Salford community group create living history with Second World War radio drama
Salford has undergone a transformation over the last few years, with a wealth of new housing developments, community initiatives and regeneration projects making it a better place to live and work.

Lower Kersal Young People and Community Group (LKYPCG) are a vibrant and vital part of the community and do so much to encourage working together to make Kersal a place to be proud of.
Salford 80 years ago was a very different place. German planes wrought devastation across the city, residents were subjected to many nights of bombing, and thousands of homes were badly damaged during the onslaught. 

More than 200 people were killed and nearly a thousand injured in Salford, and 8,000 homes were damaged or destroyed - it was a very difficult and turbulent time for the city.

As part of their community engagement, Lower Kersal Young People and Community Group came together for a unique project, a radio play part-funded by housing association Salix Homes to mark the occasion when Salford was almost wiped off the map during the Second World War.

Members of the group signed up to perform ‘Keep calm and carry on’, a play by Joe O’Bryan written in 2012. The play depicts life during the war and how the community at the time rallied together as the threat of bombs came ever closer to eventually landing on their doorsteps.

Many of the cast have no acting or radio training, so it was a new adventure for all involved.
Thomas Lever MBE, who project manages LKYPCG, knew the play would be a great project for everyone to get involved.

He said: 

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“We’ve done the play before and performed it at The Lowry which was wonderful, but I knew there was another way to shine a light on Salford in those days, so we decided to do a radio play, and it’s worked out really well. It’s a really emotional piece and when the cast heard the finished thing with sound effects and everything, you could see they were upset as it really brought it home, how hard it was back then.”

The radio play centres around a typical terraced street and the community shelter where we hear the various characters come together for safety and support and the evenings spent in the shelter were often funny with banter and jokes flying like sarcastic shards of shrapnel. The radio play also depicts the fear everyone had as they could hear the crashes and bangs outside wondering if it was their house or anyone they knew caught in the waves of attacks.

Sean Massey project producer was really pleased with the reaction from the cast, adding:

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“It was quite tough originally because we started to record during lockdown, and obviously it was quite difficult and it took over a year to record it all, but it’s come out really well.”

The play has been picked up by Salford City Radio, a local community station. It will be broadcast on Thursday 22 December, Friday 23 December, Saturday 24 December, at 9 pm and Sunday 25 December and Monday 26 December at 10 pm.

Salix Homes part funded the radio play and donated £900 which went towards equipment and producing programmes for the play, the funding comes from the Salix Homes Springboard initiative, set up to support community projects in Salford.

Sue Sutton, chief executive at Salix Homes, said:

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“It’s great that we were able to give some funding for this piece of social history through our Springboard community grant programme. It was a challenging time in Salford and something we shouldn't forget, that’s why community projects like the radio play are so important and knowing it will be heard by younger generations is brilliant. We’re really proud to support Lower Kersal Young People and Community Group with this amazing piece of work.”

It is hoped the play will be released as a podcast in early 2023.

Salford City Radio can be found at 94.4 FM and online at 94.4FM Salford City Radio –
To find out more about Salix Homes’ Springboard fund and how to apply, visit www.salixhomes.co.uk/springboard

A Salford man is set to begin an epic fundraising challenge after his dad sustained a life-changing brain injury.

On December 2, 2022, Dusty Zeisberger, 31, will be physically and mentally challenging himself by running for 24 hours on a treadmill in support of Headway – the brain injury association. 

Dusty said:

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"Earlier this year, my dad was carrying a speaker down a hill when he slipped, fell, and hit his head on the roof of a building at the bottom of the hill.

"He suffered a bleed to the brain and was placed in a medically induced coma for four days. He couldn't speak or move for two weeks. After that, he began to make noises and then roughly speak. It was an awful time for us all."

 

After spending four months in hospital, Dusty's dad was able to return home, but remains partially paralysed on his right side and struggles with communication.

Dusty is raising funds to help Headway continue its vital work supporting brain injury survivors and their families, campaigning for brain injury prevention, and increasing awareness of brain injury.

He feels supporting Headway is crucial because, like many brain injury survivors, his dad has struggled with both his physical and mental health.

Dusty said:

"Dad has become a different person since the accident in terms of communication and thinking.

"He is currently suffering from depression, which has impacted his relationships with his partner and with my brother. There are often outbursts of anger and frustration, which I assume are due to the feelings of helplessness."

His dad's brain injury has also impacted his ability to live an independent life.

Donations Link: https://givepenny.com/dustyzeisberger_because_you_can_24_hour_treadmil 

Dusty continued:

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"My dad is currently in a nursing home. He desperately wants to leave and live in his own home again, but there is not enough support at home for his condition.

