Nathan Vanden fled to Holland in October 2019 but maintained a criminal hold in Salford through the foot soldiers he recruited to do the dirty work.

Whilst hiding out in Holland the 33-year-old organised violent attacks against rivals or anyone who crossed him. This included shootings at properties, threats to throw grenades in houses, cars or business premises, cause serious injuries to people or threaten to slash them with knives if they didn't resolve or comply with his requests.

Criminals who worked alongside him would make contact to gain swift access to guns purely to settle petty disputes with their enemies and cause serious harm. Vanden was known for orchestrating this movement within 24 hours of the request coming in.

The investigation led by GMP's Serious and Organised Crime Group – codenamed Operation Drever – uncovered the true extent of Vanden's hierarchy and involvement within organised crime following a surveillance operation in April 2020 that led to the arrests of his associates and the seizure of encrypted mobile phones.

The operation resulted in the recovery of a black Glock 19 handgun found in a sock, a further Glock 19 handgun recovered following a firearms discharge and quantity of cocaine and cannabis.

The evidence against the organised crime group was strongly linked to Vanden who sat at the top of the enterprise. A European arrest warrant was obtained by GMP and in May 2020 law enforcement partners in Holland arrested Vanden in Holland and he was extradited back to the United Kingdom in May 2021.

On Friday 1 September 2023 Vanden appeared at Manchester Crown Court to be sentenced to 26 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to cause fear and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Speaking after the sentencing Detective Inspector Rick Castley, of GMP's Serious Organised Crime Group, said:

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"Vanden terrorised the Salford and Manchester community using his foot soldiers to do his dirty work while he was hiding out in Holland.

"But when those soldiers began to be arrested it created a perception of fear and panic for how he could continue to operate his empire. Vanden said himself there were 'a lot of heat' on his men. This is because they were being watched by our officers while he was stuck in Holland reading on social media the arrests, guns and drugs being seized and knowing that would lead to him being incriminated.

"To get to Vanden we ran a covert operation on his organised crime gang. The evidence gathered against Vanden placed him at the top and we were determined to capture him no matter where he was hiding.

"Following a successful operation in Holland, he was arrested on a European Arrest Warrant and extradited back to Manchester to face his fate and to spend a long time hidden behind bars."

 

On 27 May 2021 two of Vanden's organised crime gang were jailed for a collective 12 years

Samuel Binsteed (04/02/1990) was sentenced to seven years and six months for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

David Hudson (14/12/1989) was sentenced to four years and six months for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

On Thursday 30 March 2023 five further members of Vanden's Organised Crime gang were jailed for a collective 47 years.

Dominic Hughes (03/12/1993) of Glover Court, Wigan, was found guilty of two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life, possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear and aggravated TWOC. He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis. He has been jailed for 18 years.

Aaron Gray (30/07/1996) of no fixed abode was found guilty of two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life and aggravated TWOC. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent supply. He has been jailed for 14 years.

Craig Walker (16/06/1982) of Warrington Road, Wigan, was found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He has been jailed for six years.

Jacob Smith (07/09/2000) of no fixed abode was found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He has been jailed for six years and six months.

Ian Wharmby (29/07/1992) of no fixed abode was found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine, heroin, and cannabis. He has been jailed for three years and six months.

A care home for veterans has hailed the impact of its wellbeing activities for dozens of residents living with dementia or cognitive decline.

Broughton House Veteran Care Village in Salford has been able to fund a variety of initiatives through a grant of £30,000 from the Veterans’ Foundation.

Led by Cheryl Monnie, an experienced care worker and qualified teacher who is the wellbeing and activities lead at Broughton House, staff have been able to support veterans with one-to-one and group activities to enhance their wellbeing and stimulate their memory and cognition.

Photo ©: Cheryl Monnie - Kevin Feddy Photography

Karen Miller, chief executive of Broughton House, said 74 veterans have benefited as a direct result of the grant being awarded in June 2022. 
In an annual survey of residents’ family members conducted over the past two months, 92 per cent of respondents said their relatives’ quality of life had improved since they moved to Broughton House.

Karen said:

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“The support we have received from the Veterans Foundation has been fantastic for our residents. 

“It’s enabled us to fund the continued employment of a wellbeing and activities lead, and for our dedicated care staff to work extra hours so they can spend additional quality time with each veteran who has dementia or cognitive decline.

“As our care home has expanded and we have welcomed more veterans to Broughton House, it’s been wonderful to be able to provide company and stimulation for residents with those conditions. 

“We’ve also been able to provide training for staff to experience for themselves what it’s like to have dementia or cognitive decline, using virtual reality tools.

“It’s very exciting to have Cheryl as part of our team. She specialises in textiles and design. Textures and craft activities are particularly important and valued by our residents, as they provide sensory stimulation.

