Displaying items by tag: Manchester

Alberta Obinim, a beloved church leader in Manchester's Ghanaian community, tragically lost her life in a triple stabbing at her family's home on 18 August. Alberta, 43, was known for her vibrant personality and dedication to the Blessed Baptist Temple, where she and her husband Joshua, who is now in critical condition along with their daughter, led the women’s wing. The police quickly responded to the incident, arresting a suspect believed to be known to the victims. The attack has deeply shocked the local community, with tributes pouring in for Alberta, remembered as a loving mother and a joyful presence. Detective superintendent Toby Facey expressed the police's commitment to supporting the affected families and uncovering the full details of the incident. The investigation continues, with increased patrols in the area and a call for witnesses or anyone with relevant footage to assist with inquiries. The community is mourning the loss of a cherished leader and praying for the recovery of the injured.

Migrant communities from West Africa and India are renewing and revitalising Manchester churches. As many of them work at hospitals, Fr Paul Hutchins has added a mid-week service to make attendance easier for people working at weekends. He also encourages members to shape the worship, bringing hymns and prayers from their churches of origin, helping them feel as at home as possible. He says, ‘Five years ago we had sparks of promise as a multicultural congregation, but in a short space of time we have seen huge increases in new worshippers from Ghana, Nigeria, and South India.’ Three churches in the diocese have seen huge boosts to their congregations, mostly thanks to the families which have migrated to the area.

Tina was attacked by her husband on her wedding night and beaten ‘black and blue’; the abuse continued for eight years. She said, ‘For years, I had to do as I was told or get beaten. He drove me around to put me in flats and then men came in. He sold me for sex. If I didn't do as I was told, I'd get beaten.’ She told Greater Manchester Police several times between 2009 and 2015, ‘but the force didn't care, they didn't believe me, they didn't do anything.’ In 2012, she told police she had suicidal thoughts due to the abuse she was suffering. Again, the complaint was not followed up. In 2015 Tina provided them with extensive evidence supporting her allegations. The police apologised and an offence under the Modern Slavery Act was recorded against her husband. However, he was not arrested, and has now left the UK.

UK activists and lawmakers want an investigation after a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester was beaten inside the grounds of the Chinese consulate in Manchester. Hong Kong Indigenous Defence Force (HKIDF) members were protesting outside the consulate, on the same day as the Chinese Communist Party congress in Beijing. A video on social media shows protesters shouting outside the consulate, then rushing towards the gated entrance. Next a protester was dragged through the gate by consulate guards and beaten on the consulate grounds by a group of men , said to be Chinese consular staff, until the local police entered the consulate grounds to break up the violence. The protester was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition. The police said officers responded immediately to defuse the situation. Enquiries are ongoing to understand the full circumstances. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said, ‘Our consulates have always abided by the laws of the countries where they are stationed.’

Tens of thousands attending ‘Festival Manchester’ heard the Gospel in the three-day event in Wythenshawe Park that was hosted by hundreds of churches, in partnership with The Message Trust and the Luis Palau Association. A sea of people came out each night to enjoy live music, worship, and prayer which resulted in thousands responding to God's Word. ‘This mission was on a scale not seen in a generation,’ said the founder of The Message Trust. Over 65,000 people heard about Jesus' love for them and over 3,400 responded to the good news they heard.

An inspection found that England's second-largest police force had failed to record over 80,000 crimes in a year, and closed cases without proper investigation. About 220 crimes a day went unrecorded in the year up to June 2020. The inspectors said their service to victims of crime was a ‘serious cause of concern’. One in five of all crimes and one in four violent crimes reported were not recorded. Officers prematurely closed investigations because the victim did not support police action. Inspector Zoe Billingham said, ‘In too many cases the force did not properly record evidence, particularly in domestic abuse cases: seven in 10 were closed on this basis. Despite being urged in 2016 to improve, concerns have not been addressed. In their defence the police force said the inspection coincided with a troubled computer system and challenges during the Covid lockdown’. A further inspection will take place after six months.

Heavy rain in northern England has left people stranded and blocked roads and railway lines. Firefighters rescued 22 people from flooded properties in Cheshire and Greater Manchester after days of heavy rain - 19mm of rain fell in eight hours. Rivers have burst their banks and ambulances have been taking injured to hospital. One firefighter, rescuing a child, had to be rescued himself from fast-flowing water. That rescue was described as ‘difficult, involving acts of bravery’. Pray for residents and shop-owners when flood waters subside, leaving buildings full of mud and silt, with possessions ruined. Pray for those who have been evacuated twice in three years, having newly replaced items ruined for a second time. Pray for those who were homeless for almost a year last time, now facing the same trauma.

Last week we prayed for sex education to be the responsibility of parents not schools. This week four more schools in Birmingham have stopped teaching about LGBT rights following complaints. The No Outsiders programme in Birmingham will now be suspended until an agreement with parents is reached. The debate began when Parkfield Community School suspended the lessons following parents’ protests. Campaigner Amir Ahmed said some Muslims felt ‘victimised’, but an LGBT group leader said No Outsiders helped pupils understand it is OK to be different. Leigh Trust said it was halting the lessons until after Ramadan, which finishes in June. Also, seven primary schools in Manchester, which have been contacted by parents unhappy over sex and relationships lessons that teach children about LGBT rights, have asked school management to discuss the inclusion of the lessons in the curriculum.

Two children and eight adults received ‘pellet-type wounds’ at a Moss Side street party at its Caribbean carnival. Moss Side has done much work in recent years to remove its reputation of drugs, gangs and violence. Former police officer Martin Harding, who now works with local schools, said that the number of shootings has significantly fallen in recent years as the area re-invented its image. The carnival was a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Windrush arrival. The shootings shocked the local community. The rector of St James’s Church said that they were praying that this kind of violence doesn't develop. In a message to the families of those hurt, he added, ‘We love you. We'll be praying for you. We hope your loved ones will be recovering fast. If anybody needs to talk about this, then our door is always open.’ See also

Firefighters fear that a change in wind direction across a moorland fire could put life in danger. It is currently growing and could take weeks to extinguish. Fire chiefs say it is the worst moorland fire in living memory to hit Saddleworth. The impact could be seen from space by Nasa satellites picking up smoke plumes. Air quality levels in and around Manchester are being monitored regularly. A handful of local schools have been closed. Experts warned that high levels of pollutants generated from the blaze could have a significant effect on people’s health. By 28 June 100 soldiers were being trained by the fire services. The fire had covered seven square miles. The active ‘fire front’ stretched 2.5 miles and an RAF Chinook helicopter was made available. The public are advised to keep country lanes free from cars so that the emergency services can access them easily. Pray for firefighters working rolling 12-hour shifts. Pray for a downpour of rain.