Environment

We streamed our Spirit of Manchester Awards live, on Thursday 6 October.

You can watch our awards ceremony below.

Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Leicester are leading a project to improve their understanding of domestic gardens in Manchester and the benefits they provide to people and nature.

Live in Manchester? Tell Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Leicester about your back yard, find out more about how to improve the environment in Manchester and enter a prize draw to win £500 of shopping vouchers.

Watch our Chief Executive, Mike Wild talk about our upcoming Spirit of Manchester Awards on That's Manchester TV

Ten Marrow Barrows regulars attended a session in Birley Fields Orchard today, Friday 23rd September. Victoria is one of them. She’s been coming to Marrow Barrows sessions, a group for people with complex needs, for some time now and she loves doing something that she’s never done before, getting her hands mucky whilst having a relaxing chat.

Coming to this Hulme Garden Centre gardening project boosted her confidence and she found herself “able to speak to more people”. She regularly attends the session on Friday mornings and uses the knowledge and experience she has gained.

“I would struggle financially and turn to crime in order to get food”. Eric was referred to one of the organisations Fareshare delivers to, Mustard Tree, after moving from homelessness into his first tenancy. He likes everything about the Food Club he is a part of and is glad it is here.

Our State of the Sector Survey in 2013 found that there were 3,093 voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in Manchester, with an estimated income of £477 million. The sector employed the equivalent of 12,400 full time staff and 94,300 volunteers gave 370,000 hours, with an estimated value of £332 million. Decision makers took note of the survey results, we know it increased their understanding of the sector. Some of the key facts (3093 organisations, 94,300 volunteers) are now widely quoted by colleagues in the Council, the NHS and other bodies such as Big Lottery Fund.

'Manchester will play its full part in limiting the impacts of climate change… and by 2025 will be on a path to being a zero carbon city by 2050’.

This is Manchester’s latest commitment on climate change. It is based on the comments made by residents and businesses as part of the public consultation on the Our Manchester strategy in 2015.

‘Manchester will play its full part in limiting the impacts of climate change… and by 2025 will be on a path to being a zero carbon city by 2050’.

This is Manchester’s latest commitment on climate change. It is based on the comments made by residents and businesses as part of the public consultation on the Our Manchester strategy in 2015.

Voting is now open to vote for the Best Community Space Spirit of Manchester Award 2016.

Award criteria
A community space can be a piece of land or a building available for use by the community. Organisations needed to show:
• Best use of a community space
• How the space is seen as central within the community
• The impact it has within the local community