St Marys RC Primary School have been working with a group of 8 Year 5 children for this project, based in our local nature reserve, Highfield Country Park, alongside the Friends of Highfield Country Park.
The children have been making woodland crafts, and Martin Maudsley has told the group nature stories over the 4 seasons and been filmed there.
The whole project will be at The Whitworth Art Gallery for the day on Saturday 2nd July. The children will have stalls to tell visitors about the woodland crafts (foraging, whittling, coppicing, charcoal making, willow bark weaving, wreath making and clay), and Martin is telling stories.
St Andrew’s Primary School will be holding a School Street event next Thursday 17th February at pick-up time (between 2.30pm & 4pm).
Parents are encouraged to make active choices with their children about travel to school. Information will be provided to neighbours this week and parents (including Superkids) early next week.
Access to Broom Avenue will only be possible for residents and those with particular needs. For others who do need to use their cars, there are many places nearby within a 2 minute walk of Broom Avenue that are available to park and walk the final bit, including on the Loop to the back gate of school.
It is hoped that this could be an opportunity for those who are able to make a walking choice to do so.
Adult Education courses can help your residents to get connected
The council’s own adult education service (MAES) offer courses In English, Maths, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), Digital Skills & Preparation for work as well as the opportunity to train for a career in childcare, education, health or social care.
The courses run in seven adult learning centres across Manchester as well as in many other local community venues.
Levenshulme High School for Girls has had a makeover of the stairs leading to its library. This has even been retweeted by the Department for Education!
You can find the Library at Levenshulme High School on Twitter @TheLibraryatLHS Thanks to Ms Powell for managing the account and sharing these inspirational photographs.
Manchester City Council is looking for volunteers to help with the Alma Park School Street Trial scheduled for 1 July. Details are below. The deadline to get involved is Monday 28 June, 12.00 midday.
Volunteer Invitation
You may be aware of aware of our planned School street is a way to encourage parents/carers / residents to use active travel methods when dropping/picking up children from school. This is a great way to promote clean and safe environments, as we hope this event will help us achieve our aims to create a healthier environment around the school and local community.
The process of ‘School Streets’ events require temporary road closures around a school. To ensure the smooth running of the event, we are asking for some volunteer support to act as marshals between the hours of 1pm-4.30pm.
We need around 20 marshals to make the trial possible; all marshals will receive training material to review beforehand and have a briefing on the day. If you are interested, please email centralnt@manchester.gov.ukno later than Mon 28th June 12pm.
Please note, the briefing session will take place online via Microsoft Teams on Tues 29th June from 5pm-6pm. If you do not have access to Microsoft Teams, please let us know.
We hope you can be available and look forward to working with you.
The council is organising a trial of a “School Street” at Alma Park Primary School.
What is a School Street?
A “School Street” means roads are closed to traffic for a specific period to encourage parents and pupils to walk and cycle to school rather than be dropped off or picked up by car. Council staff and volunteers will manage the trial. Alma Park Primary is sending letters out to parents and will be informing the community as well. At the moment this is a one-off trial.
This information is subject to confirmation from Manchester City Council. We will provide further information once we have received the full details from the council.
When?
The trial will happen on Thursday 1st July from 14.00-16.00
Where?
Alma Park Primary School and surrounding streets
Which roads are likely to be closed to traffic? (to be confirmed)
Marshall Road at its junction with Albert Road
Forest Range at its junction with Albert Road
Errwood Road from its junction with Alma Road to its junction with Carson Road
Alma Road at the railway bridge
All roads leading onto Errwood Road such as Arliss Avenue and Preston Road will have restricted access through the above access points.
Where do I park if I need to use my car?
We understand an arrangement has been reached with Levenshulme Tesco to allow people to use the Tesco car park as a “Park & Stride” facility.
What about buses?
We understand arrangements will be made for any buses to be walked through the School Street by a marshall.
Volunteering
Manchester City Council is looking for volunteers to help make the trial happen. Around 20 people are required and training will be given to marshall the trial. The invitation to volunteer is available HERE.
