A number of the North’s most famous faces have show their support for a Crowdfunder campaign set up to save the People’s History Museum in Manchester.
After making it through a financially-challenging year due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the People’s History Museum (PHM) is starting off 2021 seeking Mancunians’ urgent support with a fundraising appeal that will help the national museum of democracy to continue its culturally-significant work in the years to come.
The People’s History Museum (PHM) said it has lost more than £200,000 since England’s first lockdown in March, and costs £900 per day to run.
Over 300 people have already pledged their support to the museum, with public figures including Ian McKellen, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Maxine Peake, Alfred Enoch, Mike Leigh, Tony Walsh and Melvyn Bragg all proudly backing the campaign.
Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh said that the People’s History Museum was her “favourite museum in the world” as it “deals with ordinary people and our struggles”, and one of the UK’s most revered actors Ian McKellen also told of the “amazing exhibitions” that he has seen at the museum – which he “cannot recommend too strongly” – and urges people to support PHM should be be in a position to do so.
Broadcaster, author and Parliamentarian Melvyn Bragg said he sees the People’s History Museum as “one of the most important museums in this country”.
He continued: “It tells the story of us – 97% of the people in this country and their fight over centuries for their rights, for democratic rights, for voting rights, for the equality of women, for trade union rights to give everyone in this country the entitlement to live their life as full as possible.”
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Bolton-born actor Maxine Peake also said PHM was “one of my favourite museums in the country”, adding that: “We will only move forward in the future if we learn from our past [and] we need places like PHM that look after that history and preserve it for future generations.”
The People’s History Museum’s Crowdfunder has a target set of £25,000, which it must achieve by 11am on Tuesday 26 January 2021.
Although the museum’s outgoings have been dramatically reduced since the pandemic first hit, it still costs £903 per day to maintain an online presence, look after the collection and take care of the historic listed building that makes up part of the museum site, so all of the money raised by the Crowdfunder will go towards alleviating the income shortfalls.
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People’s History Museum
Speaking on the Crowdfunder campaigh, Katy Ashton – Director of People’s History Museum – said: “People’s History Museum has carved out a unique role for itself in its dedication to exploring the past, present and future of British democracy and in leading the way forward in co-creation, community engagement and inclusivity.
“We find ourselves in this challenging situation at a time when we feel that the conversations, discussions and work that we carry out are more relevant than ever,
“[And] reflective of this is the contemporary collecting that we’ve carried out over the last 12 months, with COVID-19, Black Lives Matter and Brexit some of the key issues that the museum’s Collections Team have been focusing on.
“We hope that the support of our friends will carry us through the difficult months that lie in front of us and that we can continue to stride forwards with our groundbreaking work.”
Donations to the People’s History Museum can be made via the Crowdfunder here.
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And that’s not all either, as a selection of rewards are also up for grabs for those who support the campaign, and they range from a newly-added virtual tour experience for a donation of £25, to the chance to become a Radical Supporter for a pledge of £1,000.
You can find more about the People’s History Museum online here, and keep up to date its social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
News
Manchester United fans planning another major protest amid more upheaval around the club
Danny Jones
Manchester United supporters look set to stage another high-profile demonstration in protest against the INEOS Sports ownership group.
This is the latest response to the club’s continuing struggles, and not just the first proper organised mobilisation of the year, but the first since the most recent major march last spring.
Following the sacking of ‘manager’ Ruben Amorim, despite co-owner Jim Ratcliffe and his board of executives insisting that the Portuguese head coach (that distinction proving to be a crucial detail), the local sporting giants are once again starting from scratch and looking for another replacement boss.
With that in mind, militant fan group The 1958 announced their most recent protest ahead of a home fixture next month in a rather bold fashion…
As announced we protest against this dysfunctional co-ownership before Fulham.
Yep, neither Amorim, Erik ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, nor any face even remotely associated with Old Trafford/Carrington is safe from an AI parody.
As for The 1958 group’s actual protest plans, speaking via the BBC this week, the supporters’ trust has confirmed that they will be making a vocal statement outside the stadium on Sunday, 1 February.
Travelling Reds already made their thoughts known with a very blunt, provocative and somewhat controversial banner in the away end at Turf Moor for the 2-2 draw against Burnley.
With Man United approaching a third-round FA Cup tie against Brighton and two big games in the form of a Manchester Derby at home and a trip to Arsenal, they have decided to choose the Fulham game at Old Trafford to stage the march.
Despite admitting that the results under Amorim were no way near good enough, they insist that the – most notably the overarching and Glazer family shadow ever looming over the organisation.
Further details around the actual timings and locations are still yet to be shared by the organisers, but you can expect this to be a well-attended, large-scale event.
Often convening at The Tollgate pub near regular matchday tram stop, Trafford Bar, before walking down Talbot Road towards the ground itself, we imagine Reds will then descend upon the Theatre of Dreams in their thousands.
In case you didn’t already surmise from the video itself, Ratcliffe and co. will be no doubt the subject of the usual chants, as well as more banners and flags.
What do you make of the latest plans, Man United fans?
Nothing will ever be quite as bold as the infamous Old Trafford break-in from 2022 (Credit: The Manc)
More Greater Manchester football matches called off as Storm Goretti sets in
Danny Jones
Yet more scheduled football matches in Greater Manchester and the surrounding regions have been postponed and/or cancelled due to Storm Goretti.
The increasingly cold, blustery and icy conditions moving over from France and across more parts of the UK have already caused schools to close, flights to be grounded, and plenty more disruption.
Another such inconvenience has come in the form of live sports, large swathes of which now look like they simply won’t be taking place.
One of the latest to be called off is Salford City‘s upcoming game against Swindon Town in the FA Cup this weekend, with various other games involving teams up and down the footballing pyramid now facing uncertainty over whether their third-round fixtures will go ahead as planned.
Ironically, this is just the tip of the iceberg, if you’ll pardon the very obvious pun.
Another game that was called off late last week, between Chadderton and FC Isle of Man, is yet to be rescheduled; the same is true of Rochdale AFC’s meeting with Brackley Town, Radcliffe v Oxford City, as well as games involving Bury, Stockport Town, Irlam, Cheadle Town, Prestwich Heys and more.
Other nearby outfits, such as Chorley, Warrington Rylands and Ramsbottom United, just to name a few, are also still unsure of when their next game will be.
In many cases, it is simply a matter of the grounds being largely or completely frozen and deemed unfit for use following pitch inspections.
Oldham Athletic – which has already been hit with plenty of snow and frost – yesterday confirmed that their Notts County clash wouldn’t be going ahead due to that very reason.
With winds of up to 90 miles per hour also being reported, yellow and even red weather warnings have been issued across various parts of the country, with people being urged to check their routes home from work by local authorities.
Storm Goretti should start calming down this evening (Fri, 9 January) and into Saturday morning, but the after-effects could still play havoc over the next few days.
For instance, over in Cheshire, Macclesfield FC are going so far as to call on nearby residents to help clear their playing surface from heavy snowfall.
So, if you’re in the area and fancy helping out, they could sure do with your help.
VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
Macclesfield FC are once again requesting the help of the fanbase and the local community to help clear the remainder of the compacted snow from the surrounding areas of the https://t.co/fL99QEEJ4D Stadium.
Emily Sergeant -
8th January 2021 