“As well as these activities, staff play dominoes and cards with our veterans, take them on nature walks and hold pamper sessions for our female residents. We’ve also been able to provide a traditional barber’s shop experience for the men.

“Group activities include themed events focusing on other countries, with quizzes, interactive games and traditional food from those nations.

“The impact has been reflected in our annual survey and we’re sincerely and hugely grateful to the Veterans’ Foundation for making it all possible.”

 

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 redeveloped into a complex with a 64-bed care home and independent living apartments, an array of modern facilities, a museum, gym, hairdressing and barber’s salon, and a restaurant and bar for residents. 

Photo ©: Veterans Playing Virtual Ten Pin Bowling - Kevin Feddy Photography

There is also an Armed Forces Support Hub which provides welfare support and counselling for ex-service people of all ages living in the local community. 

The Veterans’ Foundation helps fund charities and other charitable organisations that help serving and former members of the armed forces, and their dependants, who are in need. 

It raises money through the Veterans’ Lottery and donations, with almost £17m in grants having been awarded to over 400 UK-based military charities since its inception in 2016.

Veterans’ Foundation founder and CEO David Shaw said:

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“We are delighted to continue our long-standing support of Broughton House. The Veterans’ Foundation is proud to play a part in the first-class care of British veterans living with dementia or cognitive decline.”

You can help charities and organisations just like Broughton House, while being in with a chance to win £50,000, when you sign up for the Veterans’ Lottery.

Click here to play: https://veteransfoundation.org.uk/lottery/join
 

Main Photo ©: Cheryl Monnie with Harold Elison - Kevin Feddy Photography

Greater Manchester Police are looking for a male that has gone missing from the Salford area.

Abbas Alexander has been described as a white male, approx. 6ft, of slim build,  with shoulder length black hair.

He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a beige Nike hoodie.

Anyone with info contact 101 by telephone and quote MSP/06FF/0001842/23

Dangerous crumbling concrete which the government says could require immediate building closures has been confirmed in Greater Manchester schools.

More than a hundred schools across England have been told by the government that they need to shut facilities or put urgent safety measures in place because of the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

It comes just days before pupils are due to return for the start of the autumn term, and the announcement has led to widespread uncertainty for families.

The government says this specific type of concrete has now been classed as an immediate safety risk as it has the potential to suddenly collapse, and schools have been instructed they must take instant action if it is identified.

This could mean closing off buildings while mitigation measures are put in place, moving students to different sites, or potentially a temporary return to remote learning.

The LDRS understands that RAAC has been confirmed as being present in two academy-run schools in Trafford.

And a primary school in Manchester run by an academy trust has also identified the concrete in a communal area of its buildings, but it is not believed it will lead to closures of classrooms.

A spokesperson for Trafford council said:

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“We can confirm that two schools in the borough, Sale Grammar and Altrincham College, have been impacted by the government guidance on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

“We would like to reassure parents, carers, pupils and school staff that both schools will open as usual next week. Mitigating measures are in place and the schools are safe.

“The safety of pupils and staff remain the priority of the schools and the council.”

The Diocese of Salford, which runs more than 200 schools including primary, secondary and sixth form colleges across Greater Manchester, parts of Lancashire, and Calderdale in West Yorkshire, 21 of which are in Salford, has also confirmed that some of its buildings have been confirmed as containing RAAC, although it is unclear as to if any of those affected are located within Salford.

A Diocese spokesperson said:

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“We can confirm a small number of our schools have been identified but our priority is to work with the schools to inform and advise parents in the first instance.”

Bolton council said it had previously found one school in the borough containing RAAC, and safety work had been carried out.

Now the authority has confirmed it is investigating a further four schools to see if any contain the potentially dangerous construction material.

A spokesperson for Bolton council said:

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“Following Department for Education (DfE) guidance a number of years ago, we surveyed all the community and voluntary controlled school buildings of the relevant age which the council has responsibility for.

“This process identified just one school containing RAAC, and the relevant safety work has already been completed.

“Following updated DfE guidance on age ranges, we will be assessing a further four schools over the next few days. In the unlikely event that RAAC is found, we will follow DfE guidance to ensure buildings are safe for pupils and staff.

“A small number of academy and diocese buildings in the borough may also be impacted by today’s announcement and we expect to be updated on the status of these schools shortly.”

 

A total of 156 schools in England have been confirmed to contain RAAC, the Department of Education has said. Of these, 52 have already put mitigations in place.

Now 104 schools have been instructed to immediately restrict access to spaces where RAAC has been confirmed.

However the list of affected schools – including state, religious and academy trust-run facilities – has yet to be confirmed by the government, and local leaders in Greater Manchester are also unable to provide full details.

The government said a list would be published once parents and carers have been informed via schools.

But the numbers of schools impacted could increase as more survey works across the country are undertaken.

