National Trust site Tatton Park is still unable to fully reopen following a night of ‘chaos’ when Storm Arwen ripped through the region.
The popular attraction has been left without external power, forcing it to close its restaurants and shops, and scale back its One Snowy Night festive event.
Tatton Park in Knutsford was fully closed on Saturday and had to cancel its first day of Father Christmas meets.
The park has been able to gradually reopen some areas since then.
We are open today but with limited facilities. We have an ongoing power cut which means we can't open shops or restaurants. Gardens and Farm will be open for festivities…see our website for more details… pic.twitter.com/hyTxRXz2cm
“Teams have been busy clearing up and repairing damage but an external power cut means we still have no mains power. Our electrical supplier, Scottish Power, are working on this, but it’s a changing situation by the hour and sadly out of our control.”
The parkland is now open again, as are the toilet facilities in the Stableyard, though the restaurants and shops remain closed.
Visitors are advised to book their parking in advance online or bring cash, as the power outage has left Tatton Park without tills.
One Snowy Night is going ahead but with no food and drink on offer – refunds are available.
Featured image: Facebook – Tatton Park
Cheshire
Local Stockport school opens library in memory of ‘selfless’ and ‘truly special’ teacher
Danny Jones
A local school in Stockport has opened a brand new library in memory of a former teacher, with the learning space being named after the “life-changing” educator.
The late Danyon Robert Chesters, or simply Dan to colleagues and friends, was a secondary school educator who enjoyed a long teaching stint at Offerton High (OHS), which was formerly the site of two girls’ school and a boys’ secondary which went on to merge in 1972 and was ultimately renamed in 1983.
Since closed over a decade ago, the premises is now home to two educational facilities for students with learning disabilities and complex needs: Castle Hill High and Lisburne School. The latter officially opened last December after being built on the site of OHS’s old Woodbank Building.
Now, in an effort to both connect to the school’s history and honour the man known to so many simply as Mr Chesters, Lisburne School has now opened the new reading and study space in his name.
Lisburne School students joining the ribbon-cutting ceremony.Dan’s husband Jeff with local councillor and ex-student, Dan Oliver, celebrating the new ‘Chesters Library’.Credit: Lisburne School (supplied)
Unveiled earlier this month, the Lisburne Special School Library was formally dedicated as ‘The Dan Chesters Library’ on the same plot of land where he taught history for over a decade.
Writing via the ‘Do it For Dan’ charity page set up in the wake of his death and which has raised thousands for mental health causes through regular sports-based fundraisers, his husband and fellow academic, Jeff Evans, was present for a “bright and sunny afternoon” spent remembering him.
Local Liberal Democrats Lisa Smart, MP for Hazel Grove, and Stockport MBC Councillor, Dan Oliver – a previous student of Dan’s – were also in attendance as Lisburne’s Headteacher Sam Benson and several students help cut the ribbon.
Speaking on the opening, Cllr Oliver said: “Dan made such a difference to so many of us, both at school and after we left. Over the last few weeks, I’ve re-read our emails, he was always so supportive and keen to know what was going on in our lives.
“He also came to perform at a fundraising event that we organised, a sign of just how special he was and how committed he was to all of us. This library now stands in honour of Dan Chesters, on the site of the building that he taught in, as a permanent reminder of his commitment to education, his kindness, his selflessness and his brilliant smile. Thank you, Dan.”
He often organised history school trips home and abroad.‘The Chesters Library Wellbeing Wall’
Structured Pathway Lead and Class Teacher, Jess Jones, told The Manc: “Here at Lisburne, we offer a specialist provision for children aged 4-11 years in Stockport. We have recently opened our new school building, providing amazing facilities to meet the diverse needs of all students.
“As part of our opening celebrations, we have created a well-being area in our Library in memory of Dan Chesters, a well-loved teacher who taught at the old Offerton High School. The aim of this space is to provide an area of reflection and emotional regulation.
“This marks the beginning of our project here in school and is something we are hoping to expand. We are looking to work collaboratively to fundraise for appropriate resources to engage and support learning, regulation and wellbeing of the full school community.”
As well as the school welcoming local support, Mr Evans himself is now exploring the latest Do it For Dan fundraising event – of which there have already been many – to help fill the library with books and other resources specifically geared towards its students.
An even bigger character than his brain.A school trip to Germany, where he also taught.Credit: Supplied
The organisation has held everything from annual charity football matches, group hikes and memorial runs in the years since his passing.
While he was an inspiration to countless children during his days teaching in schools, helping build their self-esteem and world views as young adults, Dan Chesters sadly battled with mental health throughout his life. In 2018, he tragically decided to take his own life.
He was just 44.
Reflecting in a lengthy and emotional post on the first anniversary of his death on 2 July 2019, his partner Jeff said: “I would use this deeply painful occasion to again enlist your help for all those other Dan’s in our community who need our voice.
