BLACK LION TURNS BARNYARD

No Turn Unstoned
Black Lion Pub
Friday 2nd March from 7pm free

Salford's ace open mic night, No Turn Unstoned returns to the Black Lion pub this Friday night with Chuck 'em a Kipper, a selection of poetry, tall tales, comedy and music. Anyone can get up and show Salford their total talent. And before the show starts, there's an International Beer Tasting Festival with free samples.

THE VERY FINAL END OF SALFORD MARKET

The venue for Salford's outdoor market, including the flea and car boot markets which were shut down in January, were finally bulldozed this week.

Despite petitions to try and save the flea and the car boot markets, the stalls which have stood for over thirty years were cleared to make way for what appears to be a car park and a large retail unit.

SALFORD RIOT NIGHT – BE PART OF IT

Reading The Riots
Salford Community Conversations
Wed 7th March 6:30-8pm free
St Sebastian's Community Centre

The Guardian, LSE and the Social Action and Research Foundation are putting on a night where the community can mull over the Salford riots of last year and see where future policy and funding can be targeted to avoid a repeat.

The night stars local community worker, Graham Cooper, with Salford Council leader, John Merry, GMP's Kevin Mulligan and Reading The Riots researcher, Helen Clifton. Everyone's welcome…

SALFORD PROTESTS AT MORRISONS AND NG BAILEY HELP BESNA COLLAPSE

Salford sparks and construction workers who picketed the new Morrisons store on Trafford Road and NG Bailey's offices on Ordsall Lane have helped smash controversial proposals known as the Building Engineering Services National Agreement, or BESNA, which unions believed would have forced worse pay and conditions on the industry, cutting wages by up to 35%.

Following Balfour Beatty's withdrawal from the scheme last week, other contractors followed suit and the proposals are now in pieces.

T BREAK TAKES THE BISCUIT AT ST PAUL'S

Last Wednesday, the Arts and Crafts Club broke out the teabags to raise almost £230 for the Manchester Royal Children's Hospital.

The event, at St Paul's Court, was part of the Big T Break and members of the Arts and Craft Club served food and sold goods, including jewellery by star creator, Lydia, aged 92.

SALFORD COUNCIL TURNS SALFORD CLOWNCIL AS £24MILLION CUTS APPROVED

"That was pure comedy – I've never seen anything like it" watching member of the public.

It was supposed to be a full meeting of Salford Council to discuss the serious issue of £24million of cuts to services for some of the most vulnerable people in Salford…

…But what should have been a solemn occasion soon turned to farce. Salford Council owes the people of this City an apology for this shambles.

FROM NEW YORK TO SALFORD - PROTESTS OUTSIDE MORRISONS ON TRAFFORD ROAD OVER CONTRACTS

Yesterday, the new Morrisons store on Trafford Road, near Salford Quays, was the scene of protests by construction and electrical workers over the supermarket's maintenance contract with NG Bailey which has signed up to a notorious new agreement that UNITE the union reckons will cut wages by up to 35% and lead to shocking conditions for workers.

Now, the ultra powerful USA based union, Teamsters, is showing support for UK workers – and top contractor Balfour Beatty has already pulled out of the disgraceful new deal.

ARTS AND CRAFTS AND SCONES AND JAM FOR KIDS HOSPITAL

The Big T Break
Anchor Housing Trust
St Paul's Court, Salford  
Wed 22nd Feb 11am

This Wednesday morning the Arts and Crafts Club will be hosting a Salford Big T Break event with all proceeds going to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

On sale will be special cards, jewellery and vases for the occasion and refreshments will include cheese on toast, jam and scones, teas and coffees all made fresh by members of the Club.

Salford City 2 Wakefield 0

SUPER SOARAWAY SALFORD SLAM WAKEFIELD

Salford City got back to winning ways yesterday with a two goal defeat of Wakefield. Rhodri Giggs' Tangerine Army will now be looking to build on this victory and slip into the play off places during the final quarter of the season.

SOUNDS FROM GRIMSBY TO LOWER BROUGHTON

Everyone's heard of Abbey Road, now get Marlborough Road, the title of a new collection of songs by the well travelled Mark Daynes.

Graham Williamson traces Mark's journey from Grimsby to Irlam to Lower Broughton and the top sounds that have been born from the experience…

SALFORD COUNCIL STATES CITY'S VULNERABLE WILL BE PROTECTED – THEN CUTS SERVICES

Demonstrate Against Cuts In Salford
Tuesday 21st February 8:30am
Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Rd, Swinton

Salford Against The Cuts has called a demonstration outside the Civic Centre next Tuesday morning, to oppose another £24million of cuts which will be ratified by the full Council meeting that day.

