Knutsford Town Council is starting an exciting short project to create a documentary style film telling the story of Knutsford during World War II and is calling for volunteers to take part.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund funded project ‘Memories of World War II’ was originally planned for 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the conflict. The project, which will see the council working closely with Knutsford Heritage Centre, aims to record the memories of those who remember Knutsford during the late 1930s/1940s.
The Town Council is first looking to recruit a team of volunteers to lead the interviews. The volunteers will firstly be given training in oral history interviews by Dr Michaela Hulme, an award-winning historian and lecturer in public history at the University of Birmingham who just happens to have previously lived next door to the late Knutsford historian Joan Leach.
The three-hour training session will be delivered on Saturday 9th October at 1pm and help the volunteers understand memory, the oral history process and how to conduct effective interviews.
With the ongoing support of Michaela, the volunteers will then be assigned to conduct interviews with those who come forward to share their memories. Each interview will capture part of Knutsford’s history and form a learning and research resource for future generations. Interviews will then be edited into a 1-hour film that weaves together a story of life during around the time of the war.
“This project looks to ensure that what is currently just in living memory is captured and preserved for future generations” said Town Clerk Adam Keppel-Green. “It’s about recording the stories, the memories of the sights and sounds and adding to the rich tapestry of the town’s social history”
The Town Council is also appealing for anyone who would like to be interviewed as part of the project. If you or someone you know has memories of Knutsford from the 1930s/40s (no matter how small or insignificant they may feel they are) please register their interest in taking part by contacting 01565 653 929 or email enquiries@knutsfordtowncoucnil.gov.uk.
Pumpkins are ripening, carving knives are being sharpened, witches are preparing their brooms for flight… Knutsford’s spooktacular Halloween event is just one month away.
The ninth Knutsford Pumpkin Path returns to the town centre on Saturday 30th October from 4pm to 7pm. Due to Halloween falling on a Sunday, the event has been brought forward a day to the Saturday evening.
Young Knutsfordians are being invited into the town centre to hunt out the eleven carved pumpkins spelling out ‘Pumpkin Path’ whilst enjoying live entertainment, some great photo opportunities and spooky fun in Knutsford Market Hall and Wallwood.
We’re really looking forward to bringing back this popular event after the stripped back version in 2020” said Alex Brown, Events Officer at Knutsford Town Council. “There’s no need to book in advance, just enter the date in your diaries and come along to enjoy the fun”
The Pumpkin Path is organised by Knutsford Town Council and this year is sponsored by Cheshire House Bar and Grill, The Mere Village Nursery and moviESCAPE.
Wallwood will once again be transformed into a spooky space thanks to the team at Stockport’s moviESCAPE. moviESCAPE offers movie quality escape room experiences for all the family in an atmospheric Victorian mill and their family friendly Merlin’s Magic Academy escape room is inspired by the world of the by wizard.
To enable the Pumpkin Path to take place safely, road closures will be in place along King Street (from the junction with Church Walk to the junction with Drury Lane) and Minshull Street. Affected residents will receive detail of the road closure by letter.
Knutsford’s community heroes were celebrated this month at the presentation of the eighth Town Awards in St John’s Church (15th September).
The special awards evening started with presentations community organisations formed in the last twelve months: Crosstown Community Orchard, Friends of St John’s Wood and Friends of College Wood before the Town Mayor, Cllr Stewart Gardiner announced the shortlists and winners of each category.
The awards, organised by Knutsford Town Council and sponsored by the Forum of Private Business aim to recognise the work individuals, community groups and businesses undertake for the Knutsford community. Nominations for the awards were submitted by the community over the summer.
The first award presented was the Youth Award, which recognises the work of those aged 21 and under. The award went to Duncan Jones for his work as a leader with Knutsford Scouts through which the Explorer scout supports the Beaver and Cub groups at both 2nd and 5th Knutsford Scouts. Duncan received multiple nominations which cited his positivity and praised him as a great role model for the children he works with.
Three Civic Awards are presented annually going to individuals who have worked to support the local community. The first Civic Award was presented to Russell Coulston for his work leading the youth activities at Toft Cricket Club through which his endless enthusiasm and inclusiveness is helping reinvigorate the club.
