The Woodland Trust is pleading with the Greater Manchester public not to light fires on the region’s moorland this summer.
Nine of the UK’s biggest woodland charity’s sites have been blighted by fire in 2021 alone – with one fire-ravaged moorland area in the borough of Bolton still in the process of recovering.
Many may remember that in the summer of 2018, a toxic mix of a fire coupled with droughts, swept through the moorland at Smithills near Bolton, wiping out whole ecosystems, displacing rare birds such as the curlew, damaging a third of the 1,700 hectare site, and destroying around 2,000 trees.
It took 42 days for the fire service and the Woodland Trust to bring the blaze under control, with the recovery still ongoing and costs now said to be rising above the £1 million mark.
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Now, with the summer holidays beginning for many in Greater Manchester this week and the potential for prolonged periods of dry spells still forecast to come, the Woodland Trust says the risk of wildfires has significantly increased.
The 2018 Smithills Estate fire damaged a third of the 1,700 hectare site, and destroyed around 2,000 trees / Credit: Geograph (David Dixon)
“Our sites are a wonderful place to visit with so much diversity,” said Al Crosby – the Woodland Trust’s Regional Director for northern England.
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“We of course want people to enjoy them but also to take care of them… It’s all about recognising what’s special about these places, and how visitors can show their love for them and help us to keep them that way.”
He continued: “Our key message is to people – help us to protect the precious woods and wildlife near you.
“Please don’t light fires. It poses untold risk to people and wildlife [and] even if people think they are in control one minute, it can soon change and the effects can be absolutely catastrophic.”
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BBQs and small fires on moorland can easily get out of control and rip through the countryside fast / Credit: Pixahive
The Trust warns that BBQs and small fires on moorland and woodland can easily get out of control and rip through the countryside fast – damaging everything in their path.
It’s these kinds of fires that cause “untold damage” to habitats by wiping out wildlife and forcing nesting birds to flee.
Some of this devastation takes “decades to recover”, the Trust warns.
Featured Image – Geograph (Mick Garratt)
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Full list of Manchester restaurants set to add an extra £1 to bills to tackle homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
As November arrives, the temperatures begin to start dropping, and the nights set in a little earlier, people in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 15 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launches today (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Proloco, Erst, Ezra & Gill, Stretford Canteen, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
Now in its 29th year, StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
Since launching in 1998, the campaign has raised over £16.2 million to support charities across the UK, providing practical help, from meals and emergency accommodation to healthcare, training, housing advice and routes towards finding a permanent home.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2026, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2026
Proloco
Hache MCR
Bar Posie
SAMPA
Blue Eyed Panda
Ezra & Gill
Erst
Little Seeds
Lina Stores
Stretford Canteen
Hawksmoor
Manahatta
San Carlo Bottega
Tampopo
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”
Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)
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‘Groundbreaking’ new police team launches on Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world
Emily Sergeant
A ‘groundbreaking’ new policing model aimed at making the Bee Network one of the safest public transport networks in the world has launched.
Described as being ‘pioneering’, the first-of-its-kind approach – named the Transport Policing and Crime Command (TPACC) – will bring Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) even closer together to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, and safety issues across the region’s transport network.
So, how will it work then? Well, according to TfGM, the command will ‘effectively establish’ the Bee Network as GMP’s eleventh policing district.
It will bring together up to 300 personnel, including new police officers, who are all involved in keeping the network safe and providing greater reassurance to passengers travelling across the region.
Efforts to keep passengers safe on buses, trams, active travel routes, and roads across Greater Manchester will be ‘strengthened’ through the new team – improving co-ordination in response to incidents, and helping to reassure communities.
A ‘groundbreaking’ new police team has launched on the Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world / Credit: TfGM
The new team will also incorporate the existing Roads Policing Unit within GMP that includes specialist functions such as the Central Ticket Office, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, the motorbike unit, the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, and more.
Overall, the key focus of TPACC is to:
Increase public confidence on safety across the transport network
Reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and criminality across the transport network
Increase the number of users of the Bee Network across Greater Manchester
The launch of TPACC is said to represents ‘the next phase’ of Greater Manchester’s commitment to creating a ‘safer, more secure, and more welcoming’ transport network for everyone who lives, works, and travels across the region.
“I want a world-class Bee Network where everyone feels safe,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“Our new dedicated transport policing command will bring together more than 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network. It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.
“TPACC will also crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which have devastating consequences for families and communities.”
Emily Sergeant -
23rd July 2021 
