As we continue to invest in what matters most to us – our people
and our future – GMFRS is having a series of brand-new community fire stations built in the coming years
which form part of GMFRS’s 16-year Estates Improvement Programme
The current station on Rochdale Road will be replaced with a new station boasting improved community facilities and sustainable heating and lighting systems to support Greater Manchester's target to become a carbon neutral city-region by 2038
GMFRS’s firefighters from Blackley have now temporarily relocated to their neighbouring station in Philips Park
following their final parade at the old Blackley station on the morning of Thursday 12 October 2023
Blackley’s firefighters will continue their usual duties in and around Blackley’s station area
The new station in Blackley is expected to be complete by winter 2025 with progress of the new station to be shared on our social media channels
You can also follow the links below to see the full floor plan and site plan for Blackley Community Fire Station:
Floor plan (PDF, 666KB)
Site plan (PDF, 826KB)
Copyright Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service 2025
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Plans for the two four-storey blocks were drawn up by Saleem Architects
A site off Old Market Street and west of the Blackley Conservative Club is the subject of proposals for a 42-apartment development
A vehicle controlled by directors Javed Aslam
and Tahir Mahmood has applied to Manchester City Council for outline permission to develop a residential scheme on the plot
Saleem Architects designed the scheme comprising two four-storey apartment blocks
A mix of 17 one-bed and 25 two-bed flats is planned
A landscaped garden space would be found on the site’s north east corner
To the south of the site runs Boggart Hole Brook and some apartments will have balconies overlooking the stream
According to a viability appraisal submitted with the application
the scheme has a GDV of £5.77m and would cost £5.4m to build
use the reference number 140485/OO/2024 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal
Read our
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particularly given only a small bit of landscaping is provided to residents to escape the confines of their flats
it would impact on the neighbouring houses
It’s going to a nightmare traffic is going to be worse than it is now more people’s lives will be put in danger it’s a joke
They look more like offices than living accommodation
Windows should be horizontal in shape and not vertical and of course with balconies
As long as it doesn’t disturb me go to work that’s a very busy road for nursing staff to get to and from to the hospital and from patients
Looks like an old office block rather than a new purpose-built resi scheme
no reason at all for not complying with affordable housing policy given it’s a cheap-looking scheme on a straightforward site in a non-prime location
and the lack of parking provision is a joke given the lack of on-street and parking restrictions nearby (you can see some of the many double yellow lines in the render
the car park shown belongs to the GP surgery next door and size is exaggerated)
This is just too much Blackley Village has already been destroyed by so much housing increased in traffic enough is enough shame that that the state of the roads and the police station etc etc is so far aware
not for me..build a social club for local residents…
We live on old market street blackley it’s about time the area looks so neglected and run down
Bet it’s not social housing for people that really need homes more cars parking on pavement so people have to go on road ridiculous
A development like this isn’t appropriate for that area
Old Market Street is already congested throughout the day
Flats have already been thrown up further down that same road
Locals need affordable housing for families
Absolute joke…traffic there in peak times is horrendous
looks horrible but as per usual the local community will not be heard !
Blacklet is smothered in properties & anymore developments would completely take away the beauty of the area
These apartments are not in keeping with a village setting which is what we were promised years ago
Plus MCC have a history of removing the top floor of flat roofed apartments in order to give them a pitch roof because of the financial implications involved in maintainance
It will cause too much traffic congestion in the village
It is situated at a bad road junction and will cause more congestion in an already congested area
The parking will impact on local residents and they are all ready fighting to park there cars in there own spots
Building materials been delivered the roads are all ready gridlocked in rush hour
I live on old market street and haven’t had any communication from the council regarding this there is no signs up proposing the building
Yes it may improve the land which looks like a scrap yard at the moment
The race is on to implement the planning permission for the 15-floor Store Street scheme before it expires later this year
Having withdrawn earlier plans for 115 homes on a seven-acre former ironworks of Crabtree Lane
the housebuilder has lodged fresh proposals for 194 houses and apartments
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Harley Haddow drew up the designs for the Blackley Fire Station in Stockport
The old Rochdale Road premises have been demolished to make way for a modern facility at the same location
ISG is the main contractor on the project which will see the development of a 9,700 sq ft two-storey structure designed to be environmentally friendly
with sustainable heating and lighting systems installed
It is part of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s programme of improvements
A beam signing has taken place to mark the progress of the development which is on track to be ready next year
said: “It was great to see the brilliant progress up close at the construction site for Blackley Community Fire Station
you can see how this station will come together to serve the community and protect the generations of the future
“I’m proud to see my signature on the steel beam that forms part of the structure of the new fire station
marking a significant moment in the history of this fantastic service that protects its communities and saves lives.”
said: “I feel immensely proud to see the first of our new community fire stations starting to take shape
“Thanks again to residents and our staff members
who had their say in shaping the new station – a true example of how we work together and invest in our people
Greater Manchester and its residents while striving to become a modern
flexible and resilient fire and rescue service.”
This project forms part of GMFRS’s wider 16-year estate improvements programme
which saw £38m announced by the former Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester three years ago
The programme’s first phase runs until 2026 with modern stations to be built in other areas of Greater Manchester
Next in the pipeline is Whitefield with preparation work underway
Smaller scale upgrades are also being made to stations across the city region as part of a station refresh programme
said: “This significant construction milestone demonstrates real progress on the realisation of Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s investment masterplan
“Delivering new state-of-the-art community facilities will further enhance the service’s capabilities
while a core focus on carbon reduction and energy efficiency measures will mitigate the environmental impact and reduce running costs for these new assets.”
