Mancunian Matters e-edition July 2016

“COME HERE AND WE’LL WET YOU!” Meet the local Armenians waiting for Henrikh @MM_newsonline www.mancunianmatters.co.uk Edition 1, July 2016

REVEALED: Injuries to firefighters up 60%

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Council hits back at HUGE housing list

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ENTS: Fringe fest’s Die Diana reviewed

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Rebel junior docs will not see you now

protect the future of the NHS and ultimately patient care in the long term.”

Doctors argued they were protecting patient safety by protesting against staff shortages and long working hours, but over 9,500 hours were lost to industrial action between January and March.

Unite regional officer, Keith Hutson, said that although these

protests could be over, Brexit could ‘provoke more unrest in the NHS’.

He said: “There are a lot of uncertainties. I’m trying to speculate when there are just not enough facts to really think about what may or may not happen.

“But I do think at the end of the day when it goes wrong, they will look for the money in the places that they don’t have an ideological sympathy for, such as the NHS. “I’m most certainly worried that the NHS now faces a further threat greater than the ones it’s already facing.”

Just hours after Brexit was announced, Vote Leave backtracked on claims that £350 million invested into the EU would be channelled into the NHS. BMA council chair Dr Mark Porter has written to the Prime Minister, calling on the government to give ‘the NHS the funding which it requires’.

The letter from June 30 called for the BMA to be involved in negotiations saying the NHS would be a ‘poorer place’ without colleagues from outside the UK.

revealed that between January 1 and May 25, 30,445 trains arrived and 28,711 trains left Manchester Piccadilly, accumulating a colossal 51,031 late minutes arriving and 46,977 minutes late leaving.

This translates to 35.44 and 32.62 days late leaving and arriving respectively.

A spokesperson for Network Rail told MM: “We are not complacent and regrettably things do go wrong.

“When they do we do everything we can to resolve them and, working with train operators, strive to provide the best possible level of service to passengers.”

EXCLUSIVE

By Ciara Hanstock

A staggering 97% of out-patient care and non-emergency treatment and operations were taken down across hospitals in central Manchester during two junior doctors’ strikes in April.

Figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request to the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust also show that across two strikes on March 9 and 10, 4,464 working hours were lost due to 558 absences.

The strikes between January and April saw a stand-off with the government as junior doctors protested against new contracts which were to be introduced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

A British Medical Association spokesperson said: “We deeply regret any disruption to patients in the aftermath of industrial action.

“Unfortunately, with the government refusing to negotiate, junior doctors were left with no option but to carry out this short-term action to

‘No option’: April doctors strikes

Tasting the rainbow at Manc Color Run

A month of delays t-racked up at Piccadilly within first quarter

By Eddie Bisknell

Trains leaving and arriving at Manchester Piccadilly have amassed over 30 days of late minutes in the first quarter of 2016.

A Freedom of Information request filed with Network Rail

Network Rail is directly responsible for 60% of all delays, with the rest covered by train operators.

The most common causes for delay are engineering works, knock-on delays, external factors such as fatalities and vandalism, as well as a whole host of weather effects like flooding.

Damien Greenhalgh, chair of High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership, said: “Delays to a rail user’s journey are always unfortunate and are to be avoided wherever possible, so this data is disappointing.

“The rail industry as a whole therefore needs to better manage

planned and unplanned disruption, particularly when due to staffing, getting services back to normal as soon as possible and keeping passengers well informed.”

Manchester Piccadilly has an average footfall of 744,666 a week - a huge amount of disrupted travellers and commuters.

2 MANCHESTER

‘Soiled clothes’ Firefighter injuries care home fail increase over 60% July 2016

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put people at risk from burns if they used them for support or to steady themselves in a fall.

Broken light switches and plug sockets put A FAILING Manchester nursing home has people at risk of electrocution and insulation been told to make significant improvewas hanging through broken ceiling tiles. ments or face closure after inspectors Inspectors noted that action had been taken deemed it unsafe and placed it in special to fix the identified plug measures. sockets and switches, but Polefield Nursing Home in not throughout the home.

Blackley was rated Staffing levels were low ‘inadequate’ – the lowest and some patients were rating possible – in April 2016 unattended for long when CQC inspectors found amounts of time, including overflowing waste bins, evisome who were shouting for dence of vermin and residents support. shouting out for help.

The report said: “We Dirty laundry bags full of soiled clothes were left dis- FAILING: Patients were left unattended observed one person who was reported to be doubly incontinent sat in a carded on the floor and bathrooms were filthy. chair in the lounge for the whole time we were The waste water drain in the shower was there, at no point during the day was this full of stagnant water showing the areas hadn’t person moved or their continence pad been cleaned properly. checked.”

Risk assessments had not been completed Mohedeen Assrafally, owner and manager of for testing Legionella which can cause Polefield Nursing Home, said he had made Legionnaires Disease – a potentially fatal form improvements since he took over in April 2016. of pneumonia caused by inhaling “I’m a new manager and owner so I feel a bit contaminated water droplets. helpless because a lot of things are historical,” Medicines were not always administered he said. safely – single-use syringes were being used to “When they come next time it will all be put draw up medicines multiple times. right.”

‘Incredibly hot’ radiators and exposed pipes

By Charlotte Johnstone

Tasting the rainbow at Color Run

THOUSANDS of people ran through rainbows around the Etihad Stadium on Saturday during the 5k Color Run. A sea of multi-coloured tutus and headbands flooded the race track as the Run celebrated its fourth year in the UK. People walked, skipped and danced around the Etihad campus through showers of colourful powder paint – a different shade thrown over them at each kilometre.

White t-shirts were no more as runners were coated with bright pinks, blues and yellows throughout the race branded as the ‘happiest and most colourful 5k fun run’.

The event, presented by Skittles, ended with sets by Capital FM DJs and, of course, more paint throwing.

The Color Run team, partnered with JustGiving, helped and encouraged runners to raise £100 each through sponsors and fundraising for the NSPCC’s ChildLine service which is celebrating its 30th year.

The Run will be making visits to Glasgow on July 17, Birmingham on August 20, London on September 4 and Brighton on September 17, giving the rest of the UK a taste of the rainbow.

The Color Run was inspired by the Holi Festival and was first held in the US. But, now the event is so popular that it regularly takes place in 39 countries across the globe.

By Alexander Beard

FIREFIGHTERS endured 60 injuries last year as the number of incidents across the area reached an enormous 32,000 cases.

The fire service recorded 30 instances of strains, sprains and whiplash, nine burns and even one case of being bitten.

GMFRS County Fire Officer and Chief Executive, Peter O’Reilly, however explained that efforts to improve firefighters’ safety are underway.

He said: “Firefighting is a dangerous profession and we know our staff deal with challenging situations, and because of that we take their welfare very seriously.

“The Service also provided advanced firefighting kits for its firefighters over recent years.”

Manchester itself saw the highest number of injuries with over 30%, a worrying figure compared to the second highest numbers in Salford, Tameside and Wigan each only containing 11%.

The overall numbers of firefighter

injuries has fluctuated enormously with last year’s numbers representing a 63.3% increase from 2014, which had given GMFRS some respite from a spike of 71 cases in 2013.

Firefighters in Greater Manchester

Firefighting is a dangerous profession... we take their welfare seriously Peter O’Reilly– GMFRS

County Fire Officer and Chief Executive

have benefited from the service’s efforts to acquire more advanced equipment in efforts to address the numbers of injuries.

Mr O’Reilly said: “The ultra-high pressure lance allows the firefighters to fight fires from outside a building.”

Firefighters in Greater Manchester are also put through extensive training programmes that provide the opportunity for them to practice their skills, which GMFRS states has reduced house and building fire injuries.

GMFRS has only suffered one fatal-

ity in its ranks in recent years, Stephen Hunt, who died combating a blaze in the Northern Quarter of Manchester in 2013.

An inquest into Mr Hunt’s tragic death highlighted a breakdown in communication occurring inside the burning building and GMFRS has worked to prevent this being repeated.

Mr O’Reilly said: “The outcomes are still being compiled, however, a number of improvements were made immediately after the incident.”

There has only been one case of a Greater Manchester firefighter being forced to retire between 2013-2016 due to the severity of their injuries.

Efforts to address Greater Manchester firefighters’ injuries have been in the face of government cost cutting of almost £15million over the next four years, which are predicted to cost 285 firefighters their jobs by 2020.

Despite this the strategies of the GMFRS have led to it being rated one of the strongest performing services in the country, with a five star rating from the British Quality Foundation, and doing so with one of the lowest costs.

Over 380 schools close while 600 teachers strike over pay

By Ciara Hanstock

MORE than 380 schools were fully or partially closed in Manchester on Tuesday as National Union of Teachers (NUT) members held a strike on their first national day of action since 2014.

Thousands of pupils were affected as teachers across the country didn’t go to work in protest of pay and conditions while 600 Manchester teachers marched from All Saints Park to Piccadilly Gardens.

A Tameside primary school teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said they work from 7:30am until 5:30pm with no break before going home and continuing late into the evening.

They said: “I’m doing it in short for myself because of the working conditions, but it’s also for the

children because my day does have an impact on my teaching.

“Because I’m overly tired my lessons aren’t as exciting as they once were. I just don’t have the time to plan these amazing lessons because there’s so much paperwork.

