Category: Whalley Range Community Forum

 

The Whalley Range Community Forum (WRCF) is a voluntary representative residents group formed in 1995 to facilitate and improve communication between members of the community and those who serve/represent Whalley Range.

The Forum act as an umbrella organisation, bringing residents and local services together to address local issues, to promote consultation and community cohesion – and to encourage participation.
The Forum produces a bimonthly newsletter and residents meetings to address local concerns with Police, Councillors, local council and planning officials, sends out a regular email bulletins featuring opportunities, events and news to around 400 residents from Whalley Range – and co-facilitates an annual local community festival.
The Forum worker supports new and emerging groups to access funding to set up their own community groups, holds funds for unconstituted groups and addresses resident priorities by facilitating relevant classes at the JNR8 centre during school term times.
Classes and initiatives for the diverse local community include mixed and women-only ESOL classes, women fitness, Tai Chi, confidence building sessions,  basic computer and work club support and art and wellbeing classes and afternoon tea for older residents.                                                         JNR8 is also registered as a Third Party Hate Crime Reporting Centre.
The community website features local news and events, consultation links, age-friendly news and current vacancies and opportunities.

Follow @WhalleyRangeorg and @AgeFriendlyWR on Twitter

JNR8 Youth & Community Centre, 82 Cromwell Avenue, Whalley Range, M16 0BG

Tel: 0161 881 3744 | Email: communityforumwhalleyrange@gmail.com agefriendlywhalleyrange@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE: Whalley Range recognised as age-friendly by Mayor of Greater Manchester

Whalley Range has been officially recognised as an age-friendly neighbourhood by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.

The Mayor announced the winners of his Age-Friendly Challenge during Greater Manchester “Doing Ageing Differently” conference.

Held, in February 2019, the event brought together over 300 key figures in ageing from across the country.

Whalley Range was one of 32 areas from across Greater Manchester to be recognised by the award scheme designed to showcase the best places to grow older in the city-region.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester said:

“I launched this challenge last year to unearth the positive work I know is going on in Greater Manchester, to find practical examples of what age-friendly really means, and to share best practice across the city-region.

The response to this challenge has been fantastic. The variety of age-friendly work displayed from all our winners clearly shows the commitment from our local communities to make sure that people in Greater Manchester are living not just longer, but happier and healthier too.”

Chris Ricard from Age-friendly Whalley Range/Whalley Range Community Forum who applied on behalf of the area said:

“We are thrilled to hear the news that Whalley Range has been recognised as an age-friendly neighbourhood for 2019!

We will be celebrating this award with groups and residents of all ages as a neighbourhood committed to working towards making      Whalley Range a great place to grow older.”

The award recognises the hard work that organisations and older people in Whalley Range have carried out to make their area a great place to grow older.

An age-friendly neighbourhood is a place where: residents are committed to looking out for each other, older people feel they can have a say in what going on in their local area, and there are spaces where people can get together.

The award also showed that Whalley Range is committed to helping older people feel: independent, safe and secure, and informed about what is going on in their local area.

Submissions to Mayor Age-Friendly Challenge were reviewed by an expert panel chaired by Prof. Chris Phillipson from MICRA at The University of Manchester. Other panellists included representatives from Greater Manchester Older People Network, Ambition for Ageing, and the Centre for Ageing Better.

Notes to editors

Greater Manchester is the UK first age-friendly city region, as recognised by the World Health Organization.

The Mayor Age-Friendly Challenge represents a commitment to shape a city-region that recognises the contribution older people make and the value in keeping all residents socially, physically and economically active for longer.

The challenge was launched by Andy Burnham during Greater Manchester Festival of Ageing in July 2018, where he called for the voluntary and community sector, public services, and older people groups to submit their best age-friendly schemes and help deliver more age-friendly neighbourhoods across Greater Manchester.

https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/mayor-launches-agefriendly-challenge-at-greater-manchester-s-festival-of-ageing/

The Mayor Age-Friendly Challenge was delivered by Ambition for Ageing on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority Ageing Hub which works to improve older people quality of life in Greater Manchester, addressing the challenges and embracing the opportunities the UK is facing in response to a rapidly growing older population.

www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/agefriendlygm

Age-friendly neighbourhood information from Ambition for Ageing report Building

Age-Friendly Neighbourhoods in Greater Manchester.

https://ambitionforageing.org.uk/neighbourhoods

Whalley Range Climate Action Group

We are a group of local residents who are starting a local climate change action group. Climate change is a huge threat to us and the planet. Although it is easy to despair, we can make a difference by working with others for change and we want to do this in our area.

