THE HULME TUNE

Man Jumps off Double Decker Bus

A man jumped off a double decker bus in Manchester city centre in front of crowds today. The man in his 20’s wasn’t injured. The incident left him a little shaken, though. He said he was doing it for Jesus.

I was able to capture his stunt on my mobile phone and now you can see it for yourselves. I decided to investigate further for mywebconnect.info.

It was all part of an array of performances put on by The Message Trust called the Eden Project, which uses 2 double decker buses to tour the North West with a message to transform young people’s lives.

The Eden Buses are two high-tech mobile youth centres wrapped in funky youth-themed vinyl graphics and armed with the latest in sound and visual technology. These amazing buses are designed to meet young people from all backgrounds who need someone to talk to.

This is an exciting way for both primary and secondary schools to deliver parts of their curriculum. The buses have excellent on-board presentation facilities, and are often called in when RE lessons need to have that extra dimension!

www.themessage.org.uk

 

The organisation started out in 1988 as Message to Schools then became the The World Wide Message Tribe, fronted by Andy Hawthorne, to impact young people with the Christian message of God’s love and forgiveness. This then went on to now what is called The Message and grew further to include the Eden Project.

We have been working in the city for 15 years and have developed a ‘knack’ for being able to get through to the hardest to reach young people. To enable this we operate a range of projects on the streets, in the community, in schools and in prisons, all with the aim of bringing hope, providing opportunities and releasing potential.

In brief, The Message…

• Runs 9 ‘Eden’ youth projects where over 100 volunteers live and work in tough urban contexts
• Delivers around 2000 hours of youth work every month through over 300 separate activities
• Is in contact with an average of 5,000 young people every month all over the city
• Provides a safe ‘off the street’ environment for 500 young people every week using 2 high-tech mobile youth centres
• Visits 20 high schools every year with inspirational pop group ‘Blush’
• Helps break the cycle of youth crime through innovative work in the region’s Young Offenders Institutions
• Operates a top-spec arts and music training centre in South Manchester

I am waiting to hear if they will come on my radio show.

The crowd were entertained by 4 gorgeous girls known as BLUSH, with more stunts from 3 guys known as Airborne.

Also, in the crowd, was a tea-time God TV youth presenter - but the God TV website doesn’t have the list of youth presenters or its programme. I said hello. Then she suddenly ran off chasing her son, before I could get her name, and disappeared in to the mixing tent.

Man Jumps off Stage

I did go down to Manchester City Council to see why they had sent the bailiffs round to my flat to seize my property. The £112.33 owing was accumulated over a period of a few years, where I struggled to pay the ridicules amount that the council, through this Government, were charging those on Incapacity Benefit.

When they first wrote to me about the amount, they asked me how much I could afford. I told them that I could only afford to pay £5 per month. However, this was rejected and MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL threatened to send bailiffs. I told them that I am on benefits and cannot afford to pay the council’s heavy demand.

I could hardly believe what I was reading. I miss read it. I thought they meant I owed £20 and not that they wanted £20 per month.

I AM STILL PAYING WHAT I CAN out of the little I get off the Government. With the soaring rises of gas and electricity costs, incl. water charges, this Government is making it more and more difficult for people on benefits to live independently.

How many more are suffering the injustice of this heavy handed city council?

This afternoon, when I went to find out why Manchester City Council was sending bailiffs round to seize the little I have, they STILL REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO PAY WHAT I OWE AT £5 p/m

People I know have suggested seeing the Citizens Advice Bureau. But, if Manchester City Council won’t listen to me, what can CAB do that I couldn’t? Would the council listen to them?

I find it disgusting the way this council treats the poor on benefits and act like vicious debt collectors with no mercy!

I’ve just rang MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL bailiffs and they say that in order to cover costs they will take £1,000 worth of goods for a supposed CT bill of £112.33, which I don’t have the money or a £1,000 in goods and this could mean a total clearance of my flat. If this is so, then it could leave me homeless. It’s ironic that this Government is wanting people to come off the streets, but then, when they do, they want to put them right back on them.

I was homeless once. You try to build a life again and the Government just wants prevent any chance you may have.

If I try to steal the money at least they will send me to jail where I will have a roof over my head. Then they will release me or let me off seeing that prisons are over-full.

I rang the MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL bailiffs this morning and had to leave a message. I told them that I had been awarded Council Tax Benefit. I also told them that I am unwilling to pay, seeing that I refuse to steal the money or pay it in installments, and that they can come and take my goods away.

If they take my old furniture and other things, I can then apply to the Department of Work & Pensions and put a in a new claim for new furniture. To replace the junk the Manchester City Council bailiffs will take.