“Sadly, I can feel myself having less patience than I normally would because I’m so tired.”

The NUT held a ballot when deciding whether to demonstrate and, while this received a 91.7% vote in favour of action, it had just a 24.5% turnout across the country.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that they have chosen to continue with this unnecessary and damaging strike, which less than a quarter of its members voted for, despite our ongoing commitment to formal talks addressing their

‘NO MORE CUTS AND CHOAS’: 600 teachers strike over pay and conditions

concerns.

“Industrial action causes disruption to children’s education, to their parents who have to take time out of work to arrange childcare and also damages the reputation of the profession.”

Manchester teachers were joined

by BMA (British Medical Association) members in their march down Oxford Road before the NUT also rallied in the Piccadilly Hotel.

The Tameside teacher said: “It’s just changed so much – I’ve been teaching now for five years and my job now is just completely different.”

They pointed to the pressure to constantly meet targets because ‘we have to get so many children to a certain level otherwise we won’t get a pay rise’.

They said: “There’s just so much pressure from the people above us that we’ve got to consistently show progression in everything, targets in everything, we’ve got to assess them all the time, there’s tests all the time.”

Government expectations have also increased as ‘what was a Year 6 expectation two years ago is now a Year 4 expectation’.

The teacher argued that this stifled creative lesson plans and meant that ‘children are seen as just a number on a sheet’.

They said: “I want to go back to being able to have creative lessons as well as the children making progress.

To stress the children out with so

‘IT’S JUST RIDICLULOUS’: Teachers march down Oxford Road in protest

many tests at this age – it’s just ridiculous.

“It’d be nice if the top dogs came into school to see what it’s like for themselves rather than just setting all these unrealistic expectations.”

They said: “The annoying thing with this strike is that none of the other unions are striking, so it’s divided the schools a lot.

“For families it’s causing chaos, which obviously is the aim of the strike.

But that’s not why we’re doing it – I just want to make a stand to the government that this isn’t on.”

They said: “I voted to strike so I feel like I have to back my union and I have to strike. I don’t want the government thinking that everyone’s happy with what’s happening in education.

“It just seems a shame that the other unions aren’t getting involved really.

“I don’t know what impact just the NUT striking will have alone.”

MANCHESTER 3

July 2016

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Lib Dems seek to represent the 48%

By Alexander Beard

Heaton’s Somme tribute

By Jos Weale

British military history’s bloodiest battle, which began on July 1 1916.

MUD, rain and dogged Military Historian ProfesBritish spirit were authensor Peter Doyle said: “It’s a tic scene-setters as Heaton Park marked this great honour to be inmonth’s centenary of the volved. The Somme was pivotal in the history of this Battle of the Somme. nation, so to actually be The park’s history as a here, and to remember training ground for WWI’s soldiers was recalled by an those soldiers who both Experience Field over July died and fought is an incredibly important thing, 1-2, complete with replica tents, live history re-enact- and moving.”

Four Manchester Pals ments, and WWI music and battalions were among drama. thousands who trained at Families braved boggy Heaton Park before headconditions to learn about ordinary men who fought in ing to the French trenches

in 1914 and 1915.

A large number of Pals saw their first military action at the Somme, and many were killed in the 141-day carnage which resulted in over one million casualties across all sides.

Manchester is the site of the battle’s national commemoration this month, having hosted events including a military parade, memorial service and concert – also poignantly held at Heaton Park.

Patricia Conaghan, senior nursing lecturer from the University of Manchester

who headed the event’s medical tent in WWI nursing dress, said: “We’ve used a combination of stories from the diaries of nurses who were actually in the Somme.

“There have been a few times when I’ve found myself welling up listening to the stories.

“It’s been lovely to see children’s genuine interest in what happened.

“It’s really important that that generation understands what happened so that we can avoid it in the future.”

Tampon crusade: Aid for city’s women in poverty LONE TOMMY: WW1 was brought to life

By Jos Weale

THE FOUNDERS of Greater Manchester’s ‘period pack’ initiatives will join forces to help the women on the streets and in poverty in the city who cannot afford sanitary products.

Rosy Candlin, 22, is the founder of ‘Every Month’, a campaign calling to help women who sacrifice hygiene during their period and suffer discomfort in order to feed their families, pay bills or buy fuel.

Driven by the Tampon Tax debate, and following a ‘free bleeding’ experiment to see what going without the products was like, she is now determined to turn her initiative into a charity.

She said: “It’s a nightmare. I did some research and 43 per cent of women in Manchester who have

part-time jobs live underneath the national living wage.

“Food banks don’t have as many sanitary items as people need. It just seemed like a really obvious flaw.

“Going without sanitary products is awful. When I tried I lasted less than a day. You can’t do anything, you can’t go anywhere.”

The Theology graduate got to work fundraising in her final year of university in Edinburgh by creating

“

Food banks don’t have as many sanitary items as people need. It just seemed like a really obvious flaw.

- Rosy Candlin Every Month Founder

”

a GoFundMe.com page.

As a keen stand-up comedian, she took the opportunity at gigs to ask her audience for tampon and sanitary towel donations.

Now she has just finished putting together her first city packs for Compassion Food Bank in Moss Side, with plans to send some out to Salford too.

“I put them together on my living room floor,” she said. “It’s simply a brown paper bag, with ten tampons, ten sanitary towels and a hot chocolate sachet inside – I thought the hot chocolate was essential!”

Rosy joins a growing number of women who want to take this much over-looked issue to the next level.

Christina Ward, also 22, set up Manchester’s Monthly Gift initiative a year ago.

She said: “I first got thinking

about it at university after a conversation with a male friend of mine about what homeless women did when they were on their period.

“He thought we could get tampons on the NHS.” The law graduate was shocked by demeaning reports of homeless women without access to hygienic sanitary products using dirty socks and newspapers to cope, and was spurred on by growing homelessness figures in the city.

Christina said: “Every time I’ve come back to Manchester from university the amount of people on the streets just seems to be getting worse and worse.”

She has now built up a network of homeless charities in Manchester, such as Mustard Tree, to which she donates period packs in person whenever she can.

She said: “The charities say the packs go really quickly.”

Rosy and Christina now plan to team up to take their initiatives into the registered charity realm and spread their work far and wide, with the key, they say, being to reach out to young people.

“The more people talk about it, the more it helps,” said Rosy, who has started to go into schools to talk about her campaign.

And following Brexit, Rosy fears Manchester’s homelessness and poverty crisis is only set to get worse.

She said: “Since we’ve had a Tory government, the amount of food banks nationally has increased so much. Austerity is so real. And now that we’ve left Europe, I definitely think it’s going to be an uphill battle.”

FORMER Liberal Democrat MP John Leech is urging Mancunians disillusioned with the vote to leave the EU to join a liberty bird resurgence and join his party.

Mr Leech, who now represents Didsbury West as a councillor, is raising a Liberal Democrat big tent in the hopes of uniting all pro-European Mancunians to mobilise for a general election challenge to Brexit.

Despite an immense surge of 10,000 members on the day of the results the Cllr Leech insists more will be done as the public sees ‘facts and not sound bites.’

He said: “The lies of the leave campaign from Farage, Boris and Gove are now beginning to unravel, there is a dawning realisation that the nation has been sold out by those that claim to love it.

“I stand with those that feel their vote was taken from them as they voted upon, and what we are now seeing, are Leave’s lies.”

The potential for a second referendum to be successfully carried out currently remains dubious, despite one petition, set up by William Oliver Healey reaching over four million signatures, showing evident support.

Fallout from the referendum has shaken the UK political system. Potential opposition under Jeremy Corbyn remains hamstrung, while Conservatives are divided by competition between emerging heirs to David Cameron.

While some MPs have suggested that parliament could choose to overturn the result of the referendum Councillor Leech has clarified the Liberal Democrat’s objectives will not take this approach.

He said: “We need to make it clear we are not trying to overturn democracy, or ignore those that voted leave, but rather offer a clear vision going into the next general election.

“If you are passionately proEuropean and seeking a place to go, or party to join, then here in Manchester, and across the country, that place is the Liberal Democrats.”

BREXIT BLUES: John Leech

4 SALFORD

Turbulent years for Oasis come to end

July 2016

www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

By Eddie Bisknell

AFTER two years in special measures a once struggling Salford academy has turned things round with a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted.

Oasis Academy in MediaCity UK was judged to be ‘inadequate’ in June 2014. The secondary school was then inspected five times over two years to keep track of its efforts to improve, with varying teacher hiring restrictions in place till it can meet higher standards.

On June 8-9 Ofsted inspected Oasis once more, this time deciding that enough improvements had been made to push the academy out of special measures and also towards a ‘good rating’, with only a few areas to improve upon to reach ‘outstanding’.

Principal of Oasis, Fiona O'Sullivan told MM: “We are delighted with the result, we’ve spent two years working hard towards the removal of special measures and we achieved a grade which reflects the huge improvements that the academy has made.

“It’s a testament to the hard work

Salford homecare agency slammed as ‘inadequate’ RECOVERY: After two years in special measures, Oasis Academy in MediaCity rated ‘good’

By Eddie Bisknell

FAILURES to safely monitor medication and poor management by a Salford homecare agency have led to an inadequate rating from the CQC. Comfort Call in Salford received an impromptu inspection on April 11-13 on two key areas they were warned they must improve on in December – being safe and well-led.

