All Month Veggie Month
A celebration of vegetarianism and campaigning to inform schools, retailers, restaurants, community groups and others about the benefits of a veggie diet. Now in its 15th year - throughout the month, as in previous years, Animal Aid will be distributing free information to members of the public and to thousands of schools, supermarkets, health food shops, libraries and health centres across the UK.
Info: Animal Aid (01732 364 546, info@animalaid.org.uk)
Tuesday 1 - Sunday 13 Fairtrade Fortnight
This Fairtrade Fortnight marks 11 years of the Fairtrade Mark. More local events will be posted here as we know of them. So far we have:
Tuesday 1 Deaf Awareness Training
10am-4pm, Town Hall, Eccles.
Free training with free lunch.
Bookings: Jenny, Salford CVS (0161 231 4111)
Tuesday 1 Britain's role in creating a more just and safer world order
7pm for 7:30pm, Assembly Hall, MMU Didsbury Campus, 799 Wilmslow Rd, Didsbury.
Didsbury Churches Together have arranged a speech by Clare Short with the above title. All welcome.
Info: Peter Laws, Churches Together in Didsbury (0161 980 8704, peter.laws2@ntlworld.com)
Tuesday 1 Forum for Palestine
7:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street M2.
Discussion on possible action which can be held in Manchester following the call of an international day of action to complain about the involvement of big companies in the occupation in Palestine.
Info: Manchester Forum for Palestine (maciacia@tiscali.co.uk)
Tuesday 1 Indymedia Manchester
Time TBA. The Basement, 24 Lever Street.
Info: Mick (mickfuzz@rocketmail.com)
Weds 2 Invitation to Organise a Celebration of May Day
7:15pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street M2.
Manchester Trades Council invites all trade union organisations in the city to attend a meeting to plan the celebration of May Day 2005.
Info: Geoff Brown, Manchester Trades Union Council (07905327690, 0161 773 6211, g.brown@zen.co.uk)
Thurs 3 Manchester Community Safety Network Spring Conference
9:30am-1:30pm, Town Hall.
The topic of the conference will be domestic violence, with speakers from organisations specialising in this area and discussion workshops about how the Crown Prosecution Service, the Police and the Manchester Crime and Disorder Partnership can tackle the problem. Lunch provided.
Info: Stephanie Jones (0161 226 7186, stephanie.jones@c-i-c.org.uk)
Thurs 3 Deaf Awareness Training
10am-4pm, Town Hall, Eccles.
Free training with free lunch.
Bookings: Jenny, Salford CVS (0161 231 4111)
Thursday 3 Identity Cards
7:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street.
Public meeting about ID cards. Find out more about the government\'s proposals for Identity Cards and a National Identity Register. What will the scheme mean for civil liberties, and what can we do to stop it?
Info: Defy-ID Network (manchester@defy-id.org.uk)
Friday 4 - Sunday 6 Conflict Resolution
From £20 (Bobbins negotiable in part/full payment). MIND Centre, Ashton-under-Lyne.
Workshop looking at the underlying causes of violence and exploring new ways of dealing with conflict, for anybody who has niggling little resentments that become grudges... anybody who struggles with anger... and anybody who wants to find out about alternatives to violence. Level One workshop.
Info: Fran Townsend, Alternatives to Violence Project Greater Manchester (0161 832 3660, fran@avpgmr.org.uk)
Fri 4 Boardwalk construction
Highfield Country Park.
Free training.
Info: Katie Lowry, BTCV (07740 899 539, k.lowry@btcv.org.uk)
Fri 4 Olive Co-op Office Open Day
11am-6.30pm, Bridge-5 Mill, 22a Beswick Street, M4.
Browse and buy a wide range of fairly traded Palestinian goods. Olive Co-op's brand new shop/office is also open for callers every Wednesday and Friday from 11am to 4pm, and other times by appointment.
Info: (0161 273 1970)
Fri 4 Children's Lantern Parade for Peace Week
Meet 5pm, St Agnes Church, Hamilton Road, Longsight, heading towards Platt Fields Park.
The parade is being organised by the South West Manchester Group of Churches.
Info: Bob Day (0161 428 7001, bday@fish.co.uk)
Saturday 5 A Europe for Peace
£6/€8.5 unwaged, £12/€17 waged, £20/€30 solidarity. Mechanics Institute.
A militarised, nuclear armed Europe? Or a Europe which promotes peaceful, non-military solutions to conflict? A one day international peace conference to bring people together who are working to resist militarism, nuclearism, and NATO. Prominent speakers, sessions for debate, including looking at the new EU constitution.
Bookings: GM&D CND (0161 273 8283, gmdcnd@gn.apc.org)
Sat 5 Asylum Seekers Solidarity Socials
1-4pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street.
Manchester Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers (MCDAS) monthly solidarity socials. MCDAS help support families and individuals with asylum and immigration problems. MCDAS serve Halal food; offer friendship and advice and support campaigns. MCDAS refund travel costs for people directly affected by asylum and immigration laws.
Info: Mark, Manchester Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers (07765 122 829, manchester@defend-asylum.org)
Sat 5 Welcome to the UK - Land of Freedom and Justice?
2.30-4.30pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street.
Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit AGM and public meeting.
Info: GMIAU (0161 740 7722)
Sat 5 Make Poverty History
7.30pm, Altrincham Methodist Church, Barrington Road, Altrincham WA14.
Talk about Make Poverty History.
