Tag: Community

Monton locals unite to reimburse clown’s stolen Easter donations

  • Children’s entertainer Louby Lou held an Easter event for children at Monton Unitarian Church on Thursday 17 April
  • Money from the donations pot appeared to have been stolen when it was recovered at the end of the event
  • Members of the Monton Chat Facebook group sought to restore Louby Lou’s lost earnings via online donations

Monton locals have been left shocked after learning that a children’s clown and entertainer had her donations stolen during an Easter-themed event for children at Monton Unitarian Church on Thursday.

Lucy Wilkinson, 44, who performs for children as clown ‘Louby Lou’ at local events, said she was ‘blown away’ by the generosity of the Monton community after the news of the theft was posted in the Monton Chat group on Facebook.

The event invited children and parents from the local area into the church for some Easter-themed fun, and a donation pot positioned by the entrance had collected an estimated £20 in notes and coins for the performer.

However, when Church Secretary Pam Ward-Speers arrived to lock up the church at the end of the event and return the pot to Wilkinson, it was discovered that most of the donations had been stolen.

“I was quite shocked, but I was quite upset as well,” Pam said. “It’s not the sort of thing that we want to happen when they’re coming to our church.

“We want people to feel safe at church, and we don’t want to think that there are people around, especially when there are young children around, that might not be honest, so it was upsetting for us as well.”

Louby Lou also expressed her disbelief: “I love Monton, I love all the people here. I was more gobsmacked that it had happened in a church. I was just like, wow.”

In her upset, Pam took to Facebook to alert the local community of what had happened, writing: “The children had a lovely time with [Louby Lou] and the Easter Bunny – it was such a shame for it to end this way.”

Soon after posting, offers of donations started being made in the comments, and it became clear that Monton locals were keen to show their support in the wake of an upsetting situation.

One commenter wrote: “How can we help? Let us know if a fund is set up,” while several others agreed that they were ‘happy to contribute’.

Upon seeing the offers of help, Pam approached Rev. Anna Jarvis who suggested that donations could be made via the church’s website and subsequently passed on to Louby Lou.

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“I’m blown away by it. I really am,” said Louby Lou. “The comments that I saw, I was like, wow, this is just melting my heart of people who have come together and contributed. There are good people around, there really are.

“Mine and Rev. Anna’s mantra to each other is ‘love always wins’, and it does. It really, really does, and it’s proved it here. So there’s always a positive twist that comes out of everything, every day.”

Pam added: “In times of need and in times of crisis, we come together as a community, and it’s just amazing. It is just a beauty. It’s just a beautiful thing to be part of that community.

Pam has since confirmed that the online contributions have more than reimbursed Louby Lou’s lost donations, and that the ordeal has underscored the Monton community’s resilience and generosity.

She said: “Thank you to everybody who commented and donated, and just for all the encouragement and the love and support that people gave. It meant so much.”

Monton Runners ‘take over’ Worsley Woods parkrun

  • Monton Runners members volunteered at Worsley Woods parkrun on 19 October
  • The group wanted to give back to the local running community
  • New members of all abilities are welcome, say the group’s leadership

Local running group Monton Runners held a parkrun takeover at yesterday’s (19 October) Worsley Woods event, with 20 members volunteering in a bid to give back to the running community.

Organised by one of Monton Runners’ leaders, Chris Pickering, the volunteers helped 390 runners, joggers, and walkers cross the finish line.

Of 33 total volunteers, 16 were first timers, and took on roles such as barcode scanning, funnel management, dispensing finish tokens, and course marshalling.

Chris, 36, who has been running for around 15 years, said: “There are quite a few of us from Monton Runners who go to parkrun fairly religiously, and even though some have volunteered before, a lot of us hadn’t.

“I thought it was time to give back to a community which serves us so well. We also run regularly on the loopline – it’s our local parkrun, so it had to be Worsley Woods that we chose.”

Monton Runners was established in December 2023 by Joel Shelvin, who wanted to create a ‘fun, free, and friendly’ running club that was accessible to all, regardless of ability.

Now, there are nine leaders who help to organise runs, with over 60 active members. “Anyone is welcome any week.” Chris added.

“It’s really important to us at Monton Runners that everyone is included, so although we have some really experienced and fast runners, we also make sure that every run has a tail runner to ensure that everyone feels welcome, no matter their ability or experience.”

“Monton Runners is continuously growing, and letting everyone at parkrun know that we are here was another reason for wanting to do the takeover.”

Chris Pickering

Monton Runners member and first-time parkrun volunteer Imogen Mayo, 24, said that for her, it was important to ‘do her bit’ and give back to the running community.

After getting into long-distance running during COVID, Imogen said: “Moving to Manchester from Liverpool, I didn’t really know anyone in the area so used the club as a way to meet people.

