Manchester Master’s student Toryn Whitehead is on a mission: Get people talking about climate change.
Assignments don’t come much bigger than that. But the 22-year-old seems to have found a very effective method of achieving his aim.
Toryn has set up a magazine called Rehabilitating Earth: A publication dedicated to fighting misinformation and educating people on climate change in a refreshingly accessible way.
What began as a humble blog in September 2020 has now flourished into a site that’s opening up the conversation further and wider than Toryn had ever imagined.
Unlike other science publications, Rehabilitating Earth attempts to draw readers into the climate change debate by marrying science with art and literature.
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“Climate change is this huge, huge issue that people say they care about but they’re not really doing anything because they don’t properly understand it,” Toryn told The Manc.
“I think a lot of discourse surrounding climate change is very sciency and doesn’t want the general person to get involved so I want to change that and try to take a different perspective in engaging people.
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“I chose the title Rehabilitating Earth because climate change represents that the world is broken and heading for disaster and the magazine aims to provide information on how we can start to repair and move towards rehabilitating.“
Toryn now has a team of writers who regularly contribute to the magazine with articles and artistic pieces.
Rehabilitating Earth has covered a range of topics including the acidification of oceans and issues surrounding fast fashion – and Toryn hopes the magazine’s articles will allow readers to learn something new whilst incentivising them to take action in their own lives.
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Toryn is always looking for new writers who share his passion for climate change and hopes to diversify his staff so everyone can feel they have a voice in the climate change debate.
Moving forward, he plans to expand the magazine – with ambitions for a printed version.
“I really like the idea of having the magazine as a platform for writers who don’t have any prior experience to get involved and to use it as a ladder to go up”, he stated.
A satirical zine featured on the Rehabilitating Earth website
Toryn aims to engage as many people as possible in conversations about climate change.
Alongside his magazine he has also started a ‘Climate 4 Kids’ initiative which aims to educate school children on the impacts of climate change.
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The initiative offers inspirational talks to school children of all ages and helps to break down some of the issues surrounding the topic into digestible chunks.
“It’s great to get the children’s perspectives on the issues and listen to them,” Toryn said.
“It’s just fascinating to sit down with them and have a chat about what they do and don’t know.
“My message to the kids is just to speak up and speak loud because your voice matters.”
Toryn is hosting a climate change poetry competition with one school in order to further his ambition of combining science with art.
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He is also collaborating with Manchester based eco-friendly clothes company ‘Trouser Project’ to create some Rehabilitating Earth Merchandise and a short film about slow fashion.
The magazine can be found on the Rehabilitating Earth website, alongside details of the Climate4kids initiative.
Featured image: Toryn Whitehead
Feature
The incredible Asian food market held every month at an 800-year-old church in Stockport
Daisy Jackson
One of Greater Manchester’s most unique food events is taking place monthly in and around the grounds of an 800-year-old church.
Held on the second Friday of every month at St Mary’s Church in Stockport, the Asian Food Market brings together some of the region’s best independent Asian street food traders under one historic roof.
Organised by Eat Good West, the event brings together 16 traders every month, serving up dishes from across Asia.
Visitors can tuck into everything from crispy Taiwanese fried chicken and Korean corn dogs to homemade strawberry mochi.
A real highlight is the Japanese yakitori skewers, grilled fresh to order on a traditional charcoal grill while you wait, served in a cloud of smoke and delicious charred edges.
The market originally launched in Edgeley, but after growing in popularity it moved to St Mary’s around a year ago, giving organisers more space to accommodate the increasing crowds.
For the team behind the event, it’s about more than just great food. They see the market as a way of bringing together Stockport’s diverse communities, creating a space where people can connect over shared meals and discover new cultures through food.
Strawberry mochiA round of drinks for £10Sticky fried chicken
There’s a lively atmosphere throughout the evening, with live music performances adding to the experience. And if Manchester’s unpredictable weather makes an appearance, there’s plenty of additional seating inside the church.
The bar also serves a selection of Asian beers and soft drinks at surprisingly affordable prices. We picked up an Asahi, a Singha and a plum beer for just £10 – one of the best-value rounds we’ve seen in a while.
If you’re looking for an excuse to spend your Friday evening eating your way across Asia without leaving Stockport, this is one event worth putting in the diary.
The former pub in Hulme that’s now a haven for salvaged mid-century treasures
Daisy Jackson
If you’ve ever wondered where old stained-glass windows, vintage toilets, and dazzling chandeliers go when they’re rescued from demolition, the answer is probably Insitu Manchester.
Standing on Chester Road in Hulme, Insitu occupies the former Turville pub, a Grade II listed Victorian building dating back to around 1870.
What was once a neighbourhood boozer is now one of Manchester’s most fascinating places to browse, packed to the rafters with architectural salvage, antiques, and quirky design pieces.
Spread across three floors, every room feels like a treasure hunt. One minute you’re admiring an elegant fireplace, the next you’re standing in front of a huge stained-glass church window wondering if it would fit in your downstairs loo.
The real showstopper is upstairs. The former billiards room has been transformed into a bright, sunlit showroom that feels more like an art gallery than a salvage yard.
Founded in 1984 as a business specialising in reclaimed doors and fireplaces, Insitu has spent more than four decades saving beautiful objects from being lost forever.
Today, its stock ranges from reclaimed timber flooring and cast-iron radiators to stained glass, doors and other architectural features.
The former billiards room is now a beautiful showroomA beautiful mid-century tiled tableVintage sinks and toiletsIncredible stained glass windows at InsituA room packed with mid-century treasure at Insitu in ManchesterPaintings, stained glass, and ornate furnitureThe outside of Insitu in Hulme, ManchesterA glimpse inside Insitu in ManchesterA glimpse inside Insitu in Manchester
During our visit, we spotted a mid-century tiled coffee table, ornate chandeliers, vintage glass lampshades, paintings and fireplaces.
But perhaps the most unexpected room was downstairs, where an entire collection of antique sinks and vintage toilets is displayed. Who knew a loo could be so beautiful?
Part of the fun is that you never quite know what you’ll find around the next corner. Every item has a story, and many have been carefully rescued from buildings that no longer exist.
Come for the fireplaces, stay for the vintage toilets. Trust us.
Olivia Stringer -
30th May 2021 