Salford Council has consistently stated that it will "protect the most vulnerable who live in the City" – now it's about to cut more support and help for those people.

A Salford Star Exclusive  

SALFORD COUNCIL TO GIVE ALMOST £2MILLION TO PEEL HOLDINGS CANAL

Cash strapped Salford Council, which next week will announce cuts of another £24million, is to underwrite almost £2million worth of funding towards improvements for the Peel Holdings owned Bridgewater Canal.

The underwriting is part of a new bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to do up the Canal. The original bid was turned down because even the Lottery Fund was astounded that canal owner Peel wasn't putting any money into the project at all. Now Peel - backed by one of the richest Saudi conglomerates in the world - has promised the massive sum of £50,000 towards the £5,465,614 million total cost…

SALFORD SUKAI LOSES LATE APPEAL AGAINST DEPORTATION TO DESPOT LAND…

"I have just had the most harrowing conversation with Sukai…I felt like I was talking to someone on death row" Sukai's friend

Last night the Salford Star got a sad e-mail from supporters of Sukai Jack, stating that she'd lost her last minute appeal, and will be deported at 9am this morning to Gambia.

The British Government has sent Sukai back to be dealt with by a ruthless regime. Amnesty International has condemned Gambia's President Jammeh for all sorts of human rights violations, including "arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances". If this despot lays one finger on Sukai – it's war…You don't mess with Salfordians!

UPDATE 9AM: SUKAI'S FLIGHT CANCELLED!

UPDATE 16th Feb: Sukai still in the UK - see full story

SUKAI TO BE DEPORTED 14TH FEB – ONLY A FEW HOURS LEFT TO SAVE HER

Sukai Jack has been living in Salford and volunteering at Salford Women's Centre for a couple of years, as she has fought deportation to Gambia where her life will be in real danger.

Salfordians have really supported Sukai for over two years, with protests, demos and letters of support. Now we have until tomorrow morning to save her. We urge all Salford Star supporters to bang off an e-mail asap.

SALFORD HOUSE PRICES FALL BY ALMOST 10%

Latest figures show that Salford has had the second highest fall in house prices in Greater Manchester over the last 12 months.

House prices over the 12 months to December 2011 fell by 9.3%, compared to a fall of just 1.3% for the whole of England and Wales over the same period.

AGECROFT ROAD PUPPY PROTEST

Campaigners lined the entrance to Dogs 4 Us on Agecroft Road yesterday to raise awareness about puppy farms and the over supply of dogs in the UK.

Dogs 4 Us was investigated last March by Channel 5 News which looked into the puppy store's conditions and suppliers. The protesters held placards stating `True Dog Lovers Don't Support Puppy Farms' and `Exposed by Channel 5 News', as passing cars honked support,

IRLAM HONKS FOR CRAIG HALL AS PROTESTS CONTINUE!

Lobby Salford Labour Group Mon 13th Feb 5pm Civic Centre

Protest Outside Full Council Meeting Wed 21st Feb 8:30am Civic Centre

With protests planned all over the city for February, Salford Council recently did a massive u-turn on withdrawing funding for day care services which would have seen at least two centres with no facilities to care for some of Salford's most vulnerable people.

Now the plan has been put on hold for 12 months, while the Council has another think – but campaigners at Craig Hall in Irlam still went ahead with their protest last Thursday because the centre is still not safe. The battle and cuts continue...

VOTE FOR WCML AND THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF DISSENT!

Salford's Working Class Movement Library, on the Crescent, has been shortlisted in a competition to win an artist, who will stage an exhibition of photos of modern dissenters, based upon the Library's incredible archives.

The competition is called the Museum At Night Connect 10 contest, and there's only two other contenders up against the WCML, so we can do 'em, can't we Salford?

VALENTINES DAY LOVE AT THE BLACK LION PUB

Love Your Local Arts Space
Tuesday Feb 14th from 7:30pm
Black Lion, Chapel Street

This Tuesday, the Black Lion pub is hosting a Love Your Local Arts Space Valentines night with a pop up and pay-what-you-think restaurant, the proceeds of which will go towards funding the disabled access for the pub's new cinema and theatre space.

It's just £1 per person to book a table at the increasingly popular pub and we urge everyone to spend their Valentine's smooch money in the most ethical way possible.

DAY CARE VICTORY PARTY FOR CAMPAIGNERS

Day Care Victory Party
Saturday 11th February 1pm
Swinton Royal British Legion

Campaigners who forced Salford Council into a u-turn over cuts to day care services in the city are holding a Victory Party this Saturday at Swinton British Legion. As well as celebrating the 12 month reprieve there will be discussions on where to take the anti-cuts protests next.

