Over a million new trees will be planted in the North West following a £15 million funding boost into The Northern Forest project.
The North of England is home to around 13 million people, but this beautiful part of the country that us Mancunians call home has just 7.6% of woodland cover, which is significantly lower than the England average – and this is why The Woodland Trust launched the ambitious project back in 2018 to transform the landscape of the area for years to come.
The Woodland Trust is working together with City of Trees Manchester, The Mersey Forest, White Rose Forest, HEYwoods, and the Community Forest Trust to drive forward this government-backed initiative.
Stretching from Liverpool across to Hull, with the M62 as its spine, The Northern Forest will comprise of 50 million trees planted over 25 years.
More than a million of those trees will be in the North West.
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Simon Mageean – Programme Director for the Northern Forest at The Woodland Trust – said: “This new funding is massively significant for this project and enables us to push on with this new phase.
“Not only do these new trees have the power to transform people’s lives through all the green space they bring in areas of traditionally low tree cover, they are also set to bring a big boost to our fight against climate change and encourage nature recovery.”
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Spanning over 120 miles across the cities of Bradford, Salford, Hull, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, The Northern Forest will help provide natural flood management, boost wildlife habitat for woodland birds and bats, and protect ancient woodland areas and iconic species – such as the red squirrel.
It will also improve health and wellbeing by providing a tranquil space for millions of people living in the area, and will generate more than £2 billion for the country’s economy.
The Northern Forest will both “accelerate the creation of new woodland” and “support sustainable management” of the existing woods right across the area.
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According to the Woodland Trust, more trees, woods and forests will deliver a better environment for all by “improving air quality in our towns and cities, mitigating flood risk in key catchments, supporting the rural economy though tourism, recreation and timber production, connecting people with nature, and helping to deliver improvements to health and wellbeing through welcoming and accessible local green spaces”.
City of Trees is one of the ‘Community Forests’, and is the Greater Manchester part of The Northern Forest.
Speaking on the new £15 million funding boost, Jessica Thompson – Director at City of Trees – said: “This investment must not only provide the means to ensure our landscape is resilient to our changing climate, but also have a positive impact on people’s lives in the North.
“City of Trees is committed to ensuring that the investment in trees and woodlands open up opportunities for training and green jobs.
“We’ve seen the impacts of COVID-19 and lockdown and people relying on quality greenspace for their mental health and wellbeing [and] we want to encourage people to get directly involved in planting trees and looking after trees for years to come.”
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You can find out more information about The Northern Foresthere.
Featured Image – The Woodland Trust
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Full list of road closures announced as IRONMAN 2024 takes over Bolton next month
Emily Sergeant
The official route and full list of road closures have been announced, as Bolton prepares to host the IRONMAN next month.
Bolton has been the proud home of the UK’s IRONMAN race since 2009, and the world-renowned triathlon is all set to take over the Greater Manchester town once again in a couple of weeks time – with participants and spectators in thousands all preparing to flock to all four corners of the borough to the catch the action.
People of all ages and abilities – even including kids – are training to take part in three different events across the weekend.
And, as is always the case, residents and road users are being urged to plan ahead.
Full list of road closures announced as IRONMAN 2024 takes over Bolton / Credit: IRONMAN England (via Facebook)
Disruption is always expected by Bolton residents on the day, but this year, when IRONMAN 70.3 takes over the town on Sunday 30 June, temporary road closures will affect different areas than in previous years, and this is due to “significant changes” to the bike and running routes for the 2024 race.
Bolton Council has, however, assured residents that the shorter distance of this year’s race means road closures will be briefer.
Temporary road closures are needed to “ensure the safety” of competitors and spectators.
One of the borough’s major roads, Chorley New Road, now forms part of the bike route for this year, and the run route has also changed slightly too, but for the most part, it all remains concentrated around the town centre to minimise disruption as best as possible.
⚠️ Road closures for IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton, June 28 – June 30.
For safety reasons, roads in the area will be closed at various times and unfortunately some disruption is inevitable.
The town centre and Middlebrook retail park will be open as normal all weekend, but anyone driving into the town centre is advised to park at one of the car parks – which will be open as normal – rather than elsewhere or in the surrounding areas.
Anyone heading to Middlebrook from Bolton is advised to use Wigan Road (A676 / A58), to Manchester Road / Chorley Road (A6), and then use De Havilland Way (A6027) to reach the retail park.
Road closures in and around the town centre for the ‘Night Run’ on Friday 28 June, and for IRONKIDS on Saturday 29 June, remain the same as in previous years, and people are advised to check Bolton Council’s website for more information on this.
Full list of road closures for IRONMAN 2024
All weekend:
Le Mans Crescent, Howell Croft North, and Howell Croft South will be closed from Friday 28 June at 6am to 9am on Monday 1 July, due to the course set up and build for the weekend events.
