Manchester City Council has announced it will extend free school meals throughout the 2022 Christmas holidays to make sure that no children go hungry this winter.
Council bosses said they were responding “to the lack of action being taken by the central government” in order to address the “desperate situation thousands of people could soon face”.
The move was announced on Wednesday 5 October as part of an £8m package of local support designed to help Manchester residents deal with spiralling bills and soaring food costs caused by runaway inflation.
It is hoped that the move will pull a large number of children out of food poverty this winter, as it is is estimated that the cost-of-living crisis could adversely affect up to 100,000 households in Manchester this winter.
We are here to help with this Winter’s rising food and energy costs
Call our FREE Cost of Living Advice Line for support.
As well as extending free school meals through the winter break, council bosses are also setting up a support line to connect people with local foodbanks, pantry services, and dedicated meal providers.
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Inspiration is being taken from the Council’s previous work supporting people throughout the Covid pandemic, where emergency hubs were established to provide people with essentials.
A new Cost of Living Advice Line has just gone live this week, through which residents can contact the Council via phone, or online, to get advice on how to access support this winter. between Monday and Friday, 9am–4pm.
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The number for the hub is 0800 023 2692 and will function in a similar way to the Covid emergency response seen during the pandemic, putting residents in touch with local support and advice services.
Elsewhere, the Council’s Welfare Provision Scheme is being expanded to provide emergency hardship support, and a new website has been set up to help make it easy for residents who are in financial difficulty or crisis to apply for grants and support.
Additionally, the Council and its health partners will be getting in touch with residents about Winter wellbeing information, including Flu and Covid-19 vaccination details set within help around food, heating and household bills linked to the Cost-of-Living crisis.
However, bosses recognise that far more needs to be done to avert the “impending disaster.”
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “As we head into the winter months many residents in Manchester are staring down the barrel of true hardship.
“We are proud of the work the Council has already done in recent years to alleviate poverty and create an economy in Manchester which works for everyone, but it is clear that in these dire times greater action is needed.
“The steps taken by the government have not gone nearly far enough and much more has to be done if we are to prevent our residents from slipping below the poverty line.
“A lot has been said about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis but we believe that in the absence of leadership from the centre, we need to take action with the powers we have at our disposal.
“By declaring a Cost of Living emergency the Council is laying out just how seriously we are taking this situation. We are not prepared to stand idle as more and more of our residents are exposed to hardship.”
Work on Greater Manchester’s very own ‘Tebay-style’ motorway service station is finally underway
Danny Jones
You heard us right: the time has come for Greater Manchester to level up its service station game, as work on the long-talked-about Tebay-style venue over in Trafford has finally begun.
Those motorway trips are about to get even better.
We first heard about the vision to provide a brand-new Tatton Services back in March 2022, with the Westmorland Family – known not only for Tebay but the similarly popular Gloucester and Cairns Lodge equivalents – promising to deliver a new top-quality stop-off point in the region.
It’s one that people across the North West have been keeping a keen eye on ever since, and now the dial is finally moving on the major project. You can see more detailed images here:
With the Westmorlands and the official Tatton Estate agreeing a partnership that weighs heavily in the former’s favour, the new services will be located around the M56 near the Bowdon Roundabout in Altrincham.
Bordering the electoral ward of Trafford and Cheshire, it is set to be located between junctions seven and eight of the M6 motorway near neighbouring Millington and Rostherne.
It’s estimated to cost more than £65 million and will be one of the most expensive developments of its kind the country has ever seen, with only the pending Chalfont St Peter station by Extra Motorway Services Group set to be more expensive (approximately £90m).
As per Forecourt Trader, the blueprints include a dedicated 100-room hotel, one of their trademark farm shops that those travelling rave about so much, a petrol station, as well as 40 charging bays for electric vehicles. Service station facilities have come a long way since 1972, when Tebay first opened.
However, while plans are at long last getting underway, it will be arriving much later than expected, with the initial opening date slated for some time later this year; instead, it is now they are now aiming for spring 2028, meaning you’ll just have to make do with the OG for now.
We promise this was purely a coincidence on our way back from Kendal Calling 2026, by the way…
Speaking on behalf of family, the Tatton Services Proposal team, and members of the estate, Westmorland chair Sarah Dunning said in a recent statement on the update: “We’re very excited to bring our proper food offer and ethos to Cheshire.
“From day one, this is about creating something rooted in the local landscape and community. We have committed to working with at least 70 producers within 30 miles of the site – and we hope that number will grow as relationships flourish.
“We’re also creating over 400 skilled jobs for local people, alongside apprenticeships and training programmes designed to build meaningful, long-term careers in the food industry. Our ambition is not only to serve travellers but to create opportunities and lasting value for the communities around us.”
What do you make of the proposed plans for the ‘next Tebay‘?
The unassuming £2.5m Chorlton semi packed with period features AND a ‘spectacular’ indoor swimming pool
Emily Sergeant
Fancy a look inside a somewhat unassuming semi in Chorlton that’s packed with period features and even has an indoor swimming pool?
The only thing is, you’ll just need the small matter of £2.5 million before you can call it yours.
Of course, it goes without saying that the vast majority of people reading this article won’t have £2.5 million just sitting in their bank accounts right now, but if like us, you love looking at houses you can’t afford in places you’ll probably never live, then allow us to introduce you to this absolute beauty.
Take a look behind the front door of what is, by far, one of the finest properties the Greater Manchester housing market has to offer at the moment, even it if doesn’t appear that way from the front.
This unassuming £2.5m Chorlton semi is packed with period features / Credit: Gascoigne Halman
Described as being ‘incredibly impressive’ by estate agents, this five-bedroom period semi on High Lane in the ever-popular Manchester suburb of Chorlton – loved for its eclectic mix of cafes, bars, restaurants, and shops, as well as good local schooling options and connections to the city centre – boasts 5,000 sq ft of immaculately presented living space, blending timeless elegance with modern luxury.
The property has retained ‘superb’ period features throughout, with everything from stained-glass windows and featured fireplaces worth shouting about.
While character and charm is a huge part of what makes this property so special, the current owners have also done a brilliant job in making sure the home is perfect for modern-day living too – with an open-plan dining kitchen installed with high-specification appliances, an entertainment/cinema room, office space, and even a steam room.
The accommodations are immaculately presented throughout / Credit: Gascoigne Halman
Upstairs, there are five good-sized bedrooms, each having been thoughtfully decorated, and two stylish bathroom suites finished to an ‘exceptional’ standard.
One of the bedrooms on the first floor features a contemporary three piece shower, utility room, and an impressive balcony that overlooks the rear garden.
But, one of the property’s standout features, by far, is the spectacular indoor swimming pool that comes complete with a shower and W/C.
Stepping outside you’ll find the property is just as impressive as it is inside / Credit: Gascoigne Halman
Once you take a step outside, you’ll find the property is just as impressive as it is inside.
The generous landscaped garden is beautifully maintained, with two separate patio areas and a high degree of privacy, and there’s also a secure gated driveway that provides ample off-road parking space for multiple vehicles, as well as a garage at the rear.
Like what you see then? The property is currently on the market with the Disbury branch of local independent estate agents, Gascoigne Halman, for £2.5 million and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the property company to arrange a viewing.
Or you could just take the cheaper route instead and have a nosy on Rightmove here.
Georgina Pellant -
5th October 2022 
