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Place Capital Group Add Pete Adams, former Chief QS at Lovell to its Senior Leadership Team

Sam Whitear
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The housing estate regeneration specialist, launched by David Smith-Milne at the start of 2021, has strengthened its senior leadership team through the addition of Pete Adams, former Chief Quantity Surveyor at Lovell and previously Commercial Director at Placefirst.

Pete joins the Place Capital Group team as Commercial Director with responsibility to build the commercial and cost management functions for the business in support of its rapidly growing pipeline of new development opportunities.

Commenting on the recruitment, Smith-Milne said: “Having worked with Pete in the past, we knew immediately that he would be the right fit for our business. Pete shares our culture and mindset, which is to disrupt the mediocrity that characterises so much of the housing sector and to deliver projects that put the end user, not the investor, at the core of development plan. He is technically excellent and has a personality and character around which we can build a high functioning, but values-led commercial team”.

Place Capital Group intends to announce its first major housing project later in the summer and is currently in discussions with several large Local Authorities, with a growing pipeline of exciting, visionary, housing led regeneration schemes that will see the transformation of former council estates.

Commenting on his move, Pete Adams said: “David’s energy and vision have led to rapid growth in the Place Capital Group project pipeline. The entire team is now focused on securing planning permission for several major development and place making projects, which I will be taking to market later this year. Our intention is to partner with a construction supply chain that shares our ethos and values, to create significant social value, whilst delivering imaginative, design led solutions to much forgotten former council estates”.

Pete joins Faye Whiteoak, former Group Development Director at Redrow, who joined PCG as Development Director earlier this year, as well as Vicky Hoare, who also recently joined as Head of Operations and Marketing.

PCG recently acquired specialist place making advisors Fourth Street and will announce its second acquisition in July.

WestBridge promotes Barkley to director following regional growth

Sam Whitear
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Barkley joined WestBridge in August 2019 to head the firm’s newly opened Manchester office and establish the firm in the north west, north east and Yorkshire markets.

After qualifying at BDO, he joined Dow Schofield Watts where he came to the attention of WestBridge after advising the firm on its £10 million investment in environmental consultancy APEM. Since moving to WestBridge, he has joined the APEM board and is actively supporting the company’s buy and build strategy.

Barkley was also instrumental in the delivery and completion of the firm’s second north west deal, its £12.8 million investment in Aptus Utilities.

Most recently, he took responsibility for the firm’s largest transaction, its £29 million investment in construction software provider Eque2.

Managing partner Guy Davies said:

“Pete is a superb member of our team. He made the transition from adviser to investor with ease and has forged solid relationships with the management teams of our portfolio companies, helping accelerate growth and create shareholder value in all of them.

“His focus and drive have already ensured WestBridge has rapidly and successfully established itself as an active and dynamic participant in the north west and beyond. Our regional success is in no small part down to him being able to leverage the close relationships he has developed and nurtured over the years.

“Pete is playing a pivotal role in our on-going success and it is clear he will play a significant role in our business in the future.”

An avid Leicester City fan and cyclist, Barkley said of his appointment to director:

“I couldn’t be more delighted and am thoroughly enjoying taking an active role in supporting investee companies and believe the way we do business is really refreshing.

“It’s a particularly exciting time to be here as the WestBridge team and our offering continues to develop and evolve.”

WestBridge, which has offices in London, Manchester and Cardiff, typically invests between £10-£25m into established, profitable and ambitious UK SMEs with enterprise values of between £15m and £50m.

Northcoders makes six new appointments across the business.

Sam Whitear
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Northcoders – the Manchester and Leeds based software development training and solutions provider – has made six new appointments across the business.

The first starter is Gina Hilton who is Northcoders’ newest career development manager. During her career, Gina has specialised in recruitment, business development and training. Her new role will see her support Northcoders graduates and help them find their dream jobs in tech. Gina, who has recently relocated to Manchester from Singapore, previously worked at LinkedIn and then Facebook where she launched a product similar to Slack into the Australian large enterprise market.

