Ordsall Undercover

FREE

RDSALL

UNDERCOVER Issue 3 Spring 2012

PEACOCK IN FLIGHT The Ordsall Peacock comes home!

SHAMELESS IN ORDSALL Stephen Lord reveals Ordsall connections COOKING UP JOBS

Ordsall chef in cooking school bid

JOHN MERRY’S ORDSALL ADVENTURE Salford Council Leader comes face to face with community. 16 page special!

THE END OF THE CRANES Quays cranes to be scrapped?

SKATE PARK OR SWIMMING POOL Get a say in the future of the Park and St Nag’s

TERRY DUCKWORTH

RETURNS Nigel Pivaro heads back to Coro Street

Plus: What’s On In Ordsall…News…Views

W

elcome to the third issue of Ordsall Undercover. This is the final issue of the magazine that has been funded by the Big Lottery and we’d like to thank them for bearing with us while we went well over the time limit to produce these mags.

We have tried to do this magazine properly, involving the community and raising as many issues as possible that are affecting Ordsall, and we hope that you have been pleased with the results.

For Issue 3 we have tried to tie up as many loose ends as we can…

FREE

RDSALL

UNDERCOVER Issue 3 Spring 2012

PEACOCK IN FLIGHT The Ordsall Peacock comes home!

SHAMELESS IN ORDSALL Stephen Lord reveals Ordsall connections

COOKING UP JOBS

Ordsall chef in cooking school bid.

JOHN MERRY’S ORDSALL ADVENTURE Salford Council Leader comes face to face with community. 16 page

THE END OF THE CRANES Quays cranes to be scrapped?

SKATE PARK OR SWIMMING POOL Get a say in the future of the Park and St Nag’s

special!

TERRY DUCKWORTH

RETURNS Nigel Pivaro heads back to Coro Street

Plus: What’s On In Ordsall…News…Views

The closure of Humphrey Booth Day Centre, which horrified many people, has now been halted for at least 12 months; the Ordsall Peacock has now been returned; and Ordsall Juniors are now the coolest team in the country, having got sponsorship from Peter Hook and the Hacienda, the link established through Ordsall Undercover.

For this issue we have brought Salford Council Leader, John Merry, to Ordsall to answer the many questions people have brought to light through the magazine.

During the 16 page feature he promises to look into the possible link between contaminated land and cancers which was featured in Issue 1. He also says Salford Council will look into working more with Ordsall Community Arts, the graffiti artists down by the river and Ray the chef, who’s looking to open a cooking school in Ordsall. We urge everyone to read this article as there’s loads of positives for the area pointed out, as well as problems.

A community magazine should aim for four things – to inform people what’s going on in the area, to hold bodies up to account, and to give the community a voice.

Finally it should also be a bridge between the community and authority – we hope Ordsall Undercover has achieved this. We’ve certainly tried!

This is the end of the funding from the Lottery, but hopefully not the end of Ordsall Undercover – we’ll be looking at different ways of financing the magazine over the coming months and should be back bigger and brighter than ever.

Meanwhile, if anyone’s got any ideas just let us know!

ORDSALL UNDERCOVER CONTACT DETAILS: E-mail: Ordsallundercover@ hotmail.co.uk Phone: 079802 84137 Letters: Can be dropped off at the Welcome Inn pub on Robert Hall Street

Cover photo by Beckie Hough

ORDSALL UNDERCOVER

Contributors: George Tapp, Sylvia Sharples, Beckie Hough, Gail Skelly, Ian Birt, Lawrence Cassidy, Nargiza Rifueza, Jamie Reid, Dave and Cheryl Jay, Bulak Dale Gaspalinao, Caitlin Kelsall, Mike Scantlebury, Nigel Pivaro, Ben Sellick, Stephen Lord, Brian Kirkham, Ray Jones, Jemma Cooper, Dave Rooney, Andrew Goudie.

Facilitated by Stephen Kingston and Steven Speed Printed by: Caric Press Ltd, 525 Ringwood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9AQ Tel: 01202 871766 www.caricpress.co.uk

Issue 3: A Few Thank Yous…

To Buile Hill Visual Arts College – for letting us `spring’ our ace photographer Beckie Hough during a school day so she could take pictures for the John Merry interview To John Merry, Leader of Salford City Council - for spending almost a whole day in Ordsall whilst in the middle of trying to set a budget for the city. Mr Merry didn’t come armed with press officers and advisors and let us ask anything we wanted.

To Salford College – thanks for giving us back our Peacock, and to Colin and the blacksmiths team from Salford Council, thanks for bringing him home.

To everyone in the community who has helped make Ordsall Undercover a reality – hopefully you’ve changed a few things for the better.

ORDSALL UNDERCOVER CONTENTS JOHN MERRY’S ORDSALL ADVENTURE A 16 page special as Salford Council Leader, John Merry, tours the area with Ordsall Undercover, answering questions on everything from contaminated land to Media City to the state of the estate…

SHAMELESS IN ORDSALL Actor Stephen Lord reveals his Ordsall connections as he stars as the dysfunctional priest in the long running Channel 4 series.

WHAT’S COOKING? Chef, Ray Jones, wants to turn the Heart of Ordsall building into a cooking school for the area.

QUAYS CRANES TO BE DEMOLISHED? The Council is thinking of scrapping the blue cranes. But Ordsall Undercover uncovers the cranes cash stash!

ORDSALL PARK FUTURE Teen shelter, skate park, cricket pitch? Have your say now!

TERRY DUCKWORTH RETURNS Nigel Pivaro heads back to Coro Street PEACOCK COMES HOME The Ordsall Peacock is back!

LOST WORKERS Top photos of Ordsall’s lost workers SALFORD LADS FC From Eddie Colman to Kallum Higginbotham – a team reborn FISHING FOR QUAYS The end of Ordsall Angling Club but the beginning for Salford Friendly Anglers Plus: What’s on, what’s been, what’s good to read and what is yet to come…

Ordsall Events

COOKING FO Unemployment’s shooting up in the area, yet restaurants and bars are opening all the time on the Quays. Chef and catering lecturer, Ray Jones, who lives in Ordsall, has the perfect answer – a cooking school. And he wants the Heart of Ordsall building for his venture... but has LPC and Salford Council got the imagination to make it happen?

T

he idea is to have fun, to educate, to progress and, maybe, change lives…

I live in Ordsall, I’m a chef and I’ve been teaching cooking for fifteen years. This is what I’ve been raised on, it’s my expertise. I can’t show people how to strip a car engine or anything like that. I’ve no idea. But catering…

I want to open up a catering school in Salford for young people, old people, everyone. I want to do it so you just come in, spend the day or five weeks, even twelve weeks, and learn what you need. I can do advanced courses leading to getting a job or going to college, or if someone’s got no experience I could do it from scratch, and that’s the plan.

The cooking school would cover healthy eating, cooking on a budget, young people’s courses, cake decoration, fish, meat and veggie courses, or any cuisine, bringing in experts who specialise in different things. If someone comes and says `I want to get a job in catering but I don’t want to go to college for two years’ that would be no problem, and I’d want links with local restaurants and bars with progression into those jobs.

Or if, say, they just wanted to learn how to cook for themselves that wouldn’t be a problem either. The courses would be as intense as people wanted them to be, I’d tailor everything around individuals. I’ve been doing it in Tameside College where I lecture, but I really want to do it in Salford. In Ordsall. I live here, my family and friends are here and there’s a need for it.

I’ve bought thousands of pounds worth of equipment and I’m just looking for premises now. I’m doing things all the time in Salford, Humphrey Booth… but to make the cooking school work I need an isolated building so that I don’t disturb anyone, with 24 hour access and proper facilities.

I’ve looked around Salford and there’s nowhere. Nowhere, that is, except the Heart of Ordsall building. I love the outside of it. I see

it and just say `Perfect!’ It is at the heart of Ordsall and everyone knows it. I made a few phone calls and they said the NHS was using it and then they’re pulling it down but it looks pretty solid to me.

People are bound by their limitations… `We can’t…It has to be pulled down’, whatever...

The developer, LPC, which owns the building, is supposed to be helping. I think if Salford Council and LPC are calling the building the `Heart of Ordsall’ they should help out.

I think they’re scared of taking a risk but I can’t see how it wouldn’t work. I’ve got my head screwed on, why wouldn’t it work? I’ve got a breakdown of everything I want to do and a business plan which shows progression from week one. It’s not about just coming in, making a pizza and going home, I want people to know the science of it, hygiene, health and safety those kinds of things, there is going to be a standard. And if I had a group for a course and they wanted to do a showcase, we could open it up in the evening with proper table service and fine dining.

There is no cooking school in the area. The only such school is in Tameside, and there’s one attached to the Royal Orchid Thai restaurant in Manchester which is only open when the restaurant is closed. There is no place, and I was thinking `Why?’ If you had a dedicated cooking school you could be putting a session on every day and there would be so many spin offs from that little school. Why would anyone say `No’ to that?

Ordsall Undercover contacted LPC Living about Ray’s proposal. Marketing manager Scott Neal responded: “It should be noted that the current building is only designed to be temporary as this site falls under the Ordsall Development Framework and as such is earmarked for future development. However, in the meantime, we would be happy to consider a variety of uses for the building and would welcome a call about a catering facility.”

OR ORDSALL Photo by Beckie Hough

I think if Salford Council and LPC are calling the building the `Heart of Ordsall’ they should help out.

JOHN MERR ORDSALL A SALFORD COUNCIL LEADER COMES TO ORDSALL Ordsall Undercover invited Salford Council Leader, John Merry, to see for himself what is going on here, meet people and answer some of the points the magazine has raised in the previous two issues…

With photos by Beckie Hough When Ordsall Undercover challenged John Merry to come to Ordsall, he agreed with only one condition – that he showed us some of the positive things Salford Council is doing during the first half of the visit, before answering critical questions from the community during the second half of the visit.

