Afternoon Tea at 1853 Restaurant

Over 40 of us enjoyed an afternoon tea at the 1853 Restaurant.

There were savouries and sweets served on a three tier tower, as well as teas and coffees.

The afternoon tea included chicken satay, quiche, sausage roll, salmon sandwiches, chicken sandwiches and more. There were also fruit tartlets, scones, chocolate éclairs and cream cake. Everything was exquisite.

Thursday, 12 November – 6.00pm – 8.00pm – ACT UP at 40 Manchester Calendar Launch: A celebration of 40 years of resistance and collective power!

George House Trust, 75/77 Ardwick Green North, Manchester M12 6FX

In 2027, ‘AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power’ (ACT UP) turns 40. To mark four decades of radical HIV/AIDS activism, The George House Trust will launch the ACT UP at 40: Celebrating Resistance and Demanding Healthcare for All – Calendar 2027, bringing together previously unseen photographs and footage from ACT UP chapters around the world alongside daily reminders of protest.

We will have a short conversation with activists, photographers and filmmakers who documented and participated in the early years of ACT UP Manchester and a new generation of organisers to ask: What can ACT UP teach us now?

Speakers:

Jonathan Holvey

Tony Openshaw

Anita Binns

Jaime Starr

Jekta Tabibi.

Calendars will be on sale for the first time!

Buy yours now – please state your name and contact clearly when you purchase. Purchase yours here at Etsy for £15.00 RRP (Recommended Retail Price) + P+P

1 December – 6.00pm – Documentary film: United in Anger: A History of ACT-UP + Q&A

HOME Cinema, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN

World AIDS Day at HOME. Monica Pearl will be in conversation with Jim Hubbard, ACT UP New York, about his 2012 film.

United in Anger: A History of ACT UP documents the birth and life of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) from the perspective of those in the trenches, who fought the epidemic, social indifference, government neglect, and corporate greed.

Using remarkably insightful interviews from the ACT UP Oral History Project, as well as rare archival footage that puts the audience on the ground with activists, United in Anger shows how a coalition of the committed, a small group of men and women of all races and classes, came together to change the world and save each other’s lives.

Capturing the profound grief, sexiness, and the incredible energy of ACT UP, United in Anger reveals the group’s complex culture – outlining the meetings, rallies, affinity groups and approaches to civil disobedience that affected a profound shift in government, healthcare policy and society at large.

Info and tickets here.

£11.15 Full Price / £9.15 Concerssions / £7.95 Unwaged

Pension Credit Week of Action 12-16 October 2026 This year’s Pension Credit Week of Action aims to challenge some of the common misconceptions that stop people claiming Pension Credit. Many people mistakenly believe that owning a home, being employed, having savings or receiving a private pension automatically makes them ineligible. It doesn’t. As a result, many people of State Pension age who could be entitled to Pension Credit never make a claim.

Here are some of the common myths: Own your home? You may still be eligible for Pension Credit. Home ownership is not taken into account when entitlement is calculated. Have savings? You could still qualify if you have savings. The first £10,000 of savings is ignored. For every £500 of savings above £10,000, DWP assumes you have an extra £1 a week in income when calculating your Pension Credit entitlement. Receive State Pension? Pension Credit is paid in addition to your State Pension and could provide extra financial support. Think it happens automatically? Pension Credit is not paid automatically. People need to check their eligibility on GOV.UK and make a claim. To find out more about Pension Credit and how to apply, visit: gov.uk/pension-credit

Pat Karney

Tributes are being paid to legendary Manchester politician Pat Karney who died at 78.

He served the city for almost half a century, having represented Harpurhey as a councillor since 1979.

Councillor Karney was proud of the role he played in standing up for gay rights and for people living with HIV.

That was especially so in the 1980s, when Manchester City Council fought against Clause 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which was introduced by the Thatcher government.