City Centre

A pop-up ‘immersive nature experience’ has taken over one of Manchester’s busiest streets

The #InOurNature pop-up shop has arrived at St Ann's Arcade for one week only.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 13th October 2021

Have you seen that an “immersive nature experience” has arrived on one of Manchester city centre’s busiest streets this week?

The #InOurNature pop-up shop in St Ann’s Arcade is a beautiful space that turns a typical shop front into one that’s been taken over by greenery, so visitors can take a well-earned break from a hard day at work or a busy shopping trip to relax among the plants, the smells of nature, and projections of some of the best-loved green spaces from around the city.

At the centre of the experience is a sound installation that features “the sound of Manchester’s nature” with tracks created in collaboration with sound artist and composer Jason Singh, and Manchester’s spoken word collective Young Identity.

The tracks have been created by transforming ‘biodata’ generated from plants around Moss Side and a mix of voices from local residents.

Those who stop by to visit the pop-up shop will be given the chance to vote on their favourite.

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So, why has this unique experience popped-up in Manchester then?

Well, as recent research from Natural England has shown a positive link between feeling connected to nature and behaving in a way that is better for the environment, the pop-up will not only help people connect with nature, but will also suggest things they can do to help the environment in their local area.

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The shop is part of the ‘In Our Nature’ programme – which is led by Hubbub, Manchester Climate Change Agency and Partnership, Manchester City Council, Amity CIC, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and Commonplace.

The programme works with communities in Manchester to find creative solutions to the climate crisis by using nature as a gateway to inspire positive climate action, with a big focus on removing barriers for those facing barriers to spending time in nature, and works alongside other current local projects including greening concrete alleyways, and working with community groups such as Mothers Against Violence to get nature projects off the ground.

The #InOurNature pop-up shop in St Ann’s Arcade is a beautiful space that turns a typical shop into one filled with greenery / Credit: In Our Nature

“We all feel better after spending time in nature, and this is exactly why we’re bringing this innovative experience into central Manchester,” said Gavin Ellis, co-founder of Hubbub.

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“We hope people will leave feeling boosted by the power of nature and be inspired to get involved in projects and take action across Manchester.”

Sound artist Jason Singh added: “People and nature are an endless source of inspiration for me [so] this project has been a wonderful exploration of poetry, technology, landscape and nature.

“Manchester is huge part of my life and I truly love both the wide range of people that inhabit all parts of the city, as well as the landscape that makes Manchester what it is, [and] this new installation celebrates peoples’ connection with nature as well as thinking about the surroundings in which we live, work and play.

“It has been an absolute pleasure working on In Our Nature.”

Visitors can relax among the plants, the smells of nature, and projections of the city’s green spaces / Credit: In Our Nature

In Our Nature

  • Address: St Ann’s Arcade, 10-12A St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7HW
  • Times: Weekdays 11am-2pm and 4pm-7pm | Weekends 10am-8pm
  • Open until: 17 October 2021

Featured Image – In Our Nature MCR

City Centre

The bottomless BBQ meat feast with endless pints, cocktails and wine

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant

A restaurant in Manchester is serving up a bottomless BBQ meat feast with non-stop drinks, and we’re just a little bit obsessed.

Red’s True Barbecue has long been a fixture in Manchester for fans of barbecued meats, but now we all have an extra reason to go: namely, the new Christmas BBQ meat feast.

Served on a giant bin lid, which is actually a lot more appetising than it sounds (don’t worry the lid is clean, we checked), it’s designed to be shared between groups of two or four.

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

As part of the feast, you’ll be treated to heaps on heaps of chicken and pork, plus 90 (or 120) minutes of endless pints, festive cocktails, fizz, and wine.

Priced from £48.95 per person, for that you’ll be treated to pork ribs, pulled pork stuffing balls, turkey breast, cheese and jalapeno stuffed sausages, meat pit beans, unholy BBQ XXXL wings, cornbread, mashed potato, fries, onion rings and giant pots of gravy and cranberry sauce.

