Councillors

Celebrating fifty years of Carnival in Alex Park on 11 Sept

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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!

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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

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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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In Council today – encouraging active travel to school

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Cllr Angeliki Stogia speaking in Council today (click to view)

The increase in car journeys to and from school over recent years is harmful to the environment, raises the risk of accidents, and damages the health of schoolchildren, parents and public alike. But the reasons why more parents are choosing to drive their children on the school run are complex – shortage of time, longer distances to travel and ironically concerns about road safety can all be factors.

At today’s meeting of full Council, Whalley Range Labour councillor Angeliki Stogia seconded a motion on this important issue, and noted the action to encourage more active travel to schools led by some of our local volunteer groups including Whalley Range Climate Action and WalkRide Whalley Range.

The latest action will be a ‘school street’ (where cars are prevented from going up to school gates at drop off and pick up times) on College Road in the vicinity of Manley Park Junior School. It will be taking place this Friday 15 July at the start and end times of the school day.

Celebrating Whalley Range – back at last

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Angeliki, Aftab and Bano at Celebrate today

Like so much else, it’s been badly missed during the last two years of lockdown and bans on public gatherings, but today it was finally back, better than ever. The Whalley Range Celebrate Festival is 25 years old, and Manley Park was filled with music, stalls, food, activities, workshops, entertainment and information from a wide range of supporters and contributors.

Whalley Range Labour councillor Angeliki Stogia said “It is so nice that this festival has returned, and the weather this year was lovely too! Everyone seemed to be having such a good time, and Bano, Aftab and I were able to catch up with quite a few people we haven’t been able to see for a while. As always, it is thanks to the hard work of the volunteers and helpers who have organised and managed the event, that it has been such a success.”

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