Hundreds are set to march through the streets of Manchester city centre to mark International Women’s Day next month.
The annual ‘Walk for Women’ has been confirmed for a 2024 return.
After returning to the city in 2022 from a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then proving to be a massive success once again last year, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the hugely-popular ‘Walk For Women’ is back in a couple of weeks time, and it’s expected that hundreds will meet to parade through the city centre in the name of equality.
The much-loved event is a celebration of the significant economic, political, and social achievements that women have made since they first won the right to vote just over 100 years ago.
Organisers of the annual event say the walk is a brilliant opportunity to come together with family, friends, colleagues, and likeminded strangers to share a passion for equality and creating opportunities for Manchester women.
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A huge ‘Walk For Women’ will parade through Manchester city centre next month / Credit: Manchester City Council
Anyone planning on attending is encouraged to creatively chant and cheer, bring instruments along with them to bang and clang, create banners and posters to convey messages of support, and even prepare to belt out and sing-along to some musical performances too.
This year’s ‘Walk for Women’ is being held the day after International Women’s Day 2024 (8 March) on Saturday 9 March from midday to 2:30pm.
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As always, the event is completely free to take part in, and everyone is invited to join.
Hundreds will meet to parade through the city centre in the name of equality / Credit: Manchester City Centre
The official route will begin on Mount Street behind Manchester Central Library, and then will make its way to Albert Square, before turning onto Brazennose Street and making a right to Deansgate – with the final stop being Manchester Cathedral.
The parade’s theme this year is called ‘Inspire Inclusion’, and is said to be a nod to the countless women from across all ages and backgrounds who have made “aspirational strides”, and continue to “trail-blaze through barriers” in areas such as galvanising women’s economic empowerment, forging access for women and girls to have quality education, and training and promoting creative and artistic talent.
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Councillor Joanna Midgley, who is the Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said organisers are expecting an “even bigger and better” turnout for this year’s event.
Those keen to attend can register their interest for the parade now / Credit: Manchester City Council
“The walk around our amazing city is a celebratory moment for progress and women everywhere,” Cllr Midgley explained, “but it’s also a vivid reminder of the continuing work that needs to be done to challenge negative attitudes and obstacles surrounding women and girls.
“The support on this day is a pivotal reflection of all that has been done and all that is to come for women’s equality.”
Find out more about this year’s ‘Walk for Women’ on the Manchester City Council website here, and see all the road closures here.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
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Two Greater Manchester postcodes revealed as being hotspots for uninsured drivers
Emily Sergeant
Two of Greater Manchester’s popular postcodes have been named as being ‘hotspots’ for uninsured drivers.
Merely days after one of our region’s towns was identified as being a property ‘hotspot’, thanks to house prices there having shot up by 10% on average last year, now another local two residential areas have been named ‘hotspots’ too… only this time, it’s for a reason not quite as positive.
That’s because these two areas have been found to have a high concentration of drivers who are aren’t insured to be on the roads.
Motoring company RAC looked at new data from the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) to compile a top 15 list highlighting the regions that are most affected by uninsured and hit-and-run drivers.
Egerton in Bolton, which is one of the uninsured driver hotspots / Credit: Google Maps
According to the data, the West Midlands is particularly impacted by uninsured drivers, with eight out of the top 15 hotspots located in this area, but some of the other regions with high rates include Northumbria, London, Thames Valley, South Yorkshire, and, of course, Greater Manchester.
Both the SK1 postcode in Stockport and the BL7 postcode in Bolton have, unfortunately, found themselves on the list, featuring at number eight and number 12 respectively.
Top 15 uninsured driver hotspots
B11 (Birmingham)
B21 (Birmingham)
DA17 (Bexley)
WV2 (Wolverhampton)
NE29 (North Tyneside)
HP12 (Buckinghamshire)
B18 (Birmingham)
SK1 (Stockport)
B8 (Birmingham)
WS4 (Walsall)
CV7 (Solihull)
BL7 (Bolton)
B33 (Birmingham)
DN8 (Doncaster)
MK7 (Milton Keynes)
The SK1 postcode region includes Stockport town centre and the residential areas within it, while the areas in the BL7 postcode include the affluent villages of Bromley Cross, Egerton, Edgworth, Belmont, and Chapeltown.
The only other northern areas featuring on the list is North Tyneside postcode NE29 and DN8 in Doncaster, with the vast majority being in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
The RAC’s report coincides with the MIB’s work alongside police forces nationwide to get uninsured drivers off the road, with forces set to use the data provided to direct their efforts.
Featured Image – pxfuel
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Beloved Manchester street food venue Grub shares major update on its future
Daisy Jackson
2025 will be the last year that legendary street food venture Grub will operate from its current home in Manchester.
In a major update shared today, the enterprise – which is one of the city’s very first and most prominent street food businesses – confirmed that it will ‘cease to exist’ in its current form this winter.
Grub wrote that the building they have occupied for the last six years, on Red Bank in the Green Quarter, will be undergoing redevelopment.
And so it’ll be the end of an era for Grub – but they’re urging fans not to panic.
The much-loved venue said that it will now be ‘returning to the street’, returning to its roots as a travelling food festival, filled with street food chefs, pop-up bars and ‘unbeatable vibes’.
They wrote in their ‘big Grub update‘ that: “For too long venues, food halls & restaurants have been taking the STREET out of STREET FOOD (that includes us!) but we’re on a mission to bring it back.”
Although Grub will continue to operate on Red Bank throughout summer, they’ve already lined up some other venues to host events at this year, and are on the look-out for even more.
The venue’s independent cinema, Cultplex, will move to a new home, and its sister site Fairfield Social Club will continue to operate from Angel Meadows unaffected by Grub’s closure.
Grub will ‘cease to exist’ at its current home in Red BankGrub paved the way for street food in ManchesterCredit: The Manc Group
Grub wrote: “We just wanted to let you know 2025 will be GRUB’s final year at our current home. But DON’T PANIC!
“The only reason for this is that our fantastic landlords (who have supported us through thick & thin) are getting round to re-developing the building we live in.
“This was supposed to happen in 2021 so we’re very happy we’ve managed to hang around for 6 years.
“So GRUB at Red Bank will cease to exist in winter 2025 but that isn’t the end for GRUB as we’ll be returning to THE STREET.
“Yes GRUB will go back to being a travelling food fest packed with the best street food chefs, pop up bars & unbeatable vibes that only a proper street food market can deliver.
“For too long venues, food halls & restaurants have been taking the STREET out of STREET FOOD (that includes us!) but we’re on a mission to bring it back. We’ve already got venues lined up for summer but we’re on the lookout for more, it’s going to be lovely.
“Before that all happens we’ll be having one last SMASHING summer at Red Bank with a few foodie surprises & special events. More news soon!
“Thank you one & all for your support over the many years we’ve been chugging along, it really is very much appreciated and we hope to see you soon. Much love”