Government ministers have indicated today (July 21) that the acts of wolf whistling and cat calling could soon be made illegal in England and Wales.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said the government would be “taking action” on a range of safety concerns, with new proposals unveiled as part of the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
“We will continue to look at gaps in existing law and how an offence for sexual harassment could address those,” Ms Patel told The Times.
The new strategy is said to have been published against a recent backdrop of dismal conviction rates for rape offences. According to the i, less than 2% of cases lead to a conviction last year even though the number of reported incidents are on the rise.
It has been revealed that last year, just 1,439 suspects were convicted of rape and other sexual offences.
This is despite an estimated 128,000 people coming forward with reports.
Writing in the Times, amid reported plans to tackle wolf whistling and cat calling, the Home Secretary added: “We are taking action on street harassment [and] I am committed to ensuring not only that the laws are there, but that they work in practice and women and girls are confident their concerns will be taken seriously.
“It is important that the police enforce the law and give women the confidence that if they report an incident, it will be dealt with.”
Although the Home Secretary has indicated that the government will move to crack down on public sexual harassment, immediate new legislation is not expected to be introduced.
Rose Caldwell – Chief Executive of Plan International UK – said she was “very disappointed” that the strategy does not include the quick implementation of legislation on public sexual harassment, adding: “Without a new law, millions of girls will be left unprotected.
“However, the government has recognised that this is an urgent issue that needs more attention [and we urge it] to quickly deliver its promise to review gaps in the legislation – and then it must commit to a new Public Sexual Harassment Law.”
Prominent campaign group Our Streets Now – which is committed to “ending public sexual harassment in the UK by changing culture and creating a criminal offence” – has also released a statement on Twitter in response to the plans.
Our Statement on the Government's Violence against Women and Girls strategy.
This is a big first step in recognising the radical changes needed to address public sexual harassment.
Andrea Simon – Director of End Violence Against Women Coalition – said: “The seriousness and scale of violence against women warrants radical change and a whole systems approach which has prevention at its heart [and] we welcome the recognition of this in the government’s new strategy.”
She continued: “However, to make this a strategy that delivers change, there must be accountability and the right level of funding that follows all aspects of the work.
“There is a distinct lack of resourcing here that cannot be ignored.”
We welcome the focus on prevention of VAWG in the #VAWGStrategy press notice, but are concerned that the actions fall short on ambition and funding https://t.co/2dHOPgJPVH
Also in response to the new proposals, Shadow Home Office Minister Jess Phillips said: “The services and support required to end violence against women and girls cannot run on warm words alone.
“How are we in a situation where we have better protections for statues than for women?”
“The government should step up to the plate and take action rather than more warm words,” she concluded.
A number of other measures announced in the strategy this afternoon include increasing support for victims and survivors, reversing declines in conviction rates, and reducing attacks, as well as further pledges for a new 24/7 rape and sexual assault helpline and two new ‘Violence Against Women and Girls Transport Champions’ who will look at how protection can be offered on public transport.
It has been confirmed that a new ‘StreetSafe’ app will also be launched so women and girls can record areas they feel unsafe.
Featured Image – Pxfuel
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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
News
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.
The Manc -
21st July 2021 
