Now that we’re 12 weeks into lockdown, it can be hard to imagine a life before COVID-19.
A time before self isolation, social distancing, 20-second hand washing and two metre rules. A time when popping round for a brew at your Grandparents’ house, or having a few drinks in the pub with your mates on a Saturday night was the norm. A time when supermarket aisles didn’t have one-way systems and wearing facemasks on public transport would never have entered our heads.
There’s no denying it’s brought a new way of life, but it’s one we’ve adapted to as the months have gone on.
When we cast our minds back to these unprecedented times in years to come, not only will the triumphant work of our NHS health heroes, critical carers and key workers have a place etched in our hearts, but we’ll also remember the importance of community.
Yes, the pandemic may have altered every aspect of the reality we once knew, but community spirit is stronger than ever and this collective of sewers from Stockport is showing the power of pulling together at crucial times.
ADVERTISEMENT
Meet the Stockport Sewing Collective.
High Lane Scrubbers
A community-lead project of seven local sewing groups, or ‘scrubbers’, dotted in and around the South Manchester borough with over 100 contributing members, sewers and volunteers. Together, this team of hard-working individuals have gone on to generously make and provide thousands of scrubs to those in need across Greater Manchester and the North West since the crisis hit hard back in March.
ADVERTISEMENT
From trousers, tunics and facemasks, to scrubs bags, gowns, hats and headbands, the collective has been using this new-found time on their hands during lockdown to offer vital support to an industry that so desperately requires it.
Either via donations, or by tailor-made orders, the Stockport Sewing Collective and each local sewing group has provided scrubs for individuals, care/nursing homes, health centres, GP practices, dentist surgeries, prisons and hospitals including North Manchester General, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Salford Royal Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital and Withington Hospital.
High Lane Scrubbers
One of the largest-contributing groups of the collective is the High Lane Scrubbers – a 35-strong team of sewers and volunteers of all ages. Lead by Sara Armstrong, a currently furloughed Project Engagement Officer at the National Trust, this group alone have made 236 scrubs sets during lockdown.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sara started the High Lane Scrubbers as a response to her local community.
Speaking to The Manc about why the Stockport Sewing Collective is so special, Sara said: “What makes us unique is that we are community based, but working as a large ‘team’, which allows us to provide to both individual NHS workers and [then also] with the ability to fulfil large orders for hospitals across Manchester.”
“It also means we have been able to tap into our communities and ask for donations of fabric [either] pre-loved (like children’s duvets), new fabric bought by supporters and donated fabric from companies”.
“We’ve received donations of masses of thread, buttons, elastic and cord for waist tape and scrub bags”.
“Without these donations from people of all ages in our communities, we could not have provided as we have for the past few months for the NHS and care givers.”
ADVERTISEMENT
High Lane ScrubbersHigh Lane ScrubbersHigh Lane Scrubbers
She continued: “It’s really important to acknowledge that the volunteer sewers have been supported by a [wider] team”.
“Drivers who have done pickups and deliveries to hospitals, surgeries and individual NHS staff across Greater Manchester, pattern cutters, and also family members who helped at home during lockdown to wash and prep the fabric for sewing.”
How brilliant is this?
After 12 weeks of exemplary hard work, the Stockport Sewing Collective accepted their final orders for scrubs last Friday. They will now continue to allocate stock and donate leftover fabric to worthy causes across Greater Manchester over the next few weeks.
If you would like to keep up to date with the Stockport Sewing Collective, you can find them on Facebook here.
Orders and allocation requests can be made via dedicated email –[email protected]
Feature
Vanilli’s – the Manchester bakery and dessert spot that has carried on the tradition of an old Italian favourite
Danny Jones
Vanilli’s Cake Company is one of those names whose reach extends far and wide, with a history that goes way back into the past, and a deeper Greater Manchester heritage than you can imagine.
It’s one almost as rich as the desserts they’ve been making across the city centre and beyond for decades, but it also begins back in Italy.
Formerly San Marco Products, a fellow cult-favourite bakery, suppliers and catering company from way back, owner Sapna Kumar took over their old premises on Crown Industrial Estate over in Ancoats more than six years ago, and has been carrying on their sweet treat traditions ever since.
The difference these days is that it’s gone from more of an Italian ‘pasticceria’ to a Mancunian bakery with both local and Indian roots.
Born out of pregnancy cravings ahead of her third child, ironically, Vanilli’s Cake Co. went from an unfortunately timed passion project conceived on the cusp of the pandemic to a mainstay of Greater Manchester and North West markets and now part of a mini Manc empire in the making.
After taking control of the old commercial premises back in 2020, their understated but impressively high-output unit still has lots of regulars in the know coming in for the good stuff, but still operates somewhat under the radar.