Diya Okorie has joined Northcoders as a partnership success manager. Diya’s core role and responsibilities will be to onboard apprenticeship candidates, drive employment engagement and business development. Prior to joining Northcoders, she worked as an employment engagement consultant at the Growth Company.

Duncan Crawley (they/them) has been appointed as a junior software developer and mentor. Duncan is part of the classroom team, so will provide one to one support for learners on the Northcoders bootcamp programme. Duncan, who is a previous Northcoders graduate, also holds a level three education and training qualification and a degree in childhood studies.

Daniel Saleh also joins as junior software developer and mentor. He too is a Northcoders graduate and, over the years, has worked as a self-employed musician and guitar tutor.

Sarah Browncross is the apprenticeship team’s new solutions manager. Sarah became a software engineer after completing the Northcoders bootcamp in 2020. She previously worked at Science Museum Group for six years.

The final new appointment is Sarah Cooney who is the new HR and office manager. Sarah joins Northcoders from the Co-operative Bank.

Gina Hillton said of her new role: “I’ve known about Northcoders for a long time and have always respected its mission, ethos and commitment to developing and nurturing the best tech talent in the UK. I’m excited to now be playing my part in helping drive the future of the company and the careers of our graduates.”

Chris Hill – founder and CEO at Northcoders – added: Northcoders is going through an exciting period with new teams, products and clients. This new intake of experienced people into the business is another step towards achieving that growth. Each person brings with them some fantastic experience, so we are delighted to welcome them. I’m sure they will add value to the company, our students, hiring partners and clients.

Since its inaugural course in 2015, Northcoders has helped over 750 people switch careers into tech, with average starting salaries of around £25,500. Whilst 95% of Northcoders secure a software engineering role after graduation. Northcoders’ main campus is at Manchester Technology Centre and it has a base at Platform in Leeds.

Over the past three years, it has been selected as one of the country’s brightest tech stars in Creative England’s CE50 list and was named Business of the Year at the 15th Annual Chamber Business Awards in 2018. It has also launched scholarship schemes and a deferred payment programme aimed at women and gender minorities, as well as those who identify as BAME or LGBTQ+, have a disability or have had limited access to education, to help address diversity in tech. The firm also relocated its Manchester campus to a new 10,000 sq. ft space at Manchester Technology Centre on Oxford Road in early 2020.

Soaring demand for Manchester office space indicates rapid recovery for city centre workplace market

Sam Whitear
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In the weeks since Covid restrictions were eased on 17 May, a growing number of people have returned to the city centre and their workplaces, at least in a hybrid capacity, showing positive signs of recovery and growing confidence for businesses of all sizes.

Public transport timetables have returned to almost capacity, with 85% of the UK’s rail network now running, and rush-hour traffic congestion at 65% – 10% up month on month, according to the Department for Transport.

Anthony Powell, managing director at Department comments on the increase in workspace occupancy at Department Bonded Warehouse, an iconic workspace for varying-sized businesses within Enterprise City.

“Despite the circumstances over the past 12 months, Department Bonded Warehouse has remained open to its members and those that are unable to work from home. Over recent weeks and months, we’ve welcomed even more of our members back to Department, as restrictions ease and the workforce require an alternative to working from their kitchen table.

“We are now in a position where office space occupancy here is at 91% compared to a market report trend of 70% within flexible workspace operators. We believe our progressive approach to the workplace, which includes beneficial wellness and social amenities, enables a positive association around returning to the office; where a work life balance is attainable outside the remit of working from home. We’re optimistic this will continue to be a contributing factor to positive occupancy levels.

“Since the start of 2021, despite the pandemic, Department Bonded Warehouse has welcomed 43 new businesses to its community. This is a promising indicator that the flexible workspace market in Manchester is making a strong recovery after a turbulent year.

“We have also had six of our Exchange Programme graduates move into larger spaces within Department Bonded Warehouse in recent months, following the successful completion of the scheme. PixelMax, Koolstof, Hydr, MissKick, HN Flow and Qonnected will continue to grow and develop their innovative business concepts, as the programme looks to welcome the second cohort of 25 ambitious entrepreneurs hoping to scale their tech businesses.