The second award was presented to Sarah Flannery for her work creating and managing the Knutsford Hosts. Sarah’s nomination highlighted the endless hours Sarah gives coordinating the diverse work the Knutsford Hosts do for the town and how valued Sarah makes the individual hosts feel.
The final Civic Award went to Kevin Griffiths for his work improving the environment of Knutsford through a number of community organisations and projects. Kevin is a long-serving member of Friends of the Heath, played an integral role in setting up the Crosstown Community Orchard and co-leads a town wide tree mapping project.
Russell Coulston receiving his award from Cllr Stewart Gardiner and Ian Cass
Three people were shortlisted for the award: Maggie Clayton for her work at the Welcome Café, Paul Langley for his work with Knutsford Music Festival and LOL Cheshire and Ian Robertosn for his work with Hope Central.
The 2021 Community Award was presented to Knutsford Rotary Club for their work coordinating the marshalling of the COVID vaccination clinics. Thanks to this excellent support, Knutsford was notably ahead of other parts of the country in ensuring the community was vaccinated. Also shortlisted for the award were the Fresh Start Baby Bank and Knutsford and District Talking Newspaper, with the Fresh Start Baby Bank receiving a commendation.
Four businesses were shortlisted for the Business Award which recognises the work businesses do to support the local community. In the running were Boxed Red Marketing for creating the Knutsford High Street website; TechnoType for their support of community initiatives and events; Dexter and Jones for their impressive expansion but the 2021 award went to The Tea Room in recognition of their wide involvement in community activity. Dexter and Jones received a commendation in recognition of their strong business growth over the last 12 months.
The final award presented was the Extra Mile Award, which recognises those who, in their paid work, go above and beyond the call of duty to the benefit of the town. Five people were shortlisted: June Curbishley in recognition of her long service at Boots, Sandra Curties, Town Centre and Marketing Officer at Knutsford Town Council for her support of the business community throughout the pandemic, Anthony Naylor, Watch Manager at Knutsford Fire Station for delivering wide community support through his role, Sarah Pownall for going above and beyond at the Welcome and Noey West for her role in supporting the local community at Waitrose. The award went to Anthony Naylor.
After the main awards were presented, Alison Hooper, Head of Egerton School presented the Knutsford Schools Award for Sustainability which aims to recognise the achievements of local businesses in supporting the environment through their business. This year two businesses received the award: Kanoa Living and the Bath House.
Speaking on the evening, awards sponsor Ian Cass of the Forum of Private Business said “I sometimes don’t think we realise just how lucky we are, this community really is fantastic. I deal with lots of communities across the UK, who struggle to get engagement, struggle to get projects off the ground, can’t get funding for things or have businesses which don’t support the community. We are so lucky in Knutsford that we have this great community, with great people in it and great businesses in it. It’s my absolute pleasure to support the awards.”
Kanoa Living receiving the Knutsford Schools Sustainability Award from Alison Hooper and pupils of Egerton School.
Nominations for the 2022 awards will open in January.
Knutsford’s interior and design shops hosted their first interior shopping experience on Saturday 18th September.
The event was a collaboration of the growing number of home and interior shops and businesses in Knutsford town centre and offered shoppers inspiration, advice, and ideas as we move into the autumn and winter seasons.
The day’s programme was full of interesting talks, presentations, one-off offers and in some cases fizz and goody bags.
The businesses who took part were Arthur Lee, Deliveroot, Design Equals, Detaljer, Holly Johnson Antiques, Not a Box, Oka, Serenity Designs, Sofas and Stuff, Suzy Watson Designs, and Terzetto.
Sandra Curties, Knutsford Town Council’s Town Centre and Marketing Manager, said “We and the shops involved were really pleased how the first event went. The sun shone on the day, Knutsford Town Mayor Stewart Gardiner kindly visited every shop and there was a lovely buzz around the town. We are evaluating feedback from the day and are possibly looking at a spring event incorporating gardens too so watch this space!”
