News

Biggest rail shake-up for 25 years announced with new Great British Railways brand

The government is promising a "new era for passengers" with the launch of a new public body, more pay-as-you-go travel and flexible season tickets.

The Manc The Manc - 20th May 2021

Britain’s railways are set for the biggest shake-up in quarter of a century as the government prepares to bring travel under state control.

A newly-launched public body, Great British Railways (GBR), will integrate the railways, own the infrastructure, collect fare revenue, run and plan the network, and set most fares and timetables.

However, private operators will continue to run most trains.

GBR will provide new Pay As You Go and flexible season tickets in an attempt to simplify the current travel ticketing system.

A new national flexi season ticket will be on sale from June 21, with potential savings of “hundreds of pounds a year” for 2 and 3 day-a-week commuters.

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The government vowed affordable walk-on fares and season ticket prices will be protected during the major reshuffle.

New public body GBR will integrate the railways – but private operators will still run most services / Image: David Dixon

Grant Shapps Transport Secretary, who is spearheading the changes, said that GBR would bring an end to “years of fragmentation, confusion and over-complication” in UK rail travel.

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He stated: “Great British Railways marks a new era in the history of our railways. It will become a single familiar brand with a bold new vision for passengers – of punctual services, simpler tickets and a modern and green railway that meets the needs of the nation.”

Shapps clarified: “This is not renationalisation, which failed the railways, rather it is simplification.

“While Great British Railways acts as the guiding mind to coordinate the whole network, our plan will see greater involvement of the private sector – private companies will be contracted to run the trains, with stronger competition to run services.”

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GBR is the product of the The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail – a strategy for modern transport underpinned by new contracts that “prioritise punctual and reliable services [and] the rapid delivery of a ticketing revolution”.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said GBR would “deliver a rail system the country can be proud of”.

He added: “For too long passengers have not had the level of service they deserve.”

Andy Bagnall, the director general of the Rail Delivery Group, said the changes would allow “operators to put their customers at the absolute forefront of decision-making”.

He stated: “Getting the detail right will be crucial to ensuring that the white paper fulfils its potential to improve journeys, offer independent oversight and clear accountability, and create a new set of fares which are simpler and more value for money.”

Featured image: DfT / Flickr

News

A young cancer survivor is taking on the Great Manchester Run for the hospital that saved her life

Danny Jones Danny Jones Young Manchester cancer survivor running the Great Manchester Run 10k for The Christie hospital

A former cancer patient from Manchester who was diagnosed at the age of just 17 is taking on this year’s Great Manchester Run on behalf of The Christie, the hospital she credits with helping save her life.

24-year-old Lea Abell from Failsworth is set to run the event for the first time on Sunday, 26 May to raise funds for The Christie Charity where she now works after completing her treatment.

Lea was sadly diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma cancer back in March 2017 and had to undergo intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment at The Christie’s TYA (Teenage and Young Adult) unit.

Thankfully, she showed plenty of Manc spirit even at such a young age and in September 2018, Lea was told her treatment had been successful and is now looking to dedicate her efforts this May to the local life-saving institution.

Lea (Credit: The Christie)
Credit: The Manc Group)
Thousands took on the Great Manchester Run in honour of the Christie in 2023 (Credit: The Christie/The Manc Group)

After so much support and care from The Christie during her time there, the youngster decided that she wanted to give back and be a part of it all herself, going on to become part of the foundation’s mass participation events team – hence where the Great Manchester Run comes in.

Speaking on the hospital and the ward she spent her time in, specifically, Lea said: “The TYA, where do start? They are absolutely amazing! Every single member of staff from Julie the receptionist to Hanna Simpson, the head nurse and all of the other doctors and nurses were incredible.

“They make you feel so at home, and they support you mentally and physically throughout your treatment – they are all so positive, so you don’t feel like you’re going there for cancer treatment. I really wouldn’t have got through it if it wasn’t for the people there, so I owe them everything!

“Hanna and Julie always went out of their way to check up on me and tried to make my days better in any way they could, and I’ll never forget that.” Having turned up with the events team to the Great Manchester Run last year and seeing what a “brilliant day” it was, she decided 2024 was her year.