That seemed fair, so a few Fridays ago Mr Merry spent over four hours in the area. He took us to see how Salix Homes is spending millions of pounds on the estate, bringing people’s houses up to the `decent homes standard’. He also took us to meet people living on the Barracks and discussed the work that the Co-operative is doing there, before showing us the refurbished Ordsall Hall and its efforts to reach out to local people.

We took Mr Merry to the base of Ordsall Community Arts

to contrast the community work its doing with what is going on at Media City 500 yards away. We also took the Salford Council Leader to the Graffiti Wall by the riverside to talk about whether the `new’ Ordsall is more geared towards `yuppies’.

The visit ended on the South Ordsall Estate, where he heard another view of the way Salix Homes operates, and met people whose lives have been blighted by cancer and wanted some answers over issues around contaminated land.

Along the way, John Merry also answered questions about the future of Humphrey Booth Day Centre, the state of the estate, LPC, the Boxing Day shooting and police harassment of local children…

RY’S ADVENTURE

DECENT HOMES The first stops on John Merry’s tour are Woden’s Avenue and Rudman Drive, where he visits people whose houses have been brought up to the Decent Homes Standard as part of over £27million currently being spent on improving social housing over the whole ward…

“W

hat we’ve been doing is working to try and put as much into these estates as we can possibly afford in terms of the work that is taking place and new facilities for people to make it fit for the 21st Century” John Merry explains “I think that insulation is very important, especially with rising fuel prices, and on average we’re saving people around £350 on their bills.”

At Woden’s Avenue, Gillian Noble gives a tour of her home…“I’ve had a new shower, bathroom and boiler, they did my electric and then put this cladding on which has made a hell of a difference to my bills” she says “It looks nice as well. It was quite alright before but now it’s warmer.”

And, in Rudman Drive, Gillian Sharpe agrees… “The heating now goes on in the morning and then goes off until the kids get back from school about 4pm, whereas I used to have it on all day. The baby was only four months old when they did the work on the house but the workmen were really kind and friendly. They ripped the kitchen out, put in a shower, insulated the walls and now it’s a lot bigger and better, I love it.”

Joe Willis, Deputy Chief Executive of Salix Homes, explains that the improvements went further than just coming into houses, doing the work and leaving…

“We’ve done a follow up study for a year after the work has been complete, to study people’s bills” he says “It’s come out with an average saving of £350 a year, as well as a 47% reduction in carbon emissions as a result of the insulation work.”

And Stephanie Clueit, Decent Homes Manager, adds that the contractors doing the work have been using Salford apprentices, tied in with a building course at Salford College, the first in the country to include insulation.

“There’s 15 on that course at the moment ready to come out and do this sort of work and ten of them are Salix Homes tenants” says Joe Willis “I’m not sure how many from Ordsall, but there’s quite a few from Broughton.”

John Merry is well proud of these improvements…

“What we’re trying to show you is that we’re putting a hell of a lot of work into this estate” he says “It is a sign that we really do care about our tenants here and we really want to do something to support them.”

Decent Homes and Improvement Programme for Ordsall Scheme New Barracks Regent Park Ordsall Lane Broadway Oldfield Estate Trafford Roundabout Phoebe Street Ordsall Centre Nineacre Court Queen Alexander South Ordsall

Year 2010-11 2010-11 2010-11 2010-12 2011-13 2011-13 2011-12 2011-13 2011-13 2013-14 2015-16

Budget £1,975,000 £1,253,000 £2,869,000 £850,000 £3,898,000 £2,515,500 £1,629,000 £1,897,000 £2,703,000 £410,000 £836,000

S FOR ORDSALL How Nineacre Court will look after improvements

AT THE BARR

First John Merry visiteds the home of Lorraine Smyth and Ray Harvey in Regent Square, then at the Barracks Co-op offices he discusses the history of the area and the recent police presence …

At Regent Square

R

ay and Lorraine tell of the battle to preserve the area, and now to gain conservation status for it…

“Without what the Co-op has done in this area these houses would have been knocked down. But we thought it was worth holding on to and we resisted quite a lot when they did start knocking them down” says Ray “We got a lot of help from the Council but without the people getting together there wouldn’t have been the willpower to do it.”

Lorraine adds that having saved the Barracks it’s now a question of getting conservation status… “The Council can’t put money into it because of the cuts which leaves us way back in the queue so it’s now about what we can do ourselves to keep the momentum going. We’re trying to get in touch with planning students to help us…”

Meanwhile, both Lorraine and Ray agree that the area has improved and that any issues they have with the Council can be brought up at monthly local forum meetings… “I’ve always lived in Ordsall but moving over here is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me” says Lorraine “Everyone’s so friendly and they’ve always got events going on in the park which is great for the children.”

Turning to John Merry she adds “I think you are doing all that you can at the moment with the trouble that’s gone on… Every day when I take the grandchildren to school the police are there so that makes you feel better. It’s just a shame why they have had to come on the estate - that’s something I don’t think any of us will ever get over…”

At The Co-op Office “Those who could, got out and left us with empty properties which the anti social element were enjoying” Sylvia Davies recalls “I thought `I don’t want to bring my family up in this’ and that’s how it started. We formed a tenants association and because of that we became a target…but we went through with it and thought `If other co-ops can do it so can we’. At first we didn’t have any councillors on our side…”

John Merry agrees and explains that when he first got on the Council in 1990 there was suspicion of the group…

“It was a case of realising all the pioneering work you did and moving on from there” he says “We’re now very proud of what’s been produced here, and certainly in terms of recent problems that we’ve had, this has been an area we can point to as a bastion of respectable tenants who care about what happens.

But we did make a mistake in the first place by not being as responsive as we could have been.”

He asks the Co-op members if they are happy with the Council now…

“There’s always room for improvement” says Tony Okparavero, Chair of the Co-op “We’ve had instances where things haven’t been done in the right order but the key to everything is communication and we’re working to ensure that everyone’s needs are met, not just one household but the whole community, and we’re supporting each other. It’s better but there is room for improvement.”

In the wake of the Boxing Day shooting John Merry asks if the relationship with the police is working well…

“They’ve listened to our concerns” Tony replies “They’ve ramped up their presence and at the recent PACT meeting information was given that the cover will carry on until mid April.

The relationship has improved…it’s quieter and communication is better.”

Co-op co-ordinator, Julie Thompson, agrees… “I think there’s been a change as well because after the murder at the Wellington pub the police were treating people here as though they were criminals, which they weren’t, and that did not happen after Boxing Day. There was a change – so they are listening and that didn’t happen again.”

John Merry explains that it is a sensitive issue but praises residents who “were very determined that the name of Ordsall wouldn’t be blackened; that was really important.”

The short meeting ends on a high note when Tony recalls how people questioned him when he said he was moving to Ordsall eight years ago… “They said `Why are you moving to Ordsall?’

But when they came round they said `I didn’t know this was here!’…There’s kids playing in the park in the summer, good neighbours, good kids from school, what more could you ask for?”

RACKS CO-OP

ORDSALL COM

30 years of celebrati

At the Ordsall Community Arts base at the back of Ordsall Library, community artists sit having a chat with John Merry. The conversation is about the under-resourced arts organisation and the contrast with Media City. But soon the talk turns to much wider issues that OCA finds itself involved with - the lack of youth facilities, unemployment in the area …is Salford Council listening?

I t’s the first time John Merry has visited Ordsall Community

Arts and he does seem impressed, checking out the remnants of hundreds of events that the organisation has been involved with – leftover giant lanterns from the Lighting The Legend nights, little abstract figures made by kids over the years, and now peacock masks that lie on the table ready for the Peacock Peace Parade.

“I’ve been here nine years and I think Ordsall is really lucky to have a facility like this, that has that continuity; where else in the country have they got a thirty year old arts practice?” asks Gail Skelly, who currently runs OCA. “Yes” John Merry nods “There’s some very good things happening, and one of things I’m concerned with is how you get across this message to the rest of the country, because following the awful events after Christmas everybody said `Oh it’s Ordsall, what do you expect?’ and that’s just appalling…”

Gail agrees that the local reaction was one of horror but adds that “the reasons why we’re here haven’t changed from the morning before Boxing Day to the morning after – it’s an inner city community that has experienced long term unemployment and all the problems that go along with that. And for us to be able to develop ways of continuing to engage local people against the context of how Ordsall is, and how local people are

affected by those things, is more important than ever.”

She pauses and adds “It’s also that people can now see that resources are available – there’s Media City over the road. I’ve always said that I’m dead glad that Salford’s got Media City and The Lowry – yet 500 yards away we’ve got a youth centre that’s only open for two hours a week…”

John Merry nods again… “Yes, I appreciate that…”

Gail reiterates that while local people feel immense pride in their community, they can now also really see the difference between the Quays and Ordsall. The income that OCA gets, for instance, doesn’t even cover one full time member of staff.

John Merry asks if OCA has spoken to anybody at the BBC and Gail replies that she did a small successful partnership project at the end of last year which was about engaging local people to use the plaza at Media City… “But at the moment our priority is outreach work with local people to get them through our door – and we’ve been here thirty years, they’ve been here two minutes…”

“But I do think that Ordsall is beginning to thrive as a community and I think that what you lot do down here is part of what we are trying to create” says the Council Leader “…and even Morrisons

MMUNITY ARTS

ion and struggle…

employing people from the estate is good…”

Virtually everyone in the room rolls their eyes…

“Morrisons is like a ghost town” says Gail “And my feeling is that not that many people actually ended up working at Morrisons…”

Official figures state 36 people from Ordsall, anecdotal evidence states maybe half a dozen.

