Stockport Independent Issue 197

DECEMBER 2025 4 ST James’ Catholic High School in Cheadle Hulme has been crowned winner of the ‘Outstanding Com- mitment to Sport in Sec- ondary School’ category at the prestigious Edu- cate Awards. The school stood out for its exceptional dedication to sport, earning medals in more than 10 events, including Tri- athlon, Basketball, and New Age Kurling. Beyond competition, St James’ plays a vital role in the local community – host- ing primary cluster events, supporting transition, and developing leadership skills. Eight FA Gamechangers lead sessions looking to pro- mote equal access for girls in football, while the school’s commitment to inclusion shines through its hosting of SEND sporting events, ensuring every student has the chance to participate and represent their school. Now in its 14th year, the Educate Awards celebrate excellence across 21 catego- ries, shining a spotlight on schools, colleges, and trusts that make a real difference. The awards were held at Liv- erpool Cathedral. STOCKPORT is celebrat- ing another milestone in its town centre regenera- tion with the delivery of 131 new affordable homes. Hollingdrake Place on Edward Street is now com- plete, with people beginning to move in. The development, made up of one and two-bedroom apartments, offers 63 homes available for affordable rent, with the added benefit of 68 available for social rent. With support from Stock- port Council, the development was delivered by housing association The Guinness Partnership with funding from Homes England. Catriona Simons, group chief executive at The Guin- ness Partnership, said: “We are pleased to bring much needed high-quality affordable homes in the cen- tre of Stockport, as part of Guinness’s commitment to supporting development in Greater Manchester.” VERNONBuilding Society has launched its Christmas appeal, aiming to ensure every child has a gift and every family has food on its table for the festive season. The appeal is looking to supporting families during one of the most emotionally and financially challenging times of the year. The society has a new charity partner this year. Chelwood Foodbank Plus pro- vides essential support across the area with foodbanks in Cheadle Hulme, Brinnington and Edgeley. The Vernon is calling on the community to sup- port the appeal by donating unwrapped gifts for children and adults, such as toiletries, socks, pyjamas and toys. They can also donate fes- tive treats for Christmas food hampers like mince pies, Christmas puddings and crackers, and food gift items such as luxury biscuits and branded teas and coffees. Collection points are open at each of Vernon’s six branches in Stockport, Hazel Grove, Poynton, Marple, Red- dish and Bramhall. STOCKPORT NHS Foun- dation Trust has gone live with a new digital healthcare communica- tion platform. CardMedic has been rolled out across the organisation, enabling its 6,300-strong workforce to communicate more clearly and confidently with patients who face language or communica- tion barriers. The platform provides instant access to live inter- preters in 200-plus languages, alongside thousands of clini- cally validated scripts in mul- tiple languages and formats. The trust, which runs Stepping Hill Hospital, pro- vides acute and community health services to a popula- tion of around 300,000 people across Stockport. A spokesperson said: “With a diverse community, reliance on face-to-face interpreting has led to rapidly increas- ing annual costs, and com- munication barriers have increasingly impacted patient experience and safety. “Introducing CardMedic will help address these pres- sures by providing staff with a single point of access to a suite of clinically designed communication support tools.” Pam Fearns, chief nurs- ing information officer at the trust, led the pro- ject’s implementation. She said: “CardMedic will enable patients to voice their needs where previously they may have struggled to com- municate them. “All conversations – such as asking whether someone wants a cup of tea, explain- ing a procedure, or offering reassurance – play a vital role in ensuring inclusivity. CardMedic enables equality across our services.” Society launches Christmas appeal NHS Trust ends the ‘silent era’ Roll out: Nursing staff with the CardMedic equipment (Photo credit: Stockport NHS Foundation Trust) A new era for art college A home win AMUCH-LOVE Stockport landmark is set to once again buzz with creativity and collaboration. The Grade II-listed former Stockport Arts College, next to theWar Memorial Art Gallery on Greek Street, will be trans- formed into Cheers & Smith, a flexible workspace and social hub for local businesses. Regeneration specialist Cityheart has been granted planning permission for the development. It will form part of Stop- ford Park – a new neigh- bourhood set to bring 442 new homes and a landscaped ‘Art Park’. The refurbishment works are set to start shortly and be completed ready for busi- nesses to move in in 12 months’ time. Across the neighbour- hood, an ever-changing canvas of uniquely com- missioned works by local artists will bring energy and imagination to the new Art Park. Greg Ball, Development Director at Cityheart, said: “We’re making great progress at Stopford Park and this milestone is another exciting step on that journey. Cheers & Smith will bring real energy back into this much-loved building. It’s a space that has always been about creativity and collaboration, and now it has the chance to be exactly that again.” CHESHIRE Police is look- ing to axe up to 60 commu- nity support officers’ roles as it deals with “signifi- cant financial challenges,” according to reports. The force is said to be look- ing to save £13million over the next four years and put more police officers in neighbour- hood teams. An internal consultation is reported to be underway on the plans, which have been described as “neces- sary, despite significant efforts of the force to secure appropriate levels of sav- ings required to balance our budget this year”. Chief Constable Mark Rob- erts told the BBC: “As we con- tinue to be impacted by the legacy of austerity, we have got to look at ways of work- ing differently.” He said the planned changes would “put more warranted police officers in our local policing teams going forwards than we have had this year”. And he added: “The pub- lic have told us that they want more police officers on the streets tackling crime, and these proposals will support that work, whilst also supporting the govern- ment’s Neighbourhood Polic- ing Guarantee.” The reduction plan would see the number of community support officers in Cheshire reduced from 87 to 27. Police community support officers share some, but not all powers of a police officer. Support officers in the firing line School proves a sporting winner A STUNNING piece of artwork inspired by the River Mersey has been unveiled at Stockport Interchange. Created by a local artist, the work is made from thousands of recycled plastic bottle-tops donated by the local community. The colourful piece was made by Caitilin Marie Atherton from Plastic Shed, a com- munity-led organisation that brings people together through creative reuse of plas- tic waste. Caitlin was helped by 300 volunteers, including local children from dozens of Stock- port schools. The River Mersey flows alongside the interchange, and the final design shows an idyllic river scene featuring fish, ducks and a diving frog. It’s based on ideas and designs put forward by schoolchildren and input from the local community. The artwork is the second largest of its kind in the UK, with the largest, also created by Caitlin, on show nearby at Merseyway. It will be permanently displayed in the main area used by buses when picking up passengers meaning it can be enjoyed from Viaduct Park, the interchange and from trains travelling through Stockport along the town’s famous viaduct. Caitlin said: “This project has been such a beautiful experience, fromworking with the wonderful staff at the bus station, the incred- ible local schools, businesses and groups, to the endlessly amazing members of the com- munity of Stockport, it has been pure joy!” She added: “I would love to make Stock- port the recycled plastic mural capital of the world, with one day having the world’s largest recycled plastic mural right here! Who knows! Stay tuned!” A community event was held at the inter- change to mark the official unveiling and people enjoyed food and drink, stalls and free games and activities. New artwork is tops! Eye-catching: The newmural (Photo caption: TfGM)