Mind The Gap

CREATED BY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION, HOWEVER SMALL, TO A CONVERSATION THAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY RELEVANT, AND A SUBJECT THAT AFFECTS US ALL

MIND THE GAP !

Salford Precinct and surrounds

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MIND THE GAP

MIND THE GAP

It’s a familiar phrase, especially if you’ve ever been on the London Underground, but in this case it’s a way for members of St Phil’s Camera Club to offer their take on the effects of widening gaps in society, highlight the inequalities they see every day in their communities, and tell a story that matters.

We drew up a list of places with the following criteria; within a ten-minute drive from where we meet, and representing different sides of Salford. Over the following 8 weeks we visited, took photos, and chatted to some of the people we met.

The resulting images are therefore a collective piece of work, created by people who want to make a contribution, however small, to a conversation that is becoming increasingly relevant, and a subject that affects us all, in one way or another.

St Phil’s Church is within a stone’s throw of the border between Salford and Manchester, and surrounded by established communities undergoing significant change.

We’d been taking photos of new residential buildings around the church at Middlewood Locks and Timekeepers Square, where the houses start at around £250,000.

“They’re not very affordable, are they?” says Sue, a local resident. “I understand that they’re attractive for people wanting to be close to Manchester, but I feel for the young people who’ve grown up around here and have to move away from their families and support networks.”

It’s a recurring theme. Becca has grown up on the Trinity Estate, right next to the church, but struggled to find affordable accommodation and had to move to Broughton.

“It was a nice area, but it was too far away from everyone I knew. In the end my Mum offered to swap. Now I’m in her house, which is great for the kids cos they all play out together. I’m lucky, but my Mum’s a bit cut off from everyone.”

On Salford Precinct we’re taking photos of the shop fronts, and some of the things on sale there. I’d never even heard of a fidget spinner, but the group bring me up to speed.

“It’s the new craze!” says Sian. The shop counter is full of different types. “They’re popular then?” I ask the shop keeper. “We’re selling loads of them. I don’t know why.

All they do is spin.” He laughs. My 7-year-old son has one within days.

Don is hungry, so we ask some ladies outside the chip shop if the chips are good. “Lovely!” they assure us.

“But we’re just sharing a bag. We’re being good.”

They’re tickled when we want to take their photograph.

“Ooh! We’re models!” they laugh.

The following week we visit King Street in Manchester.

It’s roughly the same distance in the opposite direction from St Phil’s, but like a different world. A familiar face walks out of a restaurant – turns out it’s a famous

footballer. “That’s Joey Barton!” shouts Michael, and rushes to shake his hand. He’s in a hurry but graciously agrees to pose for a photograph. “Still playing Joey?” someone says. “No. I’m banned” he replies. “So what you doing now then?” I ask. “Shopping.” he says with a grin.

He’s carrying a bag with a brand name. I wonder if it’s got a fidget spinner in it.

The shops are full of luxurious goods, and every other shop front seems to have a very well dressed security guard outside. It’s obviously a wealthy area, but there’s lots of evidence of people sleeping in shop doorways, which I don’t remember seeing at all at Salford Precinct.

A week later we spend some time reviewing the photos we’ve taken and discussing the project so far, but not everyone is happy with the terminology. “I don’t like any of this talk of them and us. I think it divides people”.

Says Christine. It’s important to use the right terms, and to remember that inequality affects all of us, but it’s becoming clear from the images we’ve collected that the division already exists.

2 places in one day; Monton then Eccles. They’re pretty close to each other so it’s easily do-able. It’s a glorious day as we walk along Monton Road. Three men are sitting in the beer garden of the big pub next door to Tesco Express and are curious about our group. Two of them have lived there all their lives, and they tell me about the changes they’ve seen. “It was a really nice area in the past, but house prices have gone daft recently. And how many coffee shops do we need anyway?” “It still is a good area, don’t knock it.” says his friend as he enjoys his pint.

I want to join them, but Eccles is calling. We’re there within minutes and park at the supermarket before crossing the road to the town centre, which looks like it might not have seen the kinds of changes Monton has seen. The place seems almost completely devoid of coffee shops, and the pubs seem reasonably popular judging by the small numbers congregating outside for a quick fag.

The atmosphere seems jovial.

The group take a break for half term, during which time there’s a general election that sees an increase in the kind of language that seeks to highlight inequality in our society. Political protests seem to be regular occurrences in Manchester and Salford lately, which is typical of both cities rich history of radical politics. Bexley Square and the site of St Peters Field are places where significant events happened in the past as a result of protest against economic conditions for the working classes. Manchester became the headquarters of the Anti-Corn Law League from 1839 that fought for reduced food prices. All of these places and much more are a short walk from St Phil’s Church. Our history surrounds us, as it is being made.