“I’ll check that up” says John Merry “We certainly took exception to the remarks made by Morrisons about standards, although they said they’d been misquoted. They say that they have employed a significant number of people from Salford, and as far as I’m aware that is still the case. The Holiday Inn employs people, I’m not saying they’re perfect I’m just saying these things are happening and my hope is that it’s going to change over a period of time. I never expected the BBC from Year One to employ a significant amount of people, what I expected was for that to gradually expand…”

Meanwhile, in the real Ordsall world, Gail says “It feels like OCA is thriving…at the moment we have a really strong team based on the four people sat around this table who are volunteers and actually have some employment at OCA, so they are models of what’s possible. But our capacity to do that and support lots of local people to take those same steps is very, very limited. I could do a lot more…”

John Merry talks of making connections between the work that OCA does and the work the Council is doing around the “crisis” of youth unemployment…

“There must be a way we can utilize your skills to try and get people into a position where they are better to compete in the job market” he says “I know I’m trying to shoehorn together two philosophies here but there is a crossover between what you do and what can be done elsewhere.”

Gail replies… “It has to have additional resources to happen…”

DOWN BY TH We take John Merry to see what is left of the Graffiti Wall that Ordsall Undercover has featured in previous issues to see how he could justify Salford Council destroying some superb works of art along the riverside. We also question the direction of the whole Ordsall regeneration...

There are

only two privately owned legal walls left of what was previously Salford’s Graffiti Palace, and, today, artists are starting work on a new feature.

We ask John Merry whether it might have been better to keep the original graffiti wall and make it into a unique stunning feature of Salford, rather than leaving the place with plain brick walls that have already been defaced with non-artists’ spray cans…

John Merry (JM) It was controversial, some liked it and some didn’t like it, and we did a consultation in which people said that litter and graffiti were a problem…

Ordsall Undercover (OU):There was never a consultation about this particular wall – BBC Radio Manchester hammered Councillor Ray Mashiter on that one…

JM: I happen to think that what these graffiti artists are doing on that particular wall is great, and I really want that sort of thing to continue but what we’ve also got to try and do is to make the place attractive for people to come along. Now it’s a dilemma, and I’m not pretending that anybody gets this right. Some people like the graffiti and some of the good stuff I’ve been impressed with - other people don’t like it and feel it gives the impression of shabbiness and not looking right.

OU: What we don’t understand is that Media City is supposed to be a hub of creativity but at the moment it’s a soulless bleak place - surely those creative people would welcome something like a Graffiti Palace?

JM: I’d be interested in talking to people and let’s see if we can find a solution to that issue because I don’t want to be in a situation where creativity is seen as something that we don’t want to encourage, and bleakness is what we’re trying to do.

I want this to be a partnership and working with people. I like

what’s happening here and I want to encourage it…

OU: But how can you encourage it when you’ve painted over all the art?

JM: That’s one example, let’s find a way of resolving this...

OU: We hear that when you create your `aspirational walkway’ there’s going to be hoardings put up and you are looking for something to do with them. We also understand that whoever is behind it is talking about bringing in graffiti artists to do it! Yet you’ve got guys here who can do it and have been doing it…

JM: If that’s the case, then let’s have a think about that. When I get a moment I will try and talk about what we can do to harness that creativity and use it effectively because I’m not in the business of stamping it out.

OU: It all seems to be about a lack of imagination on the Council’s part – you’ve got an organic graffiti wall, you’ve got people from the community coming up with brilliant ideas which could help stimulate the area, yet you don’t seem to trust people to come up with their own solutions.

JM: I accept the fact that any bureaucracy doesn’t always get things right… but what I am saying is that the Council are trying to work with the community to create things.

OU: You’ve got the Ordsall chef [see feature] who wants to create a cooking school for the area in the Heart of Ordsall building. It would train people to get jobs, tick healthy eating boxes, everything but he seems to be getting knocked back by LPC… JM: I’ll take this up, it’s the sort of thing I’d want to support. It might well be there are other buildings that are more suited, I will look into it…What I’m trying to do is use the resources we have and what resources we can create to support and look after people, and to unleash creativity, and I agree with all of that but I can’t get LPC, for example, to agree to things that wouldn’t be in their best interests.

OU: Do you think handing over the whole masterplan for Ordall to LPC Living, a private company, was a mistake?

JM: No, I think they’ve shown commitment to Ordsall and if you talk to people in Ordsall they will say they are working well with LPC. I’ve had less protests about what LPC are doing here than anywhere else…

HE RIVERSIDE

ON SOUTH ORD

Contaminated land…Salix Home

We take John Merry to the home of ex Ordsall councillor George Tapp, who challenges him on a number of issues, particularly concerns over cancers possibly caused by contaminated land.

George then takes the Council Leader to meet some people whose lives have been affected by cancer…

On Car Parking and Councillors…

George Tapp (GT): We’re building more and more apartments and they have to pay for their parking, so they park here. On Weedall Ave here a couple of weeks ago an old gentleman had to be wheeled down the avenue in the pouring rain because they couldn’t get an ambulance down the road.

John Merry (JM): Do we need residents parking schemes?

GT: Yes it’s quite simple. And on United home matches we used to have policemen at the end of the road, then cones – we don’t even get them now. If an ambulance can’t get down, a fire engine can’t get down JM: It’s a real issue…

GT: As councillors we used to do a tour of the area and make sure things were done but you don’t see a councillor now, they ignore our area completely. You want to wake them up, they’ve got to listen to people.

JM: What I would say is that we are trying to do our best for the estate as a whole. You say you don’t see them, they would say that they’re visible and around. I know it’s very easy for people to say they don’t see councillors except at election time but I

disagree. You say that we need to be woken up, and you’ve given me some specific points which I’ll take back and see what we can do.

On Police…

JM: You’ve obviously seen more of a police presence here…

GT: It depends who they are pulling up. Young kids who were coming out of shops have been pulled up by armed police which isn’t very good.

JM: No, it’s not very good but other people have said they feel reassured that the police are around here…

GT: Immediately after Boxing Day if was a good response, they were showing concern for the tenants but just before that incident there was instances where police were being a little bit over the top with really young children.

JM: The police would say it’s really hard to get the balance right between reassuring the community and what people regard as overly aggressive.

GT: One of the problems is that community police understand the kids and get to know the community but just bringing loads

DSALL ESTATE

es…Car Parking…Police…

and loads of police onto the estate you’ve lost that link, and it breeds contempt from the kids to the police.

JM: Again, I’ll have a meeting with Salix to see what the situation is over that…

On Salix and the State of the Estate…

GT: We get stacks of paperwork off Salix but the day to day input is next to none. We’ve gone to the neighbourhood office to talk about problems and no-one’s bothered turning up. They should be there at the times designated.

GT: Cottage flats have been built for the elderly but there’s young people moving into them when the flats aren’t soundproof and it’s causing all sorts of problems…

JM: The problem is that some of the discrimination laws are working against us. We did earmark flats for the elderly but the argument is that under the new law we shouldn’t discriminate against young people GT: I understand that but these are purpose built, and there’s no insulation between upstairs and downstairs so every little noise is heard. We put up with that but loud noise isn’t acceptable to elderly people. It’s also ludicrous that our elderly people are told not to do anything in their gardens yet there’s rubbish being stored in gardens by these people and there’s rats running around, it’s disgusting. Yet Salix is supposed to have a policy of walking round to inspect properties every two weeks JM: These are issues which Salix need to be brought to book over – we’ve seen good examples of Salix doing insulation and the decent homes work…

GT: Insulation? They came to this block, drilled the walls and said `Oh there’s insulation in the two ends, there’s nothing we can do’. The holes are still in the walls – and no insulation.

They’ve said it’s because they don’t know what type of insulation has been used and they can get cross contamination between the two different types but we’ve been told that’s a load of rubbish.

JM: We need to provide a standard of care right across Ordsall and I do say that if we’re falling down on that standard then we should be looking to improve it.

GT: There’s investment but is it the right sort of investment?

We had an Ordsall Initiative some years ago asking what we wanted, and everything we got from that has been eroded, done away with. We had a community resource centre and within that we had a job shop and we’d help people find a way into work.

People want somewhere they can go if they’ve got a problem or to look at plans or talk to people. If we had that, fifty per cent of the problems on this estate would go.

JM: We’ve devolved this money to the community committee and if they want to spend it on a resource centre they could do so. At the end of the day I’m in a situation where I’ve got a bloody horrible government that is doing things to Salford and it’s a question of trying to defend what we can. We have tried to maintain facilities in Ordsall but if you don’t think those facilities are there any more then let’s talk about what we can provide in Ordsall.

GT: That’s what we want. But these community committees seem to be more of a talking shop. Things that are being raised there seem to be getting squashed. Like the contaminated land issue…

certain things about Salford, that it hasn’t got a good health record anyway. A lot more people in Salford smoke than the national average, for instance. I need to look at the statistics and talk to the Director of Public Health about what she feels and the dangers involved.

Now that we’re in the process of taking over the Public Health Observatory we need to use the experts so I can get an idea of what is happening. I’m not going to say that there isn’t an issue. I want to go and investigate what information I have.

At Brenda Naylor’s House…

Brenda: We lost a daughter twelve years ago and our other daughter had cancer but she’s ok. I’ve lived in the area all my life and have been here since the houses were built.

Nobody ever came and asked if they could test the soil or anything like that.

JM: What information have you been given about the soil?

On contaminated land

Following on from Ordsall Undercover’s investigation into issues around contaminated land in South Ordsall, John Merry comes face to face with those who have major concerns…

George Tapp sums up the problem…

Usually I’d take this sort of thing with a pinch of salt but the more I spoke to people, and remembered friends who have died recently, I started to look into it all a little bit more. The amount of cancers in this area is way over the top - people who have lived in these houses have died of cancer, new tenants have died of cancer, people’s cats and dogs are getting cancer and I think it’s more than a co-incidence.

Salix did a survey of the soil, not every house, and sent a letter to residents telling some that they had contaminated soil. Those people had their soil taken away and their gardens flagged over, and with other houses no action was taken. But if you look at where they’ve treated the gardens they’ve put a membrane down and flagged it. The water now runs off into the neighbours’ gardens, so it may be ok for that house but not their neighbours.

We started a petition and not one house has refused to sign it. You can go down the avenues here and nearly every house has had someone with cancer. It’s been brought up time and time again at community meetings yet no action has been taken.