However the LDRS can reveal that a special education college in Stockport has already been forced to close and relocate pupils earlier this year after RAAC was found in its roof in a ‘number of areas’.

The Seashell Trust had applied for planning permission for a new college, administration, sports and training building at its Cheadle Hulme based site – phase ‘C’ of a wider masterplan.

It came after RAAC was identified in the current college building during a building survey in April, which led to the Trust having to take ‘urgent and unprecedented action’ and immediately ‘permanently’ close the facility.

The DfE and an independent firm carried out surveys in the college building that had advised a number of rooms be taken out of immediate use in line with the government regulations.

Its college students and staff were relocated to other parts of the campus on a temporary basis but the Trust says this has ‘resulted in significant operational challenges’.

The planning documents add:

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“This immediate forced closure resulted in a 24-hour turnaround and has caused major disruption for the Trust, college staff and students,”

Eight of the Greater Manchester councils – Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Wigan – have confirmed that RAAC has not been found in any of their local authority schools.

The advice over how to deal with the presence of the concrete in school settings was changed after an RAAC beam collapsed during the summer, Schools Minister Nick Gibb has said.

The official advice states that in spaces where RAAC is present, ‘those spaces should remain out of use until appropriate mitigations are in place, even where they would have been deemed ‘non-critical’ previously’.

The building material was widely used between the 1950s up to the mid-1990s, and has a lifespan of around 30 years.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Nothing is more important than making sure children and staff are safe in schools and colleges, which is why we are acting on new evidence about RAAC now, ahead of the start of term.

“We must take a cautious approach because that is the right thing to do for both pupils and staff.

“The plan we have set out will minimise the impact on pupil learning and provide schools with the right funding and support they need to put mitigations in place to deal with RAAC”.

Investors into the failed conversion of an iconic building into 23 posh apartments stand to lose tens of thousands of pounds in a looming legal battle with a pension fund.

A dozen people each put down 50 per cent of the £120,000 asking price for the apartments as part of a scheme to develop Caxton Hall in Salford’s Flat Iron Conservation Area.

But the apartments were never completed and the developer – Wilma Developments Limited – has gone into compulsory liquidation.

The owner of the building is the Jerrold Manufacturing Company (Textiles) Ltd Pension Fund, based in Cheadle.

Following the demise of the developer Jerrold has applied to the Land Registry for the lifting of a legal order called a Unilateral Notice (UN1), held by the investors.

Such an order means nothing can be done to the building without their agreement.

If the order is lifted, the investors effectively lose any control they have over the property and with it their money.

It will be decided at a Land Registry tribunal on a date yet to be determined.

A spokesman at the Land Registry said:

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“We can confirm that we are in receipt of applications to cancel the Unilateral Notices on the property.

“We have received a number of objections from solicitors acting on behalf of some of the beneficiaries [the investors].”

 

He said that there would be a Property Chamber first-tier tribunal ‘to determine the matter’.

A Portugal-based investor – who does not wish to be named – says he paid out more than half the asking price, £70,000, in 2018 to reserve an apartment.

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“I visited the property in April this year and saw that only superficial preparation work had been carried out. I could tell something was wrong.”

He said that the law company who negotiated the deal has told him that legal fees to represent him at the forthcoming tribunal could amount to £20,000.

The 61-year-old former school principal continued:

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“It’s money I just don’t have. 

“So I am looking into the possibility of representing myself.

“This investment was intended to give me a pension, so this is potentially disastrous for me.”

 

He said he had tried to contact other investors but most appear to be based in the Far East, including Hong Kong, and there has been no response.

Although he has never lived in Salford, he is a regular visitor to the city to stay with a friend.

He said:

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“It’s a fantastic place – walking distance from Manchester – and we love having a pint at the Eagle Inn.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has seen the list of objectors to the Jerrold UN1 application on a Land Registry document. Twelve are individuals and one is a property company called KMM Properties (NW) Ltd, based in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Jerrold has declined to comment.

The building dates back to 1904 and was the headquarters of the Manchester Typographical Society – so named after the inventor of the printing press William Caxton.

In 2017 a planning application to convert the offices into 23 apartments was approved.

A service and wreath laying will take place at Salford Quays tomorrow, (Saturday 2nd September at 12pm) to mark Merchant Navy Day in honour of the brave men and women who made many sacrifices to keep Britain alive during both World Wars.

The ceremony brought together by the Pendleton Branch of the Royal Naval Association, is also an appreciation of the UK’s modern day merchant seafarers who are responsible for transporting most of our every day items, such as food and fuel.

Without the sacrifice of these brave souls, our nation would have surely succumbed to the relentless Nazi onslaught against our shores. The merchant fleet was no less important to our survival than our military vessels, shipping food and military supplies across danger filled oceans, with the threat of being sunk by an enemy U Boat always on their minds.