“Almost 60% of the businesses that are occupying Department Bonded Warehouse are from the tech, digital or creative sectors. Not only does this boost Manchester’s tech scene, but the members themselves will benefit from the collaborative community we have developed within Bonded Warehouse. The workspace is specifically designed to facilitate these types of interactions, and grow a community of like-minded businesses, creating a place of connection and collaboration.”

NPIF – FW Capital facilitates growth for Manchester-based facilities business

Sam Whitear
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A Manchester-based facilities management company has received a £200,000 loan from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance, managed by FW Capital and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

innovatefm or ifm (trading as Innovate Corporation) offers specialist cleaning, waste management and other facilities services and support across a range of sectors including food, hygiene, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, corporate and construction.

The company recently underwent an MBO which was funded by Close Brothers and advised by Paul Mak of Pomegranate Finance and Dan Bowles of Toppings Partnership. The deal saw director Jigme Tashi take control of the business which is operationally run by operations director Richard Evans and his management and national support team.

Following completion of the MBO, the business secured funding from NPIF – FW Capital to provide working capital, helping them navigate difficult trading conditions during the pandemic.

Innovate employs around 90 staff and over 100 subcontractors and has a turnover of around £1.7M, with another £850k of support services to other larger FM’s and businesses in the UK.

Managing director Jigme Tashi said: “For the first three months of the initial lockdown most of our customers reduced or paused services and this led to a 60% reduction in our business. The funding from NPIF – FW Capital and our focus on innovative savings has been critical for providing cost savings and working capital to support our business through this tough transition.

“We were able to use this time to focus on reducing our carbon footprint and digitising 99% of our systems. Our focus then moved to our employees to grow them within the business and alongside training all our management teams to support areas of the business.

“The business, our strong management and our treasured employees have steered the business to its current position, and we look forward to steady growth with our partner FW Capital supporting our visions for the future.”

Adam Husband, investment executive at FW Capital said: “Innovate is an impressive and profitable business that is run by an experienced and dynamic management team. Like many companies, their business was affected by the pandemic and they needed some support to help them. They have now recovered well and have already recovered well and look to have already achieved many of the milestones set out in their business plan.”

Sue Barnard at British Business Bank, said: “NPIF continues to support high-growth businesses in the North, providing vital funding to enable job creation and expansion into new markets. This investment into Innovate demonstrates how this funding can make a real and measurable difference to businesses across the Northern Powerhouse region, in turn helping to create a more prosperous regional economy.”

FW Capital provides loans of £100,000 to £750,000 to businesses based in the NPIF region with a focus on the North West, Cumbria and Tees Valley.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

CAPITAL&CENTRIC grows with bunch of new hires.

Sam Whitear
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Social impact developer CAPITAL&CENTRIC has made five new hires as the company continues to grow.

Bolstering the development team is David Wells, who joins after a decade at Muse Developments where he was the Regional Director running the Leeds office. David brings a wealth of experience in public/private sector partnerships and large-scale regeneration projects.

David said: “It’s a great time to be joining CAPITAL&CENTRIC as they look to breathe new life into town centres across the UK, something that’s even more important in a post-COVID world. It’s a really exciting and impressive list of projects.

“I’ve always kept an eye on what Tim and Adam have been up to and really admire what they’ve done to shake up the property market by banning investors at Crusader and Phoenix. Their focus on people over property and creating social value really appealed to me.”

He joins Emma Cooper who is moving from Cube Homes where she has worked for the past eight years as a Project Manager across the company’s North West residential portfolio.

They join other recent hire Richard Spackman who was previously Project Manager at DeTrafford where he was working on the company’s residential portfolio across the North West, including the Manchester Gardens masterplan.

Andrew Bargh has also been appointed, who joins from CityBlock Group in Lancaster where he was Development Manager working across residential, student and commercial development.

