Stalybridge was honoured to be named GM’s Town of Culture for 2022. As part of the accolade, Tameside Council allocated a community grant fund for local groups to support activities and events in the town that benefited the wider community.
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The grants were given to projects that enabled people to slow down, connect with the local environment and celebrate Stalybridge’s cultural value.
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Over the past 12 months, 25 grants and £12,000 were allocated to community groups and organisations, who used the funding to initiate a plethora of incredible projects in Stalybridge.
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The wonderful, varied campaigns have included:
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• A writing workshop by local expert, Cat Lumb, who encouraged participants to write about their experiences of Stalybridge and thoughts and feelings about the town.
• Bunting and eco decoration making workshops for Heyrod Brass Band Contest, which was also followed by a photography exhibition.
• A sing-along drama presentation for children and their families by theatre co, 2 Boards & A Passion.
• A 1960’s summer of love reminiscent event for senior residents of the town, by community group Fit Over Fifty.
• A “Snail-o-Vision” stop-motion animation workshop by arts group, Phantasmagoria.
• Bollywood “Chance to Dance” session by the RiRi Dance Academy.
• A slow-down sleep therapy workshop session by Creator Ltd.
• Friends of Stalybridge War Memorial maintenance and planning.
• A series of immersive walks around Stalybridge by Tameside Wild, to encourage people to slow down and connect with nature.
• Power of Resilience community arts workshops to build emotional, mental, physical, social and spiritual resiliency.

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Assistant Executive Member for Culture, Heritage and Digital Inclusivity, Cllr Sangita Patel, said: “We were overwhelmed by the number of applicants for the grant fund, and the quality of the projects. Stalybridge and the wider Tameside area can be very proud of the talent and passion that we have in abundance.  The town has truly come together to celebrate its culture, heritage and future. Well done to every single group and project that benefited from the grant scheme, and in turn benefited our community with a wonderful programme of varied, inclusive events and workshops.”
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For information on cultural events and activities coming up in Stalybridge and across Tameside, click HERE. Community organisations can also add their own cultural events onto www.intameside.co.uk