Wall-E is a beautiful Pixar Disney film following the eponymous robot and his adventure to bring humanity back to Earth – but watching this film again in the age of Coronavirus brings some harrowing truths to the surface.
Set in the future but more relevant than ever today, WALL-E depicts a suffocated planet Earth – so strewn with litter humans have been forced to leave. As they float in space, robots have been left to clear up their mess back home.
Described as a romance set in a dystopian future constructed as a children’s tale, WALL-E hints at days to come. And they may be here sooner than we might have thought.
Wall-E Pixar
During the first months of lockdown, we saw our beaches litter-free for the first time.
Pavements and walkways were clean and pollution levels were at an all-time low. People were realising their appreciation for nature and the joy it brought them during their permitted hour of outdoor exercise.
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But a relaxation in the rules has brought a lacklustre attitude to our surroundings. The sunlight we had once soaked up from our windows or from a quick walk around the block suddenly became a calling card to race to the beach.
Within hours, tourist spots were overcrowded and left in a disgusting state – with locals forced to tidy the leftover piles of debris.
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It has become clear that some are fed up of finding litter strewn across their paths and walkways – with one nineteen-year-old sharing his despair at the scene of Formby Beach.
“It looked disgusting and I felt like I had to do something,” said Matthew Baines.
“I went to clear up on a number of occasions, but as an individual I collected around 10-15 bin bags full of rubbish.
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“If you bring things to the beach, you should take it home with you, you carried it on to the beach, why can’t you carry it off the beach?”
Matthew Baines @ Formby Beach
As well as the environment, WALL-E also deals with the elements of separation, dependency and affinity – three topics that have proven particularly prevalent during the past 100 days or so.
Humans in the movie are bed bound, glued to a screen and unable to do anything without the aid of a robot, whilst WALL-E himself longs for a physical connection.
In waking life, being without the ones we love for such an extended period of time has been extremely difficult – and many of us are still waiting for that first hug when this is finally all over.
Wall-E Pixar
Technology has helped us stay connected with friends and family, but mental health has been a huge factor for many – especially those who have struggled to find motivation to get out of bed.
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It it this growing reliance on tech for basic needs – such as turning on a light or winding up the blind – that WALL-E warns of.
Memes have circulated social media about whether we will forget how to socialise when we go back into society. But for all the romantics out there, Wall-E does offer some hope – suggesting that true love prevails any disaster and humanity can work together no matter what.
For an hour-and-a-half, sit down and watch WALL-E this weekend.
It’ll hit you harder now than it ever did before.
Wall-E is currently available to rewatch on Disney +
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Rare picture of David Bowie’s legendary one-off gig in Stockport unearthed
Danny Jones
A rare picture taken from the night of the late, great David Bowie’s legendary one-off gig in Stockport has been unearthed by a local whilst digging through his loft.
Imagine having that kind of history just squirrelled away in an attic…
As revealed by Stockport Music Story, after being supplied with the image by David Maynard, the snap was shared more than half a century on from the much-mythologised moment in Greater Manchester music history.
In fact, it was put on display and posted on social media quite literally 56 years to the day since Bowie played his only Stopfordian set on 27 April, 1970.
Maynard himself is featured in the newly discovered photograph (second from the left) and was one of the select and lucky few who were in the room for that very special show.
Organised by a group of teens on behalf of the Stockport Schools’ Students’ Union, the performance took place at the long-gone Poco a Poco music venue and club over in Heaton Chapel.
The storied space hosted many big names over the years – Gerry Marsden, Freddie Starr, Hank Marvin and more – but sadly closed in May of 1987 following a fire.
It went on to become the popular Hinds Head pub, which still serves punters to this day, but once had the honour of hosting a true artistic great and British icon.
For anyone wondering, this is indeed the same night on which David Robert Jones (yes, that’s Bowie‘s full birth name) missed his train home and had to sleep on the railway platform.
Here’s a BBC segment covering the tale back on its 55th anniversary in April 2025.
It may be a small and somewhat curious claim to fame, but native love the legend of it all nonetheless.
As for the other individuals pictured alongside him, Stockport Music Story (SMS) said: “The names of the people we know are David Maynard (2nd left), Roz Wood (3rd left), David Bowie, Bill Frost (2nd right), Stewart Rigby (right).”
They go on to add: “It would be amazing to find out who the other people in the photograph are and what they remember from that night.” We sincerely hope they do.
You can now see the plaque up close and personal at Stockport Station for yourselves and as for SMS’s growing archive of the region’s creative culture, you can find out tonnes more about other pieces of SK heritage right HERE.
Featured Images — David Maynard via Stockport Music Story/Stockport Council
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Huge literary festival returns to Greater Manchester this summer with dozens of FREE events
Emily Sergeant
A huge literary festival with dozens of free events is returning to libraries across Greater Manchester this summer.
Festival of Libraries, the county-wide celebration of all 133 libraries throughout Greater Manchester, is back by popular demand this summer, and organisers have now announced a programme filled with free family-friendly events – with everything from games and performances, to exhibitions, workshops, and arts and crafts on the lineup.
With events running in libraries across all 10 boroughs, this year’s festival will kick off during May half term first, before officially returning from Wednesday 10 – Sunday 14 June.
During the May half term (25-31 May), festival favourite Look for a Book, the much-loved children’s book trail, returns across Greater Manchester, celebrating the release of Put Your Records On – the first picture book from musical artist Corinne Bailey Rae, inspired by her hit song of the same name.
A huge literary festival is coming to Greater Manchester this summer / Credit: Supplied
Put Your Records On follows a young protagonist, Bea, discovering her great aunt’s record collection, and it’s said to be a ‘celebration’ of music’s therapeutic power and intergenerational bonds.
500 copies of Put Your Records On will be hidden across the city region, along with clues and riddles to solve, and lucky winners will even have the chance to meet Corrine herself during the festival too.
Then, when the festival properly kicks off a few days later, interactive workshops and events hosted by Festival of Libraries will welcome families to explore the different ways of engaging with the region’s libraries.
Children can immerse themselves in the world of comic book creation and take inspiration from leading UK comic artists in ‘Comic Creativity Galore’, tap into their tastebuds with ‘Tasting Children’s Literature’, exploring the foods that come to life in beloved works of children’s literature, or take part in the ‘See Myself in Books’ events, which will champion diverse and inclusive children’s books.
‘Transition Reads’ and ‘Storytelling and Moving Image’ workshops from SNE Studios will offer interactive guidance on the shift from primary to secondary school, and they’ll take place alongside a wide range of other activities.
Ultimately, Festival of Libraries 2026 is aiming to explore the county’s rich literary heritage through exhibitions and workshops – and you can be a part of it.
Jess Walmsley -
4th July 2020 