The four will support CAPITAL&CENTRIC’s recent expansion into Greater Manchester towns, with plans for new communities in Rochdale, Stockport and Bolton, and into Stoke in the Midlands.

The company is also planning a new community on Swan Street in Manchester’s New Cross district and recently launched rentals at its £250m new garden neighbourhood Kampus (a joint venture with HBD). Residents have now also started moving into the owner occupier community created at Crusader Mill, which recently featured in the BBC2 documentary Manctopia.

Adam said: “It’s been a busy year for us with owner occupiers starting to move into Phoenix and Crusader in Piccadilly East and our garden neighbourhood, Kampus, opening its doors. Add to this the partnerships we’ve announced with Rochdale, Stockport, Bolton and Stoke, and it was time to grow the team.

“We’ve got around 3000 homes under development, so we’re definitely not the new kid on the block anymore! We’re always looking for new opportunities and the guys will be helping us to find more town centre sites in need of some love that can be repurposed into buzzing new communities.”

To add to the in-house marketing and design team, Ellen Petty will join as Marketing Manager from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Ellen will work alongside CAPITAL&CENTRIC’s retained PR agency, Font Communications.

AGENT CHOOSES BRUNTWOOD SCITECH’S NO.2 CIRCLE SQUARE FOR NORTH WEST EXPANSION

Sam Whitear
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Brand and communications agency, Agent, and its sister training company, Agent Academy CIC, have increased their North West footprint, following strong growth across both organisations.

Agent has taken space at Bruntwood SciTech’s No.2 Circle Square, in the heart of Manchester’s innovation district, which is also home to Accenture, KPMG and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, among others.

The expansion into Greater Manchester comes after a record 12 months for the agency, which has called Liverpool home since its inception in 2006 and marks a significant step as it continues to broaden its national client base, with the likes of National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Yodel, RHA and The Environment Agency on its roster.

The growth of Agent’s space reflects significant investment in its multidisciplinary team, which now sits at 35, spanning strategy, creative, digital and communications. Expanding into Manchester gives Agent the opportunity to continue to grow the team and its integrated offer for clients. Agent Academy will shortly be launching new training programmes in Greater Manchester for emerging creative and digital talent.

Paul Corcoran, CEO of Agent, said:

“This really is an exciting time for us at Agent and the Academy. Our investment into Greater Manchester makes absolute sense as we continue to widen our networks, grow our team and evolve our offer for clients not just in the North, but across the UK.

“Where we work is incredibly important to us as a team and as a brand, so finding a space with a strong atmosphere, energy and culture and surrounding ourselves with the right people have been high priorities for finding this space.

“As we move forward, our focus will be to continue working with forward thinking, like-minded businesses that share our values by actively doing good for people and our planet. Greater Manchester is known for being an ambitious, bold and adventurous city region with real heart and I’m eager to see how being based here will shape the next part of our story.”

Joseph Venables, Head of Business Development, Bruntwood SciTech, said:

“We’re delighted to be working with Agent to help them with their expansion into Greater Manchester. We have a long-standing relationship with Agent and are thrilled to be able to support this next stage in their impressive journey. We’ve loved seeing what they’ve done in Liverpool City Region; building a solid reputation for their unique, warm and welcoming culture and we’re excited for what they’ll bring to Circle Square.

“Agent will be a great addition to the Circle Square community. We’re really looking forward to welcoming them to their new home and continuing to support them on their journey.”

CBRE APPOINTED AS AGENTS ON ALDERLEY PARK’S LIFE SCIENCE CAMPUS

Sam Whitear
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CBRE’s Manchester Office has been instructed as sole leasing advisors on the Alderley Park life science campus in Cheshire. Set in 400 acres of parkland, Alderley Park offers more than 1m sq ft of premier laboratory, office and conferencing space specifically designed for life science and digital innovation businesses.

Alderley Park, part of Bruntwood SciTech’s network of innovation districts, is home to the UK’s largest single site life science campus, a thriving ecosystem of over 200 innovation-led companies and over 2,500 of the world’s most skilled and experienced science professionals. The campus also offers a range of specialised scientific services such as coworking labs, pay as you go access to state of the art equipment, media preparation, in vivo facilities and business support including access to finance, talent and markets to foster the growth of start-ups and scale-ups based at the Park.

