Snack Shack in Little Hulton has been set up by Salford City Council and partner organisations after concerns about the impact of the school holidays on children who rely on free school meals.

Between the end of July and August, the weekly day of activities aims to provide everything from cooking lessons and nail art demonstrations to talks about safety and managing money, along with free meals and snacks.

The idea came from youth worker Simon ‘Sid’ Taylor, who revealed he and his colleagues have even dipped into their own pockets to feed hungry kids at youth clubs.

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“We started noticing that many of the children coming to youth club nights were hungry. We couldn’t have that so we started offering them eggs or beans on toast. We sometimes had to fund it ourselves but we’ve now linked in with Fareshare through our local Tesco stores who are donating food which would otherwise go to waste.

“I got my slow cooker out and started making stews because I wanted the children to eat well. They loved it and asked if they could start cooking so we’ve worked on that and now they cook for other young people at the club and at home for their families.”

 

Snack Shack, billed as Salford’s first ‘food bank for young people’ is being run as a pilot over the summer but the council hopes to expand it to one night a week all year round. It’s appealing for local businesses to help make that happen.

Three Salford schools are also offering their pupils summer activity programmes where they will be given fruit, drinks and a hot meal, thanks to funding from Salford Clinical Commissioning Group.

Councillor Lisa Stone, lead member for children’s and young people’s services, said Snack Shack was part of the Feeding Salford plan which aims to prevent people going hungry. Salford City Council has invested £75,000 to support the Feeding Salford plan.

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“In 2017 there were just over 7,000 primary and secondary school children eligible for free school meals in Salford so the issue of holiday hunger is huge. If that’s the only substantial meal they get in the day then you can understand why parents dread school holidays,” she said.

“Snack Shack will help over the summer but we need something like this in place all year round to make sure children aren’t going hungry. It’s part of our network of food banks to make sure people have easy access to emergency supplies and support to help them out of crisis.

“Our longer-term aim is to move people into food clubs where they can buy a decent basket of groceries for just a few pounds each week and get long-term advice and support to move into a better financial position.  It gives them more choice, makes better use of donated food and reduces the pressure on food banks which continue to see huge demand. We have over 200 food club members now with more on waiting lists.”

 

Salford’s seventh food bank recently opened in Swinton run by Salford Foodbank, and the Salvation Army.

Based at the Salvation Army’s HQ in Station Road, Swinton, which also offers drop-ins, toddler groups and a community shop the centre will help people referred by local frontline professionals, such as health visitors or social workers.

From April 2017 to March 2018 Salford Foodbank, which runs four distribution centres in the city, gave out 4,793 three-day emergency food parcels of which 1,912 were for children.

In a recent blog update, Mayor Burnham has outlined his stratergy for dealing with the annual problem of how to best help rough sleepers across Greater Manchester and has called upon local councils to follow in the footsteps of Manchester in guaranteeing a bed for each an every rough sleeper this winter.

Meanwhile, Salford has already taken a big step in helping to provide eight beds and 20 self contained homes to help in the battle to put an end to rough sleeping.

This morning, I have been out and about in the city centre on my regular walkabout, speaking to people sleeping rough. I do this every few months to keep in touch with the issues that people raise and to get a real and unvarnished picture of the scale of the challenge facing us.

When people comment on current levels of homelessness, it is often based on what they can see on the streets during the day. But the truth is that does not always provide an accurate picture. It is certainly true that many of the people in the city centre during the day are also sleeping rough there at night. But not everyone.

It is not callous or uncaring to say that we need to do a better job of drawing that distinction and focus our fundraising efforts on those who genuinely have nowhere else to go.

This morning, we came across around 15 to 20 people in the city centre. One is of course too many but it represents progress on what I was seeing this time last year. I want to thank all of our public bodies, housing providers and voluntary organisations who are working well together and making a real difference. But we have further to go and I believe that now is the right time to go up a gear.

Later today, I will attend a meeting of the Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network to provide an update on progress towards meeting our ambition of ending the need for rough sleeping in Greater Manchester by 2020. The time has come to lay out a clear plan for how we will achieve this. As part of this, we need to ask whether now is the time for a significant escalation of our efforts, starting this winter.