“I’ve been made to feel really welcome and included. I love the diversity of ages and abilities and always leave a session feeling fulfilled.”

George Frewer, 48, started running at 40 and explained that for him, running long distances is about peace and headspace.

He said: “I’m an occasional parkrunner and have done Worsley Woods a good number of times, as well as occasionally volunteering. I wanted to be part of the takeover as it’s very important to me to give back my time, and doing it with the gang is the perfect opportunity.”

George added that, as a leader of Monton Runners who joined the group in February, he has found the other runners to be ‘really supportive’ on runs when he hasn’t felt at is best physically or mentally.

“On days when I don’t really fancy it, the motivation to help others and run with those who are at the start of their running journey makes it worthwhile. I didn’t know I needed a running club in my life, but I am so thankful that I do.”

Another volunteer was Jess Pounder, 33, who grew up in Monton before moving to Bolton at 25. After completing Couch to 5K last year, she joined Monton Runners in Summer.

“I always thank the parkrun volunteers and the events couldn’t go ahead without them,” Jess said. “I wanted to give back.”

She described her experience with Monton Runners as being ‘very supportive’, and enjoys being able to talk to people on runs, meet people of different fitness levels, as well as feeling encouraged to continue in her running journey.

“Monton Runners has improved my running and my social life!”

Jess Pounder

Now, the leaders of Monton Runners are keen to welcome more members to the club for their runs, hikes, and social outings.

The group meets every Monday at 19:15 for a 5k run, starting and ending at Malt Dog on Monton Road, where many of the runners stay for a social drink afterwards.

Longer runs are held on Thursday evenings at 19:00, with the option to run a faster-paced 10k, or a shorter route often between 6-8k at a more relaxed pace.

Many of the runners have also signed up to complete the Great Manchester Run in May 2025, which for many of the members will be their first half marathon. On the run up to the event, the group will be supporting with training and getting up to distance.

Chris concluded: “Organisations like Parkrun and Monton Runners are so important in local communities. There are obvious benefits for your health, but the thing that has stood out for me since I joined the group in March is the social aspect.

“Although I’ve ran for years, I’ve never enjoyed it more and that is because of the supportive network we have curated. I knew no one when I started, and now I have a huge number of people motivating and supporting me – not just with running but in every aspect of my life!”

To get in touch with Monton Runners, they are contactable on Facebook or Instagram.

An artisan coffee shop with a Nepalese twist: Guras Café is a hidden gem

  • Guras opened in Summer 2024, taking over the former “Wilder and Wilder” premises in Swinton
  • Nepalese fusion cuisine in the form of quick bites and seasonal specials
  • A dog friendly pit stop, close to the Loop Line walking route

A family affair, Guras Café has received a warm welcome to the neighbourhood. Tucked behind the Worsley Road Co-Op, the team offer a range of light bites that can be customised to suit your taste. Monton Matters met with Manoj, founder of Guras Café, to learn a little more about what they hope to bring to the local community.

Manoj has experience in the restaurant business and has always had a passion to open a family-run café. Having lived in Swinton previously, he was excited to return to the local area. Taking a pragmatic approach, Manoj and the team are trialling different dishes, and creating a bespoke menu based on feedback from regulars.

“Hybrid” dishes that combine the flavours and spices of Nepalese food, and dishes such as Burritos, Bao Buns and Shawarma have been popular so far. Manoj advises they have already established a winning option- and the “Nepalese inspired Fajita Wraps” are here to stay, proving a popular lunch order for passing tradespeople and remote workers, looking for something different to the usual meal deal.

“My favourite dish is MoMo (dumplings).” Manoj explained this dish is a popular Nepali street food, also popular in Tibet. Guras serve homemade “Chicken MoMo” for £6.50 a portion.

Good quality coffee can be found at Guras. Through a partnership with premium roasters Oddy Knocky Coffee , based in Bolton, it is apparent that Guras are taking great pride in serving up a smooth cup of joe. Manoj explained, “I ask people, do you have time to wait five minutes for your coffee?” If they do, he ensures their cup is precisely measured to the gram.

Although unique drinks such as the “Strawberry Iced Matcha Latte”, will come and go, they will incorporate seasonal favourites such as “Pumpkin Spice” and “Gingerbread” lattes, as the darker nights roll in. For those looking for something crisp, they offer a selection of wine and ales; Guras is partnered with Pendlebury local House of Hops.

The loyalty scheme available is extremely generous. Stamped loyalty cards are easily mislaid, so the innovative system involves connecting your points to your payment method, and/or phone number. Points tot up quickly and with free drinks and discounts to claim, it’s worth the extra minute at the till to sign up.

