The minds behind Greater Manchester’s trailblazing United We Stream (UWS) have launched a streaming platform to showcase region’s emerging and established talent to the world.
Hosted at Digital City Festival on April 12, StreamGM aims to build on the incredible achievements of UWS – which was launched in lockdown to raise funds for the creative sector.
The platform proved to be a wild success – reeling in millions of viewers and raising £583,000 throughout its run.
StreamGM will be picking up where UWS left off – offering a soapbox for singers, dancers, musicians, poets and artists across GM.
Andy Burnham – an early backer of the project – said that Stream GM would “play an essential role in our recovery throughout 2021.”
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The Mayor of Greater Manchester stated: “Many venues will not be able to reopen fully until the second half of the year.
“So, by prioritising digital development such as this, we can continue to support our culture sector so they can later support us all through our personal recoveries from what we have experienced through the pandemic.”
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Poet Tony Walsh performing in Our City Speaks on United We Stream
Whilst showcasing local talent, StreamGM will also include specialised ‘hands on’ industry experience for young people in the production and promotion of digital broadcasting.
Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Adviser, Sacha Lord said: “In an incredibly hard year for many, United We Stream Greater Manchester provided moments of escape and joy and I’m incredibly proud of all we achieved.
“It’s now time to look to the future and, as we start to gradually unlock, how some of the partnerships and projects developed during 2020 adapt to complement live events.
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“StreamGM is a perfect example of this, providing a platform for emerging Greater Manchester talent to perform to global audiences, taking talent beyond venue walls, helping our amazing city-region emerge from the pandemic in the strongest possible position.”
Driven by a shared love of music and culture, StreamGM will continue to “bang the drum” for Greater Manchester from its launch at Digital City Festival – an annual event series exploring what makes a leading digital city.
Production for the festival is based at state-of-the-art studios in Salford’s Media City with all events broadcast online.
DJ Woody – United We Stream 24 hr The Hacienda House Party
StreamGM will kick off proceedings at Digital City Festival on April 12 with a thrilling audio-visual DJ set from DJ Woody – who wowed audiences with his performance during UWS’ NYE Hacienda House Party.
Manchester Jazz Festival, Showhawk Duo and Jodrell Bank’s Blue Dot festival favourites ’Science in the House’ will also be turning in performances on the StreamGM virtual stage.
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A StreamGM panel will be hosted on April 13 – featuring UWS Global founder Lutz Leichsenring; Hacienda legend Graeme Park; Tom Besford from English Folk Expo, DJ Rebecca Swarray, Artistic Director of the Met David Agnew and United We Stream/StreamGM’s producer Marie-Claire Daly.
The festival finale on April 22 will host the first ever StreamGM talent showcase.
Digital City Festival Director, Martyn Collins said: “We’re delighted to have StreamGM curating the entertainment for our delegates at Digital City Festival. Despite lockdown, the amazing United We Stream project showed that innovation, creativity, music and performance could still be created, shared and enjoyed by all.
“Using digital as the core platform and reaching a global audience, StreamGM is perfectly in sync with Manchester’s digital city status and also recognising that people are at the heart of everything we do.”
To join Digital City Festival, register for access here.
For more information about StreamGM, visit the official website.
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Government sets up taskforce to deliver ‘urgent action’ on maternity care in England
Emily Sergeant
A taskforce aiming to deliver ‘urgent action’ on maternity care in England has been set up by the Government.
The new Maternity and Neonatal taskforce – which is chaired by the Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting – will tackle ‘deep-rooted inequalities’ and deliver urgent action on the recommendations of the independent national investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England.
This means that women, babies, and families will receive safer and higher-quality care from the NHS in the long run.
According to the Government, the expert panel includes families, senior NHS leaders, royal colleges, campaigners, academics, and third sector representatives.
The Government has set up a taskforce to deliver ‘urgent action’ on maternity care / Credit: Jimmy Conover (via Unsplash)
As part of the selection process, the Government has been working closely with harmed and bereaved families to ensure their personal experiences were reflected, and those who have been chosen collectively have the clinical expertise, lived experience, and sector know-how to deliver the changes so desperately needed for families.
Starting next week, the Secretary of State will chair regular roundtables with the new taskforce – with the first priority to agree its Terms of Reference.
The taskforce will also address recent developments in maternity and neonatal care, including recommendations from the Thirlwall Inquiry, and the independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
📢 National maternity and neonatal investigation to be launched
Too many families have suffered preventable harm.
The investigation will urgently look at services with specific issues and the entire maternity system, making sure each family receives safe and compassionate care. pic.twitter.com/J8XkwGM9dN
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 23, 2025
The taskforce will also be supported by a wider range of experts – as part of ‘expert reference groups’ – that the Government says will bring ‘a broader range’ of perspectives.
“Every woman and baby deserve safe, compassionate care during pregnancy and birth, and the very best start in life,” commented Duncan Burton, who is the Chief Nursing Officer for England.
“Although NHS maternity and neonatal teams work incredibly hard to support women and families every day, we know there is more we must urgently do to improve care and experience.
“I look forward to working with members of the taskforce to improve safety and deliver the best possible outcomes and experience for women, babies, families, and colleagues working in these services.”
Featured Image – Credit: Aditya Romansa (via Unsplash)
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Manchester Piccadilly is closing AGAIN for more improvement works this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Piccadilly is set to close again for more improvement works this weekend.
In case you hadn’t heard, Manchester Piccadilly train station was closed for nine days back in mid-February while a ‘once-in-a-generation upgrade’ was carried out – with very few train services running in or out of the station in the process, and as you’d expect, widespread disruption caused for those travelling around the region.
But thankfully, after many journeys were impacted for those travelling to and from major destinations like Manchester Airport, and on the West Coast Mainline, the station was back up and running at the end of February, with passengers thanked for their patience in the meantime.
Network Rail invested £7.9m into the major upgrade, with the main points of action being to improve tracks, points, and signalling systems on the southern approach to Manchester Piccadilly station.
At the time it was announced that the station had reopened, passengers were alerted to further minor closures in the future, and one of those closures is set to take place this weekend.
🗓️ On 1 & 22 March, we’ll complete follow-up work following our £7.9m track upgrade at Manchester Piccadilly.
🛤️ Morning journeys will be disrupted on those days, with rail replacement buses in operation to keep you moving.
This Sunday (22 March), routine follow-up work will take place to secure the new railway foundation stone through a process called tamping, and this will impact trains until 1pm, so passengers are advised to check online ahead of time if planning to travel.
These upgrades are said to help deliver ‘smoother, more reliable’ journeys for passengers in the future, but during this time, trains from the south and east will not run into Manchester Piccadilly.
All station facilities at Manchester Piccadilly will remain open on the day, including the ticket office, Passenger Assist lounge, toilets, and retail outlets, and Metrolink trams will continue to stop at the station too.
Northern has confirmed that it will continue to run a reduced timetable on services to Liverpool Lime Street, Blackpool North, and Chester.
The Manc -
24th March 2021 
