Co-op Local Community Fund – £2,750 raised for Good Neighbours

Since the ‘Back to being Co-op ‘membership relaunch in September 2016, 1% of everything local members spend on Co-op brand products has gone to local causes. The money is currently being shared between the three local causes  that were voted for by local Co-op members in Chorlton and Whalley Range – including Chorlton Good Neighbours (CGN). The other local groups selected were Women Asylum Seekers Together and The Woodcraft Folk.

The great news is  that  total fund for CGN is currently £2754.76 and local Co-op members are adding to it every time they buy selected Co-op brand products from our stores and funeral homesT

Our 6 months will end in 3 weeks time. However, There’s still more than £5780.71 in the local community fund that members are yet to pledge to a particular cause. The more members that choose us, the larger our share of the final total which will go towards such things as keeping our exercise classes for older people going and to do all the work in the local community that we have now been doing for 50 years

March 2017 News

Fundraising :CGN Community worker, Moira Bowater raised £200 by knitting spring chickens, filled with a crème egg.

They all sold out in minutes of being taken down to the Thursday coffee morning

Many thanks to Moira for all her efforts

Moira Bowater

Pebble painting for the outside border to celebrate 50 years of CGN continues……

Artist Nicola Winter , supported by our Thursday coffee morning artist Susan Parry, had a very productive session at last week’s coffee morning, encouraging participants to design and create a pebble which reflects Chorlton and Chorlton Good Neighbours.

History talk by Wyllie Longmore

A big crowd of 46 people turned up to March’s history talk from local resident Wyllie who entertained with songs, poetry and stories of his life and background coming across from Jamaica in the 1960’s and forging his career as an actor

Designing and painting pebbles for the pebble border

Lara and Nicola, two local artists are helping us in two art-based projects to celebrate Chorlton Good Neighbours 50th anniversary this year. One of these is the pebble border where we aim to have individually designed and hand painted pebbles to fill a borderat the side of the path outside the Good Neighbours office, The idea is that they should represent some aspect of what Good Neighbours means to people and more generally the theme of changing Chorlton

Today, 24th February we had our first workshop to design and draw some pebbles. Here are some photos of the event

Lara looks on as Pam and Margo desing their pebble Paulette looks for inspiration

 Tony keep his hat on to help come up with some hot designs

 Pam using the hair dryer to make sure the paint dries before putting on another layer Bill in deep contemplation some of the final designs

This is my design based round the time that  Sister Rosetta Tharpe –  performed at a Blues and Gospel Train concert in Manchester on 7th May 1964. It was held at a station was called ‘Chorltonville’, to make it sound like a whistle stop station in the southern USA. However, it  was actually held at Alexandra Park Station – later Wilbraham Road Station, just where Alexandra Rd meets Mauldeth Rd. It includes ‘Didn’t it Rain’ performed as you would expect – in the rain!

I was 17 at the time and a huge blues  fan. I lived just around the corner from this one-off unique event but I never knew it was on…grrrr!

Bernard Leach

Oswaldtwistle Mill

The Good Neighbours Oswaldtwistle Mill trip on Tuesday saw 51 people enjoy a meal, entertainment, as well as an opportunity to do a bit of shopping.

Many thanks as always to the staff and volunteers who supported everyone during the day , especially as they experienced a major downpour as everyone was getting on the coach for the return trip home.

This morning at coffee morning many people  were talking about the day out and it was easy to see how much these trips mean to everyone, how much they enjoy doing something all together and how it can be such a boost to developing friendships .

Photos taken by Susan Parry

Good Neighbours Garden Update

Over the last few weeks the harsh weather hasn’t stopped us from meeting up on Friday mornings for the Good Neighbours gardening group, Here Marianne and Geraldine are replanting some garlic for the coming spring. We’ve also moved a load of snowdrops to spread them round the garden. Finally the weather seems to be getting a little warmer and the days a little longer

Some sprouts still left and Bill has a welcome cup of tea

This was a difficult job – digging up the redcurratn bushes to move then to one of the raised beds lower down in the garden

Always time for another cup of tea though!

Starting to celebrate 50 years of Chorlton Good Neighbours

Two projects are getting under way to celebrate the 50 years of Chorlton Good Neighbours. With support from a ‘Celebrate’ Lottery Grant

• Hannah from MACC community reporters is interviewing people connected to the charity to make 3 short films about the volunteers, the impact of the charity in the locality and how CGN has adapted to the changing needs of older people

• Nicola Winter a local artist is overseeing two community art projects : a pebble border and a timeline board both to be sited outside the CGN office. Today she began measuring up for the pebble boarder and the first session for anyone to come and design a pebble will take place next Friday 24^th February 10.30-12.30 with artist Lara.

University Music Society at Good Neighbours

Students from the Music Society of Manchester University came to Thursday coffee morning today (16-02-17) . They sang a variety of songs mainly a cappella  including versions of songs from Adele , Beyonce and the Beatles. The audience thought they were fantastic and were even more delighted when the students spent some time afterwards going round the tables talking with them.

Both CGN and the students are keen to repeat the event again soon.

Good Neighbours Christmas Meal 2016

The Chorlton Good Neighbours Christmas meal was held at the Hough End Centre on Dec 21st 2016. 93 people came to it. Everyone who needed a lift there got one. Members, helpers, volunteers, workers – all were there. Lots of food & drink, singing and dancing. Plus an entertainer, bingo, raffle and presents for all. A good time fo rall of us

Here is a video of some of the action and photos of the afternoon

Chorlton Good Neighbours AGM  22 Sep 2016

There were 104 people at the AGM on the morning of 22^nd September. The speaker was Amy Barron, an Msc student at Manchester University. She spoke about her project which was based around collating people’s memories of their neighbourhood through photographs and visiting key landmarks. She has been working with CGN’s users and volunteers on this project

The  Rev Ken Stokes has taken over from Acting Chair Sarah Mitchell  and is the new chair of the CGN committee. We are now seeking a new Treasurer snce Sue Cockerill has resigned. recently. We would like to thank her for all the hard work she has put in as our treasurer over the last few years

Click here for the full AGM report:    annual-report-2016

Here are some extracts from the report

Helen Hibberd was awarded the MBE for her work with Chorlton Good Neighbours

Nancy Drumm

Wayne Marr

 Bernard & Tony in the CGN garden    

 Nancy Drumm’s 100th birthday celebration at Chorlton Good Neighbours (21-07-16)

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Here are some photos of the day and a video in which her friends and helpers give their views on Nancy

   JOB VACANCY       Community Support Worker

Part-time, 25 hours per week   Actual Salary : £11,050 ( subject to review )

Chorlton Good Neighbours Care Group is seeking to appoint a flexible, committed and enthusiastic person, who has experience of working with older people, to join our existing team of workers and volunteers, in order to support the excellent work of this well-established Neighbourhood Care Group.

The role will include supporting vulnerable older adults with wheelchairs in the Chorlton/Whalley Range area to enable them to access the local shops & other community facilities.

The post is until 31 March 2017, but with potential to continue.

All Applicants must be car drivers and have a clean licence.

Closing date for applications : 12 noon on Friday 6^th May

For further information & application forms contact

The Revd. Jennifer King      0161 861 0898

jen.king@stclement-chorlton.org.uk