A fascinating social enterprise is aiming to change perceptions of homelessness by showing UK cities through the eyes of people who have lived on their streets.
Invisible Cities trains people who have experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own areas – enabling them to build confidence whilst developing public speaking and customer service skills.
Tours run in a variety of UK cities – including right here in Manchester.
The guides can choose whatever topic they would like to cover, and tours range from explorations of powerful Mancunian women to revisiting spots where the guides experienced homelessness.
Andy’s tours focus on Manchester’s music scene and the history of its pubs
Andy’s tour ‘Ales and Alleyways’, for example, takes attendees through Manchester’s nightlife, following the same route of his nights out in the ’80s whilst also detailing the history of the city’s oldest pubs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Highlights of the tour include the amazing story of how the medieval shambles boozers were moved piece by piece to a new location in 1998.
Andy – who is from Wigan but calls himself an ‘adopted Mancunian’ – became homeless in 2013 after splitting up with his ex-wife.
ADVERTISEMENT
Unemployed at the time, he was unable to find a guarantor and had to sleep in a friend’s garage for three months until the stewards at the church he used to attend stepped in to help.
He now has a flat in Wigan, which he says he is never going to give up.
“They’ll have to prize me out of there in a coffin,” he joked.
ADVERTISEMENT
Andy explained to The Manc that invisible cities were at first skeptical about letting him do a tour about pubs because of the negative stereotypes associated with homelessness and alcoholism.
“I told them that not everyone who is homeless has an alcohol or drugs problem and I’ve never had an alcohol or drugs problem,” he clarified.
Andy was eventually allowed to cover his chosen subject as long as the tour followed Invisible Cities’ guidelines that no alcohol or drugs should be consumed while the tour is taking place.
He has dubbed his tour a ‘sober bar crawl’.
The history of the medieval shambles pubs is a highlight of the tour
Andy was introduced to Invisible Cities through StreetWise Opera, a performance group for people who have experienced homelessness.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The regional coordinator of Street Wise somehow thought I was sensible enough to do it,” he chuckled.
Andy joined Invisible Cities in February 2020 but unfortunately, due to the pandemic was unable to do his first tour until September of that year.
He is excited for the tours to become busier after social distancing ends but his only hesitancy is that out-of-town tourists may be unable to understand his thick Wigan accent.
Invisible Cities Manchester’s Community engagement manager Millie told The Manc: “Our main aim is to integrate these people back into a society that they feel that they’ve lost trust in.
“Also, a huge aim of ours is just to break down negative stereotypes surrounding homelessness, and by coming on one of our tours, that kind of stereotype is burned down.”
To find out more about Invisible Cities Manchester, or to book on Andy’s or any of the other tour guides’ tours visit the Invisible Cities website.
Feature
Review | Leon Thomas at Manchester Academy – ‘Mutts Don’t Heel’ but this gig healed me
Thomas Melia
American singer-songwriter Leon Thomas visited Manchester Academy last night, performing hits from his deluxe album to a sold-out crowd of more than 2,600.
One year after an exclusive London MUTT Live date, Mr Thomas returns to the UK with the ‘MUTTS DON’T HEEL’ Tour, venturing to five cities, including the music capital of the North: Manchester.
The night started off just how it should’ve done with ‘HEEL’, as the audience were welcomed by the drum-loop and a chill atmosphere from the start.
Now, it wouldn’t be a Leon Thomas gig without at least one Ty Dolla $ign collaboration making the setlist, and there’s plenty to choose from with a new one dropping just over a month ago, ‘miss u 2’.
Leon Thomas performing hits at Manchester Academy (Credit: Audio North)
The funk-influenced musician opted for ‘FAR FETCHED’, and the audience was in the palm of his hand. No matter which of the four link-ups he chose, it was always going to go down well – Manchester never disappoints.