But extensive failures to monitor medication, leading to many of its customers either going without it, have forced the CQC to place Comfort Call into special measures.

The report said: “The service had failed to protect people against the risks associated with the safe management of medication.”

At the time of the inspection, 511 living in the Salford area used the service, with 307 using the in-home care services.

The care provider had received a full inspection in December last year, since then the provider had contacted the CQC to inform them of actions they had taken to meet regulation.

However, the impromptu inspection found three Health and Social Care Act breaches, relating to management of medication, staffing and good governance.

Inspectors were told by one customer that they went without eating for 19 hours from 16.15pm till 11.50am the next day, because their medication must be eaten with food and the service failed to turn up to pass on the medication for the ‘teatime’ call.

In another missed call, a patient rang Comfort Call and said: “All they had to say in a very nonchalant and dismissive way was sorry 'we messed up.’”

The report said: “We found that records could still not be relied on to demonstrate that people had been given their medicines.

Four people the CQC inspected in their homes were prescribed Warfarin, which requires special monitoring because it places them at a risk of a stroke or bleeding.

Two of these people were not given the drug at the correct time, while two were given the wrong dosage.

“We saw examples of where staff had been allocated three and two calls at the same time, which meant calls were being scheduled in the knowledge they would be late,” the report said.

Prior to this investigation we received a number of significant concerns as a result of safeguarding referrals made to the local authority and complaints made by people who used the service and their relatives regarding the service they received.

This related to a high volume of missed and late calls, which impacted on the services ability to administer medication safely.

Inspectors found people prescribed medication that must be given at specific times, but there was no information which medicines should be administered at specific times. We saw people were not given these medicines at the correct times.

If the service does not improve its standards then the CQC will move to close the service after a series of further inspections in six month intervals.

Comfort Call declined to comment.

and determination of all of the staff and the wonderful students that we’ve got.”

“We’ve actually skipped two grades, which is an extremely positive outcome.

“It’s a very unusual outcome, particularly for a secondary school to move from special measures to good in one go.”

It’s a testament to the hard work and determination of all of the staff and the wonderful students.

Fiona O’Sullivan - Principal

The report written by lead inspector, David Selby, said: “The principal has created the conditions which have led to the rapid improvement in the school through a combination of clarity, determination and humanity.

“She exemplifies the school’s ethos which is committed to the success of

every pupil.

“The improvement already achieved in the school indicates that the people needed are in place for such improvement to continue.”

The academy has had a large staff overhaul to achieve the improved rating, nearly four out of every five teachers have joined the school since the previous inspection in February and the impact is easy to see.

Selby said in his report: “The gaps between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils, and between those who speak English as an additional language and others are closing.

“The school is very clear that it accepts and fully includes people of all faiths or none. Pupils are provided with many opportunities to broaden their horizons.

“The school’s positive work to help pupils understand what it means to be British was exemplified by well-balanced tutor-time lessons about the EU referendum seen by an inspector.”

Oasis is now aiming for outstanding.

SPRINGFIELD’S FINEST Weinstein speaking at the Salford International Media Festival in 2013 and animated counterpart

PICTURE: Salford University and Simpson Crazy

Honorary DOH-ctorate awarded to former Simpsons producer

By Eddie Bisknell

A FORMER Simpsons and Futurama producer and writer has been awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Salford.

Josh Weinstein is a highly acclaimed producer and writer, most widely known for The Simpsons (19921998) and Futurama (2001-‘02/2010-‘13).

He will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Arts on July 13 as part of this year’s summer graduation ceremonies.

Upon hearing the news, Weinstein said: “The University of Salford is driving forward the next

generation of our creative talent.”

Weinstein has worked alongside the university since 2013, recently announced as the patron of the School of Arts and Media’s annual Salford International Media Festival.

He suggests the university starts its own school of animation, similar to Disney, which would help to make sure that young talent stays in Salford instead of making the transatlantic journey towards LA. The Stanford educated producer and writer has promoted the university extensively overseas.

Council denies issue over social housing waiting list

OLDHAM & ROCHDALE 5

July 2016

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Young pupil leaps to aid of Rochdale Girls’ School

By Eddie Bisknell

BACKERS: Rumana and Malika, 12

NO VACANCIES: Oldham’s social housing waiting list is second only to Manchester’s across the county

four-figure waiting lists, such as Stockport Council’s figure of 7,004.

Despite the alarming statistics, Oldham OLDHAM Council has denied it has a social housing crisis despite having a larger Council’s principal housing strategy officer Zillur Rahman insists that the town’s most waiting list than any other town in vulnerable residents are being prioritised.

Greater Manchester.

He said: “Of the 13,586 households who A Freedom of Information request has revealed that 13,586 households are currently were on the Housing Register in March, only 4,159 were recognised by the Council waiting for available accommodation in the as having some form of housing need. borough.

“The remaining 9,000 plus have no Only Manchester City Council – which is responsible for a population more than twice housing need but are attracted to social the size of Oldham – had a larger waiting list housing for a various reasons but mainly because council and housing association in the county of 14,137 households.

The county’s other smaller boroughs had tenancies offer more protection than private

By Jake Keith & Stephen Topping

rented tenancies and also the rent is a lot cheaper.

“There are 22,000 social housing units in the borough, of which around 1,800 become available for re-letting each year.

“All the homes which become available for re-letting are allocated to people on the council’s housing register, with preference given to those 4,000 households who’re in housing need.”

In 2011 Oldham Council transferred around 12,000 social housing units to First Choice Homes Oldham in a Large Scale Voluntary Transfer.

The authority itself only owns 2,000

homes, while other housing providers operate the remainder of the borough’s social housing units.

According to official government figures, around 1.37million households are on social housing waiting lists across the country, although this is a sharp reduction from a peak of 1.8million in 2012.

Meanwhile, house building this decade is at its lowest point nationally since the Second World War, and the government estimates that only 221,000 more homes will be constructed by 2021.

with police at first, before admitting guilt when being questioned.

Judge Savill told the court that Syed, who has suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar, was under the influence of the former legal high Spice at the time of the incident.

He said: “This is so serious that a custodial sentence can be justified.

“You have some mental disability but your state of mind on the day was down to you. You decided to stop taking the right medication. You decided to take legal highs.”

The court heard that Syed’s personal situation has improved since the incident.

Judge Savill handed Syed the suspended sentence, and ordered that the

90-day drug rehabilitation programme involved help to find employment.

He said: “It seems to me that following the offence you were unwell and taken to hospital.

“You’ve since found yourself in a stable relationship, in permanent accommodation, and responding well to treatment.

“You can consider yourself fortunate because as time goes on you will not be able to fall back on not taking medication. Many others have mental illness and do not commit crimes.

“Be under no illusions. If you commit further offences you will be brought back to me.”

Trippy robber gets suspended sentence

By Stephen Topping

A ROBBER who tripped up over the Metrolink track in Rochdale as he escaped has been given a suspended 18-month prison sentence.

Imtiaz Syed, 27, appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court last Tuesday (June 28) after snatching a handbag.

Syed was also ordered to undergo two years of mental health treatment and a 90-day drug rehabilitation programme.

The court heard that Syed approached Gail Simpson from behind at around 2pm on November 8 last year as she was walked past a taxi rank with her mother.

The two women had returned from a trip to Manchester when Syed took the handbag she was carrying.

Judge Mark Savill said: “There was a brief struggle until she decided to let go of the bag. The bag and its contents were not recovered.

“She was in total shock. I hope you appreciate what I say that what you did was very serious indeed.”

Judge Savill told the court that Syed tripped up on the tram track as he ran away, losing his wallet in the process before getting in a van along with the stolen handbag.

Miss Simpson picked up the wallet before handing it to police, who later arrested Syed.

The defendant refused to cooperate

ROCHDALE Girls’ School is the focus of a crowdfunding campaign to raise £1,000 to train staff, provide extra-curricular activities and purchase improved facilities.

The campaign, which was launched on June 14 by Malika Naz, a 12-year-old pupil at the high school (with help from Mum, Rumana), has raised £680 so far from 21 donations.

Malika had noticed a lot of work and repairs needed to be done around the school which relies on student fees and donations from the community to keep it going.

She said: “If we don’t help our school, who will?

“I would like to bring colour to the playground area by painting the benches in bright colours as it’s dull and empty.

“I would also like to plant fruit trees and flowers so in the summer children can pick fresh fruit to eat and a veg patch to help the school with meals.”

Malika, who has just finished year three, has really enjoyed her first year at the school, especially her favourite subjects, which are English, PE, RE and Art. The project’s GoFundMe page, written by Mum, Rumana, reads: "Rochdale Girls’ School is in need of your generous donations in order to fulfill the potential of our children, inspire them with great teachers and great teaching, instill British and Muslim values and make them the leaders of the future.

“The school tries to keep student fees to a minimum so that as many pupils as possible can afford to attend, instead of boosting student fees to cater for further expenditure.

“The extra funds would be used for facilities such as projectors and smart-boards which aim to give the children the 21st Century Education they deserve.

“With this money the school could also train staff further to provide the best education possible and provide extra-curricular activities and clubs to pupils to make them more rounded and confident.”

