One of Manchester’s most iconic charities is helping to fund a newly-launched competition to transform the city’s unused areas into community green spaces.
Groundwork Greater Manchester – the local branch of a collection of charities working to transform lives in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities – has announced the launch of its ‘Eco-Streets Competition‘ this month, which is providing communities in the region with the chance to each win £6,000 of funding.
The competition funds will go towards transforming unused areas into community green spaces.
Groundwork Greater Manchester is known for successfully working to create a greener and more resilient city region, with stronger, healthier communities, responsible businesses and enhanced prospects for all local people.
The initiative sets out to achieve this by providing high-quality services that put “communities and the environment at the forefront”, by specialising in community engagement, landscape design and build, training and coaching for employment, early intervention to support health and wellbeing, and safe and sustainable business support.
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And now, thanks to funding from the We Love MCR Charity, the Eco-Streets Competition is able to support a further two communities from within the borough of Manchester.
This generous donation will bring more ideas to life and will equip communities with the skills to design, install and maintain natural features to create communal spaces which benefit people, all whilst tackling climate change.
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Speaking on the charity’s donation to the competition, Councillor Tommy Judge – Lord Mayor of Manchester and Chair of We Love MCR Charity – said: “Our aim is to improve lives and communities in Manchester.
“It’s our privilege to help to turn disused spaces into places for neighbours to use together”.
Keen to get involved? Know a community that could benefit from funding?
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Applications for Groundwork Greater Manchester’s Eco-Streets Competition are now open to community groups or groups of residents consisting of at least three people from different households.
Transformable spaces could include alleyways or ‘ginnels’, small streets, courtyards, disused allotments, or abandoned park areas.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday 21st April at 5pm.
Winners will be announced towards the end of May 2021, and you can find more information and get your entries in via the Groundwork Greater Manchester website here.
An iconic vintage train is set to pass through Greater Manchester this summer
Danny Jones
Calling all railway enthusiasts: another historic vintage locomotive is set to visit two Greater Manchester train stations this summer.
Whether you’re a passionate trainspotter or just a nearby resident curious to see what all the fuss is about, the cult favourite retro carriages will pass through the pair of Manc boroughs and surrounding areas early next month.
Despite an adjustment in the initial plans, locals will still be able to witness and board the train at multiple stops along the way in the Stockport (Reddish South station) and Rochdale areas.
So, if you consider yourself a bit of a ‘Francis Bourgeois’ figure, or a general public transport connoisseur, pay attention.
Designed by Sir Kenneth Granger and officially launched back in 1976, the fleet was named as such after the top speed of 125mph – simple as that.
Once again, it’s worth noting that the originally proposed route and stops have now been changed due to issues with Network Rail.
As a result of there currently being no standing approval to use the connection from Paignton to Bury on the East Lancs Railway line, they have been forced to change the start and terminus points.
Writing on the dedicated 125Group website, they say: “We are reviewing our options to start as close as possible to the advertised departure point, and it seems likely that Rochdale will become the start and finish point, with all other previous pick-ups retained.
“For those in the far south west, we are looking to see whether we can offer an Exeter to Paignton return – subject to availability of space. We will add this to the booking site shortly, although we may have to limit numbers sold until we are more certain of booking levels to Bristol and Exeter.”
Two 125s, including ‘The Mancunian Princess’, travelled through the SK region earlier this year.
They have reassured that the journey will still be going ahead and have simply advised those hoping to catch it to keep their eyes peeled on the website and their socials for the latest updates.
Kids’ tickets start from just a tenner, and standard passes for the full tour cost £99, with first-class the class option priced at £149 (there’s also a table for two supplement available for £50).
You can see the full map, find out more information, and grab your seats right HERE.
Bet the internet signal on this relic isn’t far off the current standard either, to be fair…
Temporary location for ‘Number 10 North’ in Manchester city centre reportedly confirmed
Emily Sergeant
The temporary location for the new Number 10 North project has been announced.
You may remember that earlier last month, it was revealed that Andy Burnham had intentions to create a Number 10 North if he was to become Prime Minister, and now that he is, more details on this move to Manchester have been revealed.
Number 10 North is expected to be a ‘dominant driver of the UK’s economy’ once it’s officially up and running, Government ministers say.
According to BBC News reports, civil servants working for Government departments based in London have been offered relocation packages to encourage them to move to the northern base in Manchester, which is said to be being overseen by cabinet minister and ally of Andy Burnham, Louise Haigh.
The temporary location for ‘Number 10 North’ in Manchester city centre has reportedly been confirmed / Credit: gov.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)
Haigh – who is the first secretary of state – has reportedly been asked, according to the BBC, to have been asked to lead a new Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (OPMC), which will give her control of key decision-making bodies across Government.
The OPMC will include No 10 and No 10 North, as well as other teams within the Cabinet Office.
It is understood, according to the same BBC reports, that the initial temporary location of No 10 North will be Heron House, just off Albert Square in central Manchester, which is the same building that currently houses offices for the intelligence service GCHQ, and where eyewitnesses have spotted police officers guarding in recent days.
🚨 NEW: No 10 North will temporarily be based at Heron House in central Manchester
Whitehall civil servants have been offered relocation packages to encourage them to move pic.twitter.com/BVyUkNfxRr
The longer-term base for Number 10 North, however, is expected to be at the new Government ‘Digital Campus’, which is currently under construction in the Ancoats and is not due for completion until 2032.
Alongside Whitehall officials who are willing to move to Manchester, it is also likely there will be a significant movement of staff from Burnham’s former mayoral team at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the BBC reports.
You can discover more about the plans for Number 10 North here.
Emily Sergeant -
14th April 2021 