Leon didn’t even have to ask the crowd to bring more energy; they already matched him. When he sings, “For someone who don’t ask for favours, I’ve done way too many favours”, on ‘PARTY FAVORS’, he really meant it.
Last year, Leon Thomas dropped PHOLKS, a project which saw him exploring old-school funk and soul sounds even further and ‘Just How You Are’ had even the shyest dancer pulling out a little two step.
This isn’t the only hit that sent the crowd into a frenzy; ‘Baccarat’ and its impressive psychedelic guitar solo had jaws literally falling to the floor at Manchester Academy.
His songs might not be dramatic or extravagant, but they don’t need to be. Leon’s artistry prevails when he’s softly singing, and you’re still able to detect each instrument.
Leon Thomas brought the MUTTS DON’T HEEL Tour to Manchester Academy (Credit: The Manc)
‘Breaking Point’ is an easy-listening soul track that had all 2,600 Leon Thomas fans in our feelings as we realised we were coming to the end of a phenomenal concert.
And of course, ‘Mutt’ – his biggest single to date: a bouncy and swag-filled number that sticks in your head for weeks on end – sounded even better when backed by a live band as I discovered last night.
There was some insane musicality, distinct bangers and impeccable live arrangements that elevated the original studio recordings. Maybe ‘Mutts Don’t Heel’, but Leon Thomas definitely healed me.
He wasn’t the only cool cat playing last night either:
Could the reaction to Casemiro’s swansong Man United season see him stay ‘one more year’?
Danny Jones
Casemiro has arguably been up there with one of the best Manchester United signings in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, after the likes of Bruno Fernandes; maybe not in terms of how it’s impacted the wider transfer budget, but now he’s about to leave, most supporters aren’t ready to let him go.
Truly, if they had their way, many would happily keep him for at least “one more year”, as they continuously chanted during the most recent home game.
However, with the footballing veteran himself admitting that he’s been left moved by the response and certainly basked in the chants for him to stay following the win over Aston Villa last weekend, another one in which he chipped in with a key goal.
Casemiro scored the opener in what went on to be a vital 3-1 win in their pursuit of Champions League places, and has made it clear that, like the rest of the squad, this is his only goal for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.
But with United now looking closer to securing third or perhaps even chasing down second place, according to many (some have even gone further than that…), this current, albeit still early doors, resurgence under Michael Carrick could be the start of a corner turned for the one serial winners.
However, fans have seen many false dawns at Old Trafford over the past decade or so, and there is obviously the risk of him ultimately spoiling what should now be a fine and fitting farewell.
Then again, after speaking in a recent interview with Sky Sports, the 34-year-old said it’s been “way more” special than he was expecting since he revealed his plans to leave on a high, and stranger things have happened.
You only have to look at Mohammed Salah and Liverpool, who looked all set to go before eventually U-turning and signing a new deal – though contract terms no doubt helped swing those negotiations.
As one of the highest-earning players not just at Man United or even the Premier League but in Europe, he’s already earned serious amounts during his time with the Red Devils, so there is a belief that the incumbent INEOS board would be happy to shift him off the books and reinvest in replacing him.
#mufc are in advanced talks to sign Bruno Guimaraes for around €80m, but renewed interest from Real Madrid threatens to complicate the proposed move [@Reuters, @fernandokallas]
The likes of Guimaraes, previously courted Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton, Wolves duo André and Joao Gomes have all been linked with possible moves to Manchester of late.
In fact, depending on how much room Jim Ratcliffe and co. have for spending on recruitment, they could potentially even cover the wages of more than one signing in the middle of the park or other positions that they feel may require further reinforcements.
All this is still very much in theory, of course, and while Casemiro has seemingly confirmed that he will depart this summer, who knows how much of the recent reaction and outpouring of love and support from the Stretford End and beyond could potentially sway the outcome?…
Then again, do you think reconsidering the decision would be a wise move, or at his age, is four years in the English top flight enough?
Olivia Stringer -
2nd July 2021 