Last year, Greater Manchester put in place an improved set of cold weather arrangements. There were two big learning points that need to be taken on board. The first is that opening provision, closing it when the temperature rises only to reopen it again days later causes confusion and extra cost. The second is that, when people got the opportunity to stay in one place for a longer period (and they did during one of the longer cold spells), they began to open up to working with services to move them forward.

So the big question that I will put today is this: can Greater Manchester aim to provide a bed for every rough sleeper every night of the week over this coming winter? This is a major commitment and will be a real challenge to deliver. But it is the right question to be asking at this stage of our journey towards ending the need for rough sleeping.

Later this year, Greater Manchester will begin to roll out the Housing First pilot. Our hope is that significant numbers of new places (homes plus an individual package of support) will be opening in the early months of 2019. By enhancing our rough sleeping provision at the same time we will provide a solid platform on which Housing First will be built. It is more likely to be successful if people can be stabilised in temporary accommodation before moving through to a Housing First place. That has been a key point of learning from the operation of our Social Impact Bond, which has now housed over 100 of the longest-term rough sleepers.

Of course, providing a bed every night from October to March would come at a significant extra cost. Manchester City Council has already made a commitment to aim for this and many of our councils will be providing extra support over the winter. But they will not have enough on their own and the question is whether we should launch a new fundraising drive to support this specific purpose.

Today I want to hear views on this from members of the Homelessness Action Network. If people think it is a good idea, I would be prepared to ask the trustees of the Mayor’s Homelessness Fund to redirect funds to the A Bed Every Night scheme. Tim Heatley, the leader of Greater Manchester’s Homelessness Business Network, has also agreed to focus his efforts with the business community on fundraising for the scheme if people agree it’s the right way to go.

If we can make it work, A Bed Every Night would be a partnership with our 10 councils. Earlier this week, I met councillors with local responsibility for tackling homelessness and we plan to start early work with them on drawing up local plans. New buildings will need to be identified in each area. We are grateful to Reverend Ian Rutherford, who leads Greater Manchester’s Homelessness Faith Network, for assisting us in this task. Many churches, mosques and other faith buildings were used last winter and we are hoping that even more will be found for this.

One of the great benefits of a six-month scheme of this kind is that it would enable us to gain a clear picture of the costs, challenges and benefits of providing stable daily provision for all rough sleepers. If it works, and could be made financially sustainable, I would intend to repeat the scheme in October 2019 but at that point consider making A Bed Every Night permanent, thereby delivering my manifesto commitment.

However, we also need to have our eyes open to the risks. There is an argument to say that, the stronger Greater Manchester’s ambition on rough sleeping, the more we will become a magnet for people to come here and the greater our problem will be. The truth is there is no real evidence to say that this is actually happening to any significant degree and, to the extent that any people have come, the numbers are small.

However, to ensure that we can afford it, A Bed Every Night would need to be limited, perhaps to people whose last permanent address before becoming homeless was in Greater Manchester and also to those who have no recourse to public funds.

In the end, the best way to approach this is for Greater Manchester to do what feels right for us and encourage other cities and towns to provide the same.

While there are risks to A Bed Every Night, it would also bring opportunities. When we are confident that there is enough provision for every night, I do think we will be able to give a clearer message to the public about on-street giving. As we know, while we all understand it and still do it, it doesn’t actually help people begin the journey away from the street. By launching A Bed Every Night well in advance of the coming winter, we would be able to send a clear message that the best way to help this winter would be donated to the central pot.

I would be interested in hearing people’s views on this blog and the proposed A Bed Every Night scheme. I know that we are setting ourselves a big challenge and also that, as of yet, we don’t have all the funds to deliver it. But, if Greater Manchester gets behind it, I am confident that we can end the need for rough sleeping here this winter and create a strong platform for the success of Housing First.

Whatever our challenges as a country, we are rich enough to put a roof over every head every night of the week and I hope that in Greater Manchester at least, this will soon become the norm.

Thank you for your ongoing interest and support.

Andy

Housing association Salix Homes is hosting its annual Love Your Neighbourhood Week to encourage people to take pride in their communities.

The event runs from Sunday, August 5 to Friday, August 10 and involves an action-packed week of activities across Salford.

The line-up includes community clean-ups, a garden party, family fun days and even a clampdown on fly-tipping.

The fun kicks off on Sunday, August 5 with a Family Fun Day at Green Grosvenor Park on Clarence Street, Broughton.

