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GM Walking Festival Age-Friendly Bench Walk
Twice a year, the Age-friendly Whalley Range network plan local walks following the route of the age-friendly community benches in Whalley Range – as part of International Older People’s day in October and to acknowledge the GM Walking Festival in May.
This year for our May walk we are celebrating the addition of 6 new benches – bringing our total across the ward to 18!
We are also celebrating the life of Bill Williams – who was the main campaigner for the benches and the Chair of our age-friendly network – and the Chair of Whalley Range Community Forum.
Bill was a vital and much loved community leader in Whalley Range and we all miss him.
Our walk will be on Tuesday 12th May starting at 11:00am – meeting at the JNR8 Youth and Community Centre and visiting some of the new benches – which sadly Bill didn’t get to see.
See the walk route below
A plaque commemorating Bill’s life will be attached to the bench on College Road, closest to his family home.
Members of the JNR8 over 50’s music group – the Happy Tuesdays – will be joining us on the day, playing some music at the bench outside the co-op on Withington Road and of course at the bench on College Road.
Please join us if you are free – or take a seat on Bill’s bench if you are passing, to reflect on Bill’s contribution to our Whalley Range community.
R.I.P. Bill
See Bill’s tribute page here:
Our walk is once again a chance to get involved in the fantastic annual Greater Manchester Walking Festival.
See link below for details of our walk and to search for other GM Walking Festival local and city wide walks.
https://gmwalking.co.uk/
Festival Walks https://share.google/
QR Code programme
Celebrate Festival 2026 Programme
Whalley Range Youth Opportunities Association Lead Youth Worker Vacancy
We are looking to appoint a dynamic and experienced youth worker, with a strong digital skillset, to play a leading role in the delivery of, and assist with the evaluation of, a youth work programme, JNR8ing Opportunities with Young People, promoting active, creative, healthy and independent lifestyles to young people aged 11 – 19 years from in and around Whalley Range.
Closing date:
9.00am on Monday 11th May
Interviews will be held on Monday 18 th May
Read more and apply:
JD JNR8ing Opportunities Lead Youth Worker 2026
Person Spec Lead Youth Worker JNR8ing Opportunities 2026
Whalley Range Community Forum and Leg Up Club – Spring into Summer health event
WRCF Development Plan: our approach
Our approach to development plans and the Re:JNR8 process.
The Whalley Range Community Forum has a commitment to regularly reviewing and creating a development plan, based on the changing priorities of our diverse community. The plan identifies what we have achieved, the benefit the Forum brings as well as identifying areas for change and improvement.
We have a commitment to using a mixture of quantitative and qualitative information using participatory and asset based approaches, as the basis of ongoing review. We have increasingly utilised participatory approaches, aiming to increase representation, capacity building and a more accurate identification of priorities and assets.
Our first Development plan (1999) was carried out by a paid consultant, the two main priorities identified were for a resource building, and an administrative worker. These have both been achieved. The Forum 2002 W/R Community Network Development plan, was a mapping exercise compiled by our local community worker and provided a wealth of comparative data comparing facilities in W/R to those of neighbouring Chorlton and Moss side, the findings were used as the basis for community consultation meetings.
A major upheaval and much distress was caused by the unexpected death of our long-standing Chair, and link to many within our community, Bill Fatai Williams (29/12/2025). The loss of Bill highlighted the important of having trustees like Bill, who understood and took part in a range of activities at JNR8. In the community he excelled at listening to individuals and groups concerns and suggestions, and thrived on networking.
Annual General Meeting (10/4/2025) (12 people present, (including 4 out of a possible 10 trustees)).
Priority need identified for new trustees and separate regular trustees’ meetings
Trustees meeting (13/8/25) Through discussions about the submission of the OMVCS (sub. September 2025) we selected three categories that best described our organisations work as
Community hub/centre Mental Health and wellbeing support Community capacity building through partnerships.
Our selected 3 priority areas
Priority 1: Our people will: Be happy, healthy and active from childhood to adulthood.
Priority 3 Our people will: Be proud of our diversity feel valued and included , knowing they belong.
Priority 4.Our people will: Participate engage and influence decisions about their communities and neighbourhoods
Development Plan event agreed for Nov. 29th, and participatory appraisal approach to be used again, named Re:JNR8. Cyclical, evolving development plan process devised and started.
Forum’s 30 years celebration event (11/09/25)
The event gathered people involved with the Forum from its inception, partner organisations, previous workers, volunteers and MC members (28 people attended, representing 21 groups, 9 had not been involved in activities for many years,(3 (P= Pakistani) ,2 (A/C=African Caribbean) I (I=Indian) 2(A=African) origins)).This event and its ‘just a minute format’ gave the opportunity for 20 people ( plus others who sent statements) to briefly share their relationship with the Forum and the outcomes.
The 30-year event and the review of our work identified how important our partnerships had been with universities. This had included offering (paid) student placements, to hosting overseas groups, benefiting from University facilitated participatory research and evaluation (e.g. Researching Age Friendly Communities (University of Manchester 2015 ) and various student community audits (MMU)and involvement in the NW TakePart Network(MMU).