We’re calling for a public meeting, a soil analysis of the complete area, and something to be done about the houses that have been highlighted. All we’re asking for is that people are reassured that it’s not the soil that’s causing cancers, and if it is the soil, that something is done about it to stop people getting it in future.

John Merry responds...

Clearly we need to reassure people and give them the right story. I need to find out from Salix what remedial action has been proposed and I think we need to give people more than a letter.

I accept what you’re saying about the rate of cancers but there are

Brenda: Nothing. Only what different people have said that it’s been tested. We had it all flagged but we did that, not the Council. There’s quite a few people in the avenue that have had cancer, and it’s not just here, it’s other avenues too.

JM: Any death is horrendous, and I know how it feels, but what you would like to know clearly is if there was any link. It’s a difficult one because statistically there are clusters which aren’t necessarily caused by anything in the soil, there are certain causes of cancer like smoking and so forth…

Brenda: But we didn’t get the cancers when the old houses were here. I just think that something should be done.

JM: We need to find out and understand what’s going on. I’m going to have a word with the Director of Public Health and see what we can do to reassure people, because clearly you want to know what is the cause and if there is spike in terms of cases. I promise we will come back on that one.

At Trevor Dore’s House Catherine McLoughlin: They took samples of my garden soil away and then I got a letter about what types of toxins were in it which had all these big words in it, some of them weren’t even in the dictionary. Then they sent out another letter saying it wasn’t toxic so we just forgot about it. But the next thing we knew the workmen were in. They did the back and then just half of the side garden.

I said `Well aren’t you finishing it?’ and they said `No the toxic finishes there’…How can it finish in a line? It can’t can it?

The lad next door is in a private house and got a letter to say the land was contaminated but they did nothing. He went on and on about it and they said `We’ve finished on that side now’. I don’t think they’re interested now because he bought it.

Me and Margaret round the corner did our own survey and we worked out that there were 57 people who had cancer just on this little estate. Some had died, some hadn’t. Plus, my cat died of cancer and another lady’s dog died of it. Cats and dogs are always in the garden.

Trevor (who’s got throat cancer): I used to grow my own fruit and vegetables and eat them.

Catherine McLoughlin: It just seems that they’re trying to sweep it under the carpet now they’ve done some flagging.

JM: I’m going to try and find out what reports we got, and what toxins were found, it’s not ideal that people haven’t had an explanation in words they understand about what the issues are.

Thanks for showing me this…

THE COMMUNITY AT ORDSALL HALL John Merry shows Ordsall Undercover the changes at Ordsall Hall...

A

t Ordsall Hall, John Sculley, Salford Community Leisure’s Museums, Heritage and Arts Manager, and Hall Manager Liz McNabb, are at pains to point out that, while millions of pounds have been spent restoring the place, opening up more rooms to the public and creating an event area in the grounds, they want the local community to get involved with the historic mansion.

“We want to make this place available for local people to come and enjoy and it’s also about Liz’s staff being available and visible in the local community, particularly in Ordsall” John Sculley explains.

He adds that at one point there were arguments about the huge artwork that hangs over the main wall in the big hall… “It’s a contemporary art work created by local people showing the way the area is at the moment. Our case was that just because this building is Tudor doesn’t mean to say that people today aren’t making their mark.

We didn’t want to wrap it in formaldehyde, it’s about a living breathing experience.”

John Merry underlines the point that “it’s about making Ordsall Hall available to the local community”...

JOURNEY TO CENTRE OF O

The last stop on John Merry’s visit is to the deserted remnants of the old Precinct to talk about the centre of Ordsall and moving it further and further to the Quays…

Ordsall Undercover (OU): You’ve got a massive regeneration going on but look at the state of this – what is it?

John Merry (JM): The shops closed and moved out and it wasn’t us that forced them out, it was decisions that they made. What we need to do is renew the whole of this area and that’s what we’re planning at the moment. Clearly as it stands there’s no facility for the community to enjoy, we’ve got to renew it and things are starting to happen.

OU: The old shop keepers told us that the place was shutting down and they had to go - but they’d been offered places by LPC in the new shopping bit, and that included the hairdresser under the Mission.

That was years ago but how long can people wait?

Plus the rents in the new shops will be probably be sky high…

JM: I’m not sure about that. With the rent for shop keepers the crucial thing is the turnover - because here you might get cheap rents but you still wouldn’t want to operate from here.

OU: Well, not now! We brought in some planning students from the LSE in London [see feature] to see what they thought of Ordsall’s regeneration.

They said `What the hell is going on here?’ They couldn’t believe the contrast between Media City and this estate...

JM: I think people would say that they would be happy with the plans LPC have put forward for Ordsall but it’s a question of making sure those plans are implemented and areas like this are developed. I can’t promise to keep this centre going when people don’t want to do their shopping here.

O THE ORDSALL…

OU: But this is the centre of Ordsall and look at it!

JM: This the geographical centre but centres tend to change over time - the reason why we had to knock part of it down was that people didn’t want to use those shops.

OU: What’s happened is that the health centre, the shops, all the resources that are left are being moved gradually out of the estate towards the Quays, to Trafford Road…

JM: No, that’s not the intention. The intention is to serve all the communities, including this community and the Quays community, because they’re all people who happen to live in Ordsall and we have to find a way of serving all their needs. It’s certainly not the intention to say `We’re not going to invest in this area’. Far from it, we want to renew and invest in this area as much as the Quays.

OU: The only shop that’s opened in the new block is a betting shop – is that healthy for the area?

JM: I’m sure that LPC are working hard to make sure we try and get a full range of shops and that’s something the Council is carefully monitoring as well.

OU: What’s happening in this space, do you know?

JM: I don’t actually…

OU: What???

JM: Well, I do know in terms of the masterplan but what I do want to do is work with the community to find a more effective use for this space in terms of what the community wants. I’d like to attract new shops to the area but these retail centres aren’t doing very well, not just in Salford but right across the country, so we’ve got to find a way of making this a really vibrant space for the community to enjoy...

PROPER MUSIC IN SALFORD NEEDS PROPER TEACHERS… Salford Council is currently trying to cut MAPAS, its Music and Performing Arts Service.

Here, promising Ordsall musician, Bulak Dale Gaspalinao, shows how it will affect her personally, and many other young musicians in the City…

O

ver the years the music service in Salford has gone from strength to strength, encouraging children and teenagers to play instruments, sing in choirs, and join in the many different activities offered such as Concert Band, Big Band, and Youth Music Theatre.

It gives us excellent opportunities, from playing with others our own age, to playing solos in concerts, and even travelling to places like Germany, France, and Ireland to perform. For me, the music service is a very big part of my life. It’s where I have my oboe lessons and my singing lessons, and I play in the Concert Band, Concert Strings and the Youth Orchestra.

Coming up we have a concert with the RAF Concert Band, and a project with the BBC Philharmonic which are both valuable experiences, giving us the opportunity to play with inspirational musicians. And it is not only a few people who benefit. The music service educates over 10,000 students in Salford. In addition to this, music centre is a great way to meet like-minded people, and do something positive with your time instead of loitering on the streets or watching the television.

“I love the music service” said one girl “Learning an instrument is brilliant and gives kids a chance to express themselves!”

As you can see, the music service is very important to a lot of people, whether for the educational or social aspect, and this is why it is so crucial that the funding for it is not cut.

‘it’s a great way to meet like-minded people, and do something positive with your time instead of loitering on the streets or watching the television’ Salford Council has proposed three options for the future of MAPAS in Salford and none of them are acceptable ways forward. They would result in a downgraded, deprofessionalised service. Qualified teachers would no longer choose to work for it as they would lose Teachers Paying

Conditions. Students would not get the same quality of education. The ensembles would deteriorate as they would no longer get the same standard of players.

Younger players would no longer have the same incentive to learn, as they would not have older players to look up to. In the past, and currently, the music service has got students into the RNCM Junior School, Hallé Youth Orchestra, the National Children’s Orchestra, and even some of the top music colleges in England. However, if the qualified teachers leave, it makes it harder for the service to get students up to this sort of standard.

I think that it is very important the current quality of the music service is preserved for the people who have not yet experienced its benefits. Music is such a wonderful thing to be around and the service spreads it around most of the children in Salford!

For full details of the MAPAS proposals and to comment on the consultation see www.salford.gov.uk/ mapasconsultation.htm (until 6th March)

ORDSALL PEACOCK COMES HOME ONE SMALL FLIGHT FOR PEACOCK, ONE GIANT STEP FOR ORDSALL

T

he Ordsall Peacock has finally arrived home after years in Charlestown exile. The peacock sculpture was originally made for Ordsall Secondary Modern School, later named Ordsall High School, and became a meeting place for romantic dates and hard fights as pupils said `Meet you at the Peacock’…

As the schools moved and merged, and the site was taken over by Salford College, the Peacock stood on the site and then vanished, until Ordsall Undercover contributors traced it to the College’s site at Lissadel Street in Charlestown and began a campaign to bring it home.

The Peacock is lifted from its home at Salford College and flown into Salford Council’s truck to be brought home.

Salford College kindly agreed to return the sculpture to the Ordsall community, and, at the end of February, Colin and the blacksmiths team from Salford Council brought it back. The Peacock is now nesting at Ordsall Community Arts, before flying to its new home at Primrose Hill Primary School.

To welcome the Peacock back to Ordsall, the community dressed up in specially made peacock costumes and had a Peacock Peace Parade around the area. There was also a `name the peacock’ competition, won

by Tommy Rose, who received his prize of £20 worth of book vouchers. The Ordsall Peacock’s new name?

Welcome home…STANLEY The Ordsall Peacock was created by Gertrude Hermes, a teacher at the Royal Academy Schools and whose work is exhibited at the Tate and the National Portrait Gallery in London. She was awarded an OBE in 1981 and died in 1983.

The Peacock has landed – at Ordsall Community Arts.