Architect Bradshaw Gass & Hope is on the project team
In addition to Blackley and Whitefield, GMCA is looking to rebuild the Heywood
search for application reference number 136722/FO/2023 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal
The borough claims it has a “disproportionately high number of HMOs” and is to pursuing the introduction of measures to wrestle back control
Beam-signing ceremony marks construction milestone for new community fire station in Blackley
Blackley is set to get a brand-new community fire station following demolition of the former station on Rochdale Road
The development is part of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s (GMFRS) programme of improvements as outlined in its four-year Fire Plan in 2021
as the service continues to protect its communities
Marking a key-milestone in the new station’s development
a beam-signing ceremony and site tour took place on Friday 26 July 2024
Attendees included the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green
“It was great to see the brilliant progress up close at the construction site for Blackley Community Fire Station
After a site tour you can really see how this station will come together to serve the community and protect the generations of the future
“I’m proud see my signature on the steel beam that forms part of the structure of the new fire station
The new station is on track to be in operation for summer 2025 and will boast improved facilities for GMFRS’s workforce and communities
as well as reduced carbon footprint; supporting Greater Manchester’s target to become carbon-neutral by 2038
“I feel immensely proud to see the first of our new community fire stations really starting to take shape
who had their say to shape the new station – a true example of how we work together and invest in our people
forms as part of GMFRS’s 16-year Estates Improvements Programme
which saw £38m announced by the former Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester in July 2021 for the first phase of the programme
This multi-million-pound investment will provide modern and environmentally friendly stations with a reduced carbon footprint
The plans for each station include the installation of sustainable heating and lighting systems
“This significant construction milestone demonstrates real progress on the realisation of Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s investment masterplan
Delivering new state-of-the-art community facilities will further enhance the service’s capabilities
the first phase of GMFRS’s programme will see brand new stations built in other areas of Greater Manchester
Smaller scale upgrades are also being made to stations across the city-region as part of a station refresh programme
For further information about the programme, visit: Blackley Community Fire Station, Manchester - Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service
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Middleton is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale on the River Irk south-southwest of Rochdale and north-northeast of Manchester city centre
reducing to 42,972 at the 2011 Census.[2] It lies on the northern edge of Manchester
with Blackley to the south and Moston to the south east
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Rayohits radiomanchesternewsBody found after emergency services called to BlackleyAn emergency response was triggered yesterday (1 February)
Police have confirmed a body has been found - after an emergency response was triggered in Blackley yesterday morning (1 February)
Officers were called out to the scene at about 9AM
Greater Manchester Police told us: "At around 9am (Saturday 1 February 2025) we were called to Middleton Road in Blackley
upon arrival a body of a man was discovered
"Enquiries have been continuing throughout the day to determine the full circumstances
"Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting incident 936 of 01/02/2025."
Fire crews were also called out to the scene
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “Just after 9am yesterday morning (Saturday 1st February)
two fire engines from Manchester Central and Whitefield
along with the Technical Response Unit from Ashton
“Firefighters were in attendance for around an hour.”
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As a teenager, just riding your bike to the next town over can seem like a big adventure. But for 17-year-old Luke Blackley, that wasn’t enough, and the young rider opted to tackle a 4000-mile ride through Europe aboard his Rieju 125 – just weeks after passing his A1 test
the pair set off for a dad and lad dream ride through six countries
with the intention of following the Trans Euro Trail (TET)
Luke said: “I had ridden TET Sardinia on the back of Dad’s GS Trophy when I was 12
I knew how cool these trips were and had heard the stories – endlessly
Initially, Gordon, a veteran of the Isle of Man TT, had assumed his son would be okay to travel abroad armed with just his CBT
but at the last minute learned this not to be the case
Gordon said: “It sent us into a frenzy of trying to get him through his test, that saw me teaching him, to the point of passing theory, Mod 1 and Mod 2 inside of a month
Preparation was so tight that straight from sitting an aptitude test for the RAF in Newcastle
Luke then had to head straight for his theory test which was held in Middlesborough
Luke passed all three components of his A1 licence first time around
meaning he could ditch the L-plates and head abroad
and the pair experienced their share of roadside drama – including Luke’s suspension linkage bearings collapsing mid trip
the pair remain in good spirits about the journey together
“I’m struggling to think of any disagreements; just two ready-made mates on a trip together,” said Gordon
“For me the highlight of the trip was a constant throughout it
but tried to keep well away from anything touristy
so that we lived and saw the real versions of the countries that we were passing through; rough camping on all but one night
“It was a stunning trip; I imagine Luke will remember it for the rest of his life and it has shown him what he’s capable of and to just get out there and do it.”
he was first wobbling around on two wheels at just four years old.
Following this early introduction to the world of motorcycles
enduro and overland travel.
He’s now ticked off 50 countries by bike
with his two most notable trips being a four-month jaunt to Azerbaijan and back
as well as a more recent 20,000km solo expedition down the west coast of Africa
all the way to Cape Town.
Nowadays
Nye mostly gets his kicks exploring the UK’s unmetalled road network
racing enduros and rallies aboard his KTM 500EXC-F
or tackling his local karting tracks with his supermoto pitbike – which often leaves him well acquainted with the ground.
When he’s not out riding or covering the latest biking news
walking his five rescue pups or wondering why his classic Land Rover has broken down - again
By Nye Davis
Experienced faller-offer of motorcycles, enjoyer of mud
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service marked a major milestone as part of the £38m investment in its estate with a ‘beam signing’ for the new green fire station at Blackley in Rochdale
the site at Blackley will improve community facilities and reduce the service’s carbon footprint
to be constructed over the 16 year investment period that was approved in 2021
will be built on the existing sites of current stations
To mark an important stage in the construction of the new fire station
accompanied Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel and Blackley firefighters to sign the beams that form the structure of the new building
Each station will include the installation of sustainable heating and lighting systems that will help with the city-region’s target for Greater Manchester to become carbon neutral by 2038
The next fire station to be rebuilt using the same green principles will be in Whitefield
To read similar articles, check out our Sustainability channel
COPS have launched an urgent probe after a body of a man was found in a river by a horrified walker
Emergency services rushed to Blackley, Manchester
at around 9am yesterday morning after a member of public made the grim discovery in the River Irk
The walker had found the body in a stretch of water off Middleton Road
Emergency services then recovered the man's body with multiple cops
paramedics and fire services all at the scene
Images show a blue forensic tent erected in the area as police cordoned off the tragic scene
Forensic officers were seen scouring the area for clues following the grim discovery
uniformed officers were reported to be knocking doors along the estate
An investigation has now been launched by the force.
The man's age and identity is not yet known.
Detectives are said to be unsure at this stage if the death is suspicious and are awaiting the results of a post-mortem.
Greater Manchester Police have been contacted by The Sun for comment
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: "Just after 9am this morning (Saturday 1st February)
two fire engines from Manchester Central and Whitefield
along with the Technical Response Unit from Ashton
"Firefighters were in attendance for around an hour."