The event is being organised by the Friends of Green Grosvenor Park and Broughton Flood Group, supported by Salix Homes, and activities include stalls, donkey rides, a funfair and festival food.

On Monday, August 6, Salix Homes’ dedicated Environment Team will be out and about in the community targeting fly-tipping.

Illegally dumped waste will be cordoned off as a ‘crime scene’, while investigations will take place to catch the culprits.

Sue Sutton, executive director of operations at Salix Homes, said:

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“Salix Homes is passionate about building safe, clean and happy communities where our residents can be proud to live and work.

“The people of Salford are famous for their pride in this great city, but the aim of Love Your Neighbourhood Week is to encourage even more people to take a little bit of ownership of where they live because if everyone does their bit we can make a real and lasting benefit to our neighbourhoods.

“This year’s event will see a real focus on fly-tipping, which is blighting our communities. It’s a lazy and selfish crime which costs taxpayers in Salford hundreds of thousands of pounds every year to clean up, so we will do everything in our power to clamp down on this illegal activity and catch the culprits.”

 

 

 

Other events throughout the week include a garden party at Margaret’s Garden in Swinton and a fun-day organised by Salix Homes’ very own youth panel - Boost 4 Youth - at Ordsall Park.

Sue Sutton added:

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“We’ve got an action-packed week planned, providing fun for the whole family, and we are urging as many people as possible to get involved and ‘love their neighbourhood’.”

The full line up of events is available on the Salix Homes website.

It seems lately that there is always some kind of super, blue or harvest moon going on so we may as well have a blood one to add to the list.

On Friday, July 27, the full moon will pass through the shadow of the Earth. For 143 minutes, the usually silvery moon will turn blood red and ochre. It will be the longest “blood moon” lunar eclipse of the century, lasting 26 minutes longer than the last total lunar eclipse, in January.

Sadly it looks like Salford may miss out on the spectacle as the weather forecast for the evening is set for rain as well as thunder & lightning. 

On the off-chance the weather does clear up, unlike with solar eclipses, you need no special equipment to observe lunar eclipses. These latter events, which occur when the moon passes into Earth's shadow, are safe to view directly with the naked eye, telescopes or binoculars.

The Science bit...

The moon turns deep red or reddish brown during eclipses, instead of going completely dark. That's because some of the sunlight going through Earth's atmosphere is bent around the edge of our planet and falls onto the moon's surface.

Friday’s lunar eclipse will be particularly special as it is the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century.

The total phase of the eclipse will last for an impressive 1 hour and 43 minutes, while the entire eclipse, including the partial phases, will last for over 6 hours.

One reason why this eclipse is lasting so long is that it is occurring when the moon is near apogee, or the point in its orbit when it is farthest away from the Earth, making it appear smaller than normal.

This is sometimes referred to as a ‘micromoon,’ and is the opposite of the well-known supermoon, or perigee (when the moon is at its closest to Earth).

Another factor that is playing a role in the eclipse’s duration is the path that the moon is taking through the Earth’s shadow. During Friday’s eclipse, the moon will be passing almost directly through the middle of the shadow, maximizing the time that moon spends in darkness.

Salford will start to see the eclipse happening from around 9.06pm on July 27 (Weather Permitting), when the Earths shadow will start to cross the surface of the moon.

We will not be able to see the whole eclipse as the moon will be below the horizon.

The moons maximum or totality as it is also known will happen at 9.21pm and will end at 12.28am, just after midnight on Saturday.

The total visible length of the eclipse will be 3 hrs 28 minutes.

The next time there is a total lunar eclipse this long will not be until June 9, 2123.

People in Manchester can first see the eclipse happening at 9.06pm on July 27, as the Earth's shadow moves across the moon.

The eclipse actually starts to happen before then - from 6.14pm - but the moon will be below the horizon so we won't be able to see it until later.

The eclipse will reach maximum or totality at 9.21pm and ends at 12.28am on Saturday, July 28.

Oh, and the earth won't end then either.

On Tuesday 24 July 2018, officers from GMP’s Specialist Operations Team were investigating a series of robberies that took place that day, in which people had their mobile phones stolen by offenders riding a motorcycle. 

Investigating officers then spotted a motorcycle believed to be linked to the incidents on Frederick Street in Salford. 