Peacock Peace Parade

VICTORY FOR HUMPHREY BOOTH DAY CARE CAMPAIGN! Day care services at Humphrey Booth have been given a twelve month reprieve after Salford Council did a last minute u-turn following its proposal to withdraw funding.

Ordsall people, led by Rev Sandra Kearney of St Clements

Church, were some of the most vocal advocates for saving day service, and they obviously terrified the Council which postponed plans that would have seen the closure of at least two centres including Humphrey Booth.

“It is wonderful news, what a great reprieve” said Rev Sandra “It shows what we can do when we unite together and also that the Council will listen to us.”

Steve North, Branch Secretary of Salford City UNISON, added “This is fantastic news and vindicates the work of all those workers, service users, carers, families and ordinary members of the community who have fought to keep the day centres at Craig Hall and Humphrey Booth open.

“It is a great achievement for all those who believe that services for vulnerable people should be protected” he added “We are still looking for longer-term guarantees around the future of day services for the elderly and those with learning disabilities. But we will enjoy this moment.”

During his recent visit to Ordsall, Salford Council Leader John Merry was constantly asked about Humphrey Booth’s future after the twelve months are up…

“We’re trying to get more people to use it so the costs of the building can be shared more” he said “At the moment all the costs are charged against the day care centre…maybe we can get part of the music service in there, just as an example. But we also need to be clear on how many people want to use it in the future because one of the problems for us is that less and less people want to use those centres compared to the past.

“People are telling me that it’s full and that people were being turned away, well I’d like to see the evidence and if that’s the case it’s an argument for keeping it open isn’t it?” he added “All of these issues we need to look at, and that’s why we’ve given twelve months to see. If there is still a demand for it, and there is evidence for that, we will try and provide the service.”

PIVARO BACK IN CORO… Nigel Pivaro is going back to Coronation Street soon so we asked the journalist, who writes for Ordsall Undercover amongst other publications, what brought it all on, how he sees Ordsall these days, and the price of fish

Long time Ordsall resident Nigel Pivaro will be putting

away his notebook and word processor for the next couple of months as he swops journalism to make a return to his old job as an actor. The 52-year-old, whose maternal family settled in Ordsall over 140 years ago, is making a return to the Ordsall inspired Coronation Street reprising his role as old rogue Terry Duckworth.

We asked Nigel if this is a permanent return to his former profession…

“Not at all it’s more of an interlude” he explained “Now that I feel comfortable in my journalism shoes I feel more than confident to return to acting for a while. It should be quite exciting returning to the show. So much has changed, so many characters have gone, some returned and some completely new, that it will be quite a challenge to fit Terry into the new landscape.”

We hear that Terry will be opening a lap dancing club, so how does Nigel feel about that?

“Well I have never set foot in one so I suppose I better get some research in... but seriously; though I do not particularly approve, it is the type of sleazy adventure you would come to expect from Terry.”

What do you think of recent developments in Ordsall?

“I am worried the developments benefit the corporations first and foremost with little thought to the little guy or the wider community. On the surface the shops seem a positive thing but I hear the new Morrisons have only employed a few locals which, if true, is pretty poor.

“Furthermore the Ordsall I knew before the 70s redevelopment was one where there was an amazing choice for the residents as consumers. There was a grocer’s or green grocer’s on every street corner plus there was Regent Road which had a massive mix of shops, and a little further out there was Cross Lane Market.

“If potatoes were dear at one shop you went to the one further along - now we have a choice of three mega stores Sainsbury’s Morrisons and Tesco, which is great for convenience but not for the consumer as the big stores fix the prices between them.

“On top of which, if an individual was feeling a bit entrepreneurial and wanted to start selling bananas and cabbages on their own they have got no chance.

It’s shopping totalitarianism - `You will shop at our stores and you will not be permitted to challenge us…’ It is definitely not healthy to be made so dependent on such a limited amount of options.

“If you go to a hypermarket in France you will always notice that all the old traditional stores - the baker, the shoemaker, the butcher, fish shop etc - will all be clustered outside the hypermarket entrance so at least they get a look in.

“What Ordsall could do with now is some small scale bespoke development that is accessible and affordable to the little guy - it would give the neighbourhood back some character and individuality. Otherwise the Ordsall community runs the risks of becoming squeezed between the combined corporate monoliths of Media City, the supermarkets and the coming riverside apartment developments on Ordsall Lane.”

You get the feeling that, never mind the lap dancing club, Nigel would be more at home with Terry Duckworth opening up a fish monger’s.

QUAYS CRANES TO BE DEMOLISHED? For years, Salford Council has been trying to work out a solution to the rapidly decaying blue cargo cranes on Salford Quays. Now the final solution is an option…

F

or the last five years Salford Council has been toying with different ideas to sort out the two blue cranes at Salford Quays, locally listed as `Features of Archaeological, Architectural or Historic Interest’.

The cranes, which were operational from 1966 at Dock 6 on the Quays, were moved to their current site in 1988 and basically left to rot until four years ago when bits of safety railings and ladders were so corroded they were removed to stop them falling on the heads of passing people.

In 2007 Salford Council considered scrapping the cranes altogether, or retaining one and scrapping the other, or giving them to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. But it was decided to repair them and keep them at the current location on Ontario Basin because the Council considered them to be an “important local landmark” and “represent an important link with the heritage and history of Salford Quays”.

In 2010, the Council stated that the cranes couldn’t be kept at Ontario Basin because they were next to the Metrolink track and there would be “difficulties regarding repair and future maintenance”. An option was to move them to the front of the Lowry Outlet Mall but this was rejected as it would “detract from the local vista” and “increase the sense of clutter”.

Instead it was decided that the cranes were to be moved to the roundabout at the end of the M602, and the North West Regional Development Agency paid £75,000 for plinths at the location on which to mount them, as part of a £3million facelift for the roads and roundabouts around the Quays. Then the Council cuts came along and the plan was scrapped. Even so, £734,000 was put aside in the Council’s 2010/11 budget to do something with cranes. That money still remains intact.

In February, Salford Council produced another report on the cranes, this time proposing a further five options for their future…

Option 1 - to paint the cranes in the current location Option 2 - to dismantle, refurbish and re-erect the cranes Option 3 - to roll the cranes to an adjacent site for repair works by extending the rail tracks to the adjoining former Project Office site around the corner Option 4 - to dismantle and store the cranes to sort out at a future time Option 5 - to demolish the cranes.

The first Option has been rejected on the grounds of health and safety because of overhead Metrolink power cables and the size of the scaffolding needed. Options 2, 3 and 4 are being almost ruled out because the cost would be between “£648,500 to £982,000” with another £100,000 maintenance cost over 12 years. But Option 5, demolition, would cost only £78,233 the latest Council report states. Another option, according to the report would be to spend `£40-£60,000’ putting on a 12 month temporary coating.

The Council is going to make a decision on this soon – but why doesn’t it have a consultation and ask Salford people what they would like to do with the cranes?

“Many people in Ordsall, in particular, see the cranes as part of our heritage” says resident Tommy Hurst “We know there’s £734,000 in the kitty for the cranes, so let us decide on their future…”

SALFORD LADS BACK ON THE BALL After 100 years of footy history Salford Lads Club has a new team.

Here, Ben Sellick a volunteer at the Club, shows how in 2012 a new generation is following in the boot steps of Eddie Colman et al…

Salford Lads Club is an icon of Salford and one of the centre

pieces of Ordsall. In the past it was the home to many great sporting teams, especially football with legends like Eddie Colman Steve Fleet, Brian Doyle and Albert McPherson starting at the club.

For many years now the Club has not had a football team. But this season it has changed as we have entered a team in the open age of the Eccles and District Sunday League. We’ve been off to a kicking start and with more than half the season gone we stand top of the league - played 11, won 8 and drawn1.

I originally came here as a youth worker with Oasis Trust, I really liked the place and have stayed around after my placement came to an end. I’ve volunteered at the Lads Club now for three years and all you have to do is walk around the Club, look at the pictures and trophies, and you soon see how great a reputation it has for producing top talent.

We wanted to start an open age team to encourage the younger kids to took look up to their brothers and even dads, and hopefully in the near future we will have more teams in different age groups playing for the Club. The team are managed by club leader Leon Warmington and Mike Murray, and I’m the secretary.

“I have lived in Ordsall for a long time, been club leader for six years now and have felt the need to bring the young men together in a community” says Leon “Most of the lads came to the club as youngsters and it felt the right time to start a team when they get over 16 and no longer come to the club regularly, and so far it’s been a great success.”

So what drove Leon to be part of the team and manager?

“My kids have been members of the club for a number of years, and last year I volunteered at the Lads’ Club camp, we had an amazing time, and we played the kids at football” he explains “I remembered what playing football as young man helped me achieve, so I approached Leon and between us we came up with the idea of a new team, and the rest is history.”

The team has only been together a few months and the players have already improved and grown as a team. They train on Thursday nights at the club. One of the youngest players, top scorer Ryan Miller, already plays for an England side, as part of the National Federation of Boys and Girls Club. And it’s only four years since Kallum Higginbotham was at Salford Lads Club, and he has just signed for Huddersfield Town after starting at Rochdale and Falkirk. These players are a great inspiration for kids in Ordsall.

Salford Lads Club FC play at the old Duncan Mathieson playing fields, Sunningdale Drive, M6. Check out the fixtures on the Eccles Sunday Football League (Div 4) website www.ecclessundayfl.org

SHAMELESS Actor, Stephen Lord, currently starring as the wayward priest Dominic in Shameless, writes about how his introduction to the world of books and films started – in the Hobson’s Choice pub…

I remember doing my GCSEs, the first time they were

out, and we were doing the book Hobson’s Choice in English Literature. My preparation for the exam was that the night before I went out with a guy who’s the father of a dear friend of mine, Billy Pollock, a window cleaner, a brilliant, lovely man…And we went for a few pints in Hobson’s Choice pub. That was my preparation, half drunk on three halves of lager, back in the day. I used the experience of going to the pub in the exam, and I’ve no idea what the examiner thought of it, but I passed!

