Portland Basin Museum

The Portland Basin Museum is housed within the restored nineteenth century Canal Warehouse in Ashton-under-Lyne. A group of us travelled from Manchester by tram. We walked from the tram stop (0.7 miles) but the museum was a little difficult to find.

When we arrived, our first thought was to visit the Bridge View Café. Unfortunately, it was closed due to staff shortages, but just round the corner was the Hill Street Café. We squeezed in and enjoyed sandwiches, toasties and full English breakfasts at very reasonable prices.  

The museum itself combines a lively modern interior with a peaceful canal side setting.

One of the rooms is dedicated to the history of the area. The first human activity can be traced back almost ten thousand years. The Setantii Tribe were ancient hunter-gatherers and farmers but they left few clues about their lives. The first people to settle almost three thousand years ago were the Celts. They were followed by the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and finally the Normans.

The main feature of the museum was a 1920s street, bringing to life the sights and sounds of bygone times. There is a complete house with pantry, living room, back yard and outside loo. There is also a school, with desks, maps and chalkboards, various shops including a bakery and fish and chip shop, a church and a pub from back in the day and even a doctor’s office. The museum is packed with local history.

Some beautiful photos can be seen here.

Bi Visibility Day

Bi Visibility Day is a day to recognise the bisexual community and celebrate bisexual people globally. It takes place on Friday, 23 September. The whole of September is Bisexual Visibility Month.

Why is there a Bi Visibility Day?

The bisexual community is frequently referred to as the “forgotten” part of the LGBTQ+ community, and they face a number of negative stereotypes and expectations.

Bisexual Visibility Day is an opportunity to celebrate bisexuals, learn about biromantic erasure, and discover the difficulties that many members of the bisexual community face.

The history of Bi Visibility Day 

Bi Visibility Day began (and is still sometimes referred to) as “International Celebrate Bisexuality Day”.

Three bi activists from the United States, founded the day in 1999 and Michael Page designed the bisexual flag.

Jen Yockney started the day in the UK and coined it Bi Visibility Day, which has since spread worldwide.

The importance of Bi Visibility Day

It is important to recognise and celebrate Bi Visibility Day for a variety of reasons:

It helps tackle biphobia – It is an opportunity to combat biphobia by learning more about the community and celebrating their existence. Many people may be confused about what bisexuality is, but the day is an opportunity to raise awareness and share knowledge.

It gives visibility to the bisexual community – The bisexual community is frequently forgotten and feels invisible or excluded from the larger LGBTQ+ community. This day provides visibility to the bisexual community, raises bisexual awareness and allows them to celebrate who they are with others.

Opportunity for people to learn about bisexuality – Some people may be unaware of what it means to be bisexual. The day provides an opportunity for others to learn about and understand the community.

Call for change – The day is a call for change in the way many members of the bisexual community are treated. Some people feel they don’t fit in with any community because they are bisexual, which should not be the case. It’s an opportunity for everyone to speak up, share their stories, and encourage acceptance.

Thursday, 6 October – New Show “GROOVE” at Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA

7.30pm – 8.40pm, followed by after party – £10 concessions

The show is based on the real stories and testimonies of LGBTQIA+ people across generations and featuring a fierce and mighty intergenerational cast of dancers and actors, GROOVE explores the dance floor as a place of protest, identity, belonging and desire.

Please note, this production contains the kinds of lighting and special effects you would find in a nightclub; this may include roving, rhythmic flashing, scanning and haze.

Also showing on 6 October is “Naughty”

Pink Milk is an upcoming theatre company with a focus on telling important and underrepresented queer stories.

They are currently preparing to tour their production of “Naughty”; a solo show written to examine grooming in the LGBTQ+ community and the common lack of safe mentorship for queer youth.

Pink Milk Theatre, following a 5-star OffFest-nominated run at Camden Fringe 2021, presents this darkly comic, queer coming-of-age tale.  

Grooming is not an uncommon experience for young queer people and they particularly want to reach LGBTQ+ audiences with the production.

“Naughty” will be presented at The Kings Arms, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN on 6 October at 7:30 pm. Concession price £7.00 / Full price £11.00. Buy tickets here.

They will also be hosting an optional Q+A following the performance, should you be interested in engaging with the piece further.