Merry Christmas!

Wishing all our neighbours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Bowes Street Residents' Association!

'Your Square Mile' website launched for Moss Side & Hulme

Posted on behalf of Your Square Mile:

The Your Square Mile hyperlocal website for Moss Side & Hulme is now launched.

On this site you will find the film edited from the recent workshop, results from the surveys you completed, as well as photographs and information about the community projects nominated at the workshop. You will find up-to-date information about these projects, next steps to take and help needed.

We hope that it will be a space where the whole community can communicate.  

Here you will find:

• Local Events Listings
• A ‘Wall’ – a space where everyone can discuss projects, events and local issues and where you can post news.
• Photographs and Videos, including the workshop film. You can upload photos and videos of your own
• A way to contact Your Square Mile and other members of the community
• Individual Project Pages with a forum to discuss them

Before you can get chatting, sharing, promoting your projects, please first register here by clicking on ‘Join Group’ in the top right hand corner of the page.

As you start to use the site, we will get a sense of how the community can best use it. If you think there are additional features that could be useful, please let us know and we will look to introduce these later.

This website is not intended to be a replacement for any existing local web-sites or other forms of local information in the area. Instead, we want to aggregate and promote any existing sites and communications.

We hope you enjoy exploring and using your Moss Side & Hulme website.

We wish you a very happy Christmas,

Emma Howard

Communications & Social Media Officer - Your Square Mile 

emma@yoursquaremile.co.uk

Have yourself a very Moss Side Christmas

The Bowes Street Christmas Tree is finally up! We're still waiting for 60m of solar-powered fairy lights, but even with today's temporary trimmings it still looks pretty amazing.

Check out the pictures, then come and admire it for real - next to the Claremont pub on the corner of Hartington Street.

The Claremont Nativity

This evening's spontaneous carolling outside the Claremont - complete with new Nativity mural - really helped our neighbourhood get into the festive mood!

Only 13 (local) shopping days to go, and we can look forward to mince pies and more carol singing tomorrow - inside the Claremont this time - and the inauguration of the Bowes Street Christmas tree at the weekend. See you all there!

Carols at The Claremont

Help get our neighbourhood feeling festive! Join us for Christmas carols and mince pies at The Claremont this Thursday, 13th December, from 8pm.

All are welcome, even the grumpy one at the front of this picture!

Also, look out for an extra Christmas event coming soon, courtesy of your Residents' Association!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The secret's out... our very own Bowes Street Christmas tree - generously donated by the brewery - will be in pride of place next to the Claremont by the end of the week. Watch this space for news of a festive gathering in the near future!

Also, don't forget the big switch-on at Broadfield Road Park and the Powerhouse this evening.


Ho ho ho!

Love from Santa x

Green light for our green alleys!

After what seems like a long wait, we've finally had confirmation of our grant application for the alleyway greening project. See this post for Matt's original plans.

Thanks to Adactus, the residents' association now have £1500 to get the ball (or wheelbarrow?) rolling, with an opportunity to bid for further funds for stage two next year.

Work should hopefully get started before Christmas with a tree for each alley, but unfortunately they won't plant themselves - volunteers are most definitely needed! Please leave a comment below if you can help out.

Moss Side Christmas Lights (and a secret...)

See you all for the big switch-on next Thursday at the Powerhouse. I even heard Santa was coming!

BUT... I've heard there are plans afoot to get our very own Bowes Street Christmas tree too. Watch this space, and ssssshhhh! Its a secret!

Alexandra Park restoration update

The following information is from Deborah Marsden at Manchester City Council:

Manchester City Council was successful in securing Heritage Lottery Funding for the restoration of Alexandra Park and during the last 12 months we have worked to appoint the contractors and a Design Team.

The work will start on site early in 2013, however, before this happens we need to:

•     Open up the historic buildings to check their condition
•     Survey the culvert which runs under the southern oval (near the pavilion)
•     Carry out some controlled tree felling

What impact will this have?

Opening up the buildings will not have a major impact on the park, you may have noticed some architects and engineers entering the buildings already.

The culvert needs to be exposed in some areas, this will mean there will be areas of the southern oval fenced off while work takes place.  The oval will be returned to normal once the survey is completed.

The tree works are planned to ensure that all the work is carried out before the bird nesting season begins, and no later than the week beginning 10th December.