The real loser here is the tax payer. All thanks to either incompetence of Manchester City Council’s Council Tax Unit not updating Jacobs Certified Bailiffs or this Government wanting to make the poor very poor indeed.

Either way.. if I am still paying my council tax, then why am I being victimised by this council? If it really is a Manchester City Council error, then it is the British tax payer that will, in the end, foot the bill. Why should I worry and make my condition worse over this? This type of thing can make even the healthiest person sick and I am sick & tired of this Sheriff of Nottingham style Government treating us poor like this. They’re not going to put me in an early grave!

Do you remember that time when a certain council took a pensioner to jail over this? This was the Government again, making sure that the poor, the needy, the vulnerable of our society is worse off - without a voice.. until the press got wind of it. Well, I, too, have a voice and I’m going to SHOUT!

You may think, ‘Why doesn’t he write to his MP, Tony Lloyd?’

Glad you asked! I did. All he did was write to the HB&CTB and all they did was to send an officer around to check that it was really me living here - he did nothing to bring it to Parliament and try to change the way Councils and the DofW&P takes back the money given to the poor. Twice when I complained to Tony Lloyd MP all I got was a visit from HB&CTB. When I ring him, his secretary is very rude to me.

1 in 5 people in the North West claim Incapacity Benefits. That’s 1 million people out of 5 million - that is a lot of voters.

I’ll laugh at the next letter I receive from Jacobs as well.

Bailiffs from Manchester City Council called at my door while I was out this morning. They want to seize £112.33 + costs in goods. This is supposed to be unpaid council tax. As a person with a disability, I am still trying to pay my council tax bit by bit as best I can out of my benefits. Yet, the heavy handed council wants blood - my Hi-Fi at least. It’s not the council’s fault though. It is the way this Government treats those who are poor by reducing Housing and Council Tax benefit and causing more hardship.

Under New Labour, fuel prices in gas and electricity have risen and benefits rises have not taken these sharp rises in to consideration for those who rent property. To cap it all, New Labour have reduced H&CT benefits, so that councils are forced to charge Council Tax to those who are on Incapacity Benefit. This makes life more harder for those who are mentally ill, injured or have a disability effecting the type of work they do.

As far as I know,H&CTB is means tested. Which is a convenient way of this Government taking back some of the money its paid to the poor. It’s like giving aid (which benefits is) to poor people over-seas then charging a hefty export duty and fee on the food and shelters. Instead of money they take the food back and replace it with cheaper unhealthy out-of-date products. This is what happens when our benefits are reduced by stealth! Where do we get the money from? Steal, beg or wait for repossession?

If the bailiffs take my computer then I’m not able to pursue my dreams of getting back into work through the voluntary work I now do. No PC - no reports (radio and website).

New Labour also has prevented those wanting further education to get into university and do media courses by charging the FULL price for lessons.

So, which is worse - New Labour or Conservatives?

If the bailiffs break the door down - how will I pay for that?

They had better be careful, as some of the stuff I’ve got doesn’t belong to me and if they take that then they are stealing by robbing other people’s property.

I don’t even remember it being this bad, not even under a Thatcher Government.

In March 2008 Moss Side’s Peace FM was granted a 5 year license from Ofcom. This means that there will be a full time radio station serving Moss Side, Hulme and South Manchester, even though ALL FM are still broadcasting shows from the Zion Arts Centre.

Peace FM have transmitted from the Zion Arts Centre in the past when they had a limited 1-month RSL license. This time its for 5 years. I believe that ZAC is still the place where they will transmit and thus serve Hulme.

Broadcasting can start within 2 years, but Peace FM might even be on air towards the end of the year.

MEN Article

Ofcom Website

This means that the show I do for ALL FM - The Hulme Tune - will be axed!

I am an individual and am, in no way, funded by anyone to do my show. All my shows’ expenses have come from my own pocket. I won’t be joining Peace FM as I’ve enjoyed my time at ALL FM.

It’s up to Peace FM to run with their vision for Hulme when they start broadcasting. I don’t believe that gangs go around listening to community radio. Not the ones I’ve seen.

Community radio should be for the whole community and not one select group of people. Erinma Bell has said in the press that they want other genres of music to be played, a powerful signal and quality professional productions. Com radio relies on voluntary staff, many of whom want to break into the industry. Any one with professional skills would want to be paid. Unless they are really dedicated to the vision and want to stay for free until advertising revenue is built up to pay them.