"He recently started being able to shuffle with his 'bad' leg but fell over, so his confidence is low, and he is scared to try to walk again.

"He has now been diagnosed with carpal tunnel in the wrist that he can move, so his chances of living semi-independently are very small.

"Before my dad sustained his brain injury, he was an extremely independent, active, and caring individual. He worked for Mercedes Benz for 52 years and has been a musician since he was a teenager playing multiple instruments and singing in bands.

"He retired a few years before the injury and had plans to move to Germany and travel Europe, living a life of adventure and relaxation."

Dusty is now determined to use his family's challenging experiences to make a positive difference to the lives of others living with brain injuries.

"I've always believed that we are capable of so much more than we imagine. This has just shown me how quickly our abilities can be taken away from us," he said.

"I'll be taking the treadmill for a spin for 24 hours to show myself and everyone else what we are capable of. This is something small that I can do to raise money for those that can't."

 

Donations can be made to Dusty's fundraising page here. He will also be documenting his journey on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok under 'Dusty Zeisberger' and also @thedustycoach.

Donations Link: https://givepenny.com/dustyzeisberger_because_you_can_24_hour_treadmil 

For more information on brain injuries, including support in your area, visit https://www.headway.org.uk.

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Brian Gorman yesterday for a meal and a drink at The Leaf Bean Pod Cafe in Barton and once again he delivered the proverbial goods.

Over the past year or so Brian has donated several pieces of his unique artwork to help the Salford Media appeal to raise money and food for local foodbanks, these have included portraits of Manchester United legends, Cantona, Cavani and Erik ten Hag which were all auctioned off.

He has very kindly donated this stunning portrait of Ian Curtis the doomed, lead singer of Joy Division  who took his own life in May 1980 whose musical legacy lives on to this day, which links in quite nicely with a bonus prize also donated by him.

Brian is not only a talented artist, he has many strings to bow he is also an actor, author, stand up comedian, and award winning playwright, whose production of New Dawn Fades a play about Joy Division and Manchester has just finished a tour of the country finishing with two sell out nights at The Royal Northern College of Music Manchester.

He has given us a fully signed programme of the show which is a guaranteed piece of Manchester music history and a must have for any collector which will be included with the Ian Curtis artwork,

The artwork is A4 size which equates to 16-1/2 x 23-3/8 inches or 42.0 x 59.4 cm and comes unframed, you can pick up some nice frames from Ikea or Wilkinsons for a fiver.

All monies raised will be split between The Mustard Tree emergency weekend foodbank, The Salford Unemployed Resource Centre on Liverpool Road, Eccles, and the Emmanuel Church, Salford foodbank.

So do the right thing, purchase a piece of original artwork and get that warm inner glow from knowing that you have helped somebody less fortunate, you know it makes sense.

The auction will stop on Monday 28th November at 10pm. and the highest bidder takes it all plus if you live local we4 can deliver, how good is that?

Finally have a look at Brian's artwork if you fancy purchasing some original artwork at very reasonable prices, ideal Christmas gifts.

https://www.facebook.com/briangormanartwork

https://www.facebook.com/groups/403216776491453

There were reports of as possible unexploded bomb having been uncovered by contractors working on the Church Street demolition of the old Fryers Store this morning.

Police acted quickly to cordon off the area at the top of Church Street to pedestrians and there were also talks of closing the nearby motorway and railway lines as safety precautions.

Specialists attended along with other emergency services, whereupon it was very quickly established that it was a false alarm, with the alleged bomb apparently just a section of pipework.

People were being advised not to venture into that area of Eccles, but the cordon has now been lifted and the emergency response has been stepped down.

Photos: Mark Griffin

Christmas Hats doffed today as Pam Pickard hosted and arranged an early Christmas event in Eccles Precinct, which lets be honest has had a quite a bit of stick of late.

Santa's Grotto was open complete with his not so little helpers, and each child who visited was given a free gift by a cheery looking Santa, he was honestly!

Live music was provided by talented young musicians from The Music Shed who helped lift the spirits on what was a fairly cold day with both solo and group spots, I liked them.

Spirits were considerably lifted with the free mulled wine and mince pies made by Pam which were gratefully received, a slight misunderstanding occurred when I was given a tray of mince pies and told to hand them out to passers-by, how they ended up in my shopping bag is still a mystery.

Yvonne from The Eccles Coffee Stall got into the swing of things and provide free corned beef hotpot, just the job on mornings like these.

There were various other outdoor stalls including a lady who made knitted quilts and jumpers for charity, the craft shop was open with free activities for the children, and Eccles Community Art Gallery was open a oasis of culture on the precinct.

