Our first Manc of the Month instalment of 2022 is dedicated to Figen Murray, a woman who puts peace first despite her own world being shattered by the Manchester Arena attack.
Monday 22 May, 2017, was a day that devastated and changed Manchester forever.
The attack at the Manchester Arena killed 22 innocent people, and sent shockwaves of grief throughout the region.
Those who lost loved ones on that dark day will never forget what was taken from them on that night.
That grief could so easily have turned into anger – but Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett was killed at just 29 years old, has chosen to embrace and champion peace instead.
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Figen Murray with son Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack
She has recently stated: “One thing I learnt over the past 4.5 years is that there will never be a place in my heart for hate.
“The world is full of wonderful and amazing humans & recognising this has been massively healing. The darkness will never overshadow my life.”
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2022 started in a big way for Figen.
The inspirational campaigner and educator was named on the New Year’s Honours list and appointed OBE, recognised for her services to counter terrorism.
Figen Murray.
Since the tragic death of Martyn, Figen has tirelessly fought to make venues safer.
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Her Martyn’s Law campaign has led to the rapid progression of the Protect Duty, a new piece of legislation that would see certain public places required to be prepared for, and protected against, terrorist attacks.
In a witness statement as part of the Manchester Arena enquiry, Figen said: “The idea for Martyn’s Law came about at the end of 2018.
“My husband had been given two concert tickets for a singer that he likes. The tickets were for 2nd December 2018 in a Manchester theatre. I had not been out and about since Martyn’s death and this was the first time that I ventured into Manchester and into the city life in a long time.
“On attending the venue, I took my smallest handbag with me to enable any bag search to be carried out quickly. When we got to the theatre we walked in and nobody even asked for our entry tickets. We walked past members of staff who were in conversation with each other and took a seat.
We went on Saturday with some of Martyn's friends. It is definitely beautiful. It will be nice when spring adds a touch of colours to it. It is a good place to go and contemplate. I am also sad Manchester needs a memorial. But it is what it is. Nobody can bring them back😔 https://t.co/TTl2GwX9gz
“During the show, I got very tearful as I was astounded by the fact that we had just walked in. Naively, I had until then made the assumption that security checks at public venues were now run of the mill after the Manchester Arena Bombing.”
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She told ITV News: “Absolutely everything I do since Martyn died is purely for the purposes to avoid other families from going through what we as a family have gone through, and are going through and will be going through for the rest of our lives.”
It’s just one example of how this influential woman channels her energies into making the world a safer, more peaceful place.
Before the 2017 terrorist attack, Figen was actually a counsellor and life coach.
Martyn Hett.
She had dedicated her entire career to listening to people, and helping them to build a happier future.
Since making the decision to leave counselling, Figen has embarked on a new challenge, and completed a Master’s degree in Counter Terrorism from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).
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She graduated with a distinction (naturally), and said: “This one’s for you, Martyn!”
These are all big, impactful moves – but Figen’s mission for peace trickles down to something much smaller too.
She also knits teddy bears, each one given its own identity and background story, which she sells on Depop.
One of these ‘peace bears’ even made its way into the arms of New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, shortly after the Christchurch mosque shootings that killed 51 people.
Figen says that ‘every grown up should own a teddy bear, as people often forget to have fun and let their hair down once in a while when they grow up.’
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She left one particularly special bear, known as Jordan Bear, on a train in brown paper bag, with clear instructions that he should see the world.
The little blue creature has now passed through dozens of hands and countries – including a little holiday with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
On top of all this, Figen regularly visits schools, colleges and universities to try and instil kindness and tolerance.
She said in a blog post for Educate Against Hate: “I hope to create a positive framework for young people, so they embrace each other’s differences rather than fear them.
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“I want young people to have hope for a kinder future and I want to prevent other families from going through the same pain that we did.”
All of us Mancs have heard the expression ‘Be More Martyn’ by now.
Maybe we should all be a little more Figen too.
About Manc of the Month
We all know that Manchester is home to some special people, some born here and others drawn here, and after a bumpy two years that effectively amounted to one big lockdown, it’s these special people that have inspired and led us through the tough times – so we decided to start a series that shines a light on those who should be celebrated.
