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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“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.”
Communities across Greater Manchester can now apply for grants of up to £40,000 to improve or create local green spaces in their area via the Green Spaces Fund, which has just launched for applications 🌳
— Greater Manchester Combined Authority (@greatermcr) June 8, 2022
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
There are two types of grants available – grants up to £10,000, and grants between £10,000 and £40,000.
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“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.”
Greater Manchester leaders have just launched the Greater Manchester Strategy.
The strategy sets out a route, over the next decade, to build a greener, fairer, and more prosperous Greater Manchester.
— Greater Manchester Combined Authority (@greatermcr) March 14, 2022
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.
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Emily Sergeant -
9th June 2022 