Sun 6 Open Day at Victoria Baths
Noon-4pm, Hathersage Road, Chorlton-on-Medlock.
A chance to see the building that won the first series of the BBC's Restoration programme. Entrance is free, but donations are welcome and merchandise will be on sale.
Info: Victoria Baths office (0161 224 2020, info@victoriabaths.org.uk)
Sunday 6 Women's Day Launch Event
1-5pm, Manchester Town Hall.
Sunday 6 Women's Day Event
2.30pm, Library Annexe, Working Class Movement Library, 51 Crescent, Salford.
There will 2 speakers - Veronica Trick and Clare Debenham. Veronica Trick will discuss her grandmother Ellen Tooley, the first woman labour councillor in Eccles. Clare Debenham will discuss her research on the Manchester and Salford Mothers Clinic, established in 1925 in Greengate, Salford. This was a voluntary clinic established by a group of local women from a variety of political organisations and backgrounds to give working class women advice on birth control and also to put pressure on the Labour government to alter its policy and allow local council to establish municipal clinics. International Women's Day was started by Socialist women in the early 1900s to celebrate working class women and rapidly became an international event. It was revived in the early 1970s by the second wave of feminism.
Info: Working Class Movement Library (0161 736 3601, enquiries@wcml.org.uk)
Sunday 6 Women & Food Event
1pm, The Green House, 2 Northwood Crescent, Bolton BL3.
Information day, talks, stalls: Fair Trade, food co-op, food growing, permaculture.
Info: (07931983318, boltongreenhouse@hotmail.com)
Sunday 6 Sounds Green to Me
£5. 1-11pm, Night and Day, Oldham Street.
Manchester Green Party fund raiser with a whole day of live music with sets from Dead Men Win Fights, Doublejo(h)ngrey, Fury 161, Jack Cooper, Land Ahoy!, National Forest, Nick Ainsworth and The Former Bullies, The Greats, Yena Veldt and The Young Offenders Institute. Club Indigo DJs will also be playing records.
Info: Graeme, Manchester Green Party (graeme@gmciver.freeserve.co.uk)
Mon 7 Fairtrade City Celebration
11am-2pm, New Century House, Corporation Street.
Manchester is to become the joint one hundredth Fairtrade City with our neighbour, the City of Salford. To celebrate this Manchester City Council, in conjunction with the Co-op, Salford City Council and the Manchester and Salford Fairtrade Steering groups, is hosting a celebratory event.
Info: Cllr Sue Murphy (campaigns.team@manchester.gov.uk)
Mon 7 Demo at Immigration Enforcement Unit
Noon, Dallas Court, Langworthy Rd South, Salford.
This is where asylum seekers are obliged to go to "sign" with Immigration, not knowing if they will come out again - some are detained there and sent to Immigration Removal Centres around the country, from where they may be deported. Demonstration against detention and deportation, and in solidarity with asylum seekers.
Info: Heather (07903 184786, simple_things@riseup.net)
Mon 7 Banner making for anti-deportation demo
7-9pm, The Basement, Lever St.
Preparing for Sat 2 Apr demo.
Tuesday 8 International Woman's Day
Tuesday 8 International Women's Day Celebration
12-4pm, The Pankhurst Centre, 60-62 Nelson Street, Chorlton on Medlock M13.
To celebrate this special day the Pankhurst Centre will be holding FREE workshops and events for women on creative writing, African singing and chanting and alternative therapies. Food and a creche will be provided.
Info: Lyndsey Girling, Pankhurst Centre (0161 273 5673, pankhurst@zetnet.co.uk)
Tuesday 8 6th Global Women's Strike
Calling for an end to poverty and war, investment in caring not killing and a living wage for all our work. On 8 March, International Women’s Day, women in over 60 countries will again take all kinds of grassroots actions to demand together that society Invest in Caring Not Killing, and that the money squandered on war goes instead on our communities’ needs. The Global Women’s Strike has grown stronger over the past five years, especially in countries of the global South; women, and increasingly men, now take Strike action throughout the year. Working locally and across national boundaries with others in struggles for justice empowers us all. Opposing war and ending poverty are inseparable. The horrendous tsunami killed almost 300,000 people, but daily many thousands die from starvation, disease, global warming and war - all man-made (sic) disasters caused by the rule of money and the market. Governments and their beloved multinationals talk about ending poverty but they never mention giving us the money we need. Women of colour work hardest for least: in the South we grow up to 80% of the food; in the North we defend our loved ones from racist attacks and other violence. If we are immigrants, we get the lowest wages, in the worst conditions, including being locked into bonded labour. Emigration is a last resort to escape destruction and war caused by the arms trade and multinationals exploiting resources, but asylum seekers are witch-hunted by the government and media not as the victims but the cause of low wages, bad housing and cuts, thus promoting racism, while resources and populations of the South continue to be robbed by Western capital. The twin terrors of poverty and war are profitable, so it’s against the global market’s interest to end either. Only we ourselves, beginning with women the carers who struggle every day to sustain life, working the hardest for least, can make this life-saving change. We are not asking for charity but demanding what we have earned: a Living Wage for all our Work, the theme of this year’s global actions. Waged workers are entitled to the same pay, women and men, wherever we are. The strike always brings women (and men) together across many divisions, beginning with those of us who are invisible as workers, from mothers and other caregivers; to subsistence, migrant and family farmers; to immigrants with or without papers, including people of all faiths and no faith, and others working for justice, whatever our sex, race or nationality.
