There are big changes afoot for Manchester Pride’s August celebrations this year, as the charity announces its live music event will be axed.
Manchester Pride have said that they they ‘got some things wrong last year’ and have now been working with LGBTQ+ communities to refocus.
Following a six-month review, the large-scale music concert will be dropped from the plans, though many elements of the celebrations will go ahead – including the parade, the Gay Village Party, and the candlelit vigil.
The Superbia Weekend, Youth Pride MCR, Family Pride MCR and the Human Rights Forum are all also unaffected by the altered plans.
In 2019, Ariana Grande and Years and Years headlined MCR Pride Live at Depot Mayfield, while last year Yungblud, Zara Larsson and Sigala topped the bill at First Street.
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Before then, the live music portion of the Manchester Pride Festival had always been smaller, and centred around the carpark at the heart of the Gay Village.
The consultation found that LGBTQ+ communities wanted Manchester Pride to communicate with communities more on their events and grant-giving, and to ‘refocus its efforts back onto its activist roots’.
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The charity is promising to ‘build a better Manchester Pride’ that’s accessible to all – that includes a commitment to low income tickets and quiet spaces at events.
Its board of trustees will also ‘be more visible and connected with communities’, it says.
This year’s celebrations will now be focused around the Gay Village Party, which sees people spilling out from the bars on Canal Street and the surrounding area.
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A fixed amount or percentage from each ticket purchased will go directly to the community fund.
Paul Wheeler, chair of Manchester Pride’s board of trustees, said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to the thousands of individuals who had their say on the future direction of the charity.
“Manchester Pride should be something everyone feels proud of and can see a little bit of themselves reflected back in.
“We acknowledge we got some things wrong last year and we’re sorry for the upset and frustration this caused.
“It is important that Manchester Pride reflects what Manchester’s LGBTQ+ communities tell us they want and this review has shown how we can do better.
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“The communities have been clear in saying their must-have elements over the weekend specifically include The Parade, The Candlelit Vigil and the Gay Village Party, whereas MCR Pride Live was seen as less important to furthering our cause.
“First and foremost, we’re a campaigning charity fighting for equality and opportunities for LGBTQ+ individuals across Greater Manchester, and the response from across our communities corroborates that position.
“We want more input into the charity’s operation, with a greater focus on campaigning, lobbying and education, whilst seeing fewer celebrity headline acts at MCR Pride Live.
“That’s why we’re going back to our roots, our Pride celebration is about protest. As a result, we’ve listened to the communities’ comments, and will address their recommendations to refocus efforts back towards activism.
“Furthermore, we will commit a fixed amount or percentage of each ticket purchase to Pride events directly to the community fund and provide clarity on where the remainder of the amounts generated from ticket sales is attributed.
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The Charity says further details will be revealed on the Manchester Pride line up in the coming months.
Paul continued: “The organisation has sought to address big questions and concerns, such as the role of Pride as a protest movement as opposed to a pop concert, how Pride can be more accessible, inclusive and safer, and how we go about giving grants.
“We’ve also tried to address how we can be more transparent and connected as an organisation to Greater Manchester’s LGBTQ+ communities, surrounding the themes of communities, activism, giving and transparency.
“Ensuring the charity now reflects the needs of our communities is now our focus. We don’t see this review as the end of the conversation, rather it’s the start. This report marks the beginning of more co-creation, more transparency and more listening.”
A young lad is walking all the way from Manchester to Ibiza for a truly tear-jerking cause
Danny Jones
We recently came across the story of a young man who has set himself the task of walking all the way from Manchester to Ibiza in an effort to raise money for a truly tear-jerking charitable cause.
In case you haven’t heard of him already, the legend responsible behind this is Henry Oscar Moores, a 21-year-old from Macclesfield in Cheshire who is essentially completing a marathon every single day to complete his voyage from rainy 0161 to sunny Spain.
