Manchester Camerata hosts the UK’s first Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia
Manchester Camerata has received funding totalling over £1million from the Power of Music Fund, GMCA and NHS Greater Manchester and has become the UK’s first Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia. This funding will support three years of musical activities across all 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester.
Manchester Camerata, in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Society and the University of Manchester, will offer four weekly music therapy cafes (Music in Mind and Singing for the Brain). The funding will also recruit 300 music champions who will be trained to support these activities.
The long-term goal is to use the insights gained from these activities to determine how implementing music-based activities can reduce the need for health and social care services.
For more information click here
Peer Ambassadors - Older people stepping up to help others in Gorton and Levenshulme
Did you know that in Manchester around £24 million is unclaimed in Pension Credit which is extra money that pensioners on low incomes are entitled to. Manchester City Council is trying to support older people with low-income to claim their Pension Credits (and Attendance Allowance) as this can open the door to other entitlements and maximise incomes.
Older people talking to others about their experiences of claiming their entitlements can support interest and uptake. Inspired Taskforce will be supporting older people as Peer Ambassador volunteers to share their experiences with groups of older people, alongside benefits advisors, in Gorton and Levenshulme over the coming months.
If you live in Gorton or Levenshulme and have had experience in claiming Pension Credit and would like to volunteer to become a Peer Ambassador or if you would like a visit from one of our Ambassadors to your group of older people to talk about Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance then contact:
Kate.williams@inspiredtaskforce.co.uk or 0161 676 8450
 Book launched with poems about mental health and older people
Rhymes from the Wise: To Challenge Myths and Lies is a poetry collection that delves into themes related to mental health derived from a series of workshops with members from Mature Minds Matter, a group of older people from the Greater Manchester Older People's Network that are campaigning for better mental health services for older people.
You can view the poems online by clicking here.
If you want a copy for yourself email gmopn@macc.org.uk or call 0161 8349823.
 Manchester Culture Awards 2024 Now Open
Is there something that has made you laugh, cry, think, create, feel inspired, or just enjoy yourself in Manchester from April 2023 to March 2024 then make a nomination to our culture awards. Whatever culture means to you, it will fit in to one of the 13 categories.
The awards cover everything from large international festivals to small community events that have contributed to Manchester's creative buzz. Individuals, organisation or groups may be nominated for work including visual art, music, theatre, performance, dance, film and broadcast media, literature, digital art, photography, heritage or craft.
Find out more and nominate by midnight Thursday 27 June 2024: www.manchester.gov.uk/cultureawards
Ardwick and Longsight Good Neighbours Project
A new Good Neighbours service for the wards of Ardwick and Longsight with funding provided by the Supporting Communities Development Fund and the Neighbourhood Communities Development Fund provided by Manchester City Council.
The Inspired Taskforce, an older person peer-led charity with a base in Levenshulme and Gorton will set up the service this summer.
The service will provide:
- Social activities to reduce feelings of loneliness
- Befriending (over the phone or face to face and in different languages)
- General information on advice and what’s available in the community
The model will involve multiple local delivery grassroots voluntary and community partners delivering the social activities and assisting in the recruitment of volunteers. This is to ensure that the cultural diversity of the area is reflected well and that the service is accessible to all.
Inspired taskforce are looking to recruit :
- Local people to join a Steering Group
- Volunteers from diverse ethnic backgrounds for befriending/activity support
- At least 5 local BAME groups that wish to run social activities
If you have an idea or a suggestion, or wish to find out more, please contact
Kate.williams@inspiredtaskforce.co.uk or call 0161 676 8450
 Come Work For us - Age UK Manchester
Age UK Manchester seek compassionate and committed people who want to make a real difference to an older person’s life. We have Home Carer vacancies across Manchester. The role is varied and involves domestic care, personal care and social care. If you want a passion and not a job, it’s the role for you. The hours are variable and paid at the Living Wage rate of £12 per hour plus enhancements on weekends and bank holidays. To find out more and apply, Home Carer Vacancies
 COVID-19 Spring vaccination offer
This spring, the NHS will once again offer the COVID-19 vaccine to those that are at highest risk of getting seriously unwell if they catch the virus.