‘Don’t ever get rid of the Forum, its as good as you make it). Please keep going, stay strong, your value is not seen but felt, in the long term you will have made a difference in Whalley Range’. Mick Thompson one of founders of the Whalley Range Forum
‘Don’t take everything for granted’
Bill Wiliams Chair
WRC Forum general meeting Re:JNR8 continues. (8/01/2026)
draws in large number of people (27, 8 new to the Forum) (5 P, 1 AC,2 A origins) representing 20 groups) interested in envisioning for the future of Whalley Range and exploring the role of the Forum (and trustees).
OMVCS (Dec. 20025) Notification that our application for funding was likely to be successful.
WRCF Development Plan:
GM Live Well Spring Festival 9th-23rd March
There is so much going on across Greater Manchester as part of this festival!
Lots of local pop-ups too: see the poster below for our JNR8 Warm Hub event on Friday 20th March! Everyone welcome 🙂
Whalley Range Community Forum is looking for proactive, community-minded people to join our board of trustees
Closing date for submitting your Expression of Interest: Midnight on March 16th.
Whalley Range Community Forum Trustees Information
Whalley Range Community Forum (WRCF) is looking for proactive, community-minded people to join our board of trustees.
Trustees help set our strategy, ensure we meet our legal goals, and improve the lives of the diverse voices of Whalley Range.
WRCF is a voluntary community organisation, (a registered charity) made up of local people, representatives of local groups and organisations. Working for over 30 years for the benefit of our diverse W/R residents, and their environment, giving people a stronger collective voice to tackle local and wider issues, and delivering a range of services supporting community resilience and wellbeing from our base, the JNR8 youth and community centre.
The Forum holds open general meetings every two months, for information sharing and networking. In addition, trustees hold meetings (4 a year) for the purpose of carrying out the business of the charity.
The Role of a Trustee.
As a trustee your role would include deciding on the direction of WRCF by forming its strategy and priorities; making sure we meet the legal obligations of a charity and any requirements from funders; and overseeing the day to day running of the Forum. You can find the full details of trustee responsibilities in this Trustee Resource Pack
WRCF Trustees expectations
We want our group of trustees to be active, positive and well-functioning as we work together for the benefit of Whalley Range. We should be:
- a varied group that is representative of the diversity in Whalley Range;
- working towards the aims and principles of WRCF;
- prepared to take on executive committee roles;
- actively developing the Forum through the Development Plan process;
- providing guidance, support and positive feedback to staff, volunteers and other trustees;
- contributing a variety of relevant experience and expertise;
- sharing our experience of community development, collective and cooperative working.
- using dialogue and active listening, as well as democratic decision making to reach consensus decisions.
Individual trustee requirements
To carry out the above responsibilities it is important for you as an individual trustee to be passionate, enthusiastic and have a desire to represent your community.
To be an individual trustee you should :
- Have local connections: would live and/or work in Whalley Range;
- commit to WRCF as a not-for-profit charitable organisation;
- meet the requirements of the Charity Commission for trustee eligibility;
- have been involved with WRCF for at least a year (eg as a participant, volunteer);
- have a good understanding of the work, role and history of the Forum (see our website and reports);
- have an understanding and experience of the day-to-day work of the Forum, particularly activities running from our JNR8 community hub.
- contribute relevant experience or/and act as a representative for a group or theme (eg Age Friendly, Celebrate, volunteering);
- use your lived experience to act as a link for underrepresented WR people/ groups (e.g. neurodiverse people, people with disabilities and, people from LGBTQ+ communities) where appropriate;
- regularly attend (a minimum of three) trustees’ meetings and no less than three general forum meetings each year, and/or be actively engaged in trustees’ duties.
- communicate effectively with other trustees and staff.
- agree to undertake any paperwork necessary for the role (eg register with the Charity Commission or potentially being a signatory of our bank account).
What you will gain
You will be part of a thriving, well established community organisation, and youth and community hub (JNR8). We will recognise the assets you bring, and your contributions will influence our dynamic organisation as it develops. You will get to know Whalley Range more, as well as all those organisations that work here.
Our experienced staff will support you with their wide information base, social media and website and other resources by arrangement.
Click here for the Expression of Interest or get in touch if you would like a printed copy: WRCF Trustee Expression of Interest Form 2026
communityforum@whalleyrange.org
Complete the Google Form here:
https://forms.gle/xZFqn36siNohu84w8
Completing your Expression of Interest and finding out more about the Forum…
People who are interested in the trustee opportunity and finding out more about the Forum are welcome to attend the Forum meeting on
Thursday 12th March at 7pm at St Margaret’s Primary School, Withington Road Whalley Range M16 8FQ
We will be holding an informal Coffee morning at JNR8 on Saturday 14th March at 11:00am to answer any questions you may have.
Closing date for submitting your Expression of Interest:
Midnight on March 16th.
Following the closing date our trustee panel will meet to discuss the EoI’s and will be in touch with everyone who has applied – in advance of our AGM and nomination process on March 25th.
Thanks for your interest!