Following a short pursuit, assisted by the police helicopter and ground patrols, officers arrested two boys aged 14 and 15 on suspicion of robbery shortly after 9.30pm. 

The teenagers remain in custody whilst the investigation continues. 

Superintendent Mark Dexter of GMP’s Specialist Operations Branch said:

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“Officers have been proactively looking for those responsible for the robberies, and last night we made two significant arrests. 

"We now have two people in custody, but our enquiries into these robberies are very much ongoing. 

“That’s why it’s really important that we hear from people who have information about these robberies, or any other people who may also have had their phone taken in similar circumstances yesterday.

“There can be risks associated with pursuing suspects on motorcycles, but police are committed to protecting the public from criminals who use motorcycles to commit crime, and we will do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice."

Anybody with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident number 2004 of 24/07/18 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Photo: Stock (Google)

The guide is part of a city-wide information campaign Salford City Council is leading with other organisations to help residents understand what they need to do and all the help that’s available. 

Broughton and the following postcode areas: M7 4, M8 5, M8 8 and M8 9 will be the first parts of Salford affected by the government changes as they are covered by jobcentres in neighbouring areas, and the rest of the city will follow from 26 September. The change is that all new benefits claimants will have to claim Universal Credit and will be expected to carry out all their job searches and evidence online. 

Local people on benefits have said they are unsure about the wait for their first payment and how they will manage; the requirement to use computers to manage their claim, set up a bank account and email address to receive payments; being responsible for paying their rent; and understanding what their payments will be, as these can vary depending on their earnings and other things. 

This new booklet has lots of tips, as well as details about many organisations, including the council, which offer advice and support, from benefits, debt, managing money, housing, energy bills, using computers, dealing with low confidence, to skills and training. 

Deputy City Mayor Councillor Paula Boshell said:

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“We have created this comprehensive guide because we know some people are unsure how to claim and manage on Universal Credit. We are particularly keen that our vulnerable residents know how to get support. Our aim is that people will not only get the short-term practical help they need to manage, but they will also know how to get the support they need. 

"This communications campaign is part of our work to tackle the high levels of poverty and inequality in Salford together with our partner organisations. 

"Research has shown there are many Salford residents who don’t know how to use or have access to computers or the internet and this is vital in order to make a Universal Credit claim.

"The booklet contains information about organisations where people can use computers and the internet and go on courses and training to improve their skills." 

The victim – who is in his 70s – was found by two members of the public near to Lightoaks Park. 

He was taken to hospital where it was discovered he had suffered a broken neck bone, a fractured nose and multiple cuts and bruises. 

The man is thought to have been walking down Claremont Road when he felt a blow to the back of his head and witnesses described seeing a man running down Acresfield nearby. 

Detectives investigating the attack are keen to speak to the man pictured in connection with the incident. 

Detective Constable Susan West, from GMP’s Salford borough, said:  

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“This is obviously a frightening attack on an elderly man, who was innocently walking near to the park on a warm spring evening. 

“He has suffered extensive injuries and we need to find the person responsible for this. 

“We would urge the man pictured, and anybody who recognises him, to come forward and contact police immediately. 

“Although the image isn’t very clear, the top the man is pictured wearing is quite distinctive and I believe someone might recognise it. 

“Any information, no matter how small, could help us piece together exactly what happened to this poor man.” 

Information can be passed on to police on 0161 856 5360 quoting incident number 2553 of 07/05/18. 

Alternatively, details can also be passed on anonymously by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

Salford City Council will provide eight new emergency beds along with 20 self-contained homes where people can stay until long-term settled accommodation is found for them. 

A new support team will help them overcome any barriers such as finding a deposit, finding accommodation which will take a pet or buying household items to set up home – as well as supporting those still on the streets. 

Councillor Tracy Kelly, lead member for housing and neighbourhoods, announced the news after launching Salford’s new Homelessness Strategy, which sets out the city’s plans for the next five years. 

Councillor Kelly said:

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“This funding will make a real difference to rough sleepers. It’s very welcome as we have seen a 600% rise in the numbers sleeping rough over the last five years.” 

Councillor Kelly also called for the whole city to pull together to help rough sleepers and people facing the risk of homelessness, saying only an even greater combined effort from the council, NHS, housing and advice services, community and voluntary organisations and residents could tackle the crisis. 