Following on from our ‘The Mancs of the Year’ feature towards the end of 2020, Manc of the Month officially kicked off in July 2021, with Marcus Rashford MBE, Manchester’s mural king Akse P-19, the local chef feeding the region’s vulnerable families Mary-Ellen McTague, and Manchester’s groundbreaking new Council leader Bev Craig among previous honourees.
Feature
Review | Some of the most fun you can have at a theatre – Jeff Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
Danny Jones
On Wednesday night, we did something we hadn’t done in a long time: we went to a concert almost completely blind and walked in without having heard a single second – because how many times in life are you going to get the chance to say you’ve seen Jeff Goldblum music live in Manchester?
We can comfortably say it wasn’t just one of our favourite shows of the year so far, but it might be one of the best decisions we’ve made, maybe ever…
Honestly, there’s not even a whiff of exaggeration in that statement; within minutes of the headline date starting, a long, hard day suddenly melted away in the smooth, sultry, stylish and unapologetically silly atmosphere created by Jeff Goldblum and the truly wonderful Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.
For starters, we were pleasantly surprised to see ‘Bonnie Scotland’s very own Liverpool-based singer-songwriter, Brooke Combe, opening up for the man himself, whose soulful, 1960s, 70s and Motown influences made for a perfect fit to warm up the crowd.
With the North West favourite – who we recently caught once again at NBHD Weekender late last month – even getting a perhaps initially hesitant and very possibly more Theatre-leaning audience inside the Palace to relax with some fun vocal exercises and Scottish banter, we were off to the races.
But in truth, this show turned out to be so much more than we were expecting – and by that we don’t mean when Brooke joined him on stage for a spell and had him try his first Irn-Bru…
In our heads, we were kind of expecting to see Goldblum, 73, playing his beloved piano as other members of the jazz band got to enjoy a few moments centre-stage as those who sat watching admired their sheer technical ability.
Where we actually landed was somewhere between a live and just the right amount of chaotic stream-of-consciousness stand-up show, interlaced with a series of effortlessly charming and loose bits of crowdwork as if he were compèring, and, of course, the incredibly cool musical arrangements.
It may not have been entirely free-form (it’s clear that a lot of time, effort and tireless rehearsal go into this shindig), but it did have the feeling that things were unfolding organically as the night went on, the perfect example being specifically for Manchester, with each local reference getting a rousing reception.
His latest LP is going down a treat with the critics in the early reviews, too, and having now heard a few samples, we’re not surprised.
As Jeff said at the top of the show, the best bit about this music is watching these marvellous musicians effectively jamming and playing call and response, not only with each other but you down below – not to mention with the man himself vamping over the top and enjoying plenty of solos on the keys.
Aside from crowd-pleasing arrangements of contemporary and well-known tracks like ‘Lover’ by Taylor Swift and even his own bittersweet and oh-so-gentle take on ‘Over The Rainbow’, it felt not just like an intro to some cult favourites from within the genre, but a serviceable broad-strokes education at times.
Personally, we’ve always liked to think of ourselves as open to anything, sonically, albeit fairly limited when it comes to jazz, but we left feeling like we knew more about the mechanics and flow of a jazz gig than ever; we’re now eager to learn more and dive deeper into the syllabus curated by this superfan.
One very special mention also has to go to session singer Khailah Johnson, who recently shone in the & Juliet production on Broadway and is now currently on tour with Jeff on his Night Blooms run.
Believe us, she’s not merely performing ‘beside’ anyone; when you have a voice and presence that’s so big and has such range that you generate enough star-power for people to genuinely forget that a Hollywood actor is there right next to you, you KNOW you’re beyond talented. Simply spellbinding.
The whole crew had a lovely, laid-back quality that was just infectious. (Credit: Lucy Elson-Whittaker)
And then we have the A-lister himself, who clearly doesn’t only have the gift of the jab and a natural penchant for pageantry, but looks so at home up there that we would happily trade ever seeing him in a film again if it meant we could have the next few decades watching him be the live showman that he is.