The ladies from the Barton Theatre Company dressed in full costume were promoting their forthcoming production. Musketeers The Panto, which will be performed at The Lowry Theatre Friday 6th January -Sunday 8th January.

The afternoon was rounded of by the singing of traditional Christmas songs by The Monton Voices Choir and it has to be said they were very good, and they asked me to say that they will doing a free show on Sunday 4th December at 2pm at the Gilda Brook Social Club, Wellington Road.

So, a big round of applause for everybody who volunteered and helped out today, we all know the Precinct needs some help and is a shadow of it's former self but small things like today show helps put back a smile on people's face. well it did on mine!

Lucas Dodd (06/08/1999) appeared in Manchester Crown Court yesterday (17 November 2022) after being charged by detectives from GMP Salford's dedicated operation to tackle organised crime in the city - Operation Naseby.

Dodd pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs, possession of Class B drugs and money laundering offences, and was sentenced to 49 months in jail.

The sentencing is the result of an operation conducted by GMP’s Organised Crime Unit in Salford. Officers had gathered intelligence which led them to believe that Dodds was involved in the supply of drugs. They secured and executed a warrant at an address of his on Granville Street, Little Hulton on 9 September 2022, which led to an initial seizure of Class B drugs.

A thorough search of the property revealed a large amount of cash had been stowed away behind a washing machine. They then went on to uncover significant amounts of Class A drugs and further quantities of cash.

All offences were committed whilst Dodd was on licence from prison.

Police Constable Reece Brown of GMP Organised Crime Unit in Salford said:

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“Today’s sentencing is a great result for Operation Naseby. It demonstrates our commitment to tackling organised crime in Salford and I hope it sends a signal to those involved in the supply of drugs - and all the misery that entails – that they have no place in our community. If you commit these offences, we will pursue you and bring you to justice.”

At 7am on the morning of Thursday 17th November the Worsley Neighbourhood team obtained a warrant to enter a residential property, in central Worsley, which had been transformed into a Cannabis Farm.

The Cannabis farm consisted of over 300 plants and an Illegal Immigrant, who was tending to the farm.

This person has been arrested and remains in Police Custody, before being dealt with for Immigration offences by the Border Agency.

Police are encouraging any residents in the community to report any suspicious activity via 101 or the online submission portal. As they say that they would not have been able to obtain a great result, without your help and information.

A Remembrance concert organised by a former army sergeant has raised hundreds of pounds for Broughton House Veteran Care Village in Salford.

Graham Walker, 64, brought together more than 60 performers for the concert at Eccles Parish Church in Salford, which attracted more than 150 people.

Graham, who lives in Monton, Salford, served in the 1^st Battalion The King’s Regiment during a 25-year career in the regular army and the Territorial Army. In 1992 he joined Greater Manchester Police and held a number of civilian posts.

Now semi-retired, Graham formed the Eccles Remembrance Event Group, supported by Sheila Peake and Yvonne Yates from the church. The Remembrance concert was the group’s first venture and a grant from The Booth Charities helped it to stage the event.

The bill featured performances by The Honour Choir, the Manchester Regiment 1914-18 Living History Group, the Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force Corps of Drums, international concert pianist Lauryna Sableviciute, Eccles Parish Church organist Lizzie Bell, the 55^th Manchester Boys Brigade and Girls Association and Prof Stephen Davismoon.

The evening was led by Rev Jenny Lewis with concert marshal Ian Jolley, who organised the many standards and colours on display. Sgt David Pickles from the Duke of Lancaster’s Regimental Band performed Last Post and Reveille.

Graham said the new event group spun out of his involvement in organising the annual Eccles Remembrance Day service:

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“The idea came from watching the Saturday evening Service of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall many years ago,”

The concert proceeds are being divided between Broughton House and Eccles Parish Church.

Graham added:

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“It was a great event and we are hopefully going to put on more concerts like this. It was well attended and has raised a considerable amount of money for a fantastic cause in Broughton House, as well as for the parish church.

“A lot of work went into the organisation of the concert to ensure a superb line-up of performers, and everything came together to create a memorable evening for the local community.”

 

Jack Stephenson, marketing and fundraising executive at Broughton House, said:

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"The Remembrance Concert was a great way to honour our fallen heroes. We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication that Graham and his team put in to create this memorable event and for the money they have raised to support veterans in our region.”

LS Lowry’s iconic painting Going to the Match is coming home – returning to public display at The Lowry, Salford, from Friday 25 November.

It follows the successful bid last month by The Lowry at the Modern British & Irish Art Sale at Christie’s in London, to buy LS Lowry’s Going to the Match for The Lowry Collection, thanks to the generous support of The Law Family Charitable Foundation.