Anyone with information is asked to call GMP on 101 quoting number 936 of Saturday
Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/
Mojo Architects has drawn up the plans for the church
World Mission Agency has applied to Manchester City Council to demolish a dilapidated convent in Blackley and erect a 1,500-capacity church in its place
The church will be two-storeys and include a ground level chapel
and children’s play area will be constructed
The first floor will provide additional seating for the chapel
The Winners Chapel on Salford’s Broughton Lane was inaugurated in 2010 and a growing congregation has highlighted the need for the church’s expansion
The project’s consultant team includes Miller Goodall
use the reference number 141622/FO/2024 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal
Replace one eyesore with another – what a horrible design
That’s like a small arena being plonked on your doorstep
I think it is a brilliant idea to serve the local Community in this area
Absolutely horrible design,don’t look like any church to me,and absolute abomination,Don’t build that monstrosity PLEASE
we don’t want church built on the old convent we want something built for the people of blackley but we don’t get a say we had enough of big lorrys going up and down shakeing house’s there’s plenty of other places they could build there church not on are door step
Seems like a wonderful project to add to the local community
NIMBYs now up in arms against a new place of worship
a nursery and a children’s play area.
replacing an existing dilapidated place of worship
If this doesn’t meet exacting standards
Salford’s loss is Blackley’s gain given the sheer volume of charitable work Winners Chapel have been doing
Yes some of the NIMBY reactionary comments on this thread are mind boggling
charismatic evangelical churches like this one do lots for their local areas
I sometimes wonder what the motivation is of some posters on here
We do not need a large building where this one will be based there is not enough room for all the transport that will be going there – as a resident the parking around the area is already pretty much at capacity
Great idea in theory but can Chain Rd and surrounding streets take more traffic
Chain Rd is shot to bits and theres only ever ‘patchwork’ repairs
The middle of Chain Rd has sunken many times and only remidial repairs that never last
Having lived in Blackley all my life along with my family I agree in theory what this ‘Church’ can bring to our community
however feel ot is not in our best interest
With the housing crisis there currently is and homelessness on the rise
where there is land available consideration to build housing stock should come first
Not enough infrastructure to support something of this size in this area
Residential streets surround the plot and local schools already block the surrounding roads up with their buses and coaches
Why not rebuild the community that’s been decimated here before you try and shoehorn in a new one
Surely housing would be better suited for this location
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Print Seamus Blackley is best known for creating the Xbox game console
Now he has a new mission: to start a Los Angeles chocolate company.The challenge
Cacao trees don’t grow in the Southern California climate.Blackley and partner Asher Sefami approach the cultivation of lab-grown cacao the way they do other science engineering problems.They hope to create chocolate that’s flavored like Los Angeles
with organisms different from those in more tropical cacao-growing regions
There are technological and biological wonders inside the sleek San Gabriel offices of Seamus Blackley
which are evasively named — intentionally so — Pacific Light & Hologram
Best known as the creator of Microsoft’s Xbox video game console
Blackley can’t talk about his latest computer work — he’ll discuss it only under a “Friend-D-A,” a playful twist on a nondisclosure agreement
But he can chat about the 1970s Dodge camper one sees when entering the building
Complete with chalkboard-like scientific diagrams
the vehicle once belonged to Richard Feynman
the late Nobel Prize-winning Caltech physicist
Blackley has long been campaigning to get the camper into the Smithsonian
And he can share details about the mechanical Acrocanthosaurus jaw that he and his team created for a television special
which aimed to simulate the brute force of a dinosaur bite
sits just outside of Blackley’s doorless personal office
Consider the building a sort of living museum to Blackley’s hobbies and interests
Lately the space has been partially taken over by a makeshift greenhouse
Around a corner filled with complex tech equipment
a particular tree is likely to catch your eye
this tree doesn’t naturally survive in the climate of Southern California
If you don’t let your human bias and emotion get in the way
Blackley desires a chocolate firm with cacao trees grown and cultivated right here in Southern California.
“Oh yes, we’re going to have an L.A. chocolate company,” he says. “We’re going to see how far we can take it. I am serious about launching this as a standalone thing.”
Lifestyle
Cacao ceremonies are showing up at yoga studios
Here’s the story behind this growing trend
The physicist and gaming entrepreneur isn’t
Work will continue on projects Blackley isn’t yet ready to reveal to the public
Physics and making chocolate, Blackley insists, is more related than one may think. Only Blackley’s thesis doesn’t involve deep, academic explanations of the culinary sciences. As someone whose midweek office wardrobe consists of shorts and a T-shirt, Blackley’s theories are more conversational, casual and sometimes littered with words not fit for print.
“Cooking is a great example of that,” he continues. “There is no room for self-delusion. As every chef knows, it’s the worst job in the world. There’s zero BS. You’re going to serve food to somebody, and they’re going to tell you what they think with their wallet. Science and the culinary business are deeply related because it forces you to have no more BS. You can do the stuff we do during the day here and you can raise chocolate, if you remove yourself.”
And yet there’s sincere personal passion behind the chocolate Blackley, 56, and partner Asher Sefami, 31, are creating in their climate-controlled lab, where LED lights give the trees their minimum 12 hours of sunlight. This is an insect-free zone, for instance, so Sefami must hand-pollinate the flowers that will lead to cacao pods.
Food
Restaurant critic Bill Addison and columnist Jenn Harris rank the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles
Blackley’s science background seeps into his specific chocolate-making approach
one in which he aims to “get the hell out of the way” — no added cocoa butter or flavorings other than necessary sugar — to capture the taste of pure Los Angeles chocolate
“We’re going to be aiming at a different peak flavor than other people are because we have different organisms,” says Blackley
alluding to microbes in Los Angeles versus the equator-adjacent regions in which cacao is typically grown
And while the public can’t tour Blackley’s tech offices
if all goes according to plan he’ll secure a proper chocolate-growing facility in the coming weeks or months
allowing him and Sefami to attempt to grow cacao trees at scale
will then have its own sort of Willy Wonka
chocolate-obsessed magnate who never lost his inner child or compulsion for curiosity
‘My brother-in-law — his kid got shot by another kid for his Xbox.’ I have no control over this
it’s early days for Blackley’s chocolate factory
He and Sefami have been working toward this moment for about five years
Blackley found his first one on the auction site EBay
but it turned out to be fraudulent,” Blackley says
and then I tried to order another one and EBay wouldn’t let me buy it because of agricultural laws
The process has been a series of learning curves
much of the literature about raising cacao trees and then fermenting cacao is geared toward doing so in outdoor tropical climates
An indoor facility in San Gabriel is not that
the pair had to set up an environment that would mimic a half-day of lighting
keep the trees free of pests and then master the art of pollinating them
Sefami says that at first they didn’t know cacao trees were not self-pollinating
Seamus Blackley purchased his first cacao tree on EBay
He and partner Asher Sefami soon learned the tree’s flowers were not self-pollinating
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) “I don’t know what people do with them,” Blackley says of the cacao trees available for sale
I had some crazy ideas about how easy it would be to grow chocolate
So I think most of these plants are just shipped to their death.”
The best often carefully source their cacao pods — an increasingly expensive endeavor — then roast and grind the beans into chocolate bars
who specialize in unique chocolate confections
neither of which fully appealed to Blackley and Sefami
why Blackley was so intent on securing chocolate from his own lab-grown trees
one must dig into his first love: video games
Followed by his interest in creating the thing that plays them
“It’s really clear to me that the reason I was interested in making a game console is because I wanted to see what it was like to make a game console,” Blackley says
The reason I love video games as a medium is because it’s the equivalent of the thing I love so much
It’s like you found out for yourself what it was like to go to another planet
Why watch someone else go to another planet when you can do it?”