Manoj has explained that Stockport’s immensely popular monthly “Foodie Friday” event is something he would love to see in Swinton one day. A combination of street food, live music, and family-friendly evening entertainment, is an exciting prospect for the future of our local area. With this in mind, there are plans to host local small businesses, artists and entrepreneurs at Guras, with evening activities including a, “painting workshop” in the pipeline. They’re open to collaborating with local businesses- just get in touch via their socials or pop in for a chat, and try the coffee for yourself.

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/gurasuk

Order & Collect | https://www.guras.co.uk/

@gurasuk

[VIDEO] “Monton, keep supporting events like this!”: The Monton Summer Mingle proves hit amongst locals

  • The Monton Summer Mingle was hosted by the MVCA and Monton Unitarian Church on Saturday 6 July
  • Monton locals enjoyed market stalls, fairground rides, and entertainment throughout the day
  • The community is urged to keep supporting future events

The Monton Summer Mingle welcomed locals for a day of festivities on Saturday 6 July.

The event, which was hosted jointly by the Monton Village Community Association (MVCA) and Monton Unitarian Church, opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Reverend Anna Jarvis, before locals were welcomed onto the church grounds.

A fairground on the site of the former Boddan Lodge proved a hit amongst the community, as did numerous market stalls selling handmade crafts, local produce, and refreshments.

Following the success of the event, Marie Hargreaves’s, Monton Mingle Lead at the MVCA, urged locals to keep supporting these events and the local businesses in Monton.

Debbie Reeves, owner of the Garden Bar, headline sponsor of the event, also praised Monton for its community spirit, and alluded to the possibility of market-style events in the restaurant in future.

See more about how the day unfolded below:

Monton’s Summer Mingle is on Saturday July 6th

Organised by Monton Unitarian Church in partnership with Monton Village Community Association (MVCA), the event will include market stalls, children’s entertainment, food and confectionary, a floral workshop and community art installation, live entertainment and a two-day fun fair.

Most of the event, which runs from 11am until 7pm, will take place in the grounds of Monton Unitarian Church and there is something of interest for everyone in the community. The headline sponsor is The Garden Bar.

For foodies, there’s local honey, cakes & biscuits and cream teas alongside a range of wellbeing products. Blossom by La Turka will mixing up delicious mock-tails, Common Ground Coffee will be providing hot drinks and the Monton Van will be offering a range of tasty food and snacks.

Live entertainment will include live music throughout the day plus the Blue Bell will be running live music events during the day and into the evening.

For younger family members there will be plenty of games and entertainment including appearances from Louby Lou the clown, a Disney Princess meet and greet and special guests, Paw Patrol’s Chase and Marshall who will be attending between 1-4pm.

The fun fair includes tea cups and a waltzer and will be open on both Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July from 11am-7pm.

MVCA will be hosting a raffle with fantastic prizes from local businesses. Volunteers will be wearing yellow t-shirts and visitors can buy tickets from allocated sellers and the event information stall.

Marie Hargraves, Director of Monton Summer Mingle is impressed by the involvement and support of local businesses, and is encouraged by so many different community groups coming together to make this event one to remember.

She says: “We are lucky to have so many thriving businesses here in Monton and we’re delighted that so many of them are keen to get involved either by having their own stalls at the event or through sponsorship and promotion of the event.

“Platinum sponsor The Garden Bar has played a pivotal role in this event coming together alongside Blossom by La Turka and The Blue Bell.

“The Summer Mingle isn’t just about raising funds for the Unitarian Church and MVCA to help the wider community; we want to benefit local businesses by bringing more people into Monton to enjoy everything they have to offer and bring our community closer.”

Victoria Smith, Volunteer Manager, said: “Everyone has worked so hard bring this wonderful summer event to life over many months. We’d like to pay a special thanks to our volunteers as we couldn’t do anything without them.

“We have a great team of people who give back to their community and we’ll be looking to repay them with a fun experience and lots of snacks throughout the day to keep them going. La Turka is also very kindly hosting a wrap party for all our volunteers.”

Local businesses supporting the event include The Garden Bar, Blossom Bistro by La Turka, Blue Bell, The Bread Club, Edison Bar, Twig, Clear Clutter Now, Access Lock & Safe, Emma Evans Studio, Monton Village Bakery, The Gatsby Salon, Everything but the Cake, Ashley Tree Services and more.

Boddan Lodge demolished making way for new community space

  • Monton Unitarian Church plan to use the site to build a community centre
  • The land will be used for community events prior to building works commencing
  • Locals will have opportunities to engage in future fundraising activities

Monton Unitarian Church has confirmed that the site of the now-demolished Boddan Lodge is to be set aside for a multi-use, eco-friendly building.