I would like to invite you all to an open day in the park on Saturday 1st December at the Children’s Centre in Alexandra Park from 11am until 4pm.  There will be an opportunity to look over the agreed plans for the park, talk to the lead designer and walk through areas of the park to get a more detailed understanding of how the park will look on
completion.

Film night: A Farm for the Future

Local campaign group Transition Moss Side are hosting a film night next Tuesday, 27th Nov at the Phil Martin Centre on Princess Road.

The documentary "A Farm For The Future" will be shown at 7:30pm and admission is free.

The aim of the evening is to bring neighbours together and spark discussion about local food growing here in Moss Side.

Clean-up day

Such amazing work today from our team of dedicated volunteers who've helped to transform our little corner of Moss Side.

Thanks to everyone who came along with their rubbish, swept the streets and alleyways, cut down weeds, planted bulbs and baskets and went door to door to spread the word; even bigger thanks to those who kept us fed and watered!

We all want our neighbourhood to look good and be a great place to live. Remember that any issues to do with street cleaning, fly-tipping or bins should go via Environmental Health. The number is on our A-Z page.

Watch this space for our next event!

Alexandra Park Regeneration - Volunteers needed

The Alexandra Park renovation group are looking for volunteers if anyone has the time:

Hello People's Panel Member

This is just a quick note to ask if anybody is interested in volunteeringin Alexandra Park.  We are organising three maintenance sessions in thepark before Christmas, these will be held on:

Tuesday 20th November
Tuesday 4th December
Tuesday 18th December

The meeting point for each of the sessions will be in the car park at theend of Russell Street at 9.30am and we will aim to around lunch time.

If you are interested in any of the sessions please get in touch so I have an idea of numbers and I can make sure we have enough gloves etc.

I'm also looking for a couple of people who are interested in taking photographs of the park before the restoration work starts, again if you are interested, please get in touch.

Kind regards Debbie
Deborah Marsden
-----------------------------------alex.park@manchester.gov.uk

Don't forget to vote!

Voting takes place TODAY for:

• Police and Crime Commisioner for Greater Manchester (more details here)
• A by-election for our local MP (check out the candidates here)

The outcome of both of these could really impact on our local area - use your vote and make your voice heard!

Our polling station is at the Phil Martin Centre on Princess Road and is open until 10pm. Don't worry if you've lost your polling card, you can still vote without it!

Agenda for Tuesday 13th Nov

Dear all,

Here is the agenda for Tuesday's meeting. Please email or post a comment if you would like to raise anything under 'A.O.B'.

Please spread the word to your neighbours too, especially those who don't use the Internet.

Bowes Street Residents’ Association: Meeting Agenda: 13/11/2012

Invited: Cllr. R. Walters, T. Cass, P. Holt, PCSO Harris

1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Updates
3. Clean-up day and planting plans
4. Speed Restrictions on Bowes Street
5. A. O. B.

* Due to widespread concern there will be a short meeting for those
who have concerns about Infusion after the main meeting has concluded.

See you on Tuesday, Jo

Blooming Success!

Our lovely hanging baskets won a prize at the Royal Horticultural Society Awards! Paula went to the ceremony on behalf of the residents' association and wrote us the following report:

The Bowes Street Residents' Association held a hanging basket event in the summer. It was really well attended and the streets looked lovely with a burst of colour outsidethe doors. The plants and the compost were supplied to us through Manchester City Council via the Royal Horticultural Society.

Not long after our event, judges from the RHS came down our streets to see all the hard work from that day. We were entered into a competition and last Wednesday won our first award -  Level 3 in the ‘Developing’ category at the Royal Horticultural Society Awards held in Southport.

The next level in the competition next year is Level 4, then Level 5, ‘Thriving’ and ‘Outstanding’ categories. After that its fancy silver cups that can be won!

Representatives of our association have also been invited to a presentation event at Manchester Town Hall on November 14th - anyone who would like to attend, please say so in the comments below!

Our congratulations go also to Moss Side Community Allotment, who won in a different category.

Massive thanks to everyone who has helped make the neighbourhood look really great so far; plans are under way to revitalise our hanging baskets with donated winter bulbs to give us some colour during the colder months. Watch out for our 'Community Clean-Up Day' on the 18th!

