A Manchester mum who lost her young son in a tragic accident has been “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of support by the local community in her bid to create a lasting legacy for him.
When Max Rimmer-Chambers sadly died in May 2017 at aged four after a fireplace surround fell on him, his passing completely ripped through the whole local Openshaw community and saw hundreds of people attend his funeral and donate money to his grieving family.
And it was these kind donations that inspired his family to give back.
Now, his mum Kerrie Rimmer, 44, has launched a campaign where she is aiming to raise more than £200,000 to build an ambitious community bike track in his memory.
As the young boy was “full of fun and adventure”, had a “cheeky charm”, and was known to have an “obsession of all things with wheels”, the campaign for the cycle track – which is called Max Trax – will commemorate Kerry’s “outgoing and bubbly” son, who she said was her “absolute world”.
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“He loved nothing more than riding bikes, scooters, and anything that zoomed around Delamere Park beside his house,” Max’s family said.
Max Trax will create a lasting legacy for the four-year-old who had “an obsession of all things wheels” / Credit: Max Trax
Built in the heart of the Openshaw community at that very same park beside his house, Max Trax will be a place for young people and families to come to have fun and be active, learn something new, and explore the outdoors.
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The campaign may started small but, but after support from Manchester City Council and the charity Step Up MCR, the family decided to expand it.
The plans for the proposed project will feature a new cycle track for all ages, educational programmes, and even a community centre, while a disused building within the park could also be transformed into a “community hub” that will run workshops to teach new skills and provide meals for struggling families.
A ‘repair shop’ will offer to recycle old bikes to donate to children from low-income families, alongside educational workshops to teach children new skills to further their hobbies or even future careers.
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The plans for the proposed project will feature a new cycle track for all ages, educational programmes, and more / Credit: Max Trax
Ms Rimmer said her son would “absolutely love” the campaign.
Cllr Donna Ludford – councillor for Clayton and Openshaw – told ITV Granada that the bike track will have a “massive impact on the community”, adding: “For young people, it’s somewhere to go, an activity [and] if this didn’t happen, I’d be really upset as I think it’s something that everybody can get involved in it.”
A Crowdfunder set up for the campaign has already seen donations reach the £71,000 and counting, and you can contribute here.
You can also support and find out more about the Max Trax campaign here.
Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.
The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.
Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.
Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.
Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied
According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.
Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.
There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.
“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.
“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”
The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Iconic Manc movie 24 Hour Party People is set to return to cinemas for its anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most iconic movies is set to return to the big screen next month.
Remastered in 4K and returning to UK cinemas to mark 24 years since its original release, Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 biographical comedy drama film, 24 Hour Party People, tells the story of Manchester‘s popular music community from 1976 to 1992 – specifically about Factory Records‘ founder Tony Wilson.
The film begins with the punk rock era of the late 1970s, before moving through the 1980s into the rave and DJ culture, and of course, the ‘Madchester‘ scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The narrative largely follows the career of Tony Wilson, played by Middleton-born actor Steve Coogan, while also covering the careers of the major Factory Records artists – especially Joy Division and New Order, as well as A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays.
If you haven’t seen 24 Hour Party People before, it’s a dramatisation based on a combination of real events, rumours, and urban legends, as the film is sure to make clear.
Coogan is joined by a cast by a mixture of big names and, at the time, rising stars like Paddy Considine, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, John Thomson, and even Peter Kay, alongside cameos from other figures connected to the Manchester music scene.
Before it returns to cinemas, the film will first open music and media festival/conference, Beyond The Music, at MediaCity in Salford on 6 October.
The screening at the festival will also be followed by a Q&A with Coogan, Winterbottom, and producer Andrew Eaton.
24 Hour Party People will then be re-released in UK cinemas from 9 October, and you can check your local cinema for screening times and book tickets online now.
Emily Sergeant -
24th January 2022 
