MM e-edition - May 2019

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Results from the local elections

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LGBT HATE CRIME RISE nineteen.”

It’s possible that wider media visibility and greater awareness of LGBT issues in recent years has had the unfortunate effect of increasing hate crimes by intolerant members of the public.

According to Sergeant Wiletts, the controversy surrounding the consultation on the Gender Recognition Act in particular had “a knock on effect with the number of hate crimes that have been reported from the trans community.”

He told MM it even caused the community itself to splinter, pitting “one pocket of the LGBT community against another pocket of the LGBT community”. Clearly LGBT people are not a homogenous group - within this extensive umbrella of identities exists diverting views, such as transphobic LGB people.

“Because people in the LGBT community have come a long way over the last 30 years, we are now seeing spikes internally.”

Jessica White, Community Safety Lead at LGBT Foundation, reiterated the idea that the increase in number of reported hate crimes stems from a more visible support network for victims.

“More and more, we are having people come to us who have been experiencing hate for a long period of time – prolonged abuse, often in their communities – who are finally coming forward to report.

“These will often be people who have been experiencing hate for years, see a poster on the tram, on the bus, or on the train and realise that it’s not okay and there is support there for them.”

LGBT Foundation is one of a number of third-party hate crime reporting centres - venues around Manchester where staff are specially trained to support victims of hate crimes in a confidential environment, and help them report incidents to the police.

It is hoped that accessible and understanding environments will benefit victims of abuse and encourage more people to come forward.

a staggering 212,922, constituting 68.9% of all trains and showing a marked increase from the 59.7% that failed to arrive on time between 2017 and 2018.

Figures collected by Network Rail – revealed to MM under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 – show the tangible impact of last year’s Northern Rail strikes and

timetable changes on customers.

Andy McDonald, shadow transport secretary, said: “These figures are an insult to rail passengers who have seen fares soar at more than twice the rate of wages since 2010.

“The economy in the North of England is already undermined by underinvestment in transport - late

EXCLUSIVE MOLLY MILLAR

Recorded hate crimes against LGBT people in Manchester dramatically increased in the past five years.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by MM revealed there were 411 hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation recorded by Greater Manchester Police in 2014.

In 2018 there were 1,063.

Even more shocking is that the number of recorded transphobic hate crimes has almost quadrupled - from 33 in 2014 to 130 in 2018.

MM spoke to Sergeant David Willetts of Greater Manchester Police about these exponential increases. He believes that, because of the police’s work with LGBT charities, as well as their presence in Gay Village and at events such as Sparkle Pride, victims feel more comfortable coming forward now than in the past.

“We knew it was happening, but we were getting very little reported. Now that’s increased and there are a lot more trans hate crimes coming through.”

Those who do report are more likely to take their cases further: “In 2016 we only had one court case that actually went to court, whereas last quarter we had

WELCOME TO THE WORLD ARCHIE ...

The latest addition to the royal family is Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their newborn son on Monday.

“It's only been three days, but we're just so thrilled to have our own little bundle of

joy,” Prince Harry said.

The pair shared the first glimpse of their newborn son on Wednesday afternoon.

The royal baby is the seventh in line to the throne so the royal couple had more freedom over the choice of name for their son.

Train delays at record highs as Labour call for nationalisation WILL JENNINGS

The number of delayed or cancelled trains arriving at Manchester’s busiest stations rose by more than nine per cent last year, the biggest increase in the last half a decade.

Services arriving late at Piccadilly and Victoria stations totalled

and cancelled trains harm the economy and damage people’s personal and family lives.”

The figures heap further pressure on under-fire transport secretary Chris Grayling, whose recent catalogue of errors included offering a botched £13.8 million contract to ferry company Seaborne Freight that led to the

government paying out £33million to Eurotunnel.

More broadly, they reveal the consistently unpunctual nature of Manchester’s trains under the Conservative government, with over 55.5% of all services being delayed since 2014.

“The privatised railway is broken and is unable to provide

reliable services - Labour will take the railway into public ownership to improve services and hold fares down,” McDonald told MM. “We will also address the inequalities in transport investment, including a £10 billion plus commitment to deliver a Crossrail for the North,” he added.

Story continued on page 2.

2 MANCHESTER MAY 2019

Security fears over Huawei 5G rollout

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GEORGINA COUPE

Train delay prompts call

continued from page one...

Manchester Victoria saw the greatest rise in the number of delayed services in 2018-19, with 63.3% of trains being cancelled or arriving late compared to 46.6% the previous year.

Piccadilly station - used by customers travelling on Virgin trains to and from London Euston - experienced delays or cancellations to 71.5% of its services last year, up from 63.8% between 2017 and 2018.

Chris Halpin, media manager at Network Rail, said: “Manchester is a complex area of railway operations - the Castlefield corridor through central Manchester is heavily congested without room to run any more trains.

“That is a real challenge for Network Rail and train operators, and we are asking government to consider various proposed longterm solutions.

“Meanwhile, we continue to work with train company colleagues to minimise disruption and maximise the customer experience for passengers who use this line.

There were 151,529 delayed or cancelled services out of 211,919 arriving at Piccadilly last year, while Victoria experienced issues on 61,393 of its 97,063 trains.

Despite the alarming figures, Halpin remains defiant about the future of trains in the region.

“There are extensive and varied joint industry plans to reduce delays and cancellations,” he said.

The United States has warned Britain of the dangers of allowing China access to mobile networks, amid fears that the Chinese telecommunications giant, Huawei could pass on secret information shared by the US with Britain to the Chinese Government.

During a visit to London’s Lancaster House, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: “The US has an obligation to ensure the places where we operate, places where US information is, places where we have national security risks, that they operate within trusted networks.”

This supports concerns expressed in an information leak from the National Security Council, for which Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson was sacked last week.

The NSC report recorded fears within the UK’s Intelligence community that Huawei’s involvement was potentially damaging to UK security.

The concern is arising after future government plans emerged, allowing the Chinese network access to the

UK’s 5G network.

The 5G networks would offer the next generation download and browsing speeds of up to 20 times faster than the current 4G currently available.

Huawei denies ties to the Chinese government amidst Mr Pompeo’s claims that China “peddles corrupt infrastructure deals in exchange for political influence.”

Compelling evidence suggesting your responsibility for the unauthorised disclosure.

Letter address to Theresa May

The plan has caused concerns not only for the MoD, but also for the United States and members of the ‘Five Eyes’ (FVEY) community.

Fve Eyes is a global alliance binding the countries of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and the US in the form of a

Get Manchester moving: Burnham reveals his plans CREDIT: Gavin Williamson Instagram

ADAM MAIDMENT

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has launched a new campaign that hopes to make people in the city live more active lifestyles by 2021.

The That Counts! initiative will encourage adults and children across all boroughs of Greater Manchester to move move and share tips on being active in everyday life.

Speaking at the GM Moving 2019 conference at the Etihad Stadium, Mayor Andy Burnham said: “Greater Manchester residents are already taking great strides to become more active – and we’re tackling inactivity three times faster than the national average.

“Being active isn’t about sweating buckets or pumping iron, it’s about every day activities and getting moving at a time, and in a way, that works for you. Whether that’s walking to the next

bus stop, taking the stairs, or going out for a lunchtime stroll, just getting up and getting moving is what counts.”

Recent research by Active Lives found that 1.7% more adults in Greater Manchester have gone from ‘inactive’ to ‘fairly active’ or ‘active’ over the past three years, showing an increase of more than 59,000 people.

The research, however, still found that over a quarter of adults (27%) in the area still do less than 30 minutes of exercise a week.

Helen-Louise Smith, marketing communications manager at GM Moving added: “We’ve spoken to people from many walks of life across Greater Manchester, to get a picture of how active we are as a community and importantly, the barriers to us moving more.

multilateral UKUSA agreement, which shares a broad range of human and military intelligence.

Jeremy Hunt, the British Foreign Secretary said that the government is still considering its final position on whether to involve the Chinese network but concluded that it “would never take a decision that would compromise it’s ability to share intelligence with the US or Five Eyes colleagues.”

Mr Williamson was elected as the Secretary of State for Defence in 2017 and has since been replaced by Penny Mordaunt, a serving officer in the Royal Navy Reserve.

He strenuously denied allegations that he was in any way responsible and refused the Prime Minister’s offer to let him resign, saying his dismissal was ‘politically motivated’ and that he is the victim of a witch-hunt.

In a public letter to Mrs May, he said: “I am confident that a thorough and formal inquiry would have vindicated my position.”

The Metropolitan Police have said that the nature of the information did not constitute a criminal offence or a breach of the Official Secrets Act.

“This isn’t about hassling, or shaming, it’s about recognising different ways we can try to get moving more and feeling miles better for it.

“The That Counts! message will show that you can choose to move in your own way – dancing around your kitchen, jumping in muddy puddles with the kids, or running for the bus, it all counts!”

Active Lives data shows that Greater Manchester (GM) is already moving in the right direction, with a 1.7% increase in adults going from ‘inactive’ to ‘fairly active’ or ‘active’ over the past three years; an increase of more than 59,000 people.

While activity levels are improving, there’s still a way to go, as the data shows that over a quarter (27%) of GM adults are ‘inactive’, getting less than 30 minutes of exercise per week.

Student start-up helps feed homeless MOLLY MILLAR An app matching university students with odd jobs is helping to feed Manchester’s homeless.

For every job or task posted on UniDosh in May, a food donation will be made to the Manchester Central Foodbank. The initiative hopes to directly help those in need and raise awareness of the homeless hunger crisis.

“This is not a UniDosh project but a city of Manchester project,” said co-founder Joseph Black.

The app allows people to post paid tasks for broke

university students, such as cleaning, gardening, or office assistance. The #Task4Homeless initiative marks its relaunch in Manchester after a period of rebranding.

Co-founder Oliver Jacobs said: “We saw this as a good opportunity to do some good for the city of Manchester and run a charitable launch, in an effort to gain further awareness for this very much needed cause.”

Manchester has one of the UK’s highest homeless mortality rates, with starvation being a common cause.

MAY 2019

Wanderers set for administration WILL JENNINGS

CREDIT: longwayround

Bolton Wanderers are heading for administration, owner Ken Anderson revealed yesterday.

The news comes after the club appeared in the High Court over an unpaid £1.2 million tax bill, with the case being adjourned until May 22 to allow it time to formally appoint an administrator.

Although former Watford owner Laurence Bassini had given fans hope with a potential takeover bid last

week, Wanderers announced on Thursday it had fallen through.

In a statement, Anderson said: "This has been a massive disappointment to me as I understand the serious implications that administration will bring to the businesses.

“Mr Bassini, regrettably his continued time wasting and empty promises have caused a great deal of heartache and frustration for the staff and supporters alike.

“It leaves the Eddie Davies

Trust and I with little or no choice other than for one of us to place the businesses into administration, as any likelihood of finding any resolution the High Court hearing not possible.”

Bassini had been given 48 hours to prove to the English Football League he had the funds to take over, later claiming he had control of the club before it was soon reported his bid had failed.

Yesterday’s development is the latest in a series of dark months for the club, who sit

23rd in the Championship and will suffer a 12-point deduction at the start of League One if administration materialises.

Wanderers’ players are still owed wages from March and April, and recently refused to play in their fixture against Brentford.

The off-field turmoil has only compounded misery for Wanderers on the pitch, who have not won a Championship game since March and were relegated midway through April.

The emergence of alternative parties and hyper-local politics LUCY MILBURN

NEWS 3

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The primary talking point of the local elections was the surprising insurgence of independent parties.

As both Labour and the Conservatives faced damaging losses across Greater Manchester, Thursday’s results indicated a shift in public opinion towards fringe parties with local interests at the core of their campaigns.