Info: Global Women's Strike (020 7482 2496, womenstrike8m@server101.com)
Tues 8 Business in the Community National Conference
City of Manchester stadium.
A conference and learning event on corporate social responsibility, including a workshop on new opportunities through social, ethical & environmental standards. Speakers include United Utilities CEO John Roberts and television presenter Angela Rippon.
Info: (ronee.gunn@bitc.org.uk)
Tues 8 Veggie Speaker Training
9am-4:30pm, The Vegetarian Society, Parkdale, Dunham Road, Altrincham.
Beginners' workshop.
Bookings: Alex Connell, Vegetarian Society (0161 925 2000, alex@vegsoc.org)
Tues 8 Planning and climate change
4-5pm, Hanson Room, Architecture and Planning Building, South Campus, Univ. of Manc.
Seminar by Elizabeth Wilson, Oxford Brookes University.
Info: Aidan While (0161 275 6889, aidan.h.while@manchester.ac.uk)
Tues 8 Government Policies on Radiation Risks: the CERRIE Committee Experience
4pm, Room 2.57, Simon Building, Univ of Manchester, corner of Brunswick Road and Oxford Road.
Speaker: Ian Fairlie. CERRIE was an independent Committee established by the UK Government in 2001, following concerns about the risks of internal radiation. The Committee operated between October 2001 and October 2004.
Tues 8 Fair Trade Fashion Show & Market
£5. 7:30pm, Manchester Univ. Students' Union.
Some short films, big-name DJs, live music and guest speakers. Students from the textiles department will be putting on an awesome Fair Trade fashion show with live music, big-name Manchester DJs and celebrity
speakers. There will also be a market to try some fair trade products and to
find out more.
Info: Becki (lee_becki@hotmail.com)
Info: (020 7440 7676)
Tues 8 Truth: the first casualty of war
7-9pm, Elizabethan suite, Bury Town Hall.
Public meeting With Granville Williams from Campaign for Press and Braodcasting Freedom & contributor to: Tell me lies, propaganda and Media distortion in the attack on Iraq. Organised by Bury Stop the War Coalition
Weds 9 Veggie Speaker Training
9am-4:30pm, The Vegetarian Society, Parkdale, Dunham Road, Altrincham.
Skills update workshop.
Bookings: Alex Connell, Vegetarian Society (0161 925 2000, alex@vegsoc.org)
Wednesday 9 Wheels for All
9:45am-4pm, Business Employment Venture Centre (Breakthrough UK Ltd), Aked Close, Ardwick M12.
The Wheels for All Networking and Training Conference welcomes your input into the consultation on the development of a National Training Standard on cycling for disabled people.
Bookings: Wheels for All (0161 745 9944, wfa@cycling.org.uk)
Wednesday 9 Immigrants and Citizens: A New Architecture for Political Membership
3.30pm, Lecture Theatre 1, Crawford House, University of Manchester, Oxford Road.
The second Manchester Lecture on Environment and Development by Saskia Sassen. Saskia Sassen is the Ralph Lewis Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago and Centennial Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics. A world authority on globalisation, urbanisation, migration, state sovereignty and cognate issues, her books include The Migration of Labour and Capital (Cambridge University Press, 1988), The Global City (Princeton University Press, 1991: revised edition, 2001), Losing Control? (Columbia University Press, 1996), Guests and Aliens (The New Press, 1999), Global Networks, Linked Cities (Routledge 2002) and Socio-Digital Formations (Princeton University Press, 2004). Her latest book is Denationalization: Territory, Authority and Rights in a Global Digital Age (Princeton University Press, 2005). Her books have been translated into fifteen languages among her many advisory roles she is a Member of the US Council on Foreign Relations, the (US) National Academy of Sciences Panel on Cities and is Chair of the Information Technology and International Cooperation Committee of the (US) Social Science Research Council. She has recently completed a five-year UNESCO project on sustainable human settlement for which she established a network of researchers and activists in over 50 countries.
Info: Debra Whitehead, Institute for Development Policy and Management (0161 275 2821, debra.whitehead@manchester.ac.uk)
Wednesday 9 Free Tibet Campaign
7pm (TBC), Friends Meeting House, Mount Street.
Info: Helen (freetibetmanchester@yahoo.co.uk)
Thurs 10 The Bigger Picture
7pm, Council Chambers, Manc. Univ. Students' Union.
An explanation of Fair Trade, the G8, Make Poverty History and the wider economic picture. Come and find out more! Speakers: Darren Nixon (Lecturer in Sociology), Dr Stuart Shields (Lecturer in International Political Economy), James Lazou (People and Planet) and Tom Whitaker (NUS executive).
Info: Becki (lee_becki@hotmail.com)
Info: (020 7440 7676)
Thurs 10 Fair Trade Party
£3. Until 2am, PoNaNa
Info: Becki (lee_becki@hotmail.com)
Info: (020 7440 7676)
Thurs 10 ManVeg
7:30-10pm, The Basement, 24 Lever Street.
Manchester Vegetarians and Vegans monthly meeting.
Info: Janet Harbottle (01925 728786, janet.harbottle@ntlworld.com)
Friday 11 Red Nose Day
Friday 11 Zero Waste Tour
4-5:30pm, Room 301, 3rd floor Manchester Town Hall.
