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The Institute of Community Reporters is launching a new course for budding screen writers in the Manchester and Salford area.

The half day session is lead by Marc Gee whose script for "Al’s Lads" became a £3m feature film starring Ralf Little, Marc Warren and Ricky Tomlinson.

It is an opportunity to learn about the three act-structure, research, character development and how to write exciting dialogue. Marc will be showing excerpts from film classics and his film Al's Lads giving a unique insight into the world of writing for film.

Manchester City Council has published its proposed budget for 2013/14, setting out how it will address a £40 million funding shortfall over the next financial year, rising to around £80m in 2014/15.

The Council's financial position, and proposals for dealing with it, are set out in a series of reports to be considered by its Executive when it meets on Wednesday 23 January.

The Community Sport Activation Fund is a £40 million Lottery revenue fund developed to support grassroots activity at a very local level.

The Fund was designed in response to demand and will aim to unlock potential and resources. The Fund will not prescribe how projects will deliver but will invest in what works best in different areas, based on local evidence.

No experience needed. Simply join in the fun and have a go

Attend all sessions if you like or pick and choose the sessions which appeal to you most.

Fridays 1:30 – 3:30

Greater Manchester’s Energy Switching Scheme is being organised by the ten councils within Greater Manchester (Manchester, Bury, Oldham, Salford, Stockport, Wigan, Bolton, Rochdale, Tameside and Trafford). The scheme brings together a number of people who want to switch providers into one ‘auction’. Energy providers then bid for their business by offering the best available prices.

The more people join the collective scheme, the better a deal everybody gets.

Community Foundations operating across the North West have endowment match funding available for voluntary sector organisations wishing to endowment build.

The match is available via the Government’s Community First Endowment Challenge until March 2015.

Manchester City Council and Walk the Plank are pleased to announce that next year’s Manchester Day Parade will take place on Sunday 2 June 2013.

The government recently introduced changes to the Council Tax Benefit system to start in April 2013. They are changing the rules on how money is paid, and changing the name to Council Tax Support.

In Manchester around £50 million is spent on council tax benefit. Initial figures showed that funding for a local scheme would reduce by 10 per cent, leaving a funding gap of £5 million.

It means that, from April 2013, there will be less money to go round for people who claim the support.