Manchester joins campaign asking government to make food a ‘legal right’
Manchester has officially announced its status as a 'Right To Food' city - backing a campaign to change the law and make access to food a legal right for all.
Manchester has officially announced its status as a ‘Right To Food’ city – backing a campaign to change the law and make access to food a ‘legal right’ for all.
According to The Food Foundation, as many as 3.8 million people suffered from food insecurity due to issues such as loss of income or isolation in the early stages of the pandemic.
A survey by Childwise has since claimed that as many as 8.4 million in the UK are experiencing food poverty of some kind.
Driven by this data, the Right To Food campaign is calling on the government to make groundbreaking and potentially lifesaving changes to legislation – whereby every person living in Britain is legally entitled to food.
This week, Manchester City Council has confirmed it is backing the campaign – joining Liverpool in the process – and will be sending a letter to the government outlining its position.
Councillor Bev Craig said: “Manchester has a proud history of fighting for peoples’ rights and the needs of our communities, not just locally but nationally. The Council is resolute in our believe that ending food poverty is a cause more than worth fighting for.
“We have refreshed our Family Poverty Strategy to reflect the COVID crisis and have supported Mancunians through the Manchester Food Partnership, the Hardship Fund and our Welfare Provision Scheme.”
Marcus Rashford has played a key role in changing rules on free school meals in England / Image: Wikimedia Commons
The councillor added: “COVID has led to an increase in the levels of poverty across the country and, as a Council, we have been supportive of campaigns to alleviate hardship and reduce poverty such as the campaign to stop the cut to Universal Credit.
“This is why we are joining the call for towns and cities to come together and demand the Government guarantees the right to food and ends the scandal of food poverty.”
Craig also said that the council will continue to offer help wherever it is needed, “only stopping when every single family can access the food they deserve.”
Neighbouring boroughs Oldham and Rochdale have also announced that thousands of local families will get financial help for food during February half term.
In Oldham, food vouchers of £15 will be made available for each eligible child or young person in the area – meaning over 17,000 individuals will be offered help to get enough food over the half term break.
The council is working with schools and colleges to identify and contact all eligible families, sending out vouchers that can be used at local supermarkets.
Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford – who has been leading the charge for ending food poverty in the UK – has been actively supporting Oldham by pointing residents in the direction of services via his social media.
Oldham families will be receiving food vouchers for over half term.
We’re working with schools and colleges who will issue vouchers to eligible families.
Councillor Arooj Shah, Oldham Council Deputy Leader, said the council will continue to “pressure” the government so that ministers “do not forget Oldham”.
He stated: “In these incredibly difficult times we have managed to secure enough money to ensure our vulnerable children and young people will have vital food supplies.
“We know that, although this isn’t anywhere near the amount of money needed to support those most in need, particularly with the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, this funding will go some way towards ensuring no child in Oldham goes hungry this winter.
“We will therefore continue to pressure central Government to ensure they do not forget Oldham and its residents and call for fair funding for our borough.
“And the council would also like to remind people there are a range of benefits they can apply for to help this winter and that are means tested.”
Rochdale Council has also pledged to provide its local vulnerable residents with support during half-term.
Leader of the council, Councillor Allen Brett, said: “We have stepped in on several occasions now but a properly funded national solution is needed.
“It shouldn’t take Marcus Rashford forcing regular U-turns – everyone should see the importance of children not being hungry. We’ll keep fighting for families and do whatever we can.”
Councillor Kieran Heakin added: “We’re offering vouchers with extra support in the form of additional food parcels from our food clubs, for families who are struggling, so that there are more options available and immediate emergency help when it’s needed.
“It’s clear that the government system does not work for families and it is about time they listened.”
New free app launches to help people find the best nature spots in and around Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new free app has launched to help people find, discover, and visit nature on their doorstep.
Wildling is aiming to be a simple one-step solution to the growing mental health crisis and the urgent need to care for the natural world.
By helping people visit nature more easily, and giving them tools to truly connect with it at this same time, Wildling is well on its way to supporting personal wellbeing and the joy of easily discovering nature across the UK, all while nurturing a sense of care and action for the planet.
Supported by partners including the RSPB, Marine Conservation Society ,and Forestry England, and backed by advisors and environmentalists like Ben Goldsmith, Eden Project founder Tim Smit, and Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden, the new app brings the UK’s wild spaces and hidden green spots together in one place.
A new free app has launched to help people find the best nature spots in Manchester / Credit: Kitera Dent | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
Featuring more than 1,500 locations across the country, from coastlines and woodlands, to nature reserves, the app also includes a wide range of tips to help you make your time in nature easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful.
The app has been created with the input of research carried out by the University of Derby, based on responses from more than 68,000 adults across England over two years.
The study found that people who spend time in nature every day report up to 22% greater life satisfaction, 17% higher happiness, and an average uplift of around 19% in overall wellbeing, compared to those who rarely go out.
Regular time in nature was also found to have a ‘striking’ effect on pro-environmental behaviour too, according to the survey.
Wildling was created by impact entrepreneur Ant Rawlins who wanted to make accessing nature ‘easier’ for everyone.
“We wanted to give people the tools to engage with nature by making it genuinely easy to visit, by showing them nearby nature places and giving them everything they need to make it happen,” says Ant Rawlins commented.
Wildling connects Mancs to the outside world and all it has to offer / Credit: Sol Stock (Supplied)
Ant said the study shows that spending more time in nature just a nice idea, it makes you happier, increases your satisfaction with life, lifts your overall wellbeing, and encourages you to look after the world around you.
“That’s exactly why Wildling was created,” he concluded.
The Wildling app is available now to download for free through the App Store and Google Play, and you can find out more here.
Featured Image – Shironosov (Supplied)
News
Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo’s adorable baby snow leopard who went viral last week could very well be about to go viral again.
That’s because new footage of it venturing outside for the first time have been released.
After arriving to first-time parents Nubra and Yashin, who are both three-years-old, last month (10 June 2025), keepers at Chester Zoo said mum and cub had mostly spent their time quietly tucked away in a cosy den, away from the eyes of the onlooking public – but now, it’s time for the little one to see what the outside world is all about.
Now, at seven-weeks old, the cub has gained in strength and confidence, and experts expected that it could venture outside at ‘any moment’.
Zookeepers are still yet to confirm the sex of the cub, and will be able to do soon once it has undergone its first health check-up with the vets.
We can also expect to hear one the little one’s name is very soon too.
If you’re unfamiliar with snow leopards, they are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it’s believed there are as few as 4,000 now remaining in the wild.
Nicknamed the ‘ghosts of the mountains’, these elusive – but adorable – big cats are found in the rugged, remote regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas – but sadly, despite being known for living in desolate, harsh environments, they continue to face threats from habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and retaliatory killings by farmers.
Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time / Credit: Chester Zoo
The cub’s birth follows the opening of Chester Zoo’s Himalayan habitat in May 2024, which is a vast, rocky environment that authentically recreates the mountainous terrain of Central Asia.
“This is the first snow leopard cub to be born at Chester Zoo,” commented Dave Hall, who is the Team Manager of carnivores at Chester Zoo, last week when the adorable hidden den cam footage was first released to the public.
“It’s a truly historic moment and a real cause for celebration – not just for our teams here, but also for the future of this magnificent species globally.”
Although it’s still early days, carnivore experts at the zoo say Nubra is showing ‘excellent maternal instincts’ by nursing her new arrival every few hours and always keeping close by.
The Manc -
4th February 2021 
