SEA LIFE Manchester has launched a new initiative to help the conservation of Manchester’s canals, with a number of clean-ups organised throughout 2022.
SEA LIFE centres across the UK are known to be dedicated to the conservation and clean-ups of the nation’s beaches, but since our region is famous for having ‘everything but a beach’, the team at SEA LIFE Manchester has decided to shift their focus over to Manchester’s canals instead.
The team are now seeking the help of locals to volunteer for the clean-up programme.
Volunteers will not only get the chance to lend a hand in removing litter from the canals, but also help with the potential aquatic creatures that could be found in the city’s waters, according to SEA LIFE Manchester.
SEA LIFE Manchester explains that the main objective of the canal clean-up is “the conservation and de-cluttering of the channels”, but that’s not all, as volunteers will also be encouraged to keep a keen eye out for any terrapins or turtles living in the waterways for the UK citizen project ‘Turtle Tally’.
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Turtle Tally is an ongoing study that’s aimed at collecting observational data on the locations where turtles and terrapins are spotted across the UK, and thanks to public input, organisations such as this one can collect information to understand more on this topic, and the wonderful sea (or canal) creatures.
Through working with Turtle Tally, SEA LIFE Manchester says it is helping to “ascertain the impact” that “invasive species” such as these are having on British waterways.
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SEA LIFE Manchester has launched a new initiative to help the conservation of the region’s canals / Credit: SEA LIFE Manchester
On top of that, the project will raise awareness of dangers posed to native habitats, and also how non-native species can struggle to cope in the British climate.
Unfortunately, SEA LIFE Manchester says terrapins and turtles are often released by people who no longer want the creature as a pet, and they then end up suffering in the environment due to competition for food and basking sites.
Speaking on the new project, Matt Barker – Aquarist at SEA LIFE Manchester – said: “Here at SEA LIFE, we are constantly committed to the conservation of our waters, whether that be through our beach cleans, or in this instance, our canal clean-ups, and through these conservation efforts, we aim to create a healthier environment for marine life to thrive, whilst also encouraging others to think harder about the consequences of cluttering waterbodies.
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“We hope to see plenty of local volunteers come down and help us in our latest conservation efforts.”
The upcoming 2022 clean-up dates are:
26 March: 1-3pm
28 April: 1-3pm
26 May: 1-3pm
25 June: 1-3pm
14 July: 1-3pm
11 August: 1-3pm
15 September: 1-3pm
6 October: 1-3pm
All volunteers will get free entry to SEA LIFE Manchester as a thank you, so for more information or to find out how to get involved, then you can visit the dedicated conservation page here.
Featured Image – SEA LIFE Manchester
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The first bright yellow Bee Network bus has hit the streets of Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester residents will soon start to see bright yellow double decker buses travelling the region’s streets in the coming weeks.
With exactly six months to go before Greater Manchester “brings buses back under local control”, Mayor Andy Burnham has joined a number of other local leaders in unveiling the brand-new ‘Bee Network’ co-branded buses.
In what marks the biggest change to transport in Greater Manchester for almost 40 years, according to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), bus operator Diamond – which currently runs services in Bolton – has teamed up with Go North West to run the first franchised services in Wigan, Bolton, and parts of Salford and Bury from September this year.
Diamond has agreed to start transforming their buses into Bee Network ones from this week, with more set to appear on the roads every month.
The first bright yellow double decker bus has now hit the streets of Bolton, and is serving the number 8 route – which connects Bolton and Manchester city centre via Farnworth and Salford.
The Bee Network is coming in September.
But from April you might see some yellow buses out and about. 🚌
If one of your buses is now yellow, please contact your bus operator in the usual way if you need them. 👍 #GetOnBoard for more info 👇
— Transport for Greater Manchester 🚲🚶🏾♀️ (@OfficialTfGM) March 24, 2023
As already announced by TfGM and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), when franchising is officially introduced on 24 September 2023, 50 brand-new electric Bee Network buses will hit the streets on day one, alongside new ‘Euro VI’ vehicles, and dozens more co-branded buses from the existing fleet.
A further 50 electric buses will then be introduced onto the network in March 2024, which is when the second part of franchising starts.
All of the 270 new electric Bee Network buses will be fully accessible, with wheelchair bays, hearing induction loops, audio and visual announcement systems, and anti-slip flooring.
Mayor Andy Burnham said the first Bee Network bus entering service is “very much the start of our journey”, and added that the scheme will “ultimately deliver a greener, integrated and more inclusive transport system that will transform how people travel around our city-region.”
The first bright yellow Bee Network bus has hit the streets of Greater Manchester / Credit: TfGM
Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt also called the first bus’s introduction onto the streets as “a further significant step” towards the integration of the Bee Network and the “transformation” of public transport and active travel in the region.
He continued: “From September we’ll also have dozens of new state-of-the-art buses serving passengers in Wigan, Bolton, and parts of Salford and Bury.
“These will be the first of many across Greater Manchester that will, alongside the new lower fares – which are already increasing ridership – and improvements to travel information, improve bus travel for everyone who lives and works here.”
Featured Image – TfGM
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Stockport teacher filmed ‘throwing student to the floor’ after being kicked out of his lesson
Danny Jones
A teacher at a school in Stockport appears to have been recorded throwing a student to the floor after kicking the child out of his lesson.
In the clip that began circulating on social media last week, a pupil from Harrytown Catholic High School can be seen being escorted out of a classroom by a teacher whose identity is yet to be released.
After an inaudible conversation takes place in the doorway as the student presumably tries to remain in the room, the teacher can then be seen grabbing the young student and pushing him out of the doorway.
Following a slight struggle, the teacher then seemingly pushes the child again, at which point he appears to fall to the ground and the video cuts out. The caption reads: “This is how teachers at Harrytown Stockport treat their pupils. Justice for Oliver”.
Credit: samhaddington79 (via TikTok)
At this stage, it still remains unclear whether Oliver (whose age is yet to be confirmed) was intentionally thrown to the floor or simply fell following the momentum from the push.
Either way, it doesn’t look good and obviously hasn’t gone down well with students or their guardians
Harrytown is a secondary school in the Stockport village of Romiley, teaching children aged from 11-16, and was awarded ‘Good’ by Ofsted in its most recent rating. However, many parents now have found themselves in the comments slamming the institution.
One mother claimed that “a teacher pushed my child in that school, they denied it [and] my kids been out of school since”, with another alleging that “the girl that videoed it got excluded for 5 days”, adding that they went on to send it to Manchester Evening News.
Speaking of the MEN, as per a statement issued to the outlet, Interim Director of Children’s Services and Director of Education for Stockport Tim Bowman said: “We are aware of an incident that took place at the school and we are following all appropriate due processes. We cannot comment further at this time.”
As for the school itself, they also insist that they are aware of the video and are now investigating the situation but cannot provide any further information either.
Oliver’s family are also yet to issue any form of comment following the incident.
Emily Sergeant -
27th January 2022 