Maybe that’s part of the reason their quality control has remained at such a high level: although they provide to plenty of vendors all across the city and wider region, they’ve never overextended themselves to the point that even the slightest of standards slips.
If you’ve met Sapna before – the charismatic matriarch behind this brand and others like spin-off Cake Bar Co. and most recently, Punjabee – you’ll know that she doesn’t do anything by half measures.
And yes, there are Vanilli’s desserts on sale here, too.
A familiar face at the likes of Foodie Friday and various other street food stalls across the 10 boroughs and even further afield, she’s been doing some of these events since the very outset.
Sadly, without going into too much detail, she admits that there have been instances where her generosity has been “taken advantage of on more than one occasion”, but they will never stop her continuing to offer a helping hand.
The difference this time, however, is that she’s not simply putting others before herself all the time anymore; the Manc mum who’s played mother to many through her work over the years is finally shouting about herself and her unsung but nevertheless dedicated and talented team more.
And not just a little bit, either (no half measures, remember?) – she proudly proclaims that not only does Vanilli’s serve up some of the most authentic traditional recipes, but she happily lays claim to whipping up “the best Manchester tart” you’ll find anywhere.
As for this location, specifically, she simply wants to give people like you a reminder that it’s been there for more than 30 years at this point
She’s also looking to rebuild support throughout the community by teaming up with local brands and creators moving forward. Again, it’s about time she finally got on the receiving end of ‘You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’, which sounds like it’s long overdue.
Having recently put on a speciality spread for us, showcasing not only the classic but some fresh new ideas and creative takes on familiar, we can assure you some very delicious things are coming from Vanilli’s throughout the rest of 2026.
So, if like Sapna, you love “indulging in the sweeter side of life”, give a Vanilli’s cake, pastry or one of their other tasty desserts soon.
Find all of these and more at Unit 8, Crown Industrial, Poland Street, M4 6BN. (Credit: The Manc)
Blossoms deliver most rock and roll performance in years as Declan McKenna joins them on stage
Danny Jones
Last night, we were fortunate enough to be there in the flesh not only to see Blossoms play a special anniversary show in Manchester, but to witness Declan McKenna join them on stage.
A tiny part of us was wondering if we’d see Rick Astley roll out into the venue, but let’s just say we’ll absolutely take this.
Celebrating a decade to the day since the release of the self-titled debut LP – yes, we feel old, too – Blossoms announced the one-off intimate show at The Deaf Institute, a venue they hadn’t played in 12 whole years (good lord…), and it served as much more than a night of nostalgia.
But we’ll admit, the highlight was almost certainly seeing the ‘Brazil’ and ‘British Bombs’ singer join Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt, Josh Dewhurst, Myles Kellock and Joe Donovan on stage for their smallest gig since god knows when.
We’ve gotten somewhat used to seeing the Enfield-born solo artist popping up at random venues across the country and even performing DJ sets at local pubs.
If you haven’t seen that Kylie Minogue clip before, you really need to…
However, we don’t think anyone in the crowd was expecting this cameo, let alone hearing them perform a co-written track off the new record live in front of the audience for the very first time.
As if all of this wasn’t already a bit bonkers and left-field, the song in question, entitled ‘Additional Driver’, was self-admittedly so surprising in SO many ways that Tom felt he needed to explain the full story behind it and why Declan shouted “shoulda got the 192” before they started playing.
Yes, in some kind of Greater Mancunian fever dream, we’ve finally got artists writing lyrics about the region’s most infamous bus route that we’re sure most, if not all of you, can relate to.
But it wasn’t just this moment that had us debating in our heads, ‘are they the best Manc or maybe in Northern band full stop going right now?’, it was seeing them slip so seamlessly back into the more straight-down-the-line indie rock from their first chapter of studio material that did it.
Everyone knows and loves the biggest bangers from that inaugural outing: ‘Getaway’, ‘Charlemagne’, ‘At Most a Kiss’, ‘Honey Sweet’, etc.; but it’s hard to forget just how quintessentially rock and roll tunes like ‘Blow Rose’, ‘Cut Me and I’ll Bleed’, ‘Texia’ and even some of the other deep cuts/early releases are.
Don’t get us wrong, we love how much the dressing up (musically and quite literally) they’ve done over the years as their production, creativity and experimentation has increased, but it’s always hard to beat that feeling you get when finding an artist’s first album – especially one as good as Blossoms‘.
In fairness, listening back to ‘Deep Grass’ all these years later, we’ll still remember how spacey, psychedelic and downright different that intro felt back in the day; it now feels like a fitting end to that maiden outing and the perfect jumping-off point for what has been a real sonic exploration ever since.
For a lad born in SK2 and lucky enough to have seen these lads right from the start, stuff like this will never not feel surreal to me.
Long live ‘Blossoms from Stockport‘, and roll on Songs From The Wedding Cake this October.
Emily Sergeant -
11th June 2020 
