Stockport Independent Issue 180

9 AUGUST 2024 Visit our website: www.independentnewspapers.co.uk Feel the benefit of solar power, save money on your energy bills, and help tackle climate change. Scan to see if you qualify for free or discounted home upgrades. Or call Your Home Better on 0161 883 7979 THOUSANDS of patients are set to benefit from the launch of a newoph- thalmology service at CongletonWar Memorial Hospital. Running as part of the newCommunity Diagnostic Centre (CDC) development, the newly opened service will provide appointments for diagnosing and treat- ing serious eye conditions, including glau- coma and macular degeneration, with the capacity to serve more than 4,000 patients annually. Graham Freeman, principal optome- trist at East Cheshire NHS Trust, said: “The expansion of ophthalmology services to Congleton is a fantastic development for our patients. “The increased capacity to diagnose and monitor the growing number of patients suffering from glaucoma, macular degen- eration, diabetes, and other chronic eye diseases will allow us to further improve the eye health of local people.” After receiving a grant fromNHS Eng- land community diagnostics programme fund last year, the new development will future-proof services. It will also allow the trust to provide localised diagnostics care where appropri- ate, reducing attendances and potentially admissions to an acute hospital setting. The hospital, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, is now home to several diagnostic services including imaging and cardiorespiratory testing. The newCommunity Diagnostic Centre at Congleton is due to be fully open in April next year. MORE than 75 schoolchil- dren have been working hard to support the transforma- tion of a wellbeing garden at Congleton War Memo- rial Hospital. Pupils from schools across the town have been helping with the planting in the garden that is being created as part of the 100th anniversary of the hospital this year. Overseen by Congleton-based gardener Patti Pinto, with help from the local community, work has been taking place on the ALMOST £1.5million of high- way improvements will be carried out across Cheshire East this summer. The large-scale works will include the A500 Shavington Bypass which covers nine miles, the longest stretch of road in the borough to ever receive surface dressing treatment. The programme of surface dressing is designed to both increase skid resistance and seal the road surface, prevent- ing water getting in – the major cause of potholes. The work is being funded jointly by Cheshire East Council’s capital investment programme for highway main- tenance 2024/25 and central government grants. Six roads are being improved including the A34 Wilmslow Bypass MacLean Way, the A54 Buxton Road and the A533 Middlewich Road/London Road in Sandbach. The A5022 Holmes Chapel Road at Brereton and A49 Whitchurch Road, Spurstow, will also receive surface dress- ing – a new layer on top of the existing road. Mark Goldsmith, who chairs the council’s highways and trans- port committee, said: “This year will see the largest section of sur- face dressing undertaken for sev- eral years. “Fortunately, it is a quick pro- cess, so disruption to the network should be kept to a minimum even though just over 250,000 square metres of carriageway – the equivalent of 35 Wembley football pitches – will be treated. “We are aware that some of the roads we plan to treat such as the A500 Shavington Bypass are busy routes and we will be keeping everyone updated with how works are progressing.” Schools dig deep for hospital’s garden project At work: Pupils from Saint Mary’s help with planting (Photo credit: East Cheshire NHS Trust) Summer road repair programme unveiled New eye service will make a difference project which will provide a wel- coming, tranquil new green space for patients, visitors and staff. Greg Merrick, headteacher at Saint Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Congleton, said: “Children are encouraged to help the local com- munity and our Year 6 pupils walked up to the local hospital to help plant their new wellbeing garden, and in doing so celebrating the hospital’s 100th birthday.” Alongside the support of the garden, pupils from the school also designed a special 100th birthday card which was presented to staff from the Aston Unit at the hospital. Greg added: “The children wanted to help celebrate 100 years of helping the community, so decided to make a card with flowers on the front made from tissue paper, and every child in the school drew a picture of them- selves to put in the card.” To advertise call 07767 840274