We grew up on Langworthy estate but my family, were from Ordsall Lane so there’s definitely a connection there. My gran lived there, and she and my mam both went to Sacred Heart school which was on Oldfield Rd. When I was young we used to play with kids from Ordsall and I’ve still got a lot of mates from here. It’s a place dear to my heart. When I go to watch United I always park up outside my mate’s mam’s. It’s funny because there used to be more people’s houses that you could park outside but they’ve moved on so there’s been a change.

When I made my short film, Untitled, a few years ago I went back to Ordsall to shoot it at the Lads Club and my brother used to play for Salford Lads as a kid, that was our local football club. I also knew the priest from St Ignatius Church and now I’m playing one in Shameless…

He’s called Dominic and is an absolute gift of a part.

He’s this priest who’s got a real damaged past which will be revealed throughout this ninth series. He’s been ostracised by the Church due to his drinking and his sexual behaviour and he decides to reconnect with his sister, Gloria who’s played by Angeline Ball. She puts him up on the Chatsworth Estate which he settles into quite nicely as he is pretty dysfunctional soul. He can’t help getting entwined into other people’s lives and he’s back onto the drinking and struggling to keep his pants on.

It’s really interesting the different sides that are coming out playing him. I’m thinking `Who the hell is he?’

One minute I can understand him being religious and spiritual and there is sense of Jesus Christ in there, but at other times I think he’s the devil incarnate.

Very early on people get the idea that actually he’s clearly a bit of a wrong’un. But he doesn’t take that on board – he believes that he’s still practising the word of the Lord. Whatever the consequences, he still

manages to brush it under the carpet and crack on with life and make the most of it. So I admire him a bit – he’s got a messed up spiritual programme but at times the more that happens the more he has to address himself. So from one episode to the next you see the affects of what he does and how he deals with it. And, like happens with alcoholism, you start to run out of options. I’ve laid a good few episodes down and the more I do the more uncomfortable it’s getting for the character. It’s a lovely mix to play and another gift of a role to take on, which I’m delighted about, plus being back living in Salford is great for me to be around family.

I also knew the priest from St Ignatius Church and now I’m playing one in Shameless…

Dominic has also taken a shine to Karen Maguire, who’s play by Salford actress Rebecca Atkinson. He’s took a shine to Karen and he’s giving his interpretation of what he feels she should do with her life, which is very commendable isn’t it? That’s not necessarily the right choice but there’s a bit of an attraction there. I think he sees Karen as almost like a Shirley Valentine in terms of her being an interesting soul that needs to break out because she’s got huge potential. And I think he also believes that his words of wisdom, or actually sleeping with her, might help her come out of her chrysalis and blossom into the butterfly that he imagines in his own head.

Rebecca has been great to work with as well, a fellow Salfordian, and we have a lovely relationship on and off camera so that’s been a real joy. There’s plenty of good things on this job.

I know that a lot of working class people don’t like Shameless and I can identify with that. I think that’s why it’s right to really scale it down. You need characters that real people can invest in. It wasn’t a show that was ever on my radar which I think can be a benefit because I went in it with an absolute fresh perception. I think they’re moving in the right direction, so there’s less sending up of characters and hopefully it’s more reality based. Obviously characters have got to be entertaining, it’s not a documentary, but hopefully they can get that balance right with this series. I’d be interested to see what people think of it…

SHAMELESS Channel 4 10pm every Tuesday

IN ORDSALL

THE LOST WORKERS OF ORDSALL Lost streets…lost workplaces…lost heritage?

Here Lawrence Cassidy of the Re-Tracing Salford project makes a case for a permanent museum dedicated to Salford, providing jobs and history at the same time…

I

n the 1920s, Ordsall was a densely packed urban district, with nearly 23,500 people living in over 160 streets, in close proximity to factories, mills and warehouses. Ordsall was built around these industries.

Many people in the area and the city worked at one of the large scale employers such as The Docks, Richard Howarth’s cotton mill, Colgate Palmolive, Spillers Flour Mill, Paul’s Flour Mill, Worral’s Mill, The Tea Warehouse, The Box Makers, Glovers, Metro Vick’s, The Rubber Works, GEC, or elsewhere in Trafford Park.

Collectively, tens of thousands of people lived and worked here. However, as yet, there is no permanent evidence of this life at The Docks (now The Quays) today as a large-scale interactive museum of all the districts in Salford. Digital media could be used to create exhibitions, as they have in New York at Ellis Island Museum, or more recently at Liverpool Docks, as The Museum of Liverpool. This would create local jobs, skills and enable people of the area to use their expertise and in depth knowledge of Salford districts to relay stories to international visitors.

We have been collecting digital archives of photographs, objects and memories of Salford, as part of our Re-Tracing Salford outreach project for some years now, in the hope that it will be used to permanently celebrate the City’s amazing histories.

If you have any photographs, objects or memories, please contact me on 07946 176291. Or email lor_ cd63@yahoo.com. Photographs of Salford life can be currently viewed at our online museum, www. streetsmuseum.co.uk Lost Salford Streets exhibition at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, from Sat 21st July- 2nd December 2012. Launch, Sat 21st July.

THE FUTURE OF ORDSALL PARK New improvements and facilities are planned to make Ordsall Park one of the best in Salford.

Here, Dave Jay and Ian Birt of the Friends of Ordsall Park Group invite the community to think up ideas for the future of our green space…

Photos by Brian Kirkham

The story so far.....

Ordsall Park is a fantastic community green space, and has benefited from some improvements and new facilities in the last few years. These have included: A green gym, nature trail plaques, new seating and picnic tables, extra rubbish bins, a refurbishment of the young children’s play area, and a new trim trail play area.

Last year saw the creation of the playbuilder area, including a helicopter swing, and the completion of the community garden, located in a quiet corner of the park in front of Nine Acre Court.

The garden provides an area to relax and enjoy year round colour and aroma of the plants and shrubs, and includes some sensory planting. The garden was designed to be accessible by all, young and old, and is disabled friendly with some raised beds ideal for wheelchair users. The garden is managed by the friends of Ordsall Park Group, along with Salford City Council’s ranger for Ordsall Park, and a group of volunteers.

The future....

Ordsall Park is to benefit from funding to provide major improvements and new facilities in 2012. We are now asking our community to help shape the future of the park and make it your local green space.

A few years ago a `masterplan’ was created to help shape the park and its facilities over the coming years. However, we need to know if it’s still what people want. So we will shortly be launching a community consultation for you to have your say and tell us what you would like to have in the park. This will include online surveys, leaflet drops and events in Ordsall Park, and we’ll also be contacting local community groups, businesses, schools, residents and park users.

So far, three areas for improvements have been suggested…

Access and Signage * A new pedestrian entrance next to the existing vehicle `barrier’ entrance, sometimes referred to as the `Tesco’ entrance. This will provide easier access for disabled users, people with buggies and pushchairs and bicycles. * New clear signage around the park, and possibly a new sign

on Trafford road including `wayfinder’ signage near to Tesco express. * A new pathway through woodland area between Trafford Road and the artificial football pitch.

New Sports Facilities * Multi Use Games Area (MUGA). *Teen Shelter, Skate Park, a new dedicated cricket pitch on the current site of the old red rectangular rubber area. * New wide footpath around the grassed football pitch which could be used as a running track.

General Refurbishment & Improvements * Repainting of the park lamp posts and cleaning of the light globes. * External renovation of the `bowlers’ toilet unit. * Creating biodiversity with planting and working towards Green Flag status. * Extending lighting around park from the Community Garden to the children’s play area.

These are just some of the suggestions and ideas so far, and The Friends Of Ordsall Park Group is keen to hear your views and ideas.

You can get more information at our website www.friendsofordsallpark.co.uk We also have an online survey that you can complete at www.friendsofordsallpark.co.uk/survey2 And you can email us at info@friendsofordsallpark.co.uk.

ORDSALL NEWS

FREE FISHING AT SALFORD QUAYS

rd Friendly Ordsall Angling Club may have been wound up recently but Salfo in Salford and Anglers Society reckons the Quays is the best fishing grounds local people… is determined to get hold of the rights to keep fishing free for

T

he twenty year old Ordsall Angling Club was wound up recently, blaming declining members due to poor fishing experienced on the Quays.

However Salford Friendly Anglers’ Society, established in 1817 and the oldest angling society in the world, is currently negotiating to get the fishing rights on the Quays, to keep angling free for Salfordians.

The Ordsall club gave up the rights, explaining that zebra mussels which were introduced to clean up the water, resulted in a dramatic decline in stocks. The Friendly Anglers dispute this, arguing that cormorant birds have come inland to eat small fish and the Quays, at present, doesn’t have the right habitat to help the fish avoid their predator. Members are hoping to create a suitable habitat if they win the fishing rights - and are also determined to keep away human predators, like out of town private pike syndicates, who will charge for fishing on the Quays.

“We believe that the Quays are the best fishing grounds in Salford, we’re upset that it’s come off the radar for local people and are surprised that Ordsall has given up the rights” says Mike Duddy of the Salford Friendly Anglers ’ Society “There’s quality fishing on the Quays with everything you’d expect, from carp to bream and tench. It’s not easy fishing but there’s a lot of big fish in there. If we get the rights we will create habitats to enable the small fish to thrive too.

Paul Carr of Salford Friendly Anglers with a big Quays fish

“Our ethos has always been to allow free fishing and we already have the rights along the River Irwell and at Drinkwater Park” he adds “We have a five year plan for the Quays and if we’re successful will be running junior coaching sessions too. I’m really excited to be involved in this because my grandfather used to be a Docks policeman in the 1990s, and when they closed there was an option to grass it over. Now it’s open water and I want to be part of creating something great for Salford people.”