With voters expressing their frustration towards the two ruling groups on the doorstep, alternative parties were always expected to do well. However, the sheer extent of the triumph of these groups across several boroughs was not anticipated.

Cracks started to show in the Labour Party’s traditional northern stronghold as a lot of voters, disillusioned with mainstream party politics, switched their allegiance to fledgling groups.

Hyper-local parties typically

operate in a single ward and campaign for local issues only, without a connection to the national political agenda. Independent councillors are often very well-respected individuals in the community who recognise the day-to-day issues in their area.

Despite serving as an important reminder that people do care about their communities, the rise of the independents also has a national narrative.

According to elections expert Sir John Curtice, ‘Other’ parties won an average of 25 percent of the

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We’ve removed the Labour Party... for the first time in over 100 years - so we’re delighted.

Paul Heslop Councillor for Kearsey

vote across the 69 wards in which they were running and independent candidates are in control of six councils.

In Bolton, Farnworth and Kearsley First (FKF) snatched a further two seats from Labour after gaining three last year. Standing for the first time, Horwich and Blackrod First seized two seats following a successful campaign about the decline of local services.

“I think now the ruling party does get the message,” Councillor Paul Heslop, who won a seat in Kearsey with a margin of 1847 votes, said.

“We’ve removed the Labour Party from the wards of Farnworth and Kearsley for the first time in over 100 years – so we’re delighted,” he said.

CO:RE (Community Revolution Party) candidate Darren John Goulden gained the ward of Irlam in Salford while fellow CO:RE member Dave Pike narrowly missed out on a seat in Cadishead.

In 2017, the party launched in response to backlash against green belt development proposed in the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework plan.

Salford MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy, Rebecca Long-Bailey commented on the lack of faith in Labour and Conservatives across the board.

“From my experience going around my constituency, a lot of people are angry about Brexit.

We’ve had people saying, we’ve just lost faith in all of you,” she said.

Elsewhere, Saddleworth First in Oldham lost out to Labour by a mere 54 votes for the Saddleworth North seat.

In Bury, James Mason gained a seat for Radcliffe First, a brand new party that promised to give the people of Radcliffe “a voice.”

The party are yet to receive official status from the Electoral Commission so Councillor Mason

had to run as an independent candidate.

“We were hoping to scare [other parties] and work on next year so to get straight in is fantastic,” Councillor Mason said on his shock victory in Radcliffe East, an area that reportedly feels “neglected and left behind by Bury Council.”

“I think it sends a really strong message after two months of hard work and we have given them the wake up call that they need to try harder,” he said.

Members of Radcliffe First spoke about the “absolutely wonderful” reaction during their campaign which focused on issues specific to the ward, such as a new secondary school.

As the national story reaches an impasse with Brexit, voters have returned to those who represent their issues more closely and can actually get something done.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Refill scheme takes off MOLLY MILLAR

Manchester Airport is fighting plastic waste with freely available tap water at its bars, cafés, and restaurants.

It’s part of a grassroots scheme called Refill, a national initiative by campaign group City to Sea. The scheme hopes to stop plastic pollution at its source by making refilling a bottle easier than buying a new one.

By downloading the Refill app, users can see a map of nearby places to fill their water bottle. There are now over 16,000 in the UK and more popping up overseas.

Sarah Irving, Refill regional coordinator, said: “The aim of the campaign is to normalise using a reusable bottle, so the support from such highly populated places like airports is a great way to get more people on board.”

Currently, 7.7 billion plastic water bottles are bought across the UK each year.

Refill believes its grassroots approach can reduce this number by millions.

CREDIT: Refill

Pensioners to lose free TV licences ASHLEIGH GRADY

Thousands of local pensioners could lose their free TV licences Stretford and Urmston MP, Kate Green has expressed her worries over plans which could see millions of older people across the country losing their TV licence in 2020.

This comes despite the Conservatives’ 2017 manifesto which promised to protect free TV licences until 2022.

The Labour Party brought the debate to Parliament yesterday, but the Secretary of State for Culture, Jeremy Wright said the decision was part of a ‘fair deal’ with the BBC. The BBC took over the outsourcing of TV licence fees in 2015.

On the plans, Green said: ““This is yet another Tory policy that punishes pensioners.”

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MAY 2019

BIG PARTIES SUFFER MANCHESTER L

JACQUE TALBOT

abour held firm in the local elections in Manchester central - losing just one ward - but had some close calls along the way.

The biggest point of the day was the Liberal Democrats increasing their presence by causing a huge upset. They took West Didsbury off Labour, an area they had been campaigning strongly for. They were close on getting East Didsbury too.

Lib Dem leader Councillor John Leech said: "It is clear that people are sick of this Tory government and their Brexit-enabling Labour partners, and voters have come out in force to issue a clear indication of the Lib Dem stance on Brexit. ““Local people have issued a

WIGAN A

ADAM WAREING

disappointing night for the Labour Party in Wigan saw them lose three seats, but it could have been much worse for the leading party if it wasn’t for tight margins.

They still control the 75-seat council with a large majority of 57, but gains made by the Conservatives and independent candidates has thrown some wards into complete control of other groups.

Labour won 20 out of 25 seats, but three victories by less than 100 votes masked the true decrease in support since the seats were last up for election in 2015.

Labour leader David Molyneux said his party had ‘done okay’ from a local point of view, but he believed

BOLTON L

WILL JENNINGS

ocal parties Farnworth and Kearsley (FKF) and Horwich and Blackrod First (HBF) made considerable gains in the Bolton Council elections on a night where the Labour Party suffered a series of major blows.

FKF’s most notable triumph was in Kearsley, a historic Labour stronghold for over one hundred years and a result that demonstrated the strength of feeling behind the party.

The party also won Farnworth, while the similarly parochial HBF won seats in Horwich and Blackrod and Horwich North East to leave no party in overall control of the council.

Cllr Lisa Weatherby, who displaced Labour’s Jean Gillies in

strong warning to Labour that they are sick of being ignored, they are sick of vicious policies like the Homeless Tax and they are sick of being taken for granted."

Labour now retains 93 out of 96 seats on Manchester council and the Lib Dems hold the other three.

But there's no doubt that the instability stemming from central government has caused some of the more minor parties to flourish.

For instance, UKIP had the second highest number of votes for Harpurhey ward.

Labour council leader Sir Richard Leese stated that though there were close calls his party had a successful day.

“We have put Manchester first and will continue to fight for our city above everything," he said.

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HENRY DISTASIO AND ASLEIGH GRADY

abour managed to slightly extend their majority in Salford despite the rise of smaller and outside parties.

The city’s ruling party were given quite the surprise in Irlam when their returning councillor Peter Taylor was defeated by Darren Goulden of the independent group CO:RE (Community Revolution Party).

The independent group nearly repeated the same feat in Cavishead, as former youth mayor Lewis Nelson for Labour held off David Pike with a majority of just 64.

The election of a fourth Conservative seat in Walkden South was postponed due to the sudden death of Conservative can-

SALFORD didate Andrew Darlington.

The Green Party’s Bryan Blears, who was contesting the Claremont seat, said that the recent media attention to climate change has helped the party’s efforts in the Salford area.

“We have David Attenborough talking about the climate, Greta Thunberg at the protests in London and that’s all going to benefit us because people are starting to wake up to the issues of climate change,” he said.

Overall, Labour were left relatively unchallenged in an election that could only persuade a measly 26.15 per cent to vote.

However, the emergence of a local-level environmental conscience is already making its mark with success from the Green Party.

the national context surrounding the election had impacted results.

He said on the night: “I think the Brexit story and people’s perception of politics in general has certainly taken a knock in the last few months, and that’s come out.

“We’ve got a good story to tell in Wigan. As a council, we’re a good council and the people out there have continued to support us."

The Conservatives held their only seat up for election on the night in Lowton East, while the Independent Network took a seat from Labour in Hindley to complete a disappointing election for the controlling party.

The results mean Labour now have 57 seats (-3), the various Independent groups have 10 (+2) and the Conservatives have eight (+1).

Farnworth, said: “The people of Farnworth have spoken out - they’ve had enough.”

The Liberal Democrats and Conservatives were further beneficiaries of Labour’s marked demise, gaining three and one seats respectively and triggering some raucous scenes amongst the town hall’s partisan crowd.

The dynamic of Bolton’s council became more open on Thursday night, with Labour and the Tories holding six seats each among the contested wards and the Lib Dems, KFK, HBF and UKIP sharing the remaining eight.

The results were symptomatic of the growing division between Labour’s traditional northern support-base and the PLP over Brexit,

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LUCY MILBURN

lthough Labour retain control of Bury Council with 29 of 51 seats, their red stronghold of Radcliffe East was lost to a two-month-old independent group in a dramatic twist.

With the overall turnout of 35.61% slightly down from last year’s 37%, Labour and Conservative lost one seat respectively while both the Liberal Democrats and a new Independent gained a seat each.

While neither major party faced damaging losses, the results indicate a clear shift in public opinion towards independent groups championing local issues.

Despite still awaiting full party status and running as an

BURY

Independent, James Mason gained a seat for Radcliffe First, a new hyper-local party that promises to give the people of Radcliffe “a voice.”

Carol Birchmore, another member of Radcliffe First, had an impressive night with Labour only holding onto Radcliffe West by 80 votes. 18-yearold Beth Mortenson retained the seat for Labour, becoming the youngest councillor elected in Bury.

Conservative leader James Daly said he was “disappointed” with the events as the party lost their seats in Elton and Ramsbottom to Labour, despite gaining Radcliffe North.

“I am pleased we secured the majority in the popular vote, but we are one seat down compared to 2018,” Labour leader Rishi Shori said on the night’s mixed results.

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MAY 2019

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AS REGION VOTES STOCKPORT

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ADAM MAIDMENT

tockport is up in the air as the election results saw a draw of 26 seats for both Labour and the Lib Dems.

It was seen as a spectacularly successful night for the Lib Dems, who had managed to take over control of a few wards from the opposition.

Grace Elizabeth Baynham took a lead of almost 300 votes to claim a Lib Dem win for Stepping Hill from Labour while Lou Ankers was able to take control of a previouslyConservative Hazel Grove.

Another Lib Dem takeover came in Marple North, where Becky Senior demolished the Conservatives by 1,285 votes.

It was a night of minimal drama,

with most action before the vote reveal coming from the makeshift tea bar.

The Council's decision to segregate the media from those representing, however, was an odd choice.Thanks to a previous incident where a reporter photographed a ballet paper, the press weren't allowed to stride around the vote count area where those running preferred to hang out.

The announcement of 2,607 votes for Lib Dem's Alex Ordnal in Reddish South was met with gasps from the crowd, before officials apologised and revealed they had meant to say 267. Labour won that area.

Now, the area needs to figure out the next steps for a new dilemma: just who runs Stockport now.

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LUCY MILBURN

strong night for Labour in Tameside saw their fourdecade reign of the council continue, with only a few surprises and a low turnout across the board.

For the first time in the council’s history, the Green Party scored a landmark victory. With a margin of 140 votes, traditional labour stronghold Ashton Waterloo was taken by Green Party candidate Lee Huntbach.

"I campaigned for local issues which I think has really stuck with residents,” said Cllr Huntbach.

"Everyone knows the Conservatives are not going to get in but I seem to have given people another option other than Labour."

PHILIP K. MARZOUK

abour consolidated their take-over of Trafford Council winning six seats from the Conservatives and controlling the 21 wards for the first time since 2004.

In a night of heavy blows to the Conservatives, they lost a further three seats: two to the Liberal Democrats and one to the Green Party.

Labour won a clear majority and no longer need to rely on a confidence and supply arrangement with the Lib Dems as they did after the 2018 local elections.

Amongst the seats lost to Labour is one in Ashton upon Mersey: a ward that’s not had a single Labour councillor since its creation in 2004.

