Get Fit Volunteers wanted for Williamson Park

Lancaster City Council is looking for volunteers with green fingers to take part in a new health and fitness project that is being developed for Williamson Park by the council and the University of Cumbria.

The volunteers will be tasked with physical activities in the park that will improve their health and also give them the opportunity to meet new friends, as part of a project that will also improve the landscape of the park. It could involve clearing an area in Fenham Carr or working on a joint project with the Forestry Commission.

Students from the Sports Studies degree programme at the University of Cumbria are planning the project,  which starts later this year (date to be confirmed), with assistance from Lancaster City Council staff at Williamson Park.

The project volunteers will need to be available to attend sessions every Thursday for ten weeks.

The students will benefit from gaining experience from planning the sessions, creating risk assessments and work programmes with guidance from experienced park staff. This work will be officially assessed by the university and will contribute to the student’s degree.

• Anyone interested in volunteering for this brand new project should contact Williamson Park on 01524 33318 or by sending an email to williamsonpark@lancaster.gov.uk

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You've just Gotta love Whole Lotta Led...

One of the UK’s best Led Zeppelin tribute bands, Whole Lotta Led, will perform at the Platform in Morecambe on Friday September 24.

Approved by Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin’s legendary guitarist, the band have played over 1,000 shows throughout the UK and have been recommended by Classic Rock magazine. They're a  tribute band in the truest sense of the word: they claim no wigs, no costumes, just music and are a "sound-alike" rather than a "look-alike" act.  Their aim is just to reproduce the classic Zep songs with the same enthusiasm, excitement and passion of the original band.

This concert will be the band’s Zep IV show, the first set  a mixture of Zep classics and the second comprising the whole Led Zeppelin IV album, played in the same order as the original album.

The evening finishes with a mighty encore of more Zep classics.



Whole Lotta led

Whole Lotta led | MySpace Video

New generations are continually getting involved in the Led Zeppelin experience, joining fans at a Whole Lotta Led show spanning four generations, from six to sixty. For most, it is the first opportunity of seeing and hearing Led Zeppelin’s music performed live.

It's been many years since Zeppelin split up, and other tributes keep the music alive -- but when Whole Lotta Led recreate a Zeppelin concert they keep the music fresh.  They don’t have the pretence of trying to look like former members of Zeppelin: their integrity and musicianship comes through in the passion for the music they play.

Jimmy Page met them and gave them his blessing.  Get along and see them live and you’ll realise why!

• Whole Lotta Led will start at 8.00pm and tickets cost £13 adults, £11 concessions.  Ring the box office on 01524 582803 or call at Lancaster or Morecambe Visitor Information Centres.

• Check out the band's official web site at: www.wholelottaled.co.uk or their MySpace page

• Official Led Zeppelin web site: www.ledzeppelin.com 

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Heysham man sought by Lancashire Police

Wanted: Joseph Almond, in connection with
several offences, including assault and
a burglary.

Lancashire Police are appealing for information that will help them track down Joseph Almond - a man who is wanted in connection with an assault and a burglary in Morecambe back in June, as well as in connection with a burglary in Folkestone, Kent.

The 34-year-old failed to appear at Preston Crown court in July 2010 to face an allegation of burglary, and in December 2009 he was wanted in connection with mobile phones being smuggled into Lancaster Castle Prison.

He is also wanted on prison recall from 25th June 2010. Almond was jailed for 12 months in August 2009 for throwing a mobile phone into Preston prison. He was released in February 2010, but was then recalled in June and has yet to make contact with the authorities.

Almond is around 5ft 6 inches tall, of stocky build, with blue eyes and has various tattoos on both arms and his neck

He has previously lived in Bold Street, Heysham, but he has associates in Morecambe and Lancaster on the Ryelands Estate. However, police think he could have left the area and may now be in Preston.

Almond’s photograph, and details of other people who are currently wanted by police, can be found at www.lancashire.police.uk/wanted.

“I would ask the public to report any sightings to the police," says Inspector John Clucas of Lancashire Police. "I would also appeal directly Joseph Almond to come forward and contact us.”

• Information can be passed to the police on 0845 1 25 35 45, by using the email address that can be found in the ‘Wanted’ section at www.lancashire.police.uk/wanted, or details can be passed anonymously via Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.

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Morecambe-based Comic published for iPad

Lancaster cartoonist David Hughes comic story Thomas Wogan is Dead (reviewed here on British comics news site downthetubes) is now available to read on Apple's iPad.

Set in Morecambe and the hereafter, this quirky comic tale is British publishers Tabella Publishing's first ebook on Apple's iPad platform, the result of what they say comes after reading many books on iphone development, doing tutorials, submitting forum posts and more.