The spring COVID-19 vaccine will be offered from later this month (April 2024) if you:
- are aged 75 years old or over
- live in a care home for older adults
- are aged 6 months old or over and have a weakened immune system
The NHS will contact people who are eligible for a seasonal spring COVID-19 vaccine.
You should be offered an appointment between April and June, with those at highest risk being called in first.
Find out more here: Getting a COVID-19 vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
 All Voices Heard: Making cities a great place to age
Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG) is holding an Older People's Forum meeting as part of the Universally Manchester Community Festival.
The event will showcase our new Ageing in Place short film followed by an interactive and insightful discussion with the Older People's Forum about how to get voices heard and create age-friendly communities. Followed by coffee and cake. Everyone is welcome.
When: Thursday June 6
Time: 2pm to 3.45pm
Where: Manchester Business School, Booth Street West
All Voices Heard: Making Cities a Great Place to Age
The Universally Manchester Festival is celebrating 200 years of our University. As part of the festival the University is organising over 150 free events from June 6-9. The Festival events are free and open to all. You can see the full programme here:
https://universallymanchester.com/
 Uncertain Futures film sharing and discussion event
Women of Wythenshawe are invited to a free event to discuss the Uncertain Futures film about a project focussing on the inequalities faced by women in retirement. Hosted by Marie Greenhalgh from Wythenshawe Good Neighbours and Ruth Edson from Manchester Art Gallery.
When: Wednesday 12 June
Time: 11am to 2pm
Where: Strawberry Fox Cafe, Pioneer House, High School, 200 Yew Tree Lane, M23 0FF
To book please contact mirtlegrove@hotmail.com or call 07728205682
 First Time for Everything Over 55s – Free June Tech and Tea Taster
Carole Deary, Skills Trainer from Ability Net will be giving information on digital skills including:
- Get to know your device better – connecting to FREE WiFi on the move.
- Staying safer online – How to avoid the scammers.
- Interesting apps and how to download them – from ‘Talking instead of typing’ to ‘Stargazing’.
Don’t forget to bring your digital device – free refreshments will be provided.
These activities are popular so booking will be on a first come, first serve.
When: Thursday June 20
Time: 2pm – 3.30pm arrive 1.45 for registration please
Venue: Central Library, Chief Librarians Office, 1st Floor, St Peters Square, M2 5PD
Book: Call Karen on 07795450563 or email Karen.kennedy@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
 Radical Creative Ageing: Passion & Practice
An immersive gathering to explore ‘the art of the possible’ - CADA warmly welcomes you to join us for a Radical Creative Ageing participatory experience, co-designed by four older diverse creatives recruited to disRUPT the status quo and liberate the concept of ‘Creativity’ and ‘Ageing’. For more information see here: our https://cadaengland.org/cadas-rupt-associates/
When: Thursday 11 July,
Time: 1-4pm and 6-8pm
Where: The Whitworth Gallery, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER
This event is led by CADA, in partnership with https://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/getinvolved/agefriendly/, a lived experience-led group of older creatives.
Please note: tickets are free, numbers are limited, and this event is likely to be over-subscribed. If you can’t attend in person but would like to know more about the outcomes of the day, please contact us rather than signing up to the event: hello@cadaengland.org.uk
Culture Monday, Wild and Musical Edition - Monday 8 July
Manchester Museum opens its doors for a special day of culture and music for anyone aged 50 and over. Not open to the public on Mondays, this is a unique opportunity to enjoy the Museum galleries at a quiet time and to get closer to it’s collections, guided by members of the Visitor Team and their wonderful volunteers.
The Museum have teamed up with the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama and The Bridgewater Hall to organise a day in which nature and music will merge at the Museum galleries.
In the morning, we will visit the Museum major exhibition Wild. This exhibition looks at how people are creating, rebuilding and repairing connections with nature, and how we can tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by making the world wilder.
In the afternoon, we will enjoy an intergenerational choral concert by The Bridgewater Hall Singers and The Manchester Music Society Outreach Choir. They will perform at the Museum Living Worlds Gallery a wide variety of songs and genres from around the world, including contemporary and traditional music.