And that’s not all. There are also the bottomless drinks to consider, with options including pints of lager and cider, plus prosecco, red and white wine and festive cocktails.

Read more: Manchester Christmas Markets named one of the most affordable in the UK

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

On the festive cocktail front, choices abound with everything from steaming mugs of hot gin and apple to Red’s take on a pornstar martini.

The cocktail menu also features a bacon-washed old fashioned, smoked negroni and chocolate orange espresso martini, with more tempting options including the likes of the Candy Hi Ball (made with raspberry vodka, pink gin, candyfloss, lemon and cotton candy) and a chilli and mango margarita.

Read more: A super-secret look inside GCHQ’s Manc spy headquarters

Elsewhere, drinkers will find pints of Goose Island IPA, Bud Light and Magner’s Cider on draught, as well as glasses of red and white wine included in the deal.

To find out more and book your table, visit the Red’s True Barbecue website here.

Feature image – The Manc Eats

City Centre

How to help in Manchester if you see someone homeless in the freezing cold

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant

Whilst much has been done over the past few years to improve options for people who find themselves homeless in Greater Manchester, it’s still a huge problem – felt especially hard when the temperature drops.

The Met Office has forecast lows of -3 that will last across the weekend into early next week, whilst health officials have told people to put their heating on, despite rising costs. But some don’t even have the option to do that.

In the UK last year, 1,286 people died while homeless according to the Museum of Homelessness (MoH) Dying Homeless Project.

As a general rule, there are no legal protections for people sleeping rough in England. Most councils offer extra beds when temperatures are forecast to drop below 0ºC for three consecutive nights.

Fortunately here in Manchester, there is more support at hand.

Credit: Giving Compass

What support does Manchester offer homeless people in freezing weather?

Manchester is the first major metropolitan area in the country to promise help as soon as the temperature drops below 0ºC.

Shelters are opened up in and around the city centre as soon as one night of freezing temperatures is forecast, and stay open until temperatures rise back up above zero, giving everyone a warm place to rest.

Accommodation varies from hostel ‘sit up’ spaces to an emergency shelter run by local charity Coffee4Craig for the council, where people are provided with sleeping bags, mats, armchairs and even a TV. And when space runs out in the hostels, people are given a hotel room for the night.

There is also the Mayor’s flagship A Bed Every Night scheme, which looks to offer a bed, hot meal and support for anyone sleeping rough in Greater Manchester at any time of year – regardless of the weather.

Credit: Giving Compass

What can I do to help someone?

If you’re concerned about someone, you can contact your local authority via one of the numbers below.

Alternatively, you can use this tool to view the services on offer in your area.

Read more: Here’s six ways you can help homeless people in Greater Manchester this winter

Manchester city council

Referrals during the day can be made through the Council Rough Sleeper team (0161 234 5339). For referrals out of hours, call 0161 234 5001.

Salford council

Salford Housing Options can be contacted on 0161 607 1620 during office hours. Beyond this, the number to dial is 0161 794 8888.

Trafford council

Contact Housing Options Service Trafford on 0161 793 3252, or 0800 218 2000 out of hours.

Bolton council

During the day, ring Bolton Town Hall on 01204 333333. Out of hours, you can refer via the duty social worker on 01204 337777.

Bury council

In the day, refer through the Housing Assessment Service on 0161 253 5537. For out of hours referrals, call 0161 253 6606.

Wigan council

The Housing Options Team can be contacted on 01942 487 732 during the day. Out of hours referrals can be made via the duty social worker on 01942 828 777.

Tameside council

Call Tameside Housing Advice on 0161 331 2700 during the day, or contact out of hours support services on 0161 331 2700 or 0161 331 2888.

Oldham council

The number to call during the day is 0161 770 4605. For out of hours referrals, ring 0800 988 7061.

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Rochdale council

Rochdale’s cold weather service hotline can be reached on 01706 923 511 for information on accommodation.

Stockport council

In Stockport, residents are advised to call 0161 474 4237 with details of any vulnerable people they might be concerned about.

Featured Image – Flickr

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