OLDHAM O

MOLLY MILLAR

ldham is a Labour stronghold, and not much was expected to change on that front. But with 102 candidates across 20 wards there were certainly an interesting mix of opposition parties in the running.

Greens had candidates in 13 seats, while UKIP were in the running for 14 - a shift from last year where they didn’t contest a single seat. Meanwhile in the three Saddleworth wards candidates appeared for grassroots party Saddleworth First.

Victories came thick and fast for Labour, but some surprising losses peppered the evening. In Failsworth East, incumbent Paul Jacques was

defeated by independent Brian Hobin, while they lost Saddleworth West and Lees to the Lib Dems.

The loudest cheers of the night went to Ruji Surjan, who won the Coldhurst seat for Labour over the independent ex-Labour incumbent.

She’ll be the first female Bangladeshi councillor in Oldham and perhaps she’ll pave the way for more to follow.

The final results stood at 15 seats for Labour, 3 Lib Dem, 1 Independent, and 1 Conservative.

Nothing too groundbreaking - but below the surface, it seems like change is stirring.

“This next time next year, we’ll be here,” said undeterred UKIP candidate Anthony Prince for Royton South.

GEORGINA COUPE

nger over the Brexit mess and a feeling of political apathy was the resounding message coming from candidates at Rochdale’s elections.

Turnouts were as low as 20% in some of the wards but even so, Labour won all of their 46 back and even took one seat from the Conservatives in Littleborough Lakeside with 879 votes to Labour’s 697.

UKIP enjoyed an evening of high voting figures although not enough to gain any seats. They came in second in eight wards, one of those being Hopwood Hall.

Lee Seville had been campaigning for the party in West Heywood: “Ditch the red and blue

Labour managed to gain Hyde Werneth from the Conservatives after several recounts and an excruciating margin of five votes.

The seat was previously held by Conservative leader John Bell who was elected to the council in 1975.

Although Tameside voted to leave the EU in 2016, UKIP were not victorious in any of the five wards with their candidates.

Elsewhere in Denton South, Farmin Lord Dave in his bright orange hat gained a modest 181 votes for the Monster Raving Looney Party.

Labour council leader Brenda Warrington said: “Tameside has not taken the battering that many other areas of the country seem to have taken as a direct result of national politics.”

Labour Leader and Priory Cllr Andrew Western said: “We had six target seats and fortunately we’ve been able to win all six. It’s a spectacular set of results for us.

“This is an endorsement of the work that we’ve done locally and of Labour’s alternative nationally as an anti-austerity party.”

The Lib Dems and the Greens also made important gains in what was an entrenched Conservative council of 15 years until last year’s local elections.

The Greens completed a take-over of Altrincham ward which is now comprised of three Green councillors.

Fascinatingly, in 58% Remain voting Trafford, Brexit was only offered up as a tangential reason for the gains by left-wing councillors or

tribal politics and if you want your message heard, vote purple," he said.

Pot-holes and green belt environmental issues were some of the major concerns for those knocking on doors .

One of the highest votes of the evening with 2,142 was Mohammed Zaman, of Milkstone and Deeplish.

"The result is good news for Labour council and I feel honoured, and privileged to have this opportunity to serve the local community,” he said Overall, Labour came away with 47 seats, Conservatives with 9 and Liberal Democrats with 4.

Considering the fears that the wider national concerns would result in a surge of votes to the far right, the main parties didn’t do badly.

6 NEWS

MAY 2019

www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

Voting device for visually impaired deemed ‘unlawful’ in landmark High Court case ASHLEIGH GRADY

A High Court judge has ruled that a device used to help visually impaired people vote is unlawful.

The tactile voting device (TVD) is a template that fits over the ballot paper and allows a user to mark in a particular place individually.

However, last Friday Mr Justice Swift ruled that the device was “essentially worthless” given the fact that visually impaired voters still need another person to read out the names and order of the candidates on the ballot paper.

“The present TVD does not enable blind voters to vote ‘without any need for assistance’ because it does not assist the blind voter when it comes to marking her vote against the candidate of her choice.

“Enabling a blind voter to mark ballot papers without being able to know which candidate she is voting for is a parody of the electoral process,” he said.

The ruling came after Rachael Andrews, 46, brought a legal action

Tech industry attempts to curb entrepreneur’s mental health concerns with festival

against the TVD following her experience using it to vote. Andrews is blind in one eye and has partial sight in the other.

“The right to vote independently and in secret is fundamental to any democratic society and it is extremely frustrating that I have had to bring this legal challenge in order to force the government to make suitable

“

Enabling a blind voter to mark ballot papers without being able to know which candidate she is voting for is a parody of the electoral process.

Mr Justice Swift

”

arrangements for blind voters,” she said.

Andrews was “extremely pleased” with the ruling, which according to her lawyers will affect around 350,000 in the United Kingdom who are registered as blind or partially sighted.

According to the Electoral Commission, visually impaired voters in the UK are currently already entitled to a number of support options when voting at the polling stations.

Aside from the TVD, voters can request a larger print sample of the ballot paper.

They can also ask for help from the member of staff who is in charged of the polling station to help them to mark their vote or bring someone with them who is over 18 to help.

Additionally, assistance to gain access to the polling station itself can be given.

None of these options, however, allow the individual to cast their vote independently and without the need for assistance, leading the judge to come to his conclusion.

Mr Justice Swift urged the government to act to ensure that everyone could exercise his or her right to vote.

LGBT Foundation and Jo Cox Foundation to deliver ‘important and powerful’ get together event

PHILIP K MARZOUK

Mental health issues affect 58% of of entrepreneurs leading Tech Manchester and UKFast to address these alarming rates through a free festival.

A survey conducted by the Great British Entrepreneur Awards puts mental health issues amongst business people at 4 times the national average.

The Mental Health Foundation currently states that 14.7% of all workers experience mental health issues alongside figures that suggest businesses could save up to £8 billion nationwide with better workplace mental health support.

In response to this, the not-for-profit organisation Tech Manchester will host their Wellness Festival on Monday 13 May at the UKFast Campus in Hulme, marking the start of Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 and attempting to resolve the issue.

The day of free workshops will focus on physical and personal wellness by teaching attendees yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, as well as practical approaches to self-care such as creative writing and understanding nutrition.

The festival also aims to help businesses ensure they are armed to adequately look after the wellbeing of their employees through business toolkits and technological solutions.

Tech Manchester’s director Patricia Keating stated: “Businesses are crying out for affordable help and guidance on how to create a culture supporting mental health. There are many well-documented local accounts from business people who have shared their wellbeing struggles."

By giving workers and business owners an opportunity to develop their mental health awareness and technical knowledge, it is hoped these struggles will become a thing of the past.

ADAM MAIDMENT

The LGBT Foundation and Jo Cox Foundation will pair up for a Manchester event bringing people from different backgrounds together.

The Great Get Together, taking place in Sackville Gardens on Sunday 23 June, will be comprised of a series of picnics, events, and meetups reminding local communities how much they have in common with one another.

Set up in memory of late MP Jo Cox, the event follows her belief that “we all have more in common than that which divides us.”

Running from 12pm to 5pm, the event will include free food and stalls from local LGBT groups and businesses. It will also include a village walking tour, in collaboration with UK Active and Get Manchester Moving.

The theme for this year’s event, which has run since 2017, is ‘Let’s Get Back Together’. It hopes to reconnect people

from across the country with old friends, families, communities, and groups.

Paul Martin, chief executive of LGBT Foundation, said: “The Great Get Together’s message of tolerance, community, and inclusion is one that we very much support.

“We open our arms to people from LGBT communities and their allies to join us for this very special event, welcoming everyone onto our rainbow picnic blanket.”

Catherine Anderson, CEO of the Jo Cox Foundation, added: “We are absolutely thrilled to have LGBT Foundation as a Membership Partner.

“Their support is vital in helping us stage The Great Get Together which, at a time of such polarisation across the country, is such an important and powerful reminder of all that we value and share.

“We all need The Great Get Together now more than ever before and, with LGBT Foundation’s support, I am confident that this year’s will be our most successful yet.”

7 FEATURES MAY 2019

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Meet Manchester’s mental health heroes Tackling stigmas is the name of the game...

M

CHARLOTTE HADFIELD & GEORGINA COUPE anchester is turning to the power of talking to help those suffering with their mental health and stop the stigma often associated with it.

This focus on talking comes ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week next week and includes the ‘Shining a Light on Suicide Campaign’, recently launched by the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, backed by Mayor Andy Burnham.

Over 200 people take their own lives each year across Greater Manchester. To highlight this and encourage people to speak openly and honestly about suicide, the campaign is launching across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester in the coming months.

The campaign includes a short film, website and toolkit to help those with suicidal thoughts anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide.

So how effective is talking about mental health?

In a recent report by the charity Rethink Mental Illness, 48% of those asked what would help to aid their recovery, said that having access to free community initiatives would benefit them the most.

To find out what help is already out there across Manchester - often in unlikely places, we spoke to the everyday heroes helping those in need by talking and offering a listening ear.

Meet Paula...

Barbers across Manchester are helping to cut out stigma surrounding mental health and save lives, by offering a space and a listening ear to those in need.

Paula Henry, 47, owns three Barber shops called ‘Chaps’ in Bury, where she trains her staff to be mental health ambassadors for the 1500 men that walk through

her salon doors each week, as part of the Lion’s Barber Collective.

Based on the unique bond barbers often build with their clients, the Lion’s Barber Collective is an international initiative which began in 2015 to help raise awareness for the prevention of suicide in men - the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK. Mrs Henry, who signed her barber shops up to the collective 18 months ago, said: “Getting men to talk is a massive thing. They are often not comfortable relaying their feelings as they see it as unmanly, so we have to get men to realise it’s okay to talk.

“We see so many different walks of life

B

that it was important to share her experiences and outlook with others who were struggling to cope with a negative mindset.and set up her advice website: www.anonymousadvicebybeth.com Beth says that many people just want: “Someone to vent to or speak to or just

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200 people take their own lives each year across Greater Manchester Shining a light on Suicide Campaign

someone that you can just have a bit of communication with.

“They may not always take my advice but by giving them a chance to speak about their problems means a weight is lifted.”

She believes men in particular, don’t

think they have the voice to speak up and worry that if they do, they may become a burden to their friends.

Describing many as being trapped in a cycle of drugs and alcohol that perpetuates the problem because of their depressantproperties, her message is that: “Its ok to speak up and have that conversation.”

She says that mostly people want: ‘Somebody to speak to, or cry to and that’s what I’m there for, to provide a little boost.”

pick up where we left off last time.”

While the advice Paula and her staff offer is often ongoing, they also point people in the direction of other help and local services if they believe the help is outside of their parameters.

And the response they’ve received from clients so far has been extremely positive, with some now popping in for a brew and a chat rather than a hair cut.

Paula added: “It’s not just the young ones, it can be old men who’ve lost their wives and they might not see anyone on a week to week basis. They come in for a 15 minute hair cut and they’re there for three hours.

“I’ve got two boys myself and just think it’s such a worrying thing that so many men are taking their own lives and if there’s anything we can do to get in there and help them it’s got to be done.”

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What’s said in your barbers chair stays in your barbers chair

Paula Henry

Alongside her advice website, the former Marks and Spencer shop worker reaches out to people through her Instagram and Twitter feeds.

She regularly posts motivational and inspirational content, based on her spiritualist outlook on life and that one girl told her: “If I hadn’t found you I would have committed suicide already.”

Beth said: “There’s no greater feeling than knowing you’ve affected someone’s day in a positive way.”

Beth believes that just being there for someone to listen to is an invaluable resource for those struggling with mental health problems.

She says we are surrounded by people

Help can often be found in unlikely places eth Spiby is probably not the sort of person you would automatically think to turn to if you have been struggling with mental health issues.