The site now sits empty after locals witnessed demolition works taking place over the weekend of 24 February.

Now, the Church have revealed their ambitions to build a two-storey community building on the land, which they had previously leased to Salford City Council.

Reverend Anna Jarvis, who has been Minister of the Church since 2015, told Monton Matters that the land may be used by the community for various events and activities before building works eventually commence.

Boddan Lodge had been home to the Over 60s Club on Church land leased to Salford City Council for over 60 years, but after the council withdrew from the lease, the Church received the keys back in June last year.

Despite joint efforts between the Church and council to maintain the building over the past six years, the Church has ‘reached the point of acknowledging that Boddan Lodge as a physical structure is no longer viable or repairable, and must be permanently closed for health and safety reasons,’ a press release on the church website reads.

At the announcement, some locals took to social media to express concern that the council might erect housing on the site, but the Church is keen to dispel any rumours of this nature.

“You are not going to see [residential buildings] at all. There is absolutely no plan, and we wouldn’t get a past planning permission even if there was, to put any sort of residential accommodation there,” Rev. Anna confirmed.

“It is going to be community purpose building. It’s not the council’s land. It’s the church’s land.

“We did a big consultation last summer, and we got a lot of really positive feedback about wanting to do a community building. That was great, because it was just reinforcing what we wanted to do.”

Prior to its demolition, all plaques and important items, including inscriptions from the benches outside, were saved and will be put on display in the new building as an homage to Boddan Lodge.

Due to the site’s strategic location in the centre of Monton, and the current volume of requests for hiring out the Church hall, Rev. Anna acknowledged the potential to deliver a multi-use community building which she hopes will meet the local demand.

Depending on planning, the minister expressed her wishes to create a large, open, downstairs space with a stage and lighting to facilitate pantomimes, concerts, and large functions such as wedding receptions.

Multiple upstairs rooms will be available for smaller groups to make use of, or for locals to use as a communal office space for an alternative to working from home.

Outside, the lawn may be used for picnics and yoga classes, and Rev. Anna hopes to establish a community vegetable patch with raised beds to ensure accessibility to all.

“There’s certain criteria that I really want to make sure the building meets,” Rev. Anna commented.

“It’s got to be multipurpose, and it’s got to be eco friendly, as green as we can possibly make it, so environmentally-wise, it leaves as small an impact as possible.”

The church is currently considering various means of fundraising, including a buy-a-brick scheme, where locals can donate a minimum of one pound which will represent one brick in the final building, encouraging a sense of community ownership over the new building.

Rev. Anna alluded to the possibility of other fundraising events such as concerts, but explained that the church will also be submitting numerous grant funding applications.

Due to the lengthy designing, planning, and funding processes yet to commence, it is currently estimated that it will be a minimum of two years before building works begin.

In the interim, there are plans to make use of the land for various community events, including private-hire functions such as birthday parties.

Rev Anna said: “We don’t want it just to sit there and do nothing because that would be a big shame.

It is a big lawn, and we’re hoping, for the Great Get Together in memory of Jo Cox, to have a picnic on the law for as much of Monton as wants to turn up.

“People can hire it, put marquees up, have a 60th birthday party, in fact there’s already one of those booked!

“We’re looking at ways where it can start immediately being of use to the community.”

Initial ideas also include welcoming pop-up street food vendors to use the space on a regular basis, and also establishing vegetable and gardening spaces which form part of her long-term plans for the community building.

While owned by Monton Unitarian Church, which was the first church in Salford to hold a same-sex wedding, which, Rev. Anna was eager to emphasise that the venue will be welcoming of all: “As Unitarians, our very ethos is that everybody is welcome.

“We welcome people regardless of their background, their sexuality, their gender, who they are, what they’ve done, their past. You are a human being, you are worthy of being here. We want to welcome you.

“We want it to be a space of respect so that everybody knows that they’re here and they will be respected for who and what they are.

“A space of care and compassion, so that whoever turns up here, whatever event they’re turning up for, they’re going to be looked after. They’re going to be okay, it’s a safe space.”

The Church are now looking for and accepting help from the community to bring the planned space to fruition.

“We’ll be looking for any companies that do want to get involved either with a corporate grant or just a slightly bigger donation than an individual can make.

“Any sort of any sort of involvement that people feel that they can offer, whether it’s in writing bids, any skills that people have got in in planning things or knowing how to get the word out there, or anything like that, we’d love for you to come and get involved.

“We’re putting together a team of people from within the church. We’re more than happy for people from the community to come and join in as well and help us make this the success that we want it to be.”

Locals are welcomed to get in touch, whether to hire the land or to offer any help they can, by contacting Rev. Anna at: minister@montonunitarianchurch.com