Salford in short

� Ken Whittick and Sue Fletcher, Age UK Salford; Mike McLaren and Lloyd Gordon, M3 Perform; Paul Sherlock, Age UK Salford; Rebecca Long-Bailey, MP, Councillor Jim Cammell, Councillor Stuart Dickman, Bernard Lea, volunteer Age UK Salford, Councillor Heather Fletcher and Joy Kershaw, Centre Manager, Critchley Community Hub (standing).

Here’s the latest headlines from Salford. To find more detail about each story visit (issuu.com/salfordcouncil/docs/life_in_salford_38)

Remembering our past

Working class history in Salford will be celebrated in three new projects funded by Historic England.

Fault Lines will document the Ordsall’s untold history, through interviews, podcasts, music and creative writing to create an aural history trail. Unearthing Pendleton’s Past at St Thomas Church will uncover gravestones and the stories of the people they commemorate and Navvies will use art and sound projected onto the water to tell the story of the 17,000 men who dug the Manchester Ship Canal. A micro forest will be planted at MediaCityUk in their memory.

Heartfelt help for the community

Salford residents have benefited from kind-hearted gym members raising money for three defibrillators.

Members of Salford-based gym M3 Perform set out to raise £1,000 to buy one defibrillator for the gym but raised enough to buy two more. One has been donated to St Philip’s Primary School, Barrow Street, Salford and another to Age UK Salford in Swinton.

Volunteers wanted

Wharton and Cleggs Lane Community Gardening Group, Little Hulton is looking for volunteers on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The fruit, vegetables and flowers they grow are used in their onsite community café. No experience needed. Please contact Janet on 07985 468964 or email cmanager@wcl@gmail.com

Benchmark of respect

Salford’s new veteran’s memorial garden near the Cenotaph, Swinton is taking shape

Four new flagpoles are now flying the armed services flags and there are plans to add benches to commemorate Salford’s four Victoria Cross holders: Lance Serjeant Joseph Woodall, Sergeant Joseph Lister, Private William Norman and Private Henry George Crandon.

Salford Veterans Association has been fundraising for the benches through Salford Crowdfunder.

Crowdfunder was set up by City Mayor Paul Dennett to test local support for projects which must benefit the city and support one of the council’s Great Eight priorities to create a fairer, greener and healthier Salford.

If groups or individuals can crowdfund sufficient money towards their project, they will win match funding of up to £10,000 from Mayor Dennett.

Award winning

Salford school officer Tracey Redgrave has won a prestigious national award for championing positive mental health in her school. Tracey, who works at Lewis Street Primary School, won the Adult Champion category at Place2Be’s Wellbeing in Schools Awards. Place2Be is a mental health charity for children and young people which provides services in schools. Tracey said: "I feel completely humbled. I can't believe I've won and what a fantastic reflection on our school and Salford.” Tracey’s role also includes safeguarding, child protection, anti-bullying and therapies for children with special needs. She also works with Salford City Council on Emotionally Friendly Schools and Thrive in Education, the council’s mental health support team for children, young people and schools in the city. Salford was one of four trailblazer sites in Greater Manchester for implementing this national mental health in education programme.

Long COVID help

A new service has been set up to help people suffering long Covid to improve their daily lives.

The Post-COVID Syndrome Service (PCSS) is open to adults registered with a GP in Salford, Manchester, Trafford, Bolton or Wigan whose physical wellbeing, mental health and mood and daily functioning is affected following a COVID infection.

People can refer themselves or be referred by a health professional. Please visit gmmh.nhs.uk/post-covid-syndrome-service for details.

Salford Literacy Trail

Twenty eye-catching bookbenches designed by local schoolchildren and artists will be in Salford until Friday 9 September.

The Salford Literacy Trail was designed to inspire a love of reading. Pupils from 20 schools took part in creative workshops with their artist to explore themes and characters from their favourite books. Each sculpture uniquely captures how children feel about the books and stories that have inspired them and helped them to get in touch with their emotions. The trail was designed by the National Literacy Trust, the Bupa Foundation and Wild in Art. For more information and a downloadable Trail Map visit: www.salfordliteracytrail.org.uk/resources

If you missed the trail, don’t forget membership of Salford libraries is free and children can borrow up to ten books for three weeks and five e-books or audiobooks online. There are picture books and board books for babies and toddlers, information for homework projects, comics and a range of general fiction for all ages and skills. Libraries also offer storytime sessions for under fives. Find your local library at: www.salford.gov.uk/libraries

Solar panels support school

Fiddlers Lane primary school, Irlam has added a solar powered stopwatch to its green credentials.

Funding came from Greater Manchester Community Renewables (GMCR), a community energy scheme, which raised money from the community to install solar panels at the school in 2016. The panels have since generated enough energy to charge over 14 million smartphones. GMCR reinvests profits from the scheme in community grants.