Tens of thousands of nursing staff are set to walk out today in what is one of the largest strikes in the history of the NHS.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) – which is the nursing industry’s largest union, representing over 300,000 nurses across the UK – announced last month that thousands of its members had voted to take industrial action for the first time ever in its 106-year history.
The announcement that nurses are to walk out came after the union urged its members to vote in favour of striking when the ballot first opened at the start of October, with RCN’s general secretary calling it a “once-in-a-generation chance” to make real change.
Nurses are striking today in objection to “years of real-terms pay cuts” and “concerns over patient safety”, the RCN said.
Up to 100,000 nursing staff are taking part in the strikes in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales today, with a further day of strike action is planned for Tuesday 20 December.
Strikes are taking place at the NHS trusts or health boards that have met the relevant legal requirements, with the union confirming that many of the biggest hospitals in England will see action taken by its members, but others “narrowly missed” the legal turnout thresholds to qualify for action.
The RCN has always maintained it will ensure strike action is carried out “legally and safely at all times”.
The union said in a statement on its website nurses are “campaigning for a pay rise to overcome years of real-terms pay cuts and to protect patient safety by allowing the NHS to recruit and retain the nursing staff it desperately needs.”
“Since strike action was announced last month, we have repeatedly asked Health Secretary Steve Barclay to open formal pay negotiations,” the RCN revealed.
“However, ministers have declined every offer – and have instead chosen strike action.”
Tens of thousands of nurses walk out today in the largest strike in NHS history / Credit: Royal College of Nursing
Speaking ahead of strike action taking place today, Pat Cullen – General Secretary & Chief Executive at the RCN – said: “For many of us, this is our first time striking and our emotions are really mixed. The NHS is in crisis, the nursing profession can’t take any more, our loved ones are already suffering [but] it is not unreasonable to demand better.
“This is not something that can wait. We are committed to our patients and always will be.”
She continued: “I have tried to negotiate and get governments to act. They’ve had every chance but they chose to turn their back on us.
“As hard as this is, we won’t turn our backs on our patients.”
The RCN says today’s strike” could be the beginning of a longer period of action” if governments continue to refuse formal pay negotiations, or if pay talks don’t result in a “satisfactory outcome”.
“The NHS is in a crisis, the nursing profession can’t take any more, our loved ones – your parents, children, friends and relatives – are the ones at stake here."
The mass walk out of nursing staff nationwide today comes amid warnings that nurses are leaving the profession in record numbers, and many are unhappy with working conditions, staff shortages, and ultimately, their pay.
A recent analysis by London Economics, as referenced by the RCN, found that pay for nurses in the NHS has declined at twice the rate of the private sector in the last decade, and that their real-terms earnings are said to have fallen by 6%.
The RCN wants nurses to be given a pay rise in line with the rate of inflation.
“Today, we strike for fairness,” Pat Cullen concluded.
“We strike for the future of our NHS. We strike because it’s our right – and our duty – to stand up for fair pay and for patient safety.”
Featured Image – Royal College of Nursing
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Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
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The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
Emily Sergeant -
15th December 2022 