Halloween Etiquette

It's Halloween tomorrow today! If you've got small children and would like to join in trick-or-treating there'll be several spooky characters setting off from Cowesby Street around 7pm.

For those unfamiliar with trick-or-treat etiquette, it's considered good form to leave your porch light on (or better still - a pumpkin lantern in the front window!) if you've got treats to give out, and to leave it off if not, to save any disappointment.

Don't have nightmares!

A-Z of useful numbers

Suggestion from Beresford resident Karl: "could we have a page on the blog where all the useful phone numbers, e-mail addresses and contacts that have been mentioned in our meetings can be collected together?"

Consider it done: Useful Contacts (A-Z)

This page will always be available from a tab at the top of the blog homepage, and will grow as more info gets added. Please get in touch to suggest anything to include!

Eid Mubarak!

Wishing all our neighbours and local residents who celebrate Eid-ul-Adha tomorrow a very happy and joyful weekend. Eid Mubarak!

Minutes of meeting held 10th October

Please find the minutes of our October meeting here (Google Docs)!

Our Moss Side - A community conference

Police and Crime Commissioner Election - Thursday 15 November 2012

On November 15th Criminals will hope you do nothing.

Have your say in the first ever elections for local police and crime commissioners.

On November 15th, a new police and crime commissioners will be elected for our area.

What will a police and crime commissioner do?

Our police and crime commissioner will ensure the police focus on the crimes that matter most to us as a community, whether it's tackling anti-social behaviour, reducing burglaries, domestic violence or cracking down on drug dealing.

Our police and crime commissioner will work with local partners such as social landlords, councils, health, and drugs and alcohol organisations to not only fight crime and anti-social behaviour but to prevent it.

By voting for our local police and crime commissioner, we'll each have our say on the key decisions that will impact our local area.

What do I need to do? Before the election go to www.choosemypcc.org.uk to find out who is standing for election in our area. Or if you don't have access to the internet call 0800 1 070708 to order a free booklet. Then it is up to you to decide who our local police and crime commissioner will be.

Manchester Sleepout

Are you up for a  challenge? For one night only the Booth Centre are sleeping out to  highlight some of the hardships that homeless people have to face every single night and to raise vital funds.

Last year the event was a huge success raising  over £8,000 for the charity, and with your help the 2012 Manchester Sleepout will be even bigger and better!

Date: Friday 9th November 2012 from 9pm
Location: Manchester  Cathedral

This year Manchester  Cathedral have kindly allowed us full use of the building, so you have the option of sleeping out inside or outside the Cathedral (depending on how brave you are and how bad the weather is)! Staff will be available  throughout the night to assist sleepers, answer any questions and to talk about  the work the Booth Centre does.

For more information and  to register to take part in the event go to our website www.boothcentre.org.uk

(Posted to this blog on behalf of the Booth Centre)

Minutes of Meeting held 11 September 2012

Minutes of meeting held 11 September 2012

Lloyd Street Bus Corridor - Consultation

There are current plans to make Lloyd Street into a priority bus corridor for routes into and out of the city centre. Although the timescale for this is pretty long, local consultation meetings are happening now so that residents can have their views taken into account.

Further details are on the Transport for Greater Manchester website.

Consultation meetings are taking place as follows:

• 17th September 2-7pm Greenheys Adult Eucation centre

• 24th September 2-7pm The Deaf Centre

 Don't miss a chance to have your say!
 

Community Allotment - Open Day on Saturday

The Moss Side Community Allotment will be having their Open Day this Saturday, 15th September, in conjunction with The Big Dig Edible Gardens Open Day. Hope to see lots of you there (it's at the Bowes Street end of Cowesby Street).

Please see the allotment group's website for more info: http://mosssidecommunityallotment.wordpress.com/

Or contact Phil Dodd:  phdodd@hotmail.co.uk

Environmental Health No.

Below is the number for Environmental Health which you can use in the cases of fly tipping and any other disturbance - please be as specific as possible. This can be reported on-line as well - see links.

Please note that you can request up to 3 "Bulky Items" to be collected free of charge from the Council a year - link below for further information

Environmental Health - 0161 234 5004 

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/587/refuse-flytipping/5331/flytipping  

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200084/recycling_rubbish_and_waste/5318/bulky_waste

Moss Side Community Forum - Friday 26th October

Early notice of the next Moss Side Community Forum to be held at the Powerhouse on Raby Street from 2 to 7pm on Friday 26th October.

