Becci Johnson

There’s a lot to make you feel festive in Levenshulme this year. Manchester city centre may be heaving with Christmas shoppers, street performers, and the German markets but catch a train out to Levy and you can round off your shopping, support small businesses, and celebrate without the chaos.  December 4: Christmas lights switch-on Rumour has it that Father Christmas will relinquish his sleigh and take the 192 bus to Levenshulme village green for the annual Levy light up, which is hosted by the Levenshulme Traders Association. The man in red will hand out presents to 300 local children, so get there early if you don't want to disappoint your little ones.4.30-6pm, Levenshulme Village Green, Stockport Road. December 6: Bud Winter Warmer There’s nothing quite like a roaring fire, a mince pie, and a glass of mulled wine to make you feel festive. With a unique selection of gifts for sale, carols from local choirs and music groups, and a barbecue; this bijou garden centre has Christmas all wrapped up. Don't miss the handmade natural wreaths and premium Christmas trees.  3-7pm, Bud Garden Centre, Omer Drive, Burnage, M19 2JN. December 18: Levy Night Market You haven’t done Levy Market properly until you’ve visited a night market. Revel in the friendly atmosphere of a vibrant community as you grab those last minute presents and foodie treats. There will be activities to keep the children occupied and festive entertainment late in to the evening. Warm your hands round a mug of mulle

If all cats are equal, Levenshulme cats are more equal than others.  They once held their own exhibition at the Levenshulme Festival and they feature regularly in local artwork. A community mourned when the whimsical ‘Hats for cats’ high street shop front succumbed to the wind. Self confessed, crazy cat people in this South Manchester suburb share stories, photos and videos of their feline friends through a dedicated Facebook group, Levenshulme Cats. One member described it as, 'just good folk and a common love of kitties'. Who says you need a dog to get to know your neighbours. The group was founded in memory of a remarkable moggie, who is the eponymous hero of ‘The Story of Fester Cat’. The book, by Paul Magrs, remembers the stray who adopted two young men and enhanced their lives. A chapter is dedicated to noteworthy cats of Levenshulme, from Fester’s point of view.  <img id="345848f3-ccd8-f307-0805-f640a7bc9f2c" data-caption="Cats of Levenshulme" data-credit="Paul Magrs" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="139547" loaded="139547" image_id="102865546" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102865546/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> Cats of LevenshulmePaul Magrs Levy cats have even pounced on Twitter. They probably mistook it for somewhere to catch birds but, like any kitties worth their whiskers, they’d fool you in to thinking they meant to be there all along.  Next time you’re in the neighbourhood and you spot a random cat, snap a piccy. Tweet t

The Oxford Road corridor is already buzzing with this year’s intake of freshers - the first new students since the iconic precinct bridge was demolished, with their stories still to be written. Memories from past students, and their thoughts on the best and worst things about being a student in Manchester, suggest that the university landscape is changing faster than the architecture. If you remember head banging at Jilly’s Rockworld, Brutus Gold’s Love Train at Discotheque Royale, Ceilidhs at Jebez Clegg, 50p Reefs at Mutz Nutz and partying at Paradise Factory; you’re probably a 30-something graduate from the classes of the 2000s. A time when a night out wasn’t complete unless you stopped at Monsoons for a cheeky kebab on the way home and when you dragged yourself out of bed in the morning, Solomon Grudy served a mean hangover breakfast. Lectures and the weather were the only things holding you back. As these venues become shops and hotels, what do graduates from the 2010s rate about the city a decade later? Their memories are rocking out at Satan’s Hollow, boogieing 80s style at Club Tropicana, and sticking to the floor at Fifth Avenue's foam parties. But the recent grads are keen to stress that there's a lot more to Manchester than club nights. The best things about the city include catching the independent films at HOME, performances at Contact Theatre or free attractions such as the Whitworth Art Gallery or Manchester Museum. While this isn't the most scientific of studi

Celebrate good food and good health with local produce and international flavours at the third Levenshulme Food and Drink Festival. A variety of events are taking place to appeal to all ages and tastes; so why not pit your pie making prowess against competitors in The Greater Levenshulme Pie Off, perfect your skills at a cookery master class, waltz away the afternoon at a Tea Dance, or swig a Levy Bevy (that’s the community cider). The festival kicks off on June 12 with Taste Africa, where you can get your groove on to the Zimbabwean dance rhythms of Zee Guveya and The Heritage Survival Band whilst tucking in to a gourmet African fusion buffet. Levy Market, with St John Ambulance, Friends of Cringle Park and Manchester City Council, are bringing the cultural tapestry of Levenshulme together for one helluva lunch on June 14. The Global Picnic is a chance to sample food from around the world - for free. And in the interests of sharing, you are encouraged to bring your own signature dish to the table. A record breaking attempt is also in store as Sew Levenshulme unveils what could be the world’s largest tablecloth. Mark the summer solstice with fireworks, live music and beer at Levstock 2015. Then, as Fadfest draws to a close, eat arepas at the Columbian BBQ, relax with a Pimm’s on the Plot, and shake out the blanket for one last Picnic in the Park on June 21. For full information about all the tasty treats in store, download the festival brochure. Levenshulme Food and Drink Fes