Mother, Rumana, told MM: “Her [Malika’s] head teacher, Mrs Akhtar is very proud of her.

“We hope to give all the donations to the school by the third week of July.”

6 TRAFFORD & TAMESIDE

July 2016

www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

Trafford was one of three areas in Greater Manchester to vote remain in last month’s EU referendum

Brexit: Local areas fight back

By Christina Wood

OUT: Tameside Council Leader Kieran Quinn

THE TAMESIDE area has been known as a Eurosceptic place for a while which was proved after voting out in the recent EU referendum.

However, the outcome of the results has left many in shock, including Trafford, which was one of three areas in Greater Manchester that voted to remain.

Many have been left with an unsettling fear of the future with near to no answers to help people prepare for the change that Britain is soon to face.

Trafford Council Leader Sean Anstee told MM: “We acknowledge that’s the decision but now we need to do our best to make sure we go forward.

“We need to provide stability and comfort to our community to make sure we remain successful and diverse.”

Tameside Council Leader Kieran Quinn explained that the borough was losing out by not being heard in Westminster.

He told MM: “Enough is enough, the remain camp weren’t giving us efficient understanding and the only way to get them to listen was to vote out.

“This empowered me to say we deserve more.”

The recent result had a deplorable affect on the economy seeing the pound plummet to lower than it has been since 1985.

“People have been shocked at how the economy has been reduced, voting for Brexit is one thing and what it means is another,” Quinn said.

After the result was announced, ‘What is the EU?’ was highly searched on Google in the UK after several voters were surprised by the outcome of Brexit.

Quinn said: “I believe that lots of people voted with their hearts and not their heads and perhaps people should have done a bit more research.”

Trafford Council leader Sean Anstee expressed his views of the debate in the the run up to the referendum, describing it as ‘low quality’ and that it wasn’t helpful in providing the best information to the public.

Since the shock result, an online petition has formed for a second referendum, signed by over four million people, which Quinn deemed ‘ridiculous’.

Quinn said: “People have voted for Brexit we need to work together to make it happen, democracy has spoken whether you like it or not.

“The one thing that everyone agrees

Designer’s bar-my natural stool

IN: Trafford Council Leader Sean Anstee

By Jake Keith

A DENTON designer has been challenged to create a one-of-a-kind bar stool made from natural materials.

Liam Hopkins, 30, who runs the company Lazerian, was selected by Meantime brewing as part of an innovative project to challenge six craftspeople from throughout the UK to contribute one piece of furniture for a pop-up bar.

Liam, who set up his studio 10 years ago, primarily used brewer’s waste in his design – a by-product of the brewing process containing starches, protein, fibre and leftover sugars which can be made into paper.

He said: “It was great fun and a big challenge to do it in six weeks.

“I used stainless steel and wood-working techniques to create the stool which took a hell of a lot of time to refine the paper.

“The six of us that have done each of the elements will go along to the pop-up bar launch and I think we’re expected to do different things at the bar – I don’t know what yet!”

Liam said Manchester is becoming a great spot for creative industries and has seen his company take off in the last five years and even has his work permanently displayed in places as far flung as Milan and Moscow.

Ciaran Giblin, Brewmaster at Meantime, said: “The idea behind the project is that it

takes us six weeks to make beer and being based in Greenwich, we decided to do something based on a time challenge.

“We selected Liam Hopkins as the first craftsperson because he’s passionate about his product and the sourcing of elements and the process he uses to make things.

“What Liam does at Lazerian is a very similar thought process to what we do as we both try to allow natural elements to come through in the finished product.

“Manchester is an important part of the UK and it’s booming with the craft scene with lots of craft brewers making it an exciting place for the beer industry on the whole.”

The bar will be open for the public at the London Bridge City Summer Festival, ‘London Riviera’, in October.

with is that we must now come together to make sure we take action in post-Brexit.”

Anstee also said: “We shouldn’t spend too much time answering whether people would have done things differently. We live in a democracy, people can vote whether they’re informed or not.”

Enough is enough, the remain camp weren’t giving us efficient understanding.

Kieran Quinn, Tameside Council Leader The biggest affect that it has had on many areas is with local businesses.

With no known answers Quinn explains that we need a ‘crystal ball’ to get the answers.

“If certainty remains unclear then that may well have a negative impact. We need to get some information to our local businesses in Tameside, they are nervous,” he said.

Trafford MP Kate Green told MM: “Trafford is home to many excellent businesses and they rely on exporting and trading overseas. If our local businesses

are badly affected by a downturn in trade, that puts local jobs at risk.”

Hate crime is also a huge issue with a rise of racial incidents in Britain by more than 50% since Brexit, Quinn explained that Tameside has also seen a climb but not to the extent of other areas.

“Tameside is not a racist place; I accept the leave vote and anyone saying that people voted leave because they’re racist don’t understand,” he said.

Green told us:“I’ve been shocked and horrified to hear about a rise in the number of racist incidents.

“In Trafford, I’m proud of the diversity we enjoy in my community and I want to send a message that the vile incidents we’ve been hearing about have no place here.

“We welcome and celebrate diversity and tolerance, and unreservedly condemn all hatred and abuse.”

With many questions remaining unanswered until article 50 takes action, various negotiations are being made to discuss the exit arrangements.

Green said: “My priority now will be to ensure we get the best possible deal that protects jobs, supports local businesses, protects our public services, and puts the future for our young people in Trafford first.”

Council jumps for joy

TAMESIDE is set to get a spring in its step with the area’s first ever trampoline park.

Total Adrenaline has been given the go ahead to open on the former Active Longdendale site this Autumn.

The attraction is part of a £20m investment from Tameside Council and Active Tameside, and will include an obstacle arena, laser quest and soft play centre.

The cash boost will also fund a new 25 metre swimming pool in Hyde, while a Wellness Centre including ten-pin bowling, gym and

swimming pool will open in Denton in 2018.

Councillor Ged Cooney, executive member for healthy and working, said: “We want to support local people and families in keeping as active and healthy as possible and this will bring even more exciting activities and options to help them.

“Total Adrenaline - together with Sky High Adventure Centre, Hyde Leisure Pool, The Wellness Centre and the investment planned for our other active facilities - really will make Tameside stand out for its fantastic leisure attractions.”

BOLTON & BURY 7

July 2016

Ali going for gold in Rio

By Alex Moss

PROUD AS PUNCH: Ali’s Bury ABC coach Mick Jelley

IS THERE anything in a name? One Bury boxing coach will be hoping so as 20-year-old Muhammad Ali travels to Brazil this July for the 2016 Olympic Games.

The young amateur will look to take inspiration from his legendary namesake after qualifying for Team GB at the World Championships in Qatar last year.

Ali finds his name on the largest squad list in Team GB boxing history, along with 11 other boxers in search of Olympic glory.

And veteran Bury Amateur Boxing Club trainer Mick Jelley, who has guided Ali since the age of 15, will be watching intently as the flyweight takes to the ring in Rio. "I met him about five years ago when he joined our club,"

said Jelley.

"He started coming up with his brother and his dad and we've been enjoying each other's company since then."

Since his call-up to the British squad, Ali has moved his preparations south of the Pennines, following the lead of previous gold-medalists Anthony Joshua and Jessica Ennis.

"We don't see him much because he's living in a hotel down in Sheffield at the moment whilst he's with Team GB," Jelley said.

"He's training in Sheffield's Institute of Sport four days a week now, but he comes back up when he has a day off."

With fears over the Zika virus so far having forced numerous athletes to pull out of competition, Jelley added that the Olympic team ensured Ali had taken necessary precau-

tions.

"He's been given the injections that they've all had to have and he felt a bit ill last week," he said.

"He was a bit off-colour but he's back to normal now and he's really looking forward to going out there."

Jelley trained a young Amir Khan before his journey to Athens in 2004, and is quietly confident a similar success story could be about to be written, but stressed the importance of luck in such a large pool of talent.

“It’s all dependent on how you feel on the day. His capabilities are good enough to win him a medal,” he said.

“It’s like any sport: you’ve just got to go in and do your best. Look at the Welsh football team – who’d have thought they’d have gotten to the semi-finals.

wwww.mancunianmatters.co.uk

“When Amir went to the Olympics it was the same. He was in the other side of the draw to [eventual champion] Mario Kindelan and they met in the final.”

Team GB sit third on the overall Olympic boxing medals table with 53, and Ali will be looking to add to that number this summer.

"I'm hoping he can go over there and bring back a medal for himself and he's quite capable of doing that," he said.

"Whether he does get gold or not, he's done brilliantly to get to where he is now.

"Amir won a silver medal, but he wasn't a loser. It's a big honour to even go to the Olympics.

"If you're picked to walk out with that flag for your country, you're an Olympian, and not many people can tell their grandkids that."

ARTISTIC AMBITION: Director of Castlefield Gallery Kwong Lee addresses industry leaders at the Business and the Arts seminar.

Industry leaders meet to discuss Bolton culture plan

By Alex Moss

PLANS have been set in motion at a seminal Business and Arts meeting to make Bolton a cultural hub.

Manchester’s £110m ‘The Factory’ project is scheduled to open in 2019, and heads of Bolton businesses and arts organisations met at the University of Bolton this week to discuss the possibility of working in partnership to enhance the town’s own reputation as a centre for the arts.