Budding cacao trees in Seamus Blackley’s tech lab
Blackley is aiming to perfect lab-grown chocolate in Los Angeles
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) And why eat someone else’s chocolate when you can make your own
It’s one thing to read about it or go to a chocolate farm in Hawaii
“We didn’t know that the chocolate was going to be different than other chocolate,” Sefami says
“We thought we’d get some crappy chocolate and that would be fun
we made chocolate!’ And then we’ll move on.”
Blackley says they’re just getting started
“The key to great jazz and great music is that it exists on a set of rules so that people can understand it and get their head around it
then it seems like art — it seems totally free
We’re trying to work our asses off so that we earn the right to do the art.”
LetterPress Chocolate is one of the most acclaimed bean-to-bar creators in Los Angeles
and the husband-and-wife-founded company hosted chocolate-making tours out of its Beverlywood shop up until recently
before shuttering the company at the end of March
(The last day to order chocolate online from LetterPress is March 24.)
Co-founder David Menkes cites myriad reasons for ending operations — their lease is up
he still works as a visual effects artist and
the price of cacao beans is rising to the point in which he would have to double the cost of his $10-and-above bars
On a recent evening I handed him a piece of chocolate from the Blackley lab and told him that L..A
is currently home to someone growing their own cacao trees and aiming to start a chocolate enterprise
Menkes’ first reaction: “They have lots of money.”
Although conversations with Blackley and Sefami don’t delve heavily into financials
there’s no doubt that to grow enough indoor trees over multiple years to create a full-on chocolate enterprise will require a large investment
But after initial reactions to his chocolate
he has something of a responsibility to this city to create this operation
“This whole chocolate thing was an accident,” Blackley says
we have some sort of financial duty to work really hard at it and let a lot of people have it.”
Blackley’s current batches yield a thick-cut block of dark chocolate
requiring an ever-so-slightly forceful bite to crack it
and you’ll be hit with a bold arrival of of toasty
and there’s almost a dusty earthiness to the chocolate
it feels as if it’s burrowing into your taste buds
the weighty flavor of the bar pulsating long after it is gone
and I can still faintly taste it,” says Sefami of this observation
adding that they have ideas and will start breaking down the chocolate even more
capturing aromatics and more seriously analyzing its molecule makeup
“We approached this like we approach other science engineering problems.”
Blackley says he’s been encouraged to pursue his chocolate enterprise by the likes of acclaimed chef — and friend — José Andrés, who recently opened an outpost of his Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya in Culver City
has expressed a desire to use the chocolate in his restaurants
Asher Sefami handles cacao pods he and partner Seamus Blackley grew inside a San Gabriel lab. “We didn’t know that the chocolate was going to be different than other chocolate,” Sefami says. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) His analysis? “I was like, ‘All of this tastes dead,’” remarking that it felt like “things are added.”
I took the chocolate to LetterPress’ Menkes because I wanted an opinion from someone on the local scene known for quality chocolate. Menkes agreed that there’s a residual effect to the chocolate and said he was pleased with the roast.
“The thing I’m surprised by most is the roast, because usually people screw up the roast,” Menkes says, although he adds that its boldness might make someone’s mouth go “numb,” the chocolate equivalent of, say, a really hoppy beer.
Blackley concedes that his chocolate will taste and feel different to those who have been weaned on commercial bars or even what is typically celebrated on the small-batch scene. There’s a simple reason, he says: He’s making chocolate in Los Angeles rather than near the equator.
“The mix of organisms are Angeleno organisms,” Blackley says. “They’re not in Costa Rica or Barbados. They’re not where cacao is usually found. And just like in sourdough, when you have a different set of microorganisms in the fermentation, the bread tastes different. We have Los Angeles organisms doing this, and we’ll keep on optimizing.”
That’s what truly excites Blackley and Sefami. It’s chocolate that is Los Angeles-grown and perhaps even flavored by this city. And then, for a moment, Blackley does channel his inner Willy Wonka, wondering if, through chocolate, we can rediscover some childlike wonder and inquisitiveness.
“When you’re not evaluating it against some kind of standard,” says Blackley, “you can be a kid again.”
A Los Angeles chocolate company complete with its own cacao trees? It takes, perhaps, a dreamer of dreams.
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She was the daughter of the late John and Cora Blackley
and sister to the late Johnny Blackley and Chrissie Warfield
She graduated from Marple Newtown High School
known as “Etty” to family and friends
was passionate about three things: her family
She also loved the beach and looked forward to the annual family summer vacation getaway
Marietta was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of West Chester
where she served as a Sunday school teacher and Elder
She more recently attended Westminster Presbyterian Church
Marietta was employed in a variety of administrative roles at public and private schools
until she retired in 1994 and became a full-time
Granny was always the loudest cheerleader at every grandchild’s sporting event
Marietta is survived by her loving husband of 60 years
Robert; her three children: Elaine Irvine (Craig)
and Rob Ennamorato (Jenn); and her five grandchildren: Lindsay
She will be greatly missed by all who loved her
Relatives and friends are invited to the Visitation at 11:00 am to 12:00 noon
January 23 at the First Presbyterian Church of West Chester
followed by her Memorial Service at 12:00 noon
Flowers can be sent in memory of Marietta to First Presbyterian Church of West Chester
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Harley Haddow is working on the designs of the new Blackley Fire Station
Manchester City Council has approved the planning application for the replacement fire station on Rochdale Road, part of Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s broader £38m revamp of first responder facilities
the current Blackley Fire Station will be demolished and replaced with a modern two-storey structure
This new building has been designed to be environmentally friendly, with sustainable heating and lighting systems installed. Harley Haddow is assisting with the energy efficiency designs.
In addition to a 9,700 sq ft new fire station
one will be a designated disabled bay and four will have electric vehicle charging capability
Architect Bradshaw Gass & Hope designed the approved plans for GMCA. LK Group and Pennine Ecological are also on the project team. ISG is the main contractor.
