Ann Garner

I took a group of my students to the exhibition exploring marriage of different faiths and cultures across Manchester Cathedral this afternoon - the Mothers Union had put it together - the students loved it - none of them had ever visited the Cathedral before and they all thought the building very beautiful.  Students talked about their own faiths and marriage cultures too - it was really interesting listening to them.  The exhibition is on just this week - where the Fire Window is and well worth a visit!

Heaton Park – who are Manchester City Council kidding – they claim that the park is big enough for its visitors as well as Goals Soccer – yesterday all park car parks were full as were many local roads within ½ a mile of the park.  The park was full of families enjoying the fine weather as well as our Jewish community members for their Sabbath walks (they don’t come by car).  It is the beginning of February – not the height of summer either – it was sunny and very cold.  From car registrations you could see that vehicles were from all over and mostly, Manchester residents.  We need Heaton Park to be as it is and better – work programmes for volunteers and more visiting exhibitions in the Hall to attract and involve visitors – more encouragement to give donations and fund raising – sponsoring of animals in pets corner to cover costs, Hall restoration and for the Orangery to be open for lunches not just functions and conferences!  The park could be much more sustainable!

Last night we dressed our Weeping Fig tree with lights and decorations to welcome friends who had been unable to spend their usual Christmas with us – for a re-run.  One of our friends is a farmer – we all have very different lives – in different places and it’s good to be able to get together every so often.  I also managed to get my Dad out doing some leaflet delivery with me yesterday, in a neighbouring ward.  I need to get out with my camera for photos for the next Focus leaflet this afternoon, too. 

 

Bury Council has finally launched their formal consultation on the future of our Longfield Suite, Radcliffe Civic Suite and other threatened Community Centres.  Whether you have signed the petition or not, if you care about the future of our local community centers then it is crucial that you complete a consultation form.  Click here to link.  What’s worth remembering is that our centre in Prestwich,  bring in revenue and people to our area to shop as well as use teh Longfield Centre.  So to loose it will have an effect on the wider community.  Also, there is security on the car park at night which would also go if the centre is closed!  Please complete the form and hope that your views are listened to!!

Dear Postbag (I’ve submitted the following letter to local newspapers),

I’m against the Goals Soccer application to build on over 8 acres of quiet Heaton Park green belt land, next to the Commonwealth Bowling facility. There’s still lots of undeveloped ex-industrial land to use in north Manchester, instead of using open parkland. I am also against this private soccer development at the Prestwich end of Heaton Park (St Margaret’s) as we don’t need more 5 A-Side pitches in our area. As a local Council Tax payer, we have contributed towards the building of local soccer facilities for out-of-school hire by the public at Parrenthorn High School (by Heaton Park) and Philip’s High (Whitefield) as quality sports centres. If Goals Soccer with their bar and wide screen TV open in our Heaton Park, our local schools will loose bookings and revenue. What a waste of public money!

If I wanted to build a house or business or sports complex, I’d have to BUY the land to build on not be able to ‘rent it’ from Manchester Park’s department! Is this the thin end of the wedge and all Manchester Parks are there for hire for developers? I believed that Heaton Park was the green lungs of Manchester and free space for the public to enjoy, not a cut-price building plot for the City Council!  Heaton Park’s fate will be decided on 11th February by Manchester’s own Planning Committee.  See our Web Site  If you don’t have access to a computer, may I recommend that you ask for help from staff in your local library to access it ASAP to find out how you can help our campaign?

Our Lib Dem surgeries gave me jobs as well as food for thought tonight.  EDM 646 – was one issue – the Union UNITE is supporting workers of Fujitsu.  Many workers are unhappy that this multi-national company are increasing their profits whilst shedding staff, imposing unfair pay freezes and prosing to change their company pension scheme to an extent really worries the union. 

UNITE are concerned that other companies will also copy the example of how this huge company, treats their employees and other companies will follow suite: “The company is taking a very aggressive approach to try to force through change …” (UNITE).  The main problem that UNITE also have is that many UK Fujitsu projects are where employees are discouraged from being involved with the union – leaving them open to no knowing their employment rights and then not having access to support it they need it.  Interestingly, Fujitsu has many huge UK Government contracts too (apparently also being the main sponsor of the MP’s own Rugby Team).

As a trade union member and ex-health & safety rep., I’ve benefited from advice, support and training over many years.  Yes, I pay through my salary for this but like many unions, there are different membership rates for people on different pay scales – so the more you earn, the more you pay in order to enable the poorest paid to have the same support as everybody else.  All employees should have somebody they can trust to talk with, for many people that is their union rep.

The IT industry is new and many workers don’t have the support of a union – as I was reminded tonight, full time call centre workers can earn as little as £14K a year – a really small salary to live off.  And if your employer has already imposed a pay freeze and is imposing another for this year – who can help?  Fujitsu Services’ profits, last year rose to £177m – very Victorian – smug managers whilst the basic-salary worker scratches a living – fair or what?