A decision on whether the Salford Friendly Anglers’ Society get the fishing rights for the Quays should be made within the next month. Further information at www.salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk/ * When Ordsall Angling Club closed it donated £3000 to Salford Lads Club, Ordsall Allotment Society and Ordsall Community Café…

David Collins from Salford Allotment Association, Leslie Holmes from Salford Lads Club Tom McMullen of Ordsall Angling Club, Jackie Jackson from Ordsall Community Café, and Sylvia Sharples from Ordsall Allotment Society.

THE ORDSALL PENSIONER

By George Tapp, Secretary Salford Pensioners Association

£1.5million wants to put a tax on pensioners who live in A think tank whose co-founder’s parents live in a property worth around erational Foundation (IF), has called for council tax to be Intergen The tank, properties with more bedrooms than they use! The think that forcing us from our homes will solve the housing crisis replaced with a land tax for pensioners with extra rooms, as it believes for the country’s younger generation. , justifies their extra rooms because they often have guests to IF co-founder, Angus Hanton, whose parents live in the huge property says “This sort of gung-ho idea is a direct attack on older people stay. But Norman Jemison, of the National Pensioners Convention, to the housing shortage is to build more affordable homes and to who raised their family and still live in the same house. The answer tax them out of their homes into non-existent flats.” offer older people real choice of accommodation in retirement – not

ORDSALL JUNIORS

NOT ONLY THE BEST BUT NOW THE COOLEST FOOTY CLUB IN THE COUNTRY!

Players from Ordsall Juniors FC took to the pitch recently sporting the coolest sponsorship logo in the country – FAC 51 THE HACIENDA . the Manchester night club that The new sponsorship withcame after Ordsall’s Peter Hook

bears the legendary name, saw the team featured in Ordsall Undercover and wanted to put something back into his community.

Hooky – a music legend in his own right via Joy Division, New Order, the original Hacienda and now a best selling author, top DJ and raconteur – set up the sponsorship and now Ordsall Juniors are destined for national publicity through the tie-up.

“We’ve been in contact with Hooky and thanked him for what he’s done” says Ordsall Juniors manager Paul Morris “He says he was a local lad who knows Ordsall isn’t a bad place and doesn’t deserve the bad press it sometimes gets, that’s why he made time to look into us.

“It will create publicity for our kids which they deserve, and for us as parents, the right and positive publicity that we don’t get” he adds “People look at our sponsors now and ask `A world famous pop group and night club owner part of Ordsall? Great!’

It’s excellent for us. Well done Mr Hooky…”

VICTORY FOR ORDSALL CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND SPARKS Last month, the new Morrisons store on Trafford Road

and NG Bailey’s offices on Ordsall Lane were the scene of protests by construction and electrical workers fighting a notorious new agreement, known as BESNA, that UNITE the union reckoned would cut wages by up to 35%, de-skill the industry and lead to shocking conditions for workers.

NG Bailey was one of the so-called `dirty seven’ companies that tried to impose the BESNA deal, while Morrisons use NG Bailey as its maintenance contractor.

Opposition to BESNA was nationwide and went international when the powerful Teamsters union in the States became involved, forcing contractors, Balfour Beatty, to pull out from the new agreement.

In the week that followed, the other `dirty six’ companies also withdrew, leaving their representative organisation, the HVCA to state “It has been agreed that HVCA will withdraw its proposal for the Building Engineering Services National Agreement (BESNA).”

Ordsall trade unionists, who were involved in the dispute, hailed it as “a major, major victory”, while UNITE general secretary, Len McCluskey said: “This is a welcome move and is down to the resolve of hard working construction workers. Disruption in the construction industry is in nobody’s interest. We look forward to talking seriously about how we can secure livelihoods and bring stability to the construction industry.”

MONMOUTH PARK TO BE TRIMMED AND SOLD

Salford Council has agreed to sell 101 square

metres of Monmouth Park, in South Ordsall, in order to make a new right turn junction and some traffic signals for new developments.

The land will be sold, subject to planning permission, in two chunks – the first, on the corner of Craven Drive, to construct a right turn lane into a new development of hotel, apartments, and offices on Taylorson Street. And the second, further along Ordsall Lane, to install traffic signals.

As Monmouth Park is green, public open space land, Salford Council has to replace the facility, so it’s proposing to `move’ it to a new pocket park across the road in the new Soapworks development.

Salford Council is hoping to get £100,000 for the sale of chunks of the Park but accepts that it might not get anything at all for one of the £50,000 portions, “as it could be deemed that the job creation and investment benefits arising from the scheme outweigh any financial consideration for the land”.

The decision to sell parts of Monmouth Park was made by Ordsall councillor, Ray Mashiter, who is the Council’s Lead Member for the Environment…

ST NAG’S TO BECOME A SWIMMING POOL?ort the Friends of

Residents of Ordsall are being urged to supp old Ignatius group and come up with suggestions about how the church could be used for the benefit of the community, as Mike Scantlebury explains…

A

ndy Fuller, the new Conservation Officer for Salford City Council is asking for the community’s views on the future of St Ignatius Church. On a recent visit to the Creative Drop-In at Ordsall Neighbourhood Office he said that the ‘next step’ was to work out a long list of possible uses for the empty building, then think about the ones that weren’t practical, not needed, too expensive, or a duplicate of existing services, and see what was left. He’s looking for something imaginative… A multimedia centre? An arts centre for adults? A swimming pool?

Any ideas will be put on a list and passed along to the Friends of Ignatius for further action, while Andy Fuller, has offered to come back to a future Wednesday morning session in a few months’ time and hear what we’ve come up with, offering his comments and advice. It could be a long process, he said, but he’s seen other areas where old buildings have been brought back to life, and he’s hopeful it could happen in Ordsall too.

All residents are invited to come along to one of the Drop-Ins - Wednesday 10am-noon at the Ordsall Community Arts kitchen at the Neighbourhood Office on Robert Hall Street. You can also e-mail Ordsall Undercover and we’ll pass the ideas on or drop a note into the Welcome Inn on Robert Hall Street.

ALLOTMENT PROGRESSING HAS REGENERATION WITH SNAILS HELPED ORDSALL? Sylvia Sharples, treasurer of Youth Unemployment – up 25% Male Unemployment - up 20% Female Unemployment – up 31% Long Term Unemployment – up 55% Overall Unemployment – up 23%

We keep hearing about how the regeneration of Ordsall will help give jobs to the area – Media City, Morrisons, hotels, shops, this scheme, that scheme, another scheme – but the stark fact is that unemployment in Ordsall has risen dramatically over the last 12 months. And it’s still on the rise.

The latest official figures for those claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) show that in the last 12 months to December 2011 overall there’s been a 23.3% rise. 407 people in the area are now claiming JSA – a rate of 6.1%.

A third of all those claiming JSA in the area are between 16 and 24, a rise of 25% over the 12 months to December; while the long term unempl oyment rate shot up by 55%, almost 35% of the total amount of people claiming JSA. During the last 12 months Ordsall males claiming JSA went up by 20%, while the figure for females soared by 31.3%.

Is the regeneration of Ordsall providing jobs? Draw your own conclus ions from these latest official figures…

Ordsall Community Allotment Society, gives an update on the state of the space…

S

ince my last report, we are progressing at a snail’s pace to our goal of obtaining land for the community allotment project for Ordsall. Numerous meetings have resulted in the proposed transfer of land to Environmental Services, a letter of intent, and a detailed plan of the site is ready to be submitted to lead members of the Council for approval.

Once we have the go ahead, a lot of hard work is needed to secure funding for the whole project, a daunting task in itself, but one in which we are determined to succeed. We have been well supported by Councillor Mashiter, LPC and members of the Environmental Services team, especially Steve Dennison, the Allotment Officer who has been to all but a few of our meetings since our inception some four years ago.

We should soon have a website so that our progress can be followed online, and any help from an IT person to keep this up to date would be most welcome. Once again, all I can say is `Watch this space’…

OUTSIDERS’ VIEW OF ORDSALL…

Recently, international students from the London School of Economics Planning Society came for a tour of Ordsall estate and the Quays. What did they make of the regeneration?

destination but during a It might seem a strange tourist students from the London School

recent Sunday afternoon, of Economics came to see for themselves the regeneration of Ordsall, the Quays and Langworthy.

They visited Salford Lads Club and Ordsall Community Arts, and did a walking tour of the estate and the riverside.

From here, it was onto Salford Quays before heading on to Langworthy. The students were interested in the planning aspect of the regeneration and came away with some forthright views…

Leona – from Germany “I think it’s crucial to incorporate the views and needs of the community who live here, and from what I’ve seen today this has not been undertaken. Maybe it’s the lack of a community centre or lack of people to speak to but it’s crucial to incorporate citizen’s views in the decision making process. It’s only through this that you can create a sense of belonging and a sense of being part of it.

“Here, I think, they’ve utterly failed. There are derelict buildings, there are a lot of fences around everything and also there are no people on the streets, everyone’s got their shutters closed.

This is a sign of no sense of community whatsoever, there’s no-one out there.”

Caroline - from France “I think it depends on how you evaluate the programme because, for instance, if you think it’s about creating jobs maybe they’ve succeeded by bringing in the BBC and bringing in some jobs. But on the other side if you evaluate it according to the community feeling…I’m not sure that their main goal was to create a community, so maybe it was a mistake.”

Irène - from France I think that if they tried to do the same thing in France – bulldozing social problems and bringing in people from the middle or upper class – it would create more tension. For me the social mixing doesn’t work. It’s about creating a dialogue and I don’t think they’ve asked each of the sides what they want.”

Zoe - from Salford “I think that in Ordsall and Langworthy both of them would benefit so much by allowing community input and creative control for those who are willing to get involved, and, for those that don’t, I think there should be more resources made available to encourage them to get involved.”

Clara - from Canada “It seems to me there’s a big gap in terms of what people envision when they start these projects and what really happens. Ultimately, for a community to participate in this process will take a long time but I don’t think it’s something that politicians have the patience for - but maybe they should build up that patience because a concerted community vision is something that actually takes the people with the consultation.

