Hello,
It’s been a fairly gloomy week, so you’ll forgive me if I focus on something daft for today’s lead story. After all, it’s Christmas.
Speaking of which, I’ll be leaving you in the capable hands of the wonderful Adam Maidment tomorrow while I rush to do some last minute shopping. So I’d like to thank you for joining me this year and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
We'll be looking at the first inspection of a Greater Manchester NHS Trust and the volunteers making sure the city's most deprived have a good festive season in today's newsletter. Let's begin.
Knock knock knockin' on Rita's door
I must say the news that Bob Dylan is a fan of Coronation Street took me by surprise.
The iconic singer told the Wall Street Journal that he likes to unwind by watching the soap. And he mentioned he’s a fan of Noel and Liam Gallagher too.
Whatever will we find out next? Did Johnny Cash love Eccles cakes? Was Diana Ross at the Hacienda?
Dylan insists that Corrie helps him feel ‘at home’ even though he knows it’s ‘old-fashioned’.
“I’m no fan of packaged programmes or news shows. I never watch anything foul-smelling or evil,” he told the Journal.
In fairness, Corrie is cosy viewing. Even the biggest villains are quite panto. *Cough cough* Richard Hillman.
But I wonder how Dylan got into Corrie in the first place?
As our chief reporter Neal Keeling writes, Ken Barlow was previously ‘identified’ on the soap as the fan who heckled Dylan with the word ‘Judas’ at his famous 1966 Manchester Free Trade Hall gig - in which he suddenly went electric. I wonder if that revelation prompted the singer to tune in?
Or is he a fan from the old days? Did he shed a tear when Martha Longhurst passed away in the Rovers Return snug while enjoying a sing song with Minnie Caldwell and Ena Sharples?
Was he watching when Raquel left Curly for good? Or when Hayley passed away in Roy’s arms?
Did Dylan have a ‘Free the Weatherfield One’ T-shirt? And was Girl From The North Country inspired by Elsie Tanner?
Perhaps he’s even taken style tips from the Corrie residents over the years? He does have quite similar hair to Mavis Wilton…
Corrie producer Iain MacLeod says Dylan can have a cameo in the soap, suggesting to The Daily Telegraph that he could sing karaoke with Ken and Rita Sullivan in the Rovers. Make it happen, Bob.
'This year, it's a whole different level'
Want to do something nice for others this Christmas? Then why not donate to Humans MCR?
The Manchester Evening News is helping the charity provide gifts for some of Greater Manchester’s most deprived children this year. Without the charity, these children might not even eat a proper meal on Sunday, let alone receive a gift.
Reporter Nicole Wootton-Cane headed out to help volunteers wrap 600 gifts. “Walking through the doors you could be forgiven for thinking you've wandered into a charming, if ever so slightly chaotic, regional distribution centre for Santa's workshop - and in a way that's sort of what it is,” she writes.
“Hidden beneath the apparent chaos was organisation - piles of wrapped gifts sorted by age, different wrapping papers for gifts intended for boys and girls, and lists of gifts pinned to the wall. Batteries were taped to toys that required them, and even a pen and gift tag included with each gift so parents could make them their own.”
Humans MCR was inundated with requests for help this year, and were unable to allocate a Christmas hamper to everyone who asked. However hundreds of gifts and supplies for 300 family Christmas meals will be provided.
Volunteer Carole helped the charity during lockdown and helped with the Christmas deliveries last year.
"Some of the people seemed a little bit embarrassed, which is sad but understandable, and others just seemed unbelievably relieved," she said. "Some of them were lonely as well. We ran over our slot because we just got talking to everyone.
"Some of them pour their heart out to you. For some of them you realise you are possibly the only person they've spoken to in days. I still remember everyone I spoke to last year, and the conversations I had. But given what is going on this year, it feels like it is a whole different level."
To support Humans MCR work you can donate here.
Downgraded
Salford Royal is often hailed as one of the best hospitals in Greater Manchester, but it’s now been told it must improve, along with three other hospitals, by the health watchdog.
The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust - which runs Salford Royal, Royal Oldham, Fairfield General and Rochdale Infirmary - has been told it ‘requires improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
That rating relates to services being safe, effective, responsive and well-led. It has been rated good for being caring.
Following the inspection in August and September, inspectors found staff worked ‘incredibly hard under pressure’ but nurses often felt 'unsafe' on wards due to workforce shortages.
Leaders did not ‘operate effective governance’ and some staff expressed reservations about raising concerns, they found.
The Trust was formed in October 2021, following Salford Royal's legal acquisition of the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Inspectors looked at urgent and emergency care at Salford Royal, Royal Oldham and Fairfield General as well as medical care at all three hospitals. They also inspected surgery in Salford and Oldham and maternity services at Royal Oldham and Rochdale Infirmary, all of which they said 'must improve'.
As Joseph Timan reports, inspectors deemed that emergency departments were 'overcrowded' - with patients cared for on corridors and not enough suitably qualified staff to keep them safe.
Staff across all four hospitals in surgery, medical care and maternity services have not done mandatory training including in resuscitation and safeguarding. And some staff said they did not always feel respected, supported or valued.