She’s becoming the latest among the hordes who run on behalf of The Christie at events across the globe every year.

Having only recently started her running journey this year and with the popular running event just around the corner, it’ll be a massive achievement for the young survivor and her team at the charity, with plenty of people backing her and a simple aim in mind: raise as much money as possible.

Lea has only recently started her running journey this year, so to take on the Great Manchester Run will be a big achievement for her, but she has plenty of people in her corner.

She went on to add: “My immediate family includes my mum Nicola, my dad Gary, and my brother and sister Jake and Sophia who were all there for me during treatment, and they will be there on the day of the Great Manchester Run to cheer me on alongside my other family members and friends.”

You’re going to absolutely smash it, Lea, we know it.

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As for the charity themselves, The Christie’s mass participation events development manager, Lindsey Farthing, added: “Lea is a valuable member of our team and we’re all really touched that she has chosen to run the Manchester 10K for our charity.

To have a member of staff in our team who has been treated at The Christie and wants to give something back to the organisation that saved her life is really special for us all. We couldn’t be prouder of her and we wish her all the very best.”

If you want to help do your bit, you can donate to Lea’s fundraiser HERE and be sure to turn up in your droves come race day to cheer her on along with the thousands of runners raising money for charity.

These are the days when Greater Manchester is truly at its best.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Christie/Supplied

News

UK’s first music therapy project for dementia patients to roll out across Greater Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A UK-first £1 million music therapy project is being rolled out to provide a “lifeline” for people with dementia in our region.

Thanks to generous funding from a number of regional and national sources, Greater Manchester is to become the first ‘Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia’ in the UK, and it’ll be hosted by Manchester Camerata with support from the University of Manchester (UoM) and the Alzheimer’s Society.

More than £1 million of funding has been committed by Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, Sir Richard Lees, who is now the Chair of the NHS Greater Manchester, and the National Academy for Social Prescribing’s ‘Power of Music Fund’.

Due to be rolled-out from October 2024, the funding will support three years of direct musical support activities across all of the region’s 10 boroughs.

For the three-year project, Manchester Camerata will work in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society and UoM to offer “research-backed” music cafes, for both its ‘Music in Mind’ programme and the Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Singing for the Brain’ scheme.

It’s hoped this will “help take pressure off frontline health and care staff” in the NHS.

Manchester Camerata’s internationally-renowned ‘Music in Mind’ programme – created in collaboration with UoM – uses the principles of music therapy to improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia, and was devised from the foundations of some of the world’s leading dementia experts and their research. 

The Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Singing for the Brain’ programme is based on key music therapy principles, and has already been massively successful in bringing people living with dementia together to sing a variety of songs they know and love in a fun and friendly environment – with sessions also including vocal exercises that help improve brain activity and wellbeing.

The UK’s first music therapy project for dementia patients is being rolled out across Greater Manchester / Credit: Manchester Camerata

The sessions also create an opportunity for people living with dementia and their carers to socialise with others, and experience peer support too.

Manchester Camerata and the Alzheimer’s Society will recruit a workforce of 300 volunteers over the next three years and train them to deliver the ‘Music Cafes’, which will help support thousands of people living with dementia in Greater Manchester.

In addition to the Centre of Excellence in Greater Manchester, the National Academy for Social Prescribing’s ‘Power of Music Fund’ is also awarding small grants to 70 grassroots music and dementia projects across the UK, and this will support more than 5,500 people in total.

Mayor Andy Burnham called said the project is “fantastic news for Greater Manchester”, and called it a “reminder of the power of music to shape our lives and our communities”.

He continued: “Manchester Camerata have played a key role in our Music Commission, and I’ve seen first-hand the transformational impact of what they do in our city region, so they are the ideal partner to pioneer the UK’s first Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia and work with the Alzheimer’s Society to unlock the potential of music as therapy.

“This project will provide life-changing support to people with dementia and their carers in our 10 boroughs.

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“It will also generate groundbreaking research that will influence health and care policy across the country while directly improving lives across Greater Manchester”.

Featured Image – Manchester Camerata

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