• Buy Thomas Wogan is Dead for the iPad

• Thomas Wogan is Dead is still available in print from Tabella Publishing for £5.99: more details here.

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Space Robots and Zombie Robots take over Peter Scott Gallery

Combining the work of four artists, Eventual, a new exhibition at Lancaster University's prestigious Peter Scott Gallery, seeks to examine transient connections, the tensions between function and dysfunction and the role of technology in arts practice, through sculpture, installation, animation and performance.

Aliki Chapple (exhibiting 'I’m Listening, Sales Pitch, Explorers') has been exploring the relationship between live performance and technology. For Eventual, she's made three performances integrating elements of both. Two of the performances are based on the science fiction stories of Philip K Dick, which are popular sources for perfectly polished mass-market films; in contrast, Aliki’s stagings invite you to fill in the gap yourselves, with the best special effects department in the world, the human imagination. The third, a one-on-one performance staged in the Peter Scott Gallery, is also an invitation to fill in what’s missing; this time with stories of your own.

As a comic artist, games designer and animator, it’s logical that when Adam York Gregory was given some gallery space he would dissect and reanimate a dead computer as part of an interactive installation. 'iBleed/Peter 2.1' seeks to examine the emotional relationships between people and computers.

Why do we get angry at them when they don’t work? Why do we sometimes feel grief when they stop functioning? Adam invites you to play the role of psychiatrist with an updated and digitised Rorschach test where your patient, the computer, will respond visually to your psychological enquiries.

Through the use of installation titled 'People Matter', Anne Hewitt explores an emerging dysfunction in social connections and communication which are shown to straddle worlds of both intimacy and isolation. The central theme is disjointed contact, participation without being part of; the overlooked connection human beings have to each other via inanimate objects of the everyday. Her parodies of these mundane items juxtapose function and dysfunction, simultaneously inviting and repelling us from engagement.

By showing her perceived effects on our physical connection with our surroundings, Anne hopes to highlight the hidden intimacies interlaced with our connection to strangers in our day to day existence.

Finally, 'A Spectral Layer' is full of connections, from Michael Turner. Can we hear connections? Can we see them? Are we engulfed by them? And at what level, the conscious or the subconscious? Using piano, computer, projector screen, and eight channels of surround sound, this piece combines audio, video and space to form a new conceptual layer that makes use of the composer's latest research into spectral processing and mapping.

• Eventual runs at the Peter Scott Gallery, Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster University from Thursday 16th - 23rd September. Web: http://eventual.org.uk

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Labour's Darren Clifford hoping to take Harbour Ward

Morecambe Labour Party launched its campaign to win back the Harbour Ward city council seat over the weekend, after a by-election was called following the untimely death of Councillor John Barnes of the MBI Party in July.

They've chosen a pro-Bypass and pro-nuclear candidate to fight the seat: Morecambe-born Darren Clifford, who's well known for his community connections. A former soldier (serving in Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands and Iraq) and an avid supporter of Morecambe Football Club (he was a member of the squad for the 2005/06 season), Darren now works as a lecturer in the nursing and social care sector.

Darren was born in Morecambe and is proud of his local heritage, campaigning in support of the Heysham M6 link, the minimum wage, employment rights and Morecambe's regeneration.

“All too often local politicians are only interested in talking about Morecambe’s past," Darren feels. "I'm interested in Morecambe’s future. We need to support regeneration, including Heysham 3 power station, the link road and the sensible development of the centre of Morecambe and the Promenade.

"Local people want to be able to live and work in a town moving forward, not looking back and that’s what I would argue for on the council," Darren, who is married to Heysham North Councillor Tina Clifford, continues. "he simple choice at this by-election is between living in the past and fighting for a future that makes Morecambe a place we can all be proud of.”

Darren's agent, former Harbour Ward Councillor David Whitaker, describes the election as an opportunity for local people to tell the “ConDem government” what they think of the massive programme of cuts and the hike in VAT that will effect those on modest incomes most.

“The Tsunami of cuts that are coming from this government need to be fought in every community," argues David. "The Tories and Lib Dems won’t fight the cuts; because they’re the ones carrying them out. The Morecambe Bay Indpendents and Independents can’t fight the cuts because they’re too busy fighting each other.

"Only Labour and Darren Clifford will fight the cuts and fight for Morecambe.”

• The by-election will take place on Thursday 7th October.

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Man wanted on prison recall

(Updated, 6 Spetmber: Craig Wilde was arrested by officers in Morecambe on Saturday 4th September - the story below is retained for archive purposes).

Police are appealing for information that will help them track down a man who is wanted on prison recall.