Miles Lochhead, Australian Waste Manager, will talk of his experiences of recycling/reuse in Australia and on Zero Waste (MS Word doc).
Info: Lucy Danger, NW Waste Forum (0161 223 8200, 07789 046696, lucy@emergemanchester.co.uk)
Friday 11 State of Prejudice
8:30pm, Bolton Socialist Club, Wood St off Bradshaw Gate.
Info: Richard, Manchester Group Solidarity Federation - IWA (manchestersf@manchestersf.org.uk)
Sat 12 Alliance Against Urban 4x4s Action
Meet 11am, steps, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street.
Follow-up action to recent urban 4x4 action
Sat 12 Votes for Justice
10am-6pm, Piccadilly Gardens.
See NN#59 article.
Info: Stephen Pennells (pennells@fish.co.uk)
Sat 12 Bolton International Women's Week Event
11am onwards, Quebec Hall, Quebec St., Deane, Bolton.
Stalls, food, talks, entertainment. All welcome.
Info: (07931983318)
Sat 12 100 Days Challenge Manchester Question Time
12-1pm, Manchester Town Hall.
The 100 Days Challenge began in Manchester on 14 February and will culminate with a final Question Time event attended by local Councillors, Manchester City Council Assistant Directors and Manchester City Council Senior Officers. Hazel Blears MP, Minister of State, and Louise Casey, Director of the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit at the Home Office, are also attending the event. Call 0161 954 9005 to book your place and secure a chance to have your say.
Info: Helen Hatcher (0161 234 4768, h.hatcher@manchester.gov.uk)
Sat 12 Banner making for anti-deportation demo
12-4pm, Zion Centre, 339 Stretford Road, Hulme.
Preparing for Sat 2 Apr demo. for adults and children, organised by Side-By-Side, who can refund bus fares.
Info: Claire, (0161 798 8074, clare.beatson@salford.gov.uk) or 07751 727 231
Sat 12 Respect for our Children and Books
1-4pm, Stretford Public Hall Chester Rd.
Readings and poetry for children led by Blue Peter award winning author Alan Gibbons ("A rising star in children's fiction", Manchester Evening News). Why we need respect for our children and books? Trafford divides children at the end of primary school into those that "pass" and those that "fail" using the 11 plus exam. Some go to a Grammar School, the rest to schools you go to if you "fail". This system was abandoned in the rest of Britain 30 years ago. Now Trafford Tory Council plan mass 11 plus testing on a Saturday morning for our children. They are to sit three consecutive tests in a strange hall. Local Labour Councillors are calling for "fair and convenient" administration of the tests. Respect is for scrapping them altogether. A policy Labour promised but then abandoned when in office. "Children have better things to do on a Saturday than be tested," said Mark Krantz, prospective Respect candidate for the Stretford and Urmston constituency. "Saturdays should be for families, sport, leisure or other useful activities - not mass testing. The 11 plus is divisive and hurtful, and is based upon elitist views about certain children being "better" than others. We will be campaigning to get rid of the 11 plus. Better our children learn together, side by side in good local schools. For that we will need real investment for every school. That would mean switching spending, to prioritise things like books rather than bombs and war. The Tory should abandon their mass-testing regime. And the next education minister should scrap the 11 plus test altogether." Children bring your poems. Bring and buy fundraising book sale. Bring us your books before 1-30pm. Buy books you want at bargain prices. Books available include: children's, academic, history, politics, law, culture, environment, literature, novels and more. Refreshment and campaign stalls. Bake a cake for Respect. Tea, coffee, and juice available. Remaindering books will be shipped to Africa and donated to Oxfam.
Info: Mark, Respect (mark.krantz@ntlworld.com)
Sat 12 Dance for Peace and Justice In Iraq
Contact Theatre, off Oxford Rd.
A fundraiser for Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition.
Info: Rich (07753 273860)
Sat 12 Garden City Social
£3/4. 7.30pm, Kings Arms, Bloom St, Salford.
A benefit for the dissent camapign against the G8 2005. An evening of eclectic electro and acoustic music with Omater, Rum do (Steff, Will and Damien), Wee noddy, Our Beautiful Ridiculous Plan, Mat and Sonia plus poetry from MC Flip Flop and djs incl. jon tha munki. Bands from 8pm. In association with the Basement, 24 Lever Street, Manchester.
Info: (gardencity@shortcutz.org.uk)
Sat 12 Palestinian Cultural Extravaganza
£7/5. 6-10pm, Reynolds Building, North Campus, Univ of Manchester.
For one night only, a Palestinian cultural
extravaganza, including the
world-famous Dabka dance troupe from Gaza with
Al-Fanoon, the Palestinian Band for Art & Folklore, founded in 2000 to
promote the popular traditional songs and dance (dabke). The band consists
of a wonderful array of vocalists, instrumentalists and 16 folk dancers,
making a total of 24 members, all performing in the traditional embroidered
dresses of Palestine. They have successfully performed in many countries
worldwide to represent and gain recognition for Palestinian vocal and dance performance. The show is a traditional portrait, which expresses the tools and the life necessities of the Palestinian man such as the mill, the jar, and the
cultivation materials. It also includes an artistic portrait, which
represents the Palestinian wedding with songs and folk dancing.
In the portraits, the dancers and the singers perform in the custom
embroidered dress from different regions of Palestine.
