An action-packed family fun day where kids can try out science experiments, get to grips with cool technology, learn how different machines work and more is coming to Stockport town centre and the tickets are super affordable.
Make Stuff is a series of free coding, making and tech events for both adults and young people brought to locals by homegrown innovation organisation, MadLab, who are kicking off their 2024 programme of activities with a festival right here in Greater Manchester.
Taking place across two different dates at Stockport Central Library this month and then again in March, no experience is necessary — just roll up and get the whole family involved with fun stuff to do for people of all ages.
With over 20 activities to choose from, including the experience of 1000 watts of bass power buzzing through your fingers, watching a dancing alien oobleck (corn flour), creating laser-blaster sounds with a slinky; making robot chickens or ‘auto-strummer’ using upcycled computer guts and so much more.
Credit: Make Stuff
Arriving at Stockport Library first on 10 February with a second event on 9 March, each festival aims to create a space where knowledge and enthusiasm can be shared and judging by everything they’ve got going on, they both look like they’re going to be a fantastic day out.
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As well as offering all manners of science and tech-curious Mancs the opportunity to learn things learn the basics of soldering, crafts, coding and discover the joy of making stuff in general.
Guests can also learn how sound waves work, play a mechanical violin, connect their friends to an electrical circuit to learn about their own frequencies and even discover amazing hidden sounds in everyday objects. There will also be pop-ups from Noisy Toys and Manchester Metropolitan University.
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MadLab themselves have been helping inspire the next generation into the world of digital and creative exploration through tech, art, design, marketing and more since 2016 and offers a range of engaging experiences throughout Greater Manchester communities.
Brought to life with funding from Greater Manchester Combined Authority secured as part of the UK government’s wider ‘Levelling Up’ agenda, MadLab has gone on to win the ‘Best Tech for Good Project’ at the Big Chip Awards in 2017, as well as ‘Volunteering Team of the Year’ and ‘Best Community Space’ at the Spirit of Manchester Awards the following year.
With Make Stuff itself having a bit of a break during and after the pandemic, they’re now back in full force for 2024, planning over 100 events this calendar year in their adopted hometown of Stockport alone.
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The Make Stuff family fun days take place on Saturday, 10 Feb and Sat, 9 March at Stockport Central Library (Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK1 3RS) from 11am-3pm, you can grab your tickets for the first event HERE and the March date HERE.
Admission is just £5 (refundable) and if you cannot afford a ticket, please email [email protected] with your name and postcode and they will be in touch. Legends.
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”
Danny Jones -
7th February 2024 
