An exciting new partnership between We Love MCR Charity and Groundwork has successfully awarded four local communities with the funds to transform unused areas and turn them into green spaces.
After one of Manchester’s most iconic charities, We Love MCR, heard of Groundwork’s competition, it fell in love with the idea immediately and hopped on board to double the funding available for projects within the borough. This has meant four communities have now been awarded this transformational opportunity.
The generous donation is helping to bring more ideas to life and will equip communities with the skills to design, install and maintain natural features to create communal spaces.
"I wish our alleyway looked like that" – Well now it can…
A panel of judges reviewed nearly 50 applications from across Greater Manchester, scrutinising community need, group creativity, and inclusion of nature-based-solutions that tackle climate change.
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The four lucky winners are Pioneer Quay in Deansgate / Castlefield; Pigeon Park in Longsight; Blooming Amazing Community Alley in Trafford; and The Ginnel Garden in Edgeley, Stockport.
Pioneer Quay is a canal-side site based in Castlefield, which has been disused and neglected for a number of years, and this funding aims to transform it into a real hub of community activity and a vital green lung in the heart of the city centre.
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The team behind the transformation planned for Pigeon Park – which is the informal name for a prominent triangle of grass in the centre of Longsight that’s gained its nickname thanks to the flock of pigeons that congregate there – are hoping the space will become somewhere people will stop to “read a book or just enjoy a bit more of what nature has to offer.”
Blooming Amazing Community Alley is an unusual wide-sectioned alleyway that backs onto a primary school in Gorse Hill, where there’s been flytipping, contaminated bins and broken glass for many years – but this funding offers the opportunity to transform the alley into a creative and inclusive community space.
The Ginnel Garden in Edgeley is an intergenerational project that engages neighbours of all ages in growing, creating and spending more time together, and while some creative steps have already been taken to improve the space, the group are keen to create a climate resilient alleyway which could help to inspire other communities.
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Funding will help Pioneer Quay become a vital green lung in the heart of the city centre / Credit: WLMC
Funds will equip communities with the skills to design and install communal spaces / Credit: WLMC
Speaking on the awarding of the whopping £24,000 funding, Marie O’Neill-Steinegger – Grants Officer at We Love MCR Charity, who was also on the judging panel – said: “The last 14 months have really shown us how important green spaces are to communities [and] having spaces in nature is so vital for everyone’s mental health, for general physical health and allowing communities to come together.
“It’s been fantastic reading all of the applicants’ stories and hearing about the great work happening across the city.
“We can’t wait to follow their progress and see how they develop.”
— Groundwork Greater Manchester (@GroundworkGM) April 14, 2021
Groundwork’s experienced landscape architects and community coordinators will be supporting each of the four projects throughout the summer to help design and install their new community spaces ready for use.
“Funding for green spaces can be hard to come by, and we’re so thrilled we’ve been able to support these four groups.” Amy Wright from Groundwork Greater Manchester added.
“I can’t wait to see these climate resilient and nature-friendly Eco Streets come to life.”
Featured Image – WLMC
UK News
The ‘loneliest house in Britain’ with no vehicle access is on the market, with £50k slashed off the price
Daisy Jackson
A former railway worker’s cottage dubbed the ‘loneliest house in Britain’ has just had £50k knocked off its asking price as it looks for a new owner.
The home is situated in one of the most beautiful corners in England, right on the trail of the popular Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge.
The house takes ‘remote living to the next level’, with no vehicular access for viewings and absolutely no neighbours in sight.
At present, 3 Bleamoor Cottages also has no mains electricity or water – previous owners got their power from a windmill and a generator.
And although you’ll be all alone living up there in the Yorkshire Dales, you won’t be totally isolated… you’ll probably have a few hundred walkers going past your front door every day.
The house is listed as an ‘exciting renovation project’, with potential to turn it into a private holiday home, a unique Airbnb or a refreshment stop on the popular hiking route up Whernside.
Darren Spratt from estate agent Fisher Hopper told the BBC: “We’ve never had anything quite like this.”
“It’s about a 20 to 25-minute walk to the property,” he added. “That’s one way to lug your shopping.”
He also said that although the home has drummed up a lot of interest, a new buyer hasn’t yet been found for it.
The property listing states: “Exciting renovation project in a stunningly beautiful location. 3 Bleamoor Cottages is a former railway worker’s home situated on the main hiking path up Whernside, in the Yorkshire Dales.
The living room of 3 Bleamoor Cottages. Credit: Fisher HopperThe kitchen of the remote cottage. Credit: Fisher HopperIt’s set in beautiful Yorkshire Dales countryside. Credit: Fisher Hopper3 Bleamoor Cottages. Credit: Fisher Hopper
“Adjacent to the famous Settle to Carlisle railway line above Ribblehead, the property presents an interesting investment, with a range of potential commercial opportunities apparent: private holiday home; unique AirBnB style experience; bunkhouse or refreshment stop on the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge route. Plans will be subject to the necessary consents – this is in the heart of the National Park – but for the right buyer with vision, there is great potential here.
“Due to the unusual nature of the location, interested parties are advised that it is a 20 minute walk from the parking at Ribblehead Viaduct to reach this property. There is no vehicular access for viewings.”
When Rightmove shared the listing, they wrote: “When having neighbours is just not your thing… This home located in the Yorkshire Dales takes remote living to the next level!”
Tyson Fury and wife Paris announce they are expecting their seventh child
Danny Jones
Tyson Fury and his wife Paris have revealed that they are now expecting their seventh child, as per an announcement made over social media.
Amidst the ongoing saga between himself and Oleksandr Usyk following their title fight being called off earlier this week, an update that frustrated both Fury and fight fans everywhere, the Manc boxer took to Instagram to share some “fantastic news” that cheered him up.
Posting a story on Thursday evening, Tyson shared of the two of them on a date night along with the caption “God is great… 7th baby incoming”.
The pair already have three boys, all called Prince, and three girls, Venezuela, Valencia Amber and their recent child, Athena. Paris shared the story on her profile too.
Elsewhere, Tyson must now wait for his would-be Ukrainian opponent to fight Daniel Dubois in a mandatory bout before the two can meet at Wembley, which was originally scheduled to take place on 29 April this year.
Fury-Usyk had looked to be all but confirmed as early as December, but a dispute over the “material terms critical to the fight” has seen it postponed indefinitely.
For now, the 34-year-old from Wythenshawe has nothing to focus on other than becoming a dad for the seventh time in 14 years.
Emily Sergeant -
21st June 2021 