You can learn more about the Blackley project by searching 136722/FO/2023 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal
I’ve fixed the picture caption which had the incorrect info
Please do let me know if there was anything else in the article you found confusing that I can assist with
Once a hub of the fledgling chemicals industry
Blackley also boasts some of the most popular green spaces in Manchester including Heaton Park
Once a rural village to the north of Manchester
it became part of the city's urban spread during mass house building in the 1930s
Until 2010 the area had its own parliamentary constituency named after it but it is now part of the Blackley and Broughton seat – one of Labour's safest in the city
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By Kacy Preen | 1 November 2021News
Residents of Old School Court in Blackley were given just one week to vacate their homes for fire and safety reasons
The buildings management agency are accused of failing to provide tenants and landlords with updates on the status of the building and the imminent risk of eviction
Tenants and leaseholders of a block of flats in Blackley are distressed at having a fire safety Article 31 Prohibition Notice served on their building on Monday 25 October
by the Greater Manchester Fire and rescue Service (GMFRS)
giving them just seven days to find alternative accommodation
Residents were left unsure of where they will move to and what help was available to them
Old School Court is a former school building, built in the 19th century and converted into 36 flats in 1996
A fire occurred in a ground floor flat on 1 July
which led to GMFRS deciding the building was unsafe for people to live in
and smoke travelled throughout the building
revealing inadequate fire separation between apartments
One resident Alex (not their real name) speaking to The Meteor
who lives in a flat near where the fire started
and it burnt through to the flat next door
which they have to do to find out if there’s anybody in the flats
“We’ve been waiting for three months or so
And they [the resident management company] keep saying they have to order them
and they said they were waiting for insurance
so we’ve got this now [a hasp and staple lock]
Following the fire GMFRS issued the Article 31 notice
with conditions attached to ensure the residents’ safety while the building still had fire safety issues
A breach of these conditions would require GMFRS to order the building’s closure
The prohibition notice permitted the building to be occupied only if there was a means of alerting all residents to a fire
Smoke detectors were installed in flats and communal areas
who own the building and employ the company Scanlans to manage it
decided it will not pay for the waking watch beyond 1 November
and so the safety of occupants can no longer be guaranteed
leading to the GMFRS decision that all tenants must leave the building
Alex explained their view of the situation:
“What finally made them [GMFRS] decide to close the building
and there’s another company that do fire checks [employed by the resident management company]
the fire brigade were doing a test as well
But we thought they were still testing [the smoke alarms]
you know… and they told us last Monday [25 October] we all had to leave on Monday [1 November] at one o’clock
it’s £6000 a week to have two lots of three people to work 24 hours.”
A representative from Greater Manchester Housing Action (GMHA)
who is supporting another tenant in the building
told us that residents weren’t properly informed about the new fire alarms or the waking watch:
“They were just told it was to do with the tenancy
and the people in the car park with a foghorn were there to keep the building safe
They were never told these people were there because there was a closure order in progress.”
An email from GMFRS to GMHA says that “all residents were as far as we are aware informed of this [waking watch] on the day [1 July]”
Scanlans have been liaising with GMFRS since the fire on 1 July
GMFRS and a homelessness officer from Manchester council attended a meeting on 13 October
where it was decided that the prohibition order could no longer be complied with in the building’s current state
due to the inability to safely evacuate the flats
and further issues discovered during repair works to the building
Some leaseholder landlords owning the flats and tenants living in the building report that they were not invited to the meeting on 13 October
and were unaware of the dangerous state of the building until GMFRS knocked on their doors on 25 October
telling them they had to be out in one week
According to the same email from GMFRS to GMHA
the fire service say they received confirmation from Scanlans that letters informing tenants and landlords of the fire safety situation regarding Old School Court had been delivered by hand on 2 July and 26 July.The GMFRS email also says the prohibition notice “was served on the Resident Management Company which is legally responsible for fire safety in the building and is made up of Directors who own the flats
They appoint Scanlans to manage the building on their behalf”
But some residents of Old School Court report that they received letters
addressed to their landlords (who are leaseholders)
They did not open these because they were not addressed to them
and the landlords did not receive these letters because they were sent addressed to the homes of their tenants
This led to some flat owners/landlords finding out at the same time as their tenants did
on 25 October when the Article 31 notice was served
Scanlans were contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication
Flats in Old School Court were, until a few days ago, offered for sale on various property websites, including Rightmove and Bridgfords
Several other properties are advertised for sale as cash only purchases due to a lack of EWS1 (External Wall System) fire safety form for the buildings they are contained within
That is not the issue with Old School Court
but the implications for the owners are similar
Anyone who buys a flat like this will join the thousands of leaseholders nationwide who have been hit with high maintenance charges for building repair and to fund a waking watch. Some owners have received bills higher than the price they paid for their flats
Leaseholders in Old School Court were already paying for work on their building
before the fire safety issues became apparent
Phil Murphy, a Manchester-based High Rise Residential Building (HRRB) fire safety management consultant directed us towards a period conversion in Salford which was also subject to a prohibition notice with similar issues to Old School Court
“All buildings converted like this should require detection & alarms and sprinklers throughout
with most needing some kind of smoke extraction too
risers and rooms created within a pre-existing structure makes them far less predictable in terms of the way that fire & smoke will behave.”
We don’t know how many buildings in Manchester are affected by sub-standard fire compartmentation
although not all conversions are problematic
It is entirely possible to change a building’s use and sub-divide it safely with adequate fire detection and resistance
The representative from GMHA is particularly worried about the young tenant they are supporting at Old School Court
and the prospect of them having to enter emergency accommodation like a B&B or hostel
The tenant was initially told they were not eligible for help from the council
and they will struggle to find social housing due to age restrictions imposed by providers
and the hotels and ABEN [A Bed Every Night] and hostels they’re going to be offered
are far more unsafe than this block of flats
I regularly deal with young victims in hostels who have been robbed or indecently assaulted in them
as confirmed by Dame Louise Casey’s report warning on ABEN last year.”
The Housing Act 1996 imposes a duty on local authorities to provide accommodation for applicants who are homeless and in priority need
Section 189 defines who counts as having priority need: “a person who is vulnerable as a result of old age
mental illness or handicap or physical disability or other special reason…”
It’s possible to interpret this definition in such a way that excludes a lot of people we might reasonably consider to be vulnerable, such as young people with limited housing options. Additionally, when considering vulnerability, the council only needs to consider how the applicant would fare compared to “an ordinary person made homeless”
rather than considering the detriment of being made homeless in itself
We spoke with another tenant in the process of moving out on Sunday 31 October:“I’ve currently got nowhere to live
which is the deadline for when we get kicked out
If I don’t get that I’ll have to go to another city
because there’s no-one near me who I know.“I won’t be completely homeless
And it’s kind of affecting my work as well
It’s such a rat race finding somewhere to live
Enforcement of the Article 31 notice makes it a criminal offence for leaseholders to occupy or let their properties
Tenants who have not already moved out face eviction from their flats on 1 November
Some residents were planning on resisting eviction
eleven residents had contacted Manchester city council’s homelessness team
six of them were considered eligible for emergency accommodation in a B&B
Four had been told they do not qualify as “vulnerable” and there is no duty to house them
and one application was still being processed
About twenty residents had not contacted the council about this matter prior to 1 November
Once it was clarified that residents would need to be rehoused under emergency procedures
a council spokesperson said steps were put in place to offer emergency accommodation to all residents
These steps included the council’s homelessness team attending Old School Court on the day of the eviction
to make sure all residents had been spoken to and offered emergency accommodation
A spokesperson for Manchester city council said:
“Since being alerted to the safety concerns at Old School Court the Council has worked to ensure that all residents could secure
“This has been a fast-moving situation and we appreciate how distressing this must have been for everyone living there
At each step of this process the Council has tried its best to keep residents informed about what options were available to them
“When it was determined that emergency referrals for temporary accommodation could be made
work took place to reassure residents that everyone would be offered support and accommodation by the Council
“This situation was the cause of a great deal of anxiety for residents
therefore staff from the Homelessness Team were on site on Monday (1 November) to provide advice and reassurance to them
“We will continue to work with residents to secure new accommodation or until such a time it is safe to return to their homes.”