Where: Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, M13 9PL
Tea and coffee will be provided.
You are welcome to bring a packed lunch or you can buy drinks and food from the Museum Cafe.
Book your free place by contacting Maria via email on maria.ramosacevedo@manchester.ac.uk or via phone on 07818 578 474.
Activities for older people in Crumpsall
College of the Third Age is a voluntary group run by and for people age 50 and over. They run classes, workshops and social activities at the lowest possible cost. Membership is only £10 per year and each class costs £3, including tea & coffee. Anyone over the age of 50 is very welcome to join and you can try a class before committing to membership.
For more information please email Karen at c3acollege@gmail.com or phone 0161 795 4891 (Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday between 10am and 1pm.
or go to the website https://www.collegeofthethirdage.co.uk/
Current classes are as follows and are held at Crumpsall Community Hall, Cleveland Road, Crumpsall, M8 4GS:
Tuesday
Beginners French 11am - 12.30pm
Line Dancing 1.15pm - 3.15pm
Wednesday
50+ Health & Interest 10.30am - 12.30pm
History & Interest 1pm - 3pm
Singing for Fun 1.15pm - 2.45pm (held in St Matthew's Church)
Friday
Art 10.15am - 12.15pm
Creative Writing 10.15am - 12.15pm
Intermediate French - 12.45pm - 2.45pm
Craft - 1pm - 3pm
 esea ArtClub: Cantonese Opera Singing Workshop
Join esea ArtClub for a complimentary creative workshop tailored for East and Southeast Asian elders (aged 50 and over). This summer, we extend a warm invitation to both new and existing ArtClub members to come together for engaging art-based activities in a Cantonese Opera Singing workshop.
Led in Cantonese by Kamling Fung and Yuen Wah Leung, participants will delve into the fundamentals of Cantonese opera, including ‘Gongche notation,’ ‘Dingban,’ and various vocal techniques. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to collaborate and experience collective and duet singing.
Materials and light refreshments will be provided throughout the workshop. Attendance is free of charge, but due to limited capacity, advance booking is essential to secure your place.
When: Thursday June 20
Time: 11am to 1pm
Where: esea Contemporary Gallery, 13 Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1EU
Click here to find out more: Event Page and Registration
If you are interested in supporting or participating in the group, please get in touch at hello@eseacontemporary.org or call 0161 832 7271.
 Live at Lunchtime 2024, The Bridgewater Hall
Bridgewater Hall for Live at Lunchtime - free concert series.
Friday 14 June: Music for the Mind and Soul: Giuliano Modarelli & Kousic Sen
Friday 28 June: Emily Mercer
Live at Lunchtime is a series of free lunchtime concerts, which will be running on various Fridays through to September. Doors open 12.30pm and all concerts start at 12.45pm and will last 45 minutes, perfect if you fancy some entertainment on your lunch break. Booking not required for most shows.
To find out more call 0161 907 9000 or visit www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk
 Art of Collections: Drawing Sessions for Culture Vultures
Manchester Museum is delighted to be collaborating with artist and Culture Champion Yvonne Noworyta in this series of drawing workshops for the curious, aged 50 and over.
These workshops will allow you to get closer to your inner artist at the same time that you are discovering some of the objects that are part of the Manchester Museum World class collection.
Museum staff and volunteers are going to give you an overview about the specimens and objects presented at each session and Yvonne Noworyta will guide you and support you throughout the drawing process.
The workshops are taking place in a helpful, relaxed and friendly atmosphere. No previous experience is needed, and all abilities are welcome.
When: Tuesday 18 June
Time 11am to 2pm
Where: Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, M13 9PL
Nearby break out space available and tea and coffee provided.
In this session, we are going to work with small scale Egyptian artefacts from the Museum stunning collection, and we will focus on a subject to make detailed work using observational drawing. We will explore different ways of presenting our ideas, with the guidance of our art practitioner and using a fun and playful approach.
You can book your free place by contacting Maria Jose Ramos Acevedo (Culture Champions Volunteer Assistant) via email on maria.ramosacevedo@manchester.ac.uk or via phone on 07818 578 474
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