This hugely important and much-loved work of art has been on public display in The Lowry’s galleries since it opened in 2000, on loan from the Professional Footballers’ Association.

Following their decision to sell Going to the Match, there were no guarantees that any future owners would share the commitment to keeping the work on public view and free to access.

However, The Lowry’s successful bid at Christie’s means the artwork has been secured for the city of Salford’s LS Lowry collection, and it will now be rehung at The Lowry, where it will be free to view.

The painting’s iconic status has been recognised and loved by visitors of all ages: those who love art, those who love football and those who celebrate this quintessentially Northern experience.

Julia Fawcett OBE, CEO of The Lowry, said: 

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“We passionately believed Going to the Match needed to remain on public view. Its safe return to our Galleries, thanks to the wonderfully generous gift from The Law Family Charitable Foundation, will be a huge moment for Salford, and we cannot wait to bring it home. We know visitors will be coming in large numbers in the coming months to view this iconic and much-loved work of art, and we can’t wait to welcome them. Again, I’d like to thank everyone who has helped achieve this fantastic outcome.”

Paul Dennett, Salford’s City Mayor, said: 

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“This painting was created in the north and belongs in the north and thanks entirely to the generosity of the Law family it is coming home to Salford where it should be.  It is so important to have this iconic piece of art on view to the public for generations to come and I will be delighted to welcome it back.”

Situated on the waterside, at the heart of Salford Quays, The Lowry is an award-winning venue housing two major theatres, extensive art galleries and a range of public spaces including cafes, bars, a restaurant and shop. The Quays is also home to MediaCityUK, which includes BBC North, ITV Studios and Imperial War Museum North.

The Lowry galleries are free to everyone and display the famous LS Lowry Collection, alongside a vibrant programme of special exhibitions. Bringing visual arts and performance together are central to The Lowry’s exhibition and engagement programmes.

The Lowry galleries are named The Andrew and Zoe Law Galleries in recognition of the couple’s £1m donation to the arts centre, which is a registered charity.

A meeting today with Max Fryer and his sister Catherine whose grandfather William started the Fryers store on Church Street, Eccles over a 100 year ago resulted in a cash windfall for a local foodbank.

I retrieved two sign from the demolition site courtesy of the site foreman, one a perspex light box from above a fire door and a cast iron ventilation vent which was at floor level.

Max's niece Josephine saw the article that I had written about them and contacted me, saying that her family would love to have them as mementoes of the family business and they were prepared to make a donation to the local foodbanks.

I was more than happy to hand them over today and as we had a coffee we chatted about their memories of the store and what they called, "Eccles Village".

We chatted about Waddilove's cake shop which Elizabeth remembered, sold the best rum trifles in the "world", Eccles Pet Shop, Eccles Swap Shop facing the Cross Keys pub, the old wooden Railway Station, and other long gone shops and stores, this was followed by a walk around the grounds of Eccles Parish Church where Elizabeth got married, sadly closed to the public today.

As we left Max very kindly gave me a generous cash donation towards our foodbank appeal which I took to the Mustard Tree shop and handed the much needed money over to Jonathon the store manager who assured me that the money would be spent on food for the emergency foodbank, which has seen a dramatic rise in the numbers of people requiring food and assistance in the past month.

So the Fryer's store mementoes have gone full circle and returned to their family and for me, more importantly the money they kindly donated will help feed less fortunate people this week, all in all a wonderful day.

You may recall that I have written several articles about the demolition of the top end of
Church Street, Eccles and mementoes I saved from Fryers Store which became Booths.
Initially I was contacted by Josephine Garty who is a niece of Max Fryer who in turn is the
one of the grandsons of the founder of the business, William Fryer, he then in turn contacted
me with a view to obtaining the mementoes as a reminder of their family history.

I arranged to meet him and his sister, Josephine’s mother, Elizabeth today in Eccles to hand
them over and so they drove from Goosnargh just outside of Preston for a chat, I had
suggested that perhaps they would like to make a donation to our local foodbank appeal.

We met for a coffee and they told me more about their Grandfather, William who founded
the Eccles store at the turn of the last century, he came from Derbyshire to set up a shop
dealing in furniture in one of the shops on the row where Fryers stood and as his business
flourished he extended the premises into adjoining shops, until it became the largest
household supply shop on Church Street selling only high quality goods for which he earned
a good reputation.

William lived on Bindloss Avenue, Eccles where this family photo was taken in their garden,
he had 13 children, six boys and seven girls, James one of the boys was Max's father and if still alive would be 113! James is in the centre of the photo between four ladies.

One of the son's Leonard joined the family firm and worked in ran the Estate Agent shop,
does anybody remember the shop? All of the second generation of the Fryer family have now
passed away as have several of the third generation.

