MHA students receive GCSE results

The students of Manchester Health Academy celebrated their GCSE results this week, with some impressive individual achievements. The academy’s highest performer achieved an outstanding 8 A* and A grades amongst 11 grades A* - C.

Principal, Mr Owen, said: “I am very proud of the students, whose effort and determination to succeed is reflected in their results. I’m also very proud of the dedication shown by the staff throughout the year to give students opportunities to achieve this success, no matter what their starting points, individual abilities and challenges are.

As discussed in the press recently, the new GCSEs are more demanding than ever before, making our students’ successes even more significant.

“Exams are, of course, just one aspect of a good education.  Students leave Manchester Health Academy with a rounded education, personal values, resilience and the potential to succeed in life no matter what path they choose. I wish each and every one the best for their future.”

In 2017 the new GCSEs in English language, English literature and mathematics have been examined for the first time. These courses no longer include coursework in the grades so the results depend upon final exam performance only. The A*- G grades in these subjects are now replaced with a scale of 9 – 1 (9 is the highest grade). The examinations are designed to assess a more demanding curriculum.

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MEA students receive bursaries

Chairman of the Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) board, Bishop of Manchester, The Right Rev Dr David Walker, visited the Manchester Enterprise Academy (MEA) to meet sixth form leavers who are about to start university.  

Students will benefit from a bursary donation from WCHG, which will support them in their first year of university, and will leave a lasting legacy for the residents and community of Wythenshawe.

The Bishop of Manchester said: “WCHG’s commitment to supporting the youth of Wythenshawe is an investment in the future of the community and MEA is doing a fantastic job to support young people to both hold and reach their ambitions.

“I was delighted to meet the students and hear firsthand the difference these bursaries will make to their lives. Education really matters to the life chances of young people growing up in Wythenshawe and here we will do what we can to help support this.”

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Landmark extra care housing scheme

The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Eddy Newman, officially launched Wythenshawe Community Housing Group’s (WCHG) landmark development, Village 135, on 5 June.

With 24 hour on-site extra care provision, residents of the 135 apartments can also benefit from the onsite beauty salon, spa and therapy room, bistro, landscaped sensory gardens and luxurious communal areas for relaxing and spending time with family or friends.

Village 135 promotes a full and active lifestyle for residents, who can participate in a range of activities designed to enrich their lifestyle, build friendships and provide new skills.

These new modern, energy-efficient homes provide a mixed tenure of 66 apartments for affordable rent, 39 apartments for shared ownership and 30 apartments for outright sale.

Village 135, offers residents independent living in their own two-bedroom apartments designed to meet full mobility and access in line with the Lifetime Homes design criteria, while ensuring that living spaces are flexible in design to adapt to future needs.

The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Eddy Newman, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to open Village 135 today and to have the opportunity to see this landmark development in Wythenshawe. The new facility will provide specialised housing to suit the needs of older people, helping them maintain their independence, while the development will also create new, local job opportunities. This development is a fantastic addition to the Wythenshawe community and to south Manchester.”

Nigel Wilson, Group Chief Executive of WCHG, said, “I would like to thank everyone who has been involved on the Village135 development. This fantastic landmark scheme is so much more than just housing. It’s a vibrant new community that could only be achieved through partnership working. It’s great to see this in practice through our new partnership with The Manchester College, whose students now work as part of the community facilities that are on offer here.”

Lisa O'Loughlin, Principal of The Manchester College, said: "Since our Wythenshawe campus first opened in 2010, we have offered a wide range of courses for school leavers and adults. We are always pleased to support our neighbours and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group's Village 135 is a landmark development - delivering extra care support for the over-55s - in the heart of the community.”

Mavis Thomson, a new resident said. “I’ve lived in Wythenshawe all my life and I think this place is beautiful. We are all getting to know each other. It’s better than any hotel I’ve ever stayed in. I’ve settled in better than I expected.”

Peter Mackie, another new resident said, “I moved here from a four bedroom house. I like everything here, all the facilities. I’ve made new friends and I know everybody really.”

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Age Friendly Wythenshawe

Wythenshawe’s own age friendly network has launched with a lively event at the Forum that gave a flavour of the activities and support available in the area. Visitors joined in with Tai Chi, Aqua Zumba, static cycling, local history, crafts and many other activities.

In the company of the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Cllr Eddy Newman and Eamonn O’Neal, Real Lives ambassador, broadcaster and deputy lieutenant of Greater Manchester, visitors to the launch clearly engaged with the positive ageing theme.

Councillor Eddy Newman said: “I am really pleased to be at Wythenshawe Forum for the launch of the Wythenshawe Age Friendly Network. Age Friendly Manchester has a well deserved reputation for promoting inclusion for older people in Manchester. It is great that there is now a focus on older people in Wythenshawe.

“There are many community groups and other organisations in Wythenshawe which cater for older people. It is good to see them working together under the Age Friendly banner which ensures that people can speak up with their own views about their issues and priorities.”

The launch acted as an introduction to the Age Friendly Wythenshawe fortnight which runs from 19 June to 2 July.  Venues around Wythenshawe will offer activities and events to showcase the diverse range of support and things to do for the over 50s.

As host venue for the launch, the Forum showcased its wide range of age friendly activities including Grand Day Out, dementia friendly swimming, Easy Rhythms, Total Body Conditioning and Simply Circuits exercise classes, Aqua Zumba, walking football, chess, calligraphy, art, crafts, bridge and reading groups. 

The Manchester Age Friendly strategy highlights that as the older population increases, it is important to ensure good quality of life.  Age Friendly Wythenshawe aims to be an even better place to grow older, and residents are invited to have a say in how relevant provision evolves.

The network has adopted the Manchester Older People’s Charter and follows the Age Friendly Manchester work plan which focuses on:

• Age friendly neighbourhoods
• Age friendly services
• Communication and involvement
• Knowledge and innovation
• Influence

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Real Food Wythenshawe in Geneva

Real Food Wythenshawe was invited to present to the United Nations in Geneva during May, to help raise awareness about food poverty in the UK as part of the Universal Periodic Review.

Working alongside Edmund Rice International, The Trussell Trust and St Ambrose College in Hale, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group’s Real Food programme manager, Jacqueline Naraynsingh, presented the case for the 1,182,954 people in the UK who received three day emergency food supplies (436,938 children).

The Universal Periodic Review is a process set up by the UN Human Rights Council to review the human rights situation in every UN member state. Each state is assessed by a group of representatives from other member states every five years and the team worked hard to present to their representatives and those who took part in side events.

Jacqueline said: “I was honoured to be given the opportunity to go to Geneva and petition the UN and hopefully raise awareness of the issues that we face, not just in Wythenshawe, but in the United Kingdom. When we started this project, we wanted to make a real difference and I’m very grateful to both Edmund Rice International and St Ambrose for giving me this fantastic opportunity at an international level.”

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