Locals launch street patrol in Failsworth to combat crime wave shaking the town
The Oldham town has been subject to a spate of home break-ins over the past few weeks, and residents have decided to form their very own safety team to protect their community.
Failsworth neighbours have banded together to form a ‘street patrol’ in an attempt to crack down on the rising crime in the area.
The Oldham town has been subject to a spate of home break-ins and burglaries over the past few weeks, and residents have decided to form their very own safety team in order to protect their community.
A fundraising campaign launched to kit out the volunteers already raked in over £1,000 – offering them essential supplies to watch over the neighbourhood effectively.
15 men and women have all signed on so far to participate in daily patrols – supported by a transit van (with 360-degree search lights CCTV on-board Wi-Fi) and dogs.
The group already has more than 2,000 followers on social media – with residents commending the work they’ve been doing to defend Failsworth.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We do not approach anybody and we social distance at all times,” said a Failsworth Patrol representative.
“We are here to be a deterrent and prevent crime before it happens. We report directly to GMP should we feel the need too or if an offence has actually took place.
ADVERTISEMENT
“What this means for Failsworth [is] fewer calls to GMP, less crime, figures drop, house prices rise and premiums drop.
Founder of the watch, Paul (his surname will remain confidential), says there has been a noticeable drop in crime since the patrols set foot on the streets.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We had to start this as we know our emergency services are overstretched and in demand,” he stated.
“The whole community has backed the scheme asking if they can donate fuel and leave us snacks to keep us going.
“Since the start, we have noticed that there hasn’t been any incidents in the area and the community are feeling safe.”
Wikimedia Commons
Failsworth Street Patrol have emphasised that neighbours should always call the police if they are victims of crime, with the group set up to watch over people rather than enforce the law.
Reps stated: “…the idea is to deter potential offenders from the Failsworth area by making it known that people are out and about watching over the people and property, giving a greater chance of reporting crimes quickly and capture by the police.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Failsworth Street Patrol are continuing to watch the roads whilst hoping to hit £5,000 in donations.
When they reach this target they can become a registered charity – which ‘will open up so many opportunities for [them] as a community.’
“We have a motto in Failsworth,” says founder Paul.
“True worth never fails.”
Learn more about the patrol team doing surveillance on Oldham streets by visiting their social media page.
News
‘Sad news’ – the world’s only Vagina Museum has been forced to close
Daisy Jackson
There’s a museum for just about everything these days (we all remember trips to the Stockport Hat Works museum) – but the world’s only space dedicated to vaginas has been forced to close again.
The world-first Vagina Museum announced this week that it’s had to vacate its premises and has once again been left ‘homeless’.
The museum, which welcomed 40,000 visitors in the 10 months it was open, was founded to raise awareness of the gynaecological anatomy and health, erase stigma, and act as a forum for feminism.
Inside, visitors could browse everything from educational materials to art pieces inspired by vaginas and vulvas – including giant tampons decorated in red sequins.
The Vagina Museum said it was ‘disappointed’ that it has been asked to leave its space, adding that it will continue to operate digitally until it finds a new base.
They wrote in a heartfelt statement on social media that they were ‘incredibly proud’ of the museum’s achievements.
Fans of the space queued down the street for its final few days in Bethnal Green, before its eventual closure on Wednesday 1 February.
Their statement said: “Sad news. We’ve received notice to vacate our premises at Bethnal Green by the end of this week. As a property guardianship, we’ve always been aware that we may be asked to leave with very short notice. We’re disappointed that it has come so soon.
“@Enter_theVenue the creative hub with whom we share our space, have also been asked to leave. The Vagina Museum will continue to operate in the digital world as we search for a new home.”
The message continued: “We’re sad about this development, but incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished in the ten months we’ve been at our Bethnal Green premises. We’ve welcomed more than 40,000 visitors through our doors, and received so much love and positive feedback.
“In our time at Bethnal Green, we’ve once again demonstrated just how much the world needs and wants a Vagina Museum.
“Times are, once again, uncertain for us, but we’ve been through this before and risen stronger than ever. With a community like you supporting us, we know we can get through this too.
“We’re actively searching for a new home, and if you know of any vacant spaces (or have one yourself!) please don’t hesitate to reach out. In our home in Bethnal Green, we and ENTER demonstrated that we can transform an empty, unused building into a thriving heart of a community.
“If you don’t have a building, you can still help! Please consider making a donation; a donation of any size makes a huge difference and will help us to weather this storm, just as we’ve weathered storms before.”
The Vagina Museum concluded its thread with: “We’ve made it through a pandemic and a period of temporary homelessness before. With you, together, we can make it through this too.”
Gary Neville addresses ‘clumsy like’ on Tweet about Mason Greenwood 
Daisy Jackson
Gary Neville has said that his liking of a tweet about Mason Greenwood has been ‘misinterpreted’.
The former Manchester United legend and football pundit set off a Twitter storm last night after he ‘liked’ two tweets by Nazir Afzal, and briefly retweeted one.
The tweets in question said that Greenwood was an ‘innocent man’ and added that ‘you are innocent until PROVEN guilty’.
Mason Greenwood had all criminal charges against him dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
He had faced allegations of rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault, all against the same woman.
The CPS said that Greenwood case had been stopped because of ‘the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light’, adding that there was no longer a ‘realistic prospect of conviction’.
Gary Neville has spoken about his ‘clumsy like’ of a tweet professing Mason Greenwood’s innocence. Credit: Instagram, Gary Neville
Several people noticed that Neville had liked a tweet about Greenwood’s ‘innocence’ and quickly challenged him on it.
One person shared a screenshot and wrote: “You have a massive platform and you’re liking bulls**t like this just because the monster plays for a team you support. you’re disgusting @GNev2.”
He posted: “I liked a tweet relating to the Mason Greenwood news this afternoon from Nazir Afzal. ( the former director of public prosecutions ).
“This like is being misinterpreted. It was a clumsy like as I obviously condemn any violence against women.”
Greenwood issued a short statement yesterday, writing: “I am relieved that this matter is now over and I would like to thank my family, loved ones and friends for their support. There will be no further comment at this time.”
Featured image: Instagram, @garyneville2 / publicity picture
The Manc -
1st October 2020 