Article amendment on 2 November 2021: The article was altered to include comment from Manchester city council on their actions in regard to the residents of Old School House
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has a great string of words about life in a small town
someone always knew you would.” Cue the local curtain rustler’s chat with the TV reporter
they was ruthless with the trees and bushes; I knew they loved the axes
Poor Pat didn’t stand a chance…” And when it comes to small towns it’s a funny thing
it seems to me: big places can have a small town vibe – a small town familiarity. I think Glasgow might be that kind of place – I’ve talked of it before – one that falls into the class of a sort of small-town city
What are the chances of that sort of collision of people in a city of any size
walking down Queen Street towards Argyle I glanced to my left to see a feller leaning against the wall at Primark [a chain of clothing stores]
I thought to myself – honest truth – “there’s some guy waiting for someone to finish their shopping.” Well
It was none other than a bearded Ross Walker
He was patiently waiting for his procuring clan
more like loitering) outside The National Piping Centre for a lunch meet-up with Duncan Nicholson I happened upon that dynamo piper and music educator
Margaret Dunn (followed minutes later by her other half
it was this mid-day chat with Margaret that got me to thinking
In a fairly brief period of time (I think I’ve heard a few pipers tune-up for competitions in more time than we chatted) we talked of Covid – as is the way of things these days – and – teaching
We talked of the Suzuki method of teaching (Margaret is very well-versed in Suzuki techniques)
ear learning and how to get music students inspired
I know there are places that hold two-day conferences on that kind of subject matter
All this put me to mind of my old friend, Jim Blackley
then the leading drummer for Dalziel Highland Pipe Band; today
Duthart is considered one of the greatest drummers ever
He was – thinking of a word he might use – a “heavy”. Man (as he might say)
he travelled in the very coolest and grooviest jazz circles
Tony Bennett would call Jim up to chat when he had a gig in Toronto
“Willie Roy’s Loom House” in that first Edcath book
This side of Jim always interested me but we didn’t talk directly about religion all that much
It was through Jim Blackley that the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band connected with Don Thompson, another jazz heavy, he, among other many great things, the composer of the now-classic pipe band piece, Journey to Skye
Jim was part of the swirling orbit of influences of the 78th of the mid-late 1980s
He was the first person I heard talk of “forward motion” in a musical context
He had a gift for using language to inventively describe musical ideas and feelings
Jim travelled with the band to the World Pipe Band Championships in 1988 and proved a savvy
don’t you know) in what I think was the set for the John Cleese TV series
As we passed a lay-by outside the town and a vigorously bouncing parked red Ford Cortina (funny the things you remember) we came to an old cemetery
They often double both as the dead-centres of town and hugely interesting places
you have no idea what you’re exposing yourself to in these places
I loved Jim’s outlook and carefully thought-out firm ideas
He was a believer in learning slow with the idea that if you can’t play slow you can’t play anything
it was clear to me he was deeply devoted to his students
core elements of the Suzuki method include close attention to listening
repetition and mastery of musical elements and
While I was never guided with a set of sticks by
I made a strathspey for Jim, Blackley of Hillsdale. (Hillsdale was the street in Toronto where he and Aishah lived for a time)
The tune may not swing and offer shuffle rhythms with a triplet feel but – baby – its got snap
It’s extraordinary how an accidental chat in Glasgow about teaching invoked memories of Jim Blackley
Bagpiping features and news from around the international piping community
Contact us: news@bagpipe.news
© Bagpipe News - The National Piping Centre
our specialist Dementia care home located in North Manchester
has collected a top care sector honour at this year’s Caring UK Awards
The care home supports people with Dementia throughout their journey and offers specialist respite
The team collected the prestigious ‘Care Home of the Year – North’ at the event last week
recognising the staff team’s success in delivering world-class support
Judges were impressed with how EachStep Blackley provides a complete range of dementia support from one service including
residential & nursing care and palliative care
supporting people throughout their journey from diagnosis until the end of their lives
The event took place on Friday 19th October in Leicester and are held in association with Caring UK
the magazine for managers in the elderly care sector
“We’re delighted to have received the honour of ‘Care Home of the Year’ at the 2019 Caring UK Awards
from our support workers to our catering and hospitality team
work incredibly hard with such passion and determination to deliver exceptional care to the people we support
I’m incredibly proud of the entire team on this huge achievement.”
who takes the screen in Woody Allen’s new film Irrational Man
loves football and Joy Division – enough that he has an Ian Curtis tattoo
That bit of ink can certainly tell us more about this 24-year-old newcomer, who has a supporting role in Woody Allen’s latest film, Irrational Man
True, Blackley didn’t have much to work with in his part as doting boyfriend to Emma Stone’s character, serving as the foil to her alluring yet nihilistic professor, played by Joaquin Phoenix
Having already achieved the sort of career milestone most actors only dream of
Blackley wants to plan his next steps carefully
Sipping a Coke while a bow-tied piano man plays Yesterday and Send in the Clowns, Blackley admits he was unaware that the Carlyle is where Allen plays a regular gig on the clarinet for a jazz band. It’s also where the director shot the unforgettable date scene between Allen and Dianne Wiest in 1986’s Hannah and Her Sisters
Blackley’s opportunity to dip a toe into Allen’s film legacy came as a surprise to him
He had been pulled to the side by his representatives on the night of a screening in Los Angeles and informed that on his way back to London
he’d been asked to test for the part in New York
Blackley arrived at 7am and spent three hours at a nearby Starbucks where the casting director walked in
Allen said two things to him: “How old are you?” and “Your accent is good”
and Blackley was thrilled by Allen’s directorial approach of giving his actors freedom to improvise where needed
“He’s not precious about his words,” Blackley says
Blackley was thrown a curveball when Stone switched her lines and he paused
Allen put him at ease by amicably asking: “What happened
“I always enjoyed movies but that got to me in a different way.” He wants to commit himself to acting “more than anything”
but he struggles with the notion that others might one day be as moved by him as he was by Riley
Blackley says: “I got it at a point in my life when I was worrying about so much,” when he was 18 and a “massive” Joy Division fan
He got the ink as a sort of talisman against the kind of inner demons that can haunt young artists
on the eve of his band’s first American tour
“I thought: ‘This is what happens when you worry about shit
“I was tired of worrying about stuff like ‘Is my career going to be long?’”
