A group of young talented mini journalists in Manchester are attempting to get their voices heard in the ‘Raise Your Hand’ campaign.
The journalists involved are looking to ask Boris Johnson and the Government questions about a variety of issues, including the ongoing pandemic.
The campaign is all about giving children and young people the opportunity to influence how things will look for them post lockdown. They have felt ignored and silenced by the Government and their aim is to challenge the misconception that children lack the knowledge to be involved in politics.
They want to show how passionate they are about their education, climate change and other pressing social issues.
Those taking part have been inspired by fellow young people taking charge, especially activists like Greta Thunberg, someone who has proven just how influential a young person can be.
Sam, Aisya, and Jack are the mini reporters leading the campaign and have already virtually interviewed Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham. He listened to their queries and attempted to understand why now is such a crucial time to be taking into consideration the perspectives of young people. The group also had the opportunity to speak with the Child Commissioner of England.
‘Raise Your Hand’ was an idea born in Manchester, but it has gained national attention with children submitting their questions for Boris Johnson to answer from around the country.
They have over a hundred queries ready to send to Downing Street, with the hope that Boris will acknowledge them.
The group of youngsters have been offered the opportunity to take the place of supportive journalists who want to give the children a chance, but they were turned down by the regulators.
In countries like New Zealand and Norway, children have been afforded the opportunity to speak about their experiences during the pandemic and about what changes they want to see going forward.
The children leading the campaign are all part of the after school group Media Cubs. This Mancunian team is led by former journalist Kirsty Day, who is trying to fight for more diversity in the newsroom.
Media Cubs
Speaking to The Manc, Kirsty expressed her happiness of this campaign being led by Manchester children.
“I am really chuffed that this campaign has started in Manchester – a city I am proud and passionate about – we are always the leaders of change,” she said.
“I am constantly blown away by the range of views and opinions our mini reporters have.”
Kirsty began Media Cubs after recognising the lack of after-school clubs which celebrated the views, creativity and individuality of her own children, whilst also acknowledging the prestige of those already working in the newsroom.
As it stands, 51% of journalists are privately educated.
Kirsty hopes that by working with children from all different demographics and backgrounds she can change the face of the newsroom.
Already the club has had an impact on some of the 7 – 11 year olds taking part. Even at this early stage in life, some have expressed aspirations to be the next news anchor, write comics or be in charge of filming interviews or significant events.
Aisya is one of these people who was inspired when she met BBC camera woman Emma Bentley at this year’s Women In Media Conference. Whilst running the campaign, Aisya has also started her own blog!
Media Cubs meeting Emma Bentley at WIM20
Even those that don’t fancy a career in the media have gained valuable skills by being part of the group. Kirsty believes that learning the skills of journalism can give children more confidence to speak their mind and have the belief that they can talk to anybody.
Kirsty hasn’t stopped there, however.
She is also at the helm of ‘‘Talking About My Generation’, where she works with a group of journalists aged over 50. Together, they write about topics they find pressing or fascinating in order to break age stereotypes and diversify the media at the other end of the scale.
Yellow Jigsaw is the social enterprise run by Kirsty and her team. They are all striving for systematic change within the media where more voices from a larger variety of lifestyles are heard and they hope that this change can start in Manchester.
News
‘Major milestone’ as planning permission secured to transform Oldham town centre
Emily Sergeant
Planning permission has been granted for six transformational sites in Oldham town centre, with developers calling it a ‘major milestone’.
This approval marks a key step forward in Muse Places and Oldham Council‘s long-term partnership with a shared ambition to deliver a ‘vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable’ town centre that not only reflects Oldham’s heritage but also meets the needs of the people who live there.
Following ‘extensive consultation’ with the local community earlier this year, where hundreds of people took park and shared valuable feedback to help shape the proposals, a total of 1,619 new homes will be delivered as part of the plans, offering a mix of high-quality, energy-efficient apartments designed for families, older people, and young professionals.
The plans also include social and affordable housing provision too in a bid to help more local people find a home that suits their needs and circumstances.
According to the Council and developers, the approved plans will bring underused sites back into ‘productive’ use and support a ‘cleaner, greener’ future for Oldham, opening the door to new opportunities for local businesses and communities alike.
“This decision marks a key milestone in delivering on our promises for Oldham,” commented Cllr Arooj Shah, who is the Leader of Oldham Council.
Planning permission has been secured to transform Oldham town centre / Credit: Muse Places
“Oldham Council and Muse have a shared, ambitious vision to create a quality place that people genuinely want to spend time in.
“I am thrilled that we can continue moving forward with our plans, delivering high-quality homes, including the provision of social and affordable homes to meet local needs. We will also support local businesses and create opportunities for everyone, as part of a clean, green and sustainable future.
“Together, we are creating a place that we can all be proud of.”