Describing herself as a solo porn star she runs an adult site which has over 1,000 subscribers who pay to watch her perform in sexually explicit videos and access naked photographs of herself.

In the past, 23-year-old Beth suffered from crippling anxiety which she believes was triggered when she ‘forget to live in the moment’ and because of this that she fell into a spiral of depression.

She describes that time as like having a ‘battle with your own brain’ and decided

each day and being on a one to one basis and getting to know your customer is definitely why it works so well.

“And what’s said in your barbers chair stays in your barbers chair.”

In order to encourage customers who often come in for a cut, closed off and reluctant to talk, Paula tells them of her own ‘trials and tribulations’ so they feel more at ease to relay their own worries.

She adds: “It’s a case of learning when to talk and when to listen.

“A lot of the time just being able to talk to someone outside of their circle is enough to relieve the weight of a problem.

“I can literally see them coming out of themselves and going from a bad place at one appointment to their faces lighting up when they come through the door and we

“

There’s no greater feeling than knowing you’ve affected someone’s day in a positive way Beth Spiby

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from all walks of life who help others without them even realising.

Whether that’s your parents or friends, the person working in the local shop or your hairdresser, just listening to someone talk about their problems can sometimes be enough.

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EVENTS DIARY Curry & Chaat is a new initiative by Mental Health Foundation, encouraging people to get together with friends to enjoy a curry and raise money for mental health.

To hold your own ‘Curry & Chaat’ fundraising event go to: www.mentalhealth.org.uk The Big Brew Campaign began on Blue Monday in 2015 – known as the most depressing day of the year, by the NHS Trust Mersey Care to break the stigma of suicide.

The premise of the Big Brew Campaign is also a simple one: invite someone you think may be struggling round for a cup of tea and a catch up.

If you want to hold a big brew event, download a pack at: www.merseycare.nhs.uk/getting-involved/big-brew/ If you feel like life isn’t worth living or you want to harm yourself get help immediately.

Call Samaritans on 116 123 for 24hour confidential support.

Spark joy: 5 years of Kondo cleaning

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ASHLEIGH GRADY

Celebrating The Human Rights Act

The magic of Marie Kondo

CREDIT: Nicole Hertel Photography

Does it spark joy?

It’s a question – or perhaps rather a catchphrase – that has become instantly recognisable over the past few months.

Marie Kondo’s Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo launched in the United Kingdom earlier this year, catapulting the Japanese organisation guru and her KonMari method into the limelight.

However, it was Kondo’s first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever, that kick-started her movement.

Last month marked five years since the English translation of Kondo’s best-selling book was published.

The New York Times bestseller was published in more than 30 countries and saw Kondo listed as one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine a year after its release. So, it’s safe to say the book is a pretty big deal.

Manchester based Jane Fern, 60,

became a Certified KonMari consultant after reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up in 2017.

“I was very interested in home organising and I was following Marie Kondo so I decided to go to New York to train [to become a consultant].

“The training was amazing. When I did it, it consisted of three days of seminars which were absolutely amazing. Once you’ve done the actual seminars, then you start to work with practice clients. We do about 50 hours of actual practice sessions and we submit reports and then we take an exam to actually graduate,” she said.

After completing her studies, Fern became one of just 19 KonMari consultants in the UK and she started her business Spark Joy Manchester in March last year.

Her company offers in-home tidying sessions lasting either three or five hours, where Fern goes through each item with her client, sorting the belongings into the five categories that the KonMari method prescribes.

Since the Netflix show, Fern has

noticed a spike in business.

“There has definitely been a lot more interest since the show started which has been good. I think what the show demonstrated was such a variety of families and circumstances and it was brilliant how they did that.

Some of the programmes you get out there are shaming people and it’s not like that at all,” Fern said.

It was Kondo’s book, however, which Fern credits for igniting in her passion for tidying professionally.

“I have always been interested in organising but just my own stuff.

Before I read the book I thought well my house is already fairly organised but then I followed the method and saw the complete difference it made.

So, what’s next for the KonMari method?

Training to become KonMari consultants is now available in the UK and, according to Fern, there are over 100 people on the waiting list.

“There’s incredible interest in it. It’s been a really interesting and joyful journey and the future is definitely looking bright.”

LUCY MILBURN

Prime Minister Theresa May is set to consider scrapping the Human Rights Act (the HRA), the unsung hero of the UK justice system, once Brexit concludes.

To mark the 20th year of the 1998 Act, people gathered at St Margaret’s Church in Whalley Range to celebrate its impact and success in holding the powerful to account.

Hosted by Whalley Range for Peace and Justice, a local group formed in 2002 to oppose the Iraq war, the event promised “a forward-thinking evening to get involved in protecting our rights.”

The last in Amnesty International’s nationwide series focusing on the HRA, The panel comprised of Tim Gee (Amnesty International), Dr Kevin Gillan (University of Manchester) and Norma Turner (Greater Manchester Law Centre).

Despite the evening predominantly celebrating the Act’s victories, Gee, Campaign Manager for Human Rights, warned that it is a “paradoxical and bittersweet celebration.” In light of the recent arrests of Extinction Rebellion protestors, he noted “a worrying trend of conflating peaceful protest with terrorism.”

“It is tempting to tell the British story of human rights but that is dangerous because there isn’t a history of human rights abuse in Britain,” said Mr Gee about the importance of viewing our rights on a global level.

In 2015, David Cameron’s government proposed a British Bill of Rights: a new piece of primary legislation to replace the Human Rights Act. May is set to revisit human rights protections in the UK post-Brexit as they are based upon the rights enshrined by the European Convention.

“This will be a watering down of our human rights – it is better to add more

precautions than take them away,” Mr Gee said.

Dr Gillan, a senior lecturer in sociology, shared his own personal experience with the Human Rights Act and the European Court of Human Rights.

“My story starts getting lost at a protest in 2003 and it ends in Strasbourg in 2010 with a successful human rights judgement,” he said.

At a protest in London, Dr Gillan was searched by the police using the Terrorism Act and he decided to exercise his ‘right to peaceful assembly.’ After losing the case in every British court during a 7 year process, the ECHR ruled in his favour with a “clear and defiant victory for peaceful activism.”

Norma Turner is a founding member of Greater

Manchester Law Centre which launched in 2015 following cuts to legal aid. With homelessness on the rise nationally, there is still no human right to shelter.

“Justice and law do not necessarily equate as the law is written by the ruling class to repress the rest of society,” Mz Turner argued.

“We want authorities to look more humanely at what is happening.”

Anthony Brow n also spoke about his plans for Windrush National Day of Action on 22nd June. The paralegal founded the local organisation the Windrush Cascade to assist Manchester’s Caribbean diaspora who are still being affected by the Windrush scandal.

“The fight for human rights has been going on for

African and Caribbean people for 1000 years,” he said.

In 1983, Brown was the subject of a deportation order but he received indefinite leave to remain in the UK following a campaign supported by Winston Churchill MP. With their public event, Brown and his organisation are “calling for a Windrush Act that places a duty on public centre bodies to tackle and reduce disparities in health, education, employment and beyond.”

“We feel that this will repair some of the damage to community cohesion,” Brown said.

The evening inspired conversation and communication between different activist groups who were united by the shared goal of protecting our rights.

Can our reporter outrun Manchester’s buses?

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HENRY DISTASIO

BUS-TED:Manchester’s buses have room for improvement.

It’s no secret that the bus service in Manchester isn’t exactly the most popular form of public transport in the city.

Since the privatisation of buses 33 years ago, buses in Manchester has been repeatedly criticised by both the public and the media.

There is a consensus that buses in Manchester are unreliable and inconsistent, with a survey commissioned by Better Buses for Greater Manchester last year showing that 76% of residents polled demanded the re-regulation of the bus service.

Single journeys on some services can cost up to £4 and whilst the tram is a useful alternative, there are certain areas that are just not covered by the metro.

With all this in mind, I decided to tackle this issue in the most serious way I knew how… a race. But not just any race.

Me, a mere mortal, shall be undertaking a running race against the

great behemoth that is the Manchester bus service.

The rules: I raced against two buses, one from each of Manchester’s main providers, along similar routes and distances to determine whether the £2.50 bus fare is really worth the payment.

In terms of location, both my runs began outside Salford Cathedral and ended either outside or near University of Manchester – both locations that suffer from the lack of a tram station.

Up first and representing the First Bus organisation in all purple, the i nfamous Vantage 2, more commonly known as the V2.

It was originally supposed to be the V1 but quite ironically the expected bus failed to even turn up – which in its own way proves the point I’m trying to make here.

The race began frustratingly as I was halted not by one but two sets of cross walks, allowing the V2 to sneak into an early lead.

As the bus came to halt by the Sainsbury’s past Deansgate, I overtook it but as I approached St.

Peter’s Square and turned back to spot my foe, disaster struck.

Tripping over the curb of the pavement I crashed into the floor, cutting my knee and landing flat on my face.

I may have been in pain - but this was no time for pain. With the help of a kind lady, I picked myself up and continued my great duel.

Thankfully the V2 was too far behind to exploit my slip up (pun intended), allowing me to blitz down Portland Street towards my toughest obstacle: Oxford Road.

This was the part I was dreading the most. A seemingly never ending stretch of road with relatively less traffic than in town. If I were to be beaten it would be here, so with nothing for it I burst out into an almighty sprint.

And it was so close too. As I closed in on the Student Union, the V2 finally returned into sight, tearing down the road, rapidly gaining on all that progress I had made.

In a last ditch attempt I gave everything I had, stretching out my leg at the finish just as it pulled in.

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The result? Both man and bus finished with a time of 14 minutes and one second. A draw. A bit of an anticlimax to be honest but what a twisting battle it had been.

My second race saw me hungry for victory as I took on Stagecoach’s number 50, running a similar route that would finish next to the University, The race started similarly to the first, only this time I did one better. Not only did I maintain my lead, I somehow managed to catch up the 50 ahead of the one I was racing!

As I ventured into a separate battle with this new foe, I completely forgot about my original opponent right up until I crossed the finishing point.

I’d done it! I had achieved the victory I had yearned following my previous disappointment. And by almost a whopping three minutes!

I suppose the moral of this is that the Manchester bus system is far from perfect and needs much improvement in efficiency to justify its pricing.

Most importantly though: turning any issue into a race is just as fun as it sounds.

Exploring Manchester’s hidden history with Martin Zero LUCY MILBURN

Martin Zero is far from your average YouTuber.

When he first filmed a video about how the rubbish-strewn Rochdale Canal drains through a trapdoor into a legendary underground river, the 52-year-old had no idea that the quirky content would attract over 2.8 million views.

Zero, real name Martin Fisher, creates fascinating ‘hidden history’ videos filmed at off-the-beaten track locations around Greater Manchester. His subjects range from abandoned factories and disused railway lines to uncovering some of the city’s urban myths.

“In a world of Youtubers who are mainly under 25, I was worried I was too old for this,” Fisher told MM. “But once you find your niche, people are not interested in your age, they are just interested in your content.”

After initially sharing photos of unusual locations around Manchester on Instagram, Fisher realised that there was a large community of people equally interested in the city's “little pockets of history.”

“Your first video is always a clumsy experiment,” he said about his first foray into the world of Youtube in April 2016.

In the beginning, Fisher explored the Collyhurst area and his hometown of Middleton. As his subscriber count grew and he connected with other ‘urban explorers’, people began to message him with recommendations for his next venture.

“It’s your own history – it’s revisiting little snippets of things you saw when you were younger,” he said.

“I did a milkround with my dad around the Salford area in the 80s and I saw the Docks being pulled down – I have memories of these buildings in the city centre that are no longer here.

“My youth was just getting the bus into town to go to record shops, the history comes when you get older.

GOING UNDERGROUND: Martin Zero found a trap door under Rochdale’s canal drains, kickstarting his YouTube career.

