We went into Nelson to tour Farmhouse Biscuits and were met by its owner Phil McIver. Phil used to be in farming but when times got tough they started selling chickens and farm house baked cakes and biscuits from a market stall. The chickens soon went as did the cakes and they concentrated on biscuits. Over the year Phil has continued to expand the business and is now one of the largest employers in the Borough. They supply biscuits to Harrods and Fortnum & Masons and export all over the world. After getting kitted out in protective gear including hairnet and hat we were shown the mixing of the ingredients and also the lines where the biscuits were baked. Phil also took us around the massive warehouse that they have and where a bull nose Morris van is stored. Afterwards we completed the tour in the shop which has lots and lots of biscuits on sale.
In the evening I continued with the election campaign by canvassing in our Coates ward in Barnoldswick.
Tuesday 29 April
In the morning I visited First Aurora in Brierfield as one of my programme of company visits.
They produce stainless steel for lots of catering outlets including MacDonald’s. The council had provided a the company with a grant towards a new metal bending machine.
The Lancashire Telegraph photographer Andy turned up and suggested that we had a welding shot. We did this and it went into the paper where I looked like Darth Vader from Star Wars with the protective face mask on.
From there we went to Style Café in Colne. I continue to be amazed by the number and quality of our local businesses and this is another great one. They supply high quality coffee machines across Britain and we had a look round their showrooms and work space.
The map of where their sales were was shown to me and it shows that London and the South East is where they do best.
I nipped into the office and had a chat with Tom as I haven’t managed to get in for a while.
Colne Noyna Rotary dinner at the Black Bull
In the evening I went to the Black Bull in Gisburn for the 29th Charter anniversary dinner of Rotary Club of Colne Noyna. It was a good meal and some interesting conversations besides having the main speaker poke a bit a fun at me.
Wednesday 30 April
Today I swapped my car and living on a farm I need a 4 wheel drive. A local dealer had been a dead loss in selling me a car and I sometimes wonder where car sales people come from. The outcome of that was that someone recommended another dealer over 40 miles away, and they knew how to treat customers, so I went there. They made the transaction easy and I was soon driving away in my new car.
In the afternoon and evening I delivered leaflets and letters to Coates ward residents. When we do these together they always take a long time. So my legs were aching by the time that I had finished.
Thursday 1st May
Local Election Day - May Day. I was helping manning the polling station just after 8am. “Knocking up” followed where we go round to our supporters to remind them that it is voting day. It was a very long day as the polling stations now open until 10.00pm. After a shower and change of clothes it was off to the count at the sports hall in Colne. As soon as I got in at around 11pm it was obvious that my party the Liberal Democrats were not going to have a good night in Pendle. We have now run the council for several years and were anticipating maybe a few losses. But we lost more than we expected, so whilst we are still the largest group on the council it has now gone to no overall control. It was 2.45am on Friday before I got home at the end of a very long day.
Friday 2 May
Apart from a meeting with Richard and Neil at the town hall to go through our remaining programme of events. Our term of office ends on May 15th at the Annual Council meeting and we have tried to do things different and make a change. From the comments that I get back from people we seemed to have achieved that. The rest of the day was a quite one and after a very busy week I certainly needed it.
Saturday 3 May
At 11am on a warm and sunny day we went to First Class Child Care in Maurice Street, Nelson for their Third Anniversary. We were shown around their impressive facilities for pre-school age children and spent a bit on the cake stall and tombola – which I never win.
Staff and friends at First Class Child Care's 3rd birthday
The Water Brass Band was playing in the bandstand when we cut the ribbon to declare the new bridge well and truly open. Whilst having a Slater’s local ice cream we listened to the band playing on this warm day. I reminded the Friends of the Park group that last time I was there only a few weeks ago it was absolutely freezing, so this was much nicer.
Here is what I said;
Thank you for inviting me here today for the opening of the new bridge at Victoria Park.
The original bridge over Pendle Water was built in the1930s and over many decades thousands of local people had enjoyed walking across it, to be able to get to all parts of Victoria Park. Unfortunately in 2006 it was discovered that the structure was unsafe and a new bridge was required. The old bridge was closed in September 2006.
This impressive and very stylish new bridge spans 56 feet and has a concrete deck carried on an arched steel frame. It weighs 54 tonnes which is 11 tonnes of steel and 41 tonnes of concrete. The steel is know as weathering steel which develops a thin protective coating layer of dark rust that prevents further corrosion. This is good for the environment and saves on future maintenance costs. The technique of using weather steel is new technology and this bridge is the first in Pendle of this type.
There has been an investment of £150,000 for this special bridge. I should like to thank the Friends of the Park, Park keepers, park staff and Councillors for getting the investment and construction into place. So that today we certainly have a beautiful bridge to be proud of.
Recently I was privileged to be shown around our parks by the Friends of the Parks groups together with the park keepers. Here at Victoria I was shown the many improvements and what was being planned for the future. The commitment of the Friends of Victoria Park impressed me and I encourage everyone to support them in every way about caring for your Park.
We also have lots of great parks in all parts of Pendle and with the very large investments going into them in recent years they are improving very quickly. All across Pendle I was most impressed with the new developments and commitment of everyone involved.
It is my great privilege to declare the new Victoria Park Bridge across Pendle Water well and truly open.
And finally, another picture of our wonderful Pendle Hill that has inspired many (including me) over the century's. And you even get one of our other wonders - dry stone walls in the foreground.