Craig Wilde was jailed in August 2008 at Preston Crown Court for offences of burglary and theft and was sentenced to three years imprisonment.

He was released from jail in June 2010 but has since failed to keep to the conditions of his prison licence so was recalled to prison by his probation officer from Lancashire Probation Trust.

Wilde has recently resided in Morecambe but it is now believed he may be in the Lancaster area. He is known to have previously slept in a tent in the Lancaster area and may again have resorted to sleeping outside.

Wilde is 5' 10'' tall, green eyes, with extensive tattoos on both arms his chest and back.

Wilde’s photograph, and details of other people who are currently wanted by police, can be found at the "Wanted" section of www.lancashire.police.uk.

Inspector John Clucas, Lancashire Police, said: “I would ask the public to report any sightings to the police. I would also appeal directly Craig Wilde to come forward and contact us.”

• Information can be passed to the police on 0845 1 25 35 45, by using the email address that can be found in the ‘Wanted’ section on www.lancashire.police.uk/wanted, or details can be passed anonymously via Crimestoppers 0800 555 111

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Police appeal as hunt for missing Lancaster man steps up

Police are appealing for information as to the whereabouts of a Lancaster man who went missing earlier this month.

43-year-old Anthony Ramos, of Ambleside Road, Lancaster, was reported missing by his family on 9th August. He was last seen in Preston in April and is known to have been in London in April – May.

Anthony, who also uses the name Fred Redman, is 4ft tall and walks with the aid of two crutches. He has collar length black hair and a beard.

“Anthony has gone without making contact with his family for long periods in the past before, but on this occasion they are particularly worried about him," says Sgt Simon Twist of Lancashire Police.

“I would ask Anthony, or anyone who may know where he is, to get in touch so that we can put minds at rest. If he does not want to speak to his family directly, we can pass on a message to let them know that he is alright.

“Anthony can also attend any police station in the country, where officers can see he is safe and well, and they can pass on a message to us.”

• Anyone with information about Anthony is asked to contact Lancashire Police on 0845 1 25 35 45.

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Borough comedy night expands to meet demand

Lancaster seems to be experiencing a comedy boom of late, with several new nights having opened. Never ones to lack behind, the good folk at The Borough in Dalton Square have increased the frequency of The Lancaster Comedy Club to twice a month with the first 'extra' show on Sunday 12th September with something of an eclectic line up covering comedians from three continents - Daliso Chaponda, Wes Zaharuk and Mickey Sharma.

A stand up comedian with raw Eddie Murphy confidence, Daliso Chaponda was born in 1979 and says he is very proud of this achievement. His earliest aspiration was to become a reverend but alas, he enjoys sinning too much. Stand-up comedy is the closest he has come to his initial dream of the pulpit.

Although born in Malawi, he began his comedy career in Canada with the acclaimed one man show ‘Feed This Black Man’. In 2004 Daliso Chaponda headlined the ‘Don’t Let Them Deport Me’ Comedy Show as a plea to officials to have his Canadian visa extended. The show was sold out, well reviewed, and frenzied letters were written to bureaucrats. He was forced to leave anyway after one final show, 2005’s “They’re Deporting Him Anyway.” Next, he worked as a comedy writer and performer in South Africa before moving to the UK.

"It takes a special kind of act to work on both sides of the Atlantic (as well as across Africa)," noted the News and Star of this comedian, "but it seems an easy transition as he compels the crowd with his socially insightful comedy.

Manic physical Canadian comedian Wes Zaharuk credits his comic roots to his parents. They made ‘not listening’ an Olympic event. As a child, his parents dressed him in wool pants that were incredibly itchy. Complain as he would, his words fell on deaf ears. When he developed a skin condition that looked like a large, all-dressed pizza, he was tested for allergies. It was found that he was allergic to wool. Through it all, Wes developed his desire to be heard — if only to reduce rash.

About the use of props in his performance Wes quips “Show business sometimes lures people who didn't get enough love early in life. I feel as a child I didn't get enough unsupervised time with power tools but who has perfect parents?”

Also on the bill is London's beatboxing comic Mickey Sharma and, representing Lancashire, compere Rob Riley.

"Lancaster as a city is well suited to comedy," says Rob, the man behind the The Borough's event, who will also be compering on Sunday. "It's got a large student population and tourists in the Summer, which means good audiences throughout the year.

"The Borough is a great venue for comedy too. Shows sell out well in advance and excellent feedback indicates we have the same balance on quality and price at our comedy nights as we have in the bars and kitchen!"

• The show starts at 8pm prompt and advance tickets at £6 are available from www.wegottickets.com, The Borough or you can pay £8 on the door if there are seats left. The show is strictly adults only.

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