The event is open to all, with the idea to invite as many community groups and interested parties to to get their message out and also to learn about and meet other group in the Moss Side area.

The forum will be used to promote all things good that happens in our community - please do try and go along and invite any other groups and/or individuals who might like to contribute.

 

We have a wonderful and vibrant neighbourhood and this will give us all an opportunity to meet

new people, form new partnerships and learn new skills.

Contact Steve Flood, community outreach worker at the Powerhouse, for further details: s.flood1@manchester.gov.uk

The Guardian: Let's move to Moss Side!

Nice to read some well-deserved positive publicity for our area in yesterday's Guardian - read the article here

Nice picture of Hartington Street too, hopefully all those London media types will think twice before using the 'rainy Manchester' cliché!

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 11th September at 6.30pm at Fallowfield Library. It would be great to have a good turnout so that we can get things moving again after the summer break so please spread the word amongst your neighbours, especially those who may not have access to the internet.

AGENDA

1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Updates: Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer
3. Guest: PC Harris
4. Planning our local clean-up day
5. Autumn activities and events - brainstorming
6. A.O.B.

If there are other items you would like to raise at the meeting please use the comments section below.

July Meeting Minutes

Below is the link to the minutes from the last meeting - sorry it took a while, working out the ins and outs of blogging!

https://docs.google.com/open?id=1p-T5wpQmG8xJ2gYqp5C5zEHuPQ5uSCUUxDvj4Wi-UTf49eP_V_btXfMie9pP

Next Meeting - Wednesday 11th July

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 11th July, 6.30pm at Fallowfield Library. This meeting will run as a discussion forum where issues such as littering, tipping etc. can be raised with representatives of the council with the aim of developing strategies for improvement. PCSO Harris will also update us on the issue of noise nuisance.

Full agenda is here.
See you there!

Want to be a Community Cookery Champion?

Please see below for details of a local opportunity from Didsbury Dinners:

Building on the success of our 4-week ‘learn to cook’ course last autumn, this year Didsbury Dinners aims to teach another 100+ people how to cook, for free! We’re recruiting a team of 12 Volunteer Community Cookery Champions to help us achieve this goal. Free training worth over £250 will be provided. We are looking for committed individuals who are passionate about food and cookery. No previous experience is necessary, but basic cookery skills are essential.

What we can offer you:

• free accredited basic teacher training (Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector, ‘PTLLS’)

• free accredited food hygiene training

• free training in budgeting, basic nutrition, ‘eco-cookery’, cooking without meat and dairy, and how to give a successful cookery demonstration.

To apply, please email us your completed application http://didsburydinners.wordpress.com/communitycooking/) by 22 July 2012.

If you don’t fancy becoming a Community Cookery Champion, but you’d like to help in a different way, please complete our survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WM5GNK9.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Didsbury Dinners Team

Agenda - 11 July 2012

Please find attached an agenda for the next meeting of the Bowes Street Residents Association Agenda 11 July 2012

Healthcare provision in Moss Side - online survey

A new organisation called HealthWatch has been in touch - they are trying to get as wide a response as possible to their online survey about community health services. It sounds like a great opportunity for us to get our voices heard on some of these issues. See their press release below:

The aim of local HealthWatch will be to give citizens and communities a stronger voice to influence and challenge how health and social care services are provided within their locality.  Local people should be at the centre of how services are planned, designed and delivered in health and social care across Manchester. This includes GPs, dentists, pharmacies, hospitals, mental health services, care homes, day centres, and personal care at home. By April 2013 a new organisation called ‘HealthWatch Manchester’ will be set up to support this. This will take over from the Local Involvement Network as the way people aim to shape their local health and social care services.   

What will HealthWatch do?

• Ask the people of Manchester for their views about the services they use

• Tell people what health and social care services are available locally and how to access them

• Give people help and support when making a complaint about health and social care services

• Help make local services better

Please play an active part in shaping Manchester's HealthWatch by completing this online questionnaire.

Minutes of the June Meeting

Please find minutes of the June meeting attached June Meeting

Planting Day pictures

Despite the downpours, we planted nearly 200 hanging baskets today and our streets are already starting to look fantastic.

