A brand new awards ceremony championing Northern gamechangers is set to debut in Manchester this autumn.
Called Northern Gamechangers, the brand new awards programme will celebrate the forces for good in our business communities and honour leaders in the region making a real difference in their fields.
The brainchild of Manchester-based business consultancy Elevate, the awards ceremony has been designed to champion purpose-driven businesses – after noticing the little recognition available for those making a real difference in similar programmes.
However, in a twist that sets the awards apart from most, there will not be any formal nomination categories. Rather, nominated ‘Gamechangers’ are able to excel in a number of areas – including sustainability, decarbonisation, social mobility, diversity and inclusion, and charitable partnerships.
It will take place with a cool and contemporary awards ceremony held in the city on 14 September 2022, with nominations open to organisations, businesses and individuals until 10 June.
Forgoing the traditional glitzy ceremony, the awards will do away with the white tablecloths and stuffy dress codes of old in favour of something altogether more relaxed and fun – as well as a much more accessible ticket price.
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Speaking on the new awards, Katie Robson, Co-Founder and Director, said: “We are constantly inspired by people that prove that businesses can, and should, be a force for good – we’ve launched Northern Gamechangers to celebrate these individual and organisations and spread the word to others.”
Confirmed judges include Anna Gledson, Marketing Director at The Manc; Sharon Amesu, Founder of SA Consulting, and North-West Business Leadership Team; Amer Gaffar, Director of Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre and Tim Heatley, Co-Founder of Capital&Centric.
Sponsors of the programme include a leading independent PR agency, The PHA Group, which last year launched its Manchester base and has since added a Leeds office to the roster; Manchester Central, the city’s thriving exhibition and conference centre; and Appleyard Lees, Intellectual Property specialists.
Nominations are now open for the Northern Gamechangers, which will take place on 14 September at an as-yet-undisclosed venue in Manchester.
Speaking further on the Northern Gamechanger awards, Katie added: “We’ve been immersed in Manchester’s thriving business community for some time now, and what really makes the region stand out is just how many people are willing to step outside the box with new ideas and game changing attitudes.
“Through Northern Gamechangers, we want to make noise about Manchester’s pioneering spirit and those using their influence for good. We can’t wait to see the nominations – we already know there are a lot of Gamechangers in the region.”
Speaking on the upcoming awards, Anna Gledson, Marketing Director at The Manc and Northern Gamechangers judge, added: “Here at The Manc Group, we’re big champions of the north and it’s a real honour to be involved with Northern Gamechangers’ inaugural year.
“We know that there are so many wonderful business leaders in the north of England doing brilliant things, and this new awards ceremony is such a great opportunity to shine a light on those who are going the extra mile in their communities – be it through charitable partnerships, sustainability, diversity and/or inclusion.
“We’re delighted to be supporting the initiative with our regional publications and I can’t wait to see who gets involved.”
A shortlist of 50 nominees will be announced for Northern Gamechangers in July, followed by the final 10 award winners who will be revealed at the event on Wednesday 14 September.
Further information and nominations for the Northern Gamechangers can be found here.
The route for the 2027 Tour de France Femmes revealed ahead of Manchester debut
Danny Jones
The route for next year’s women’s historic Tour de France has been announced, with some of the best riders in the world set to pass through Greater Manchester and more.
Yet another big coup for the region and our sporting scene.
Speaking with the City Council, now that the full route has been revealed, our very own Dame Sarah Storey joined many in celebrating another huge moment for us; the female Tour de France is not just back up and running, but aiming to become bigger than ever.
🚴♀️ The world’s best cyclists are heading to Manchester! 🚴♀️
The routes for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2027 have now been revealed, with Manchester set to host the Stage One finish on Friday 30 July and the Stage Two start on Saturday 31 July. pic.twitter.com/OMMlhdorqP
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) April 21, 2026
The Stockport-born swimmer turned Team GB cyclist and multi-Olympic gold medallist knows all about what makes this particular sport special, having swapped a previous and highly successful career for an entirely different discipline.
As has now been fully confirmed, the 2027 Grand Départ will be getting underway with our friends in Leeds, before heading through Yorkshire and into Greater Manchester.
Upon entering our neck of the woods, the course will pass through the likes of Rochdale and Oldham into Manchester city centre, before heading into Stockport and neighbouring North West county, Derbyshire, and finally heading back through the Peaks.
Spread across two incredible days, the race itself will finish in Sheffield, with another UK first happening down in London, as the capital will also host the inaugural team time trial held in this country.
You can see the official event’s breakdown of what locations feature in which stages of ‘The Big Loop’ in more detail below.
Leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig, went on to add: “Being able to watch the world’s best cyclists in action and in such an iconic event, taking place right here on our doorstep in the heart of Manchester next summer, is going to be epic on so many levels.
“Championing women and girls to participate in and enjoy sports – including cycling – at all levels from entry through to elite, is really important to us and next year’s Tour de France Femmes is set to play a huge part in helping inspire the next generation of sporting talent from our city.
“With millions of spectators expected to line the routes, including here in the city centre, we’ll be going all out to help ensure the event’s success with what is set to be a ‘Tour takeover’ of the city to maximise opportunities for local people and businesses to get involved, to grow their own sporting skills, and to take part in the many community activities being planned.”
Having hosted everything from the BRITs and the MOBO Awards to another Super League Grand Finals in both netball and rugby, not to mention numerous other huge events over the past couple of years, it truly is a great time to be living in Greater Manchester.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Manchester City Council)
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Popular grassroots music festival to return to hidden Manchester street with new fringe events
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s much-loved grassroots music festival is back next month, and this year, there’s some new fringe events too.
Set across a handful of popular venues up on Deansgate Mews – including The Lion’s Den, Low Four Studios and The Mews Bar – Deansgate Mews Festival is returning for its sixth year this late May bank holiday weekend.
More than 40 music artists will be performing on a mix of outdoor and intimate indoor stages.
But that’s not all, as in what’s set to be an exciting new chapter for 2026, the festival is expanding beyond its core programme with the launch of the first-ever Mews Fest Fringe too.
Popular grassroots music festival Mews Fest returns this late May bank holiday / Credit: Supplied
The inaugural Mews Fest Fringe will be hosted in a large unit within Great Northern Warehouse, which will be transformed into a ‘vibrant’ hub celebrating music, art and independent culture.
Designed as a platform for Manchester’s creative community, the festival space will welcome artists, designers, collectors, and creative entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their work while connecting with festival-goers.
At the Fringe event, you can expect everything from record sellers and vinyl collectors, to vintage clothes, arts and crafts makers, independent creatives, and even bands selling merchandise.
This year there’s also the addition of the Mews Fest Fringe / Credit: Supplied
Already known for its strong grassroots ethos and growing reputation, Mews Fest continues to champion local talent and independent culture – but now with the addition of the Fringe event, the stage is set for its most ‘ambitious and inclusive’ edition to date.
Oh and the best bit? Both festivals will be free to attend, with no need to book tickets beforehand.
Georgina Pellant -
31st May 2022 