Site investigation works are now complete at the Civic Centre, and works at Prince’s Gate will begin shortly, followed by the former Magistrates’ Court later this year.
With planning consent secured and preparatory works underway, construction at Prince’s Gate is expected to begin this autumn.
Featured Image – Muse Places
News
The ULTIMATE guide to Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour at Heaton Park – tickets, times, setlist and more
Thomas Melia
The biggest export in Manchester music history, Oasis, are officially back performing, and they’re about to play five nights right here in Heaton Park this summer.
You can finally ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ over the years spent without the Gallaghers performing together, because the time has finally come… Their momentous homecoming is just DAYS away.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – for us Mancs at least – as Oasis are heading to Heaton Park for five whole nights of Britpop brilliance.
Anyway, enough chitter-chatter, you’re here for a comprehensive Oasis gig guide for their Manchester dates, so let’s get stuck in.
Gig guide | Oasis Live ’25 at Heaton Park, Manchester – all the info
Oasis are bringing their reunion tour ‘Oasis Live ’25’ to Heaton Park across five nights in July.Credit: Supplied
Oasis UK reunion tour dates
Fri 4 July – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium – you can see the scenes from night one HERE.
Sat 5 July – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium
Fri 11 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sat 12 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Wed 16 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sat 19 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sun 20 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Fri 25 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 26 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Wed 30 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 2 August – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 3 August – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Are there any Oasis tickets left for the Heaton Park shows?
We feel like you already know the answer to this one, surely?
Unfortunately, all five of their Heaton Park dates – just like the rest of the domestic shows and, indeed, all over the globe – are completely sold out.
However, you’re in luck: our music counterpart, Audio North, is running an exciting competition that includes TWO tickets to see Oasis Live ’25 right here in Manchester at Heaton Park.
Of course, there’s always the off chance of grabbing last-minute spares from friends, family and via trusted resellers like Twickets and TicketSwap, but always proceed with caution, and you might as well throw your hat in the ring whilst you’re here.
It’s simple: pay a visit to either of Heaton Park’s on-site cafes (The Stables or The Lakeside), order ‘Digsy’s Dinner’, or a little lunch for yourself, and you’ll automatically be entered into a prize draw that could see you and a mate living it large on 20 July for the Burnage boys final night in Manchester.
Oasis Live ’25 reunion setlist – so far, anyway
The Manc Britpop legends have seven studio albums to their name, so it will come as no surprise that the setlist for the ‘Oasis Live ’25’ shows is a hefty one that tries to work their way through most of the big hits, but they do prioritise the first three albums.
No ‘Shock of the Lightning’ there, if you’ll pardon the pun.
Oasis starring in their official music video for ‘Wonderwall’ in 1995.Credit: Screenshot via YouTube
Here’s the setlist from the first two nights of the Live ’25 reunion tour, as Oasis played a pair of biblical shows at Principality Stadium in Cardiff to kick off their long-awaited comeback. Of course, they’ll most likely tweak and experiment with this lineup of tracks from time to time, but here’s how it looks so far:
Hello
Acquiesce
Morning Glory
Some Might Say
Bring It On Down
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Fade Away
Supersonic
Roll With It
Talk Tonight
Half the World Away
Little by Little
D’You Know What I Mean?
Stand by Me
Cast No Shadow
Slide Away
Whatever
Live Forever
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star
The Masterplan
Don’t Look Back in Anger
Wonderwall
Champagne Supernova
Die-hard fans will be pleased to hear they do still walk out to their iconic intro, ‘F***in’ in the Bushes’, so there is some representation post-Be Here Now.
We broke down all the details from Oasis in Cardiff – Night One to see what it could mean for Manchester.
What are the stage times for Oasis at Heaton Park in Manchester?
According to Ticketmaster, the opening times for doors at each of the Manchester shows are scheduled for 3:30pm; however, Oasis’ Heaton Park stage times are yet to be confirmed by the band themselves.
The Principality Stadium gigs saw support acts starting from 6pm (5:59pm, to be exact) with Oasis taking to the stage from roughly 8:15pm.
In fact, pretty much everyone got started a minute early on night one in Cardiff, so we guess you could say everyone involved was just as eager as the Oasis fans themselves.
Heaton Park has a curfew of 11pm, so fans can rest easy knowing they can listen to every note of the seven-and-a-half-minute-long number ‘Champagne Supernova’ without having to stay up all night long – not that anyone is going to be bed after this full-on cultural event.
Anyone wanting to know how excited Liam is ahead of the upcoming shows needs to take a scroll through his X (Formerly Twitter) and you’ll soon see just how excited he is.
He also confirmed the Cardiff set times prematurely, too. Someone should really take his phone off him at this point…
Nevertheless, we were pleased to see Wigan’s finest, Richard Ashcroft, confirmed as the first warm-up act, who had no shame in confessing he was absolutely “buzzing” to be a part of the reunion shows.