Urgent and emergency services in Salford and Bury were described as 'cluttered' and 'overcrowded' with some patients cared for in corridors. Inspectors said that urgent and emergency care at Salford Royal and Royal Oldham did not have enough staff to care for patients and keep them safe.
NCA chief executive, Dr Owen Williams, said the findings are fully accepted and he recognises improvements already being made ‘do not go far enough at this moment in time’.
He said staff are determined to get better results and thanked ‘totally caring’ colleagues who are working ‘incredibly hard’ under ‘a level of pressure the likes of which many of us have not experienced before’.
'Morale is at rock bottom'
Reporter Tom George spent yesterday talking to striking ambulance workers about their reasons for taking industrial action.
"None of us want to be here," he was told, by Steve McDonnell, outside Manchester Central Ambulance Station. But the medic explained many are struggling and he has even had to use food banks to get by. "We are being shunned constantly. Morale is at rock bottom,” he said.
Steve said the 'increasing pressures' of the job, including lengthy times at hospitals, have taken their toll and he feels frustrated that the government ‘don't want to listen’ to ambulance workers.
"We know we are in a crisis but they need to sit down and work with the unions because the NHS is the pride of the UK. It doesn't matter if you have one pence or £50,0000, we are there for people," he said.
You can read the full piece here.
New buildings for GM schools
Ten Greater Manchester schools have been included in a list of 239 set to benefit from ‘transformative’ new buildings - as a government report warns some school blocks are at risk of collapse.
As Richard Ault of Reach’s data unit reports, the renovation projects build on a list of 161 previously announced.
The latest schools set to benefit from new buildings in Greater Manchester are St James CofE Primary School, in Bolton; The Willows Primary School, in Manchester; Stockport’s Moorfield Primary; Russell Scott Primary in Tameside, Barton Clough Primary School, Sale High and Stretford Grammar, all in Trafford; and three in Wigan - Golborne High, R L Hughes Primary and Rowan Tree Primary.
The Department for Education’s annual report found ‘there is a risk of collapse of one or more blocks in some schools’ - mainly in those built between 1945 and 1970.
The DfE says all the new buildings will be net-zero in operation and ‘more energy efficient for future winter resilience’.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said the government is investing ‘a record amount in our schools and colleges’.
Steven Marsland, headmaster at Russell Scott Primary, told Sky News he has had ‘sleepless nights’ worrying about children's safety at his school and is delighted to have it chosen for renovation.
But he added: "It won't make up for the last eight years."
Weather etc
- Friday: Cloudy changing to heavy rain by late morning. 7C.
- Airport: Strike action affecting Border Force staff begins tomorrow. Details here.
- Christmas cracker: What happened to the burglar who robbed an advent calendar factory?
Manchester headlines
Suspended sentence: A free-climber scaled the Shard before telling arresting police officers he would ‘come down in two minutes after taking a selfie’. Adam Lockwood, 21, caused mass chaos around London as public services declared a ‘critical incident’ when he was seen climbing the 1,016ft building. London’s emergency services, including British Transport Police and the fire service, were called to Southwark, and London Bridge train station was forced to close a number of platforms which saw mass delays and cancellations to services, Manchester Crown Court heard. Lockwood, of Wigan, previously admitted to causing a public nuisance and a separate offence of burglary. He was handed a suspended sentence. More here.
More arrests: Two further arrests have been made by detectives investigating the murder of 16-year-old Kennie Carter. The arrest of a 15-year-old and 18-year-old were made during dawn raids yesterday. Another ten teenagers, previously arrested on suspicion of murder, have been released under investigation. Kennie died after being stabbed in the street in Stretford as he walked home on the evening of January 22. He died in hospital after a member of the public found him on Thirlmere Avenue.
Helmets: Neighbourhoods in Oldham are being blighted by ‘illegal dirt bikes’ being ridden at ‘all hours’ and a spate of antisocial behaviour and crime, councillors have been told. Issues in Derker and Sholver were raised at a meeting of the full council. But the meeting heard Greater Manchester Police could not pursue people riding off-ride bikes and dirt bikes as they do not wear helmets. More here.
Worth a read
Manchester’s Christmas Markets come to a close tomorrow - and council bosses say the crowds were back up to pre-pandemic levels. Mugs completely sold out and visitor numbers were further boosted by the first-ever Christmas Parade, they say.
But what do the traders think of this year’s event? What's On writer Ben Arnold headed down to the stalls to talk to those at the heart of the festivities.
Micki Kristi, who runs the offshoot stall of The Manchester Shop in Afflecks Palace, told him business for her has been much improved. “It’s been great. And we’ve been busy. Nothing to grumble about at all. People aren’t spending as much money, but they’re being more considerate about what they’re buying. They’re putting more thought into it, and taking their time. That’s nice to see.
“So it’s been positive, and we’ve noticed loads more tourists this year. Whatever the tourism office is doing abroad, it’s working. It’s been phenomenal. Lots more people from America, lots more people from China, lots more people from Spain. The markets are a massive draw.”
You can read more about it here.
That's all for today
Thanks for joining me. If you have stories you would like us to look into, email beth.abbit@menmedia.co.uk.
If you have enjoyed this newsletter today, why not tell a friend how to sign up?
The answer to today's Christmas cracker question is: He got 25 days.
