News

Northern Gamechanger Awards – inspiring Manc finalists announced

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 8th July 2022

40 local individuals and businesses have been announced as finalists for the brand new Northern Gamechanger awards.

The all-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.

Unlike most awards ceremonies, there aren’t defined categories here – rather, finalists are recognised for their work in a number of areas, from sustainability and social mobility to diversity and decarbonisation.

The 40 finalists announced today include some of the most familiar business names in the region, including TalkTalk, HideOut Youth Zone, Go Thrift, UA92 and The Juice Academy, as well as brilliant individuals.

Simon Mellin of The Modern Milkman and Heard Storytelling are among the Northern Gamechanger finalists.

The awards themselves are set to take place on 14 September.

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10 total Northern Gamechangers will be announced then, chosen by judges including The Manc Group managing director Anna Gledson, Capital & Centric co-founder Tim Heatley, founder of SA Consulting Sharon Amesu, and drector of Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre Amer Gaffar.

The brand-new awards programme is the brainchild of north-west based business consultancy, Elevate, and was launched after noticing the little recognition available for those making a real difference.

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Katie Robson, co-founder and director of Elevate, said: “Seeing so many individuals and organisations across the region being nominated has been brilliant.

Read more: New Manchester awards ceremony will champion ‘Northern Gamechangers’

“We already knew there were plenty of people using their influence for good, but this has really highlighted the game changing attitudes of the north’s pioneering business community.

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“We can’t wait to champion those people who are making a real difference – the main reason we wanted to launch Northern Gamechangers, was to shout about the fantastic work people are doing in the realms of sustainability, charity, diversity and many more.”

There’ll be accessible ticket prices for the ceremony itself, which will be a fun and relaxed evening of celebration and networking – with no white tablecloths in sight.

Programme sponsors include leading independent PR agency, The PHA Group, which last year launched its northern base; Manchester Central, the city’s thriving exhibition and conference centre; and Appleyard Lees, Intellectual Property specialists.

You can purchase your ticket for the Northern Gamechanger awards here.

The full list of the Northern Gamechanger finalists

  • Abi Dunn, Sixty Eight People
  • Abigail Herron, Aviva Investors
  • Adam Farricker, HideOut Youth Zone Manchester
  • Adam Pope, Spencer Churchill
  • Agent Academy
  • Carl Walker, Go Thrift
  • Catherine Wilks, Slalom
  • Chris Roberts, Safe As Houses
  • Christos Tsaprounis, Autotrader
  • David MacDonald, Cullen ECO Friendly Packaging
  • Dr Ruth Brown-Shepherd, FSB West Yorkshire Academia-Industry Network
  • Duane Cormell, Realm Recruit
  • Emma Louise-Fusari, Inhouse Health
  • Fund Her North
  • Gary Woodhead, CurveBlock
  • Georgia Fitzgerald, Juice Academy
  • Grace Dyke, Yellow Jigsaw
  • Hannah Cox, BetterNotStop
  • Heard Storytelling
  • Helen McHugh, TalkTalk
  • Helen Seagrave, Electricity North West
  • Holly Holland & Laura Pomfret, Financielle
  • HOME Team
  • Husain Bensaud, HBL Associates
  • Isobelle Panton, University Academy 92
  • Jason Laing, ProMake
  • John Eckersley, Castefield Partners
  • Katie McIntosh, The Remedy Kitchen
  • Lauren Rosegreen, Invisible Cities Manchester
  • Lee Chambers, Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing
  • Liam Starkey, The Inclusive Hub
  • Lyndsay Hymas, Slalom
  • Manchester PA Network
  • Max Whiteley. Accounts & Legal
  • Rebecca Hartley, Saving Grace Events
  • ReCon^2
  • Simon Mellin, The Modern Milkman
  • Sophie Walker, Dsposal
  • The Royal Exchange Theatre
  • Tiffany Thorn, BiVictriX Therapeutics

Featured image: Heard Storytelling / Unsplash / Modern Milkman

News

Kool Runnings’ legendary Caribbean food truck is back in Old Trafford

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant

Now more than ever, we’re starting to get used to the fact that the food businesses we love often come and then go. But in the case of Kool Runnings’ Caribbean food truck, whenever it goes missing there’s always more than a little bit of a panic.