Meanwhile campaigners are horrified that Salford Labour Party, whose councillors proposed the cuts to day care services in the first place, posted a leaflet around Ordsall claiming responsibility for the victory.

SALFORD COUNCIL SO FAR FAILS WITH COURT EVICTIONS FOR RIOTERS

Salford Council is one of the only local authorities in the country to try and legally evict families and friends of rioters from their social housing, after Wandsworth Council backed down from such draconian action.

Five tenants have been subject to legal action by Salford Council which has been heavily criticised for its stance. And so far, no-one in Salford has been evicted by the courts…

WANT TO STAND FOR MAYOR? GET THE SALFORD STAR DIY GUIDE!

If there wasn't enough confusion over the recent vote on whether Salford was to have an elected Mayor or not, it gets even worse if you want to actually stand for the top job.

The only information Salford Council is giving out at the moment is a link to a 126 page turgid Government document. The Mayoral election will actually be over by the time anyone has got their head around it! So, in the interests of democracy here's the Salford Star Guide To Standing For Mayor...

A Salford Star Exclusive

7.62% RENT INCREASE FOR SALIX HOMES TENANTS – WHILE SALIX FAT CATS RAKE IN OVER £450K…

Salix Homes – the `arms length' Salford City Council housing company – is to raise rents by a whopping 7.62%, almost £5 a week, from April this year.

Meanwhile, five Executive Officers at Salix received £462,000 between them in wages and `emoluments' according to its last accounts…

LORDING IT UP IN SHAMELESS

Salford actor Stephen Lord makes a spectacular entrance in the new series of Shameless tomorrow night, starring as Dominic, a randy, alcoholic priest who arrives on the Chatsworth Estate in, er, biblical style.

We caught up with Stephen at the Langworthy Cornerstone to talk Salford, Somalian pirates and gangsters becoming reality show producers…

NEW FILM TO BE MADE IN SALFORD

Unleashing Creativity is about to start making a feature film which will be shot in March this year, and is offering the chance anyone who is unemployed or on low income to get involved…

THE DRAMA OF CHANGE

Socialist Theatre Course
9th Feb 1:30pm for 10 weeks
Working Class Movement Library

Back in the day left wing theatre helped change the world – performed in pubs, clubs, docks canteens, factory car parks and on the streets, it reflected people's attitudes and feelings, and stirred things up. Can it change anything now?

LADIES HELP FOR HEROES AT THE BLACK LION

Ladies Charity Night
Saturday 4th February
Black Lion pub
Chapel Street

A special ladies charity event Help For Heroes will see a soldier being auctioned tonight, while other soldiers perform saucy dance routines…

A Salford Star Exclusive

SALFORD COUNCIL CAVES IN OVER DAY CARE CLOSURES

"It is a great achievement for all those who believe that services for vulnerable people should be protected…" Steve North Salford City UNISON

Salford Council has done a major u-turn over withdrawing funding from Humphrey Booth and Craig Hall day care services following a campaign led by Salford City UNISON, carers, service users and community activists.

At 8pm tonight, Councillor John Warmisham, the Council's Lead Member for Adult Services, hoisted the white flag…and Salford Council Leader, John Merry, informed colleagues "We will not be proceeding with the changes in 2012/13…"

A Salford Star Exclusive

COMMUNITY ANGER AT SALFORD COUNCIL `ORNAMENTS' – UNISON DEMANDS TO SEE MULTI £MILLION MEDIA CITY CONTRACTS

Both public sector trade union Salford City UNISON and Salford Community Media Partnership (SCMP) have strongly criticised Salford Council, MediaCityUK and the BBC over excessive spending and lack of opportunities at prestige projects in the city.

Now, UNISON - slating Council spending on `ornaments', while `bread and butter services' are being run down - has demanded to see the contracts for the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Media City and Salford City Stadium, while SCMP states that the attitude of the BBC and Media City has left a "bitter feeling"…

A Salford Star Exclusive

400 JOBS TO GO…HOME CARE AND DAY SERVICES SLASHED… WELFARE ADVICE CHOPPED…£2 MILLION AXED FROM CHILDREN'S SERVICES…£1MILLION FROM YOUTH SERVICES…COMMUNITY RECREATION FACILITIES FLEECED…BUT PEEL HOLDINGS PORT GETS £15MILLION!

While Salford Council has been making great play that it is cutting £1million off its fat cat budget, behind the smokescreen a further £23million is being axed from other budgets that will hit Salford's most vulnerable people.

Make no mistake, while Salford's prestige projects are hardly touched, and Peel Holdings gets a £15million Council handout for Port Salford, the community is being forced to pay – yet again!