Sadly some 124 brave and courageous sailors from Manchester Liners sadly never returned home, lost and buried at sea. It is important to remember our merchant sailors and the vital role they played and continue to play to this day.

Organisers say that all are welcome to attend.

The memorial is right next to Salford Watersports Centre.

Photo ©: Royal Naval Association - Pendleton Branch

Wilko, collapsed into administration earlier in the month, putting 12,000 jobs, including those within Salford, at risk.

A buy out rescue deal for the brand, which claimed would have guaranteed job security for employees over the next two years, has fallen through as the only bidder for the chain - Private equity firm M2 Capital, failed to file paperwork in time.

A bid of £90m for Wilko was made but M2 Capital is said to have been unable to provide proof of funding.

The process of making redundancies at the well known high street retailer will now resume.

There had been rumour that one of Wilko's rivals, such as B&M, Poundland and The Range could be interested in the firm but so far there has been no formal announcement.

Both stores within Salford are expected to close for good in the coming weeks.

Police have launched an appeal asking the public for information on the whereabouts of a bench which was 'taken' from Parr Fold Park.

Officers believe that the 'Chatty Bench' was taken at some point between the evening of Thursday August 24 and Friday August 25.

The heavy bench had only been installed earlier in the month, and was the culmination of a year-long project that the Friends Of Parr Fold Park group had been working on, it is unbelievable to think that no one saw it being removed.

Enquiries are currently ongoing, but officers are continuing to seek information as to the whereabouts of the bench.

If you know anything, or have CCTV or dashcam footage from the area during the time of the incident, please get in touch with officers.

You can report information by contacting 101, quoting crime reference number CRI/06FF/0025993/23, or by calling Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Plans for a 41-storey tower in a historic area of Salford have been submitted.

The proposal is for 568 studios of co-living accommodation. 

It will mean the demolition of existing building near the railway arches on Gorton Street, Greengate and improvements to public realm.

The plans have been tabled by the agent Turley on behalf of applicant PL North Bridge, based in Bolton.

The area in the Blackfriars and Trinity area of Salford is a slim one-acre plot of land currently used as a surface level car park.

It is near the Grade II-listed former Manchester Parcel Post Office and the AO Arena and Manchester’s Victoria Station complex.

A heritage statement presented by Manchester-based Turley describes the site as being in the ‘historical town of Salford’, which grew out of the medieval period when Henry III granted the right to hold a market.

Turley also says the plan would ‘comply with the aims and objectives of Salford city council’s Greengate Regeneration Strategy and would ‘offer significant improvements to Greengate’s public realm’.

The development would also include a link between Greengate Park and the walkway by the River Irwell.

Turley also argues that the development would deliver ‘a range of economic, social and environmental benefits’.

Outdoor advertising operator 75Media and outdoor media infrastructure owner, Wildstone, have announced a new partnership with Salford City Council.

An innovative new partnership is serving the dual purpose of helping Salford City Council to deliver vital income into the local area whilst also sharing important communications with local residents. 

Wildstone has worked in partnership with Salford City Council to develop four new digital billboard sites, which will be managed and operated by 75Media. The sites will generate a significant annual rental for the council, as well as providing the council with access to the state-of-the-art digital screens at no extra cost.

The new sites are situated in key roadside locations in and out of the City, on redundant council land. They include two digital 48-sheet billboards and Salford's first digital 96-sheet billboards in the following locations:

·        Albion Way (A5063), Salford (D48)

·        Broad Street (A6) Eastbound, Salford (D48)

·        Liverpool Road (A57), Salford (D96)

·        Broad Street (A6), Salford (D96)

A Salford City Council campaign is currently running on these sites, encouraging people to take pride in their local area and not drop litter. Recruiting more foster carers, encouraging people to vote in upcoming elections and highlighting important services, initiatives and support residents can access are just some examples of other campaigns planned for the future.

Effective local advertising

The growth of the out-of-home (OOH) advertising industry as a whole shows no sign of slowing down, as organisations continue to value the power of billboards. There's predicted to be a 4.9% increase in spend on OOH advertising in 2023, compared to a growth in total advertising spend of just 0.5%*.

Katy Conway, marketing and communications director at 75Media, said:

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"We all know council budgets are overstretched and resources are limited so this is a fantastic win-win situation for everyone involved: the council benefits not only from much-needed funds from the ground rent but also from the opportunity to use free-of-charge advertising space to push home important messages to local residents. Out-of-home is a powerful advertising medium which can't be skipped or switched off meaning it's a fantastic marketing tool for local councils, as well as local businesses, to communicate effectively with their immediate target audiences."