“I didn’t appreciate it as a kid as I was more interested in the record shop! It’s nostalgia and it’s a man in his fifties being able to play out again,” he said.

Although most of his videos average an impressive 20K views, Fisher was astonished when his 27-minute video, entitled The Secret Trap Door Under the Canal, went viral at the end of February.

An arrow carved into the stone at Lock 89 of the Rochdale Canal marks the location of a 215-year-old trapdoor which drains into the underground River Tib, one of Manchester’s legendary lost waterways.

Fisher was “awestruck” when he was invited to explore by the Canal and River Trust but he has no idea how the video reached millions of people across the world.

“I thought it was quite wordy because I had to put all the context into the video,” he said.

“I’m not a history expert! I’m a goon with a camera on a learning experience and people can share that experience with me.”

At the moment, Fisher has a day-job in healthcare and spends all of his free time shooting and editing for his

CREDIT: Martin Zero

channel. His favourite video involved wading down the River Medlock and discovering a “cathedral-like space” under the arches near Piccadilly station.

“I would love to be able to play out for a living if I could get a business model but that’s not a reality,” he said.

Despite filming his upcoming video 35 miles away in Liverpool, Zero’s content will always be loyal to his beloved hometown.

“I will occasionally dip my toe further afield but I will always come back to Manchester – I will always be Manchester.”

Meet Indie: the school therapy dog

10 FEATURES MAY 2019

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JOHN VARGA

Indie the animal assistant.

are setting themselves up for failure. The extent of the lack of oversight is summed up by the fact that Ofsted requires no official documentation for the dog, nor does it insist on meeting the handler and checking on their qualifications.

Therefore, she is keen to promote good practice to ensure the safety of the children, as well as maximising the benefits of AAI. There are a number of key considerations.

The dog must have passed a temperament assessment, carried out by an independent body. In the case of Indie, he was assessed by both PAT and a dog trainer accredited by the Kennel Club. As Fran says: “You need a dog with a balanced temperament and this is where Indie comes into his own. He has a playful side to him but is also able to settle straightaway. He has the ability to switch on and off, depending on circumstances. You want a dog that has personality, character, that will make you laugh and will be a little bit rascally and mischievous.

That is important to this line of work”.

The dog should be older than 12 months, as a younger dog will still be teething and requires much more sleep, which is not possible in a working environment, making its behaviour less predictable. At the same time, there must be an established bond and understanding between the handler and the dog. This normally means that they should have been together for at least six months.

Fran stresses that “the effectiveness of an animal’s intervention comes from a knowledgeable handler” and that handlers should be able to demonstrate this as well as being able to show that they have a working knowledge of how schools are organised.

Ultimately the handler should know what the needs of the dog are and be able to read the dog for any signs of distress and tiredness and to cater for this by providing the dog with a safe space into which it can retreat at such moments.

The ability to read and understand canine body language is an essential skill, as this enables the handler to pick up on subtle signs of animal distress that may otherwise be missed. Fran recently completed such a course, organised by the dog behaviour consultant, Dr Rise van Fleet. It has helped her to a greater understanding of Indie’s needs and helped forge a closer bond between the pair.

And, of course, the handler must show that

CREDIT: John Varga

they have complete control over the dog. A key feature of the Kennel Club’s Bark and Read programme, to which Fran is a fully signed up member, is that the owner’s relationship with the dog is routinely evaluated and tested. Fran enrolled Indie on to an obedience course with Jo Pay at the Standish Dog Trainer, where Indie has trained at bronze level as part of the Kennel Club Good Citizen Award scheme.

It should go without saying that dog handlers working in schools need to be fully covered by a public liability insurance. Yet rather surprisingly, this is currently not a requirement. Dog handlers need to be aware that they are not covered by their personal dog insurance or by the school’s general liability insurance when they are on school premises and this could cause them serious problems if an unfortunate incident occurs. Fran is covered by the public liability insurance of the Canine Concern charity, to which she is affiliated and on whose behalf she carries out other school visits and assessments on new therapy dogs.

The welfare of the dog is of paramount importance. Again, Fran follows the guidelines that have been set down by the Kennel Club.

According to these, a dog should not work longer than three hours in one session and should not work more than two to three times a week with mandatory days off in between.

Indie works one day a week for a total of three hours, during which he has regular breaks. For the first half hour he is on his own playing with his toys in his safe area, while Fran sets the room up. Then he has a series of half hour slots with the children, seeing no more than a total of six.

Throughout the session he has free movement and is not on a lead. He doesn’t get stressed and everything is strictly controlled and planned.

However, by the end of the session Indie is exhausted and needs a day to recover.

But perhaps the most significant ingredient for success is the meticulous planning and care, aligned to an intimate knowledge of working in schools, that Fran puts into her volunteering work. Prior to starting at Rumworth school, Fran did a video presentation for both staff and pupils alike.

The children were then given a virtual introduction to Indie with the aid of a full-sized cardboard cut-out of him and a stuffed toy dog, before being assessed for their suitability for the intervention by Fran. Above all they are taught to respect Indie as a working dog and independent

Indie has presence. A nine stone malamute cross dog, he commands your attention as soon as he enters the room. This gentle and affectionate giant has become a favourite with school children at Rumworth school in Bolton.

Every Monday Indie and his owner, Fran Gray, visit the school as part of their volunteering work to help improve literacy and social skills among children with learning difficulties and special needs.

Officially known as Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI), the presence of dogs in classrooms is increasingly seen as an effective way of creating positive changes in children’s learning by improving their motivation and decreasing their anxiety levels.

Proponents of the scheme argue that AAI not only helps children to improve their reading and writing skills, but it also helps them to learn how to express their feelings and enter into more trusting relationships, thereby increasing children’s selfesteem and social awareness.

This has led to a huge increase in the number of dogs in schools, a trend that looks set to continue, particularly after the vice-chancellor of Buckingham University, Sir Anthony Seldon, gave his endorsement to the initiative.

Sir Anthony told an audience attending the Ultimate Wellbeing in Education Conference in March, that having a dog or another pet in the classroom was “a powerfully cost effective way of helping children feel more secure at school” and recommended that all schools should consider having one.

Yet there is growing unease among professional dog handlers and dog charities about what they see as the unstructured and unregulated way in which dogs are being introduced into schools. In particular, they are concerned about how little attention is being paid to the welfare of the dogs, their temperamental suitability for working with children, and to the knowledge and competence of the dog handler. A failure to take these issues into proper consideration could seriously compromise the safety of

the children, leading to an increased risk of a dog biting a child.

The Dog Trust Charity even felt the need to issue its own warning in response to Sir Anthony’s remarks.

While acknowledging the potential benefits of being around dogs, a statement on the Charity’s website said: “A classroom can be a noisy and unpredictable place and could tire and stress any dog who visits. Having a dog in every school is not something we’d recommend, and is not likely to be in the interests of dog welfare.”

These concerns are shared strongly by Fran Gray. A former special needs teacher at Oakwood Academy, she is also an experienced dog handler, who started volunteering in schools with Indie in 2015. Initially she did this through the charity Pets as Therapy (PAT), participating in their Read2Dogs scheme, before starting her own project with Rumworth school in January of this year.

What worries Fran above all is that with no legally binding procedures or regulations currently in place, schools

sentient being.

“Indie and myself, we are equals and we work together. Choice is his main objective and the children know that. All the children know how highly I regard Indie and they adhere to that as well.

They can see how happy Indie is”.

Fran’s love for Indie and her passion for her volunteering work are self-evident. She is convinced of the benefits AAI brings children with both learning difficulties and social awareness problems. Interacting with Indie has visibly increased children’s self-confidence.

One autistic girl has learned to do tricks with Indie. To see this gentle giant of a dog sit and listen to her carefully has had a profound positive effect on her self-esteem.

“It is about children learning that they can control things in their life. They have the ability to have an impact, to be able to do things like that”.

She wants these benefits to reach a wider circle of children but is fearful that unless schools are obliged to adopt more stringent regulations and guidelines governing the presence and activities of dogs on school premises, then the chances of an unfortunate accident occurring will only increase.

“You have to take every precaution; with the temperament test, public liability, the risk assessment, handler assessment, all the preparation work with staff and with the kids; you definitely need basic obedience; the welfare of the dog is paramount,

because otherwise it might quickly become distressed. If you are not following the three hours guideline, the age guidelines, the temperament guidelines, immediately the risks are higher.”

Fran does not want to put people off volunteering with their dogs. She simply wants to raise awareness about the complexities and issues involved with AAI. Working in AAI should be seen as a job and career, and as such needs to be taken seriously with the establishment of a governing body to set universal standards and regulations. She passionately believes that this is the only way to ensure the successful future of all animal assisted interventions.

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Is Victoria authentic?

An d d o es a n y o n e re a ll y c a re ?

Avengers: Endgame Review (... with spoilers) CREDIT: Marvel Studiios

CECILIA MITCHELL

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

SONAL LAD

There has recently been a rise in period dramas appearing on our televisions from ITV’s Victoria to Netflix’s The Crown.

These shows have has sparked new life into our history and they now reach audiences with no previous interest in the history of our country.

Currently in its third series, the series looks at the life of Queen Victoria from her accession to the throne at just the age of 18, her marriage to Prince Albert and the trials of trying to run a country in the midst of intense change How accurate is Victoria?

The show is generally accurate and a lot has been done to ensure that the episodes are as historically authentic as possible as they are based on Victoria’s personal diaries. These details range from the costumes worn by the cast to the larger themes of colonisation, poverty and the hardships of being a female monarch in a male dominated society.

We see Victoria’s struggle after the birth of her children with post-natal depression, the threat to her crown with the string of European revolutions in 1848 and the assassination of the Prime Minister Peel’s private secretary Edward Drummond.

However, that is not to say that the show is perfect.

Throughout the episodes, Victoria is shown to be empathetic towards the poorer parts of her country. This is likely inaccurate as records show that Victoria was a lot more stone-hearted than portrayed, unlike her husband who was known to travel to slums across the city.

More recently, an episode covered the

outbreak of cholera in Soho. Whilst the majority of the story was covered correctly, including the role of Northerner John Snow in finding the source of the disease, many surrounding stories were not.

The death of the Queen’s former dresser Nancy Skerritt from the disease and the impact it had on Victoria was the central sotry within the episode. Although the Queen did have a head dresser with the

CREDIT: ITV, Mammoth Screen

surname Skerritt, she was not from a dismal background who died from cholera.

In reality, Marienne Skerrit lived to an old age after retiring from her position.

Another criticism of Victoria has stemmed from the roots of romance within the series. A prominent story in the first series was the relationship Victoria had

CREDIT: ITV, Mammoth Screen

with her advisor Lord Melbourne. There is no evidence to prove this.

Also, there were no historical writings of a relationship between the Queen’s equerry Lord Alfred Paget and the Prime Minister Robert Peel’s private secretary Edward Drummond as both were in different stages of their lives meaning this would not have been possible.

Another example of dramatization in historical programming is the Netflix series The Crown which looks at the life of our current monarch Queen Elizabeth II. These include Prince Philip’s involvement in his sister’s death, which was not the case, and the sour relationship the Queen had with Winston Churchill which was a lot warmer than portrayed in the series.

However, at the end of the day, they are dramatizations of real-life events and not documentaries. It seems that the writers are trying to take this history and make it more relatable for modern audiences than would have been allowed in the 19th century. They are focusing on topics that a theie audience would be able to relate too such as forbidden love and the pressures of adult life.

As millions of people continue to watch these shows, it seems to be proof that the current format is working. If the historical inaccuracies are something that enrages you, watch a good old fashioned documentary instead.

By combining historical content with dramatization for entertainment purposes, these shows have gained a whole new audience who would never have found history entertaining. An audience who may learn from our past and stop history from repeating itself in the worst way.