Join us in tasting the delights of the Palestinian food, whilst enjoying the music and performances of this talented group. Supported by the General Union of Palestinian Students, Friends of Palestine, Jews for Justice for Palestinians and Manchester Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Donations welcome. Proceeds to the dance troupe and their communities.
Tickets: Carlos (07951 200398) or Emad (07795 275167)
Sun 13 Mad as a March Hare
Meet 9:30am, lay-by opposite Royal George Hotel, Manchester Road, Greenfield.
On this strenuous 11 mile ramble we will be looking out for the elusive mountain hare as we journey from Mossley in the Tame Valley into the hills of Saddleworth Moors.
Info: (0161 330 9613)
Sun 13 From Science to Appliance
11am-3pm, Park Bridge Heritage Centre.
Delve into the scientific world of plants and animals and discover how today's technology has been inspired by nature. A family event for National Science Week.
Info: (0161 330 9613)
Sun 13 Shior
6-9pm, venue TBC.
Joint information meeting for Manchester Jewish Socialists, Jews for Justice for the Palestinians and Jews for Justice for Palestinians, followed by structured discussion focused on two questions: "How can a Jewish state not be racist?" and "How can Jews in the middle east be safe without a majority Jewish state?"
Sun 13 Drop Beats not Bombs
£3. 8:30pm-12:30am, Font bar, New Wakefield St.
DJs playing a selection of styles across two rooms: Soundbringer with Reggae, Hip Hop, EEFEE (NotmusicVJ) & clips from 15 Feb 2003 demo The Beat Rustlers with 4 Way Hip Hop Funk Soul Jam; The Peace Fairy with R'n'b, Bollywood Soundtracks, Yummy Keswicklemon, Licktronica. All proceeds go towards the Stop the War Coalition and the Iraq Humanitarian Fund.
Info: (07753 273860)
Monday 14 - Sunday 21 European-wide Action Week Against Racism
Info: United Against Racism
Monday 14 Peparim demaj must stay campaign
6.30pm, Methodist Church School Hall (between High Lane and Wilbraham Rd), Chorlton.
Monday 14 GMCC AGM
7:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street M2.
The Annual General Meeting of the Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign, followed by drinks from 9:30pm in City Arms pub, Kennedy Street.
Info: Ted Lawson (Ted.Lawson@ntlworld.com)
Weds 16 Black and Minority Ethnic Residents Network
12-3pm, Pakistani Community Centre, Longsight.
Info about local groups and services, free food from around the world, presentations, workshops and so on. (Flyer (220Kb MS Word doc)).
Info: Bernard Caine (0161 238 4921) or Sharon Lewis (0161 234 0288)
Weds 16 Development of WaveMaster
4pm, Room H18, Pariser Building, North Campus, Univ. of Manchester.
Global-warming is a term used to describe the effect on the planet that greenhouse-gases such as carbon-dioxide, methane, water vapour and others have on the Earth’s atmosphere. They literally "trap" heat in, and the planet is warming up as a consequence. Carbon dioxide is an "exhaust" gas emitted by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) fired power stations, industrial processes and transport. Around the world populations are expanding, increasing the need for energy in the form of heating, cooking and lighting etc. Alternative sources of energy must be developed and utilised if we are to reduce the impacts from burning fossil fuels. Although the energy can be intermittent, ocean waves can be a powerful source of energy. They need no fossil fuels and do not create waste or pollution. There are several methods of converting energy from waves into useful electricity and "WaveMaster" has identified a very large source of energy and a means of harnessing this, which is both technically and commercially viable. Wave power is one of many sources of renewable energy and a short introduction to wave power and its place in the renewable energy mix will be given in this talk. The history of the Company will be outlined with the principle involved and the research that has taken place so far. A short promotional video-presentation will be shown that also shows the Company’s immediate targets and longer term goals. The speaker Alex Southcombe, was born in 1936 in the West Country, qualified as a pilot in the RAF then obtained a Chemistry degree at Leeds University. He practised as a tanner and then joined Ciba-Geigy as a leather specialist. After 30 years in marketing and general management, spent the last 10 years in SE Asia and retired in 1997. Alex thought up the WaveMaster principle in 1998 and formed Ocean WaveMaster Ltd. with UMITEK in 2002.
Info: Susan Stubbs, Tyndall Centre North (0161 306 3700, s.stubbs@umist.ac.uk)
Weds 16 Venezuela: Creating a Caring Economy
7:30pm, MR1, Students' Union Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road.
Speakers: Nora Castaneda, President of the Women's Develpment Bank (Banmujer) & Angelica Alvarez, Promoter Co-ordinator, Banmujer. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the world’s 5th largest oil exporter, yet the majority of people, mainly people of colour, live in poverty. They elected President Hugo Chávez to get the oil revenue back to tackle poverty, and passed a revolutionary constitution. In 2002 they defeated a US-backed coup and then an oil sabotage. In 2004, elections ratified Chavez in power and won 20 out of 22 states. Literacy, education, healthcare, housing, land rights, food security... have leapt forward. The users of Banmujer, housewives and mothers who form co-operatives and associations, have been key in every initiative. Defying US attempts to intervene and discredit this "participatory democracy" based on grassroots self-activity, the Bolivarian revolution is a beacon of hope for people everywhere who demand an end to the twin terrors of poverty and war. Nora Castaneda, an economist committed to grassroots women, was appointed by President Chavez to head Banmujer in response to women’s demands. Of African and Indigenous descent, and daughter of a low-income single mother, Ms. Castaneda is a remarkable spokeswoman for a revolution led largely by women. Angelica Alvarez, originally from Chile, fled to Venezuela after the 1973 military coup against President Allende. As Banmujer’s promoter-co-ordinator, she provides crucial support and direction to the Red Popular de Usuarias - the users’ autonomous organisation. Hosted by University of Manchester Students' Union, Women's Collective, Latin American Society.