Matthew Cook of Terzetto Stone said, “Even though this was the first Knutsford at Home Event, it was very beneficial for everyone involved. The individuals who attended Terzetto’s ‘Tile Trends and You’ presentation seemed to get a lot from the talk and were very interactive throughout. Being a retailer in the world of interior design, it’s a pleasure to discuss material that helps homeowners get the most out of their homes and make help to make their ideas and dreams a reality. I look forward to taking part in the next Knutsford at Home Event.”
Helen Dufton of Arthur Lee, said, “We gave away about 60 goody bags from Farrow and Ball and Little Greene to customers making purchases on the day and spoke to lots of people that had not visited us before which was great”.
A number of residents have contacted the Town Council regarding the BarkRun dog park operating off Beggarmans Lane.
“As a frequent user of Sandfield Wood I was upset regarding the closure of the well-used path, that goes from Beggarmans Lane through Sandfield Wood up to Bexton Hall, to enable the dog park to open” said Norbury Booths ward councillor Matthew Robertson.
Knutsford Town Council applied for a Public Right of Way (PROW) to be registered for this path in March 2019. Unfortunately, due to the time-consuming nature of the research and processing of public right of way applications and the limited resources within the relevant department at Cheshire East Council, it can take many years for PROW applications to be reviewed; this is common in PROW departments across the country and is not unique to Cheshire East. The application is currently number 31 out of 44 such applications Cheshire East Council is dealing with.
Local residents also submitted an application to register Sandfield Wood as a Village Green; if successful this would establish the rights of the local community to use the woodland for recreation. The Town Council has been pressing Cheshire East Council for a timescale on which this application will be considered.
From BarkRun’s website and social media, the Town Council is aware that the site will open on Saturday 25th September and operate from 7am to 7pm everyday.
Cllr Robertson added “From the moment I became aware of this I was immediately concerned about the impact this would have on this area of Knutsford. Not just because of the closure of the path which gives access to the countryside for many people but also the impact on Knutsford’s green belt, which as can be seen by the housing developments coming through, is always at risk from development.”
The Town Council has been in discussions with the Cheshire East Council Planning Enforcement Department to understand what is permissible on this green belt site. It has been confirmed that:
The installed fencing is appropriate development within the green belt and on agricultural land and does not require planning permission
If the land is changed in any way, for example if structures are erected or hardstanding created this would constitute a material change of use and require planning permission
The site can be used as a dog park under permitted development for up to 56 days before the end of December
With the support of local residents, the Town Council is monitoring developments in the field and will continue to liaise with Cheshire East Council as to when action may be needed. This applies to the 56 day limit which the council will be monitoring to ensure proper process is taken.
Cllr Robertson added “I am generally in support of new businesses opening in Knutsford, but this has developed very quickly without engagement with the community. It is difficult to support a business which potentially downgrades the green belt, stops citizens access to the countryside and increases traffic on a residential road which leads to a primary school.
As a Norbury Booths councillor I will try to ensure that the impact of this on the community is minimalised and explore options to keep the path open. I would welcome discussions with the site owners to achieve this.”
Twelve unique photographs went on display in Marshall House last week as part at the third Knutsfordian exhibition.
Knutsfordian, which was first held in 2013 and 2013, is a collection of photographic portraits by local photographer Paul Worpole which imaginatively celebrate local businesses and community leaders.
Portraits were literally kept under wraps until a special launch on Thursday 16th September which was the firs time the stars of the exhibition saw their portraits. The exhibition was then open to the public from Friday to Sunday thanks to the support of Knutsford Hosts.
The stars of the portraits were:
Chris Sheldon (Sheldons Dairy)
Julia Chard (Mr Simms)
Vincent Lazzarini (The Cheese Yard)
Claire Sawyer (We Are Knutsford)
Mark Radcliffe and Paul Langley (Knutsford Music Festival, LOL Cheshire and more)
Alison Cunliffe (The Real Fruit Creamery)
Caroline and Lee Williams (The Prescription Service)
Sal Thompson (Knutsford First Responders)
Helen Rogers (Knutsford Admin)
Bob Garner (Knutsford Town Ranger)
Joanne Ashton (The White Orchid)
Jane Smyth (Knutsford Market Hall)
The exhibition was supported by GGM Properties, owners of Marshall House, who provided the venue at no cost. GGM are currently working on plans to renovate the building and bring it back into use as a multi-purpose wedding, events and leisure venue opening in early 2023.
