A book of photographs documenting the human side of Manchester’s lockdown goes on sale this week and it reveals the emotional impact of restrictions on people across the city.
The powerful collection is being published by Manchester-based photographer and designer, Sushil Nash.
Earlier last year, Sushil, 31, collected the images from people across the city after inviting the public to submit their snapshots accompanied by a few words to describe what the image means to them, and was left overwhelmed by the response.
The book features 100 intimate pictures and words which will become a “a collective memory of how this time has affected our lives”.
Sushil started the Stay Home Project by asking members of the public to send in “a photograph you took during lockdown, and a few words describing what it means to you”. He continued: “I left the question quite open, because I wanted to let people interpret it in their own way, and so the responses that came in were really varied,
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“But I think that makes the collection compelling.
“It acknowledges the fact that none of us have just had one singular experience of lockdown – it’s been a real mess of ups and downs.
“It also meant that the submissions are very personal.
“This book isn’t so much about photography – it’s about people’s stories and experiences, so the magic is in how people have reflected on the images they shared.
“It feels quite intimate in that way.”
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The Stay Home Project is supporting Coffee4Craig – a Manchester-based homelessness charity that operates an out of hours drop-in service in the city centre every evening, and offers hot food, showers, food parcels, medical support and mental health crisis intervention for those who need it most – who will be using profits to provide care for the city’s homeless and others in crisis.
Sushil continues: “A cruel irony of lockdown is that it has been painful for everyone forced to stay in their homes, whilst also making life increasingly difficult for those who don’t have a home to stay in.
It’s brought new challenges to those who are already society’s most vulnerable, but I’m absolutely amazed by the work Coffee4Craig is doing to support them,
“So it means a lot to me that my project can be a tiny part of that.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJlwR4As-B1/
Stay Home: Manchester is available to pre-order now for £24.
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Pre-orders will remain open until 31st January 2021 at 11:59pm, with copies set to arrive in February, and you can get your hands on a copy here.
You can find more of Sushil Nash’s work via his website here, and stay up to date via his social media platforms – Twitter and Instagram.
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Salford-born Marvel star Benedict Wong gives inspiring speech after receiving honorary degree
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester’s very own Marvel movie star Benedict Wong gave an inspiring speech to the minds of the future as he accepted an honorary degree from the University of Salford as graduation season ramps up.
The Salfordian ‘Sorcerer Supreme’ from Doctor Strange and Avengers started out in acting during the 1990s, and has gone on to become a hugely recognisable face across multiple generations.
From those who remember him for that hilarious cameo in The IT Crowd and playing Kublai Khan in Netflix’s Marco Polo, or those who know him only as ‘Wong’ (where’d they come up with one?) in the MCU or shining in the mind-bending 3 Body Problem, he’s gone on to have quite the career in the arts.
That being said, the Eccles-born Manchester United fan has never forgotten where he came from, and was recently awarded an honorary degree from Salford Uni, offering a message filled with sage wisdom to students in return. Here’s a short clip:
Wong, both his real name and best-known superhero moniker, began by joking that it’s been a “34-year ‘overnight’ success” before quickly segueing into much more sincere sentiments shortly thereafter.
He insisted that none of the wonderful things that have happened in his personal and professional life could have been possible without “standing on the foundations of where [he] grew up”, a line that saw him visibly choke up a little.
But it didn’t take him long to return to some levity, confessing to his fellow graduates that he knew a member of the teaching staff way back when, revealing that besides days spent at the historic Adelphi Theatre, they shared a pub lock-in at the nearby pub.
‘You can take the bloke out of Salford…’
Most notably, however, his main takeaway that he wanted to impart on the graduates getting ready to go out into the world was to stay hopeful and motivated; once again, he sprinkled in the serious points with little gags like the repeating THAT Coronation Street “London!?” meme for an easy laugh.
He did also go on to echo similar advice in a short interview after the ceremony, including the importance of making mistakes, which he believes is especially key at this kind of young age:
Put in simplest terms, he said that you should take things a day at a time and just start crossing off “coordinates of where you want to go” one by one until you truly realise it.
Being the latest recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by UoS, who took the time to thank his lawyer Bob as well, crediting his faith in looking after people above simply making money.
Big up Bob.
Finally, he concluded things by wishing these aspiring talents and creatives all the best and signing off by adding, “On your marks, get set, go.”
You can see Benedict Wong’s Salford University acceptance speech in full down below, and trust us – if you’re in need of some inspiration, it’s well worth a watch.
Viral internet sensation SpudBros to launch pop-up at Trafford Centre this summer
Emily Sergeant
Viral internet sensation SpudBros are popping up at the Trafford Centre this summer.
The UK’s most-followed jacket potato creators, SpudBros – also known as Jacob and Harley Nelson – will officially launch their hotly anticipated summer pop-up the iconic retail destination next week as part of Trafford Centre‘s annual summer fair.
Shoppers can get ready for freshly prepared, fully loaded jacket potatoes served up in minutes, all without compromising on quality, flavour, or portion size.
You can pick from fan favourites like the Tram Classic, which is loaded with garlic butter, the signature three-cheese mix, beans, crispy onions, and world-famous ‘tram’ sauce, to the Spudfather topped with chilli con carne, tuna, and coleslaw.
There’s also a range of other flavour-packed options to tuck into, alongside the option to build your own potato, allowing every customer to create their perfect lunch.
Viral internet sensation SpudBros are launching a special pop-up at Trafford Centre this summer / Credit: The Manc Group
“Manchester is by far the most requested location we’ve had since we started sharing our journey online, explained SpudBros co-founder, Jacob Nelson.
“It’s a city that has always seemed to elude us despite the incredible demand, so bringing SpudBros to Trafford Centre feels particularly special.
“Both Harley and I grew up visiting Trafford Centre, so to now be bringing the tram here for a week-long pop-up is a genuine full-circle moment. We’re excited to give people in Manchester a taste of what we do, whether they’ve followed our journey from the beginning or are discovering us for the first time.”
To mark SpudBros’ Trafford Centre debut, some lucky early visitors could be in for a surprise on opening day, as Jacob and Harley have built a reputation for rewarding their community.
Emily Sergeant -
4th January 2021 