With 22 films over 11 years, it’s hard not to feel a little drained by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) these days. There’ve been a few breaths of fresh air here and there Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok spring to mind - but overall the franchise remains consistently dark, tense and moody.

While Avengers: Endgame doesn’t truly deviate from that tone, it pulls it off in a much more satisfying way than many previous titles.

Endgame, at its core, is a nostalgia-filled love letter to the long time fans - not that newcomers can’t enjoy it, but there are certainly a lot of emotional payoffs that would fall on deaf ears.

A main theme of the film is that of family, with particular emphasis on Iron Man, Thor and Black Widow.

All of their arcs are touching as standalone, but they’re that much more hard-hitting when considering the years of build-up. Over the course of 11 years, we’ve watched Iron Man go from a playboy to a loving parent, seen Thor slowly divorce himself from the weighty legacy of his father and Black Widow transform from a loner who cares about no one to paying the ultimate sacrifice for her foundfamily.

Perhaps thanks to this familial theme, many of the characters in the spotlight felt much more fleshed out than in previous titles. Both Black Widow and Hawkeye were more dynamic than usual - Scarlett Johansson finally showed more emotions than simply ‘moody’ and ‘a sultry smirk’, while Jeremy Renner embraced what seemed to be an interpretation more steeped in comic lore.

Unfortunately other characters weren’t as lucky. While his overall MCU arc wrapped up nicely, Thor’s Endgame arc feels cheap. It’s as though the Russo brothers (the directors this time around) didn’t bother watching Ragnarok - he follows the same beats as his last film,

but in a much messier fashion.

Thor sinks into a deep depression following a five year time skip, but the effects of that depression - alcoholism, anxiety, lack of hygiene, extreme weight gain - are used for comedy instead of handled with the seriousness they deserve. It’s jarring to think that the so-called “kids film” Into the Spiderverse treats these themes more seriously with Peter B Parker than the adult-aimed Endgame does.

Another disappointment of the film is that of LGBT+ representation.

Few people were expecting any at all, as nice as it would be, as there’s been no prior sign on-screen (though Tessa Thompson and Taika Waititi say a scene showing Valkyrie as bisexual was cut from Ragnarok). Then multiple spoilers popped up during the build-up about the first openly gay character, leading many to get their hopes up. With Kevin Feige, Marvel’s president, teasing last year that an LGBT hero was coming, surely it would be something important?

Unfortunately this gay character is around for about 2 minutes maximum, and is played by one of the Russo brothers themselves. While it’s good they were passionate to have a gay character somewhere in one of their four films, it warrants asking why they felt they only needed one or why the character couldn’t be more important, let alone why they didn’t cast a gay actor.

Overall the film is excellent compared to many of its predecessors.

Skill of acting is at an all time high, and many scenes are very powerful - the female hero team up sounds cheesy and cliché on paper, but is empowering and emotional in person, while the ‘avengers assemble’ scene is one of the most powerful payoffs in the entire film.

Unfortunately, its few flaws stick out like sore thumbs amidst the good, making them all the more memorable and disappointing.

12 ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2019

A chat w i t h Gh o s t t he M us i cal Creative Team

CECILIA MITCHELL We often think about actors and musicians when we watch a musical, but how often do we think about the creatives - the backstage workers that make a good chunk of the magic happen?

MM got to go backstage on Ghost the Musical, providing a chance to bring the people behind the curtain to the limelight.

The creatives team is comprised of sound and lighting techs, stage managers, and a wardrobe department, with a company manager overseeing all of them - but perhaps surprisingly, not many of them indulge in theatre in their spare time.

Technical Stage Manager Ceejay Davies (29) said: “There’s a massive percentage of people who work in theatre that aren’t really that bothered by it. It’s a very strange sort of industry.

Very diverse."

They instead find their joy in the technical aspect of the medium. Technical Assistant Stage Manager Sam Hill (31) enjoys it when ‘a lot of cues are clumped together and [work is] fast’ - for example when Ghost the Musical’s main character Sam first learns to pass through a door.

Of the four-man stage team, MM got the chance to speak to three of them - Ceejay, Sam and Assistant Stage Manager/Book Cover Jessica Cooper (27). It’s their job to make sure the set is ready at the start of a week, and that props get moved on stage at the right time. They run a tight ship, and rightfully so - if they didn’t someone could get seriously hurt.

During rehearsals they will spend a whole day just doing one scene: “You do it every day and you can time it down to the last second. It’s like opening a door eventually, you just don’t think about it.” said Ceejay.

“Sometimes I wish we could video from above the stage.” said Jessica, of her team’s work. “Especially in difficult venues, because sometimes it’s chaotic backstage - organised chaos, but it could look chaotic. And it’s so calm on the stage.”

The creatives team truly is as diverse as Ceejay said, comprising of people from all walks of life - Company Manager David Morgan (42) has worked in theatre for over 20 years, LX 2 (Electric/Lighting) Benji Godley (19) started off doing lighting work in school, while Wardrobe Deputy Kate Hamilton (29) previously worked on Cirque du Soleil.

The one thing they all certainly have in common is a hectic timetable. Benji has only been touring a year, but has found it’s incredibly full-on: “I haven’t been home in four months.”

David has even less free time - as company manager his job is 24/7, as he has to be available all the time in case an emergency arises with the creatives. He says that in the very little free time he gets between organising payrolls and transportation he likes to go swimming ‘because it means [he] doesn’t have his phone on [him].’

Despite all this, they all enjoy touring life greatly. Kate, along with Head of Wardrobe Helen Tsingos (35), say that when they do get to go home they want to go back on tour again within a week.

“I couldn’t do a 9 to 5, I’d get bored stiff!” said Helen. “At least touring if you don’t like somebody, or you don’t like the theatre, it’ll always finish - you’ll always move on to the next one.”

The wardrobe team seem to have a particularly fiddly fastpaced job - quick-changes alone are an art in themselves.

However they also have to battle with incredibly early shifts to get outfits prepared between days of performances, and fixing outfits on the fly.

On the subject of the worst wardrobe malfunctions, Helen said: “The worst thing that can break is a zip, “Everything else you can tape up, but when you get a really specific costume that’s got a zip, when it goes you can hear the music going and your time ticking away.”

She notes that she once worked a show where a zip got stuck on an outfit right as someone was meant to go on stage for a song, and by the time it was fixed it was almost over - a true musical nightmare.

Unsurprisingly, in the little free time they have many gravitate out of the darkness of the theatre into the daylight - a few weeks ago a group of the team climbed Ben Nevis.

Others prefer the mundane - Sound 2 James Crichton (28) said: “One of the things we can’t do on tour is actually and cook meals and stuff like that. So it’s the things most people take for granted that I like to do when I’m off.”

If one thing is certain of musicals and theatre, it’s that an awful lot of work and magic goes into each performance - if it weren’t for the hectic lifestyle of the creatives none of it would be possible.

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Review: Ghost the Musical

GEORGINA COUPE

As an avid fan of the 1990 Academy Award-winning film starring Demi Moore and the late Patrick Swayze, the bar of expectation was set pretty high for Ghost the Musical at the Palace Theatre.

My initial impression of the opening scenes was the rather awkward and wooden performances. With over-the-top Americanisms and references to ‘Kung Po Chicken,’ my heart sank.

When the three main characters, Molly, Sam and Carl posed for a selfie, I inwardly cringed and worried what the next couple of hours would bring.

Having watched the film, which grossed $505.7 million worldwide, several times over, perhaps my expectations were unreasonably high.

The performance was a modern take on the fantasy love thriller. I was initially concerned the stage adaption was going to be unrecognisable but I needn’t have worried as the storyline remaining true to the original.

Jacqui DuBois replaced Whoopi Goldberg as psychic Oda Mae Brown.

Goldberg won several awards as the Best Supporting Actress in the movie, so anyone playing her has a lot to live up to, but she absolutely nailed it.

Despite the tragic storyline she entertained and uplifted the audience, having them in stitches time and time again and her performance was the highlight for many.

Dealing with the devastating loss of her partner Sam, (played by Niall Sheehy) Molly’s role involved several heart-rending solos. Her beautiful voice made the hair on the back of your neck stand up and portrayed her grief

CREDIT: Palace Theatre

through her voice exceptionally well.

Despite the obvious difficulties involved in recreating the special effectsfor which the original was highly acclaimed, they were conveyed well with outstanding audio work and the sound was exceptional.

Music for the show was co-written by Dave Stewart, better known for his career with Eurythmics and six-time Grammy Award winner Glen Ballard.

Whilst I wasn’t blown away by the overall soundtrack, the hit song Unchained Melody proved to be popular and had many fans joining in.

The choreography of the backing dancers by Alistair David delivered an essential element to the show, bringing the city and office scenes to life that worked with the simple yet effective set design.

New York streets were interchangeable with Sam and Molly’s beautiful city apartment ensuring the scenes flowed seamlessly.

Iconic moments were performed with a modern twist, which didn’t quite do the legendary pottery scene justice. The scene involved the addition of a toned and topless Niall Sheehy playing the guitar – that admittedly did soften the blow somewhat for the largely female audience.

Whilst I wasn’t completely convinced by the depth of feeling between Sam and Molly, the performance delivered a perfect blend of drama, comedy, romance and music before it culminated with a climatic crescendo, leaving members of the audience in tears and the cast with a standing ovation.

Review: Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing

MOLLY MILLAR

World War Two is over, and the soldiers have finally come home. In this colourful, spirited rendition of a Shakespeare classic, romantic shenanigans delight the audience and provide welcome relief for the battle-weary characters.

The stage is decorated with wartime propaganda against an idyllic country backdrop, contrasting simple beauty with the reality of the conflict the characters have just lived through. This juxtaposition persists throughout the play which, while ultimately a comedy, swerves suddenly and shockingly towards the tragic before its happy ending.

Transposing the setting to WW2 makes perfect sense and adds a richer dimension to the theme of women’s independence. We see female leads Beatrice and Hero clad in wellie boots and high waisted trousers, working as members of the Women’s Land Army who have been getting along just fine without men and the drama they inevitably bring.

The play follows the blossoming romance of Claudio and Hero, and the deceit by villainous Don John that makes Claudio believe his new love has been unfaithful. This leads to a dark scene where he violently rejects her at the altar - his furious disgust and the innocence with which Sarah Kameela Impey plays Hero makes their reconciliation bittersweet.

In contrast to Claudio and Hero’s simpering courtship, Beatrice and Benedick’s duel of wits lights up the stage. Robin Simpson and Isobel Middleton are two exceptionally strong performers who steal the show, getting all the biggest laughs without losing the vulnerability and depth of the characters - it’s impossible not to root for them.

The pair trade cutting remarks that do nothing to hide their obvious feelings. Before they can admit their love, they need their egos flattered - so they’re set up by their friends to believe they’re both the subject of the other’s unrequited love. The scenes in which they eavesdrop lend themselves to fantastic physical comedy, particularly in Benedick’s case, which sees him hanging from a ladder, swearing, and running into the audience to hide under a woman’s lap.

An especially fun element of the show is its playful use of music - the “Sigh No More” song is performed as a barbershop quartet while characters sing

famous 40s songs as they move across the stage. Accordions and saxophones make an appearance, and the dance scene is beautifully choreographed.

The first half of the play fires on all cylinders, cascading through the best Shakespearean comedy tropes - razor-sharp wordplay, nefarious scheming, and a masked ball. The second half has less stand-out moments and moves everything somewhat dutifully towards the harmonious ending.

Overall the play is rich and lively, effortlessly balancing light and dark. Hilarious and touching, it’s an all-round joy.

Much Ado About Nothing is showing at The Lowry until Saturday 11 May.