This new group will work to support each other to make positive changes to our lives and community and to act for change. Members will decide what we do and can get involved in as much or as little as you like – ideas so far include learning sessions, supporting each other, climate campaigning, and linking with other groups in and beyond the area.

We are hoping to build a supportive group that meets locally to share ideas and strategies and organise activities and campaigns. Everybody is very welcome to join no matter what your current level of knowledge. You are invited to contribute your skills and energy to build a self sustaining, learning, active group.

Come to our meetings from 11-1pm at the JNR8 Youth and Community Centre 82 Cromwell Avenue Whalley Range M16 0BG.

There is the option to eat lunch together afterwards, please bring your own veggie food. For more info see the Whalley Rangers Facebook Group, Twitter @RangeAction or contact climateaction@whalleyrangers.org

Local resident Chris Williams is the Creator of the Anne Frank Project…

Local resident Chris Williams is the Creator of the Anne Frank Project…

‘a chronicled storyboard in words and music called: ‘six million voices – one girl – and a diary’

  “Having 2 minutes to talk about the Anne Frank project, made me think about the concept of ‘time’.  25 years ago, the Diary of Anne Frank was planted into my mind and gave me the idea to compose a short piece of music which I called a ‘Trilogy’.
It saved the day by supplying the impetus for the 1st music assignment required on a 4-year Degree program.
     25 years later I picked the ‘Trilogy’ back off the shelf and began working on it as a project.
It took 2 years to compose enough music, create Synopsis’ wordage, gather extracts from the Diary, and gain permission from the  Anne Frank Family Trust in Switzerland, to complete the writing of one C.D.
One year ago I launched the Music Disc and one month ago produced a companion audio ‘Talking Book’.
     Anne spent 2 years writing her detailed Diary.  She died 2 months before the Concentration Camps were liberated.
Anne’s story pierced my heart, because of the inhumane atrocities to which she was subjected;  Anne’s story also strengthened my heart, because of the courage and tenacity with which she endured the horrors of her persecution.
     Through this journey of the Diary of Anne Frank, I have been liberated from my own struggles as a victim of abuse and have found my own voice.  The result is a chronicled storyboard in words and music called: ‘six million voices – one girl – and a diary’.  The story will not end there as I continue to write and compose the Anne Frank Project, because Anne’s life is unsinkable.  Thank you for listening.
chris williams
anne frank project

soundcloud 

Anne Frank was a 13 year old girl, living an ordinary life in Amsterdam, Holland.

Caught up in World War Two, Anne lost her life, but left behind an enduring legacy in the writing of her Diary.

During those turbulent times, Anne examined through words and in her thinking, to rationalise everything – the behaviours of other people, and in the party of hideaways with whom she was trapped inside a secret annexe for two years; and the actions of Hitler and his army of followers, of their attempt to wipe out the Jewish population.

Anne own personal feelings towards others, her adolescent mood swings, the daily grinding routines within the secret annexe, her love of nature, God and music, her fears of the unknown, the joy of love as she became aware of her fluctuating emotions for boys, her own self-recognition of developing from a child into a young woman; all of these aspects were recorded into the detailed expressions of Anne two years of Diary writing.

Although Anne was physically trapped and immobilised within the square footage of the secret annexe, she was always moving forward in her mind, through her rigorous and continued education; reading and learning were keenly structured into her two years of enforced hiding from the world. Through contemplation and reflection, dreaming and forward thinking, Anne was constantly maturing.

This ethos I have hoped to incorporate into the music, to make it a travelling music, a travelling experience for the listener, a progressive journey for and in the mind of the audience, encapsulating two predominant years of Anne life.

I advocate that the content and impact of Anne illuminating Diary gives cause to the expression of many manners of musical composition to be explored and displayed.

As for the profound significance of this abominable subject on victimisation, I have intended to produce a sincere and honest music biography of The Diary of Anne Frank.

And through my music, to remind the cause for peace, tolerance, and non-violence amongst all peoples, past, present and future.