For anyone who feared Jeff Goldblum’s music career might just be a famous bloke indulging himself in a side project and cashing in on fandom simply because he can, fret not: this man has as much passion, love and aptitude for jazz and this particular side of showbiz as any role we’ve seen him play, if not more.
Whether it be playing movie trivia games with those in the stalls, thanking fans he bumped into at his hotel, or inviting people there for a special occasion backstage, he ticked almost every box you could have asked for, from the cabaret vibes and Jurassic Park puns to simply playing his socks off.
The new album that gives its name to this current slate of live shows is much more than a play on words. Be it the soft and warm hues of the coloured spotlights, the off-the-cuff comedy interludes, or even the pure giggle-fits in the audience, the Palace Theatre was bursting with joy, life and vibrancy.
We sincerely hope Jeff Goldblum has grown as fond of the city as he claims, and that we get to watch him play a Manchester venue every year.
Coffee Rules: The Greek-born cafe that’s gone on to become a beloved Greater Manchester brand
Danny Jones
It’s rare that you find a place in an already saturated food and drink scene like Greater Manchester’s that genuinely comes across like a local community cornerstone, but that’s exactly what we got when we visited Coffee Rules in Salford.
We went for a brew, one of those viral iced coffee we’ve seen on socials, and maybe a nice bite to eat – but we left with much more and the impression that these lot are onto something big.
Opened in Arta back in their home country (also up in the northwest, by the way), they’ve never struggled to get queues out the door, and it’s no different here. This one is run by two siblings, 23-year-old Thomas and his younger brother Marios, 30, who have been smashing it since 2023.
Since launching their growing UK brand in the likes of The Meadows neighbourhood – one of two they have in the city of Salford alone, the other being Swinton – they’ve brought the lines with them. With authentic Greek food and drink like this, it’s not hard to see why.
They’ve now expanded to more than eight sites total, including one still keeping their own local reputation alive over in Athens, and this looks to be just the beginning.
Having not only spread across the ten boroughs but further out into the region with their Liverpool locations as well as a Yorkshire stronghold up in Sheffield, there’s more to come from Coffee Rules, both in terms of premises and their plans to take on the rest of the brunch game and beyond.
Suburban Mancs may have already seen the regular midday and weekend crowds that pack out their Chorlton venue, the Rusholme one is often filled with fresh-faced uni students in need of their caffeine fix, and it’s an increasingly similar story for those based in Bolton.
Or maybe you’re one of the many people based in Manchester city centre, who nip to their quiet, tucked-away corner of Ancoats for a fresh bake or even to have your eye caught by some of their merch with that modern mythological-inspired logo.
Whichever one happens to be closest to you, you’ll have the same satisfying experience, from sipping on speciality coffee and the scran, to the service and all-around atmosphere.
They’re also about to start hosting board game nights over at their Salford site, where they’ll be making the most of their large terrace with plenty of seating, which also has the added bonus of a retracted pergola – perfect for sunny days or simply sheltering from the Manc rain.
One thing we also noticed was just how many locals not only popped in throughout our time there, but the sheer number that had chosen to start their day at this particular spot.
There’s a regular Greek crowd, of course, but there’s also the native Salfordian and those currently residing in and around the up-and-coming area, who were pulling up in the large car park and taking a pew, or even those just looking for quick and top-quality grab-and-go stuff.
In fact, it’s one of the quickest venues we’ve seen fill up that fast in a hot, Med minute.
Speaking of, whether it be one of their superb Spanish lattes, or the equally sweet, sultry and viral ‘Freddo Cappuccino’, or their traditional spanakopita, not to mention their many Mediterranean pastry variations, there’s a big call for pretty much everything on the menu.
We could go on at length in listing what impressed us about just this one Coffee Rules branch, and we’ve made many trips to their Chorlton one in the past already, but it’s probably best that we just urge you to give it a try sometime soon. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.
This is one of the fastest-growing franchises in the UK, and it’s no wonder they keep pulling in plaudits and invites to bigger and better industry within the industry as time goes on events over the past few years.
Oh, and one more thing, there’s plenty of savoury stuff that you’ll likely fall in love with, but we highly reccommend ordering the red velvet. Wow…
Daisy Jackson -
28th January 2022 