A total of £247m is being invested into the Park which is already home to a number of national life science institutions such as Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and the Medicines Discovery Catapult. Glasshouse, which opened in 2020, offers 150,000 sq ft of flexible, high quality, collaborative workspace designed for digital tech businesses. Alderley Park also boasts a new gym and sports complex and pub and restaurant – The Churchill Tree.

Mark Garner, Associate Director at CBRE Manchester, said;

“We are delighted to have been appointed to Alderley Park’s life science campus. The world class facilities; ability to recruit successfully; outstanding amenities and the large development pipeline are key attractors to scaling businesses. These factors make Alderley Park a truly unique and significant player within the UK life science market.”

Jamie Bottomley, Head of Commercial, Bruntwood SciTech – Alderley Park, said;

“Our ongoing programme of investment at Alderley Park ensures we offer world-class facilities for science and technology companies at every stage of the business life cycle, from start-up to large corporate. It’s an exciting time for the UK life science sector and we’re delighted to be working with CBRE to attract world-class science and tech businesses to the Park from around the globe.”

FULL LINE-UP ANNOUCED FOR HOPE MILL THEATRE’S 3-WEEK SUMMER OUTDOOR UNDERCOVER FESTIVAL

Sam Whitear
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The full line-up of arts and cultural events has been revealed for Hope Mill Theatre’s three-week festival, HOPE FEST, which runs in Ancoats, Manchester from 16th July – 8th August.

The festival will take place inside a large theatre tent which will accommodate 250 capacity, based beside New Islington Tram Station (one stop from Piccadilly Station) on the junction between Pollard Street and Great Ancoats Street.

HOPE FEST, in association with Electric Park, has been made possible through collaboration and an ambition to championthe cultural arts post-covid with a unique programme of community-centric events.

The festival line up offers something for everyone including comedy, music, plays and musical theatre as well as one off special community events.

Highlights of the festival include Jason Manford’s Comedy Club, featuring four hilarious comics all chosen by Manford himself, The Other Guys tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The Dolly Show that’s a must-watch for fans of the Queen of Country and Entr’acte’s and Encore’s an evening of movie and theatre icons through interpretations of drag, burlesque and performance.

There’s Yes Queens, the West End’s first female-led improvised comedy, Hope Fest Comedy Gala featuring some of Manchester’s top comedy talent, a screening of cult classic Coyote Ugly complete with cocktails and Hope Mill Theatre’s all-new A Celebration of Musical Theatre, featuring a cast of West End stars singing much loved songs from the musicals.

And our four-legged friends aren’t forgotten thanks to Dog Fest, hosted by Hayley Tamaddon, featuring fancy dress and a doggy DJ.

Hope Mill Theatre has also launched a special FANCOATSscheme for local residents, offering ticket discounts and an invite to a one-off residents gathering, bringing the local community together.

As well as ticketed events, the Theatre Garden & Bar will be open to the public to enjoy food and drink from Tuesday 20thJuly to Sunday the 8th August 2021 from 12noon to 10:30pm Tuesday to Sunday.

On offer will be a range of local produce from Ancoats Gin, 7 Brothers, Shin Digger and Paradiso Authentic Desserts. There will also be a BBQ on site and stone baked pizza available with Vegan and Vegetarian options.

The bar will feature a garden/forest installation provided by local Charity GROUND WORKS.

The event will follow any Covid-secure guidelines in place at the time, and was designed with social distancing in mind – customers will be asked to book in groups of 2,4 or 6 seated at tables (individual tickets also available on request) – meaning the event will go ahead regardless of any further delays to the relaxation of restrictions.

Hope Fest Listings

Friday 16th July, 7.30pm. Manford’s Comedy Clubfeaturing the brilliant stand up comics Sally-Anne Haywood, Matt Rees, James Allen and Julian Deane.

