I spent some time arranging the events that we have coming up in February and March. First is our Business Lunch, which is to be on Monday 4th Feb. at the Town Hall. The two other lunches, which we have arranged, were very well received so we need to keep up the standard. The next up-coming event after that is The Mayor of Pendle meets Buzz Hawkins and the Bradshaws.
Buzz Hawkins is coming to see the Mayor!
This is our Press Release;
The Mayor of Pendle meets the Bradshaws at Colne Muni at 8pm
on Friday 8th February and invites everyone to join him.
The Bradshaws are Alf, Audrey and little Billy Bradshaw, an ordinary family living an ordinary life in an ordinary two-up two-down terraced with outside loo, set in the fictional Manchester suburb of Barnoldswick! It is in the era of pounds, shillings and pence (probably sometime in the 1950s), when convenience food was bread and dripping, sugar butties or condensed milk butties. There is almost always a Brass Band playing two or three streets away. The Bradshaws are a normal working class family with little money, although they are able to afford a few luxuries such as Alf's Woodbines.
Buzz Hawkins the man behind the Bradshaws presents this unique and wickedly funny show, which it is said, could cause face-ache, wheezing, loss of breath, loss of dentures, sore ribs and temporary incontinence due to the unavoidable amount of laughing you have to do. So unbutton your cardigans and be ready for a night out you'll never forget.
The comedy show for all the family is being put on by the Mayor to raise funds for his chosen charities. There is also a real ale bar and Lancashire Hotpot available.
So come and Meet Buzz Hawkins and the Bradshaws with the Mayor of Pendle
for a great Friday night out.
Tickets are only £10 (or £12 on the door) from
the Pendle Leisure Box Office, Albert Road, Colne Tel. 01282 661234
In the late afternoon I attended a meeting with supermarket developers who want to build a store in Barnoldswick on the site of what is now Carlson Filtration, with access via the Butts. As usual when we are asked to meetings regarding planning applications, we do not give any indication on how we would vote when it comes in front of the committee. The developers said that even if planning was granted the build would take about 2 years. They also told us that they are holding a public consultation meeting at The Rainhall Centre from 2.30 – 7.30pm on Wednesday 30th Jan.
Tuesday 22 January
In the afternoon we continued our Tuesday Mayors afternoon walks.
The walkers admire the willow tunnel and horse with rider at Wycoller
This one was from the home of John Belbin in Colne. We walked from his house to Wycoller and then over the moors before dropping down to Trawden and then back to Colne via Winewalls. 
Wycoller with its Hall associated with the Brontes and its ancient foot bridge
The weather was again good -as it usually is on Tuesday afternoons. We stopped for while in Wycoller to have a sit on the new bench in the memory of Brian Akrigg. 
Brian's bench at Wycoller - sit, rest and enjoy
Brian was a councillor for several years in Brierfield when I also represented the area. Although we were not in the same political party we worked well together for the benefit of Brierfield. Brian was a good man and is sadly missed.
Our walkers have a look at the milk churn from Stunstead Farm outside Trawden
In the evening I attended the Scrutiny Management Committee which I sit on. Amongst other things we had presentations on the Council’s draft Sustainable Community Strategy and also the Council’s 2008/9 budget consultation. We also had a look at the Charter between Pendle Council and all of the Town and parish Councils in the Borough. This is particularly import around now as we have also applied for parish status for Colne and Nelson which are the only 2 areas not parished at present.
Wednesday 23 January
In a very strong wind I fought my way through Boundary Mill sales shoppers for a publicity picture. We went to the site of the new Next Store which is due to open soon.
I'm not a real shopper - the bags are full of paper
The photo for Pendle News was to show all the supermarkets vying to build in Pendle. We have Booths, Tesco, Sainsburys and others all putting planning applications in. The massive Boundary Mill complex is also due to open in 8 weeks time. The very fact that they all are looking to develop here must mean that they have a great deal of confidence in Pendle.
In the evening I attended the Standards Board, which I sit on, and where we looked at the consultation document on arrangements for new powers for local Standards Committees.
Thursday 24 January
In the morning I chaired our monthly board meeting at my company in Nelson. However because of that I had to miss hearing Buzz Hawkins and the Bradshaws on the Ted Robins show on Radio Lancashire. As I could access it on the listen again section of their website, I heard Buzz give our event on 8th Feb. at Colne Muni a good plug.
At 6pm I went along to Barnoldswick Town Council office where with Martin Bell and Keith Bailey, who are fellow Town Councillors, we had a look at the Towns website. We decided that it needed updating and more publicity, so that people knew to access it. We also had a look at the town council’s newsletter – Communicate and our notice boards. We will report to the Town Council this week.
Friday 25 January
I have received my new petrol generator, which will produce 650w – enough for a few lights. The reason that I got this, is that we have lots of power cuts, mainly because a lot of the electricity lines are overhead in these parts. When we get strong winds – which is often – we also get trees falling onto the power lines and cutting us off. Last year was particularly bad, when we had umpteen power cuts. The power company sent men around in Summer to cut back branches that are near to their lines, so I hope that this helps. It seems to have done so far.
Saturday 26 January
We were driven into the Town Hall for one our regular Town Hall Tours.
We welcome our vistors to a tour of Nelson Town Hall
We had around 14 residents mostly from Dudley Pickles's group, coming for a look around. We showed them everything from the old police cells to the Mayor’s Parlour. About half-way round their tour I go into the Council chamber in my robes and chains to show them how the council meeting are conducted. We also show a bit of the long civic history –particularly of Nelson and Colne as well as present day systems. One person on the tour told me about when as a school child they saw the old King and Queen came to Nelson in the 1930’s and who were mainly ignored by the Town, as it was then know as Little Moscow!
Sharon, Paul, me and the mayoress cut the ribbon to open Harp Ceramics
From the Town Hall we went to help open the new Harp Ceramics tile shop in Colne. Sharon who was opening the new business came along to one of our business lunches so I had promised that I would go along to her opening event.
This what I said at the opening;
I am really pleased that you have invited me to be here today for the opening of your brand new shop - Harp Ceramics.
Starting a business is one of the hardest things to do for someone who hasn’t done it before. But I have a suspicion that Sharon has business in her blood. And the very fact that she is starting a tile business, which I think is much needed in Pendle, in a spot such as this with all of the passing traffic and maybe bigger developments nearby, says to me that she has her head screwed on properly. So I am sure that the business will flourish and go from strength to strength. I know that Victoria Lamonby and the team at Pendle Council have been supportive and the funding via LEGI (Local Economic Growth Initiative) has helped.
I am always pleased to see women starting their own business, as they sometimes perceive it to be more difficult for them. But it doesn’t need to be and Sharon has shown that. What Sharon needs to do now is sell her tiles for all she’s worth, spend very little, work very long hours, keep a good control of the paperwork, always put the client first and keep a smile on her face whilst she’s doing it. If she does all that, she will make her own luck and prosper.
30 years ago I was in the same position as Sharon when I started my own business over in the back bedroom, I didn’t expect that we would now be employing around 50 staff. That was achieved through commitment, drive and dogged determination, which I also think that Sharon has in bucketfuls. So I expect that in the years to come, she will be one of Pendle’s major companies. As they say, “From little acorns mighty oaks grow”.
Sharon, you have got off to a great start - so good luck for the future - I am sure that you and Harp Ceramics will go from strength to strength.