Further information
For general information about School Streets see HERE
Over the past year Levenshulme Community Association has developed the Levenshulme Community Directory. This LCA project, developed and led by LCA Secretary Jeremy Hoad, is a resource for our community and promotes Levenshulme to the wider world.
The Community Directory shares information, supports community cohesion and links people together as well as supporting several key aims identified in the Levenshulme Community Manifesto.
The Directory provides listings organised into five themed sections as well as a complete A-Z page:
The Community Directory is a “live” resource and always open to additions and improvements. If you have anything you think should or could be added then please get in touch.
Are you aged 18+ and live in the Central Manchester area?*
Are you interested in where you live, your community & the environment?
Do you want to lead a community project but don’t know where to start?
Why not apply to be part of a new, unique & free online programme:
Caring for the Environment Together
This is a great opportunity to get more involved in your local area to help bring about positive change, increase your skills and knowledge and develop new local connections.
More information is on the flyer below. Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either Chris, Claire or Liam (contact details on the flyer).
The deadline for applications is midday on Friday 16 October. I appreciate this maybe short notice, but the good news is that the application process is a very straightforward process.
Applications are invited from people living in the following areas: Ardwick, Hulme, Longsight, Levenshulme, Gorton & Abbey Hey, Rusholme, Moss Side, Deansgate, Piccadilly
The Showcase cinemas at Belle Vue are being demolished to to be replaced with a new school provided by the Co-op Academies Trust.
The new school will open in September 2021. Applications for Year 7 entry are open now and close on Monday 2nd November 2020 at 17.00. 120 places are available and the school will expand to its full capacity of 1200 by 2028. The first two year groups will remain at 120 throughout their time at academy. The school will grow to a full capacity of 1200 pupils by September 2028 with intakes of 240 per year from 2023.
Until the new facilities open in September 2023 students will be taught in temporary accommodation.
Levenshulme is in the news with an article in the Manchester Evening News about traffic problems around schools.
“A community campaign group [Streets For People] is urging local councillors to take action on dangerous parking and increased school traffic in south Manchester.”
Extract from MEN article
Streets For People is hosting a Zoom meeting on Sunday 20th September 2020 at 3pm. The group says:
“We are organising a public meeting on the issue of what’s happening with the Low Traffic Neighbourhood proposals, and especially the council’s inaction on the dangerous situation outside schools caused by motor traffic.
We challenge the Levenshulme and Burnage councillors and council leadership to attend this meeting and explain to residents what is happening.”
Manchester City Council is half way through its ten year strategy for the city. It is now doing a survey about priorities at the half way point. You can go direct to the survey (deadline 23rd September 2020) HERE.
The questions in the survey are weighted towards prioritising issues that have already been determined but there is also opportunity to comment.
The Council’s description / introduction to the survey is below for reference or can be viewed HERE.
The current version of the “Manchester Strategy” is available HERE. The existing priorities state that the city needs to be:
Thriving — creating great jobs and healthy businesses that our people benefit from.
Filled with talent – homegrown in all our local communities as well as the world’s best.
Fair — with equal chances for all to unlock their potential, no matter where in our city they were born, or where they live.
A great place to live — with loads to do, leading the way to a low-carbon future that creates new opportunities for our residents
Buzzing with connections — world-class transport and brilliant broadband that put all Mancunians in touch with chances to get ahead.
The Council says:
“The challenge to now include everyone in this successful future is bigger than ever. But Manchester is determined to do it. We’ve seen, through the COVID spring of 2020, what coming together in new ways, and doing things differently, can achieve.
Help to reset Manchester’s ambition to be the place where everyone can be everything they want to be. Take the survey, tell us your priorities, share your ideas and let us know how you can play your part in moving Our Manchester on.”
Significant improvements are taking place to the roads around our schools as part of a road safety project by Manchester City Council. Full details of the improvements are provided below.
