At our Spirit of Manchester awards event last month one of the categories was for Most Successful Campaign. We wanted to acknowledge campaigning work because we’ve always believed that it’s the job of charities not just to meet needs but to drive change for the longer term. The history of social change in this country has been driven by the campaigning efforts of groups for centuries.
As you may be aware, earlier this year the City Council launched a competitive tendering process for the contract to provide support to the city's voluntary and community sector for the next three years.
We are delighted to announce that Macc has been awarded this contract.
Social Action and Research Foundation (SARF) is working with Manchester Creative Studio to carry out a Statutory Consultation.
Manchester Creative Studio is a new employer-led school opening in September 2014 which prepares young people aged 14-19 for a career in the creative industries.
The Manchester Partnership has been operating within an evolving policy and governance context for some time, and there are now a number of issues which together merit a review of the role of the Manchester Board and how this sits within the wider partnership arrangements.
The Compact Awards highlight outstanding examples of partnership work between voluntary and community organisations and the statutory sector and provide an opportunity to recognise achievement as a result of the Compact way of working. 
Compact Voice are now inviting nominations for the Compact Awards which provide examples of best practice in partnership working.
The judges, including the Lord Mayor of Manchester, have now met and decided on the shortlisted candidates for the first Spirit of Manchester Award! The nominations reflected all the exciting and diverse work happening in Manchester's voluntary and community sector. We will be making films of all the shortlisted applicants which will be voted on at the awards ceremony to determine the winner.
We are excited that the awards will be presented at the new NOMA building, thank you to the Co-operative who kindly donated the room.
Shortlisted organisations
Save Ancoats Dispensary Group was founded over 2 years ago, and is a grass roots community group dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the Grade 2 listed Ancoats Dispensary building.
The Group are committed to raising awareness of the Dispensary’s unique heritage, and increasing the levels of community engagement within the area. 
Manchester City Council wants residents to comment on proposed changes to Council Tax Support, which helps working-age people on a low income to pay their council tax bill. The proposal is to reduce the amount of help they provide, as Government funding has been reduced.
During the recent bout of hot weather, I somehow managed to come down with a cold. I not only felt ill, I also felt ridiculous: I mean who gets a cold in the middle of a heatwave? As I write this, figures have just been released showing that the country’s economy is slowly starting to grow again after the recession. It’s a similar feeling: I’m being told it’s lovely out there but it feels dreadful. No matter what the economic analysis says, when I look around I see incomes reducing, prices rising, services closing and life generally becoming more difficult.
Could you donate a prize to the Spirit of Manchester Awards raffle? 
The raffle will be drawn on the night of the awards ceremony, which is being held at the new NOMA building and presented by the Lord Mayor of Manchester.