She said:

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“In the last five years we have seen successes but they have been hard won in the face of funding cuts and more and more pressure being put on the most vulnerable in society because of welfare changes and the national housing crisis. 

“We’ve maintained and expanded services to young people and those fleeing domestic abuse and helped 2,200 households at risk of becoming homeless to either stay in their homes or find new accommodation. Yet over the same period, Salford has seen an increase from 1,357 people presenting as homeless in 2016/17 to 1,634 in 2017/18.  150% increase in 

“We’ve worked with local charities and landlords to help people off the streets and into accommodation but we’ve still seen a 600% increase in rough sleepers which is why this new funding from the government’s rough sleepers initiative is welcome. 

“Without a lot of hard work by the council, the support of our partner organisations and huge amounts of charitable work by many local people those figures would be far worse.” 

 

Councillor Kelly said over the next five years Salford would also focus on providing truly affordable homes and encouraging people in financial difficulties to seek help as soon as possible to avoid the risk of defaulting on payments and losing their homes. 

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“Last year 17% of new homes built or created in Salford last year were affordable, the best rate of provision in Greater Manchester, but we still face a huge shortage of affordable housing. That is something we are addressing with Dérive, our new housing company which will use Section 106 money from private sector developments in the city to provide more social housing let at affordable Salford rents,” she said. 

“This year the government has introduced the Homelessness Reduction Act expecting councils to give more help to people at risk of homelessness yet the funding they provide for that support is hugely inadequate. 

“At the same time, they are slashing funding for public services which means we have less and less money to tackle the root causes of homelessness and pushing through savage cuts to welfare and housing benefits, particularly for younger people. 

“It’s like being expected to treat a wound which needs surgery with a sticking plaster and hoping all will be well. If you set out to deliberately increase homelessness and insecurity, you couldn’t do better with policies like that. Councils like Salford, which has lost half its central funding since 2010, are expected to pick up the pieces and do more and more. We will rise to the challenge as best as we can but this is a national crisis and the government needs to rethink its policies and ease the pressure on vulnerable people. 

“That’s why we can only tackle the issue, provide the support and help local people need by all working together. Over the last five years, Salford organisations and people have done that and we need to maintain and strengthen that commitment and joint working even more for the next five years.” 

Salford City Council is also supporting Greater Manchester-wide initiatives to eradicate the need for rough sleeping. These include the housing first approach of finding rough sleepers homes and then helping them with other issues and a Greater Manchester-wide social lettings agency, which helps vulnerable people and people on low incomes to find and keep private rented homes. 

You can view the new strategy at www.salford.gov.uk/homelessstrategy

Note to editors: Rough sleeping rose from 19 in 2016 to 49 in 2017 as people sleeping in night shelters were also included in the count for the first time. 

Salford City Council is warning residents and dog walkers to take extra care in Clifton Country park and along the River Irwell valley and to avoid even the slightest contact with the plant. 

The plant, which is related to cow parsley, has chemicals in tiny hairs under its leaves and sap which can cause the skin to become extremely sensitive to sunlight. Even the slightest brush against a leaf can cause blistering and pain within 15 minutes and both humans and animals can be affected. 

Sun sensitivity can last for months after contact with the plant and if sap gets into the eyes it can cause blindness. 

NHS Direct advises anyone who has come into contact with the plant to immediately wash the area with cold water and soap and seek medical advice if they feel unwell. 

Councillor David Lancaster, lead member for environment and community safety, said:

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“Giant Hogweed, which looks like a larger version of cow parsley, was brought from Russia by Victorian plant collectors as an ornamental plant. It soon escaped from gardens and now grows everywhere across the whole of Britain. 

“It thrives on river banks and with each plant producing thousands of seeds, it is nigh on impossible to fully eradicate though we do treat any which springs up close to public footpaths. 

“We have had cases where children have scrambled through the plants and ended up badly burned so we’re asking everyone to be aware of Giant Hogweed and keep themselves, children and dogs well away from it.” 

You can find more information about the plant at: www.salford.gov.uk/gianthogweed 

Photo attached by Fritz Geller-Grimm [CC BY-SA 3.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

The two organisations have teamed up to provide leisure centre staff with training in how to work effectively with disabled people through the Empower You programme.

Three Salford Community Leisure team members are the first to qualify and were awarded their certificates at a ceremony at Eccles Leisure Centre recently.