Thanks for reading
Chris Williams – Creator of the Anne Frank Project

A Synopsis for each track is available. Be sure to click on the track or its photo.

Celebrate Survey: What did people say about the Festival?

 

celfest
Q1: How does the Celebrate Festival bring the Whalley Range community together?
Q2: Why is an event that brings members of a very diverse community together important?

  •  An event which caters for all ages, young, old and in-between! One that has activities that are attractive to a wide range of cultures and interest groups. Something for everybody. One of the highlights of the Whalley Range year.
  • By having music and stalls that appeal to several cross sections of society. Whalley Range has a diverse society, lots of religions and cultures and Celebrate Festival reflects this.
  •  it brings rich, poor, middle-class, working-class, young and old together and those from other ethnic minorities besides English.
  • This is an opportunity for the vast number of small voluntary and community groups to showcase what they are involved in and promote theri activities. its a chance for neighbours to get together in an informal way. With so many people leading busy lives, its really wonderful to see everyone from across the community in the same place enjoying the activiteis, information sharing and each others company.
  • Because it enables us to integrate and embrace and respect each others cultures. It also breaks down preconceived barriers by allowing us to share opinions and beliefs and make way for a harmonious society where we can all celebrate each others cultures.
  •  Community cohesion and integration must be encouraged to avoid people feeling isolated, abandonned and rejected. Events like this promote community cohesion.
  •  It gets people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities to come together doing interesting things that they normally wouldn’t.
  • People just end up in ghettos if not actively encouraged to mix at fun events like ‘Celebrate’.
  • The celebrate festival is an integral part of our community. I have been going with my family since it started and my children grew up with it and now bring their children.
  • Everyone I know in Whalley Range for years always kept may bank holiday free for the festival.
  • The event brings all members of the community together and in all the years I have been there has always been a great atmosphere.
  • the local young people all get involved as well and it gives them a platform
  • In diverse communities like Whalley Range it is often not the case that people from the diverse range all get along. often the different groups are isolated from each other and never really mix. events like this are a good way to get people from the wide range of groups to talk to each other and share commonalities as well as celebrate difference.
  • There’s something for everyone. It heralds the start of the summer. It reminds people that we are a community, and all equal. It offers information about events where people can work together to make Whalley Range an even better place.
  • The answer is in the question. We need events like this to remind us that we all all equal and neighbours, and that Whalley Range is a great place to live, and to celebrate it.
  • Groups and individuals from every part of the community get involved, and they all bring their families, friends and neighbours. It’s always busy, even if the weather’s not good.
  • Because people can see that we all live in the same community, therefore we ARE the same community. Celebrate demonstrates this really well.
  • It’s the only event of this scale where we really see people from different backgrounds playing and working together through the arts. Nothing else covered the whole of Whalley Range, and it’s the only chance many people get for an outdoor music festival (major ones are too far away or two expensive).
  • For the continual harmony of the community. Without an event like this, I fear for future discourse through lack of joint activities; if this one goes, then what else will go next?
  • It is the only opportunity to bring people together who are not connected to a particular school or religious group, and has activities and information for all sections of the community
  • It helps celebrate what is good about this diversity, especially at a time of increased negative media coverage.
  • The Whalley Range Celebrate festival brings together the local residents to create and showcase local and up and coming talent. It gives residents a chance to meet each other that would not normally and can result in building long lasting friendships in the local area.
  • As a very diverse community, Whalley range can sometimes be quite fractured and so this event gives the locals a common focus and goal.
  • It’s the only regular event that really belongs to everyone in Whalley Range. Whenever I go with my family we meet up with people we don’t often see and find out about stuff happening in the area. It’s great to see local talent performing too.
  • If different groups don’t meet and speak to each other, it’s harder for the community to work together to solve problems like loneliness or antisocial behaviour.
  • I think the Celebrate Festival brings people in Whalley Range community together by providing a event that is fun and enjoyable for the whole community.
  • It gets people out socialising with people in there community that they may not have talked to before, allowed you to meet new friends (people with the same interests)
  • It’s inclusive, everyone has a chance to get involved and it’s a chance to participate in free workshops
  • Because we are all human beings and Celebrate brings human beings regardless of their shape or colour together to have fun and learn