Councillor Hannah Robinson-Smith, Salford City Council's executive support member for culture, communications and strategic priorities, said:

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"As an organisation, we understand the importance of good communications. Making local residents aware of key services, support and initiatives that are available and helping them access support they need is vital. Outdoor media plays a crucial role in the marketing mix and we have always used this channel for key campaign activity. These new boards will offer a great addition to our communications activity and what's great about this partnership is that we can get more messages out, reach more residents and we're able to utilise outdoor for campaigns, which historically we might not have had the budget to pay for this channel spend."

Mike Duty, Development Manager at Wildstone, said:

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"Wildstone is delighted to have managed the delivery of these exceptional, state-of-the-art media assets in Salford. These developments further underpin our excellent working relationship with Salford City Council, generating vital revenue for the council and its services in these times of austerity, with council budgets continually being constrained. The partnership will initially deliver a total of four screens on key arterial roads throughout the City of Salford, a move that will generate significant annual rental for the council and also bolster our continued growth with 75Media. We look forward to working more closely with both partners on future projects. Additionally, Wildstone is proud to actively support essential community awareness initiatives such as the ongoing litter picking campaign."

A brand new campaign is launching today to show parents and children if they Miss School, they Miss Out.

The aim is to raise awareness with both primary and secondary schoolchildren and their parents of the impact of missing school on children's education and later lives, such as finding a job they enjoy and having enough income to thrive. It widens their future choices and options for work and life.

It will also highlight how children can miss out spending time with friends, doing fun activities and learning important life skills such as social development and resilience.

There will be a range of different marketing including Snapchat, social media, and outdoor advertising messages about the impact of missing school, the benefits of attending every day, and the range of support available to families in Salford to help pupils and parents deal with any issues related to school attendance.

There will also be 14 new Family Help Practitioners based in Salford secondary schools who will work with children and their families who often miss school.

School attendance is one of the biggest challenges that COVID-19 has posed to schools, children and young people, impacting on their academic outcomes, well-being and safety. There can also be a range of underlying issues such as social anxiety and financial issues and the campaign will signpost children and their parents to where they can get help.

Councillor Jim Cammell, Lead Member for Children's and Young People's Services said:

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"We are grateful to schools for all their hard work and dedication in supporting our children and young people to attend school regularly. We are working in partnership with schools and all our partners to increase school attendance and provide the right support at the right time for all children to attend school every day. 

"We know some absences are unavoidable, but attending school every day is vital both to help children learn, develop, have positive futures and have good mental health. Every day is important and a missed day can cause a child to fall behind in learning and so struggle with their education.

"There are many different challenges for people getting children to school but we are to help where we can. We want to make sure that every young person is able to take full advantage of the wonderful opportunities that education gives."

 

Evidence from a recent Children's Commissioner report shows that attending school at the start of September is really important- children who miss the first few days of term for unauthorised reasons have a predicted overall absence of 45 per cent in the Autumn term.  

To find out more about the campaign and find help visit:https://salford.gov.uk/miss-school-miss-out

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'Look anyone will tell you, I’m a pretty straight sort of guy.' - Tony Blair

A reckless reappraisal of the life of former Ugly Rumours front man and Britain’s first pop Prime Minister Tony Blair.

TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] is heading to The Lowry, Salford from Monday 2nd to Saturday 7th October (which coincides with The Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.). It follows a hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer and a run in London’s West End.

The musical tells the story of how one man went from peace-loving, long-haired hippy and would-be pop star to warmongering multimillionaire in just a couple of decades. Throw in a stellar cast of larger-than-life characters - Cherie Blair, Princess Diana, John Prescott, Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell, Osama bin Laden, George W Bush, Saddam Hussein and Gordon Brown - it’s Yes, Minister meets The Rocky Horror Show and a musical like no other.

Harry Hill and Steve Brown, said: 

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“It’s a show for Tony Lovers and Haters everywhere - and everyone in between - don’t expect a history lesson - in our world Tony's born singing and dancing, Saddam Hussein is played as Groucho Marx and Gordon Brown occasionally turns into the Incredible Hulk - let’s just say all the facts are there... but not necessarily as they occurred!  Tony hasn't yet replied to our invite to see the show, but we do hope he'll pop along to his old stomping ground of Sedgefield to give his verdict when we open there at the Parish Hall. Tony? If you’re reading this we’ve put a couple of tickets in your name on the door.”

The full cast is Jack Whittle as Tony Blair, Howard Samuels as Peter Mandelson, Tori Burgess as Cherie Blair, Phil Sealey as Gordon Brown, Martin Johnston as Neil Kinnock, Rosie Strobel as John Prescott, Sally Cheng as Robin Cook, Emma Jay Thomas as Princess Diana and William Hazell as on-stage cover.   Other characters featured in the musical, who are played by the cast, include Saddam Hussein, Liam Gallagher, Alastair Campbell, Osama Bin Laden and many more.

TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] is directed by Peter Rowe, with set and costume design by Libby Watson, lighting design by Mark Dymock, sound design by Richard Brooker, choreography by Francesca Jaynes and casting by Debbie O’Brien.  The Park Theatre production of TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] is produced in the West End and on tour by Nicholson Green Productions.

Please note: Neither Tony Blair, the Tony Blair Institute, nor any other person featured in this production have endorsed the production or its marketing materials and are in no way affiliated with the production.

Work to tackle loneliness in communities in Greater Manchester has received a boost.

Unlimited Potential, a social enterprise that specialises in social innovation, is developing its work on building stronger networks within communities to connect lonely people into activities and social contact.

The project has been made possible thanks to Greater Manchester Combined Authority providing funding via its Foundational Economy Innovation Fund.

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“This work builds on a successful experiment in Eccles”, said Chris Dabbs, Chief Executive of Unlimited Potential. “We found that local people and local businesses are key to helping people to have purpose in their lives and to make new friends.”

Rather than creating new services or groups, the Spreading Our Net project nurtures and strengthens connections within communities. This enables communities to create their own solutions to loneliness, while reducing unnecessary pressure on public and voluntary services.

Lou Cordwell, Chair of Greater Manchester Business Board, said:

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“By supporting innovation across Greater Manchester’s foundational economy, we can deliver increased productivity in the sectors we rely on for our daily needs.”

“This fund complements the wide range of business support already in place while backing ideas that could increase the resilience of these sectors in the future.”

 

Over £2million of investment will improve town centres and local parks, support innovative small businesses and boost arts and culture in Salford over the next three years.

Salford City Council has secured £2.24m from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) through the Communities & Place element of the fund, after submitting proposals to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), which manages the fund in the city-region.

Spread over three years, the funding will be used to:

Create two new arts, culture, and heritage pots worth £475,000 to support community projects.

Bring Eccles Court House in Eccles Town Hall back into community use.

Improve facilities and programmes for local entrepreneurs who want to scale or build their business at HOST Salford – MediaCityUK's innovation hub.

Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, said:

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"We're committed to supporting a thriving, green and creative Salford and this funding is a significant boost that will help us to achieve these long-term ambitions.

"It will be spent on a rolling basis as activities and projects are approved. We're looking forward to bringing our proposals to life for the benefit of local people and visitors to our vibrant city."

 

The arts, culture and heritage fund will be managed by Salford CVS, which will also take forward the improvements to the Eccles Court House in Eccles Town Hall.  Applications for the community grants fund as part of the arts, culture and heritage went live on Friday 25 August and information about how to apply can be found on the Salford CVS website. The first closing date for applications is 12:00 noon on Monday 9 October 2023.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and place, supporting local business and providing opportunities to boost people and skills.

Councillor David Molyneux, Greater Manchester's lead for Resources and Investment and leader of Wigan Council said:

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"These three programmes are a brilliant example of how UKSPF money can be put into practice. Putting local authorities at the forefront of the funding allows those working at the heart of communities to engage with local people and ensure funds can be spent in a way to deliver maximum benefit.

 "As well as improving town centres, communities and offering help so businesses can thrive, our UKSPF proposals will also prioritise the resilience of the voluntary sector so that the city-region can continue to be the best place to grow up, get on and grow old."

 

The Fund is a central pillar of the UK government's Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.

UKSPF has replaced the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). These funds previously helped support job creation, skills programmes, innovation, and carbon reduction in the city-region.

Any queries about the culture funds should be directed to: Simon Robinson, Grants Manager, Salford CVS, simon.robinson@salfordcvs.co.uk

Any enquiries about the business support available through HOST should be directed to: info@hostsalford.com

Salford City Council's latest report shows how, pound by pound, council spending is changing lives, transforming the city and boosting the local economy.

Five years ago, City Mayor Paul Dennett launched a campaign to make sure every pound spent by the council in buying goods and services generated 'social value' for the city from creating jobs and apprenticeships to supporting local suppliers, enhancing the environment and even boosting volunteering.

Now the council, which was one of the first in the country to publish an annual social impact report, has released its latest figures.

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"One of our biggest achievements this year has been to write social value into every major planning development, the first council in England to do this," said Councillor Jack Youd, lead member for finance and support services.

"On top of the £7.46 million in Section 106 money we secured last year – with more to come when developments become viable – we're now requiring any developer wanting to build 10 or more houses or large business or industrial units to show extra benefits for the local community.

"That could mean taking on apprentices, recruiting local people who have been unemployed for a while and supporting them back into the world of work, working with local schools to showcase careers in construction or their staff going out to volunteer in the city.

"It means prioritising using local suppliers to keep money in Salford's economy. Over half Salford City Council's spend is now with Salford-based organisations and when you're buying £230 million worth of goods and services every year that's a significant boost."