even though he says he gets homesick easily and he looks forward to flying to London tomorrow morning
who both work for the same business travel company
Whatever jitters Blackley had from the premiere screening of Irrational Man
But the experience is not far from his mind
Blackley recalls standing on the red carpet when his top lip started shaking in an uncontrollable fashion
“It’s always an uncomfortable thing,” he says
“I’m in the car and my stomach is in knots
And I don’t see that feeling ever going away
Watching the film at the premiere was a revelation for the actor who not only hadn’t seen it before but was never given the full script
so he was truly seeing his place in the story for the first time
“Because my character is completely obsessed with figuring out what the hell is going on.”
Firefighters tackle blaze involving heavy goods vehicles in Wythenshawe
Firefighters tackle large blaze at commercial unit in Levenshulme
Firefighters tackle fire involving large amount of scrap metal at site in Bury
Four fire engines - from Broughton, Chadderton, Gorton and Oldham - remain at the scene of an overnight fire at a derelict school in north Manchester. 🚒This video clip shows what our crews had to contend with at its height in the early hours this morning. 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/1gKAnT0lrv
The incident at the site of the former Camberwell Park School in Higher Blackley
Hollins and Manchester Central remain at the scene following a blaze affecting the building which began just after 1am
Crews have been fighting the fire for around three hours and in the last few minutes have succeeded in all but extinguishing the flames
GMFRS will remain at the scene into the morning
ensuring the fire is wholly damped down and the scene is made safe
Group Manager Phil Nelson from GMFRS said: “It has been a tough few hours but the fire is now essentially out
Our firefighters have worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames and we will be here through the day ensuring that the scene is fully damped down and there are no further hotspots
“It is too early at this stage to speculate about a cause
I want to thank colleagues from Greater Manchester Police
utilities companies and the local council for their assistance.”
Bank House Road remains closed but the road closure is not anticipated to last into the morning rush hour
so residents are encouraged to take care if travelling and to keep the windows and doors of houses and cars closed
Firefighters are making good progress at the scene of a derelict former school fire in Higher Blackley
The scene of the blaze measures roughly 80 meters by 40 meters and crews are working hard
using four jets and an aerial appliance to fight the fire from outside the building
A police cordon is in place around the scene and Group Manager Phil Nelson from GMFRS said: “We are well established at this incident and I want to praise crews who are working extremely hard
I’m pleased to report we are making steady progress – the building is surrounded by the school’s grounds which is helping us keep on top of the fire and prevent any spread
“We have divided the fire itself into three sectors of firefighting
allowing us to target our efforts on particular hotspots
I am confident in saying we will be able to stay on top of this situation and soon extinguish the flames.”
Bank House Road is currently closed to traffic and local people are requested to keep the nearby road network clear to allow GMFRS and Greater Manchester Police vehicles easy access
While the fire continues to emit smoke nearby residents are still requested to keep the doors and windows to their homes closed
Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (GMFRS) currently has eight fire engines at a fire at a disused single storey school building on Bank House Road in Higher Blackley
Firefighters were called to the blaze just after 1am and were quickly on the scene
Upon arrival it was soon established that the derelict Camberwell Park School building was well alight – crews are currently using four jets to extinguish the flames
GMFRS expect to be at the scene into daybreak
There is smoke in the immediate vicinity so nearby residents are asked to keep windows and doors closed at this time and leave local roads free from traffic to allow swift and easy access for emergency service vehicles
The housing association aims to complete the construction of 25 affordable homes on Victoria Avenue by next summer after purchasing the site from Manchester City Council
enabling Great Places Housing Group to press on with the £4.5m scheme it is delivering in partnership with the city council and housing developer Mulbury
The site in Higher Blackley has been derelict for the past three years and the developers intend to create a development of two-and three-bedroom affordable homes
The units have been designed to meet designated Manchester Space Standards
which aim to ensure the delivery of high-quality residential development across the city
Construction is already underway and PWA Planning advised Mulbury and Great Places on the planning application
said: “Work is progressing well following the successful completion of the acquisition from Manchester City Council
“We worked closely with the council and Mulbury to acquire the site
and this is a great example of positive partnership collaboration to transform a derelict former brownfield site into much-needed affordable housing in this neighbourhood.”
Great Places has 24,000 homes in more than 30 local authority areas across the North West and Yorkshire
Site plan of the Victoria Avenue development
The housing association is working with main contractor Caddick to build 69 social rent homes for over 55s and a GP surgery on 2.5 acres of disused land on Arrow Street in Broughton
The exchange between developer Kellen Homes and partners Sigma Capital Group and First Choice Homes Oldham represents the completion of the 311-home Middleton scheme
The former Bowker Banks site has a guide price of £1.5m
A 14-acre plot with planning permission for up to 76 homes is to be sold in Pugh’s online property auction on 19 September with a guide price of £1.5m
the plot sits off Blackley New Road and was once home to the Bowker Bank industrial estate
the land benefits from extant planning permission from Manchester City Council for up to 76 three- to four-bedroom homes to be built there
Blackley Developments purchased Blackley Mere for £775,000 in October 2015
The developer was granted outline permission to deliver 48 properties in 2012
Reserved matters approval followed for both schemes in 2016
This is what housing could look like on the site
associate director at property auctioneer Pugh
said: “This is an ideal location to develop family homes
“The quiet riverside and woodland environment make it a really attractive setting for new houses that is only half a mile from the nearest Metrolink stop at Bowker Vale and just four miles from Manchester city centre”
“It’s a fantastic investment opportunity and
we’ve already seen considerable interest from potential buyers.”
