A tree in nearby Swinton Grove Park is being fitted with Christmas lights and we're having a community switch-on event next Wednesday, November 24, 4:40-5:30pm. There will be refreshments, singing of traditional carols and other music, plus special Christmas treats for the children, and prizes for any children who come in a Christmas hat, particularly one they have made themselves. It's all free thanks to support from the Council and a number of local organisations including Moss Care St Vincent Housing and Elizabeth Gaskell's House, which will also be open all day for free entry for M13 postcode residents.

Yesterday Upper West Grove became an Active Play Street for the day. Residents were asked to park their cars elsewhere and the street was closed to traffic from 11-4pm. We began with a litter pick with prizes for the children who joined in. Then Manchester Active brought in loads of games, lots of neighbours brought food and we had 3 hours of fun and conversation while the children played and laughed. We reckon around 30 adults and 50 children came for all or part. One neighbour said it reminded her of how the streets were back in the 60s when not many people had cars. Thanks to Manchester Council, Manchester Active, MossCare St Vincent Housing and Biffa.

We are taking part in the Great British Spring Clean again this year. Our Groves Clean-Up will be on Saturday on March 21. Come along anytime between 11am and 2pm. As before we are being supported by Manchester City Council, Moss Care St Vincent housing. local businesses such as MSA, and our Councillors will be calling in. Also this year we welcome Manchester Student Homes who will be encouraging our local students to come and join in. 

We will have prizes and goody-bags and we're asking everyone if they can to bring some cake or biscuits to share. Let's make it a fun community and family time together doing something positive.

Our clean-up is registered with Keep Britain Tidy and our number of volunteers and numbers of bags filled will be counted in the national statistics. More details soon.

Once again we fitted our picnic between rain showers! It was an excellent time together. Thanks to everyone who came and brought all sorts of delicious food and drinks. Thanks to M13 Youth Project for children's games. And thanks to Trae for capturing several of us in silhouette on the Community Garden walls.

It's time for our Bring & Share Picnic in the Community Garden. Saturday August 31, from 12:30pm. Everyone welcome – please bring some food to share.

​This year we will be joined again by community artist Trae who will be encouraging us to take part in creating some artwork to decorate the garden. M13 Youth Project will be providing some activities for children and young people. And all of us will be providing the food and (soft) drinks to share. It’s a great way of getting to know your neighbours better and enjoying some new tastes and flavours. We particularly welcome any new students who may have moved into the Groves recently.

STOP PRESS: Once again Akutu has made some jam from one of the plum tree in the garden (thanks to Matteo for helping pick the fruit). Jars available to Groves residents on a first come basis.

Today we had our latest Bring & Share event, hosted by Elizabeth Gaskell’s House. Thanks to everyone who came and brought food to share. As part of our time together we had free tours of the house. We enjoyed finding out about this historic building on our doorsteps and the people who lived there from a time when round here was mostly fields. Thanks also to our 2 tour guides, and to the Jo Cox Foundation for providing our funding, via Forever Manchester, as part of the Great Get Together.

We had an excellent time at our Groves Bring & Share event at Elizabeth Gaskell's House on Saturday. Lovely home-cooked food, drawing our silhouettes with Trae, and lots of dressing up in Victorian clothes! Here are photos of some of those who came. Thanks everyone for the food, thanks Trae and thanks to Elizabeth Gaskell's House for hosting us.