Matt and Phreds Music Sessions: Matt & Phred’s presents 5 of the outstanding bands who play at their Northern Quarter venue. From Brazilian Jazz and Pop, to Swing, to Live Looping, to full-on Funk/Soul/Hip-Hop party-starters; there’s something for everyone. The carefully curated line-up has been selected to reflect the vast array of styles of music that Matt & Phred’s regularly and proudly showcases. With each performance boasting superb musicianship and a sound sure to leave audiences in pure admiration of the talent on-stage, these afternoon gigs are the perfect entertainment for audiences of all ages.

Saturday 17th July, 3pm. Baiana.

Saturday 24th July, 3pm. Swing Commanders

Saturday 1st August, 3pm. John Haycock

Saturday 1st August, 4pm. Polly Virr

Sunday 8th August, 3pm. Full Tilt Collective.

Saturday 17th July, 8pm. The Other Guys, A Tribute to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. This show features the iconic harmonies and unrivalled showmanship of one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s most prestigious groups, ensuring their legacy continues to live on. Performing a collection of classics such as ‘Sherry’, ‘Walk Like A Man’ and ‘Oh What a Night’, The Other Guys take you right back to ‘late December back in ’63’ in smooth style guaranteeing you a night to remember.

Sunday 18th July. 10:30am and 1:00pm. Dog Fest. In partnership with The Barkside Manchester doggy day care, Betty and Butch doggy food and treat store and dog training company C B Dogs. Dof Fest will be hosted by Hope Mill Theatre Patron Hayley Tamaddon and is open to owners and dogs and includes fancy dress competitions and a doggy DJ. Tickets £25 and include 2 people plus 1 dog.

Sunday 18th July, 7.30pm. Judy and Liza. Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli are back together again thanks to a sensational musical experience. This dazzling production by Bill Elms Productions tells the turbulent tale of Hollywood’s biggest starts against the backdrop of their infamous 1964 London Palladium concert. West End stars Emma Dears and Helen Sheals belt out their most famous hits with uncanny resemblance, bursting with elusive star quality. Featuring live performances of Cabaret, Maybe This Time, The Trolley Song and The Man That Got Away to name but a few – spend an evening with the mother and daughter who really did put the ‘show’ into showbiz.

Tuesday 20th July, 7.30pm. Your Mcr. After three years of being Manchester’s most celebrated Guest based online magazine show, Hosts Belinda Scandal, Michelle Eagleton and the entire team are doing it live-in front of a studio audience, no rehearsals, just total live chat and music . Starring legends Denise Welch and Sue Devaney, and featuring music from Shane Nolan and comedy from Mark Bittlestone it promises to be a fantastic night (more guests TBC)

Wednesday 21st July, 7.30pm. The Dolly Show. As seen on BBC, West End Star Kelly O’Brien is Dolly Parton in The Dolly Show. With her fabulous musicians, she performs the beloved hits of country legend Dolly Parton, brilliantly recreating the vitality and voice of the little lady from Tennessee.
Kelly is the best in the business; she sounds like Dolly Parton, she looks like Dolly and she’s as witty and entertaining as Dolly. The show includes up-tempo numbers like 9 to 5, Baby I’m Burning and Islands in the Stream, as well as powerful ballads such as I will Always Love You, Jolene and Coat of Many Colours. Kelly is no stranger to the stage and has been performing all over the world for 20 years and is the only Dolly Parton impersonator to have been invited to sing with Dolly Parton’s band in Nashville, Tennessee.

Thursday 22nd July, 5pm & 8pm. Murder at the Mill. After the success of ‘Who Killed the Lollipop Man?’ UP ‘ERE are back with a brand new interactive murder mystery – this time in person and set during late 19th century Salford. There has been a murder at Mill and it’s up to you to find out who did it!

Friday 23rd July, 2pm. Frozen Sing-a-Long. Come and join us for a screening and sing-a-long of the iconic family film Frozen.