Details of a traffic calming scheme for the southern part of Heywood Road (from Heys Road down to Scholes Lane), have been announced. We’ve been campaigning for this for a long time.  Too many drivers go far too fast and there’s been too many accidents.  The proposals include a 20mph zone as the road nears the area of Park

View

Primary School (Rectory Lane roundabout to Scholes Lane, including Park View Road itself.  Click here for the letter and proposals we received as local councillors.  Residents will also be being consulted too.

It’s great when you can walk and spend an evening locally rather than having to go into the city.  On Saturday evening, for my Mother’s 70th birthday, she choose for us to eat here at Aumbry - her research did us proud, the meal was beautifully special.  An evening to remember for a long time!

…. kept me tucked up in bed with the Observer for a valued few hours this morning.  In contrast, we left home at 7.15am yesterday morning to collect my Dad on route to Rochdale Infirmary, an 8 mile motorway treck away.  We found the place and had even remembered to take change with us for the £1.70 pay and display ticket.  Back at home, eating crumpets and mulling over the early start, I’d just commented that all had gone well, when the phone rang to collect him.  He shouldn’t have been there …… a blood test taken weeks before meant that he really needed a different appointment in a different hospital, on a different day, which we’ll have to wait for.  So hubby returned to do the 16 mile round trip to collect him and by 10.30, Dad was reinstated at home.

     Last weeks’ aborted appointment was at a closer hospital and Dad, for once, took at taxi (£9.60) to then be told he couldn’t start the physio sessions without the results from the procedure that he was to have yesterday that will now take place in several weeks.  It then took him 1 ½ hours to return home on his free bus pass on local buses.

     If you are getting perplexed, my Dad is!  Somebody else could have had his theatre slot at Rochdale yesterday and somebody else benefited from the cancelled physio slot.  The staff are lovely and constantly apologetic. I’m more than thankful that my Dad is still with us after his heart attack too.  However, had Dad still been part of the workforce, delays such as this will have meant a longer recovery time and prolonged time from work – costing his employer expense.  Why, I wonder with technology to hand, aren’t professionals working closer together to prevent wasted appointments?

     For us as a family, it’s the not knowing when appointments will be or where across Pennine Acute’s four major hospitals.  It makes me wonder about the strain on the finances, health and well being of people who need necessary help to recover from illness too!

 “The United Kingdom has a proud tradition of providing a place of safety for genuine refugees.”

UK Borders Agency

I’ve just received this from Amnesty and am shocked at the poverty endured by asylum seekers in this country when they are seeking safety, after escaping persecution.  Read on for how Amnesty asks us to help.

“Across the world, persecution and conflict drives millions of people to abandon their homes and families. Every refugee is the result of a government’s failure to protect human rights. Some of these people come to the UK to seek asylum – in other words, to seek protection and safety. In October 2009, with food prices rocketing, asylum support in the

UK was cut to £35 a week. This must cover not only food but also clothing, school books, toiletries and travel. Many asylum seekers arrive without friends or family and are therefore unable to benefit from bulk-buying food. While waiting to hear the result of their claim, asylum seekers must often travel frequently to access legal advice, language classes and make obligatory trips to the Home Office reporting centre.

It can be difficult if not impossible to put enough aside for such basics as winter coats and shoes, pushchairs and cooking utensils.Amnesty’s goal is to bring about a fair and effective asylum system. We are asking the government to uphold their “proud tradition” and end the destitution of asylum seekers. All too often the media portrayal of asylum seekers is extremely negative so it’s critical that we can demonstrate public support for fair treatment. In the next week or so, the government will decide how much support to give asylum seekers in the next financial year.

Please ask your MP to urge the Home Secretary to ensure that asylum seekers receive at least 70% of Income Support and no less than £45 a week for single adults. Please show your support for this vulnerable group and visit Write to Them.com (click this link).  All you do enter your postcode to be able to email  your MP today through this web site’s link  – by writing to them in your own words in this way you can be sure to make them take notice”. 

You forget how cold you get talking to strangers, trying to get their interest to sign petitions and letters!  We had such a warm response today – I did a 90min stint – its not often that people are coming up to you to sign things either!  Folk just don’t like the Soccer Centre’s proposals at all!  Please click to follow this link for details of how to object to an application to put a 5m high fence around 8 acres of our loved Heaton Park and charge people to play football, where we now roam freely.  Our next meeting is 7pm, tomorrow (Monday) in St Margaret’s Church Hall.

Before my stint and afterwards, I enjoyed our fabulous Prestwich Farmers market.  I’m spent up on fresh produce curly Kale, parsnips and beetroot to roast with lamb that’s grazed our north of Bury hillsides.  I’ve even bought goat for the first time and goat’s cheese for my Dad who is having to eat a low-fat diet and adores cheese!