Info: The Global Women’s Strike (020 7482 2496, womenstrike8m@server101.com)
Thurs 17 Making your woodland walks inspiring
9:30am-3pm, Rock Hall, Moses Gate Country Park, Bolton.
Following the successes of the first two sessions in the Red Rose Forect Network training calendar, this free session will make sure you are fully prepared for the season ahead, with fresh ideas about how you could approach your public woodland walks. Within this training day, you will cover the following: Why hold woodland walk events? What are your objectives? Who are you aiming your walks at? Could you think about a new audience to target and how might you do this? How could you market your events? Running the event - ideas to inspire. The training session will combine indoor 'classroom' sessions and more practical outdoor sessions. As this is a full-day event, a simple lunch will be provided. Run by Nicky Bailey and Andy Bailey, Countryside Rangers with Bolton Metro.
Bookings: Ellen Hawkins, Red Rose Forest (0161 872 1660, ellen@redroseforest.co.uk)
Thurs 17 Getting into Manchester’s Regional Media
From £60+VAT. 10am-1pm, Manchester Town Hall.
This seminar gives you the chance to meet the media in your area and learn how to get your organisation into the news. A regional communications professional will demonstrate how to plan a media relations campaign in order to get results, and editors and programme-makers from television, print and radio in the North-west will give practical tips on how to get coverage.
Bookings: Media Trust (020 7874 7610, info@mediatrust.org)
Thurs 17 Press release surgery
From £75+VAT. 2-5pm, Manchester Town Hall.
t this afternoon session, PR professionals will advise you on how to improve the content, style and layout of your press releases. In small groups they will also give tailored feedback on your organisation's existing press releases.
Bookings: Media Trust (020 7874 7610, info@mediatrust.org)
Thurs 17 HEP Cycle Steering Group
5-6.30pm, Main Trust Board Room, Cobbett House (Opposite Whitworth Art Gallery)
Higher Education Precint Cycle Steering Group with first drafts of the commuter and facilities maps for comments and consultation.
Info: Ian Goodwin, HEP Travel Co-ordinator (0161 276 6172, 07811 403 392, ian.goodwin@cmmc.nhs.uk)
Thurs 17 What is a public anti-deportation campaign?
7pm, The Basement, 24 Lever Street.
This session is aimed at people facing deportation who are interested in setting up a public anti-deportation campaign, and those who are interested in supporting such campaigns. It will cover often-asked questions like: Why have an anti-deportation campaign? What is meant by a "public" campaign? What is the purpose of an anti-deportation campaign? How does a campaign effect my legal case? Is a campaign guaranteed to work? When should I start a campaign? Who should be in the campaign? Who is responsible for the campaign? What should the campaign do? Can we join up with other campaigns? There will be a chance to discuss benefits of starting a campaign, what it will take to set up and run a campaign, and any concerns you have about putting yourself and your campaign group into the public eye. It will be an informal environment and you will be able to chat with the local co-ordinator of NCADC, some people who have run their own anti-deportation campaigns, and others who are interested in setting up campaigns. Refreshments and snack food provided.
Info: Emma Ginn, National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) (0161 740 6504)
Fri 18 - Sun 20 Weekend of Action against Snow & Rock
Snow+Rock is one of the leading stockists of specialist outdoor clothing and equipment, with shops and superstores throughout England. This year several CAFT supporters and members of the public informed us Snow+Rock have been selling clothes made from real fur, including silver fox and rabbit fur. In order to put more pressure on Snow and Rock, a weekend of action will be held this coming weekend. Demos will be held at their stores around the country on Saturday and Sunday and we are asking everyone to contact Snow and Rock on the Friday to ask them to withdraw the remainder of the fur and to implement a no-fur policy. (See recent demos). CAFT have been told by shop managers that they are not getting any more fur in due to demos but Snow and Rock have still not been forthcoming with a statement pledging not to sell real fur again. It just needs one last push to encourage them to do this. If there are just left when they don't have fur in their stores, then the likelihood is that they will just re-stock with fur next winter and we are always on the defensive, so it is imperative that we keep the pressure on until Snow and Rock issue a no-fur policy. Please contact Snow and Rock, and politely ask them not to sell real fur in future and to issue a no-fur policy. Please contact: Dion Taylor, Managing Director, Snow and Rock, Head Office, The Rock, 2 Thornberry Way, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1QB (01483 445335, dion.taylor@snowandrock.com) or the Manchester branch.
Info: Manchester Animal Protection (0845 456 2492, info@mapsoc.org.uk)
Fri 18 Cycle Projects Local and National
7pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street M2.
Talk by John Grimshaw.
Info: Coz Harnasz, Friends of the Fallowfield Loop (charnasz@easynet.co.uk)
Saturday 19 March - Saturday 7 May Terra
Central Art Gallery, Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne
Liverpool based artist, Nina Edge has been awarded Arts Council funding to work on a challenging new installation piece opening for exhibition in Ashton-under-Lyne in March. In 2003 Nina Edge used a residency at Tameside College in Ashton-under-Lyne to research and develop the terra project. This installation will consist of a map made of camouflage patterned fabric which reflects the militarisation of the earth. The use of so much camouflage blurs the edges of land masses, slowing the speed at which the familiar image of a world map is recognisable. The dominance of military activity as a cultural phenomena, with it's space satellite surveillance make even the seas irrelevant. Thus the seas are represented in earth tones, all dried up. (More...).