Nearly halfway into his epic trek already, the youngster has been battling plenty of obstacles, not least heavy rain – and that was just here in Greater Manchester…
Going live each day as thousands of followers tune in to support his latest steps, his real-world journey has sparked a wholesome new community online and we’ve got nothing but the utmost respect.
It’s set to take him around 60 days in total, all being well, but what exactly is Henry Moores doing all this for? Or rather who?
Well, the answer is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, as the ‘Henry Walk’ from Manchester to Ibiza is all in aid of the Tony Hudgell Foundation, a charity set up in honour of the now nine-year-old boy of the same name and the youngest ever Pride of Britain winner.
Hudgell was sadly the victim of horrific child abuse ever since he was a toddler, so much so that he had to have both of his legs amputated as a result of the treatment. In 2020, when he was still just five, Tony set out to raise £500 by walking 10k in his prosthetic legs. He ended up amassing £1.8m. Incredible.
With a non-profit officially registered in his name since 2021, the organisation aims to provide support to children affected by physical, emotional or psychological abuse. His story also helped usher in Tony’s Law. Now taking over the reins, Henry is pounding the pavement on his behalf – and smashing it.
He’s even been given an added incentive by Ibiza’s Ocean Beach owner, Wayne Lineker.
Promising to help Henry finish the walk if he makes it all the way to his final 30k leg in Ibiza Town to the famous club – he’s already polished off the 507km from Manchester to Portsmouth and is currently chipping away at the 1818km stint from Caen in France to Denia – Lineker and the likes of radio DJ Charlie Sloth have been backing the effort since day one.
Describing Tony as an inspirational young figure “who captures hearts with his bravery, optimism, and infectious smile”, even despite his daily struggle and constant treatment, we can’t overstate the admiration we have for both of them. He’s already smashed his initial £20k and just keeps going.
“We really appreciate any donations; we know times are tough. Don’t hesitate if you can’t donate; continue to share and support us in any other way. Thanks to everyone for the past couple of weeks; it’s been insane.” You can do your bit by donating HERE or to Tony Hudgell’s operation fund directly.
Featured Images — Henry Moores (via Instagram)/JustGiving
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Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK, and it’s joined by two other Greater Manchester towns in the top 10.
Talk about a not-so-coveted title, right?
From damp flats to poorly-ventilated houses, the battle against mould seems to be constant for many UK residents, and while Awaab’s Law – which was named in memory of Rochdale toddler, Awaab Ishak, and introduced back in 2023 – was brought in to tackle this very problem, by mandating faster response times from social housing landlords for dealing with damp-related issues, the problem still continues for homeowners and tenants alike despite this new legislation.
And now, some new research by thermal imaging experts at Tester has revealed where the ‘mouldiest’ places to live in the UK are.
Tester measured the average monthly search volume for various mould-related terms over the past 12 months – including ‘mould removal cost’, and ‘black mould removal’ – to figure out where the mouldiest places in the country are, and devise a top 10 list.
Bolton takes the title of the UK’s mouldiest place, according to the new research, with an average monthly search volume for mould-related terms of 945 per 100,000 people, and ‘magic mould’ being the most-searched term as residents seem eager to find a simple solution to their ever-growing mould problems.
Top 10 ‘mouldiest’ places in the UK
Bolton
Croydon
Manchester
Bath
Bristol
Lincoln
Bournemouth
Norwich
Stockport
Wakefield
Manchester places third on the list, with an average monthly search volume of 922 per 100,000 people, and Stockport also features in the less-than-ideal top 10 at number nine.
Croydon in London claims the runner-up spot on the list, while Bath and Bristol round out the top five alongside Manchester, and Lincoln, Norwich, and Wakefield are some of the other areas to make up the top 10.
A spokesperson for Tester admitted that the surge in searches for mould-related terms in the UK is “worrying to say the least”.
Speaking on the findings from the team’s new research, they continued in a statement: “The study shows that UK residents are actively seeking out mould removal solutions, pointing to a wider problem of mould and mildew growth in homes not being properly dealt with, either by landlords or homeowners themselves.”