“Family members, friends and workmates that are suffering today, often alone, similar mental illness that plagued Dan’s life. Please do continue speaking out about mental health and thereby challenging the taboo about this increasingly common illness…
“Please do consider raising with your MP and local NHS Mental Health Trust the consistent underfunding of the NHS Mental Health Services. In doing so, you’re practically honouring Dan’s life and enhancing his legacy by helping others […] he’d love that.”
A love of and career in history – all borne from the greatness of one ‘truly special’ teacher. (Credit: Supplied)
The impact he had not only on generations of secondary school students but his fellow teaching colleagues, members of the LGBTQ+ community and beyond cannot be overstated.
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Fellow ex-pupil, Jake Sheppard – who not only has a PhD in history but now works for Seashell Trust in Cheadle Hulme, an organisation that also provides severe learning disability support – told us: “Every boy’s heart responds to the examples set by greater men. Mr Chesters was that greater man.
“He was the first person to prise open my own heart to the wonder of the past, the strength of responsibility truly great teachers hold, as well as to the potential goodness of humankind.
“I owe my three history degrees to his strength, wisdom, depth, courage, and kindness.”
Another former student of his and a university graduate turned Greater Manchester nurse, Sophie Williams, added: “Dan was a dedicated educator whose passion for teaching and commitment to his students left a mark on the lives of all who had the privilege of learning from him.
Mid-promPost-memorial run in his honour at a local park in Stockport.Credit: Supplied
“His love for his students and his profession was evident in every lesson he taught and every interaction he had. We loved him.”
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“He was known for his patience, empathy, and ability to make learning engaging and meaningful. He always went above and beyond for his students (even after they had left school) to ensure that they felt valued and empowered.
“His classroom was a space where curiosity thrived, and every student was encouraged to reach their full potential.”
“He leaves behind a lasting legacy in the hearts of his students, colleagues, and everyone who knew him. His influence will continue to resonate in the lives of the countless people who were fortunate enough to know him, and his spirit will live on in the stories shared by all.”
Put simply by the Wilkinson family in a tribute along with a donation on his JustGiving page back in 2023, they described him as “a teacher who always went the extra mile.”
A well-travelled man full of wisdom.An musician, an athlete and a charitable spirit.A lifelong City fan and a loving partner.Credit: Do it For Dan (via Facebook)
Two Greater Manchester-based Paralympians pick up MBEs following Paris 2024 heroics
Danny Jones
A pair of Paralympians born just down the road and honed two discipline-leading national performance centres here in Manchester have officially been awarded MBEs.
The Northerners doing the country proud – sounds about right.
First off, if the name Poppy Maskill doesn’t ring a bell, the promising Paralympic was Team GB’s best-performing para-athlete at Paris 2024 this past summer, contributing a total of five medals towards the nation’s joint-third-highest tally.
After her heroics at the Games, the teenager who turns 20 this weekend (Saturday, 29 March) was the recipient of an early and very prestigious birthday present, becoming one of the youngest individuals to be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in history.
She was named on the New Year’s Honours list back in December but finally collected her latest medal in person this week following a ceremony at Windsor Castle, being honoured by King Charles III personally.
Hailing from Middlewich just less than an hour away from our city centre, Maskill might be a Cheshire girl by birth, but this young sporting gem is being polished right here at the state-of-the-art Manchester Aquatics Centre (MAC).
The youngster became the first Paralympian to pick up gold back in August after not only winning the 100m butterfly but smashing the world record in the process, too.
Competing in the S14 class – a category for athletes with intellectual impairments – she finished the heat with in just 1:03, surpassing the previous best by more than half a minute. But her impressive performance didn’t stop there.
MAC regular Maskill went on to win two more golds in the S14 100m backstroke and 4 x100m S14 freestyle relay, as well as a pair of silver medals in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley S14. Just incredible.
Poppy Maskill wasn’t the only Greater Manchester-based para-athlete who was recognised this month, though, as Stockport‘s very own two-time Paralympic champion Sophie Unwin was also presented with the accolade for her services to sport.
Named a member of the Order along with her co-pilot Jenny Holl, Unwin’s Paris 2024 medal haul included a double of golds in the women’s B 3000m individual pursuit and the road race tandem B, not to mention a silver in the road time trial and a bronze in the 1000m time trial at Paris 2024.
Following in the footsteps of fellow MBE and Stopfordian cycling legend, Dame Sarah Storey, who won her 19th gold medal to become Britain’s greatest Paralympian of all time – having made the most of MAC and the National Cycling Centre over in East Manchester during her career – the borough did us proud.
30-year-old Unwin has kicked on just as strong in the new year as well, notching a narrow victory to set an unofficial (unfortunately) world record of 4:36.737 in the women’s tandem at the 2025 Lloyds National Track Championships here in Manchester.
Daisy Jackson -
30th November 2021 