Info: Meg Lewis-Crosby, Curator of Art, Tameside Museums & Galleries, (0161 343 2878, meg.lewis-crosby@tameside.gov.uk)
Saturday 19 Global Day of Action Against the Iraqi War and Occupation
London. Transport from Manchester.
Coach leaves College Rd (outside GMB College) 7am, or Hindu Temple at 7.10am. Other contacts/pickup points: Manchester City Centre (0161 273 8283); Chorlton & Withington (0161 881 1070); Whalley Range & Hulme (0161 861 9152); Rusholme & Fallowfield (07958 450 545); Longsight & Levenshulme (077532 73860); North Manchester (Cheetham Hill) (077322 49355 or 0161 203 5064); Manchester University (077344 23050 or Campaigns officer @ Students Union); Manchester Met. University (07891 446 576); Stockport (0780 392 8778 or 0777 560 5062); Stretford & Urmston (077360 56876); Salford (Uni & Swinton) (07974 4400183); Bury & Prestwich (07905 327 690 or 01706 821 910); Bolton (07931 382 398); Wigan (01942 726 223); Glossop (01457 867 656); Buxton & New Mills (01298 270 42). Tickets £20 if you can afford it, £15 waged, £10 unwaged. More detailed transport information for North West is displayed on the Stop the War Coalition website plus transport details from other parts of the UK.
Info: Richard Searle, ANSWER Manchester (07760 224 580, ANSWERmanchester@aol.com)
Sat 19 Votes for Justice
10am-6pm (TBC), Withington Methodist Church.
See NN#59 article.
Info: Stephen Pennells (pennells@fish.co.uk)
Saturday 19 Fairtrade Market
10am - 4pm, Piccadilly Gardens
Saturday 19 Sustrans
11:30am, Mechanics Institute, Princess Street M1.
Meeting with speaker Charlotte Atkins, Transport Minsister. Preceeded by cycle ride from Piccadilly train station at 09:30 (TBC).
Info: Tony Ambrose, National Community Volunteer Ranger Programme, Sustrans (0117 915 0136, tonya@sustrans.org.uk)
Saturday 19 Good Food Day
2:30-6pm, Trinity church, Cheetham Hill.
Raising awareness about healthy eating and the health benefits for all age groups; improving access to healthy foods; and increasing the skills necessary to cook healthy food. Get ideas/information to feed into future plans - for example what courses and workshops can providers put on to meet local needs. Free healthy food at 4pm; Healthy recipe competition; Free aromatherapy; 5 a day stall; Salad stall; Fruit stall; Kids food tips; Fussy eater ideas; Balanced diet information; Food and mood stall; Healthy food games and activities; Very hungry caterpillar; Free goody bags; Free pens and pedometers for people who fill in a survey; Information and recipes to take away.
Info: Carolyn Pugh (0161 720 7808, carolyn.pugh@northpct.manchester.nwest.nhs.uk), Naomi Davies or Debra Pearson at Zest (0161 277 8816, n.davies1@manchester.gov.uk, d.pearson2@manchester.gov.uk)
Sun 20 Rome Around the Low
Meet 1pm, Lower Higham Visitor Centre
In the company of Maximus Bamforth (aka Norman) take a stroll back through the ages to a time when, with a hand of iron, Imperial Rome governed Werneth Low and Tameside. It really is hard to believe such times existed in this green and pleasant land. Distance of walk 4 miles.
Info (0161 368 6667)
Sun 20 Volunteer Day at The Basement
2-4pm, The Basement, 24 Lever St.
Intro and training for those who can help with the social centre's cafe and bookshop.
Mon 21 Day of Direct Action Against the Arms Trade
Info: Disarm DSEi (actionday@desi.org)
Mon 21 Banner making for anti-deportation demo
7-9pm, The Basement, Lever St.
Preparing for Sat 2 Apr demo.
Tuesday 22 World Water Day 2005: Water for Life
Weather, climate and water resources can have a devastating impact on socio-economic development and on the well-being of humankind. According to the World Meteorological Organization weather and climate-related extreme events, such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, storms, cyclones, floods and drought, account for nearly 75 per cent of all disasters. They lead to an enormous toll of human suffering, loss of life and economic damage. Monitoring these events, predicting their movements and issuing timely warnings are essential to mitigate the disastrous impact of such events on population and economy. The UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and the World Meteorological Organization have been charged with co-ordinating events on the day.
Tues 22 World Water Day
11am-3pm, Exchange Square.
As part of World Water Day, collecting signatures in Exchange Square from 11am until about 3pm with a water stunt of throwing sponges at a dummy of Peter Mandelson, collect signatures for Vote for Trade Justice and for Wipe Out Debt cards plus postcards to sign to Hilary Benn and to Halcrow about Dirty Water Dirty Aid. At 3pm, we will take the cards and arrive at Halcrow in Handforth for 4pm with the giand postcards to deliver them and a more detailed letter to the manager of the Handforth office.
Info: Stephen Pennells (pennells@fish.co.uk)
Weds 23 On the Map!