We chatted about the Eccles they remembered as children when they said it was known as
"the village" Waddilove's cake shop which Elizabeth remembered sold the best rum 
truffles "in the world", Eccles Pet Shop, Eccles Swap Shop facing the Cross Keys pub, the
old wooden Railway Station, and other long gone shops and stores, this was followed by a
walk around the grounds of Eccles Parish Church were Elizabeth got married, sadly closed to
the public today.

As we left Max very kindly gave me a generous cash donation towards our foodbank appeal
which I shall be distributing shortly, I really enjoyed chatting to them about old Eccles and
Salford and I was delighted when Elizabeth told me that she had been an art teacher who had
taught in several schools in Salford, a few years back.

So the Fryers store mementoes have gone full circle and returned to their family and for me,
more importantly their money donated will help feed less fortunate people this week, all in all
a wonderful day.

Male victims of domestic abuse are being urged to ask for help ahead of International Men’s Day (Saturday 19 November.)

In the last three months 70 men asked for help from the Safe in Salford service, which is commissioned by Salford City Council to provide a wide range of legal, practical and emotional support and advice to adults and children affected by domestic abuse. But it’s feared that many more men in the city could be affected. 

Councillor Barbara Bentham, lead member for environment, neighbourhoods and community safety, said people often do not realise they are in an abusive relationship because of the way their partner manipulates the situation, but men may be very hesitant about asking for help.

Barbara, said:

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“Relationships can be complex but they should never be psychologically or physically harmful.

“The first thing I’d say to anyone – male or female – who feels they are in a harmful relationship is to talk to Safe in Salford or one of the many other support services available, some of which work exclusively with male survivors.

“They understand domestic abuse, they will listen, believe you and help you. You won’t be judged or blamed for the situation because domestic abuse is never your fault no matter what your abuser claims.

“People sometimes think it is only abuse if violence is involved. Coercion and control are both forms of abuse which is often dressed up as love. It’s not love if your partner controls your life, cuts you off from family and friends dictates who you can see and what you can do and monitors your phone or social media.

“It’s not love if they constantly criticise you or undermine your self-confidence and pressurise you into behaving or doing just as they want by bullying, threats or violence.

“International Men’s Day is about celebrating the positive contribution men make to the world. There’s nothing positive about an abusive relationship but getting the help you need to break free from it and really live your life to its full potential is incredibly positive.  I hope many more men and women reach out for the help that is there.”

 

Shiela is an independent domestic violence advisor (IDVA) working for Safe in Salford and worked with Alan to break free from one of the worst abusive relationships she has seen. (Names have been changed)

Sheila, said:

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“The guys had been together for several years and Alan’s partner had gradually taken control of Alan’s life. He’d claim it was ‘just jealousy because he loved him so much’ when he wanted to know who Alan met and what they talked about and checked his phone for messages,” she said.

“Gradually he cut him off from family and friends – why would Alan want to spend time with them and not him? It was all emotional blackmail and manipulation to isolate Alan and control him even further – along with the classic lines that ‘if you leave me no-one else will want you, you’ll be all alone.’

“He controlled the finances because Alan ‘was so bad with money.’ That further undermined Alan’s confidence and grew to the point where Alan had to ask for money every time he wanted to buy something and explain why. It was another form of control. And there was physical and sexual abuse leading to Alan self-harming and turning to alcohol to cope.

“When we told Alan we believed his story and could help him, he broke down in tears. I spent a lot of time listening to Alan, letting him talk about what had happened to him and talking through options. Together we drew up an escape plan.

“We’ve put in extra security in his new home, helped him put a legal injunction in place to stop his partner contacting him and found him the mental health support he needs to recover from his trauma. We’ll continue to support him as he rebuilds his life.”

 

For confidential help please contact any of the following or visit www.salford.gov.uk/domesticabuse. In emergency always dial 999.

Safe in Salford – which also works with perpetrators wanting to change their behaviour – on 0161 793 3232 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm or email info@safeinsalford.org.uk

The Men's Advice Line on  0808 801 0327 Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm or email: info@mensadviceline.org.uk

The ManKind Initiative on 01823 334 244 Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm and 7pm to 9pm (except Friday evenings) or email admin@mankind.org.uk

A Salford headteacher and education leader has been awarded an OBE for her services to education.

Amanda Nicholson is Chief Executive Officer of the King Academy Trust in Salford which includes Oakwood Academy for children and young people with moderate and/or complex learning difficulties and disabilities.

Amanda 49, from Warrington said she was motivated to train as a teacher for children with disabilities after her own experience as a teenager. Due to cataracts, she became blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other until new lens implants restored her sight. In her 27-year career she has supported vulnerable children across Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield.

