Cheshire Independent Issue 214

5 MAY/JUNE 2026 Visit our website: www.independentnewspapers.co.uk ICare Meals on Wheels introduc on special offer Week 1 £5.50 per hot meal and sweet Week 2 £7.25 per hot meal and sweet Week 3 £8.50 per hot meal and sweet Week 4 £9.50 per hot meal and sweet 4 week special offer Minimum of 4 meals per week 0161 3393090 Call ICare to try a complimentary meal and sweet! www.icarecuisine.co.uk | www.icaregroup.co.uk delivering hot meals and a wellbeing check • A T • A Frozen Meal d • A well being che If there is no answ ensures we Our P Call THE countdown is on to the 2026 Poyn- ton Party in the Park which is set to enter- tain crowds with a fantastic line-up of musical talent. The hugely popular event has now received backing from Poynton Town Council through its community grants fund. This year’s local festi- val-in-a-day takes place on Saturday June 6 – and this year marks its 21st anniversary. Organisers are prom- ising “stellar perfor- mances” from tribute acts to The Killers, Coldplay and Rob- bie Williams. They will be supported by a selection of talented local performers through- out the day, including local band Monkey Har- ris, who return due to popular demand. Poynton Party in the Park is staged by local festival organiser Max Eden, and the event sup- ports Poynton Rotary to deliver a family-friendly ‘festival in a day’ for everyone to enjoy. Max said: “I’m abso- lutely delighted the Party in the Park has received this important support from Poynton Town Council, enabling us to make the event bigger and even better for 2026. “I’d also like to say a big thank you to Hall & Pickles, the UK’s lead- ing steel stockholders, returning as headline sponsor. Their backing has been invaluable in creating a fantastic event for the people of Poynton. “Excitement is build- ing and I can guarantee everyone a memorable day out with amaz- ing headliners, a great line-up of local talent and a wide range of family attractions and foodie treats.” Lee Podmore, chair of Poynton Town Council’s community, order and public safety committee, said: “Poynton Town Council are proud to be supporting the annual Party in the Park. A community grant was awarded to help facilitate this popular annual event.” Tickets and VIP passes are available online at www.cheshireconcerts. com/poynton A NEW multi-million pound fund to support people experiencing financial hardship has launched in Chesh- ire East. The Crisis and Resil- ience Fund (CRF) is designed to provide ‘timely and effective support’ for those who experience a sudden financial shock and find themselves in crisis. Those behind the ini- tiative say that along- side immediate help, the fund will also focus on strengthening longer term financial resil- ience, reducing the need for emergency support in the future. Cheshire East Coun- cil will receive £11.3mil- lion in funding over the three-year programme, with £3.7m allocated for 2026/27 and 2027/28 and £3.8m in the pot for 2028/29. The fund has been introduced by the gov- ernment through the Department for Work and Pensions and will run from April 2026 to March 2029. It brings together the existing Household Support Fund and Dis- cretionary Housing Pay- ments into a single, more flexible programme for local authorities. Those eligible for help in Cheshire East will be able to access a range of support through the CRF, including: ● Crisis support to help manage short term finan- cial emergencies, includ- ing a one-off payment of £200 ● Assistance for house- holds that rely on heating oil for home heating ● Help with essential household items such as white goods and beds ● Support with housing related costs ● Access to services delivered in partnership with local voluntary, com- munity and faith organi- sations to help households improve financial secu- rity and resilience ● Exceptional cost sup- port where needed Laura Crane, who chairs Cheshire East Council’s children and families committee, said: “We know that money worries can crop up unexpectedly and affect anyone, so it’s really important that help is there when people need it. “The new Crisis and Resilience Fund is designed to sup- port residents through immediate challenges, while also working with our voluntary and WILMSLOW Town Council is funding the installation of free secure cycle parking stands for local busi- nesses and commu- nity organisations The council is looking to support sustainable travel across the town and the initiative is part of the ‘Take a Stand’ scheme, run by cycling charity Life Cycle. Through the scheme, Life Cycle, which works to improve everyday cycling infrastructure, will supply, deliver and install up to four ‘Shef- field’ cycle stands per site at no cost to par- ticipating businesses and organisations. The project aims to encourage more people to cycle for everyday journeys, helping to sup- port healthier communi- ties and improve access to eligible businesses and organisations. Town mayor Sally Harrison said: “We are delighted to bring the ‘Take a Stand’ initiative to Wilmslow, encourag- ing more people to cycle to local businesses and Taking a stand for cyclists Initiative: (L-R): Cllr Elaine Evans, town mayor Cllr Sally Harrison and Helen Battilana from Cycle Wilmslow (Photo credit: WTC) Support for those in crisis community partners to help people build longer- term stability. “Our priority is mak- ing sure support is easy to access, offered at the right time, and suited to the needs of local people.” Between 2020 and 2025, Cheshire East Council provided vital assistance to more than 20,000 vulnera- ble households through the Household Support Fund, ensuring residents received essential help during challenging times. People can find out more about eligibility and how to access support on the council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund webpage. Further information on benefits and support can also be found on the coun- cil website at www.chesh ireeast.gov.uk/benefits Help pledge: Councillor Laura Crane Getting ready to party! Flashback: The summer event attracts the crowds organisations. Provid- ing secure bike parking makes it easier for res- idents to choose active, sustainable travel while also helping increase footfall for venues open to the Wilmslow com- munity, such as pubs, churches and local shops. “We thank Council- lor Elaine Evans for researching and pro- posing this initiative, and we look forward to working with Life Cycle to deliver the scheme locally.”