Weds 23 Scarecrow Scramble
Weds 23 Energy, the Environment and Sustainability
Thursday 24 How our Gardens Changed with Thyme
Fri 25 Lower Brushes Gentle Stroll
Sat 26 Veggie Roadshow
Sat 26 Wild Shows and Feasts
Mon 28 National Zoo Awareness Day
Mon 28 Colours of Spring
Mon 28 Banner making for anti-deportation demo
Tues 29 Demonstrate Against Deportations and Rally Against Racism Planning Mtg
Weds 30 & Thurs 31 Connecting Regeneration: Linking Local People Place and Policy
Weds 30 Environmental Art
Wednesday 30 CN4M Executive Group
Thurs 31 Community Safety Network
11.00am - 3.00pm, The Zion Centre, Stretford Road, Hulme.
Celebrating learning disability arts in the North West. This day aims to bring people who have learning disabilities together to show what they can do. And not only to show each other, but to show others what involvement in the arts means for learning disabled people. The day is also about making their work even better: what do learning disabled artists need to help develop their skills? The venue is accessible. The Zion Arts Centre has a lift to all areas. There are accessible toilets, too. They will be providing sign language interpretation and a quiet space, and you can tell them about any other access needs you may have on their booking form.
Bookings: ADA inc (Tel/fax 01535 274 277 (ask for Sue Scantlebury),
11am - 3pm, Bus turning circle, end of Greenside Lane, Droylsden
Clean up your local environment in the school holidays and build scarecrows with whatever you find.
Info: (0161 330 9613)
3:30-7:30pm, Univ. of Manchester.
To mark the launch of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences within the new University of Manchester, a programme of launch events, in conjunction with our sponsors and partners, is being organised. The first event will be a showcase presenting our activities in the fields of energy, the environment and sustainability. The event will be held in Manchester on 23rd March 2005 and we would very much hope that you are able to join us to celebrate our launch.The event will bring together leaders from industry and Government, both in the region and nationally, with key academics in this field. The keynote speaker at the event is Lord Oxburgh, chairman of Shell Transport and Trading.
Bookings: http://www.eps.manchester.ac.uk/ees2005/
6:30-8pm, "Cafe Muse", Oxford Road M13.
How has our
landscape been altered over the centuries? What sort of impact will
modern thinking have on our future environment? Find out more in
this talk given by Leander Wolstenholme, Curator of Botany at The
Manchester Museum.
Info: Cafe Scientifique (0161 275 2627, cafe.scientifique@man.ac.uk)
Meet 12:30pm, Oakgates Car Park, Hartley Street off Huddersfield Road, Millbrook, Stalybridge.
A mixture of open grassland, woodland and water with good views of the surrounding hills with a sprinkling of history on this easy walk.
Info: (0161 330 9613)
10am-5pm, Cross Street Chapel.
Come along to find out about why its time to go veggie - you’ll be able to taste a whole range of veggie foods, get all your questions answered, pick up great free info and watch cookery demos. There’ll be a wide range of recipe books available plus food from local shops and restaurants. If you ever have given the idea of going veggie a go, come along!
Info: Viva (0117 944 1000, info@viva.org.uk)
£25.50 waged, £22 concs. 7:30pm, Central Hall, Oldham St. M1.
Vegan banquet and theatre show. A sumptuous banquet of recipes inspired by famous 19th century veggies like Shelley, Shaw and Tolstoy, followed by Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" - dress as your favourite 19th century character if you like! (Flier (680Kb JPEG))
Tickets: Wild Shows & Feasts (0161 227 9030, wildshowsandfeasts@yahoo.com)
Campaigns and actions to highlight animal suffering in zoos on Easter Monday, the traditional start of the zoo season. Join campaigners nationwide exposing the cruelty and conservation con of zoos by organising or joining protests outside zoos, holding information stalls or writing to local newspapers. Contact CAPS to see if there is a protest planned at a zoo near you. Organise your own protest at a zoo - we can help you. Order campaign materials from CAPS. Hold an information stall in your town. Write letters to local newspapers asking people not to visit zoos.
Info: Captive Animals' Protection Society (0845 330 3911, info@captiveanimals.org)
12-4pm, Park Bridge Heritage Centre.
Story telling, painting, mehndi hand decoration and tie-dyeing using natural dyes. Discover nature's colours in the countryside. For all the family.
Info: (0161 330 9613)
7-9pm, The Basement, Lever St.
Preparing for Sat 2 Apr demo.
7:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street M2.
Planning for Sat 2 Apr demo
From £210. The Lowry, Salford.
Conference to explore the governance of regeneration, both in terms of the horizontal connections between European, regional, local and neighbourhood level and the vertical connection which takes local strategy, through policy to effective service delivery. The 19th CLES conference is for policy makers and practitioners across all areas of regeneration including major projects, local strategic partnerships, crime reduction, health and New Deal improvements. Speakers include Hazel Blears, Minister of State Home Office, Andrew Robinson, NatWest & Royal Bank of Scotland and others.
Bookings: (020 7324 4330)
12-3:30pm, Park Bridge Heritage Centre.
Explore your artistic side, using only natural materials. You bring the ideas, mother nature provides the rest.
Info: (0161 330 9613)
1pm, VAM.
Info: CN4M (0161 234 2916)
10am, The Wesley Centre
steering group mtg.
Info: Stephanie Jones (0161 226 7186, stephanie.jones@c-i-c.org.uk)