The groups first session back coincides with the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, which stuns us all.

On the nearby Islington Estate, we take photos of the mixture of social housing; semi-detached houses and the low and high rise blocks. We don’t know it then, but the cladding on the high rise will be deemed unsafe and have to be removed. The estate borders the New Bailey development, where Salford Council are investing around £200 million in new office space intended to provide jobs and income for the city. The idea is to make Salford more financially self-sufficient as a result of national government policy. However, as City Mayor Paul Dennett rightly points out in his anti-poverty strategy, it’s clear that not all of Salford’s residents are sharing in the benefits of the city’s prosperity.

“There’s a lot of talk of the divide between rich and poor.”

Says Simon. He’s right. We’re discussing a title for our upcoming exhibition, and the theme makes for interesting debate. “There are houses worth over a £1,000,000 in Broughton. Rich people have to live somewhere too!” replies Vinnie, which of course, is true. Land registry figures showed Salford house prices rising by 13.1 per cent in 2016, which was almost double the national average of 7.2 per cent. But as the office for National Statistics reported that average wages only increased by 2.3% in the same period, it begs the question; how can people afford to get on the housing ladder?

Not only that, recent research from Santander tells us that while average pay packets have gone up by 19 per cent in pounds and pence terms since 2006, the average gas bill has gone up 73%, electricity 72%, and water 41%. Another reason why more and more people are ‘just about managing’.

The Conservative Party make a deal with the DUP to form a majority government, but there are signs that the country didn’t necessarily vote for continued austerity. It’s apparent that the country is divided on almost every level, including its appetite for another general election. People really are talking about inequality more, not just at camera club.

Mike took early retirement on health grounds, but still has a lot to offer, so volunteers at lots of projects, including camera club. He’s typical of the group in that he values the support of the other members and recognises what they can achieve together. “I’m not ‘all for Jeremy Corbyn’, but who else is there?” says Mike, “He’s the only one that appears to want to help people who are less well off. Look at schools. Why should some kids have better opportunities in life just because their parents can afford to send them to good schools? Why can’t children from poor families have those opportunities?”

St Phil’s Camera Club are typical of a much wider group; a group that are hopeful of the kind of future where all people are equal and have equal rights and opportunities, instead of just the lucky few.

Chris Doyle. July 2017.

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King Street, Manchester

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MIND THE GAP

Monton and Eccles

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MIND THE GAP

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Protests, Islington Estate and Salford Quays

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MIND THE GAP

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Langworthy Road, Salford Precinct and Middlewood Locks

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MIND THE GAP

Church Action on Poverty is a national charity based in Salford, and we are committed to tackling poverty in the UK. We believe people with first-hand experience of poverty should always be at the centre of that work, so vital voices are not silenced or ignored, but amplified. For that reason, we support work highlighting the extent and the reality of poverty today.

We hope the photographs in the Mind The Gap exhibition will cause you to think again: about poverty, about inequality, and about the Salford we should aspire to.

To find out more about our work, or to get involved, please like and follow us at facebook.com/churchpoverty and twitter.com/churchpoverty, or visit church-poverty.org.uk We hope you enjoy the exhibition – and please share your thoughts online, using #salfordmindthegap Gavin Aitchison. Church Action on Poverty.

St Phil’s Camera Club

Mind The Gap has been created by the photographers of St Phil’s Camera Club; Michael Gleave, Donald McIntyre, Sandra Tracey, Christine Potter, John Connolly, Michael Kelly, Graham Ashworth, Gillian Roberts, Simon Waters, Kayleigh Rose, James Inglis, David Jackson, Rees Thompson, Michael Aspinall.

Funding from NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group provided funding to commission local arts and mental health charity Start to help deliver photography sessions.

They placed photographer, Sian Roberts at the venue to work with the group to develop a programme of skills based activities and to prepare and mount exhibitions.

Church Action on Poverty provided additional financial and marketing support.

Coordinated by Chris Doyle at Chapel Street Community Arts, a registered charity (no.1147650) based in Salford that develop creative community projects to help improve wellbeing and community identity in Salford.

Chapel Street Community Arts Sacred Trinity Church Chapel Street Salford M3 5DW https://cscarts.wordpress.com

In memory of Natalie Thomas.

Loving wife and mother of Huw and Billy.

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https://cscarts.wordpress.com