The panel included director of Castlefield Gallery and co-chair of Contemporary Visual Art Manches-

ter, Kwong Lee, creative director of Absolute, Simon Allman, general manager of Bolton FM, Keith Harris, and director of Edinburgh Weavers, Ursula Greenwood.

The finest artists in Greater Man-

“

We need to promot e the arts in every business.

- Ursula Greenwood, Director of Edinburgh Weavers

”

chester only recently showcased their work on the international stage at the prestigious Castle Park Forum of Young Art Space in Germany last month.

Graduate artists from the University of Bolton travelled out to meet members of Paderborn’s Academy of Art and display their works as part of a new partnership between the towns.

And industry leaders now hope to capitalise on the success of the show by encouraging more investment into the arts back in the North West.

The University of Bolton is providing an industry-focused BA

(Hons) course in Theatre in partnership with the local Octagon Theatre, which won numerous prizes at the Manchester Theatre Awards earlier this year.

Donna Claypool, Textiles and Surface Design programme leader at the university, who also sat on the panel, says it’s a fantastic opportunity.

“It’s about breaking down those barriers in the university in terms of the way we teach professional and transferable skills,” she said.

"It’s always difficult for students to make that first step when they leave university and what they lack is those kick-starter incubation units."

Ms Greenwood echoed the sentiments of Ms Claypool, and believes there is a window of opportunity for a cultural and artistic push in the North West.

"We need to promote the arts in every business,” she said.

"I think there is a little bit of pigeon-holing, but the arts are of value in every industry.

"Someone from textile design can be part of another industry, like the automobile industry, because every business requires talented creative people.

"We need to promote that beyond the specific industry that the people train in.”

Comedy duo cleared in sexual abuse trial

By Alex Moss

CLEARED: Vernon and Axford

A FORMER comedy duo has been found not guilty in a trial over historic sex abuse.

Norman Vernon, 80, and Geoffrey Axford, 76, who toured pubs across the North West as the Vernon Brothers, were accused of four counts of sexual assault on a young boy in the 1980s.

Both men denied participating in the abuse and along with a third man have now been cleared of all charges, alleged to have occurred between 1982 and 1984, after spending four days at Bolton Crown Court last week.

The third man, 73-year-old Kenneth Platt, admitted sexual activity with a boy, but maintained it was consensual and occurred after he had turned 16.

The complainant, now in his 40s, alleged that he had been subject to a series of sexual assaults during his early teens.

He had been a resident at Westhoughton Children's Home, and said he had been used as a rent-boy by several abusers who he claims are now dead.

David Toal, prosecuting, told the jury how the complainant had said for years he was abused by another man, Malcolm Lord, who has since died.

The complainant detailed in a video interview shown to the court that Lord, worked at a nearby elderly pensioner’s care home, had ‘taken advantage of me not knowing about sexual behaviour’.

His childhood was described as ‘difficult’ and he was known in the local area for wandering the streets begging for money.

Mr Platt admitted meeting the complainant for sex at a flat in Fernstead, but denied any accusations that he subjected him to abuse.

Unable to establish otherwise, the jury found Mr Platt, along with Mr Vernon and Mr Axford - who denied ever having met the complainant - not guilty on all counts.

8 STOCKPORT & WIGAN

July 2016

www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

Government should help more - Stockport councillor A STOCKPORT councillor has criticised central government’s response to floods in borough last month while urging flood victims to take full advantage of financial support from the council.

Since then, Stockport Council have applied to the Greater Manchester Disaster Relief Fund and will provide £200 of additional financial assistance per home with its own local funding after floods from June 8-16.

The council’s money will combine with funds from Forever Manchester totalling £300 for each household affected by flooding along with a 100% Council Tax freeze for up to 4 months and an additional £800,000 to ensure the quick repair of damaged infrastructure.

However, Councillor Sheila Bailey, believes that central

government must do more to help: “We don’t believe that people in Stockport are less deserving than people in other parts of the country that did receive help.”

Still hoping for help, Council leader Alex Ganotis has written a letter to Ministers at Westminster requesting more money to help vicitms and aid the recovery process.

The public have rallied around a JustGiving appeal set up by Forever Manchester, a charity that seeks to fund and support community projects across Greater Manchester, raising over £64,000 of a £70,000 goal to help flood victims.

Since the appeal’s inception, Forever Manchester have raised and supplied over £120,000 in funds to support areas affected by flooding.

The new council executive have also commissioned

an independent review of what action should be taken to reduce the risk a repeat of flooding in the future.

The review will take into account drainage systems controlled by the council and privately, and will also consider the actions of the emergency services, whose response Councillor Bailey praised.

“Affected residents need contact insurance companies so that assessments are made to replace lost items,” she said.

“To make use and claim through the council’s website for the additional funding that is available.”

Residents and businesses whose properties were internally flooded can contact Stockport Council on 0161 217 6111 or via the council website.

Mental health hospital closed after devastating CQC rating

By Alexander Beard

A STOCKPORT mental health hospital’s doors have been closed for refurbishment — but provider Partnerships in Care face a serious need to revamp its core services following a hammering CQC report.

Park Lodge Independent Hospital was labelled inadequate as the 10 bed hospital was found by the CQC staffed by 20 individuals, only three of which had acquired essential training, including the hospital's manager.

Inspectors also found several issues with the hospital staff’s administration of medication and how they interacted with patients when they visited on April 26 this year.

Partnerships in Care stated: “We have temporarily closed the service to allow the environment to be expanded and upgraded.

"The CQC inspection was at the early stages of our ownership and reflects the service at that time.”

Staff at Park Lodge were seen providing patients with the strong

anti-psychotic drug Clozapine and failing to properly monitor its side effects.

NICE lists potential Clozapine side effects such as liver damage and bowel obstructions, both of which can be potentially fatal.

The CQC report stated: "Staff had not developed care plans to monitor side effects for patients prescribed Clozapine, nor did they know whether Relatives told us that some staff were insensitive and abrupt.

CQC inspectors

patients prescribed anti-psychotic medication had monitoring plans."

Inspectors highlighted a concerning incident where a patient was prescribed anti-psychotic medication above the British National Formulary guidance limit on doses.

Staff had no plan in place to monitor

the patient's intake of the drugs, allowing this lapse to go on despite being unaware if the patient's GP was doing so instead.

The hospital was even found to have allowed its emergency medication bag to expire Administrative issues also prevented staff using available equipment Members of staff had food hygiene training, despite being responsible for supporting patients when they prepared meals.

In one of the most concerning elements of the report staff were found threatening patients with cutting privileges to encourage them to return to their rooms or take medication.

The CQC reported: "Relatives told us that some staff were insensitive and abrupt, some staff coerced patients to carry out tasks.

"On one incident form staff had reported telling a patient that their behaviors would not be tolerated."

Inspectors also witnessed a member of staff dismissing requests from patients, turning their backs on them and shaking their head.

INADEQUATE: Park Lodge has closed temporarily

For all the latest news, sport and features from Greater Manchester head to www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

Town hall celebrates £12m in savings

WIGAN town hall chiefs are celebrating saving more than £12m from their annual budget in just one year.

Figures released in their annual financial health check show that Wigan Council has balanced its books and exceeded its savings target by £210,000.

Savings have been boosted by a recent drop in interest rates, allowing £1m to be saved through refinancing loans, while a crackdown on fraud saved more than £300,000.

The authority also received £3.2m in dividends – including £1m as a shareholder in Manchester Airport.

CONCERNED: Peter Smith

Council leader Lord Peter Smith believes the council has protected the borough’s most vulnerable residents by making tough decisions, such as adding a two percent adult social care tax precept this year.

He said: “Back in 2010 when the government cuts were first introduced we were extremely concerned about the impact this would have on our residents, particularly the most vulnerable.

“I’m pleased that we’ve managed to do it by transforming rather than cutting services.

“We’ve focussed our resources on protecting those who need our support the most and those whose futures’ depend on us.”

Lord Smith added that the savings have allowed them to fund initiatives such as the Community Investment Fund, which will provide job opportunities for almost 300 young people.

Wigan Council expects to save another £15.5m in 2016/17 and £24m in 2017/18.

The accounts are expected to be signed off by accountants Grant Thornton in September after being discussed at tonight’s (July 7) audit, governance and improvement review committee.

ENTERTAINMENT 9

July 2016

wwww.mancunianmatters.co.uk

Die Diana wows audience with Oscar-winning cast and script

By Charlotte Johnstone

IN DIE Diana, a play performed for the Greater Manchester Fringe 2016, writer and director Stephen M Hornby has created what he describes as a ‘dark comedy’ full of tragedy – and he delivered on his promise.

We were taken on an emotional journey through a series of monologues. The first one by Princess Dee, the Diana as we knew her – the most lifelike of the three characters.

Played by ALRA North graduate Emily Heyworth, who was awarded best actress for her role in Welcome to Paradise Road at Liverpool’s Page to Stage Festival earlier this year, aristocratic Princess Dee talks you through the events that led to planning her own death in on August 31 1997.

The script in this monologue, witty and cleverly convincing, lays the groundwork for the rest of the show by revealing a bit of background to the real Princess’s life before she died.

