Three wins in a row for Labour in the North West

The Whalley Range branch Labour team outside campaign HQ

Labour’s Ashley Dalton won the West Lancashire parliamentary by-election yesterday, the third victory in our region following recent elections in Stretford and Urmston and City of Chester constituencies. There was a 10.5% swing from Conservative to Labour compared to the 2019 general election, and it was the worst vote share for the Conservatives since the constituency was created.

Volunteers from Whalley Range branch joined other Labour supporters from Manchester Central and Gorton constituencies, and many others from the NW region and beyond, to help get out the Labour vote in Skelmersdale and the surrounding area on a cold but sunny day.

Carnival Memories – this Sunday at 2pm in Alex Park

This special event, organised by the Alexandra Park Heritage Group, was rescheduled following the death of the Queen, and will now be held this Sunday 30 October from 2pm to 4pm, at the Alexandra Park Pavilion. Full details are on their flyer:

Celebrating fifty years of Carnival in Alex Park on 11 Sept

The Caribbean Carnival has been a regular fixture in the Moss Side and Whalley Range calendar since 1972. To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary this year, the Alexandra Park Heritage Group are holding a special event in Chorlton Lodge (by the park entrance from Claremont Road) at 2pm on Sunday 11 September.

Whalley Range Labour councillor Angeliki Stogia says “I’m really grateful for the fantastic work of the Heritage and Friends groups in the Park, helping bring the history of our area to life.”

Admission is free – full details are on the flyer (see below), and for more information you can email the Group.

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Caribbean Carnival back in Alex Park this weekend!

It’s been fifty years since the first Manchester Caribbean Carnival took place, and this weekend will see the full two-day event returning to Alexandra Park after a hiatus caused by the Covid pandemic.

There will be an early morning ‘j’ouvert parade’ to get things underway on Saturday 13th at 7am, followed by the main parade from 12 to 2.30pm. In the Park itself will be plenty of stalls and eight stages with many acts from 12noon to 8pm on both Saturday and Sunday. The routes of both parades and more information about all the events of the weekend are on the Carnival website.

Whalley Range Labour councillor Angeliki Stogia has this message: “A great many Whalley Range and Moss Side residents have family roots in the Caribbean islands, and during the last five decades the Carnival in Manchester has grown from simple beginnings to become a highlight of Manchester’s cultural year. But above all it’s about having fun – I hope everyone can come along to events in the park this weekend, join the parades, be considerate of those around them, and enjoy themselves”.

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Alexandra Park pavilion cafe – councillors’ update

Many people have been surprised and saddened by the news that Coffee Cranks, who currently operate the cafe facility in the Alex Park pavilion building, have decided to close when their current lease terminates at the end of this month. The three Whalley Range Labour councillors (Angeliki Stogia, Muqaddasah Bano and Aftab Razaq) have made this statement about the closure:

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