During summer 2016, Greater Manchester held a 12-week long public consultation on a draft 2040 Transport Strategy for the city region, which set out long-term proposals to create a cleaner, greener, more prosperous city region through better transport connections and simpler travel. 
Thousands of street parties, picnics and baking competitions will be held on 17 and 18 June to remember MP Jo Cox, a year after she was murdered. 
Her widower Brendan said the UK-wide event, called The Great Get Together, would be a "fitting tribute" to the mother-of-two who died on 16 June 2016.
Her murder was "designed to divide our country" so uniting in this way would be "a powerful statement", he added.
You know that game where you have to pick the people, living or dead, you’d most like to have round a dinner table? Being a bit of an ideas geek, I have a similar thing about who I’d like to hear speak at my dream conference. I’m lucky that I occasionally get to hear some brilliant speakers from the world of charities and social enterprises.
On Valentine’s Day members of the Macc team, took part in a pilot radio training course at ALL FM, in Levenshulme. It was a thoroughly enjoyable team building day, and was led by the wonderful Jason and Annie from ALL FM. 
A group of older people across Greater Manchester have drafted up key messages to present to Mayoral Candidates. Today they’ve released two films documenting their questions, requests and ideas which focus on the big issues including health, transport, homes and democracy.
The short films made by and featuring members of the Greater Manchester Older Peoples Network talk about their views and hopes for an age friendly Greater Manchester. The scale of the task to unite the 10 districts of Greater Manchester was highlighted as a concern.
Over 500 hundred people attended the opening celebration of the new Law Centre in Moss Side, Manchester on Saturday 11 February 2017.
This issue includes a report on 30 years of food banking in the USA and considers what can be learnt from their experience; Work and Wages series of articles, this time looking at the need to look for creative answers to the job market, the GM Housing Providers Poverty Issue news, which provides a brief update on homelessness and shares information about free training courses on energy awareness, as well as the usual forthcoming local events.
Could you wear just six items of clothing for six weeks? Local cooperative Stitched Up take on the challenge to raise money for clothes factory workers around the world.
GM Poverty Action have released their latest newsletter. This issue continues the Work and Wages series of articles, this time looking at care workers; GM Poverty Action report on End Child Poverty’s recent coverage of benefit freezes and poverty premiums, share information about a new initiative in Stockport, as well as the usual forthcoming local events. 
Opinion Research Services are looking to recruit members of the public who are willing to take part in the Citizens’ Economic Council – a series of up to five day long workshops about the future of the economy.
The first workshop is taking place in Manchester town centre on Saturday 11 February 2017 at 10.30am.