There again, should the BBC or Independent Local Radio snap up the talent, then Carisma’s Peace FM may struggle quality wise, until it can break free of reliance on funding and into being an independent local radio station capable of attracting advertising from businesses willing to pay for exposure on yet another new radio station. With so much competition from other ILR stations (Galaxy 102, X-FM, Smooth FM, Rock FM, Big 1458am, Century 105, Imagine FM and Key 103), news papers, websites, billboards and other advertising platforms in Manchester, it has to be competitive to survive. They may have people willing to listen regularly, but will it be enough?

It has taken years for ALL FM to reach the level they have, having a wide variety of shows and opening studios in East Manchester and Hulme. It could mean that ALL FM may close their Hulme studio, as this would compete with Peace FM and its not about competition - it’s about the people we serve.

I will still do a show, but not from Hulme. I will chat to ALL FM staff to see what their schedule is like in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the last of the shows… and thanks for listening!

- Paul

Buses were delayed yesterday from Piccadilly Bus Station as a young man lay collapsed on the zebra crossing, blocking the exit road. The Afro-Caribbean male was drifting in & out of consciousness on the floor as police officers tried to prevent any deterioration in his condition. This meant that all buses leaving the station were delayed for over 30 mins.

An ambulance was called, but it took awhile. Eventually, when one did arrive, the driver/medic of the hatch back saloon was on his way to another scene. Near the Arndale Centre someone was threatening to throw themselves of a building. Passengers on the station couldn’t understand why the driver was wanting to follow the tram lines and not see to the young man.

Finally, the ‘jumper’ was arrested and the driver of the small paramedic ambulance turned to help the casualty. If he was called to the ‘jumper’ then where was the second ambulance?

As the paramedic checked the casualty, members of the public formed a crowd. As they couldn’t now catch their bus. The police asked them to go away. Some of the crowd began to argue and complain to the police, with no thought of the injured man on the ground. 1 or 2 shouted to the officers to move the man, which could have risked further injury if something was broken. Eventually, the crowd dispersed and the police discovered a police ‘tag’ on the man’s ankle.

It looked like the man had been drinking all day and lacked sleep. 10mins after the paramedic checked his pulse and blood sugar the man was able to get up and walk to the coffee house to sit down.

To those people who showed a bad attitude - let’s hope its not you next time.

If you receive a phone call on your mobile from any person, saying that he or she is a company engineer, or telling that they’re checking your mobile line, and you have to press #90 or #09 or any other number, end this call immediately without pressing any numbers.

There is a fraud company using a device that once you press #90 or #09 they can access your ‘SIM’ card and make calls at your expense. Forward this message to as many colleagues, relatives and friends as you can, to stop it.

Many thanks for your time regarding this matter, take care and regards.

Phil Corris
Police Constable/Crime Prevention Officer
Ext 496696 (Internal)
01524 596696 (External)
Email PhilCorris@lancashire.pnn www.police.uk

NEIGHBOURS DAY

24TH MAY 2008 10 am - 4 pm

Bronte Street, Hulme

Some friendly folk from the Aquarius estate in Hulme are organising an event for locals to come along and meet their neighbours, have something to eat and have fun.

Things to do on the day include:

cake competition
(I’ll volunteer to taste)

family sports day
(darts for me hopefully)

create your own hanging basket
(weaving, ducking and diving)

learn how to fix a leaky sink
(by not asking fashion models or me)

bounce on a bouncy castle
(volunteers needed to keep it blown up)

face painting
(no graffiti artists, please)

hand art & meet our local fireman
(only one.. where’s Pew, Barney, McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub?)

You can taste food from different cultures
(yum, yum, in the presenter’s tum!)

And meet me in person!
(well worth coming out!)

This event will be broadcasted live on Allfm 96.9

The Generate Generations Project tell me that they are having an African Liberation Day event at the Afewe Community Pub on Royce Road, Hulme, Sunday 25th May from 2 pm until late. There will be activities indoors and outdoors…

During the day: 2pm to 8pm FREE (soft drinks only until 7pm), then for over 18s a night of reggae, roots, funk - live and djs, and much more will continue until late (approx 1pm).

The event is organised by the Generate Generations Project, which is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

For more information on Generation Generations

www.generateproject.org

Also:

It was reported to me that 3 women, celebrating a birthday, were drunk and singing and shouting at the top of their voices, as they walked down Royce Road in the early hours of Saturday morning. A man shouted from a house on the road and began threats of violence towards them. He then came out of his house and a heated argument ensued. Fortunately for all of them, other members of the house came out and dragged him back in before the police arrived.

It’s quieter on weekend nights in Hulme when it rains! If you do attend remember to respect the community and keep noise down to a minimum when leaving late. Many thanks!