The schools affected in this area are:
Acacias Primary School
Alma Park Primary School
Chapel Street Primary School
Crowcroft Park Primary School
Levenshulme High School for Girls
St Mary’s Primary School
St Richard’s Primary School
The aims are:
to reduce the speed that traffic can move around the school
to increase the visibility of the crossing
to stop drivers parking on or near the crossing.
Manchester City Council says:
“We’re committed to making the roads around our schools much safer. These improvements are essential and should encourage more families to walk to school.
The improvements have been designed specifically for each crossing location, taking into account facts and figures relating to accident data and evidence from the site and surrounding areas.
We believe that these measures will make our school neighbourhoods much safer environments, and reduce the likelihood of accidents happening.”
Manchester City Council School Road Safety Projects
The council announcements are available HERE. Work has already started on the Chapel Street Primary School improvements.
Please note that this project is not part of the Active Neighbourhood proposals currently in development that were previously badged as Levenshulme Bee Network.
What are the changes?
Acacias Primary School
Burnage Lane / School Entrance
Zebra Crossing
Bollards
Guardrail
Crossley Road and Moorton Avenue
Speed cushions / traffic calming
Bollards
Alma Park Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School
Errwood Road / Clare Road / Buckhurst Road
(assumed roads as specific locations not specified apart from Buckhurst Road)
Flat top junction/crossing
Tactile paving
New signage
Renew road markings
Tighten Buckhurst Road junction
Raised puffin crossing
Speed cushions
Bollards and railings
Chapel Street Primary School
Barlow Road / Cromwell Grove
Tighten junction
Realign island
Signalised crossing
‘No Waiting At Any Time’ markings
Broom Lane / Chapel Street
Speed cushions
New signs and road markings
Crowcroft Park Primary School / St Richard’s Primary School
St Peter’s and St Mark’s Levenshulme are having a second session of their free second hand school uniform shop at St Peter’s Church on Wednesday 26th August.
This will be Covid-Secure and will need to strictly operate half hour pre-booked slots from 9.30am. Please private message George Reeves (Rector) to book a slot to collect some donated uniform. You can do this via the post on Facebook HERE
Lots of St Andrew’s, some St Mary’s, Chapel Street and bits of other schools branded sweaters are available including shirts and trousers / skirts for various ages. There are also some high school items, including some blazers.
Levenshulme Bee Network is holding a series of “webinars” on the “Filtered Neighbourhood Trials” starting in July 2020. These involve blocking off roads to motorised vehicles in 29 locations across the area. Pedestrians and cyclists can still access these roads through the “filters”.
Please see the LCA post HERE for full details including maps.
You can now register directly using the links below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
If you would like to send in any questions for the Q and A – we are using the links below to collect questions so people can ask and then upvote the most popular ones to be answered in the sessions.
We are delighted that three groups connected with Levenshulme have won Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.
Congratulations to AllFM, Burnage Library and Manchester Parents Group for their invaluable and inspirational activities.
All FM announced the award on their Facebook page with the simple statement:
“We’re delighted to have been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Hurrah!!!!!”
ALL FM 96.9 uses radio to improve the lives of the people and communities of Greater Manchester. Broadcasting live, 16 hours per day, 7 days per week, it provides a positive medium of expression for those in our communities whose voices are least heard, as well as an opportunity to highlight events, issues and the voice of the Manchester communities. Plus some of the finest music to be heard anywhere on the radio.
Announcing the award on their Facebook page, Burnage Library says:
“Our little Library has some big news to share! Our fantastic volunteer team has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Theyare an amazing bunch and really go the extra mile to welcome everyone. Big shout out to the power behind our Community Powered Library!”
Burnage Library, Activity and Information Hub is run by Friends of Burnage Library, in partnership with with Southway Housing Trust and Manchester City Council. Located in the centre of Burnage, it runs activities and educational events for community groups, children and adults. The Hub is also the base for a outreach library service delivered by Manchester City Council. The programme of activities and events encourage community involvement, helping people make new friends and learn new skills. Burnage Library, Activity and Information Hub is run by a dedicated team of volunteers committed to providing a much needed, and much loved resource for the community.
