Linking local business & community in Congleton

By Mel, Bare Health As autumn arrives and the days shorten, there’s another seasonal change worth thinking about – our ability to make vitamin D naturally. Vitamin D is often called the sunshine vitamin because our skin makes it when exposed to UVB rays from sunlight. But here in the UK, the autumn and winter sun isn’t strong enough for our skin to make significant amounts for much of the year. And vitamin D is far more than a nutrient for bones. Your immune system needs it t

By Mel, Bare Health As summer begins to gently give way to autumn, the changes around us can be surprisingly significant. The mornings become cooler, daylight gradually decreases and, after the long, lighter days of summer, our routines naturally begin to shift. But do we shift with them? For centuries, our lives were much more closely governed by the seasons. Summer was a time of activity and abundance, while autumn brought harvesting, preparation and gradually slowing down.

By Katy O’Regan When you’re dealing with pain or discomfort, knowing where to turn isn’t always straightforward. Chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist… the terms are often used interchangeably, but they don’t always mean the same thing. After speaking with the team at Spine Space in Congleton, I realised just how helpful it is to understand the differences, and similarities. At Spine Space, Hannah is an osteopath and Jeremy is a chiropractor, and interestingly, both were k

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) In the July edition, I wrote about the role workplaces can play in helping someone recognise that what they are experiencing may be domestic abuse. But recognition is only the beginning. Because eventually, someone may tell you. They might tell a manager they trust. A colleague. Someone in HR. They may disclose everything, or almost nothing. They might simply say things are difficult at home, that they are fri

By Mel, Bare Health If you’ve spent even a few minutes on social media recently, you’ve probably come across someone talking about creatine. Once reserved for bodybuilders and gym enthusiasts, this humble supplement is suddenly everywhere. From podcasts and wellness influencers to healthcare professionals, creatine has become one of the hottest topics in health, and not just because it helps build muscle. So, what’s changed? The answer lies in the growing body of research sho

By Katy O’Regan As conservationist Paul Goldstein continues his extraordinary 1,000-mile fundraising walk across Britain dressed in his iconic tiger suit, it’s not just his determination that is helping him reach the finish line – it’s also the generosity of people giving their time to support the cause. Among them is Stuart from Restore Physio Holmes Chapel, who donated his expertise to help keep the veteran fundraiser on the road during one of the toughest stretches of his

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) For many families, the summer holidays are something to look forward to. A break from the school run, more time together, days out, playdates, trips to the park, and the chance to make memories. But for adults and children living with domestic abuse, the summer holidays can feel very different. When schools close, some families lose much more than routine. School can be a place of safety, structure and support

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) and Founder of Domestic Abuse Experts In the last edition, I wrote about the way domestic abuse follows people into the workplace. Through phones. Through finances. Through childcare arrangements. Through exhaustion, fear, absence, performance, confidence and safety. But there is another reason workplaces matter. Sometimes, they are not only the place where the impact of domestic abuse becomes visible. They ar

By Mel, Bare Health We are all familiar with beetroot as a colourful salad staple, adding vibrant purple-red hues to summer plates and sandwiches. It’s also a favourite in many an allotment, prized by gardeners for being relatively easy to grow and rewarding to harvest. Yet beneath its earthy appearance lies a nutritional powerhouse that has been valued for centuries for both its flavour and health-promoting properties. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) belongs to the same family as s

By Mel, Bare Health For thousands of years, herbal medicine has been used across cultures as one of the world’s oldest systems of healing. Rooted in traditional knowledge and guided by a holistic understanding of the body, herbal medicine works to support the body’s innate ability to heal and restore balance. Rather than focusing solely on isolated symptoms, it considers the interconnected nature of physical, emotional, and environmental wellbeing. Today, herbal medicine cont

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) Most of us like to think of work as separate from home. A place where we arrive or log on, do our job, talk to colleagues, make decisions, solve problems and get through the day. But for someone experiencing domestic abuse, the separation between home and work doesn’t often exist. Domestic abuse follows people. It follows them through their phone, finances, childcare arrangements, confidence, sleep, and very o

By Katy O’Regan What started as a simple idea between two friends has grown into a vital support network for people in recovery and those seeking support across Crewe. Liz and her friend Sue run the Recovery Hub at St Andrew’s Church Hall on Bedford Street, offering a welcoming, judgement-free space for people who have problematic relationships with substances or addictive behaviours, as well as those already in recovery. The hub first began in 2020, but like many community p

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) There is a lot of noise right now about misogyny, the so-called ‘manosphere’, and what young people are consuming online. Talk to almost any teacher and they will tell you the same thing: something has shifted. You can feel it in the language young people use, in the way some boys talk about girls, and in the way girls talk about themselves. This is not abstract. It’s showing up in classrooms, corridors and re

By Mel, Bare Health Reports from large population surveys reveal a worrying trend: cognitive struggles, including problems with memory, concentration and decision-making, are rising, particularly among younger adults. At Bare Health, we regularly speak with customers about practical ways to prevent or delay early cognitive decline and support long-term brain health. Between 2013 and 2023, the proportion of adults aged 18–39 reporting cognitive disability nearly doubled, highl

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) Arch Publications Charity Partner 2026 Domestic abuse rarely announces itself loudly. It is not always bruises, shouting, or police cars outside a house. More often, it is quiet. It hides in everyday life: at the school gates, in workplaces, in WhatsApp groups, behind perfectly normal conversations. Someone might stop coming out as often. They might seem anxious about replying to messages. They might apologise

By Jan Johnson Reflexology Spring is a natural time of year to look forward. The warmer days bring increasing light, fresh new green and the returning vibrancy of flowers. A time of new life and growth surrounds us in nature bringing a promise of even better times to come. With this natural backdrop, even the most negative people can’t help but smile. The spring season facilitates optimism and if you are a glass half empty kind of person, this may be the perfect time to re-tr

By Mel, Bare Health Arnica montana, often called “mountain daisy,” is a vibrant wildflower native to the mountainous regions of Europe and Siberia. Its bright yellow petals and distinct scent make it a beloved sight across alpine meadows. But beyond its visual appeal, arnica holds a long and storied place in traditional medicine. Historically, arnica has been used for hundreds of years. Early herbalists in Europe applied it as a poultice for bruises, sprains, and muscle soren

By Jan Johnson Reflexology How many times have you turned away from doing something because you’ve been too anxious about what might happen or getting a negative reaction from others? Fear is a part of being human but is a complex emotion of extremes that can literally save your life! The fear of falling off a cliff will ensure you walk at a safe distance from the edge. Fear can be your friend but the flip side can leave you unable to live your life as you wish. There are fou

By Everybody Health & Leisure Comedian and avid player Jason Manford, Andy Murray, David Beckham, and nearly every Housewife from Beverly Hills to New York have all been swept up in padel fever. And now Holmes Chapel is joining that glossy, sporty club with our own freshly built padel courts at Everybody Health and Leisure (Holmes Chapel Community Centre). Now, I haven’t been sleeping under a rock for my 48 years on earth… but I had only heard of padel in recent years. I know

By Saskia, MyCWA CEO Arch Publications Charity Partner 2026 “At my darkest times, I thought death would be better than this. When I walked into refuge, I felt like it was my light at the end of the tunnel.” Those are the words of a woman in Cheshire who came to MyCWA for help. They could just as easily have been mine. I fled to refuge as a young mum with my children and a carrier bag of nappies and baby clothes. I was in shock, exhausted to my bones, and terrified about what