Friday 23rd July, 7.30pm. Coyote Ugly Movie Screening and Cocktails. The Hope Fest tent becomes the Coyote Ugly bar for one night only! Come and join us for a screening of the hit cult classic – with your ticket including TWO cocktails! Violet Sanford leaves her New Jersey hometown, her father Bill, and her best friend Gloria, to pursue her dreams of becoming a songwriter in nearby New York City. Violet tries multiple times to get her demo tape noticed by the recording studios but is unsuccessful. One night, she goes to an all-night diner and notices three girls, Cammie, Rachel, and Zoe, flaunting the hundreds of dollars in tips they earned. After inquiring, she finds out that they work at a trendy bar named Coyote Ugly…

Saturday 24th July, 7.30pm. Yes Queens. Yes Queens is the West End’s first female-led improvised comedy night. Featuring top UK impro talent from such Olivier Award-winning productions as Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, Austentatious and Mischief Theatre. It is interactive theatre at its best, with the audience playing a key role in a night of games, scenes, sketches and songs – all improvised from their suggestions. Between them, our Queens have also had multiple television appearances/writing credits They also regularly perform with top improvisation groups including: Comedy Store Players, Paul Merton’s Impro Chums, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Live, Hooplah, The Nursery, The Free Association, The Committee and Grand Theft Impro.

Sunday 25th July, 7.30pm. Entr’acte’s and Encore’s. Ever wondered how your favourite movie and theatre characters would be seen through queer eyes? Well look no further!Donna Trump, co-founder of ‘Queeriosity – Manchester’s Curious Cabaret’, presents an evening of movie and theatre icons through interpretations of drag, burlesque and performance. Come join us for some classic staples, hidden gems and showstoppers in ways that you would never expect them in…..

Thursday 29 July, 7:30pm. Through the Mill Finalists Evening. Hope Mill Theatre’s annual playwriting prize which launched last year and received over 500 submissions will see the finalists come together for an evening. The 12 finalists will share an excerpt of their pieces in front of an industry panel and mentor Jonathan Harvey, where the winning play will be announced.

Friday 30th July, 7.30pm. Girls Night Out. Grab your girls and join the gang for a night out at Hope Fest! We’re making it happen for the huns with music, comedy, cabaret, quizzes and cocktails. Celebrating the friendships that have gotten us through, the silliness of our favourite nights out and the power of shared experiences. Girl Gang are proud to present a programme of talented local performers curated from an open call out, compered and soundtracked throughout the evening by our team. Expect entertainment ranging from singers and stand up to spoken word. Dance, hula hoop, magicians, monologues, who knows! Come and find out and celebrate our city’s thriving creative scene and the liveness and LOL”s we’ve been missing so much.

Saturday 31st July, 8pm. Hope Fest Comedy Gala. A star studded line up of comedy comes to the Hope Fest with a magnificent comedy gala, presented in association with Nodding Dog Comedy.

With a packed bill featuring some of the UKs hottest comedy talents, those looking for some laughter after lockdown are in for a treat. MC for the evening is Manchester comedian Vince Atta and somewhat of a phenomenon using a multi track looper, Vince produces on the spot Hip-Hop/Reggae/Techno/anything; hilariously fusing it with natural stand-up, storytelling and audience interaction. Also appearing at Gala is Mike Newall, Elf Lyons, Fern Brady and Boothby Graffoe, who will be joined on stage by the multi award winning comedian David Eagle. Join us for this incredible lineup of comedy superstars!

Sunday 1st August, 12noon. The Sunday Boys Choir Concert. For over a year, Manchester’s LGBTQ+ choir The Sunday Boys have been keeping you entertained with their digital offerings, including videos of Queen’s I want to break free, Joni Mitchell’s Urge for Going, and Distant Dream, a special collaboration with composer Finn Anderson and The Lowry. After all this time locked down, the choir is delighted to genuinely break free and be singing live again. Expect to be taken on an eclectic choral journey from the choir’s back catalogue – with arrangements from the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Joni Mitchell and A-ha, as well as some folk and contemporary classical, plus the first live performance of Distant Dream.

