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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In Council today – encouraging active travel to school

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.

Whalley Range councillor wins national climate award

Angeliki at the award ceremony on Wednesday night

On December 1, at the national Councillor Awards in London hosted by the LGIU and CCLA Good Investment, Whalley Range Labour councillor Angeliki Stogia won the Environment and Sustainability Pioneer award.

Working as Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport between 2017-21, Angeliki oversaw the implementation of ambitious programmes across the city aimed at cutting emissions and encouraging more people to use low-carbon modes of transport. In July 2019 the Council declared a climate emergency, setting a goal for the city to be zero carbon by 2038 – 12 years ahead of the Government’s own target of 2050. A key pillar of this aim was the launch of the City Centre Transport Strategy, which outlined the Council’s ambition that, by 2040, 90% of journeys to the city centre during the morning peak will be done by walking, cycling or public transport.

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Eid Mubarak from Whalley Range Labour!

The festival of Eid ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the Ramadan fast, is celebrated across the Muslim world and begins today. Our local Councillors have this message for all Whalley Range residents who are taking part in the festival:

Councillors Aftab Razaq, Angeliki Stogia and Muqaddasah Bano wish a very Happy Eid to everyone in our area who is joining the celebration today. Eid is a day to cheer and to laugh with all your heart. It’s a day to be grateful to Allah for all of his heavenly blessings on us. Wishing you a happy Eid ul-Fitr. We all deserve to celebrate it safely with our family and friends, so please:

  • Limit social gatherings
  • Maintain physical distance
  • Wear a mask
  • Wash your hands and use sanitiser
  • When you have the opportunity, get vaccinated!

And last but not least, remember the sick and needy around us in your thoughts and prayers