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Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club is SAVED after Greater Manchester rallies behind local institution

'There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.'

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 28th November 2024

Fantastic news as long-standing Greater Manchester institution Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club has officially been saved from closure.

It’s an early Christmas miracle.

Just a few days out from what would have been endgame for them, after being threatened with closure just over six weeks ago, Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club has officially hit its fundraising target and has been rescued from the brink.

Announcing the news on Thursday, 28 November, they confirmed that their doors will be staying open and their important community efforts aren’t going anywhere.

The iconic Manc venue has served as one of the most cultural sites in the entire region, helping lay the foundations for countless important figures in music, sport, art and more.

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It’s no exaggeration to say that its influences are quite literally woven into the fabric not only of Salford but Manchester and the 10 boroughs as a whole, having hosted names like John Cooper Clarke, nurturing future footballers such as ‘Busby Babe’ Eddie Colman, and perhaps most famously being the location for The Smiths‘ iconic Queen Is Dead photoshoot.

Their motto throughout the course of their full century and two decades worth of serving the local area has always been to ‘Brighten Young Lives and Make Good Citizens’, and so it shall remain.

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After being given notice amid rising costs, energy bills and a general lack of funding back in October, the community and recreation centre was given until the end of November to raise a whopping quarter of a million pounds and thanks to the incredible efforts from thousands of generous souls, they managed it.

With Northern bands like locals Rolla, The Courteeners, former Smiths frontman Morrissey, songwriting legend Graham Nash and many other artists helping raise funds through charity gigs and sizeable contributions, not to mention countless Salfordian volunteers taking time out of their everyday lives to get behind the crucial cause, Greater Manchester truly showed its best face.

The club – which not only helps provide everything from vital sports provision for Greater Manchester clubs and safe after-school outlets to children, to practice spaces and away days which for those less fortunate might be their first-ever trip outside of their hometown – also released the short but moving fundraising film seen above, which certainly helped get extra eyes on the crucial community initiative.

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Although there were some big benefactors and local businesses that got behind the project, it was regular people like you who helped spread the word and all those who donated even just a few quid that sealed this victory.

Greater Manchester can hold its head very high and be more than proud of itself.

The fundraiser is now past its £250,000 target and is now sitting on more than £273k, but donations are still being welcomed to help keep the institution afloat if you’d like to donate HERE.

God knows how many lives they’ve saved over the years — long live Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club!

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

News

‘No suspicious circumstances’ ruled as body found in search for missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Fundraiser launched to find missing 'beautiful soul' Adeo Alston

A body has now been found in the search for missing Manchester man, Adeo Alston-Ekpei.

The 25-year-old was last seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm on Friday 16 May, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.

Multiple lines of enquiry were being explored by police, and some CCTV footage of his last-known movements was released to the public earlier this month.

At the time of the CCTV footage being released, a spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.

Adeo missing man Fletcher Moss Park Didsbury
A body has now been found in the search for missing Manchester man, Adeo Alston-Ekpei / Credit: GMP / Family Handout

“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”

Now, after over a month of dedicated searches by all involved, detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have confirmed they recovered a body on Schools Hill in Cheadle last week.

Whilst formal identification is still to take place, the body is believed to be that of Adeo.

Police say Adeo’s family have been informed of this development, and continue to be supported through this extremely difficult time.

“We would like to thank everyone who has shared our appeals and passed their well wishes onto Adeo’s loved ones throughout this extensive search,” GMP said in a formal statement. “We would now ask that the family be allowed privacy.”

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It was also confirmed that there appears to be ‘no suspicious circumstances’ surrounding Adeo’s death, and a file will now be passed to the coroner.

Featured Image – GMP

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Four rare African ducklings have been hatched at Chester Zoo for the very first time

Danny Jones Danny Jones

More conversation celebration down the road at Chester Zoo, as the award-winning wildlife park has welcomed four African ducklings who belong to a rare breed.

As is so often the case with the work they do all year-round, their arrival could help signal the species’ survival in the long run, whose status was sadly upgraded from vulnerable to endangered on the official IUCN Red List.

The particular type of fowl we’re referring to is the Maccao duck, a stiff-tailed bird that typically belongs to the fresh and brackish inland waters of Eastern and Southern Africa.

Medium-sized, chunky, with big bills and subtle striping around their heads, they’re gorgeous creatures as is, but especially so as ducklings…

rare african ducklings hatched at chester zoo
‘It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die‘ (Credit: Chester Zoo)

If you didn’t say ‘awww’ out loud, then you’re just lying.

As the Zoo itself put it, they are “rare, fluffy and VERY cute.” Celebrating what is “a breeding breakthrough for one of Africa’s rarest ducks […] so these little guys are kind of a big deal.”

These little delightful little duckies are known for diving down to the bottom of lakes and riverbeds to forage for aquatic invertebrates and plants; in fact, given the choice, they tend to prefer going underwater over flying pretty much full-stop.

As a resident species that doesn’t migrate like many other birds, they are native to nations like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. They’re identifiable by their dark black heads, blue bills (among the males, at least) and presence within the wetlands.

However, their estimated numbers continue to drop, and unfortunately, just 14 of their kind currently remain in Kenya and only 100 in Tanzania, with fewer than 5,000 believed to be left across the entire African continent.

Not only is this the first time the species has ever been successfully bred by bird experts at Chester Zoo, but conservationists hope ducklings will put a spotlight on the threatened species.

rare african ducks chester zoo
Their scientific name is ‘Oxyura maccoa’.
maccao ducks chester zoo
Just like human babies, they prone to stuff all over their face.
As far as ducklings go, these adorable little African variants are pretty special. (Credit: Supplied)

The zoo’s Head of Birds, Andrew Owen, said of their birth: “As one of just seven zoos in Europe – and 12 zoos globally – that care for Maccoa ducks, these ducklings are very special as they’re the first of their kind to ever hatch here at the zoo – making it a really historic moment for our team,

“This success gives a real boost to the future of the species, and these vital new additions will contribute to the safety-net population in zoos. These birds are facing rapid decline in the wild, so every hatchling really does count.

“To see them now out on the water inside our new Heart of Africa habitat, which is dedicated to helping Africa’s most threatened species thrive, makes this milestone even more special.”

Nothing short of brilliant news, we’re sure you’ll agree; better still, in addition to the crucially charitable and conversation-based tourist attraction being named one of England’s most popular destinations once again, but these are the only rare birds welcome by the zookeepers this month.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Chester Zoo (supplied)

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