News
You can now apply for grants of up to £40,000 to improve or create green spaces in Manchester
Applications for the £2.6 million Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund are now live.
Communities right across Greater Manchester can now apply for grants of up to £40,000 to improve or create local green spaces in their area.
Mayor Andy Burnham announced that applications for the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund are now live when he spoke at the Marking the Decarbonisation Summit event at the Science and Industry Museum earlier this week.
The new £2.6 million scheme is all about “supporting community-led projects” that increase the amount and quality of accessible and nature-rich green space throughout the region, particularly in the areas where residents may need it most, according to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
It gives small grants to communities to improve local green spaces or create new ones.
“Local green spaces are such an important part of our efforts to improve the environment, support local wildlife and offer local people a great place to live,” Andy Burnham said.
“Everyone should have access to high-quality green spaces, regardless of where they live, and I’m pleased we’re able to launch this scheme which will further support our ambitions for a greener and fairer future.”
GMCA says that projects undertaken with the funding grants should improve accessible spaces through physical improvements to make them better places for nature and people, and says that these projects could take place in parks, community gardens, streets, schools, housing estates, canals/streams/rivers, and existing nature reserves.
There are two types of grants available – grants up to £10,000, and grants between £10,000 and £40,000.
Read more: New long-term project launched to bring more green spaces to Manchester city centre
Cllr Neil Emmott – Lead for Green City Region and Waste & Recycling – also said: “Improving and maintaining local green spaces can go such a long way in not only improving air quality and carbon levels, but it’s also great for social and mental wellbeing.
“Through our Green Spaces Fund, people across the whole of our region can now apply for grants to improve or create new green spaces in their area.”
Mr Burnham also reiterated during his address earlier this week how serious Greater Manchester is about “making the changes needed” so that the city region can reach the ambitious target of becoming a carbon neutral by 2038.
Read more: Manchester City Council to spend £6m on cutting carbon emissions from seven local buildings
He said the new Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund will help our region to be “a greener and fairer place” for everyone.
You can find more information and apply for grants of up to £40,000 here.
Featured Image – Kitera Dent (via Unsplash)
News
Coronation Street legend Julie Goodyear diagnosed with dementia
Danny Jones
Coronation Street legend Julie Goodyear, who famously played the iconic character Bet Lynch for over 25 years, has sadly been diagnosed with dementia.
Issuing a statement via ITV, her husband Scott Brand confirmed that they had been given the “heartbreaking diagnosis” this week.
Goodyear, 81, played the legendary Rovers Return pub landlord for over two decades across two different spells on the show, starting in 1966 before leaving the show for good in 1995.
Brand told the outlet on Wednesday: “Unfortunately, Julie has been suffering forgetfulness for some time and we have been seeking medical advice and assistance, but we now know that there is no hope of a reversal in the situation – and that her condition will get progressively, and perhaps speedily, worse.”
Read more:
He went on to say that he and Goodyear “have taken the decision to publicly announce the diagnosis as Julie still loves visiting friends and eating out”, noting that she inevitably gets recognised “and fans love to meet her – and she them – but she can get confused particularly if she is tired” and adding they “hope people will understand.”
The Manc soap star and household name is from Heywood in Rochdale and retired from acting in 2003 after making her final special appearance on the Coronation Street spin-off, After Hours.
She remains a patron of the Willow Wood Hospice in Ashton to this day and donated a large amount of Corrie memorabilia and valuable jewellery to the facility back in 2021.
Our thoughts are with Julie along with her friends and family during this difficult time.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Image — ITV
News
Manchester United star Antony accused of domestic violence by ex-girlfriend
Danny Jones
Manchester United winger Antony dos Santos has been accused of domestic violence by his ex-girlfriend in Brazil.
The 23-year-old has been hit with multiple allegations of assault, bodily injury and threatening behaviour by Antony, including one incident which is reported to have required surgery.
As per ESPN Brasil, a police report was filed against the United star by his ex-partner Gabriela Cavallin on Monday, which listed a total of four different incidents beginning in July 2022.
The DJ and influencer alleged that the first instance of abuse happened after the pair broke up at a party, with Antony apparently pulling her by the arm and by her hair before pushing her into a car. Cavallin was also estimated to be about 17 weeks pregnant at the time, though this wasn’t cited in the incident report.
As the report goes on to detail, Cavallin sadly lost the child and while she does not attribute the miscarriage to the domestic violence, she claims that Antony continued to abuse her physically and emotionally up until as recently as May this year, having got back together with him for a time.
Other instances of abuse are said to include Cavallin being attacked in her own apartment in January (citing “reasons of jealousy”), which reportedly caused the displacement of her silicone implants and required surgery, as well as two more attacks — one of which was apparently witnessed by a friend and Antony’s mother.
The 22-year-old also mentioned that she was left with a cut on her finger by a glass broken by Antony — photos of the scar being attached to the police report — adding that he assaulted her again later that day and broke her phone “so she would not call for help”. She claims she only managed to leave five hours later after the Brazilian international’s physiotherapist took her to the doctor.
While an initial report by globo.com suggested that the fourth and final alleged attack took place on 20 May when Antony had already travelled with his club teammates for their game against Bournemouth, it has since been clarified that the abuse and threatening behaviour took place over the phone.
Read more:
Cavallin claims Antony threatened her during a call on 20 May, warning that “if he saw her with someone, he would kill her”; she also noted several instances when the player had threatened to “kill himself” after they fought in the past.
She claims the two haven’t spoken since 28 May.
Brazilian police are now said to be investigating Cavallin’s claims after she presented photographs of multiple injuries supposedly sustained by the footballer and also requested “urgent protective measures” against him. There is no indication whether British authorities are currently involved.
The details of the case are yet to be fully verified and neither the player nor his club have issued a statement at this time.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Image — Antony Dos Santos (via Twitter)
Emily Sergeant -
9th June 2022 