As a headteacher she has led her schools through successive outstanding Ofsted inspections, and the focus of her work has been to support young people who face difficulties and overcome them, raising aspiration and showing them they can succeed.

Amanda, said:

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“I was incredibly proud to receive the OBE in the Queen’s 2022 new year’s honours list and to attend Buckingham Palace to receive it from Princess Anne earlier this month,”

Councillor Jim Cammell, lead member for children’s and young people’s services for Salford City Council said:

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“Amanda’s life-long dedication to ensuring children and young people achieve their full potential has been recognised and rewarded with this honour.”

The people of Eccles turned out in their 100's today, {at a guess some 500}, Sunday 13th November to pay their respects to our fallen heroes at Eccles War memorial on a warm, sunlight morning.

Four members of the Manchester Regiment 1914-18 History Group in period costume stood guard at the four corners of the Cenotaph a memory of local lads who went out to fight and never returned.

The service officiated over by Pastor Charles Williamson from Churches Together in Eccles saw the Goodshaw Brass Band lead the marchers into the cordoned off area around the Cenotaph, as prayers were said for the fallen.

The standard bearers dipped their flags as Helen Toole played The Last Post and the two minute silence was observed in total silence as the crowd bowed their heads deep in contemplation for loved ones.

After a reading of  the Kohima Epitaph the laying of wreathes commenced led by Barbara Keeley MP for Worsley and Eccles South followed by Councillor John Mullen, Joanne Hardman, Brigadier Tom O'Brien, Major Jordan Dickinson, Lieutenant Nyang, Janice Coxon, Wayne Fox, Ian Moss, Joan Sullivan, and Bernard Kelly.

This was followed by The Lords Prayer, The National Anthem and a blessing by Pastor Charles Williams.

As the Goodshaw Brass Band led the veterans out onto Barton Lane the crowd burst into spontaneous applause which was so heartening to see and fully deserved.

Then a flood of people began to lay their wreaths and poppies, people of all ages, toddlers included showing their respect, wreaths from local community groups, sporting clubs, schools and touching individual tributes soon filled up all places on the Cenotaph.

A convoy of some 40 motorcyclists who had attended in silence, simultaneously revved up their bikes bedecked with flags and roared past the Cenotaph again to standing applause from the onlookers.

I have been attending the Remembrance Sunday service for many, many years and it is heartening to see it going from strength to strength with the attendance getting bigger each year and people of all ages.

Finally a massive thank you to Tony Martin for setting up the P.A. system which enabled every word said by Pastor Williams and invited speakers to be heard crystal clear and lets not forget Graham Walker who once again arranged and coordinated todays event, a logistical nightmare but as befits an army veteran it ran like clockwork, well done those men!

Residents of Broughton House Veteran Care Village, relatives and staff joined senior regional Armed Forces personnel for a moving Remembrance Day service.

Veterans donned their Broughton House blazers for the ceremony, held in the grounds of the redeveloped care home in Salford.

Broughton House has cared for more than 8,000 veterans since it opened its doors to the ex-service community in 1916.

It has recently been transformed into a modern complex featuring a 64-bed care home, independent living apartments, an array of modern facilities, a museum and Armed Forces Support Hub.

Commodore Phil Waterhouse, the Naval Regional Commander Northern England and a trustee of Broughton House, spoke about the significance of the occasion as he welcomed those attending.

He said:

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“The 11th of November is always very poignant for those who have served and their families, when we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice over the last 100 years or so.”

Lieutenant Commander Ellen Shephard, Assistant Naval Regional Commander Northern England, read ‘In Flanders Fields’, a poem written during the First World War by Lt Col John McCrae.

Wing Commander Stephen Chaskin, Officer Commanding 611 Squadron RAux AF, and Major David Braddock, second in command of 103 Regiment Royal Artillery, also gave readings.

Following the Last Post, a two-minute silence and the Reveille, the quartet and Broughton House resident Jean Mack laid wreaths.

Peter Darroch, 85, a former Lt Col who served in the Royal Army Medical Corps for nearly 40 years, read a special prayer for Broughton House residents.

D-Day veteran David Teacher, 98, a fellow resident who served in the RAF, read the Lord’s Prayer.

David said:

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“It’s very important we remember those who gave their lives to ensure our freedoms today, but not just on November 11th but throughout the year.”

The ceremony was followed by drinks and refreshments, including specially-made poppy cupcakes.

Photos:

1.    L-R Wing Commander Stephen Chaskin, Major David Braddock, Lieutenant Commander Ellen Shephard and Commodore Phil Waterhouse

2.    Remembrance Day cupcakes at Broughton House

3.    Broughton House residents at the Remembrance Day service

As people gathered across Salford today, Tony Flynn headed out to pay his respects at the Eccles War Memorial.