Hornby’s writing touches on true events which he twists into his conspiracy theory. For instance, he bends the affair between Princess Diana and son of Egyptian billionaire, Dodi Fayed, into a believable plot twister

which sees him help her plan the car crash (carefully executed on ‘slownews’ August bank holiday – had it not been for her drunk chauffeur).

Then enters the second Diana: Die Ana. And the innocent Princess Dee evolves into a later version of herself.

Dan Wallace, whose TV performances include Channel 4’s Shameless and BBC2’s Worried About The Boy plays the drag version of Princess Diana and is the epitome of terrifying sass. Wallace is also known as alter ego Anna Phylactic and has just returned from touring America.

Die Ana’s fantastically green eyes captivate the audience. She brings wit, intimidation and dry humour to the stage.

This character change moves the story on brilliantly. In Die Ana’s monologue she talks about the ‘reality’ of being dead and the practicalities of finding a job with no references.

Hornby adds a twist of irony here as Die Ana fails as a professional Princess Diana look-a-like because she was deemed ‘not enough to look like herself to actually get the job’.

Hornby told MM that Die Ana ends up thinking, ‘Well what can I do?’ and then drag comes into her mind.

He said: “She becomes a drag ver-

Donut diss the ultimate Reds burger

By Charlotte Johnstone

BELIEVE: Donut burger

IMPRESSIVE CAST: Characters Dee and Die Ana on set

sion of herself. A kind of parody of herself.

But there’s a certain satisfaction for the character in the play in terms of, well, if anyone was going to make a living doing it, it should be her.”

Eventually, Die Ana hands the audience over to a young man called Dee. Dee’s account is harrowing. Played by ALRA Maters graduate Ciaran Wilson, he represents the dark side to the Princess. He flits between a well-spoken little girl and a terrifying, confrontational and broadly-Burnley psychotic man.

The transition was perhaps a little confusing because of his role in the chronology of events – but it becomes clear in the end.

The acting was outstanding. He kept starting on the audience and at one point I suspect like me everyone was looking at the floor, praying he wouldn’t pick a fight with them.

After an exhausting and emotional jour-

ney through the different sides to Princess Diana’s life you can appreciate the clever words made real by the way the characters delivered it.

Enjoyable for both those who know a lot about Diana and those who know little.

Hornby wanted to create an attention-grabbing script – and what better than to work a conspiracy theory into a work of art, timely because of the approaching twentieth anniversary of Princess Diana’s death next year. He wanted to give Diana some ‘intelligence and agency’ as he said she’d always been treated as if she didn’t have any powers.

The research that has gone into this play, from a mixture of reading different biographies, watching TV interviews and programmes, the imagination and creativity that made it seamlessly clever and compelling and expert casting which made it wholly entertaining is a testament to him and his company, Inkbrew Productions.

WHEN my partner told me about this Leeds restaurant I rolled my eyes: another American barbecue outlet.

After months of persuasion I finally agreed to give it a go. He ordered ‘the donut’ burger for me.

When it arrived I tentatively took a bite. Hands down it was delicious. Two meat patties covered in cheese and candied bacon, sandwiched between two glazed donuts - not for the faint-hearted.

It’s not often you find a restaurant that can offer you something you’ve never had before.

So when I found out Reds True BBQ had opened on Albert Square in Manchester I was desperate to go.

Great atmosphere, trendy industrial decor and ridiculously good food. It’s like they’ve created their own religion - well they have really, but don’t just take my word for it.

The Travelling Band march home for tea

The band formed in New York in 2006 out of a collective of musicians from three different Manchester bands and they are now well-established on the Interview scene.

They rose to recognition quickly after the group (back then a six-piece) won the Glastonbury Festival

By Charlotte Johnstone 2008 New Talent Award, which Jo said was ‘the launch pad’ for getting onto the festival scene.

FRESH from their European tour with American Since then they have been praised by the UK Artist Lissie, gurus of Manchester’s alternative folk media, with titles such as ‘Under The Pavement’ rescene, The Travelling Band, are back in town and ceiving ‘Best Album’ title from BBC Radio 6 Music gearing up for a busy festival season ahead. and ‘Single of the Day’ from BBC Radio 2.Playing As soon as Mrs Boon’s Tea Party confirmed the gigs in people’s front rooms is what the band were band’s performance, tickets sold like hotcakes. known for a few years ago.

MM caught up with the gang as they played a rare To finance their album, The Big Defreeze, they acoustic set at The Black Dog Ballroom in Manchester.

“We don’t do much of sitting around on acoustic gui- launched a successful crowdfunding campaign.

In return, they awarded their fans with the coolest tars anymore,” drummer Nick Vaal told MM. prize ever – personal house shows.

“It was lovely to do it again.

Jo Dudderidge, the band’s vocalist and multi-instru“In the early days we always liked to play in any room. We could play a stadium or someone’s front room mentalist, told MM that the live-in-your-living room style gig was something they enjoyed doing a few and it wouldn’t really matter we just served the song.”

The room was soon thick with soulful atmosphere as years back and look forward to doing again in October. the five-piece started playing.

“It was a really effective way of not only ensuring Like many other musicians, their sound has ‘naturally we could make the record that we wanted to but also developed’. connecting with our fans in a really personal and intiOnce described as troubadours when they formed mate way,” he said. ten years ago, Nick now admits they’re ‘heavier and “When you’re together a while you end up becommuch more electric’ because of regular festival bookings ing friends with your fans.” and theatre gigs.

The

BIG

FANS AND VANS:Band members Jo and Nick tell MM what being on the road is like

And that’s something proudly displayed at the heart of the band - their followers.

In 2014 they hit the headlines when their van with £30,000 worth of kit was stolen in Levenshulme.

When it was returned – kit intact – they held a oneoff gig at the Deaf Institute to celebrate with their fans.

They signed with record label Cooking Vinyl in 2011 and released ‘Screaming is Something’, their second studio album, which received glowing re-

views.

Nick and Jo love coming back to their city.

“In Manchester there’s always something going on, it’s always one step ahead,” Jo said.

“I went to New York recently – Manchester’s cooler than New York.”

The Travelling Band will be starting a new tour in October and working on their new album which comes out next year – watch this space.

10 SPORT

July 2016

www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

Derbies a-plenty for Manchester’s Northern SIX

By Matt Ford

NEXT season’s Vanarama National League North is gearing up to be a local affair as no fewer than SIX Greater Manchester sides battle it out in English football’s sixth tier.

Non-league teams Curzon Ashton, FC United of Manchester, Stalybridge Celtic and Stockport Country will be joined for the 2016-17 season by relegated Altrincham and newly-promoted Salford City.

And with Lancashire representatives Chorley and AFC Fylde and Yorkshire rivals Halifax Town and Bradford Park Avenue also in the division, the Manchester clubs won’t be venturing far on their travels either.

Following this week’s fixtures announcement, MM takes a closer look at the region’s teams and lists the big derby dates to look out for this season.

ALTRINCHAM Founded: 1891 Nickname: The Robins Ground: Moss Lane, Altrincham (Capacity: 6,085) Manager: Neil Young Last season: 22nd in the National League (relegated) Opening game: Darlington 1883 (h) MM says: “Altrincham have an historic reputation as FA Cup giant killers and lived up to their name last season, as League One Barnsley became the club’s 17th league scalp. But after a decade of yoyoing between the fifth and sixth tiers of English football the Robins now find themselves in the National League North. Manager Lee Sinnott left the club this summer to be replaced by former Stockport County and Chester City boss Neil Young, who will be looking to lead ‘Alty’ back to the National League where they will feel they belong.”

CURZON ASHTON Founded: 1963 (as Curzon Amateurs) Nickname: The Nash Ground: Tameside Stadium (Capacity: 4,000) Manager: John Flanagan Last season: 11th Opening game: Kidderminster (h)

MM says: “Curzon have played at the modern Tameside Stadium since 2005 when it was officially opened by Sir Alex Ferguson with a game against a Manchester United XI. The statue outside the turnstiles features three Tameside-born World Cup medal winners: Geoff Hurst, Jimmy Armfield and the Italian Simone Perrotta. Last season’s 11th place finish in their first season in the National League North was the highest finish in the club’s 53year history, and this season will be all about consolidation for the Nash.”

FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER Founded: 2005 Nickname: The Rebels Ground: Broadhurst Park, Moston (Capacity: 4,400) Manager: Karl Marginson Last season: 13th Opening game: Chorley (a) MM says: “Famously founded and owned by Manchester United supporters who refused to accept the Glazer family’s takeover of the Old Trafford club in 2005, FC United lived a nomadic existence as they worked their way up the league pyramid. They finally achieved promotion to the 6th tier in 2015 but their inaugural season at Broadhurst Park was marred by bitter infighting. Now Karl Marginson’s side are looking to move on and establish themselves in the National League North under a newly elected board.”

SALFORD CITY Founded: 1940 Nickname: The Ammies Ground: Moor Lane, Kersal (Capacity: 2,000) Managers: Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley Last season: 3rd in Northern Premier League (play-off promotion) Opening game: Gloucester City (h)

MM says: “Until recently, Salford City were an unspectacular eighth tier side going nowhere fast. Their takeover by the Class of ‘92 and Peter Lim in 2014 changed all that, and while their nouveau riche status has rankled some, one can’t argue with the Ammies’ meteoric rise. Last season saw Salford gain their second successive promotion along with a memorable run to the FA Cup second round. They’ll certainly be eyeing a third from the National League North.”