Bidding commences on 19 September and closes on 20 September
So they bought the site did nothing with it and doubled thier money
Likely this will be back on sale in 5 years for 3 million
Bernard Greep joins the firm’s planning division as equity partner and Michael Gilbert as partner
Manchester Metropolitan University has formally entered into a joint venture with Unite Students
as the partners near a planning submission for the £390m project at Cambridge Halls
The academy was recognised for its work in developing a comprehensive community hub which offers a wide range of support to local people
By Danielle Hicks · 5 July 2023
WELL DONE: The Manchester academy was highly commended in the Community Engagement category
The most outstanding individuals and institutions that the education sector has to offer have been recognised in the shortlist for the 15th Tes Schools Awards 2023
Last week hundreds of education professionals from across the country attended the awards ceremony where it was announced that E-ACT Blackley Academy in Manchester
was highly commended in the Community Engagement category
The Tes Schools Awards recognises the very best teachers and schools from UK state and independents
The awards ceremony was hosted by James Nesbitt
The panel of awards judges include school leaders
professionalism and high standards of the Tes Schools Awards judges and the judging process has helped establish them as a well-respected achievement for any school chosen as a finalist or winner
E-ACT Blackley Academy was recognised for its work in developing a comprehensive community hub which offers a wide range of support to local people
The school has invested in a dedicated team of staff
who co-ordinate a range of organisations and charities out of community premises at St Paul C Of E Church on Victoria Avenue
where any member of the community can gain advice and support around a wide range of topics
Services available include: financial support, wellbeing, health services
As a school where 60 per cent of students access Pupil Premium
the schools’ outcomes are a credit to the staff who work hard for families
ensuring their needs are met and children are able to access learning
and maths results are higher than the national average and the gap for Pupil Premium is significantly smaller than the gap nationally
Tom Campbell, CEO at E-ACT, said: “As a national cross phase trust rooted in community action and support E-ACT’s vision of education focused on the whole child. To achieve this, we provide care for not only the children we teach, but for their families acting as a bridge between a range of charities
and interventions to support those in need
“We firmly believe that coming from a disadvantaged background should not shape your future
Opening Doors strategy is about providing students with the skills and experiences that allow them to thrive
I’m delighted for E-ACT Blackley Academy to be celebrated for the outstanding community engagement it provides
it is fantastic recognition of the great work all our schools do to tackle the problems our children
said: “I’m so proud of our community and the great team that work to offer a wide range of resources available beyond the school gate
Our community deserve to be able to access joined up services and support
which is available at the hub for those who need it
Being highly commended at this event shines a light on the amazing work that can happen when we work together
and the impact this has on the children that we serve.”
said: “The hub was set up in 2021 in response to research that shows many members of the Blackley community have had little access to the support and advice they need
The local school and church are both thrilled that
alongside a range of incredible organisations and agencies
they have been able to set up a community hub to deliver much-needed support and contribute positively to the people of Blackley.”
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We take a look back at the events happening this week over the years
By InYourArea Community · 28 July 2022
FLASHBACK PHOTO: Pub renamed for Charles and Di wedding
Blackley licensees Dot and Tom Ryan raised a glass to Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer to celebrate the Royal Wedding
They even renamed their pub the Charles and Diana to mark the occasion
Street parties and celebrations were held throughout Manchester and the North West as Charles and Lady Diana Spencer tied the knot at St Paul’s Cathedral
The wedding was attended by 3,500 guests and watched by an estimated global television audience of 750 million
There’s no mistaking the dire warning on the back of this Salford police car
A caricature of the Grim Reaper spells out the message that 14 people are killed on Britain’s roads every day
The car was due to tour the Salford area warning all road users of the tragedies that can come out of careless holiday motoring
Road deaths in the UK plateaued at five a day in 2012
Around 60 people a day suffered serious injuries
Wigan rugby league legend Jim Sullivan places the ball ready to take a kick at goal in a rare image from 1920
fullback Sullivan started his career in rugby union before joining Wigan in 1921
He went on to score 4,883 points for the club in a career spanning 25 years
Sullivan made 60 international appearances for England
Great Britain and the Other Nationalities combined team
He also played for Wales at British Baseball – a game like rounders
Get all the latest news, updates, things to do and more from your local InYourArea feed.
For more nostalgia articles follow Emma Boff, InYourArea, on Facebook, here.
Discover more nostalgic photos from areas near you including Bury, Bolton, Ashton-under-Lyne, Bolton, Bramhall, Collyhurst, Tameside, Manchester, Eccles, Partington, Salford, Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport, Trafford, Harpurhey, Wigan, Gorton, Prestwich, Oldham, Wythenshawe, Sale, Ardwick, Hulme, Urmston, Moss Side, Greater Manchester in the wide range of books available from the iNostalgia website here.*iNostalgia’s latest book
is available to buy on the website inostalgia.co.uk for £12.99
It’s a fascinating compilation of the Then and Now articles and photos featured every Sunday in the M.E.N
Material taken from Wednesday's edition of the M.E.N. Discover more fascinating photos and nostalgic features of Manchester, see the M.E.N. on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday or visit M.E.N. Nostalgia
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By Fionnuala Halligan2014-06-05T10:38:00+01:00
The south London native is waiting for his first studio lead to be released — opposite Chloe Grace Moretz in an adaptation of the bestselling young adult novel If I Stay
set for an August release through Warner Bros/MGM
following on from the indie Uwantme2killhim
and some plum supporting parts in And While We Were Here and The Fifth Estate
as an infant and attended Sylvia Young Theatre School for six years
“I was a kid who wanted to be in show business,” he recalls
all I knew was that I really enjoyed it.”
Although he planned to go on to drama school
Blackley got his first job at the age of 17 “and I just rolled with it”
that “there are periods where you’re not in work and it’s tough
Two years ago I was going through my room trying desperately to find anything to sell on eBay.”
With indie feature Kids In Love also shot and awaiting release
“I want to create longevity and in order to do that I have to be careful,” says Blackley
“I’m in it to do work that I would enjoy watching
I’m not looking for an overnight thing that puts me in a magazine.”
United Agents kwhelan-foran@unitedagents.co.uk
‘Ish’ and ‘Learning To Breathe Under Water’ will also feature
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Principal photography scheduled for later this year
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our specialist dementia care service in Manchester
hosted leading academics for a practical research session that reviewed the potential benefits of internet use for people living with dementia
Professor Sugata Mitra from Newcastle University gave a presentation at the home exploring new methods of learning and engagement using the internet
and the potential cognitive and wellbeing benefits that this may have for people living with dementia
along with other leading academics from Manchester University
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Loughborough University
held a practical research session for people with dementia and their families to see how computers can play a role in improving care
Participants worked together in small groups to access the internet
with the task of researching online how text messages are sent and received
The research could potentially help develop new technologies for dementia care
EachStep Blackley is an award winning specialist dementia care home
and participated in the project as a national member of the NHS Care Home Research Programme
This has seen us commit to supporting research that aims to improve quality of life
support and care of people who live with dementia and age-related conditions
said: “Digital platforms offer great opportunities for connecting with people
enjoying stimulating activities and having fun
so have many applications within care services
We were very keen to support this research
because understanding how the internet can help people who live with dementia is vital
We are committed to building on this day by supporting further supporting research by the NHS ENRICH network”
Click here to find out more about the ENRICH visit