Eccles Town Hall bells rang out at 11.00am today and a crowd of some 120 people stood in silence deep in their thoughts at the Eccles War memorial as they paid their respects.

As the bells rang a two minute silence was impeccably kept as Rod O' Connor lowered and raised a standard, then recited part of the poem by Laurence Binyon, "At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them"

Amongst those in attendance were several veterans proudly wearing their medals, the staff of Eccles Library also came out to stand in silence, along with many regular faces from Eccles, which was heartening to see.

I was pleased to notice that children from The Manse in Eccles had made a wreath and placed it on the cenotaph along with wreaths from Christ Church Primary School and Kiddiewinks Nursery at the same school.

This coming Sunday is Remembrance Sunday when 100's of people will attend to pay their respects and lay wreaths and poppies in the small grassed area, a very emotional day and we shall be there to film and photograph the day, hope to see you there.

Innovative businesses in Salford are being urged to apply for grant funding to bring their new product or service to market.

Firms with a big idea can get match funding of up to £5,000 via the GC Business Growth Hub, as well as support from a local university or research facility.

Innovation Vouchers are up for grabs by local small and medium sized businesses (less than 250 employees) with ambitions to grow.

All that’s needed is an innovative plan for a new product or service - and a willingness to invest £1 for every £1 in grant funding.

Grants of between £3,000 and £5,000 are available, with the programme open for applications between now and the end of the year.

Companies can use the funding for research and development, to access facilities or equipment and to take forward product design. Support with knowledge transfer and consultancy is also available.

To find out more and apply for an Innovation Voucher, visit: https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/innovation/services/funding.

Dharma Nurse, Senior Innovation Development Manager at GC Business Growth Hub said:

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“The Innovation Vouchers scheme is a fantastic opportunity for businesses in Greater Manchester to take their growth ambitions to the next level. Our local business community is brimming with ideas - and all many of them need is a helping hand to turn their dreams into reality.

“Investing in innovation isn’t always easy however, despite the R&D tax incentives which are available. Also, funding isn’t the only requirement - being able to tap into expertise and support is also vital and that’s where the Innovation Vouchers come in.”

 

Long-term partnerships are available via the scheme with Greater Manchester’s world class universities including The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, The University of Salford, The University of Bolton, and The Science and Technology Facilities Council campus based in Daresbury. Recognised research institutions (usually not-for-profit)

can also provide expert advice and support through the voucher programme.

Support is available via the GC Business Growth Hub team with all aspects of the application process and decisions are usually made very quickly.

One Greater Manchester company which has already used an Innovation Voucher to help realise its growth ambitions is UBU Environmental Ltd.

UBU helps to keep Greater Manchester’s streets clean via its fleet of 120 road sweepers. The firm converts leftover road sweeping waste into ‘soil cake’ which has until now been disposed of in landfill at an annual cost to the firm of more than £300,000.

Innovation voucher funding is helping UBU’s ongoing efforts to find a more sustainable and efficient solution to the problem - which will allow the soil cake to be used safely in a range of environmental projects such as tree planting.

Russell Mansfield, Eco-Innovation Advisor at GC Business Growth Hub:

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“Many years of research, development and innovation have got UBU to the position it is in today - where a waste problem can now be transformed into a resource opportunity. With help from the Innovative Voucher scheme, including support from Manchester Metropolitan University, the waste material collected by its sweepers can now hopefully be diverted from landfill.

“Instead, it can be put to good use improving our urban landscapes. It’s a win-win for the company - saving it money and reducing the environmental impact of its operations.”

 

Support from the Innovation Voucher scheme this year has helped UBU Environmental Ltd to fund a one-year initiative to inform the Environment Agency of the soil cake’s composition so it can be resold as a product. The GC Business Growth Hub team has advised on bringing the product to market with guidance on the Intellectual Property (IP) aspects of the planned new product known as PAS 115.

The voucher scheme enabled the firm to develop its idea, ahead of the launch of a Knowledge Transfer Protocol (KTP) project with Manchester Metropolitan University.

UBU owner Rebecca Murphy-Peers said:

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“I would recommend the scheme as it combines funding with support, which makes the application both valued and considered. It’s a very positive process and we are very grateful to the team of people at the Growth Hub who assisted us on this journey.

“We received a great deal of support from our dedicated advisor which was consistent and followed a systematic pathway to ensure that we were suitable for the voucher scheme. This included a full business review and considered aspects such as business planning, IP environmental impact and areas of business strength and development.

