Reddish Baths / Fire Station / Library

Nearly every council in the country must be having the same problems. They have buildings they would rather pull down to build new ones.
WHY ? The answer is usually money.

Stockport has Reddish Library, a beautiful building, just not old enough to fit into the category of buildings worth saving.

But the Government has come up with an answer, and it's the Big Lottery Fund, £30 million intended for underused public buildings.

The details can be found at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk then go to third sector.

The Heritage Trust would like your opinion on this matter, please click on comments below.

Manchester link may de-rail controversial station closure

[Excerpt from Stockport Express article, 10/1/06]
REDDISH MP Andrew Gwynne has welcomed support from Stockport Council for a Stockport to Manchester Victoria train service which will use the threatened Reddish South Station.

[Click here for the full article.]

Station closure bid hits barrier

See the following Metro News article, for yet another report on the proposed closure of South Reddish Station: Station closure bid hits barrier.

{With all these reports (not necessarily saying anything new) I think the station deserves it's own label, so readers can pull together all the reports.)

The Council's 'pledge' becomes an SOS

You Wait Ages For One...
Photo by Eifion.

Having pledged to keep South Reddish Station open [Council Pledges To Fight To Save South Reddish Station, 20/12/06], the Council's latest press release is entitled: Stockport Sends Out An SOS.

See also the Stockport Express report: United front for Reddish railway battle.

Council Pledges To Fight To Save South Reddish Station

South Reddish Station or
Great Train Journeys of The World
Photo by Eifion.

[Council press release, 20/12/06]
Stockport Council pledged to save South Reddish Station from closure last night, as a Notice of Motion against Network Rail’s proposal was approved at the full Council meeting.

[Click here to see the full press release.

For a long time there has only been one passenger train a week, in one direction. It departs Stockport at 11:23 Saturday morning, passing through South Reddish (stopping on request only) at 11:27. It then calls at Denton, Guide Bridge before arriving at Stalybridge 11:44.

It keeps this line classified as a passenger line, not just freight, and reduces the tax to be paid by Network Rail, justifying the expense of the service.]

"Biggest landlord in Reddish" and owner of Broadstone Mill

[Excerpt from Manchester Evening News, 19/12/06]
KNICKER elastic, door bells, Maltese trouser pockets and refurbished shopping trolleys: grabbing bizarre business opportunities has become a way of life for Richard Sym.

[Click here for the full article.

Reminds me of the Neil Innes' song, Knicker Elastic King, .]

The Railway PH, Reddish to be replaced by 14 apartments, planning application

DC025042
Demolition of existing building. Erection of new building acommodating 14 number apartments with 14 number car parking spaces.
The Railway P.H, 465 Gorton Road, North Reddish, SK5 6LR
Case Officer / Telephone: Mrs J Chase 0161 474 3644
Consultation Expiry Date: 06-01-2007
Documents: click here (not on-line at time of posting)

New Blue Plaque scheme unveiled

White Lion
Photo by A G 1.

Stockport Heritage Trust has been working with Stockport Council to secure a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant for blue plaques for Stockport.

Strawberry Studios
Photo by robo2004.

Stockport already has 15 blue plaques and these are dedicated to: Stockport Infirmary, Stockport Market, Air Raid Shelters, Castle Yard, Three Shires, Sir Joseph Whitworth, Sir Fredrick Calland Williams, Halliday Hill Farm, Underbank Hall, Fred Perry, Railway Viaduct, Marple Aqueduct, Woodbank Hall, the Old Rectory and Judge John Bradshawe.

Lancashire Bridge widening plaque
Photo by A G 1.

Twenty-one additional people and places have been identified. The HLF grant will pay for 10 blue plaques, five of which are to be in the town centre to be included in heritage trail.

St Petersgate Bridge
Photo by A G 1.

It is now up to Stopfordians to vote for their favourite plaques. The first 10 canidates have been published in the Stockport Express and on the Council's website.

Wellington Bridge plaque
Photo by A G 1.

See:

• Stockport Express - Blue Plaques will be history in the making
  
• Stockport Council - Blue Plaque Selection
  
• Stockport Council - First 10 candidates

Torkington Lodge
Photo by A G 1.

Voting will be held 13th December - 13th January, after all candidates have been published.

(Three of the candidates are not illustrated here because I couldn't find a photo on Flickr. You could be the first person to provide a picture.)

Reddish W.M.C.
Photo by A G 1.

Click on the image above to see the Express article.

Giant humming bird sculpture good for mind

[Excerpt from the Stockport Times 26/10/06]
Friends of Reddish Vale Park and mental health charity Stockport Mind were putting the finishing touches to the artwork, made of wood chippings, on Friday.
The model is a smaller version of one of the Nazca Lines found in Peru's Nazca desert.

Reddish Baths

Thank you to Andy Stewart, from the Friends of Reddish Baths, for coming last night to our October Social Night at the Old Rectory.

The talk he gave us about the history of bathing since Roman times, and the history of and fight to save Reddish Baths, was entertaining, as well as informative and a little sad.




Andy explained to us about the building as a whole, which contained at one time, the small village pool, the firestation (a mini version of the one in Mersey Square) and the Library. The baths are now closed, the ground floor of the firestation is used as a community centre, the Library is also looking to re-house some where bigger.