James Byrne, Mike Hilton and Ian Thompson were accompanied by disabled gym users and put through an intensive week-long Empower You training programme that included undertaking exercises blindfolded, learning how to describe moves and sensations in depth and finding out more about various health conditions and impairments in relation to physical activities

Following the course, Ian Thompson (40), a fitness instructor at Swinton Leisure Centre, said:

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“I found the training very interesting and incredibly useful. It has given me much more insight into how disabled people feel, what they experience and what they can and can’t do. Most of all it has given me the knowledge and confidence to talk to disabled users about their gym experience and what they want to achieve.”

James Byrne (44), a fitness instructor at Eccles Leisure Centre, said:

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“I now feel much better equipped for when disabled people come to the gym. I feel very lucky to be one of the first to qualify and look forward to putting my training to use.”

One of the assessors was 51-year-old Kay Burgin from Kersal in Salford. Kay has spina bifida and has always incorporated physical activity into her life including swimming and gym classes, but it has not always been easy. Said Kay:

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“I found being involved in the fitness instructor training very interesting. I worked with James and I felt that we communicated very well and for me, this is one of the biggest considerations; being able to better communicate with staff in leisure centres and other sport settings. It is important to find the right trainer who understands”.

Mark Chew, Director of Sport and Leisure at Salford Community Leisure, said:

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“Currently Salford Community Leisure venues are accessible and do host dedicated activities for those with additional needs. This new partnership with Unlimited Potential will benefit anyone with additional needs in Salford looking to be more active. We want all of our centres and services to be even more accessible to local people of all abilities.”

Created by Ben Andrews of Unlimited Potential, Empower You is a short-term programme that supports disabled people to overcome barriers and to lead more active lifestyles.

Local people who start with Empower You can move on to do activity in mainstream places. Said Ben:

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"It is not right that disabled people are less active because of a lack of accessible facilities and opportunities. We want to change that and we thank staff at Salford Community Leisure for joining us on this important mission.”

Empower You has been funded by NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group through its Innovation Fund, and supported by the University of Salford. It has been recognised nationally, with Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Chair of UKactive, saying “The rest of the country still needs to catch up [with Salford].”

Owners and their furry friends are encouraged to visit Clifton Country Park on Sunday 22 July for a day of doggy delights.

Running from 11am to 4pm the Dogs in Salford Festival will feature a dog show, agility course and temptation alley.

Dogs will be able to get free health checks, chipping and nail clipping thanks to the PDSA. And while their canine companions are being pampered, owners can get a free health check thanks to the Salford Health Improvement team.

Councillor David Lancaster, Lead Member for Environment and Community Safety at Salford City Council, said: 

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“This festival is all about bringing the community together and celebrating our four-legged friends. But you don’t have to have a dog to attend – simply come along and enjoy the day.

“All money raised will go towards Rochdale Dog Rescue who look after so many of the strays our dog wardens find. They provide loving care and help them find a new home.”

 

For children, there is face painting, bouncy castles, fruit animals and guess the breed.

The dog show consists of the following categories costing £1 to enter each category. The categories are:

•Prettiest Girl sponsored by Rob Hiatt

•Best Scruff sponsored by Source 7

•Best Trick sponsored by Four Acres Doggie Day Camp and professional Groomers

•Most Handsome Boy sponsored by Doggy's DoLittle

•Best Young Handler sponsored by Our Dogs

•Waggiest Tail sponsored by Company of Animals

•Best Rescue sponsored by The Original Hi K9

•Best Golden Oldie - sponsored by Better Points

•Best In Show - judged and presented by Saira Choudhry from Channel 4's No Offence

The winners from each category will then be entered into the best in show.

Whilst we’ve all been enjoying the lovely hot weather and despite yesterday's deluge, the lack of rain and high demand for water means that the reservoirs which provide us with the refreshing H2O are now lower than they should be at this time of year.

With this in mind, United Utilities who provide us with the wet stuff has taken the decision to introduce a hosepipe ban across most of the North West on the 5th August. 

This means you won’t be allowed to use either a hosepipe, sprinkler or fill an Olympic sized swimming pool as they use an incredible amount of water.

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"We know hosepipe bans can be inconvenient but by taking these steps now we can make sure we have enough water for more essential things like drinking, washing and cooking."