The former Verve frontman and the Gallaghers are big supporters of one another, and we’re sure that Heaton Park will erupt into chaos the second ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ plays out this July.
The Liverpool natives are known for smash hit singles including ‘Walkaway’, ‘Finetime’ and ‘Sandstorm’, joining the younger Gallagher brother, describing these upcoming gig opportunities as “biblical”.
What are the expected drinks prices for the Oasis gigs?
Although official drinks prices have not been released yet, another one of the biggest dates in the Manchester music calendar, Parklife, took place last month and can be used as a rough calculation.
Spirit and mixers
Smirnoff No.21 Vodka- £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Captain Morgan Spiced Gold – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Captain Morgan Black Spiced – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Johnnie Walker Black Label – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Gordon’s London Dry Gin – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Gordon’s Pink Gin – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Casamigos Blanco Tequila – £14.80 for double, £10.90 for single
Included mixers: Pepsi Max, Pepsi Max Cherry, 7Up Free, Ginger Beer, Tonic, Soda, Grapefruit Soda
Rockstar Energy drink mixers: Tropical Guava, Peach Zero Sugar, Original – +£1
Pre-mixed cans
Smirnoff Miami Peach- £9.50
Captain Morgan X Pepsi Max – £9.50
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic – £9.50
Johnnie Walker & Lemonade – £9.50
Captain Morgan Muck Pit Brew – £8.50
Jagermeister
Jagermeister Mule – £11.80
Jagerbomb – £7.90
Jagermeister ice cold shot – £6.90
Jagermeister cold brew coffee shot – £6.90
Wine
Rose/white wine, 187ml – £7.95
Beer and cider
Poretti Lager – £6.65
Somersby Cider – £6.65
0.4% Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Lager – £5.50
White Claw
Blackberry – £7.90
Green apple – £7.90
Mango – £7.90
Raspberry – £7.90
Parklife drinks prices may set the tone for what Oasis fans can expect.There will be an array of bars and drinks options throughout the park.Credit: The Manc Group
Where can I buy merchandise for Oasis Live ’25?
You don’t have to travel ‘Half The World Away’ to find a good selection of Oasis merchandise, our bustling city is full of it – and we for one certainly aren’t complaining.
Ahead of the biggest Manchester gigs of the year, two exclusive Oasis merchandise pop-up shops have opened – one of them being on the city’s shopping hub, Market Street, which has seen the band’s long-standing affinity with adidas rekindled.
Launching to the general public on Thursday, 3 July, adidas and Oasis have teamed up to open a pop-up shop selling an exclusive 90s-inspired collection.
There might even be some merch items that have been right under your nose the whole time, like these impressive and colourful tees from jeans mastermind Levi’s in Manchester Arndale.
Any eager-eyed office commuters will have noticed there’s an official merchandise pop-up trailer outside Manchester Central Library at St. Peter’s Square ahead of the five monumental shows.
And of course, there will be merch points spread across various locations in Heaton Park where you can sport your very own Oasis-branded apparel and accessories like a keyring or bottle opener.
There’s plenty of t-shirts and Oasis memorabilia at the official fan shop in Spinningfields.You can shop Oasis merch at multiple Manchester stores including Levi’s.Credit: The Manc
How to get to Heaton Park
Last but not least, if you’ve never been to the massive green space before, your best bet is to travel via tram or other Bee Network public transport. Metrolink services will be running direct from Victoria to the venue during the day, and thankfully, it’s just a case of getting off at the Heaton Park tram stop itself.
From there, you can enter the event site via the North Gate; after the party is over, the Bowker Vale tram stop located near the East Gate is your quickest exit. Please also be mindful that Heaton Park station will also be closed from 9pm due to help with congestion and safety reasons.
Otherwise, the usual Big Green Coaches will also be running from the city centre, which can be booked in advance, and taxis home will be available from Blackley New Road and along Bury Old Road.
The posters of our Burnage boys Liam and Noel have been cropping up around town.
Throughout the city, there are also lots of official Oasis wayfinding signage which direct any concertgoers to the tram stop at Victoria, which runs directly to Heaton Park every 6 minutes on Oasis gig days.
Alongside this, a shuttle bus service will be running from Lever Street to Heaton Park and back on any of the upcoming Manchester Oasis dates.
The signage will direct people arriving at Piccadilly Station through the Northern Quarter to Victoria Station to either the shuttle buses or the Victoria trams.
And that should be just all the important key information you need to know ahead of what is sure to be nothing short of one of the most memorable nights of your life and in music history.
We’re sure you’re about to have a ‘Supersonic’ night, let’s just hope the weather makes sure to ‘Cast No Shadow’ over these five very important nights of Manchester music history – the last of our puns for today, we promise.
Jess Walmsley -
23rd July 2020 