Manchester Parents Group’s Chair, Barbara Spence says:
“We are delighted that this culmination of many years’ work has been recognised, we would particularly like to pay tribute to Catherine Johnson, the late Joyce Leyland and the late Brenda Oakes all of who led Manchester Parents Group from its inception. We would also like to thank the group of volunteers for their commitment, over the years, in supporting the work of the group.”
Manchester Parents Group is a voluntary organisation which supports families and friends of lesbians, gays and bisexuals. Volunteers are all parents of lesbian, gay and bisexual sons and daughters and understand the confusion and questions people may have when they first find out their child is gay.
MPG volunteers have accepted their children’s sexuality and want to help other parents and family members to do the same. MPG works to help people understand gay and lesbian children in various ways.
We meet each month in central Manchester as an informal support group.
We run telephone help lines and offer a friendly listening ear.
We campaign for acceptance, justice and equality for all our children.
We educate other organisations and work with the media on issues surrounding homosexuality.
Manchester Parents Group has been a partner and participant in Levenshulme Pride since it was founded in 2017. See the post on the Levenshulme Pride website HERE
You’ll need to contact the school yourself if it isn’t listed.
If your child’s school is outside Manchester, their free school meals will be dealt with by the local authority the school is in. Go to the GOV.UK website and enter the postcode of the school your child attends to find out how to get them.
Which children qualify for them?
Your child may qualify if you have any of these incomes:
Income Support
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
the guaranteed part of Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit (as long as your annual gross income is £16,190 or less and you don’t get Working Tax Credit)
Working Tax Credit run-off after you come off Working Tax Credit
Universal Credit that you applied for on, or after, 1 April 2018. As long as your household income is less than £7,400 a year after tax, not including any benefits
Children who receive these benefits themselves instead of through a parent or guardian, can also qualify for free school meals.
Your child may qualify if you are an asylum seeker.
Children who are eligible for free school meals now will be eligible for them until either:
they finish school; or
if on 31 March 2022 they are still in school, until they finish the phase of schooling they are in (primary or secondary) –
whichever is sooner.
Infant free school meals in England
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 can get free school meals whatever your income. But if you have one of the qualifying incomes (above) it will help the school if you tell them this, so they can get extra funding.
After schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon, they will remain closed until further notice except for children of key workers and vulnerable children, as part of the country’s ongoing response to coronavirus.
Examples of these workers include NHS staff, police and supermarket delivery drivers who need to be able to go to work to support the country’s fight to tackle coronavirus. Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with Education, Health and Care Plans – a legal document that describes a child’s special educational needs and the support they require.
Children who do not fall into these groups should remain at home with appropriate care.
Where schools are unable to look after these children, local authorities will work with the Department for Education’s regional teams to ensure an alternative option is available in the same area.
Registered early years providers, including childminders, private schools and sixth forms should also follow this guidance. We will provide financial support for these settings as required.
Where possible, we would encourage settings to also look after key workers’ children and vulnerable children throughout the Easter holidays.
The scientific advice shows that these settings are safe for this small number of children to continue attending – but asking others to stay away will help us to slow the spread.
To lift the pressure on schools themselves and to allow them to focus on supporting those children who need it most, Ofsted will cease all inspections of schools and colleges with immediate effect.
We will not go ahead with primary school assessments or secondary exams this summer, and we will not be publishing performance tables.
We will work with the sector and Ofqual to ensure children get the qualifications they need.
We recognise that many special schools and residential settings will need to continue to look after their pupils.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
Fighting Coronavirus and protecting the vulnerable and our NHS are the Government’s top priorities right now. That’s why we are asking schools, nurseries and colleges to close – except for vulnerable children and the children of key workers.
We are facing increasingly extraordinary circumstances, but by asking schools to support our key workers and vulnerable children I am confident we will help beat this virus.