Friday 28 June – Night Run:
Deansgate, Knowsley Street, Chorley Street, Bark Street, Back Bark Street, and Bridge Street will be closed from 5:30-9pm
Spa Road will be closed eastbound from 5:30-9pm
Saturday 29 June – IRONKIDS:
Le Mans Crescent will be closed all day
Deansgate will be closed from 6am-5pm
Sunday 30 June 30 – IRONMAN 70.3:
St Helen’s Road, Sandy Lane, Byrom Lane, Slag Lane and Lowton Road will be closed from 6-10am
Wigan Road/Warrington Road (A573) will be closed from 6-10:30am
Bickershaw Lane, a short section of the A578, Nel Pan Lane, and Westleigh Lane will be closed from 6-10:45am
Atherleigh Way (A579) between St Helen’s Road and Kirkhall Lane will be closed northbound only from 6-9:45am
Atherleigh Way (A579) will be closed northbound only between Kirkhall Lane and the Talbot roundabout from 6-10:45am
Gibfield Park Way and Gibfield Park Avenue will be closed from 6:30-11am
North Road from the junction with Gibfield Park Avenue, Platt Lane, and the A58 from Platt Lane to the Chequerbent roundabout, will be closed from 6:30-11am.
The bikes will turn left using Park Road/Manchester Road slip and will continue west on Manchester Road (A6), but these roads will be closed westbound only from 7-11am
Chew Moor Lane / Tempest Road to Regent Road, and Regent Road to Chorley New Road, will be closed 7-11am
De Havilland Way will be closed northbound from 7am-1pm
Victoria Road (A58) and Old Kiln Lane will be closed from 7am-1pm
Chorley New Road from Beaumont Road to the Beehive Roundabout will be closed eastbound from 7am-1pm, but there will be access westbound throughout the day
Chorley New Road from Beaumont Road to Waterslea Drive will be closed from 7am-1:30pm
Chorley New Road from Waterslea Drive to St George’s Road (B6226) will be closed from 7am-5:30pm
Chew Moor Lane, St John’s Road, Tempest Road, and Regent Road will be closed from 7-11:15am
Chorley Street, Bark Street, St Helena’s Road, Blackhorse Street, and Queen Street will be closed 7am-3:30pm
Spa Road will be closed from 6am-6pm
More information on the course and diversions to avoid road closures – including maps and timings – can now be found on the IRONMAN website.
A road access hotline for further information is also available six-weeks prior to the events, and throughout the race weekend, by calling 03330 11 66 00.
Featured Image – Bolton Council
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Drone display and minute’s silence confirmed for anniversary of Manchester Arena attack
Daisy Jackson
The details of how Manchester will commemorate the Manchester Arena attack this year have been confirmed.
On 22 May 2017, the lives of 22 people were taken in a terror attack in the foyer of the huge concert venue.
Manchester has never forgotten those who died, with the city building a beautiful memorial garden – the Glade of Light – in their honour.
And on the seventh anniversary of the atrocity, there is a new plan to remember the Arena attack victims with a dazzling drone display.
The digital art show of more than 100 glowing drones is being created by Andrew Roussos, whose eight-year-old daughter Saffie-Rose was the youngest person killed in the attack.
As well as the drone display, which will light up the skies in the city centre up until the time that the bomb was detonated, there will be two separate minute’s silences held at Manchester Victoria.
The first will take place on the concourse at the train station at 12pm, as part of a special memorial service led by the railway chaplain, Mike Roberts.
A second minute’s silence will take place at 10.31pm to mark the moment of the attack.
As for the drone display, this will be above Manchester’s Glade of Light memorial between 10.19pm and 10.31pm.
Andrew Roussos has created the beautiful tribute with the help of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and night time economy adviser Sacha Lord.
In an interview with the BBC, he said: “It’s in danger of becoming just another church service and another minute’s silence, which is important, but if you’re not careful, you end up only remembering the attack.
“They were at a music gig, they were all vibrant lively people, a light show is more fitting with their personalities.
“It would be lovely to remember them in a positive light, rather than what happened to them.”
Floral tributes are usually laid at Manchester Victoria to remember the victims of the terror attack as well as this year’s drone display. Credit: Geograph, David Dixon
Andrew added: “I know Manchester will never forget and… the families will be forever grateful for the city’s support and love.
“Our pain is with us every day, it doesn’t leave us.
“But on 22 May, we are taken back to that moment.”
“If you would like to attend, the light show will take place above Manchester’s Glade of Light memorial between 22.19pm and 22.31pm, finishing at the time the bomb was detonated on the night of the attack. Forever in our hearts.”