Sacha Lord announces grand return of United We Stream for four Christmas shows
Starting on ‘Mad Friday’ (December 18) United We Stream will party right on through the Christmas holidays - with shows on December 19, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.
Manchester’s acclaimed United We Stream GM platform is returning to action this winter to raise local spirits just in time for Christmas.
In support of Andy Burnham’s new oneGM initiative, the city’s Night Time Economy Adviser Sacha Lord is planning some festive, feel-good shows to give the region’s residents “a break from the boredom”.
Starting on ‘Mad Friday’ (December 18) United We Stream will party right on through the Christmas holidays – with shows on December 19, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.
Proceeds raised will go towards the OneGM campaign – getting vital resources to people who require them most.
One reason organisers opted to reboot United We Stream was to give residents some much-needed joy around the holidays – but most importantly of all, they wanted to raise awareness of, and funds for, people struggling during the pandemic.
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The Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation’s helpline received 2,168 calls in July compared with 1,187 in April, as coronavirus continues to take its toll on mental health throughout the region.
OneGM is aiming to turn the tide – and funds raised via United We Stream’s Christmas programme will go to this worthy cause.
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Lord explained: “Greater Manchester is the most resilient city region in the UK. When we are up against it, we come together to look after those most in need.
“Last week, our Mayor, Andy Burnham launched oneGM, a campaign to look after many people who need it right now. The next morning, he called me to see if I could persuade the original United We Stream team to get back together and support the campaign.
“Without hesitation, the whole team said yes. We’ve programmed 4 huge festive parties, including what will undoubtedly be the biggest NYE party in the UK. So many of us want put 2020 truly behind us, and we totally understand that for many, their mental wellbeing is at tipping point and that the holidays could be a very lonely and bleak time.”
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He continued: “We hope that these shows will allow you a bit of escapism for a few hours. As always, United We Stream will be completely free to watch, and I know for many that money is very tight, but if you can spare a pound or two, that would be great, and your donation will go straight to oneGM.”
United We Stream GM was launched in response to the first UK lockdown and began on April 3.
The project wrapped up 12 weeks later after raising £477,000 for 12 different good causes and local charities, with 35 fundraising events broadcast to 14.5 million people over three months.
People around the world will be able to watch the Christmas streams via the website’s event page, www.unitedwestream.co.uk, as well as via Facebook, Twitter and You Tube accounts.
The festive shows be will be produced by Parklife Festival founder Sacha with a team from Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture department, Badger & Combes production company and L.G. Publicity.
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The production team won two Prolific North awards in the summer for United We Stream: 2020 Digital Campaign of the Year and 2020 Broadcasting Programme of the Year.
A highlights reel from the first series of United We Stream can be viewed online.
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Lola Young shares first public statement since cancellations and stepping away from the spotlight
Danny Jones
UK pop star Lola Young has shared her first public statement since cancelling the remainder of her tour and stepping away from the spotlight.
Lola Young, 24, took a break from her still-burgeoning career after numerous concerning incidents on stage, including throwing up and even passing out in the middle of a performance.
The BRIT School graduate announced the unfortunate cancellation of her upcoming shows “for the foreseeable future”, including a gig here in Manchester, at the end of September.
Breaking her silence after the best part of three months, the London-born singer-songwriter took to social media in a fairly brief but heartwarming statement.
As you can see, the time away from the public eye certainly seems to have been beneficial, telling her followers that “it has helped more than you will ever know”.
In addition to embracing ADHD – even labelling her hit song ‘Messy’ as an “ADHD anthem” in multiple anthems – she was also diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at just 17.
The latter can include symptoms such as psychosis, hallucinations, intense mood swings, bipolar mania, depression and more.
All that being said, we’re glad to hear that she’s on the mend; we saw her back in March, and you could tell from the crowd that she’s already got a very passionate cult following.
Both conditions and their associated obstacles have obviously affected her, but have equally helped influence her music and lyrical material, certainly, too.
Responding in the comments, fellow artist SZA wrote: “Love you, starfire angel. Your music is FULL of longevity and substance! We’re so grateful for you”.
Joining in support, ‘dark pop’ musician Carter James added, “Your wellbeing comes before anything. So excited for your next chapter whenever it arrives!”
We hope she’ll be doing better enough soon to get back on stage when she’s ready.
Fans are preparing to pay tribute to Mani from The Stone Roses ahead of his funeral service
Danny Jones
Stone Roses fans and Greater Manchester locals alike are getting ready to pay their respects to the late, great, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, following his tragic passing last month.
As well as details surrounding his funeral being announced earlier this week, the iconic Manc musician’s cause of death has also finally been revealed.
While Hatton’s service featured a high-profile cortège which started all the way from his hometown of Hyde, past multiple landmarks and ending at the Etihad Stadium, those local to Mani’s family home on the edge of Stockport are also being welcomed to help send him off.
It's the funeral of Mani of the Stone Roses on the 22nd. He lived locally. This poster is asking people to line the route of his funeral cortege to "show that he truly was adored". pic.twitter.com/X0DYHl10Hp
He had been struggling with emphysema for some time; he was declared dead at his home in the suburb of Heaton Moor, and is said to have died peacefully in his sleep.
As you can see from the posters put in various places around the area, residents wishing to pay their own tributes to Mani before his private funeral service at Manchester Cathedral are encouraged to line the long street leading down from St Paul’s and Heaton Moor United Church as he heads towards the city.
Departing Parsonage Road from 10am on Monday, 22 December, before turning right onto Heaton Moor Rd, then Wellington and eventually on to the Cathedral, you can expect plenty of people to show up.
One of those people will be his former bandmate and another influential guitarist, John Squire, who is one of many famous musical names to have honoured him in their own way over the last few weeks.
Other members of The Stone Roses, as well as Primal Scream (who he joined in 1996), are expected to join the close family and friends at the service itself.
Nevertheless, we have no doubt that plenty will be observing the funeral in their own way.
So, for those of you also looking to honour him, you know what to do; and to quote the poster itself, “together we can show this local legend and his family that he was truly adored.”
The Manc -
5th November 2020 