The main restrictions include:

Watering a garden and/or plants using a hosepipe

Cleaning a private car, van, motorbike, trailer, caravan or leisure boat using a hosepipe

Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming pool, paddling pool or ornamental fountain

Cleaning walls or windows using a hosepipe

Using a water from a hosepipe for domestic recreational use

Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe

Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe.

You can still use water outdoors if you:

Use tap water to fill a bucket or watering can

Use grey water, which is water that’s been used before ie bath water

Have your own water supply such as a private borehole.

Until the ban is introduced, if you’re able to avoid using garden sprinklers and hosepipes to water your lawns at this time it really will make a big difference.

Use a watering can instead or, even better, reuse any water from the home such as water from washing up bowls or bath water.

Those not following the ban could face criminal prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000. 

Whatever you can do to reduce your water usage will help to make sure there is enough water for everyone.

During the long summer break, there is a temptation for young people to get involved in activities that may seem like harmless fun but can be seen differently by other people or carry serious consequences if things get out of hand.

Safe4Summer aims to provide young people with enough activities to banish boredom and offers advice about personal safety as well as promoting messages about social responsibility.

In addition to offering advice to young people, police are urging the community to help make their local area a safer and more enjoyable place to live. Parents and guardians are advised to maintain a line of communication when their children are out and about and talk to them about personal safety and the dangers of issues such as underage drinking. The wider community is asked to be proactive in reporting any instances of antisocial behaviour to police on 101 or via the new live chat function on the GMP website.

PC Natalie Dolan, of Greater Manchester Police, said:

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“We understand that the long summer holiday is the chance for young people to have a break and unwind, but it is important to remember that other people will be off enjoying activities and events and we are urging everyone to have respect for others around you.  

“We will be working with partner agencies to deliver activities for young people, and I would appeal to parents and guardians to take an active interest in where their children are and what they are doing. Residents should be able to enjoy the summer period in peace, and this initiative will help to ensure that they can.”  

 

Paul Etches, Head of Prevention and Protection at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said:

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“The recent heatwave we’ve experienced across Greater Manchester has been a nice change to our normal weather but has brought with it extra challenges.

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been dealing with large wildfires across the region which have taken a lot of hard work to get on top of and stretched the service. In this sort of weather these fires can start very easily.

They often begin by simply not properly putting out a cigarette, leaving a barbecue unattended or even leaving a glass bottle in the sun on dry grass.

“We need everyone to take a bit more care to help prevent outdoor fires from starting, and I ask parents to be aware of what their children are doing. The summer holidays should be a fun, safe time for children and by taking part in planned activities they will be.”

 

Chris Thorpe, the TfGM lead on TravelSafe, said:

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“Summer is a great time for young people to get out and explore our city-region on public transport. When travelling I’d encourage everyone to be safe, be sensible and respect other passengers. 

“The TravelSafe Partnership is dedicated to supporting safe and secure travel, and there will be teams of officers patrolling our networks throughout the summer to provide help and assistance as well as working to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.”

 

For more information and to find out what activities for families and young people are happening in your local area visit www.safe4summer.com .

Images taken from the air show cars filling a small layby off the A57 – making it impossible for emergency vehicles to get into the City Heliport. 

If emergency vehicles cannot get to the site the police and air ambulance helicopters, which are used across the whole northwest and beyond, are not allowed to take off. 

Now Salford City Council is asking motorists only to park in the marked bays along the left-hand side of the layby and warning that anyone who parks anywhere else in the layby risks being given a penalty charge notice of £70. 

The next match at the stadium is on Friday, July 13 and the stadium, Salford Reds and Sale Sharks are already alerting fans via social media. 

Councillor David Lancaster, the lead member for environment and community safety, said:

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“When just a few cars parked in the bays in the layby, there wasn’t a problem. That left plenty of space for emergency vehicles to get through. 

“Unfortunately drivers have started parking on both sides and down the central reservation in the layby. They perhaps don’t realise that the City Heliport is there which includes both the police helicopter and air ambulance bases and that they are stopping their vital work by blocking the route. 

“We have to call time on this for safety reasons. We don’t want to issue tickets to anyone but there is no need to block the layby as there are hundreds of parking spaces at the stadium itself or people can use public transport to reach the games.” 

