Greater Manchester publishes 10-year plan to protect women
Mayor Andy Burnham declared he wanted the "streets, workplaces, schools, universities and homes of this city-region to be safe for every woman and girl."
Greater Manchester Combined Authority has published a 10-point plan to protect females – with Mayor Andy Burnham declaring he wanted the “streets, workplaces, schools, universities and homes to be safe for every woman and girl.”
The GMCA’s Gender Based Abuse Strategy has been “deliberately brought forward” following the case of Sarah Everard – whose tragic death has sparked a national ‘Reclaim These Streets’ movement to tackle misogyny and violence in Britain.
Proposals of the decade-long plan include introducing an emergency contact system for passengers on public transport (to alert the police discreetly); Public Space Protection Orders; and a public campaign on what is sometimes called ‘low level’ harm such as wolf-whistling, catcalling and stalking.
The strategy also pledges that anyone who suffers misogynistic abuse will be “offered the same protections as those afforded to all hate crime victims.”
Earlier this week the Government made a similar promise – saying it would “on an experimental basis” ask police to record crimes of violence motivated by a person’s sex or gender.
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🗣️ "We want to change the story on violence against women and girls.
"We have got to seek to change attitudes right across society."
Today, the Deputy Mayor announced proposals for a Gender Based Abuse Strategy for Greater Manchester.
— Mayor of Greater Manchester (@MayorofGM) March 17, 2021
Statistics show that one in four women in the UK will experience some form of sexual assault or domestic abuse in their lifetime.
In Greater Manchester, 36% of all violent crime reported to the police entails domestic abuse.
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Mayor Andy Burnham said that such cases had gone on “far too long”.
“Firstly, we need to work together with a range of agencies to improve the services we provide to victims, and secondly we need to challenge attitudes and behaviours,” he stated.
“It’s why I intend to bring forward a high-profile campaign asking men and boys to think about their behaviour and how it makes women and girls feel so we become a better and safer place to live and work.”
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Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Bev Hughes declared that “enough is enough”.
“I hear the harrowing stories every day and the toll it takes on women physically and mentally,” she stated.
“It’s pervasive in our everyday life, from walking down a street and being called names because of how you are dressed, or being followed, or being threatened or being attacked.
“I’m proud of the Gender Based Abuse Strategy proposals we’ve published today and I want to thank the many people who have helped us already to get to this point. However, there may be other issues we should include so I’d want everyone in Greater Manchester to help us get it right.”
Full list of Manchester restaurants set to add an extra £1 to bills to tackle homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
As November arrives, the temperatures begin to start dropping, and the nights set in a little earlier, people in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 15 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launches today (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Proloco, Erst, Ezra & Gill, Stretford Canteen, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
Now in its 29th year, StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
Since launching in 1998, the campaign has raised over £16.2 million to support charities across the UK, providing practical help, from meals and emergency accommodation to healthcare, training, housing advice and routes towards finding a permanent home.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2026, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2026
Proloco
Hache MCR
Bar Posie
SAMPA
Blue Eyed Panda
Ezra & Gill
Erst
Little Seeds
Lina Stores
Stretford Canteen
Hawksmoor
Manahatta
San Carlo Bottega
Tampopo
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”
Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)
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‘Groundbreaking’ new police team launches on Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world
Emily Sergeant
A ‘groundbreaking’ new policing model aimed at making the Bee Network one of the safest public transport networks in the world has launched.
Described as being ‘pioneering’, the first-of-its-kind approach – named the Transport Policing and Crime Command (TPACC) – will bring Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) even closer together to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, and safety issues across the region’s transport network.
So, how will it work then? Well, according to TfGM, the command will ‘effectively establish’ the Bee Network as GMP’s eleventh policing district.
It will bring together up to 300 personnel, including new police officers, who are all involved in keeping the network safe and providing greater reassurance to passengers travelling across the region.
Efforts to keep passengers safe on buses, trams, active travel routes, and roads across Greater Manchester will be ‘strengthened’ through the new team – improving co-ordination in response to incidents, and helping to reassure communities.
A ‘groundbreaking’ new police team has launched on the Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world / Credit: TfGM
The new team will also incorporate the existing Roads Policing Unit within GMP that includes specialist functions such as the Central Ticket Office, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, the motorbike unit, the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, and more.
Overall, the key focus of TPACC is to:
Increase public confidence on safety across the transport network
Reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and criminality across the transport network
Increase the number of users of the Bee Network across Greater Manchester
The launch of TPACC is said to represents ‘the next phase’ of Greater Manchester’s commitment to creating a ‘safer, more secure, and more welcoming’ transport network for everyone who lives, works, and travels across the region.
“I want a world-class Bee Network where everyone feels safe,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“Our new dedicated transport policing command will bring together more than 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network. It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.
“TPACC will also crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which have devastating consequences for families and communities.”
The Manc -
18th March 2021 
