News

New streaming platform launches to showcase Greater Manchester’s best talent

Greater Manchester’s trailblazing United We Stream project is launching a streaming platform for the region’s talent.

The Manc The Manc - 24th March 2021

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.

News

One million UK adults who have never smoked before are now vaping, new stats reveal

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

More than a million UK adults who claim to have never smoked cigarettes are now vaping.

According to alarming new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), relating to people aged 16 and over, around 2.8 million men (11.3%) and 2.1 million women (8.2%) are thought to be smokers in the UK… but more than a million people, who have never smoked before, have now made the decision to start vaping instead.

People in the 25 to 34 age group were found to be the most likely to vape, according to the data, overtaking those aged 16 to 24, as it was the only age group to see a rise in e-cigarette usage.

Daily or occasional vaping is still higher than the proportion of people smoking cigarettes too, the ONS revealed, at 5.4 million, or 9.9%, versus 4.8 million (8.7%).

Person smoking a cigarette
One million UK adults who have never smoked are now vaping / Credit: Lil Artsy (via Pexels) | Pxhere

“Fewer than one in 10 adults now smoke,” commented David Mais, from the ONS.

“This is the lowest proportion on record and continues the long-term decline in smoking. [But] at the same time, e-cigarette use remains more common than smoking and has followed an overall upward trend since 2020.

“E-cigarette users are also getting older, with those aged 25 to 34 now overtaking 16 to 24-year-olds as the age group most likely to use them.

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“This may reflect existing users getting older, growing popularity among this age group, or a combination of both.”

Overall, the prevalence of smoking dropped in all four UK nations between 2024 and 2025.

Featured Image – Elsa Olofsson (via Unsplash)

News

Three Manchester motorways named in UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Motorway

Three motorways in and around Manchester have been named the ‘most challenging’ in the UK.

As part of MoneySuperMarket’s new Great British Motorway Report, new research has found that one in three UK motorists find motorway driving ‘stressful’ – despite more than 70 billion miles being travelled on Britain’s motorways each year. 

From delays and congestion to high traffic levels, there are a number of factors that can contribute to driver stress levels. 

But are some motorways more challenging for drivers than others? According to the data, yes. And three of the top 10 worst motorways in the UK are in and around Greater Manchester.

To find out which are the most challenging, MoneySuperMarket analysed everything from collision rates and roadworks, to lane closures and driver feedback in order to reveal the top 10.

Manchester is home to three of the UK’s top 10 most challenging motorways – the M602, M62, and M60, the latter of which took the top spot on the list.

Woman driving a car
Three Manchester motorways have been named in the UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’ / Credit: pxfuel

Encircling Greater Manchester and linking many of the region’s motorways, the M60 recorded the lowest overall score in the index.

Despite handling significant volumes of traffic, the M60 experienced some of the highest average delays, at 15.58 seconds per vehicle per mile, and alongside this, it saw 34 collisions in the past year alone. But despite these challenges, the M60 remains an essential route for regional connectivity, and often cannot be bypassed.

“If you’re feeling anxious, allow extra time for your journey so you don’t feel pressured to rush or make last-minute decisions,” commented Alicia Hempsted at MoneySuperMarket.

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“Plan your route in advance, including where you’ll stop for breaks, as regular rest stops can help you stay alert and reduce stress on longer trips, and if you’re travelling alone, consider sharing your route with someone you trust if it helps you feel more comfortable.”

Featured Image – Mike Birdy (via Pexels)


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