August First Sunday: Crime in the city and love on the streets

Dear friends, comrades, flaneurs and flibbertygibbets

I trust you are enjoying summer, I’ve spent much of the last month sitting in fields, listening to music, drinking mojitos and grinning – sometimes all at the same time. Bliss! However I’ve also been getting increasingly angry at the nonsense so called newspapers see fit to print; it reminds me how important it is to actually talk to folk, look around, question authority, create alternatives and try to engage with the real world, not a mediated spectacle.

I truly believe walking is one of the most beautiful ways to do this; personally it’s how I learn best and also of course its free and uncommodified. Never really having much money I feel rather distanced from talk of the age of austerity; make do and mend is nothing new here. I’m also getting bloody frustrated at this big society nonsense; I already live in a world where people take responsibility, action and care for each other despite getting screwed by those allegedly in charge. And I’m rather fond of The NHS and the notion people are all equal and equally valued. Grrr

Anyhow, back to the streets. I am delighted that this month’s First Sunday will see the second installment of Alan’s glorious crime spree. He really does make a splendid host so please do join us if you can.

Following on from last months look at the Scuttlers, we will concentrate on the decidedly nastier gangsters of the Gunchester era. For over 20 years Manchester has been famed for its bars and nightclubs, most famously the Hacienda, but the good times had a sinister side that almost brought the city to its knees. Meet us at Knott Bar (under the railway arch at the Castlefield end of Deansgate) at 2pm on Sunday 1st August for a walk along the sometimes bloodstained streets of the Mancunian criminal underworld.

The following Saturday The LRM will be collaborating with Manchester Womens Design Group on a Places Women Love’ Walk which starts at the pebble in front of the Bridgewater Hall on Saturday 7 August at 11.00am and will explore issues around gender and urban space.

As part of their research into how women respond to the design of the built environment, Manchester Women’s Design Group has been asking women, through workshops and an Emotions’ Map of the city centre, which parts of central Manchester make them feel worried and anxious, and which places they love because they make them feel happy and relaxed. This guided walk will present some of their findings so far – and will encourage debate to further their walk

Numbers for this walk (unlike First Sunday) be limited so if you would like to join please email mwdg@live.com to reserve your place. More details can be found at http://womensdesign.blogspot.com/

Finally a few messages from our friends:

O Please take a few moments to support Rabar Hamad www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=138558076173602

O Watch out for a Free shop springing up somewhere in town tomorrow afternoon thanks to lovely folk working towards a new social centre in Manchester http://www.manchestersocialcentre.org/

O Hulme Community Garden Centre has loads of good stuff coming up, including a party tomorrow http://www.hulmegardencentre.org.uk/

O as ever there are lots of items of interest in The Mule and at http://manchestermule.com/ (not all journalism is bad!)

I hope to see you Sunday or some day soon, as ever please do get in touch should you have psychogeographic thoughts to share email loiter@hepzombie.co.uk or call the hotline on 079 749 29589

Much love and magick rum

Morag x