The legendary kitchen-on-wheels has been feeding its community for a quarter of a decade, and if it disappears – as it sometimes does – its loyal regulars start to fret.

Lately, the truck has been missing from its Old Trafford patch. As a result, fans have been left wondering what is going on and whether it might have closed for good, as so many great hospitality businesses seem to be doing at the moment.

Good news, then, that after a short hiatus, it is back: once again parked up in its rightful spot, slinging out its famous fried and jerk chicken, as well as handmade patties, massive dumplings, creamy coleslaw, mac and cheese, and plenty more to the waiting crowds.

Jerk chicken on the grill at Kool Runnings food truck in Old Trafford. / Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

Owner Aval Saunders has been steadfastly feeding his community what is widely considered to be some of the best Yard food in the north since 1998, cooking late into the night out of his food truck with a little help from his sons.

He hates waste and will generally stay open serving until all the food is gone. Making everything from scratch, with fresh patties prepared daily, also means that everything is super fresh – but the days are long, and he works hard.

Queues here are common, especially in the summer when the smell of spiced meat on charcoal billows from the trailer and hungrily winds its way around the neighbourhood.

It’s unsurprising, then, that he felt he needed a bit of a break – telling us that he has just returned from spending time abroad recuperating in Jamaica.

“So yeah, we’ve been back home to Jamaica just to have a bit of rest because you know we’re busy we’re very busy,” he told The Manc.

“A lot of people missed us you know, since we come back a lot of people came back, complaining, kept saying ‘where were you guys, where were you guys?’ But we had to take a break because we’re tired innit.”

Read more: A new Deep South-inspired dive bar is coming to Manchester’s Northern Quarter

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

Read more: The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it pasta and dumpling restaurant that just made the Michelin Guide

It’s dark and our pictures don’t really do it justice, but trust us when we say that the food here is worth every bit of hype that it gets.

A fixture in the community for some twenty-five years now, it’s become a longstanding favourite for whole generations.

Aval’s cooking has also amassed some famous fans over the years. Footballers like Sergio Agüero, Andy Cole and Rio Ferdinand, as well as sports personalities Usain Bolt and Tyson Fury are known to be regulars.

Even Ainsley Harriot of Ready Steady Cook fame has popped by the truck in the past for a scran, so we understand.

This is the sort of food that you just want to shovel in, no cutlery needed. Packed with flavour, then jerk chicken here is marinaded in a secret rub and then thrown on the grill until it’s blackened with smoke, whilst its accompanying gravy is thick, sweet and peppery with a nice hidden kick.

Thank goodness, then, that the Kool Runnings truck is back where it belongs. With the Longsight shop now permanently closed, we were starting to wonder where to go for our next fix.

Feature image – The Manc Eats

News

Man arrested on suspicion of making ‘threats to kill’ Angela Rayner

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Another person has been arrested as part of an investigation into threats sent to Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner.

The Stockport-born politician, who is Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, received ‘threats to kill’ from the 34-year-old man in the Hemlington area of Middlesborough.

Officers from GMP and Cleveland Police have now arrested the man in question in the early hours of yesterday morning, Monday 6 February.

He was taken into custody for questioning and has been released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

It’s the seventh arrest to be made in the ongoing investigation into threats and communications sent to Ms Rayner.

This latest arrest is in relation to a phone call made to her on 30 January 2023.

A seventh arrest has been made in the investigation into threats sent to Angela Rayner. Credit: Twitter

So far, three convictions have been secured.

Detective Inspector Christopher Dean, of Tameside District CID, said: “GMP will not tolerate any form of abuse including in its online forms – such as calls, texts, emails or via social media – and we will always investigate thoroughly to bring perpetrators to justice.

“If you have been a victim of abuse – whether physical or online – please report it to GMP so we can deal with the matter appropriately. We take reports of this nature very seriously and one of our specially trained officers will be on hand to help.

Read more

“You can make a report by calling 0161 856 9262 or 101. You can also use GMP’s LiveChat function via the webiste: www.gmp.police.uk.

“Alternatively details can be passed via the anonymous charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

If you have been a victim of hate, don’t suffer in silence. Visit www.gmvictims.org.uk to access victim support and information.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons

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