Walton Hall suggestions from Brook Acre Primary

[Geoffrey Settle]

I've been a Governor at Brook Acre for over 10 years now and I've seen and worked on loads of changes. Just over a week ago I went in for my regular maths session, i.e. I try and help and remember what I used to do It's very rewarding.

 

Anyway a couple of classes were off to Walton Hall for the day and I asked them to tell me what changes they would like to see.

 

What was missing in the park - what would the like to see there?

 

I am joining them tomorrow for the morning assembly where a special guest will give out FOUR - sticker books for the best ideas and hopefully we will have a voting session in the same way as we do when I deliver the Young Enterprise 'OUR COMMUNITY'.

 

I think that there are some great ideas from years 1 & 2 but you only have one vote so it's a tough choice.

 

For a bit of fun lets have a go on WWW and I will let you know at lunch time the top four.

[Bazj]

...........and no one said they wanted to see a nice hotel???

[Dizzy]

Not many votes so far... come on you lot make an effort

[Stallard12]

I did vote and would like to add a suggestion for the Hall itself. It would be a perfect location for some amateur (or professional) theater group to stage Monthly Mysteries.

We have a local Victorian home, not half as impressive as Walton that presents a monthly mystery dinner theater - black tie, and it's extremely popular.

[Geoffrey Settle]

Thats an excellent idea, we did a murder mystery at our friends house last christmas - but just imagine moving from room to room to discover clues etc.

 

Maybe people would also like to add their ideas and I can then set up a poll and we can vote on those as well.

 

More votes greatly accepted.

 

Voting doen't close until 8:30am tomorrow

[Dizzy]

Agreed... what a great idea Stallard12 and like you say Walton Hall is the ideal location both in building and surroundings for something like that and I bet it's a bit eerie at night too. I'd go to one there (if I was feeling brave).

 

I know the hall was used for a few ghost hunting nights as I remember reading about them somewhere on the web. I wouldn't go to one of those though at night though as Lady Daresbury is said to haunt her old bedroom amongst other 'people' who have been seen ... creepy

 

Other suggestions....

 

How about having something like medieval banquets help in the evenings. Again the interior and exterior of Walton Hall would be great for this with it's stone framed leaded windows, big fireplaces, panelled walls. lighting... IDEAL.

 

Only problem may be doing the food as the kitchen is quite small but they cater for wedding parties and receptions there so it must be capable.

 

Or maybe holding commedy nights (do they have a stage and/or sound system in there?)

 

Or... music nights, local live groups (not the head banging sort though), singers, performers.. or how about people local groups like the Cody's who perform music from shows or their own stuff. They do it in the local church hall and other places and always have a large audience and tickets sell well. That would be wonderful at Walton Hall and the hall would make money from the ticket sales and also the bar ....

 

Which then leads me onto the lovely new bandstand.... how about night shows with music/groups there (it does have an electric supply does it?) bar open and would be good.

 

I might have a look at all the photo's I uploaded on here the other week for more inspiration as I feel a 'dizzy moment' coming on

[Dizzy]

OOPS... topic going off track

 

More votes for the idea's from years 1 & 2 at Brook Acre Primary School please...

 

..time is running out..sticker books can be won and when you are only aged 5 or 6 that's better than winning the lottery

[Bazj]

So do those who vote for the winning idea get a sticker book too???? It's only fair!

[Dizzy]

I'll supply everyone on here with a sticker book if they have voted for the one that finally wins. You not grown up either then Baz

[Geoffrey Settle]

Thanks DIZZY

[Dizzy]

.... like flogging a dead horse sometimes Geoff

[Bazj]

"Floggin' a dead horse".....that was an album by the Sex Pistols....

[Peter T]

No-one suggested a cage for the children.

[Geoffrey Settle]

No-one suggested a cage for the children.

 

Well done pete that's the spirit with a Trampoline inside it, they can jump up and down till their hearts delight.

 

My old (like me) mate Clive Jones hosted one of the Corporate 5km events that I used to get Vertex to enter teams into and we won the odd one or two back in the day at Rochdale and possibly Knowsley.