 

Councillor Sharmina August, lead member for inclusive economy, anti-poverty and equalities, said one of the key priorities for the council was encouraging payment of the Real Living Wage.

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"It's 10 years this year since Salford became the first local authority in Greater Manchester to be accredited as a Real Living Wage employer and since then we have campaigned to encourage other organisations and businesses to follow suit and become England's first Living Wage city," she said.

"Over 50 council suppliers are now accredited – which means they commit not just to paying their direct staff the Real Living Wage rate but also to encouraging their suppliers to do the same. Another 63 are working towards accreditation, an incredible 84 per cent increase on 2020/21.

"It's the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living and it's vital for lifting people out of poverty pay and rewarding them fairly."

 

Other successes highlighted in the report include increasing the number of apprentices employed by the council and schools to 350, increasing the volume of household waste sent for recycling, reuse or composting by nearly two percent and cutting carbon by 18 per cent thanks to the council's Climate Change Action Plan.

The report can be read online at https://salford.gov.uk/your-council/social-value-in-salford

We were contacted recently by Elaine McCann who runs the Eccles Community Art Gallery and the Barton Theatre Company amongst other things, a very busy woman with a quite frankly astounding offer to help our VIP (Very Important Pensioners) party in November.

Elaine's father was Jack McCann, a man with an outstanding political career, he was elected a councillor on Eccles Borough Council in 1945 and was leader of the Labour Group, he was also an Alderman in Eccles from 1952 and Mayor 1955–56 and the Labour Member of Parliament for Rochdale from 1958 - 1972. a truly glittering career.

Whilst in Parliament Jack would get autographs for Elaine and her brother, these included Nye Bevan, Harold Wilson, Ludovic Kennedy, Hugh Gaitskill, Clement Atlee, Bessie Braddock,  etc and a few celebrities who visited The Houses of Parliament including the boxer, Floyd Patterson and the athlete, Chris Brasher. in all about 20 autographs.

Elaine has decided that instead of just lying in a drawer at home they should be put to a good use and has offered them to us, with a view to selling them to raise money for our fund.

To be quite honest we have no real idea of the value, the Nye Bevan alone is worth at least £60 according to autograph sale sites, we would much rather keep them all together in the autograph book than sell them individually.

Do we contact a specialist sales room who would take a hefty commission or is anybody interested in both political history and autograph collecting?

We would love to hear from you with your opinions, but it's a nice problem to have.

In these uncertain times they say that 'Every Little Helps' and it most certainly does thanks to a wonderful £750 donation from Tesco Extra in Walkden, towards the Light Up Walkden Crowdfunder campaign, which aims to bring a little festive cheer to area this coming Christmas.

Local community champions Dot Tomkinson and Sarah Allen have been busy trying to raise the money required through a crowd funding campaign, with match funding by Salford City Council.

This means that for every pound raised, the council will donate an additional pound to double the amount.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/light-up-walkden-1

Thanks to the wonderful customers and staff at the local Tesco Extra store, their goal has become a little closer thanks to the money raised from their 'Booktable' which is used to raise money which is donated back into the community to support local groups and good causes.

It is fantastic to see local people getting involved within their communities and it's wonderful to see support from local businesses. 

Tesco Community Champion for their Walkden Store, Lucy Jorgensen, said:

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"Today it has been lovely  to give £750 to Walkden community, this money has come from our community through our Booktable at the front of store. 

"The booktable fund means we can support small donations to groups for things like sport equipment,  free fruit for activity days as well as donations for fundraising for local small football teams. We also can make large donations to Groups that make a big impact to our local community Including the wonderful Walkden community, Dancing with Dementia and St Anne's hospice. It really is a pleasure to support our community."

 

This incredible footage shows off the new bus fleet that will transform the way passengers travel across Greater Manchester.

On September 24, Greater Manchester will see buses brought under local control for the first time in almost 40 years. The Bee Network – Greater Manchester’s plan for an integrated London-style low fare, high volume transport system – will enable bus routes and fares to be set at a local level.

The first improvements are planned in Bolton, Wigan and parts of Bury, Salford and Manchester.

Transport for Greater Manchester hopes this will see buses run earlier and later, better integrating them with first and last train and tram services. This will include the 471 Bolton-Bury-Rochdale service and 362 Standish to Wigan buses and will be reflected in other areas of Greater Manchester as franchised services roll out across the region.

In anticipation of the launch next month, TfGM have launched drone footage of the new bus fleet in all its glory. The new yellow buses feature the Bee Network logo to provide a ‘striking’ new look that will make the new transport system stand out.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said at the launch:

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“It’s now just one month until we start to bring buses back under local control. With cheaper fares, new electric buses, earlier and later running services and improved customer information, people really will be better off with the Bee Network.