STALYBRIDGE CELTIC Founded: 1909 Nickname: The Celts Ground: Bower Fold, Stalybridge (Capacity: 6,500) Manager: Liam Watson Last season: 12th Opening game: Boston United (a) MM says: “The ‘Bridge have been ever-presents in the National League North since the creation of the division as the Conference North in the 2004-05 season, and have come close to both promotion and relegation since then. Current manager Liam Watson, a veteran of non-league football having won the old Conference North three times with Southport (x2) and AFC Telford United, as well as the Northern Premier League with Burscough, will be hoping to improve on last season’s mid-table finish.”

STOCKPORT COUNTY Founded: 1883 (as Heaton Norris Rovers) Nickname: The Hatters Ground: Edgeley Park, Stockport (Capacity: 10,841) Manager: Jim Gannon Last season: 9th Opening game: Alfreton Town (h)

MM says: “In May 1998, Manchester City were relegated to the third tier of English football after finishing 22nd in the First Division.

Stockport County finished 14 places above them in 8th but the contrast in the fortunes of the two clubs since then could not be starker. The Hatters were relegated from the Football League in 2011, and dropped another division in 2013.

Now, having had a large chunk of debt waived and offloaded 14 players, Jim Gannon’s new-look side will be aiming restore some pride to this once great club.”

F CU M : O p t i m i s m r e t u r n s t o B r o a d h u r s t P a r k

By Matt Ford

FOLLOWING a difficult season on the pitch and a summer of infighting and resignations off it, FC United have elected a new board and the mood at Broadhurst Park is improving.

In their first season at their new Moston home, the fan-owned club initially struggled to adapt to life in the National League North before rallying in the second half of the season to finish 13th.

But it was events off the pitch which made the headlines as disgruntled members attacked a ‘lack of democracy, transparency and accountability’ at the club, culminating in the resignation of General Manager Andy Walsh and seven of the eleven board members and a pitch invasion by anti-board protesters at the final home game.

Now, following a well-attended General Meeting in May and an emergency Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in June, the club has a new board and optimism is once again spreading ahead of the new season.

“It’s been an interesting few weeks,” one FC United founder member and fanzine writer told MM. “The mood has picked up a lot and there is an air of optimism.”

May’s General Meeting in Prestwich was attended by over 400 supporters who addressed the perceived ‘democratic deficit’ at the club by debating and voting on the various mechanisms which govern the club.

“It was a heck of a meeting,” MM was told.

“It went on for about four and a half hours just

spent going through all the resolutions and members’ votes.

“So it was quite a debate. It was quite feisty at times, as you’d expect, but we came out of it stronger and thinking it was worthwhile.”

Fan engagement had been decreasing year on year with supporters happy to turn a blind eye to the activities of the board whilst uniting behind the common goal of moving into Broadhurst Park.

At last November’s annual general meeting, less than 10% of the club’s members cast votes, leading active supporters to distribute a pamphlet encouraging fellow fans to vote and ‘improve democracy at FC United.’

“It was great to see the number of people who were there [at the general meeting] and who were involved in the debate,” said MM’s source.

“It shows you just how many people care about our club. So we came out of it feeling very positive and I think that carried on through to the EGM.” At last month’s EGM an unprecedented 19 members put themselves forward for the board - 11 being eventually elected with over 600 votes cast.

“I expected it to be a decent turnout I was quite surprised that there were as many as 19 candidates, so that was really encouraging.

“I think the thing that has got a lot them elected is their commitment to transparency and honesty and the way that the club is being run.”

“There are certain individuals that have already been talking about issues on the online forum for

months. And there are others who have been really good at highlighting some of the things that we’ve fallen down on over the last year.

“So there’s a mix of different qualities.”

With ticket prices at Old Trafford and, to a lesser extent, the Etihad, having effectively priced an entire generation of Mancunians out of watching live football, FC United have prided themselves on providing affordable football for younger fans, fans which are also represented on the board.

“It’s great to see a number of younger candidates on the board now. Traditionally, the board has had an average age of somewhere in the forties so it’s great to see a few younger people coming through as well, it’s much needed.”

Following the resignation of Andy Walsh, who was instrumental in the foundation of FC United, the club currently have no General Manager, but the new board are in no rush to appoint a successor.

“I think we need to decide initially what we want before we start appointing anyone. There’s a question as to whether we need an Andy Walsh type General Manager figure or not. It’s a tricky one.”

Attention now turns to matters on the pitch. As they discovered last season, FC now find themselves in a much tougher league and fans were happy with a mid-table finish after briefly flirting with the threat of relegation.

“Last season started quite badly but we increased the playing budget during the season and we made a commitment to [manager] Karl Marginson to keep

that budget higher for this season. He’s had that reassurance going into the summer.

“I’d like to think we’d hold onto most of that squad that finished the season in which case we’ve got a fighting chance.

“It’s going to be even tougher this season. The likes of Salford and Darlington who have come up aren’t going to want to hang around in this division.

And then you have big clubs like Halifax and Stockport and Chorley so it won’t be easy at all.

“Plus AFC Fylde who just missed out on promotion last season and have got to be one of the favourites again with the financial backing that they’ve got.”

Season ticket sales are down on last season but confidence in manager Karl Marginson remains high and club are hoping that a fixture list brimming with exciting local derbies against the likes of Stockport County, Salford City and Altrincham will soon boost ticket sales.

“There are some clubs with big away followings.

The likes of Darlington who have come up, we expect them to travel in numbers, and Halifax who have come down. So there are going to be a few big crowds.”

FC United begin their eleventh season away at old rivals Chorley on 6 August before welcoming Telford United and Stockport County to Broadhurst Park the following week as they look to consign last season’s teething problems to history.

SPORT

July 2016

United and City could both benefit from Brexit, says Salford academic

By Matt Ford

A SALFORD academic has blasted politicians on both sides of the EU referendum debate for their failure to address the impact of Brexit on football in the UK, but believes both Manchester United and Manchester City could actually benefit in the long run.

Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sports Enterprise at Salford University, described his disappointment at referendum campaigners who neglected to inform voters about the effect Brexit could have on the country’s national game.

“As a sports fan and as a football fan, I feel really badly let down by the politicians and the campaigners because nobody, absolutely nobody, talked about this,” he told MM in a wide-ranging interview last week.

“If you look at the financial league tables, football is an industry in which Britain leads the world and we do it incredibly well.”

Five of the top ten positions in the latest edition of the Deloitte Football Money League are occupied by Premier League clubs, with Manchester United and Manchester City in third and sixth respectively.

English clubs dominate the rest of the top 30, with 17 of them having played in the Premier League during the 2014/15 season, and Professor Chadwick was keen to point out the economic benefits football brings to cities

like Manchester.

“Football generates a lot of economic activity, it generates jobs, it generates export earnings, and yet nobody talked about it,” he said.

“Of course we’re not saying it’s as important as economic growth, or the immigration issue or the NHS but, having said that, football is an industry in which Britain performs very, very well.

“Yet not even the Minister for Sport set out for us some of the possible scenarios facing sport or what might happen to football in the event of Brexit.”

And with fluctuations in the value of the pound and issues surrounding freedom of movement and European labour laws, the UK’s decision to leave the European Union after 43 years of membership could have far-reaching implications on the national game.

The drop in the value of the pound in the weeks following the historic referendum, sinking to its lowest value in over 30 years, is set to make European players more expensive for British clubs to buy.

“Certainly in the short term, particularly over the summer whilst this drop in the pound is sustained, it does impose additional costs on United, City and other clubs in the area,” said Professor Chadwick.

“I’m not suggesting either United or City are going to get into financial difficulty but it

does increase their cost base and they will have to take that into account in terms of the fees and salaries they’re prepared to pay.”

As football develops into an increasingly global enterprise, the Manchester clubs’ financial interests aren’t just limited to the acquisition of players.

United in particular have long explored emerging overseas markets when it comes to attracting sponsorships and selling shirts, and this strategy has only been accelerated under the current stewardship of the Glazer family and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

And since the takeover of Manchester City by Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment in 2008, the Blues have been determined to catch up and now form part of the international City Football Group.

Now, with Britain free from the legal constraints of the European Union, Professor Chadwick believes the Manchester clubs could actually have an advantage over their European rivals.

“Let’s say that Bayern Munich enter the Chinese market place and appoint a director of China, a European person living and working in Munich,” he explains.

“The terms and conditions of employment for that person are regulated by EU law.

“Now, if Manchester City appoint a director of China who lives and works in Man-

chester, with the UK no longer part of the EU, their terms and conditions of employment would be regulated by English law.

“Obviously, the issue is that we don’t know what English employment law will look like in three or four year’s time.

“But conceivably, United and City would no longer have to comply with some of those regulatory controls that are currently in existence in the EU at the moment.”

Professor Chadwick is convinced that both clubs will be asking themselves how they can turn Brexit to their advantage and will view it as an opportunity for growth.

Ahead of the 2016-17 season, both clubs are stepping up their operations in the Far East and will contest the first ever Manchester derby to be played outside of the UK with a friendly in Beijing’s iconic Bird’s Nest stadium on 25 July.

“I think both are big enough, rich enough and large enough fan bases outside the European Union for the effects of Brexit to be marginal,” he said.

