26th March 2026

Thursday 26th March 2026 – Guardian Review

Baby bins, grassroots football heroes and two very lucky animals
Cheshire’s Mix 56’s Paul Smith catches up with Gareth Dunning, Editor of the Warrington & Knutsford Guardian, for this week’s round-up from across the patch.

New food waste “baby bins” start collection

Those little black food waste caddies that have been lurking in sheds and garages are about to earn their keep – collections start next week. Warrington is joining areas like Cheshire West as part of a government push to boost recycling, with food caddies going out on the same day and rotation as your black bin.

Not everyone’s thrilled – there are worries about smells and maggots – but Gareth says we all have to do our bit for the planet. With blue, black and (for those who pay) green bins, many households will now have four bins; Warrington doesn’t quite match Wales’ “hundreds of bins on holiday rentals” reputation, but it’s getting there. Cheshire East and parts of Cheshire are due to follow later this year.

MP Sarah Hall champions grassroots sport

Local MP Sarah Hall has been speaking in Parliament about the vital role of community sports clubs, especially grassroots football. These clubs support thousands of young people but rely heavily on volunteers – not just coaches, but people cutting grass, maintaining clubhouses and keeping community centres going.

From football to tennis, rugby to athletics, she’s shining a spotlight on this “army of volunteers” and the huge value they bring, stressing how important it is that they get the support needed to carry on.

Firefighters rescue horse Bluebell

Animal story number one: a horse called Bluebell had to be rescued after falling into fast-flowing water in Burtonwood. Fortunately, Cheshire Fire and Rescue’s specialist animal rescue unit, based at Lymm fire station, was called out.

They managed to get Bluebell safely out, with some striking photos showing a rather dazed-looking horse being helped to solid ground. A challenging job, but a happy ending.

Missing cat Purdie back home after 16 months

Animal story number two is a real heart-warmer. Jo Roberts lost her cat Purdie when the carrier door opened on a vet visit and Purdie bolted. Jo refused to give up – she knocked on doors around Orford, put up posters and even appealed through the Guardian.

Sixteen months later, someone who’d unknowingly taken the cat in saw the story online, took Purdie to the vet, and she was finally reunited with Jo. Plenty of Dreamies on the menu now, you’d imagine – a lovely feel-good story to end the week.

All these stories and more are in this week’s Warrington & Knutsford Guardian – and Paul will be back with Gareth at the same time next week on Mix 56