“We’ve reached an exciting moment on our journey to improve how people can travel across the city-region. It was great to see our striking fleet of 50 new electric, yellow buses here in Greater Manchester, with the final touches now being applied before they start operating next month.

“The final countdown to the start of the Bee Network is well and truly on.”

 

Additional electric buses, along with a range of new Euro VI buses, will start to be delivered within six months of September 24. The zero-emission electric buses are fully accessible and offer a range of customer improvements including two bays for wheelchair-users, hearing induction loops, audio and visual announcement systems and anti-slip flooring.

Greater Manchester Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt said:

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“The launch of bus franchising in one month is a significant milestone as we build an integrated public transport and active travel network that our residents, businesses and visitors deserve in a rapidly growing and thriving city-region.

“Delivering transport options that are safe, reliable, affordable and inclusive is essential in enabling further sustainable economic growth, new jobs and homes and access to education and leisure.

“We continue to take action to make transport affordable, simpler to use and joined up. A single adult bus fare remains £2 with unlimited journeys available for £5 all day and the cost of a weekly bus pass remains capped at £21.”

 

Bus franchising is being delivered in phases, with buses coming under local control in Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and parts of Manchester, Salford and Tameside from 24 March, followed by the rest of Greater Manchester from 5 January 2025.

The ambitious plans will bring in local rail services by 2030 and will continue expanding walking, wheeling and cycling routes. Meanwhile from the start of the new school year in September 2023, 84 bus services for 31 schools in Bolton, Wigan and parts of Manchester, Salford and Bury will join the Bee Network. There will be no changes to the schools served or the numbers of buses used on these services, and children can continue to use them as normal.

Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk and Attorney General Victoria Prentis have ordered an independent inquiry into the circumstances and handling of Andrew Malkinson’s case after his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal last month.

The inquiry will investigate the handling and the role of Greater Manchester Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Criminal Cases Review Commission in his conviction and subsequent appeals to ensure lessons are learned from the significant miscarriage of justice he has suffered.

It will be led by a senior legal figure and the Criminal Cases Review Commission, Crown Prosecution Service and Greater Manchester Police have all today pledged their full co-operation.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Alex Chalk said:

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Andrew Malkinson suffered an atrocious miscarriage of justice and he deserves thorough and honest answers as to how and why it took so long to uncover.

The core function of our justice system is to convict the guilty and ensure the innocent walk free. Yet a man spent 17 years in prison for a crime he did not commit while a rapist remained on the loose. It is essential that lessons are learned in full.

 

Greater Manchester Police’s Chief Constable Stephen Watson said:

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I am very sorry that Mr Malkinson has suffered so grievously over these past many years. I acknowledge and regret the very difficult and prolonged journey that Mr Malkinson has had to undertake to prove his innocence. This appalling miscarriage of justice merits the most detailed scrutiny.

I therefore welcome the opportunity that this independent inquiry represents to examine all of the relevant facts in forensic detail. GMP’s participation in this process will be fulsome and reflective of integrity, candour and humility.

 

Max Hill KC, Director of Public Prosecutions, said:

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We welcome and will co-operate fully with the inquiry into the role of all parties in the Andrew Malkinson miscarriage of justice. As well as supporting the inquiry, the CPS is fully committed to supporting the fresh investigation and bringing the right offender to justice.

Helen Pitcher OBE, chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, said:

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To understand what went wrong in this appalling miscarriage of justice, every organisation involved in handling the case has to fully embrace this whole-system review quite rightly commissioned by the Lord Chancellor.

We must all contribute fully and engage promptly – and with a commitment to implement any recommendations it draws.

This cross-organisational review will complement the additional review being led by Chris Henley KC specifically into the CCRC’s handling of Andrew Malkinson’s applications. We always learn lessons from investigations to help with our future work, and due to the nature of this case it’s right that such an exercise is carried out by an independent KC alongside this broader review.

 

Attorney General Victoria Prentis said:

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An independent inquiry cannot give Andrew Malkinson 17 years of freedom back. It can provide the accountability he is owed by the criminal justice system and give all of us the reassurance that we learn the lessons from a tragic miscarriage of justice.

After careful consideration, and consultation with other bodies, a non-statutory inquiry was found to be the most appropriate option, building on the approach taken in other individual cases.

It will work alongside the independent Law Commission review into how the wider appeals process – including the CCRC – is operating, to ensure it is working effectively.

A chair will be appointed and a Terms of Reference published in due course. The scope will take account of any other potential future investigations to avoid duplication and ensure that conclusions can be drawn as swiftly as possible. The inquiry will ensure Mr Malkinson’s views and experiences are heard throughout the process and this will be reflected in the Terms of Reference.

Alan Wynn (70) sadly died at his address on Trafford Road, Eccles, on 18/08/23.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Police are urging anyone with information to contact the Police Coroner’s Office at 0161 856 4687.