The Friends of Reddish Baths are willing to take over the lease of the baths from the council and run it themselves.

In this day and age, when distinguished buildings such as these are no longer wiped away, but instead valued and put to best use, it seems a shame that a Group striving to help with this process are not given more support.

Reddish History

I didn't make it to Paula Rands' lecture myself but I have spoken to a number of people who did. They tell me that the audience of more than 70 were captivated by her lecture on The History of Reddish.

Paula regularly presents history talks, so do look out for future events. Christ Church was such a good venue, the Trust is thinking about organising other talks there as well.

Exhibition at country park

Photographers are being encouraged to display their pictures of Reddish Vale Country Park in an exhibition, running from October 1 to the end of November.
Popular photographs will also have the opportunity to be made into greeting cards, to be sold at the visitor centre, and feature on the Stockport Express website.
Photographs must be your own work and sould be submitted to Reddish Vale Visitor Centre, Reddish Vale Road, Reddish, SK5 7HE by Sunday 24th September.
For more information contact Reddish Vale Visitor Centre 477 5637.

Reddish and Brinnington Protecting The Vale

The Community Safety Team, the police, the wardens, the Tame Valley Defence Group, The Friends of the Vale, the ASBAT team, Housing, and other governing agencies have regualr meetings to update the information on combating the dangerous activity of off-road biking. The next meeting is on Monday 14th August at 4pm at the Visitor Centre in Reddish Vale. Don't say that no one is doing anything. A number of community groups are trying to avert a tragedy with this dangerous activity. We are just as concerned about the safety of the riders as we are about the safety of pedestrians. Everyone should know by now that off-road biking is illegal except on private land with the landowner's permission. There is not permission to ride on footpaths or on public land.

Whitehill fireplace received by Vernon Museum

The Whitehill fireplace found on the Reddish allotment has been donated to Vernon Museum. It may appear as an exhibit at the Stockport Story, Staircase House, Market Place. Click the image below to get the story from Mike Kiernan's blog.

Be involved in your community's rich heritage

[The best way to get involved is to join Stockport Heritage Trust, but failing that you can take the advice of the Stockport Times, in this excerpt from 27/7/06.]
Stockport Council has secured funding for a 3-year project which encourages people from local communities to get involved in heritage activities.
The project, to be based in Reddish and Brinnington, aims to give residents the chance to gain lifelong learning skills through local history and heritage.
The project is jointly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Neighbourhood Renewal, in partnership with the Council.
Two people will be employed by Stockport Museums to work with communities and volunteers to develop fun, heritage-based activities, courses, exhibitions and visits for the next 3 years. This project leads on from the nationally-recognised Access Heritage project which took place in Brinnington from 2002-5.
For more information about the project, contact Gillian Wilson, informal learning and inclusion manager at Stockport Museums on 0161 477 6517.

Mill one step closer to completion

Houldsworth Mill
Originally uploaded by sparkles..

[Excerpt from Stockport Times 27/7/06]
Plans to convert Houldsworth Mill's 19th century engine house into a community centre have taken a step closer to reality.
Architectural and archaeological studies on the building, which is still officially listed as 'at risk' by English Heritage, are almost complete. The studies will pave the way for an estimated £1m lottery heritage grant.
Robert Reader, chair of Reddish Building Preservation Trust, said: "We've had to wait for the industrial archaeologist and conversation architect to say what we can and can not do. It is a complicated building but I'm sure it's going to look brilliant when it is completed. The building tells an important story of Stockport's industrial history, Built during the American Civil War when there was no cotton available, it showed real confidence to build such a magnificent building.

Sorted

It's supposed to be Manchester, but new BBC drama series is filmed in Reddish and stars Bredbury actor, Will Mellor.

Another report on the Reddish swan - Metro News

THUGS who shot a swan three times with an airgun and left him for dead have been slammed by nature lovers.

The male swan was with his four young cygnets in the nature reserve at Reddish Vale when the yobs struck.

Tame Valley Defence Group, which looks after wildlife in the area, is now appealing for more information about the incident so the hooligans can be brought to justice.

Pat Ruaune, group secretary, said: "The cob (male swan) was showing off his chicks to people he thought were his friends, when he was shot in the head, neck and body. The thugs were challenged by passers-by and reported to the police, but unfortunately we have not been able to trace them."

The swan survived the attack and is now recovering on another stretch of water.
[Click the image for the full story in the Metro News.] 

Outrage as swan is shot in head at Reddish Vale

WILDLIFE enthusiasts were left angry and appalled after a swan was shot at Reddish Vale Country Park.
The cob swan, which has four recently hatched cygnets, was injured by what has been described as an air rifle shot.
[Click image for the full story from the Stockport Express.] 

20th Stockport Beer and Cider Festival

This year the festival featured two ought two Stockport beers breweries: Robinsons (Hillgate) and Three Rivers (Reddish) as well as more distant breweries such as Marble Arch. One of the big attractions to a non-football non-rugby supporter such as myself, is the chance to see the marvelous view of the Pennines from the Edgeley Park stand.
Don't tell Ken, but I never used to recognise St Thomas Tower. Now it is covered in scaffolding I can instantlyidentify it and am becoming more aware where this 'Waterloo Church' is situated.