Fantastic news as long-standing Greater Manchester institution Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club has officially been saved from closure.
It’s an early Christmas miracle.
Just a few days out from what would have been endgame for them, after being threatened with closure just over six weeks ago, Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club has officially hit its fundraising target and has been rescued from the brink.
Announcing the news on Thursday, 28 November, they confirmed that their doors will be staying open and their important community efforts aren’t going anywhere.
The iconic Manc venue has served as one of the most cultural sites in the entire region, helping lay the foundations for countless important figures in music, sport, art and more.
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It’s no exaggeration to say that its influences are quite literally woven into the fabric not only of Salford but Manchester and the 10 boroughs as a whole, having hosted names like John Cooper Clarke, nurturing future footballers such as ‘Busby Babe’ Eddie Colman, and perhaps most famously being the location for The Smiths‘ iconic Queen Is Dead photoshoot.
Their motto throughout the course of their full century and two decades worth of serving the local area has always been to ‘Brighten Young Lives and Make Good Citizens’, and so it shall remain.
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After being given notice amid rising costs, energy bills and a general lack of funding back in October, the community and recreation centre was given until the end of November to raise a whopping quarter of a million pounds and thanks to the incredible efforts from thousands of generous souls, they managed it.
With Northern bands like locals Rolla, The Courteeners, former Smiths frontman Morrissey, songwriting legend Graham Nash and many other artists helping raise funds through charity gigs and sizeable contributions, not to mention countless Salfordian volunteers taking time out of their everyday lives to get behind the crucial cause, Greater Manchester truly showed its best face.
So, while we’re riding the wave of celebratory joy we’d like to try and gain some more followers! Maybe you love Music, History, Architecture. But, if you Believe in Better Tomorrow for The Youth of Today then please give us a follow! Thanks 💚 pic.twitter.com/DVwpeBecQR
The club – which not only helps provide everything from vital sports provision for Greater Manchester clubs and safe after-school outlets to children, to practice spaces and away days which for those less fortunate might be their first-ever trip outside of their hometown – also released the short but moving fundraising film seen above, which certainly helped get extra eyes on the crucial community initiative.
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Although there were some big benefactors and local businesses that got behind the project, it was regular people like you who helped spread the word and all those who donated even just a few quid that sealed this victory.
Greater Manchester can hold its head very high and be more than proud of itself.
The fundraiser is now past its £250,000 target and is now sitting on more than £273k, but donations are still being welcomed to help keep the institution afloat if you’d like to donate HERE.
God knows how many lives they’ve saved over the years — long live Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club!
Trafford Centre announces opening hours for 2025/26 festive season – including Boxing Day
Emily Sergeant
Trafford Centre has published its full list of opening hours for this current festive season.
We all know that the Christmas period is one of the busiest times of the year for the retail industry, with people flocking to the shops in their millions to snap up festive gifts for their loved ones, and it only gets busier from Boxing Day onwards too when all the sales launch, offering shoppers some unmissable deals and bargains.
And nowhere in Greater Manchester gets busier during the festive season than the Trafford Centre. After all, with more than 200 stores all under one room, it’s not hard to see why.
This year, shoppers can make the most of extended opening hours at the Trafford Centre right through to New Year’s Day – with late night shopping until 11pm on selected dates in December leading up to the big day.
Alongside being a one-stop-shop for gifts, there’s also dozens of festive events and new Christmas lights to enjoy at the Trafford Centre too, so visitors can tick everything off their list and have a great day out while they’re at it.
The shopping centre will be open from 9am – 5pm on Christmas Eve, so you can whip round and grab any last-minute presents, before it’s closed fully on Christmas Day, and then opens again bright and early at 8am on Boxing Day.
Trafford Centre Christmas Opening Hours 2025/26
18 and 19 December: 10am – 11pm
20 December: 10am – 10pm
21 December: 12pm – 6pm
22 and 23 December: 10am – 11pm
Christmas: 9am – 5pm
Christmas Day: Closed
26 December: 8am – 8pm (some stores may be closed, please check with individual brands)
27 December: 10am – 9pm
28 December: 12pm – 6pm
29 and 30 December: 10pm – 10pm
New Year’s Eve: 9am – 5pm
New Year’s Day: 12pm – 6pm
It’s also worth noting, however, that not every store inside the Trafford Centre will be open on Boxing Day, so you’ll need to check with individual brands ahead of time.
For the restaurants, stores, and leisure venues that are open, you can check their specific trading hours on the Trafford Centre website here.
When it comes to festive event, The Grotto is open until Christmas Eve for pre-bookings only, and the Christmas fairground and ice rink, Big Wheel, and Gandeys Snowstorm Firebird show are all open until 4 January (closed Christmas Day).
Featured Image – Trafford Centre (Supplied)
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Greater Manchester’s ‘clean taxi’ plans backed by government funding
Danny Jones
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) ‘clean taxi’ initiative has been officially backed by the UK government, with an extra boost coming from a leading electric vehicle brand.
Millions of pounds are set to be pumped into the scheme over the coming years as the North West at large strives to become greener.
The Mayor himself, Andy Burnham, has made environmentally conscious travel a core part of his plans for the city region ever since he took up the post back in 2017; now he and his team are helping link up with connections in the capital to secure further investment.
With the new £8 million Hackney Support Fund being put into action as we speak, a further £2m is now set to go towards Manchester city centre and its surrounding boroughs via LEVC.
LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) have done away with classic petrol and diesel engines in their particular corner of the automotive industry, setting a more eco-friendly example for metropolitan cities up and down Great Britain.
As a result, Manchester City Council and the GMCA as a whole are looking to take a leaf out of their book as part of their wider carbon reduction targets, with local authorities having recently reaffirmed their five-year ‘climate change action plan’.
For context, the Hackney Support Fund in question is a series of government-backed grants aimed at helping taxi drivers replace older black cabs with more modern, zero-emission capable vehicles.
Not only that, but LEVC will also be offering licensed carriage drivers extended warranties on new and used TX cabs – like their new ‘eCity powetrain’ pictured above – as well as taxi scrappage allowance on other models.
Like any part of the country, our region itself has its own clean air goals, and with the continued expansion of the Bee Network continuing to advance that progress, we’re heading in the right direction.
It goes without saying that adding a fully-fledged fleet of cleaner, more energy-efficient EV taxis into that mix could help benefit these greener pursuits.
Managing Director at LEVC, Chris Allen, noted that the company has “helped the capital achieve legal air quality targets for the first time” and strongly believes that they can do the same up North.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our taxi trade is a vital part of Greater Manchester’s transport network and supports the local economy.
“That’s why we’re working hard to secure funding and practical support to help drivers upgrade to cleaner, greener vehicles – improving air quality for everyone, while protecting livelihoods. By backing our taxi trade, we’re building a fairer, healthier city-region for all.”
Danny Jones -
28th November 2024 