Dave Kibblewhite, Base Manager for the National Police Air Service said;

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“The photo taken by our helicopter clearly shows the scale of the problem. 

“We are called to incidents all over the north west and often beyond. Police forces across the UK call on the National Police Air Service to help them to find suspects and vulnerable missing people or to support them with other tasks, such as the recent fires at Saddleworth Moor and Winter Hill. 

“We need to ensure that in the case of an emergency, that support could reach us at the City Heliport. With the layby blocked, this isn’t possible. Without that safeguard in place, we can’t take off, and that means that lives may be put at risk and that people may be put in danger unnecessarily.” 

At the moment Salford City Council customer services receive thousands of phone calls from residents each week, and its new Twitter account @SalfordCChelp will mean they get help more quickly.

People ring in with a wide range of queries from bins, council tax, parking, traffic, and travel to cycle lanes. Many of these people wait to get through to the team due to the large number of people calling.

The new Twitter account will mean there won’t be any need to wait in a queue on the phone. Named, friendly and approachable team members will respond to questions and problems with a helpful reply.

They can send a message to the customer services team, Monday to Friday, from 9 to 4.30pm, and it will be replied to quickly with a reference number so people can track what’s happening. If the team is unable to help immediately, they will clearly explain the next steps and pass on the query to a relevant team.

Complex issues or private customer details can be sent through a direct message, so people don’t need to worry about sharing this information on Twitter.

Councillor Bill Hinds, Lead Member for Finance and Support Services, said:

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“We want to make it easy for Salford residents to have their questions answered and if this can’t be done via Twitter, we’ll make sure it’s dealt with by passing them on to the right people who have the information needed. It’s important to us to build stronger relationships with local people. We want to go the extra mile and offer the support people need.”

The new Twitter account is part of Salford City Council’s work to help people get the support they need in a variety of different ways. They can use the council’s live webchat service on its website at www.salford.go.uk, post messages on the council’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/salfordcouncil and there are online forms they can also fill in.

Any queries between 4.30pm and 9am and on weekends will be dealt with the following working day. People will be made aware each day what time the customer services team will be available the next working day.

The council recently won Digital Council of the Year 2018 in the Digital Leaders awards. It has an ongoing scheme called Digital You to help local people learn basic computer and internet skills across the city so they can have a better future and fully take part in today’s society.

Anthony Knight (05/04/1971) was released from prison in May 2018 after being jailed in 2006 for robbery. 

He has since breached the terms of his license and is now wanted by police. 

Knight is from the Salford area however his current whereabouts are unknown. 

Anyone with information about Anthony Knight’s whereabouts should call police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Salford City Council is introducing a new taxi-style plate scheme for street traders in the city. By this time next year, every street food trader will have to display an identity plate on their vehicle or stall which also gives their food hygiene rating.

To have valid consent, businesses will have to have a food hygiene rating of three stars or more and owners, who will also have to pass a criminal record check, will be provided with identity cards.

The new regulations have been brought in to tighten up the existing policies and deter rogue traders from operating in the city.

Councillor David Lancaster, Lead Member for Environment and Community Safety at Salford City Council said: 

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“The new rules now mean that people can quickly see if a business is trading legally and what food hygiene rating they have before they buy any food.

“We’ve also tightened up the rules so fast food and ice cream vans cannot trade near schools without consent.

“People will be able to report traders not displaying their plate so we can take action.  The aim is to make sure that food standards in Salford is the best it can possibly be for our residents.”

 

Dr Whittleston, a Fellow of the HEA, picked up the innovative teaching award from the Institution of Structural Engineers for his use of the University’s ground-breaking virtual reality facilities.

The Octave, based in Newton is one of the world’s most advanced immersive labs, a sound-and-touch holographic environment used mostly for research.

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“We realised this could be an exciting space too for engaging undergraduates in often complex construction scenarios,”

explains Gareth.

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“The idea was to use The Octave to make hazard awareness on construction sites more interactive. So, we were able to project a 360 video of a construction site where students could ‘point and shoot’ at hazards they see and get further legislative information.”

Collecting the Award was for Innovation in Engineering Education, at Westminster, Gareth added:

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“It was a real team effort in the School of Computing, Science & Engineering and I would like to thank John and Chloe in the Octave as well as Shirin for their help.”

He invited colleagues to get in touch if they want to find out more about innovative teaching in Civil Engineering.