For art students, the end of term isn’t just about exams and gradings - it’s time for the degree show. The all important presentation of their work to the public; the culmination of hard work, creativity and expression; the possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead. Here we give you a guide to the degree shows taking place across the city this month. Expect to see the best work from emerging artists and use your discerning eye to spot the creative talents of tomorrow. Manchester School of Art 'Every generation has a different ideal of beauty or perceives a different side of beauty and successively ever seeks some new form for its expression.; (Walter Crane, Ideals in Art) Look out for exhibitions across the range of disciplines including Architecture, Fine Art, Illustration with Animation, Photography, Textiles in Practice and Three Dimensional Design, displayed at the MMU All Saints Campus. The show is open for public viewing June 13-24, Monday-Friday 10.00am-6.00pm and Saturday and Sunday 10.00am-4.00pm. Create Salford A four-day festival to showcase the best from students at the University of Salford's School of Arts and Media. Experience live music, original theatrical performances, and a catwalk show at Media City and the university's Allerton Campus.  Opening on June 17, the festival runs until June 20. The degree exhibitions can be viewed until June 23. Murmuration The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art hosts an exhibition curated and produced by Contemporary Pho

There’s a lot more to the gritty suburb of Levenshulme than meets the eye. Look closely and you will see residents showing courage and resolve to improve the area, giving the word 'gritty' its alternative meaning. Levenshulme has a thriving community at its heart, which is why many exciting enterprises have chosen it as a place to set up shop. You know you live in Levenshulme, or Levy (as it is affectionately known), when… You baulk at the prospect of another A6 takeaway. The Levenshulme stretch of the A6 is renowned for fast food joints and sometimes referred to as ‘takeaway mile’. Locals however, know to shop for curios in the Antiques Village, enjoy art exhibitions at Bankley Studios or Fred’s Ale House (which also serves real ale), have their hair done at Shine, and take their lunch breaks at POD, Thairish or Trove. Post Office DeliBecci Johnson   You’ve gotten to know your neighbours through visiting Levy Market. Taking over the station car park on a Saturday, the acclaimed market offers a wide variety of stalls and entertainment. With themed markets and a long list of stallholders, you can guarantee a fresh, new experience each time you visit. The food market in particular offers a great alternative to the supermarket for picking up bangers and bacon, or for grabbing a street food lunch.  Trader at Levy Market   You monitor the seasons by driving up Errwood Road, whilst you fight the urge to stop and buy biscuits. This tree lined route is a treat for the eyes and th

Elbow’s Guy Garvey claims that the Manchester Worker Bee is the only thing he would ever have tattooed on his body. The bee is the symbol of Manchester and seven bees were incorporated in to the city’s Coat of Arms in 1842 at the end of the Industrial Revolution. Workers in the textile mills were compared to bees in their hives and the term ‘busy bee’ remains synonymous with the ideas of industriousness, perseverance, and team work. The former Beehive Mill in Ancoats currently houses Sankeys night club. It’s hard to cross the street in Manchester without seeing a bee; it’s on bollards, planters and litter bins. <img id="02f0f82e-3163-491b-a2d8-4577cc7c64fa" data-caption="" data-credit="Mark Johnson" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="384641" loaded="384641" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102063755/image.jpg" align="middle" class="photo lazy inline"> Mark Johnson   Many of the city’s historic buildings proudly display their bees. Look out for them at Manchester Town Hall, which also features a bee mosaic tiled floor on the Great Hall landing:   <img id="bedc00f3-8b4f-681c-bb77-9fde08283234" data-caption="" data-credit="Mark Johnson" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="426688" loaded="426688" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102063789/image.jpg" align="middle" class="photo lazy inline"> Mark Johnson                                                                                               On the clock face at The Palace Hotel:   <

It's Fairtrade Fortnight, which celebrates the impact of Fairtrade and encourages more organisations to get involved in ensuring farmers in developing countries are paid a fair price for the goods they supply to the UK market, such as tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar and bananas. The scheme also supports the development of farmer and worker communities, aiming to improve living and working conditions and give farmers more control over their future.    Manchester and Salford were awarded Fairtrade city status in 2005. Shops such as the Co-op and Oxfam are well known for selling Fairtrade products but there are many other places to buy Fairtrade. Here’s a few ideas to get you started. 8th Day Co-op, Oxford Road Located close to the Aquatic Centre, this shop has the largest selection of organic and natural vegetarian and vegan foods in the North West. It is committed to Fairtrade principles as well as organic and co-operative production. It is continually increasing its range of Fairtrade products and even sells Fairtrade rubber gloves. If you’re in the mood for a spot of lunch, there’s a cafe selling vegetarian and vegan delights, which are made fresh on the premises. Oklahoma, Northern Quarter A quirky cafe where you can buy anything from birthday cards and unusual gifts to something out of the ordinary for your home. Amongst the goodies is a lovely cafe selling artisan, Fairtrade coffee, cakes and sandwiches. Tower Coffee Shop, The Lowry, Salford Quays   If you fancy a break f