New Shoots

New Shoots, Halton is a Community Food Club. The aim is to get fresh, local and affordable fruit and vegetables into the heart of the community.

Fresh - picked on a Tuesday or from the greengrocers market on Wednesday morning.

Local - UK grown crops are picked by farmers in a 35 mile radius of Widnes.

Affordable - across a purchase of 3 bags (£3.50 per bag or 3 for £10) it is possible to save up to £8 compared with supermarket prices.

Anyone living or working in Halton can join - it's free. All the clubs run on a Wednesday.

In Widnes
Stobart Stadium (Stadium Fitness Creche) 3-5.30pm
Upton Community Centre - 3-4.30pm

In Runcorn (from 22/9/10)
Churchill Hall 2-4pm.

Anyone interested in joining, volunteering or setting up a New Shoots Community Food Club, contact Isabel 07547 745947 or newshoots_halton@hotmail.co.uk

Warrington Town Centre Mobility Show

Warrington Disability Partnership, the team behind the internationally recognised Disability Awareness Day, is launching a new event - the Warrington Town Centre Mobility Show. The event will be held on Saturday 25 September, 10am – 4pm.

The show is a must for Warrington’s disabled and older community. If you are disabled, an older person or a carer, this event will have something for you. The show will promote a great choice of mobility, healthcare and rehabilitation products, services, advice and information to ensure a more active and independent lifestyle.

The organisers have worked closely with the Town Centre Management Team, Golden Square and Warrington Retail Market to utilise the Town Centre area including the Old Market Place, the rear of Warrington Market, Horsemarket Street, Bridge Street and Buttermarket Street.

The event includes exhibitors from a variety of mobility sectors who will showcase their latest innovations and models - car manufacturers; conversion and adaptation specialists; wheelchairs, scooters, bikes and trike companies, and independent living products for the home; plus organisations offering information and advice on all aspects of mobility, accessible transport and holidays.

This is an excellent opportunity to compare the range of motor vehicles available on the national Motability scheme. Visitors can trial and assess wheelchairs and scooters on a test track that will be located in the Old Market Place and a separate area adjacent to the Market, at the rear of the old Boots store will be available to try a range of adapted cycles.

Dave Thompson MBE DL, Chairman of Warrington Disability Partnership said “when Nick White, Town Centre Manager, called to discuss the possibility of running an event in the Town Centre it felt like déjà vu. We had a similar discussion 19 years ago when Nick was the Manager at Walton Hall Gardens. The conversation led to the launch of the first Disability Awareness Day, which is now an annual event that has attracted interest from around the world. We hope to make this another successful event”.

For more information contact Warrington Disability Partnership on (01925) 240064

Listen Again to The Voluntary Sector with HVA

Would you like a second chance to hear the latest episode of "The Voluntary Sector with HVA" on Halton Community Radio?

This episode (initially broadcast on Thursday 9th September) featured interviews with Ben Williams (The University of Liverpool), Andy Shard (Special Olympics GB) and Louise Nulty (St Mary’s Special Events Forum).

Ceri Edwards (HVA) joined me for another Voluntary Opportunity of the Week.

To listen to the show (or to download a copy to your PC), please visit http://tinyurl.com/2aem33o.

If you'd like to promote your voluntary organisation on a future episode of the show, please contact me on mroberts@haltonva.org.uk or (01928) 593 118.

Many Thanks.

Matthew Roberts

Listen Again to The Voluntary Sector with HVA

Would you like a second chance to hear the latest episode of "The Voluntary Sector with HVA" on Halton Community Radio?

This episode (initially broadcast on Thursday 2nd September) featured interviews with Rachael Goodwin (Diabetes UK North West), Malcolm Tough (Widnes & District Horticultural Society), Ciaran Clotworthy (Halton Haven Hospice) and Simon Whithead (Halton Community Radio).

To listen to the show (or to download a copy to your PC), please visit http://tinyurl.com/2wcb2qp.

If you'd like to promote your voluntary organisation on a future episode of the show, please contact me on mroberts@haltonva.org.uk or (01928) 593 118.

Many Thanks.

Matthew Roberts

Lose Weight & Keep it off with Fresh Start

Listen Again to The Voluntary Sector with HVA

Would you like a second chance to hear the latest episode of "The Voluntary Sector with HVA" on Halton Community Radio?


This episode (initially broadcast on Thursday 26th August) featured interviews with Geoff Prince (The Will to Work Workshop) and Aidey Aspin (Halton Village Millennium Green). Lee Goodier (HVA) joined me for the final time to review his 3 years at HVA and provided us with one last “Voluntary Opportunity of the Week”.

To listen to the show (or to download a copy to your PC), please visit http://tinyurl.com/27yth7n.

If you'd like to promote your voluntary organisation on a future episode of the show, please contact me on mroberts@haltonva.org.uk or (01928) 593 118.

Many Thanks.

Matthew Roberts

Halton Volunteer Fair 2010

The Giant V and Lee promote Halton Volunteer Fair 2010 at Riverside College

The vinvolved Team (part of Volunteer Centre Halton) would like to invite any organisations who involve volunteers to take part in Halton’s Volunteering Fair for 2010, which is being jointly delivered with Riverside College.

We would like to present a picture of the huge range of diverse, creative and potentially life changing opportunities available through volunteering to the public and students who will attend.

The fair will be a market place style event, however, we would like to make the event as exciting and interactive as possible, so please feel free to be creative when considering how you might engage with the audience. It will also be possible to use the stage for performances or demonstrations and we may be able to accommodate showing a short DVD or Powerpoint presentation.

This will be an excellent chance for you to recruit more volunteers, raise awareness of your cause, maybe meet target groups or even diversify your organisation’s age range. Apart from that it will definitely generate great publicity for your group and the sector. We know that young people in particular choose to volunteer because they want to make a difference – maybe new volunteers could make a difference for your organisation?

The event will take place on Wednesday 29th September, 12-7pm at Centre Stage, Riverside College, Kingsway, Widnes, WA8 7QQ.

To find out more or to register to take part please contact Ceri at the vinvolved team on (01928) 592405 or email v@haltonva.org.uk.

John Bishop to Perform for Halton Haven Hospice

Local Comedian Supports Local Charity

An exciting event is due to happen in Runcorn, all for a special cause. Halton Haven Hospice will be holding their first Gala Dinner on Wednesday 6th October at The Holiday Inn, Runcorn. The event that hosts an evening of entertainment including local soul and motown singer Amy Bee, will also feature a three course meal, DJ, Auction, and guest after dinner speaker John Bishop.

John will be doing a half hour spot on the night to support his local charity, and his old place of work. John used to volunteer at the Hospice some fifteen years ago.

Since then John has gone on to wow crowd’s nation wide, including stints on Jonathan Ross, BBC 2, and even host his own show John Bishops Britain.

Event’s Manager, Ciaran Clotworthy said “We’re so excited that John is attending our event, we’ve had to keep it a secret until it was all confirmed, and now we’re so happy we can let everyone know that he’s attending. He’s so busy at the moment so were so grateful he can spare us a small amount of his time, to make this event a success. We’re also got a great night of entertainment with Runcorn’s Amy Bee, she’s a great singer who’ll get the crowd up dancing after John’s spot. As well as all this we have a fantastic three course meal and an auction with some really special prizes.”

Tickets are £40.00 per person and will be on sale from 1st September. This is a ticketed event and tickets can be purchased from the Widnes fundraising office, open from 9am – 4pm week days.

The office is above the Havens retail unit on Widnes Road, Widnes, WA8 6AZ

Heritage Open Day at Norton Priory