CREDIT: Lowry Theatre

ENTERTAINMENT 13

Trucks rule arena in Monster Jam

MAY 2019

www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

ADAM MAIDMENT

Things were taken right up to fifth gear as Monster Jam, the world's largest and famous monster truck tour, visited Manchester for the first time in a decade.

Six of the biggest names in monster trucks, including Grave Digger and Monster Energy, came to an adrenaline-packed Manchester Arena for tricks, turns, and a few donuts.

The tour saw trucks, measuring up to 12 ft tall, compete for points towards the Monster Jam World Finals in Orlando later this month. Coming out on top was Neil Elliot in Max-D with an impressive 20 points, one ahead of El Toro Loco.

It wasn’t a great day for Wonder Woman and Earth Shaker, both of who suffered with technical hitches during the event. Earth Shaker had to bow out altogether when its engine gave up, leaving it with no choice but to take last place.

Some criticism came from the fact that the stunt-filled dirt track that

Nina Simone: Tribute for a musical legend

TRUCK YEAH! Manchester Arena was treated to something different

CREDIT: Monster Jam

PHILIP K. MARZOUK

In a more than worthy tribute to an astounding artist, The Untold Orchestra and a number of Manchester’s most remarkable vocalists performed rearrangements of Nina Simone’s material to mark a deluge of anniversaries.

The special show marked 16 years to the day since the legend’s death, 28 years since she re-opened the very same venue as the Nia Centre in 1991 and the one-year anniversary of the centre’s latest re-opening as Niamos. You’d be forgiven for thinking the venue was cursed since the BBC moved out in 1986, but this was no accursed place.

Over the course of the evening, the six powerhouse vocalists performed with the tireless 21-piece orchestra in an incredible three hour set.

Simone’s oeuvre is laden with challenging scales, voicings and cadences but every singer and musician rose to the occasion and gave flawless performances.

Sam Davies, Josh Poole and Thomas Fripp did an outstanding job rearranging and bringing Simone’s classics to life. My Baby Just Cares for Me, To Be Young, Gifted and Black, Sinnerman, I Put A Spell On You – all the heavy-hitters were reanimated in a way that was a privilege to experience.

It was evident why The Untold Orchestra are one of the most sought-after collaborators on Manchester’s music scene.

For the vocalists, there was a sense that the chance to perform these works in the context of celebrating Simone’s life was truly meaningful. Each one connected with the artist both emotionally and with the inherently political content of her work.

Ellen Lewis of Agbeko, one of Manchester’s truly unmissble bands, delivered an outstanding perfomance in her rendition of Strange Fruit.

Action from the Grave Digger event CREDIT: Monster Jam appeared in the advertising campaign were jumping out of their seats mid-air for the show was nowhere to be seen. to peform jaw-defying tricks one after Instead, drivers had to endure the another.

Arena’s concrete floor with only a few The crowd were treated to donuts, “easy” obstacles to tackle, many of freestyle moves, and championship which seemed unsure on how to really racing. Fans who have dreamed of approach the tough footing. seeing these monster truck gods in While the trucks still managed to action certainly had a lot to enjoy, dazzle and wow fans, it was the albeit with limited space to really show parade of Motorcross bikes that really off their true capabilities. stood out as the highlight to the whole event. Soaring into the skies, bikers

Alternative festivals to try if you’re missing Parklife

SONAL LAD

With Parklife coming to Heaton Park this year, it may be one of the hottest of events of the summer.

However, if this is not something that interests you but you want something to do this May and June, why not try something a little bit different?

Here are a few festival alternatives in and around Manchester.

Manchester Jazz Festival: May 23-27

Returning for its 24th year, the Manchester Jazz is coming to St Ann’s Square and Exchange Street between the 23-27th May. Over these three days, the area is going to be full of free stages, food stalls and bars and will also host some paid gigs at well-loved venues across the city centre.

The festival is so diverse - there is something for everyone to enjoy.

With food stalls featuring cuisine from across the world, there’s going to be no shortage of things to do and places to visit.

Manchester International Festival

FEELING GOOD: Celebrating a legend

Originally sung by Billie Holiday in the 1930s, when the continuous lynching of African Americans was all too recent past, Simone covered the song in the late 60s to hammer home how little had changed for her people.

With recent stories of racist graffiti in Salford and Levenshulme, it was clear Lewis empathised with Simone’s pain.

The other vocalists were also stunning in their own right. Mica Millar,

CREDIT: Kenny Kleighton

Sylvia Tella, Martin Connor, Yemi Bolatiwa and Maria Corrigan were all unforgettable.

You should do everything in your power to see them perform live.

It pains me to say that the only drawback of this show was that it felt all too fleeting. Having that amount of legacy and history to accompany such outstanding performances is a rare thing: a true pleasure that captured the essence of Simone’s eternal talents.

The Manchester International Festival has been a staple of Manchester’s summer season since it beginning in teh year of 2007.

The festival brings a range of entertainment from music, supper clubs and one of the most highly anticipated events: Yoko Ono’s Cathedral Gardens gathering.

Like the Manchester Jazz Festival, all the events are scattered across the town centre and are a mix between free and paid events.

Africa Oyé: June 22-23, Sefton Park, Liverpool

Africa Oyé has been called the UK’s largest

celebration of African & Caribbean music and culture, and it’s back in its home town of Liverpool this June.

Alongside over 90 stalls of best food, drink, arts and fashion from Africa, the weekend brings musical acts from countries across the world from South America to the Caribbean.

Created with the desire to address the negative representations of Africa, the festival prides itself on making people happy and enforcing a message of tolerance.

Neighbourhood Weekender: May 25-26, Victoria Park, Warrington

Park Life is always renowned for it’s amazing variety of high-class qualtiy acts.

However, the Neighbourhood Weekender in Warrington’s line up can easily rival it.

With acts such as George Ezra, You Me At Six, Tom Grennan and Masie Peters, there are musicians from a number of genre’s.

Across two days, as well as some of the biggest names in music, there are interactive entertainment acts throughout the park to cause some mischief.

Slam Dunk: May 25, Temple Newsham Park, Leeds

For people who want something a bit alternative, the Slam Dunk Festival will be returning to Yorkshire on the 25th May. Stemming from a pop-punk nightclub in the 2000s with names like Fall Out Boy and Paramore, the festival impressviley continues to bring these names North.

Playing across a number of stages, some of the best in the genre are playing like Plain White T’s, All Time Low and Simple Plan alongside a few unfamiliar names.

14 SPORT MAY 2019

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Team for bereaved dads ready for action

RARING TO GO: Bereaved fathers with common love of football unite on the pitches of Stockport ASHLEIGH GRADY

There is something very poignant about Sands United Stockport FC, the football team due to play their first match this Sunday morning.

Every player on the pitch has lost a baby.

The club – set up to provide a safe environment for fathers who have suffered the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death – will face Mellor Vets FC in a friendly match this weekend.

Founder and manager Joel Kelly explained how the club in Stockport officially formed in February after five months of planning.

“I started it because I used to go to a support group called Stockport Sands, which is a local group where men and women who have lost babies can go to talk about their feelings.

“And I just found myself being one of only a few guys there.

“Then I heard about the football team in Northampton and from there I just took it upon myself to go ahead and start it. “ I got in touch with the right people and now we’re here,” he said.

Kelly and his wife Fleur attended the local support group set up by Sands, the charity for stillbirth and neonatal deaths, after the loss of their son Rory in 2013.

He was stillborn at 32 weeks.

“It took me about five years just to start going to the support groups.

“I hope with the football team and more exposure to the support group, other men won’t have to wait as long,” Kelly said.

The players in Stockport Sands United meet up every Tuesday night for an hour of training before heading to the local pub for another hour to catch up and talk about what is going on in each other’s lives.

“It’s an informal way of getting men chatting.

“Even if we don’t necessarily talk about what has happened, just knowing that the person next to you has experienced what you’ve experienced is so supportive,” Kelly said.

“You just know we’ve all got each other’s back.”

Since starting in February, Sands United Stockport FC has gone from six to 20 members and Kelly has suggested that five more men have been in touch saying they are interested in getting involved.

This Sunday’s game will see the team play Mellor FC Veterans, a club for over 35-year-olds, at Marpole Rugby Club.

“It’s a nice way to start. They’re veterans who want to keep playing football, whereas we’re a new team who need to play for ourselves.”

The original idea for the club for bereaved

CREDIT: Joel Kelly

fathers was established in Northampton in 2018 and there are now 13 Sands United clubs around the United Kingdom.

The Northampton team’s efforts to encourage men to speak about their feelings after such a difficult time saw the group being named ‘Team of the Year’ at the Pride of Sports Award last December.

All of the clubs are closely linked to the charity Sands, who have stated that the death of a baby shortly before, during or soon after birth, occurs every 90 minutes in the UK, the same length of time as a football match.

The charity hopes to set up a model that can be further rolled out all across the country, something Kelly agrees with.

“Our idea is that men and women, as soon as anything like this happens, have got somewhere they can go to get the support they need.”

Wembley FA Cup glory for Manchester City women HENRY DISTASIO

UP FOR THE CUP: Steph Houghton and her players rejoice

CREDIT: BT Sport

Manchester City Womem triumphed in a 3-0 victory against West Ham United Women on Saturday to secure their second FA Cup title in three years.

The women in blue, who were pipped to the Super League title by Arsenal, all but dominated the second half which saw all three of their goals nestle in the back of West Ham’s net.

Midfielder Keira Walsh opened the scoring for the Northerners with a bending strike that wrong footed keeper Anna Moorhouse and left her diving in the opposite direction.

Youngster Georgia Stanway doubled their lead in the last ten minutes with an impressive individual effort that snuck its way into the bottom right corner.

The victory was sealed by

substitute Lauren Hemp, her first appearance at Wembley, who lobbed the oncoming Moorhouse from long range to secure Manchester City’s second FA Cup title.

"I'm so proud of the players,” said Manchester City manager Nick Cushing.

“They've put in so much effort to make this team successful again, they deserve it.”

Despite the score line suggesting a blow-out, West Ham were the better of the two sides come the half-time whistle.

The Hammers created the best chance of a cagey first half that saw former City striker Jane Ross’ header force England keeper Karen Bardsley to produce a fine save off her goal line.

The Londoners had another good opportunity through a swift counter attack in the second half, only for Swiss

international Alisha Lehmann to have her shot parried by Bardsley.

“It's been really tough but, to be here, speaks volumes for what we're trying to do,” said West Ham manager Matt Beard.

In what has been their maiden season as a professional club, West Ham illustrated just how far they have come with an impressive display in their first ever FA Cup final appearance.

Despite this however, it was not to be as City’s talent and class overcame their opponent’s true grit.

“I don’t think you ever imagine it because some things you just don’t think are possible,” said City goal scorer Stanway.

“But today I’ve just gone one better and achieved dreams that go beyond people’s imagination.”

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B lood, swea t an d g ears : cy clist s take on the Tour de M a nc LUCY MILBURN

The chance meeting of two school friends after 35 years led to the birth of the Tour de Manc, an epic cycling event through the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.

An estimated 1000 people attended the home-grown event on Sunday, May 5, using their pedal power to raise funds that will really make a difference to charities across Manchester.

In 2016, Tony Rubins bumped into Danny Franks, an old schoolmate from Stand Grammar School in Whitefield, at The Christie Hospital.

At the time, Franks was riding an 80 mile solo route to fundraise for Forever Manchester, and Rubins volunteered his help to create a cycling event all in the name of charity.

“Danny said he really would like to

have done a sportive with lots of people but he didn’t know how to organise it. I had experience arranging cycling events so we joined forces,” Rubins said.

Thirteen weeks later, the Tour de Manc was a non-profit company with their first sold out event and this year, the charity aims to become a charitable trust.

The Tour de Manc includes two different routes – a 100 mile ‘Full Manc’ for the keenest cyclists and an 100 kilometre ‘Half Manc’ for those wishing to challenge themselves. As a keen cyclist himself, Rubins designed the routes in typical Mancunian fashion with tough climbs and picturesque views.

