old Ital- ian Spinone, also makes regular hos- pice visits through the charity Pets as Therapy (PAT). The gun dog also visits Prestbury Beaumont Care Community and Adlington Pri- mary School where pupils read to him as part of a Read- 2Dogs scheme. These sessions help chi ldren improve literacy skills and their interest and enjoy- ment of reading. Henrik even has his own Insta- gram page run by owner John Berry, from Macclesfield. Joh n s a i d : “Henrik is very gentle with an innate ability to bring joy and calm to people of any age. “He’s a great companion and highly affection- ate with a social t emp e r a me n t around people and other dogs. “He’s brought a lot of happiness to me, and PAT has given me an oppor- tunity to share that joy with others in the community. “He’s content to sit quietly and enjoys being pet- ted by a Hospice patient, an elderly care home resi- dent, or children in a classroom or playground. “Witnessing the lovely smiles and comments Hen- rik receives from everyone is really pleasing for me.” Vandalism sparks car park rethink FOUR Cheshire East schools are at the forefront of a ‘safe haven’ pilot scheme that aims to boost pupil safety and encourage more active travel. Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cam- eras will be installed over the next few days to help enforce signed no stopping restrictionsoutside IvyBank Primary and Marlborough Primary inMacclesfield, and Manor Park and St Vincent’s primaries in Knutsford. Under the ‘Safe Haven Outside Schools’ pilot, the cameras will monitor each school’s ‘keep clear’ mark- ings. If the scheme proves a success, it could be rolled out across the borough. Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said: “Previous measures to stop danger- ous parking have only had a temporary impact, so I am really pleased this scheme will operate throughout the whole school year. “With pupils starting back after the summer hol- iday, the new term is the ideal time toget drivers into a routine of safe parking. The remote monitoring will help them keep those good habits going too. “This should provide a permanent solution to the safety problems that dan- gerous parking at school gates causes. “If this pilot scheme proves a success, we may expand the number of schools taking part across the borough.” A clear warning to drivers