I am deeply grateful for the civic spirit and dedication of everyone working in education, and I will continue to provide my full support throughout this crisis.
To support children eligible for free school meals, schools will be able to provide meals or vouchers for supermarkets or local shops.
The government has also confirmed that the total value of vouchers offered to each eligible child per week will exceed the rate it pays to schools for free school meals, recognising that families will not be buying food in bulk and may therefore incur higher costs. The final amounts will be confirmed shortly via guidance for schools.
Effective immediately, schools will be able to order vouchers directly from supermarkets or shops in their communities to be emailed or printed and posted to families, and they will have their costs covered by the Department for Education.
We know that many universities and other higher education institutions are already taking necessary steps to keep their staff and students safe. We are confident vice-chancellors are making the right decisions and the Department for Education continues to support them in doing so.
To support nurseries at this time, the Chancellor has also decided that they will also now be eligible for a business rates holiday for one year. That means non-local authority providers of childcare will pay no business rates in 2020-21, from 1 April.
Local authorities will be fully compensated for the cost of this measure. We are applying the Barnett formula to this additional support in England.
Guidance for local authorities on the application of the holiday will be published by MHCLG shortly.
Join Multilingual Manchester for a free family-friendly day of activities to celebrate Manchester’s many languages and cultures!
The event will take place at The Klondyke Club, Arcadia Library and Levenshulme Market. Activities include language taster sessions, stalls, performances, crafts and games for children, world music, international food, and more.
For more information or to get involved, please contact <mlm@manchester.ac.uk>
A protest march against cuts to school funding will be held on 29th April starting at 12.00 from the main entrance to Cedar Mount School and heading to Crowcroft Park for a rally and picnic.
“Please contact Miss Hollywood on 0161 359 3160 if you are interested in attending the protest at Crowcroft park on Sat 29th April. We will be setting off from the main gates at Cedar Mount Academy at 12.00 noon, bring placards and loud voices. Please share the post with your friends #whatwouldyoucut #saveourschool”
As part of the French literature week, Arcadia Library & Leisure Centre will be running a one off special story time and performance session for 0-5 year olds in French, that’s right in French.
The session will take place on Monday 11th July at 10:30-11:15
This is a free event and due to space limitation we advise you book in advance.
To reserve your place, please contact 0161 227 3707.
Learning a new language can be fun whatever your age!
This Saturday, 21st May, Alma Park School Summer Fair! 2-4pm.
Come along and enjoy. There will be all the usual things: various stalls, Cakes, Toys, Bri-a-brac, all kinds of games of skill and chance, hook a duck etc, Bouncy castle, Facepaint stall, Mendi, Food and snack stalls, etc etc etc. Fun afternoon. Alma Park School, Errwood Rd, Levenshulme.
Levenshulme’s Bankley Studios is offering a residency for a local artist from Greater Manchester.
Residency opportunity for an artist based in Greater Manchester
Bankley Studios would like to offer the opportunity of a two-month residency in Bankley’s project space ‘Studio20’ to an artist based in the Greater Manchester area. We are particularly interested in hearing from artists who may not be able to participate in intensive creative practice away from home due to various other commitments. We welcome applications from artists working in all types of contemporary visual art, including two- and three-dimensional practices, installation, new media, moving image and performance.
Taking place during May and June 2016, the residency will offer the artist space and time to experiment and test ideas, and to produce a new body of work for an exhibition in our newly renovated Gallery Space. The Artist will be supported by the Project Space Team and receive one-on-one mentoring sessions with a curator in preparation for their show.
During the residency Bankley will be hosting talks and critical discussions with artists and arts professionals around the theme of ‘Process’. The artist in residence may wish to contribute towards this event, i.e. with an Artist Talk or Open studio event.