Starting at David Lloyds’ in Middleton, the 100 mile route takes in the roads of all ten Greater Man-

chester boroughs, a small part of Lancashire and the steep climb of Werneth Low. “We decided to do it differently from your normal commercial events where all you get is a route,” Rubins said.

Riders can stop at bespoke nutrition stations along the route, which include a pie stop and the world-famous Bury black pudding.

The premier cycling challenge is run by a team of volunteers and supported by Rochdale and Tameside Council.

This year, the headline charities are Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, the Booth Centre and The Haematology and Transplant Support Charity (HaTs). Riders are also encouraged to ride for charities of their choice.

Profits raised for the Booth Cen-

A cyclist takes on Wemeth Low. Credit: Tour de Manc

tre will directly provide education services to addres homelessness, while profits for HaTS, a charity run

by Rubins himself, will support patients and families at The Christie Hospital.

“We only support Manchester charities and there needs to be a level of engagement and passion from them,” Rubins said.

“We also couldn’t do this without some great support from fantastic Manchester based companies such as Soreen an San Carlo restaurant group,” he said.

Later this year, the Tour de Manc will host a family-orientated ‘Mini Manc’ on July 7. They also collaborate with Maggie’s Manchester to host a festival for corporate businesses, complete with cycling, food and live music.

Jack Morley: the Lancashire spin prodigy making his cousin proud WILL JENNINGS

Jack Morley didn’t have the easiest route into the cricketing world.

It’s been eight long years since his cousin first introduced him to the sport, encouraging him to start playing at his local Heywood Cricket Club and begin a blossoming journey that has just seen the 17-year-old spinner sign a professional contract at Lancashire.

Morley’s cousin was Tom Hardman, a talented young sportsman who studied Sport and Exercise Sciences at Leeds Metropolitan University. Hardman was a promising cricketer, representing both his Leeds/Bradford MCCU side as well as Lancashire Second XI as a versatile all-rounder on several occasions.

But in November 2012, disaster struck.

Hardman, a popular young man with an invariably successful career ahead of him, suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest at his house and died in his sleep. He was 21.

“My cousin was the one who got me into cricket,” Morley told MM, reflecting nostalgically on his early days on the fields of Heywood.

“I started going to my local cricket club where he played at the time.

“I always looked up to him a lot - he was a role model of mine. Ever since he passed away, I’ve always wanted to become a professional cricketer.”

Hardman’s passion for the game was infectious. His influence had laid the foundations for Morley, instilling him with a

fervent sense of determination to go on and prosper at the highest level.

Contrary to many English cricketers these days - seven of England’s last 16 man Test match squad were publicly educated - Morley’s background was a modest one, honing his skills at his local Siddalmore High School and quietly going about his work while simultaneously focussing on his studies.

“They were very, very supportive of me,” Morley said.

“One of the sports teachers knew me and knew cricket quite well as he was from Heywood Cricket Club - we had quite a good bond, and he was always very flexible about what I could do and I was always allowed to go out and play cricket.”

From there, his rise was inexorable. Morley was selected for his Lancashire age group, rapidly progressing through the academy before his real breakthrough last year when he was selected for England’s Young Lions for their winter tour to India and Bangladesh.

But then came the real watershed. Just prior to his trip to the sub-continent, Morley received a phonecall from his county, offering him a first-team contract following a series of impressive performances for the academy.

“It was a bit of a shock really. I was just preparing for the tour with the Young Lions, but I was absolutely buzzing when I found out,” he said.

“The lads at the club brought me in straight away and have been really good to me - the

whole mood around here has been great.”

Morley’s tour with the Lions was a successful one, but he remains highly ambitious for the future. At just 17, his precocity is conspicuous, speaking with an eloquence and maturity rarely seen among many in the modern game.

“Fingers crossed I do play for England one day and I get the chance to represent my country at the top level.

“But first, I want to try and work my way up and try and get into a first-team spot and play all three formats for my county and represent the red rose - that’s the dream.

If Morley manages to achieve either of those, there’s no doubt his cousin will be looking down on him with pride.

15

Reds and Spurs to clash in Madrid HENRY DISTASIO

The Champions League is set to host its first all English final for the first time in over a decade.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, who have both secured top four positions this season, will battle it out to ensure an English winner of the tournament for the first time since 2012. The northerners confirmed their place on Tuesday night after pulling off an epic comeback against Spanish giants Barcelona.

Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, Liverpool somehow netted four goals and kept a clean sheet to ake the tie 4-3 on aggregate.Unlikely hero Divock Origi opened the scoring for the Reds, who were without forwards Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino, within the first 10 minutes of the match.

Both the second and third came through half-time substitute Georginio Wijnaldum, scoring his goal only 122 seconds apart.

Liverpool completed the stunning comeback through Trent Alexander-Arnold’s quick thinking corner that caught the Catalans napping and allowed Origi to bag his second of the night.

It was only the fourth time a team had overturned a three or more-goal deficit from the first leg, sending Barcelona packing and Liverpool through to their second consecutive final.

“If you go out there and ask who bet a penny on us, I don’t think you’ll find a lot of people,” said Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.

“What they did tonight is so special and I will remember it forever. I don’t know if it happened before and I don’t know if it can happen again. The boys did it.”

Their opponents managed to pull of an extraordinary comeback of their own, having trailed Ajax Amsterdam 3-0 on aggregate by half time of the second leg.

A Lucas Moura hat-trick, however, inspired

the North Londoners to a memorable victory, with the tie finishing 3-3 and therefore giving them the advantage thanks to away goals.

“It is going to be an amazing final between two English teams that for sure we are going to enjoy,” said Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Spurs’ miraculous comeback came after a spirited second half performance, in which they played with all the verve, dynamism and creativity that has become associated with Pochettino’s side.

The result, sealed with Moura’s third goal in the fifth minute of injury time, ended a remarkable run in the competition for Eric ten Hag’s Ajax, who had previously knocked out Real Madrid and Juventus.

The final, which will take place in Madrid on June 1, will be the first all English final for 11 years, when Manchester United toppled Chelsea on penalties on a rain-soaked night Moscow.

Spurs will hope to have talismanic striker Harry Kane back fit for the game, while Liverpool are expecting the returns of Salah and Firmino.

It promises to be quite the occasion, with both teams’ dreams of lifting the grandest of trophies on the verge of becoming reality.

@MM_newsonline www.mancunianmatters.co.uk

THE CHANCE TO INSPIRE A GENERATION...

England’s cricketers favourites for World Cup on home soil WILL JENNINGS

Some years in life represent something special. Beatles fan? 1962 and the spellbinding introduction of the world’s most influential pop group on a global stage.

Football? Look no further than 1966 and Bobby Moore’s inspirational band of brothers.

Notions of unity and pure, sporting joy? Think 2012 and London’s Olympic summer in the global spotlight.

But what about cricket, that unequivocal marmite sport of the modern era that divides sports fans along even more vitriolic lines than a debate about Brexit?

For cricket lovers, 2019 has finally arrived. An Ashes year for our men’s side. An Ashes year for our women.

And, most imminently of all, a World Cup – on home soil.

The ultimate cricketing bonanza arrives on English shores at the end of this month, a six week celebration of a sport that constantly seeks to innovate, create and better itself and redefine its ever-expanding boundaries year on year.

England are favourites. Favourites to win the game’s most high-profile event and - hopefully - recapture that sense of pervasive cricketing joy

not seen in this country since 2005 and our famous Ashes triumph.

In many respects this may seem baffling, a one-day side who in 2015 capitulated down under and left many fearing our nation’s white-ball future was teetering on a knife edge.

But things have changed since then.

While Eoin Morgan’s captaincy represents a degree of continuity, the similarities between then and now pretty much end there.

Over the past four years, this England team have been transformed from a pedestrian, bumbling and fundamentally incompetent one-day side into a dynamic and enterprising outfit genuinely capable of conquering the world.

Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow set the tone at the top, ruthlessly dismantling attacks and laying the foundations for continued carnage.

Joe Root offers dependent stability at number three, while the swashbuckling trio of Morgan, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes provide the pyrotechnics in the middle order.

Bowling-wise, England possess variety and multiple sources of potency from the likes of Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid.

What this World Cup - and summer - represents more than anything is an opportunity for cricket to become big again.

An opportunity for it to emulate what England’s footballers achieved

so remarkably last year, uniting the nation in sun-baked euphoria characterised by flying lager and songs about a man in a waistcoat.

Desires for it to do so may seem to some as an abstract, romantic dream.

As long as cricket remains unavailable on free-to-air television and confined to the country’s most prestigious schools - just 12% of secondary school children play cricket, the lowest number for a decade - it will continue to be perceived as an inaccessible game dominated by the ruling classes.

But it doesn’t need to be this way.

The World Cup’s geographical spread will render the sport so visible to children and fans all over the country, reminding them of its inherent magic and most joyous idiosyncrasies.

People will also have the chance to see India and Virat Kohli - the contemporary king of the cricketing world - Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka all playing simultaneously in the country that created the game centuries ago.

This is England’s chance, however.

A chance to inspire a generation, chance to be revered, chance to become eternally immortal.

If they can do so, 2019 will be a very special year indeed.

Time for United fans to hold Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to account?

JOE HADDEN

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s purple patch has now turned turned to a sour shade of grape.

Just as quickly as he picked up the United team he’s brought them crashing back down, possibly even further than they were under Jose Mourinho.

In keeping with the thousands of ‘Ole’s at the wheel’ themed jokes floating around Twitter, he’s now had a head-on collision with a Europa League shaped tree, possibly under the influence of alcohol.

Sunday saw United fail to beat one of the worst teams in Premier League history in Huddersfield Town, a fitting way to mark a run of only two wins in their past 11 games.

Furthermore, seven of those games ended in defeat. Despite being only two months ago, United’s win against PSG and the persistent reminders that things were finally being done ‘the United way’ feel like a distant memory.

Most will be quick to peg this to a number of fac-

tors: the lazy performances of certain players, the unexplainable drop in form of what was the most reliable keeper in England, and the incompetent back line that Solskjaer inherited.

But during his glorious start they had demonstrated that, under the right controls, this group of misfits could play reasonably well.

Given this unprecedented start to the job, one could say Ole has been a victim of his own success.

However, that’s to suggest he’s been a victim in the first place.

Over the last weeks he has somehow remained impervious to the relentless and personal criticism that’s been levelled against his players.

One reason for Ole’s invincibility is that football is as much a game of performance off the pitch as it is on it.

A quick glance at some of his predecessors David Moyes, who displayed the assurance of a Prime Minister entrusted with securing a withdraw-

al deal, and Mourinho, who appeared to openly resent his own players and make concerted efforts to get himself fired – and it’s easy to see how Ed Wood-

ward managed to get United fans behind their dismissals.

Ole, on the other hand, has proven to be a master of off the pitch performances - there’s no machismo or grandstanding - he’s assumed his role with such

wholesome enthusiasm that it’s almost impossible to stay angry at him, like an adorable new puppy who keeps pissing on the rug.

Contrast this with Paul Pogba - flamboyant, nonchalant and at times seemingly uninterested, it’s not difficult to predict who will win this personality contest, and who will meet the ire of say-it-like-it-isstraight-talker and deliverer-of-hard-truths Roy Keane.

But during the opening stages of his time at United, fans and pundits across the land were happy to applaud Solskjaer for his successes, so it stands to reason that he be criticised for his failures.

Since they beat PSG, United have been knocked out of the Champions League, knocked out of the FA Cup, squandered a top spot, conceded 15 goals and scored only five. Criticism can be thrown at Woodward, Pogba, or David De Gea, but perhaps it’s time we shift our focus to the guy who’s actually at the wheel.