THE Friends of Cannington Shaw Arts sub group, looking ahead to St Helens 150th birthday celebrations next year, have decided to pursue a project based on the old board game classics of the past.


English Heritage has devised a board game based on Cluedo. We use our detective skills to discover six hidden treasures within nine local heritage sites. Their mission is to use the clues provided to lead you to one of six historical figures, and to identify their key artefacts.


Another suggestion is one based on Monopoly, focusing on each of the four townships. We can include a selection of something on the lines of ‘Get Out Of Jail’ because the Royal Raven had a jail in the cellars until they built the first Town Hall. There are also the Parr Stocks for other punishments.


The town has a lot of heritage we want to include that is important to the residents.

As you may know, a few years ago, I assisted local artist Bernadette Hughes in developing a board game based around local road transport and people’s memories, and helped distribute the finished games to various community groups.


Ideas and suggestions are welcome from anyone and everyone.

Meanwhile, councillor Martin Bond, has secured the arch and time capsule from the old cottage hospital in Haydock.

He has also secured funding for the archway to be installed as a monument near the site of the old hospital which will happen before Christmas.
Both Martin and Gary Conley are looking to have a permanent heritage trail through Haydock, highlighting old mines, works, sites, people etc. They don’t want to go down the route of hearsay and conjecture but true and proper facts. 


Martin said: “I’m struggling to find real famous people from Haydock other than rugby players, but I’m sure there is stuff out there, with the RAF camp being situated there and the factories that were built and produced goods there. (I’m thinking of Compton’s, Shell Gullick Dobson etc ).”


- St Helens Council has advised that a query regarding the council’s policy in respect of war memorials has been forwarded to planning.


They tell me the council’s estates team are responsible for their upkeep and should be contacted if there are any concerns regarding their condition.

Any new additions to the memorials for names or indeed a new memorial, is dealt with by Democratic Services.


The council adds that a number of the war memorials are listed and listed building policy applies which ensures that any works to the memorials respects their significance.

If the memorial is considered to be that of an undesignated heritage asset, they are aware that they should also speak to Conservation.