 

When I was at my peak I used to enter and compete in the Business Houses cross-country annual competition the used to be held near Bolton. My other old mate and mentor Ron Hill's team Running Wild used to win, can't think why he had such a clear advantage - afterall he had his shop managers running for him. Maybe that event could be revived - or I've always wanted to stage a Hill race along the lines of the Frodsham and Helsby ones.

 

Keep those ideas flowing in.

[Geoffrey Settle]

Well done pete that's the spirit with a Trampoline inside it, they can jump up and down till their hearts delight. Just think when they get back to their car they will go straight to sleep.

 

What do you mean no one goes by bus - well I'm sure they might if there was a shutle bus service at weekends from the town centre. I tried to use the services once when there was a WBC meeting there and ended up having tp walk back to Town. maybe there is a way but I couldn't even find the bus stop and I'm longsighted.

 

My old (like me) mate Clive Jones hosted one of the Corporate 5km events that I used to get Vertex to enter teams into and we won the odd one or two back in the day at Rochdale and possibly Knowsley.

 

When I was at my peak I used to enter and compete in the Business Houses cross-country annual competition the used to be held near Bolton. My other old mate and mentor Ron Hill's team Running Wild used to win, can't think why he had such a clear advantage - afterall he had his shop managers running for him. Maybe that event could be revived - or I've always wanted to stage a Hill race along the lines of the Frodsham and Helsby ones.

 

Keep those ideas flowing in.

[Geoffrey Settle]

Voting has now closed

[Geoffrey Settle]

The top four were Junior Ranger (to look after a tree that was poorly), The nature trail with clues, The Skateboard Park and an area for planting flowers and trees something that the Mersey Forest were only talking about last week.

 

Each of the four children then read out why they had chosen their idea. They were fantastic - it just shows that years one and two can give us adults a run for our money when it comes to practical ideas.

 

We then took a vote just for a bit fun fun - 3 got similar shows of hands BUT the clear leader was The Skate Park.

 

Ian Johnson from Walton Hall made a brief speech about how much he liked the ideas and hoped that they would all be back soon. He then presented each of the top four a sticker book each.

 

It was a very enjoyable 10 - 15 minutes and I know that the parents were very proud as always of their children.

[Dizzy]

You must really enjoys your days Geoff as what a lovely way to spend your time.

 

Well done to all the children for their hard work and their ideas and sounds like they all had a great time (and their parents and other grown ups too).

 

Kids are great as they think 'outside of the box' as they are not blinkered by other things.

 

Forum voting wise... from your results it would apear that I now owe 6 sticker books (5 for those on here who voted for the nature trail and 1 for the person who voted for the junior ranger).

 

If they would like to post their names and addresses on here I will post their 'Dizzy Sticker Books' out to them on monday after I have made them

 

PS... to all those who never bothered voting don't do it now just to get a Dizzy book as I did a screen dump of the poll results

[Geoffrey Settle]

You must really enjoys your days Geoff as what a lovely way to spend your time.

 

Well done to all the children for their hard work and their ideas and sounds like they all had a great time (and their parents and other grown ups too).

 

Kids are great as they think 'outside of the box' as they are not blinkered by other things.

 

Forum voting wise... from your results it would apear that I now owe 6 sticker books (5 for those on here who voted for the nature trail and 1 for the person who voted for the junior ranger).

 

If they would like to post their names and addresses on here I will post their 'Dizzy Sticker Books' out to them on monday after I have made them

 

PS... to all those who never bothered voting don't do it now just to get a Dizzy book as I did a screen dump of the poll results

 

 

You DIZZY rascal - name and addresses.....no way anyone on the forum will even say if live in Warrington.

[Peter T]

How are you going to tell them that you cannot afford a skatepark? or are you going cap in hand to Biffa?

[Dizzy]

Well the grown ups on here don't get their sticker book then

 

If you were one of the voters who 'won' Geoff just say YES and I'll post yours c/o WBC's address

 

I don't need to post mime as I can just give it to myself....

 

Wonder who else did win though ?