TAMESIDE Council has congratulated Hyde’s The Grafton Centre on being honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

FOR millions of people across Britain, gardening is the ideal way to unwind. Whether it’s flowers or food, there’s an immense satisfaction to be gained from growing your own produce.

 

 

Tameside, Oldham and Glossop (Tog) Mind have two allotments, or as they prefer to call them, kitchen gardens. Both are in Hyde – one at Grange Road South and the other at Baron Road. Both supply fruit and vegetables which are used in the award-winning Topaz Café on Old Street, Ashton.

Teenage lifeguard Liam Roberts who saved a young girl’s life after her heart stopped beating while in a swimming pool has been honoured with an award.

FAMILIES in Tameside are invited to ‘Be Food Smart’ with the help of a Change4Life roadshow.

 

The roadshow, which will be at Clarendon Square, Hyde, on Wednesday 1 and Tuesday 2 March, will provide live demonstrations of the new Be Food Smart app that highlights just how much sugar, saturated fat and salt can be found in everyday food and drink that children consume.

 

There will also be free Be Food Smart information packs available, making it easier to make the healthier choices at home.

 

Recent reports show that childhood obesity in England has reached alarming rates. Currently, 10% of 4 to 5-year-olds in Tameside are overweight or obese - increasing to 20% in 10 to 11-year-olds.

 

Public Health Endland’s Change4Life campaign urges parents to ‘Be Food Smart’ and take more control of their children’s diets.

 

The free Food Smart app helps and encourages families to choose healthier options and works by scanning the barcode of products allowing parents to compare brands, and features food detective activities for children and mini missions the whole family can enjoy.

 

The campaign also helps parents identify the health harms of children eating and drinking too much sugar, saturated fat and salt, including becoming overweight or obese and developing tooth decay.

 

Tameside Council Executive Member Cllr Ged Cooney, who is responsible for health said: “We all want to make the best choices for our children’s health and Change4Lifes Be Food Smart campaign aims to make this easy and fun for the whole family to get involved in. It will also help children to make healthier food choices for themselves.”

 

Local author Valerie Bowker will be signing copies of her new book 'Events in theLife of William Calland, a Gunner in Wellington's Army' priced £4.

 

The event takesplace at Hyde Library in Hyde Town Hall, Greenfield Street, Hyde on Tuesday 23 February, 2 - 4pm.

 

Local man William Calland lived on Throstle Bank Street and is buried in St George'sgraveyard in Hyde. He was a gunner in Wellington's armyand served in the peninsular PeninsularWar and at Waterloo.

 

Valerie's interest was sparked by a workshop linked to anarchaeological dig at Newton Hall in 2012 which brought to her attention a Chelsea Pensioner named William Calland. Her fascinating book is about the events thatshaped his life and the lives of his contemporaries.

 

You can meet meet Father Christmas and Hyde Leisure Pool favourite, Wally Walrus for a morning of Christmas fun on Saturday December 12th at Hyde Leisure pool.