Thanks so much to everyone who baked, brewed up, dug, planted, filled baskets, drilled, swept up, ate, drank and generally pitched in to make the planting day such a resounding success!

If you wanted a basket but couldn't make it down, there are still a few left - please e-mail Jo (Residents' Association Chairperson) if you'd like one on your house.

Some photos from the day are below, with a link to the rest here. Please add a comment to let us know how your basket's coming along!

Planting day next weekend

Hopefully many of you will have seen the flyers by now - come along on Saturday, plant up a basket and take it home for free, all thanks to Manchester In Bloom!

We're still looking for volunteers to bake cakes and anyone with a decent masonry drill to help with putting the finished baskets up. Leave a comment below if you'd like to help out, or if you can't make it and want a basket putting aside.

See you from 11am!

Green Inspiration

Some great images of urban greening projects, via The Guardian. Our hanging basket planting day is the first step to making the Bowes Street area just as green and pleasant! Come along for tea, cake and planting on Saturday 30th June.

"Line the Streets" this Sunday morning

Don't forget - the Olympic Flame comes to Moss Side this weekend as inspirational local residents carry it through it the city streets ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.


Manchester City Council hopes that residents will “Line the Streets” to cheer on their torchbearers and celebrate work they have done to improve life in their neighbourhoods.

The first part of the Torch Relay Convoy will pass through 5 to 7 minutes ahead of the torchbearer part of the convoy. This will include further ‘presenting partners’ who will give out Torch Relay Keepsakes to waiting crowds. The second part of the Convoy, consisting of the torchbearer with media and security vehicles, will then pass.


Olympic Torch Relay Route – Sunday 24 June (all timings are approximate)


Whalley Range Neighbourhood

Upper Chorlton Road from Sylvan Avenue to Alexandra Road 7.00 am

Moss Side Neighbourhood

Moss Lane East from Hulme High Street to Lloyd Street 7.15 am

Moss Lane East from Lloyd Street to Wilmslow Road 7.30 am

Rusholme Neighbourhood

Wilmslow Road from Moss Lane East to Dickenson Rd 7.35 am

Dickenson Road fromWilmslow Road to Stockport Road 7.45 am

Standing on the left hand side of the street the Olympic Flame is being carried along will mean you are, generally, nearer to the Torchbearers and therefore get the best view of the action.

A free breakfast and hot drinks are available at the Powerhouse Library on Raby Street from 7:00am

Read the story of inspirational Torchbearers who will be carrying the Olympic Flame through Manchester and the North West.

See you there!

Want a free hanging basket?

Click here to download this flyer as a PDF

Z-Arts Olympic Fun Day

Some of you may be interested in a fun day happening at the Zion Arts Centre in Hulme on 23 June. There wll be arts and crafts and Olympic themed activities for all the family Family Fun Day

There's also an opportunity to set up your own arts and craft stall if you are interested Craft and Vintage Fair

The Olympic Torch comes to Moss Side!

Sunday 24th June - outside the Powerhouse on Raby Street - from 7:00am

Free Breakfast!

"Planting the Seed" and Alley Gardening

Another great turnout at Tuesday's meeting, including some new faces - thanks to everyone who made it! Lots of exciting ideas were shared and plans for our first community event on Saturday 30th June are coming along nicely. Save the date and watch this space for further information about our 'Planting the Seed' day...

A team of members led by Matt are also working on a funding application for alley gardening projects. Have a look at these plans for inspiration (click first image for link to full-sized PDF version):

The proposals will be on display at McFresh and - hopefully - some of our other local businesses over the next couple of weeks so that members of our community who can't get online can get involved easily. If you have any suggestions or comments feel free to post below - we'd love to make the alleys welcoming green spaces where all members of our community can feel at home.

Full minutes of the meeting will follow shortly.

Jo L

Agenda for 12 June 2012 Meeting

Please find below the agenda for the next meeting of the Bowes Street Residents Group. Timings are approximate. 

Please notify the Chair of any items of any other business by commenting below before the next meeting.