“Once again, Paul has created an incredible collection of photographs reflecting the personality, business and interests of a great group of Knutsfordians” said Town Clerk, Adam Keppel-Green.
“We were really pleased to see the fantastic reception to the exhibition from the stars and visitors alike”.
To see photographs from the launch night head over to our Facebook Page.
Annual Governance & Accountability Return for the year ended 31 March 2021 Sections 20(2) and 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
The audit of accounts for Knutsford Town Council for the year ended 31 March 2021 has been completed and the accounts have been published.
The Annual Governance & Accountability Return is available for inspection by any local government elector of the area of Knutsford Town Council on application to: Adam Keppel-Green, Town Clerk Council Offices, Toft Road, Knutsford, WA16 6TA between 0900-1700 Monday to Friday.
Copies will be provided to any person on payment of nil for each copy of the Annual Governance & Accountability Return.
Announcement made by Adam Keppel-Green, Town Clerk and RFO. 09/09/2021
The shortlist of Knutsford’s community heroes has been announced by Knutsford Town Council ahead of the Town Awards ceremony next week.
The awards, which are sponsored by the Forum of Private Business, recognise the work individuals, community groups and businesses undertake for the Knutsford community.
The community is invited to attend the awards ceremony which takes place in St John’s Church on Wednesday 15th September from 7pm. The evening will start with short talks from three new community groups which the Town Council has supported over the last twelve months – Crosstown Community Orchard, Friends of St John’s Wood and Friends of College Wood.
The shortlists for the award categories (in alphabetical order) are as follows:
Civic Award (3)
Maggie Clayton
Russell Coulston
Sarah Flannery
Kevin Griffiths
Paul Langley
Ian Robertson
Business Award
Boxed Red Marketing
Dexter and Jones
Techno Type
The Tea Room
Community Award
Fresh Start Baby Bank
Knutsford and District Talking Newspaper
Knutsford Rotary Club
Extra Mile Award
June Curbishley (Boots)
Sandra Curties (Knutsford Town Council)
Anthony Naylor (Cheshire Fire Service)
Sarah Pownall (The Welcome)
Noey West (Waitrose)
“As ever, the judging panel was really impressed by the incredible work taking place across the Knutsford community” said Town Clerk, Adam Keppel-Green. “These awards aim to shine a light on those people who make Knutsford that extra bit special and everyone shortlisted should be incredibly proud that someone has taken the time to nominate them for an award
This Saturday the Town Mayor will lead a short ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
The Town Council will fly the flag of the United States of America on September 11th and at 11:50am the Town Mayor will lower the flag to half mast. The community is invited to join the service at the front of the Council Offices.
Knutsford’s Town Clerk has been shortlisted for a national award.
Adam Keppel-Green, who celebrates nine years with the Town Council this month, is one of five in the running for the Clerk of the Year award in the NALC Star Council Awards which aim to recognise the role of town and parish councils and the contribution they make to their communities.
Adam, who joined the council in September 2012 as Deputy Town Clerk and became Town Clerk in April 2014 is also clerk to Gawsworth Parish Council, a Director of the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC), board member of the Cheshire Association of Local Councils and Training Officer for the Cheshire Branch of the SLCC.
Speaking on the announcement of the shortlist, Town Mayor Cllr Stewart Gardiner said “As Town Mayor I am very pleased that Adam has been nominated for this award and wish him well in the final.
“I am very conscious that he works tirelessly not just in his official capacity as Town Clerk but in supporting several of the volunteer organisations within the Town in their efforts too. Adam has been the inspiration behind many of the initiatives the Town Council has undertaken in recent years and the people of Knutsford should be pleased that he is our Town Clerk.”
“It is an honour to be shortlisted for this award amongst four other great clerks” Adam said. “The job of Town Clerk is extremely rewarding, and I am proud to work for a proactive and positive council; if I am fortunate enough to win, it would be as much an award for the council as it would for me personally.”
The winner of the award will be announced at an online ceremony in October.