“So we could see them looking to work these new markets even more vigorously in places like China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and India.

“I can only foresee City and United becoming even more powerful and richer, and reinforcing their position even more.”

Mkhitaryan set for wet Manchester welcome

HENRIKH Mkhitaryan is set to become the first Armenian to wear the famous red of Manchester United following his £26 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund, but he’s not the first Armenian to make Manchester his home.

The 27-year-old attacking midfielder, who scored an impressive 23 goals in 51 games for the German club last season, and set up 32 more, will join an established Armenian community which has lived in Manchester for generations.

And Artur Bobikyan, head of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church on Upper Brook Street which forms the centre of the Armenian community, says that Mancunian Armenians are looking forward to welcoming their compatriot to the city.

“We’re really proud of Henrikh and he is such a humble guy,” says Artur, speaking to MM at the Armenian Taverna restaurant on Albert Square.

“He’s a brilliant player and we hope he’s going to score a lot of goals for United.”

The first Armenians to arrive in Manchester were textile merchants in the first half of the 19th century and by 1862 there were around 30 Armenian firms operating in “Cottonopolis.”

Emigration increased towards the end of the century as Armenians faced persection at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, cultimating in the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

The Holy Trinity church opened its doors on Easter Sunday 1870 by which time there were over 2,000 Armenians living in the North West of England.

Manchester’s Armenian community today numbers around 400 people, many of whom gathered on July 3 to celebrate Vardavar, the annual festival during which Armenians drench each other with water.

“We invited Mkhitaryan to our Vardavar celebration at the church,” says Artur, who is also a concert pianist and composer.

“We said to him: ‘Come here and we’ll wet you properly!’

We’re sure he will turn up at church at some point.

“Media interest in Armenia is huge and I’ve already had re-

quests from friends of mine at home asking for reports, so it’s going to be big.

“Everyone in Armenia is talking about him.”

Football is the most popular sport in Armenia and Mkhitaryan is the top scorer in the history of the national team with 19 goals in 59 appearances.

His father, Hamlet Mkhitaryan, played for Armenian side Ararat Yerevan in the 1980s, scoring 46 goals in 170 games in the former Soviet Top League, before dying of a brain tumour in 1996 when Henrikh was just seven.

“Everyone remembers when Ararat won the Soviet championship in 1973,” recalls Artur, who played football on the pitches behind the seminary with the other priests when he was studying to join the clergy.

“Sport was very important and especially football. The Soviet Union contained over a dozen different countries so it was a very big deal back then.”

Football faces competition from another of Armenia’s favourite pastimes – chess.

Armenia has more chess grandmasters per capita than any other country in the world and chess lessons have formed a compulsory part of the school curriculum since 2011.

“The President of Armenia is a great chess player and he supports it, so they encourage chess from a young age,” explains Artur.

“It’s great to exercise the mind. If you walk around the back streets of Yerevan, you will see men playing chess in the shade – and kids playing football, obviously.

“Football is still really big now. Perhaps not compared to the Spanish or Latin countries as we are a very small nation – it’s about quality rather than quantity though!”

Armenia might be a pawn in the world of professional football, but in Henrikh Mkhitaryan, United hope to have found their own grandmaster to keep their rivals in check.

And despite missing this year’s Vardavar festival, he probably won’t have to wait too long to get drenched in Manchester.

wwww.mancunianmatters.co.uk

HEY MKHI: New United man Henrikh Mkhitaryan

11

Sharks draw current Euro champions

By Eddie Bisknell

THE DRAW for the European Champions Cup took place on Friday and Sale Sharks have been drawn in arguably the most difficult pool.

Sharks have been placed in Pool 3, alongside current European and premiership champions Saracens, three-times-finalists and big-spending French goliaths Toulon, and Pro12 side Llanelli Scarlets.

Teams gain a place in the Champions Cup based on their domestic league performances.

Sale finished 6th in the Aviva Premiership to gain the last spot in the higher tier of European rugby.

Director of rugby, Steve Diamond, said: “I think it’s a fantastic draw for us.

“And it means we’ll also be bringing some big sides here to Manchester because in Saracens and Toulon you are talking about the best two sides in Europe.”

The winners of each of the five pools and the three best runnersup proceed to the knockout stages.

Teams play each other twice in the group stages, home and away.

Sale competed in the lower tier of European rugby last season, the Challenge cup, after finishing seventh in the Premiership season prior to it.

They topped their group but were knocked out in the quarterfinals by Montpellier, losing 19-25.

Attack and skills coach, Paul Deacon said: “I'm looking forward to it. To pit your wits against the best teams in Europe, as we are doing with Scarlets, Saracens, and Toulon being drawn in the group, will be a good challenge for us.”

Sale have played against Saracens in the inaugural season of the rebranded Champions Cup back in the 2014-15 season.

The sharks lost both of the matches against their fellow Aviva Premiership opponents, and finished bottom of their group.

This year’s final will be played at Murrayfield, the home of Scottish rugby, for the third time.

SPORT

@MM_newsonline www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

Ke ri -A nne to r oc k and ro ll in t he d ee p at R io

By Chris Ogden

KERI-ANNE Payne is looking forward to being a ‘rock star’ again in Rio this summer after she motivated swimmers at the Great Manchester Swim last Saturday.

The Olympic swimmer was at a rainy Salford Quays to give advice to those taking part in the one mile swim, including members of her Manchester-based family.

Payne is no stranger to the Great Manchester Swim, having participated in it herself in previous years, and sounds like she can’t wait to get back into the water.

“At this moment in time I probably want to be in a wetsuit swimming rather than in my clothes standing outside,” she said.

Payne came agonisingly close to a medal at London 2012 in the women’s 10km open water marathon after landing silver for Team GB in Beijing in 2008.

While she believes that she dealt with the pressure of a home Olympics well, the unpredictable nature of open water swimming proved Payne’s downfall on the day.

“It was just one crucial part of the race where things didn’t quite go so well for me,” Payne said.

“Coming out of that situation in about twelfth position and actually learning to make my way back up to fourth was a really incredible achievement and one I’m really, really proud of.

“Coming fourth in London was incredibly disappointing but for me what was inspiring was that there were so many people there.

“There were 30,000 people watching open water swimming and that’s when I realised ... I wanted to continue inspiring people. It felt like a hard decision but I decided to carry on swimming.”

With the support of her physio and coaching team, Keri-Anne decided to take a year out in 2013-14, a rarity for a 25year-old, before travelling the world and participating in as many races as she could.

Payne is now focusing on her training and estimates that she will have raced around 200,000 metres in the period between London and Rio. She and her husband, fellow Olympic swimmer David Carry, even decided to set up their own sports retreat business, Triscape, which launched in May .

All of this has added balance to Payne’s life and has proved valuable in helping her feel relaxed and confident ahead of Rio. “What I’ve learnt in these four years since London is that perspective’s a really important thing and finding out that life doesn’t just need to be swimming,” she mused.

“It’s setting up businesses and meeting family and it’s really making sure that as

a whole person I am totally sound. What that’s done for me is it’s actually helped me train [and make] the most of all the opportunities that I’ve had.”

Payne’s 10km open water race in Rio will take place by the famous Copacabana beach, and after taking in the Corcovado mountain during the test event Payne insists that she is prepared for every eventuality this time around.

“It’s my ideal location,” Payne said. “It’s in the sea, which I like, and it has the potential to be really wavy. We’re just really unsure and that’s the unpredictability of open water swimming.

“We’re right near where Fort Copacabana is so hopefully [the public will] be lined up all along the beach.

“It’ll be interesting to see the atmosphere and how it feels but ‘carnival’ is what I’m feeling in my head!”

With the British Olympic Association keeping an eye on the Zika virus, all that is occupying Payne’s mind now is coming up against her twenty-four fellow racers on Monday, August 15.

“I’ve raced [some of] these people for the last eight years so I’ve really got to know their tactics and the way they race,” she concluded.

“I’m very prepared going into it. I can’t wait to be up there with the best in the world and see how I fare against them.”

United reject EFL Trophy

By Stephen Topping

MANCHESTER United have reportedly pulled out of a controversial plan to take part in the newly-renamed EFL Trophy.

The 20-times Premier League champions had been invited to include their reserve team in the tournament, along with neighbours Manchester City and 14 other Category One academy sides.

But the Old Trafford side are said to have declined the offer, instead opting to focus on the Academy League and the U21 Premier League International Cup. Many football fans from across the league pyramid reacted angrily to the proposal when it was announced last month.

EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said: "The new format is intended to rejuvenate this competition and also assist the development of the very best young players in English football.

"This will help us deliver more and better home grown players which will deliver benefits to the national team and domestic

league football at all levels.

"I believe this is the right time to pilot these changes to the EFL Trophy, which we will review at the end of the 2016/17 season following discussions with our clubs and having consulted with the other football bodies and supporter organisations."

The tournament, formerly known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, was previously contested between sides from Leagues 1 and 2 of the Football League.

In its new format the EFL Trophy will consist of four regionalised group stages, including teams from the lower two professional tiers and the 16 invited academy sides, before the top two teams in each group qualify for the knockout stage.

Eligibility rules will ensure that invited sides must include at least six players aged under 21 (as of June 30), while Football League sides must include at least five first team regulars.

Manchester City are yet to confirm their participation in the tournament.