Sunday 1st August, 7pm. Industry Minds and Grad Fest. The Industry Minds has Teamed up with The Grad Fest for an evening at Hope Fest to Celebrate the Best of the Theatre Industry by presenting ‘The Industry Minds Awards’ and showcasing Northern Talent by offering a Platform to recent Manchester Theatre Graduates!

Tuesday 3rd August, 7.30pm. Scripts Aloud Returns. Manchester ADP relaunches their Scripts Aloud events as part of Hope Fest. Reviving successful short plays from their years of play sharing, this promises to be an evening of fun, vibrant, high quality local theatre, bought to life by local creatives. Manchester ADP share new writing by local playwrights, seeking audience feedback and development opportunities.

Wednesday 4th to Saturday 7th August, 2.30pm or 7.30pm (please check listings). Hope Mill Theatre presents A Celebration of Musical Theatre.  Hope Mill Theatre produces a new show celebrating the history of Musical Theatre, which will take the audience on a musical journey of song and dance, featuring West End musical performers. Directed by Kirk Jameson. Written and conceived by Chris Burgess.

For more information, or to book a group of 2, 4, or 6 seated at tables please visit www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk. Bookings of 6 receive a 10% discount. To book an individual ticket please contact the box office on 0161 257 9141 or [email protected]

Looking for a life-changer? Foster for Guide Dogs!

Sam Whitear
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Could your home be the perfect relaxation zone for a guide dog in training?

Foster families are urgently needed to support the Guide Dogs team in Atherton and for the right person, it’s an amazing opportunity to have all the benefits of caring for a dog without the full-time responsibility.

Fosterers play a pivotal role as young dogs go through their training. Training during the day; they need somewhere to wind down in the evening and at weekends, and research has shown that dogs who spend their spare time with a fosterer do better than they would even in the most luxurious kennels.

Hannah Laidlaw of Guide Dogs at Atherton is part of the team hoping to recruit more fosterer volunteers. She explained: “The fostering of trainee guide dogs is really beneficial, as the dogs are tested socially in a family situation, getting them used to all the things they will encounter in their life as a qualified guide dog. Simple things like how they react to the postman, or how they greet visitors and interact with other pets gives us some really good information about character and behaviour.

“It can also be a genuine life-changer for some fosterers, who relish the chance to care for one of our dogs, even if they are working full-time during the day. Some say it brings a whole new dimension to family life, others just love the companionship.”

The Guide Dogs charity supplies basic equipment and covers all veterinary and feeding expenses, but fosterers must be able to drop off and pick up their dogs from the centre before and after work Monday to Friday between 7:30 and 9am, then 4:15-5:45pm. The dogs are not yet qualified, so can’t be taken into most shops and restaurants as a guide dog can, but they benefit from the routine of ordinary domestic life before being matched with their new owner.

Hannah said: “Our fosterers say it is so rewarding to be involved in the development of a guide dog, which will one day provide independence to a blind or partially sighted person. They love having a dog in the home at evenings and weekend but they can still carry on with their 9-5 weekday commitments as usual. Foster families tend to come from within a few miles of the regional centre because what we really need are people who can pick up and drop off each day – it’s a bit like a school run!

“We would love to hear from people interested in joining the team. It’s a wonderful way to support the local community, and there’s really no ‘ideal’ family or home. A single person can foster, a family with other pets can foster, and no one should worry about having to follow complicated training routines – it’s all about supporting the dog’s behaviour and we just want our dogs to have some down time in a caring, homely environment. If they simply chill in front of the fire or enjoy a free run in the park, that’s fine by us.”

Guide Dogs in training usually spend 26 weeks with a foster family before being matched with a blind or partially sighted person. There’s a comprehensive training programme and lots of advice before a dog is placed with a new foster family, to give the partnership the best chance of success.

Hannah said: “We offer a lot of support to fosterers and we need a constant pipeline of volunteers to take the dogs as they go through training. There’s no doubt our foster families are part of something very special and talking to those involved makes me realise how our dogs can enrich the lives of those who volunteer to be part of Guide Dogs training.”

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