The residency includes:
24h access to a free studio space at Bankley’s Project Space ‘Studio20’
£200 stipend towards materials
2-week solo exhibition in the Gallery Space, either immediately following the residency or scheduled later in the year (to be agreed with the artist)
Mentoring by a curator who will work with the artist in the installation of the show
The artist will be encouraged to hold their own artist talk and/or or Open Studio event and to add to the Bankley blog whilst in residence
Application process:
Artists will be required to submit an application form (see below) alongside 5 images of current work (in .jpeg format, no larger than 1 MB each) and an Artist CV. Selected artists will then be invited for an interview with members of the Bankley committee before the final decision is made.
Deadline for applications: Friday 18th March 2016
Interviews will take place in April 2016.
Further information about Bankley Studios can be found HERE
After years of campaigns, consultations, marches, plans, occupations, letters, meetings, talking and even quite a bit of dancing the people of Levenshulme can now celebrate as our new Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre throws open its doors.
Here are a few photographs of the new Arcadia. These are the third set in the series of photographs recording the old Levensulme Baths, the original Levenshulme Library and now the new Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre.
Arcadia is a brand new £9.3m facility. It is managed and operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited under the Better brand through a contract with Manchester City Council. GLL are experts in managing leisure facilities. The facilities were built by Laing O’Rourke both on time and on budget. The quality and attention to detail is very impressive. Arcadia includes:
Community Library of 300 square metres including dedicated children’s library
Over 20 free computers
Free wifi throughout the centre
Two swimming pools
Flexible changing rooms that can provide dedicated access to one pool for use by specific groups or for private hire
Multipurpose Community Studio for exercise classes or community activities or meetings
60 station gym with additional free weights
Sauna – up to 12 people
Steam room – up to 12 people
Disabled access throughout with a large lift and easy access for the pools
A buggy store
Arcadia stands as a wonderful facility and proof of what can be achieved when there is a genuine cooperative, positive collaboration between residents, our community, councillors, council officers, designers and developers.
Levenshulme Library closed its doors today for the last time after 112 years serving our community.
The library was opened in 1904 as a Carnegie Library and has provided a place of learning, support, education, entertainment and community events and meetings for over a century.
The library was going to close several years ago under council plans but Levenshulme residents campaigned long and hard to keep the doors open. We had marathon readings, occupations of the building, demonstrations and die-ins on the street outside. Art work from children across our community adorned the failings of the library and discussions and meetings were held with the council to save Levenshulme Library. In the end we won and kept the library open with Levenshulme High School for Girls renting the building several days a week. We spoke, the council listened and the library stayed open.
With the imminent opening of the Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre on Stockport Road the old library has now reached the end of that chapter in its story. Hopefully the building will find a new role as a community centre and facility for all sorts of exciting things but for now the doors have closed and the lights have gone off. The Levenshulme Old Library group conitinue to work to try and find a future for the building but for now the old Levenshulme Library is in the past.
Jeremy Hoad, Secretary of Levenshulme Community Association took one last look round the library and recorded a few images before the doors closed.
Councils across Greater Manchester join together to share access to almost 3 million books from this weekend.
Everyone living in Manchester, Bolton, Oldham , Rochdale, Salford, Stockport and Trafford will be able to borrow books from scores of sites across Greater Manchester – rather than just libraries in their own boroughs with Tameside council joining later this year.
This is perfect timing just before the new Levenshulme library opens on Saturday 20th February in the new £9.3m Arcadia Levenshulme Library and Leisure Centre on Stockport Road.
Another new school is being planned near us. This time in Rusholme in addition to the new school run by the Dean Trust opening in Ardwick.
Great to see Manchester City Council planning for the future and committing itself to a good model of educational provision. Council statement and consultation:
“We’re planning to open a brand new secondary school in Rusholme in September 2017 to meet the growing demand for places in the area. And we want to know what you think.
The school will be built on land just off Lytham Road. It will be for girls and boys, and have eight forms for each year group.
With modern facilities and a high-quality environment, the new school will help more children meet their full potential and encourage people to live in the neighbourhood.
What do you think?
Give us your views and we’ll use them to help develop the proposal in the best way to meet local needs.
When we have drawn up more detailed plans we’ll invite interested organisations to bid to become the school’s sponsor.”