“The support has been invaluable for the business and has allowed us to set the steps in place to successfully implement the KTP with MMU. The teams work in collaboration with one another which means there is little duplication and there is a seamless transition between the funding and the implementation of the KTP.”

 

In partnership with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the Local Enterprise Partnership, Local Authorities and Business Representative Organisations, the Business Growth Hub has launched #HereForBusiness to support the region’s businesses.

The campaign brings together support available to Greater Manchester businesses along with practical solutions they can take to deal with energy price rises and other increasing costs. 

A dedicated website has been launched which includes useful information and advice on what support is available, blogs and case studies.

Salfords Ceremonial Mayor, Councillor Ann-Marie Humphreys has thanked all of those who supported the Ceremonial Mayor’s charity collection which took place last Saturday night at the Buile Hill Park Firework event.

Volunteers collected spare change from revellers at the event to help support the Mayors chosen charities this year, which include Animals in Distress, Salford Loaves and Fishes and the Salford Children's Holiday Camp, who will all benefit from the proceeds.

Councillor Humphries, said:

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"Thanks to volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association and Salford Children’s Holiday Camp who assisted with the bucket collection and to everyone who donated on the night, over £400 was raised which will go towards supporting Animals in distress, Salford Loaves and Fishes and the Salford Children’s Holiday Camp."

You can still donate to Ceremonial Mayor’s charity online https://orlo.uk/VpL3Q

Photo: Salford Council - Ceremonial Mayor Ann Marie Humphries with volunteer collectors at Buile Hill Banqueting Suite.

Three organisations are appealing for donations to support people in need in Salford this winter.

Salford City Council, Salford CVS and Salford Citizens Advice have joined forces to collect donations to top up local food banks and support older people.

Donations of tinned food, tea, coffee, sugar, toiletries, feminine hygiene products and new baby items will be passed on to local food banks to help with the cost-of-living crisis, while warm blankets, gloves, hats, scarves and Christmas gifts will be given to over 65s at a series of pre-Christmas meals.

City Mayor Paul Dennett said:

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“We don’t want anyone to feel under any pressure to donate but more and more people, even those who are working, are having to turn to food banks for the first time in their lives. It’s a shocking situation and Salford organisations are pulling together to offer as much support as we can.”

Alison Page, Chief Executive of Salford CVS, said:

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“Salford people are kind and generous and I know if they can, they will do their bit to help the most vulnerable this winter. If anyone needs help with debts, bills or food we’re urging them not to be ashamed or afraid to ask. We know these are tough times.”

Tom Togher, Chief Executive of Salford Citizens Advice, which is also offering cost of living support, also chairs the Salford Foodshare Network made up of local organisations working together on food security in the city.

Tom said:

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“Foodbanks and food clubs, where people can buy basketfuls of goods at much reduced prices, are experiencing huge pressures. People are going hungry now to make sure their children get food or because they haven’t had anywhere else to turn. Every little bit of support Salford can offer through this appeal means someone doesn’t have to suffer.”

All food or toiletry items should be in date and unopened and any gifts should be brand new for safety and dignity.

Donations can be made at Salford CVS, 5 Irwell Place, Eccles or the Gateway centres or Broughton Hub which are also cost of living help points for anyone needing support. The Gateways/Hub are open Monday to Thursday 8am to 10pm, Friday 8am to 6.30pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm.

Broughton Hub, 50 Rigby Street, Broughton M7 4BQ (will also accept items for Hannukah)

Eccles Gateway, 28 Barton Road, Eccles M30 0TU

Swinton Gateway, 100 Chorley Road, Swinton M27 6BP

Pendleton Gateway, 1 Broadwalk, Pendleton M6 5FX

Walkden Gateway, 2 Smith Street, Walkden M28 3EZ

Food bank items needed:

Tinned meat, fish, lentils, beans or pulses,

Tinned vegetables including tomatoes,

Soup, baked beans or pasta in sauce,

Tinned fruit or puddings

Longlife milk, tea, coffee and sugar

Cereal, jams and spreads

Biscuits and snacks

Fruit juice

Sanitary products for women

Toiletries for all (new)

Baby items (new)

Christmas treats would be appreciated but please avoid any containing alcohol (even alcohol flavoured)

Items for older people

Blankets (new)

Hats, gloves, scarves (new)

Christmas gifts (please avoid alcohol/alcohol flavour)

Chocolate

Photo caption - left to right Deputy City Mayor and Lead Member for Housing, Property and Regeneration Councillor Tracy Kelly, Chief Executive of Salford Citizens Advice, Tom Togher, City Mayor Paul Dennett and Chief Executive, Salford CVS Alison Page with items collected by staff at Salford City Council.