A new long-term project has now been launched to inspire a new generation of urban gardeners and bring more “beneficial green spaces” to the city.
NOMA – the mixed-use neighbourhood in the heart of Manchester city centre – has recently launched the new initiative, PlantNOMA, and it’s not only committing to making the surrounding environment “even more vibrant and beautiful”, but is also putting an emphasis on engaging the local community and increasing biodiversity.
The project is a first-of-its kind for Manchester, and it’s set to bring together hundreds of community gardeners, urbanists, designers, researchers, and artists, as well as local residents from across the city.
PlantNOMA is being delivered by NOMA’s onsite creative team, Standard Practice, who are collaborating with The National Trust, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), and The Prince’s Trust too.
A host of community groups will also be getting involved to deliver a diverse programme of workshops, talks, projects, and more.
The project includes a diverse programme of events, which are open to the public and taking place regularly – including a drop-in Wednesday evening city gardening session to help people unwind after work, pick up some tips, and most-importantly, connect with nature.
And, as part of its partnership with MMU, PlantNOMA has already welcomed students across a range of disciplines from the School of Art to work on live project briefs too.
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Liz Dalby-Webb has also been appointed as the neighbourhood’s own gardener, and she brings a wealth of gardening knowledge from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) where she trained, as well as a love for house plants and allotments.
“We are grounded in the belief that we can create a better, more inclusive city through gardening with people,” said Ben Young – creative principal at Standard Practice.
“As we nurture NOMA, a more dramatic, romantic, and abundant city awaits us.”
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PlantNOMA has already welcomed 45 students from the School of Art as part of its partnership with MMU / Credit: PlantNOMA (via Facebook)
Eleanor Underhill – the National Trust’s Urban Lead for the North – added on the new project: “At the National Trust, we want everyone to have access to nature and green spaces, including in cities.
“We know how important urban green space is for people’s wellbeing, so as well as opening Castlefield Viaduct as a new temporary urban park for the city this summer, we’re proud to be collaborating with Standard Practice on Plant at NOMA.
“We want to help people in Manchester get closer to nature where they live.”
The first-of-its-kind project is engaging the local community and increasing biodiversity / Credit: PlantNOMA (via Instagram)
Dan Hyde – development director at MEPC – also said: ”At NOMA, we are committed to delivering a real sense of neighbourhood [and] creating opportunities for people to connect with nature and with each other is a powerful way of doing that.
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“PlantNOMA is just another example of our community-led, inclusive approach to development which puts social value and sustainability at the core.
“I look forward to seeing the project grow over the coming months.”
Manchester United to wear special one-off shirt for important awareness campaign
Danny Jones
Just to pre-empt any Manchester United fans fearing they’re still in total delirium the next time they see that iconic red shirt, we can confirm it isn’t just your rose-tinted glasses deceiving you – the club will be wearing a special one-off shirt with a notable difference very soon.
All eyes may now be on Wednesday, 21 May but this limited edition kit has already caught the eye of many supporters for one very obvious reason.
In case you haven’t seen it for yourselves already, Man United have confirmed that both the men’s and women’s squads will be will be wearing a slight variation on their home shirt for their next two matches as part of a special campaign for an important charitable cause.
Joining forces with their usual primary shirt sponsors Snapdragon and global health campaigners Product RED, this one-off alternative strip will be unveiled on the pitch this week.
Product Red, or simply (RED) as it will read on the jersey itself, is a worldwide charity that’s been working to fight global health crises since 2006.
(RED)’s key aim is to end the AIDS epidemic and related injustices by raising money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
The organisation officially partnered with the club and Snapdragon back in January in an effort to help drive awareness and generate further backing for their work – it just so happens that teaming up with one the planet’s biggest brands and one synomyous with that colour made for the perfect collaboration.
With that in mind, putting together a one-off Man United kit with (RED) slap bang in the middle as is close to a commercial/charitable tap-in as you’re probably ever going to get.
Set to be debuted by Manchester United Women in their WSL fixutre against Arsenal this Saturday, 10 May and then again by Ruben Amorim’s side in the Premier League the following day (Sun, 11 May); plus, a select few limited edition replicas shirts will be made available for fans to purchase.
Be first in the know, Reds 👀
Get notified when our limited-edition @RED collection drops ⤵️#MUFC || @Snapdragon
It goes without saying that given the nature of the front-of-shirt sponsor swap, these will no doubt become somewhat of a special item among kit collectors from the off.
More importantly, however, the funds raised through selling these one-off Man United shirts will provide much-needed income for the non-profit and their crucial efforts.
The unveiling of the comes not long after the bedlam that ensued inside Old Trafford during the second leg against Athletic Club, in which United booked their return trip back to Bilbao for the Europa League final, leaving plenty of fans of seeing nothing but the colour red ever since.
MUWFC also sealed their spot in the Women’s Champions League next season to with an important point in the Manchester Derby this past weekend, confirming a finish above Man City this year.
Safe to say it’s been a good few days to be a (RED).
Salford City FC have been bought out by a new consortium
Danny Jones
Another era beckons for Salford City as a buyout of the Greater Manchester football club by a new consortiumhas been announced.
Well, sort of.
Salford City FC were famously the subject of a joint takeover by Singaporean businessman Peter Lim and members of Manchester United’s Class of ’92 over a decade ago, and now 11 years on from that last milestone moment in their history, the local side has a new administration once again.
It is a fresh chapter for the club, but supporters will be glad to hear that there will also be some continuity and key throughline of consistency among some of those at the top.
Salford City announces that the Club has been acquired by a new ownership group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville, and includes US-based businessman Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies who will both serve as new Co-Chairs of the Club’s board.
Led by Man United legends Gary Neville and David Beckham, who have been involved with Salford since 2014, the new nine-member consortium consists of the Dream Sports Group – a leading sports technology company based in India – along with a number of other key figures.
One of those is Lord Mervyn Davies, a former Labour MP and Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Small Business, who still serves as a trade envoy between the UK and Sri Lanka.
Another is Irish-American entrepreneur Declan Kelly, who is Chairman and CEO of The Consello Group, a global advisory and investing firm.
While the previous co-owners and fellow Class of ’92 United graduates are no longer shareholders at Moor Lane, it is said they will still play important roles at the club.
As the official statement reads, “The acquisition includes a commitment by the new shareholders to invest significantly in the Club, the team and its facilities”, meaning there will funds will likely be sweet aside not only for some healthy transfer business but more updates to the Peninsula Stadium.
Commenting on the announcement, Neville said: “I’m passionate about Salford City. This is a unique partnership with a diverse range of minds and expertise, held together by a love of football.
“Football will come first, however, it’s critical that we drive the Club towards sustainability in the next 4-5 years. I can’t wait for the next part of this journey.”
Meanwhile, Beckham went on to add in the excitable Instagram post seen above: “Salford played such an important role in my life growing up… It’s where I trained with United alongside my best mates every day, it’s where I bought my first house and where me and Victoria lived.
“I’m so proud to be part of a new ownership group alongside my mate [Neville] as we begin the next chapter of Salford’s journey. Football is at the heart of this community and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Ammies.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd May 2022 