The meeting will be held on 

12 June 2012 

Starting at 6:30pm 

at Fallowfield Library, Platt Lane

	Item	Time
1.	Minutes of last meeting and matters arising	6:30
2.	Chairs update	6:40
3.	Using the CASH grant 'Planting the Seed' publicity day starting the alley gardens	6:50
4.	Communications           Community Notice Board (Kathleen C. to update)	7:05
5.	Adactus Neighbourhood Grant: Brainstorming	7:15
6.	Moss Side TARA Forum report (Adele and Anna)	7:30
7.	Stagecoach bus depot update (Matt S., Jo L)	7:40
8.	Neighbourhood Watch                                               discussion around the need for one and  volunteers to take it forward	7:55
9.	AOB please notify the Chair before the meeting	8:10
10.	Date of next meeting

Street Party Pictures

Unlike London, the sun came out over Moss Side for our own celebration yesterday. Very many thanks to David, Emily, Esther and all the PartyForBeresford group for organising such a fantastic community event!

See all the pictures I took of the day at: http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/1297739447

Peace FM Street Party

More local events for jubilee weekend. Details of the Peace FM Street Party on Sunday 3rd June here.

Jubilee Weekend

Looks like there will be lots going on over the jubilee weekend in our area. As well as the street party on Beresford St. on Monday afternoon, Cranswick Square Residents' Group are also running a number of events. See the details here.

The next meeting of the Bowes Street Residents' Association will be on Tuesday 12th June at 6.30pm at Fallowfield Library. It was great to see some new faces at the last meeting so please do come along and see what we can do to get the best out of the local area.

Minutes of the last meeting will follow shortly but in the meantime here are some of the things we are working on or involved in:

• Environmental improvements - planting in the alleys and 'empty' plots
• Tackling the problem of littering/dumping rubbish
• Funding a community notice board
• Getting local businesses involved
• Making alley gates secure
• Growing project on the former bus depot site

Future plans for the bus depot

Thanks very much to Matt for attending the latest meeting about the 'meanwhile' project for the site of the former bus depot.
I've attached the latest plans for the temporary use of the bus depot site here, you might be interested to take a look.  These are only a starting point and the project steering group are looking for input from the community. We will be discussing this further at tomorrow's meeting - come armed with some ideas!

Adult Learners' Week 12th - 18th May

For further details of Adult Learners' Week events see this flyer.

Meeting Agenda

Here is the agenda for the next meeting on Tuesday 15th May, looking forward to seeing you all there!

1. Welcome and Chair's update, to include:
     a. Community noticeboard
     b. Bank account
     c. Involving the whole community
2. Guest speakers: Phil Dodd (What can a residents' association achieve?)
                              Tom Cass (Working with the Council and other organisations)
3. Ratifying our constitution
4. Bins and litter - improving the environment (open discussion)
5. Bus depot update
6. Issues to raise at Moss Side TARA
7. Street Party for Beresford group
8. Electing additional committee members
9. A.O.B (to be notified before the meeting please)

Constitution

At the meeting we agreed to adopt a constitution based on this model and modified to the needs of our Residents' Association. Here is a draft of the proposed constitution, if you have time please have a look at it before the meeting. I've listed the main changes, most of which we discussed at the last meeting, below. If you have any concerns they can be raised at our next meeting, when we will ratify the constitution.

• Removal of 'youth forum' clause.
• Membership: Everyone living in the area is automatically a member but only those present at meetings may vote.
• Committee: Minimum five members, maximum seven members. Election of additional members and their roles will be on the agenda for the next meeting.
• We need to define the geographical boundaries of our association - I've also added this to the agenda for the next meeting.

Please share this information with anyone who might not be able to view the blog. We can arrange for hard copies for anyone that can't view the online versions easily. I'll also ask our street representatives to raise the issue of the constitution with their neighbours. 

Progress report from the committee

Thanks again for the great turnout at our first meeting. Since then we have been working hard to get our association off the ground. We are developing some great contacts in the community, local Councillors are very supportive of our association and will keep us informed about funding opportunities and issues which might affect our community. At our next meeting Tom Cass (Manchester City Council) and Phil Dodd (Cranswick Square Resident's Association) will come and share their experiences and expertise and provide us with some inspiration! By the time of the meeting we should also have our inital 'startup' grant from the council in our bank account and we can decide how best we can use this funding.

We are aware that we need to work hard to ensure that all members of the community have the opportunity to engage with the Residents' Association. Creating a community notice board is a priority, but in the meantime we have street representatives for Rosebery and Cowsby streets who will spread the word about the meeting to their neighbours. We are still in need of representatives from Hartington and Beresford streets - please let us know if you would like to volunteer!