Even if they don’t have a single voice the ideal participation does not mean that one way fits all, and several alternatives should be tried out even in one area.”

Aude - from France “I thought it was interesting to see it in reality and not on paper and it was really sad. I understand the economic logic of Media City, of high paid jobs and development for the city. But we have to find a way to have that while finding the means for local people to benefit, before speculators or people coming from other cities. That’s reversing the logic of having a city and people living in it.”

Book Page

MULTI-MEDIA by Mike Scantlebury

Photo by Andrew Goudie

The first ever novel about Media City is a mystery…and it’s written by Ordsall’s Mike Scantlebury

T

he dialogue is fictional. But the spirit of Salford people doing great cultural things in the real geography of Ordsall, Langworthy and Trinity is very true. The Multi-Media plot weaves around an array of characters who try to stop themselves being culturally ripped off on the money spinning Salford heritage scam. And following it all is Mickey the private detective, who discovers strange `Red Indians’ occupying new buildings on the Quays, the Mayor being shot outside Salford Lads Club and a murder at Chimney Pot Park.

Author Mike Scantlebury, who teaches creative writing around Ordsall and beyond, states in the intro that “it should not be inferred that the characters mentioned actually exist” and considers it “mischief making” to assume otherwise. But read carefully and the real people are there, not too well disguised.

Councillor Darwen, obsessed by totem poles; Lampart, who exhibits old street signs and photos; Albert, the singing ex docker and, lurking behind it all, the murky figure of BBC head honcho David Fish…

Along the way are lots of Salford characters, loads of Salford Quays pseuds and a plot that turns and twists with more red herrings than David Fish’s salty nightmares… `What’s it about?’ I asked …`Heritage, my friend’ he said softly `Heritage is now the big earner’…. ...The damned BBC. You couldn’t go anywhere in Salford without falling over them these days. They seemed to have their fingers in every crevice… `Yeah, but theft?’…

Multi-Media by Mike Scantlebury is available now on Amazon in print (£9.37) and on Kindle Or find Mike teaching creative writing at Ordsall Community Arts.

TE EN GIRLS’ FAVES Caitlin gets the Twilight feeling…

like to tell you about is the very The next series of books I would

by Stephenie Meyer, a growing favourite popular series called Twilight with lots of teenage girls.

Stephenie Meyer is an amazing writer, who went from being a g, housewife to a world famous author. She’s dazzled us with amazin Twilight first the in story breathtaking stories of love and vampires. The book is about an ordinary teen named Bella Swann who moves house near through her father’s job from Phoenix to a backwater called Forks, Edward me the Olympic Peninsula, and meets the incredibly handso Cullen at her new high school.

Edward turns out to be a vampire who survives on the blood of small n, animals, and later in the book we meet Jacob Black, a Native America wolf. a into himself m transfor to power the who also has a secret… one as The stories unfold through each of the books in the series, every made been has them of one every that exciting as the next…so exciting see you before first books the read say would I film. ster into a blockbu the films, and use your imagination. t, The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer include the titles Twiligh New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. They are available at Ordsall Library.

Caitlin Kelsall

WHAT’S ON IN O ORDSALL LIBRARY Robert Hall Street 603 4097

Every Friday 10-11am: Stay and Play: Fun and games for under 4 year olds. Free.

SALFORD LADS CLUB Opening Times: Lads: Monday and Wednesday 7-9pm Football, basketball, volleyball, snooker, table tennis and computer games Girls: Tuesday 7-9pm Dance, netball, volleyball, badminton, pool and computer games Junior Boxing: Lads and Girls 10-17 year olds Mon, Wed, Fri 5:30-6:30pm Senior Boxing: Wed 6:30-8:30pm, Fri 6:308pm Kidzwidreams Sports, dance and cooking Monday 5:30-6:30pm Tuesday 5-6pm Kickboxing with Manchester Cobras Monday 6:30-8:30pm Thursday 6:30-8:30pm Thai Kickboxing with Terry’s Tigers Tuesday Juniors 7pm Seniors 8pm For further details on any of these activities phone 872 3767 ORDSALL COMMUNITY CAFÉ 872 6011 Every Wednesday 2-3pm: Gentle Exercises for over 50s free Every Friday 1:30-2:30pm: Bingo £2.50 per card inc tea and biscuits Further details on everything from the Café.

ORDSALL PARK Saturday 24th March 1:30-3:30pm Community Garden Makeover – volunteers needed to help make the community garden blossom. Meet the Salford Rangers Team in the garden which is near Nine Acre Court park entrance. Wear old clothes. Tree trolls are included…

Saturday 21st July 12-5pm Ordsall Music Festival Friends of Ordsall Park are looking for any acts, bands or performers who wish to take part in Ordsall’s premier Park event.

Anyone wanting to take part e-mail info@friendsofordsallpark.co.uk ORDSALL YOUTH CENTRE Oldfield Road 778 0700 Monday and Fridays 6:45-9pm 11-19 ages Games, sports etc – if the weather’s good the sessions are moved to Ordsall Park.

ST CLEMENT’S CHURCH Hulton Street 872 0800

Every Monday 1-3pm: Carers and Toddlers Group Monday Night Dancing 7:30pm: All styles, all ages welcome and free!

Every Tuesday Oranges and Lemons Children’s Club 3:30-5pm: 4-11 year olds 50p Every Wednesday 1-3pm: Women In Stitches Wednesday Bingo Night 7:30pm: In the Church Hall WELCOME INN Robert Hall Street Every Friday Prize Bingo 8pm: raising money for St Clement’s repairs ORDSALL HALL 322 Ordsall Lane, M5 3AN 872 0251 Tudors Live!

Meet Tudor characters and do fun Tudor stuff Sunday 4th March/Sunday 1st April/Sunday 6th May Salford’s Sporting Stars Until 17th June A sister exhibition for the Sporting Stars exhibition at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, this Ordsall Hall show of photos, objects and stories concentrates on the city’s older sports, from skating to archery, bull baiting to falconry.

Seed Sowing - Mini Allotments Sunday 15 April 2012, 1.30pm and 2.30pm Suitable for ages six and over, £1 per person.

Create your own mini allotment by sowing a selection of seeds that you can grow at home.

Part of National Gardening Week. No need to pre-book.

Garden tours Tuesday 17 April to Thursday 19 April 10.30am and 2.30pm.

Free For National Gardening Week Ordsall Hall is running tours of its garden and introducing people to some of the fascinating plants that grow there. Book on the day.

SAYO ACTIVITIES AT FIT CITY ORDSALL Craven Drive 848 0646 Every Monday 6:15-7:15pm: ROLLER DISCO - SAYO’s fab roller disco welcomes everyone over 8 who can fit in roller skates up to size 8. £1.80 entrance.

Every Tuesday 4-5pm SAYO FC Football Training At Fit City Clarendon 9-11 year olds £1.50 includes match fees

FIT CITY ORDSALL Craven Drive 848 0646

Every Monday 5-6pm: Adult Trampolining (17+) £3.60 Every Tuesday and Thursday 7pm: Zumbar Every Thursday 7-8pm: Adult Gymnastics (17+) £3.60 Every Tuesday and Friday: Kickz sessions with Man United Foundation 5-6:30pm 8-13 year olds; 6:30-8pm 13-18 year olds. Free Every Friday: Pre and Post Natal Classes Mums n Bumps – pre natal class 1010:45am Fit Mama – post natal class 11-11:45am ORDSALL COMMUNITY ARTS At the Neighbourhood Office, Robert Hall Street.

Phone 848 8779 Bee Garden After School Club Crafts, art, eco fun and more for over 8s Every Thursday 3:30-5pm free Creative Writing Every Wednesday 10-12pm Beginners Art Class A free 10 week course from Saturday 14th January 10:30am-12:30 The Great Ordsall Community Arts Exhibition Thursday 12th April all day Neighbourhood Building Quality exhibition of art by local people For further details contact Gail at OCA on 848 8779 or see www.ocarts.co.uk Ordsall Gots Talent Easter Egg-stravaganza!

Ordsall Legion Thursday 29th March 6-8pm Free family friendly event.

Local children dance, sing and show their talentsfor the prestigious Ordsall’s Got Talent Cup. For more info phone Gail at OCA 848 8779 PACT 15th March 7pm Neighbourhood Office, Robert Hall Street PACT, or Police and Communities Together, monthly meeting with local police officers.

Everyone welcome.

BIN COLLECTIONS BLUE BIN - Paper and cardboard Collected every fourth Wednesday…

21st March onwards BROWN BIN - Glass, cans, plastic Collected every fourth Wednesday…

7th March onwards PINK BIN - Garden waste Collected every second Saturday…

10th March onwards

ORDSALL

Send your listings to Ordsall Undercover: Ordsallundercover@ hotmail.co.uk

Music and Dining Event For International Women’s Week in Ordsall Salford Lads and Girls Club Friday 16th March 4-8pm

Jive, Brazilian and other music and dance from around Graphic by Jamie Reid

the world will be rocking the Lads Club for International Women’s Week. Plus there’ll be pamper sessions, and healthy cooking demonstrations from Chef Ray along the way with a few surprise prizes. All welcome, although children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Further details from OCA 848 8779

ORDSALL PARK

By Brian Kirkham As the wheels pass on by the concrete forms The trees stand tall on their islands of green basking in the midday sun feathered friends pass on by as the trees reach up high and branches sway in the breeze as the wind cools the air, by a couple of degrees Children make their way back home It’s gone half past three they walk through the park on the way for their tea.

On the square of Green are the veterans with their woods and their jack playing their bowls in defence or attack.

And seabirds fly over on their way to the dock, as attracted by birdseed pigeons they flock as wilder birds fly on to sunnier climbs Squirrels climb up Ordsalls Trees for their dinner they climb

ORDSALL UNDERCOVER E-mail: Ordsallundercover@hotmail.co.uk Phone: 079802 84137 Letters: Can be dropped off at the Welcome Inn pub on Robert Hall Street