From next month our Secretaries, Natalie and Adele, will take charge of the blog - thanks Ben for getting it set up. The blog is intended to spread the word about our activities but it is also a space where we can share and debate our ideas. We are bound to have some differences of opinion, however we hope that you can all find some common ground in the desire to make sure that this is a great place to live.

The next meeting is Tuesday 15th May, please send any items for the agenda as comments on the blog or email me at laycock.jo@gmail.com. I'll circulate the agenda on the blog and via our representatives next week.

Working with the Wider Community & other groups

Hi All

I've been in touch with City South, Mosscare and Adactus and asked them to put us in touch with other established residents groups in the area. I have a really good response.

Andrew from Adactus is passing my details onto the Chairs of Residents Associations supported by Adactus and he mentioned the TARA meeting that is coming up soon and which Adele has agreed to attend.

Teyei from Mosscare has been in touch and they have expressed their support of our group and how keen they are to support us. She provided me with a funding form to apply for up to £200.00 towards our Jubilee celebration event. She also said that the closest group to us is the Moss Side Residents Association who are meeting on 9 May 2012 at St James' Church and would be happy for us to attend. Unfortunately I am on holiday then so would anyone else be able to attend and introduce our group?

My neighbour who has only just moved in is keen to join the group so I'll have a chat with him and add him to the blog list (if I can work out how to do that)

I couldn't attach the Jubilee funding form to the Jubilee post anyone know how I attach a file?

Minutes of Meeting on 17th April

The full version of the minutes of last Tuesday's meeting can be found by following this link (Google Docs).

Please have a read and check them for accuracy - the chair will ask for any amendments to be proposed at the beginning of the next meeting, which is on Tuesday 15th May.

Jubilee Street Party

The second thing I've been asked to circulate via the blog is the following from Esther on Beresford Street about the Jubilee Street Party, just in case you missed it when it came through the door:

Hello, my name is Esther Webb.

This is a quick note to let you know that some of your neighbours are organising a Street Party for Beresford Street on Monday 4th June to celebrate the Jubilee and get to know each other a bit better.

We are still in the early stages of planning but wanted to let you know what our thoughts are and give you the opportunity to get involved. We are applying for street closure on the day so we can utilise the space well and make sure it is a safe place for children and families. The food and activities are still to be discussed but we are sure that it will be a very exciting day.

If you would like to be involved in the planning of the party or have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us. Our details are as follows:

Email: Party4Beresford2012@hotmail.co.uk
Facebook: Beresford Street Party

Thank you very much,
Esther

Contacting our PCSO

I was asked at the meeting to post a couple of pieces of info to the blog that might interest many of us - the first is contact details for PCSO Lee Harris who was there to introduce himself.

If you want to get in touch with him, you can reach him by phone: 0161 856 4466
e-mail: william.harris@gmp.pnn.police.uk
or via Greenheys Police Station (behind the Royal Brewery)

Fantastic turnout at this evening's meeting

Wow. You were awesome.

Thanks so much to the nearly 30 people who turned out to the inaugural meeting. I can now officially announce, hot off the presses, the freshly-minted and fully operational... (drum roll)... Bowes Street Residents' Association!

Thanks especially are due to Karl for arranging such a convenient venue, to Natalie for minuting furiously and reminding me what I should have been talking about, to Andy for triumphing over technology, to Jo and Leah for drafting the agenda and to everyone who contributed such great ideas.

The full minutes of the meeting will be circulated soon, but in the meantime here's a brief summary:

• We voted to adopt a constitution and formally became a Residents' Association.
• We elected Jo Laycock as Chair, Adele (sorry - don't know your surname) as Secretary and John Haines as Treasurer. In addition, Natalie Lewis agreed to assist with secretarial duties.
• We discussed lots of great ideas about how improve our community - gardening/yardening, a community noticeboard, a Jubilee street party, communal bike storage, a local history project, engaging with local businesses and far more besides.
• Our PCSO, Lee Harris, introduced himself and spoke about what support he could offer (e-mail him).
• We agreed on a date for the next meeting (Tuesday 15th May) and discussed ways of communicating the agenda with the wider community.

Further details on all of this are to follow, and not necessarily from me - I'll be discussing handing over this blog to our newly-elected officers!