If you answered "yes" to any of the above, or if you know a young person who might answer yes to the above, then find out more about this new venture by contacting

Tom Robinson on: 07856 228  096.

Bursary Fund

This investment fund was started in 2007 with a bequest from the late Janet Christopher.  Friends of Ghyll Head have added to this from our fund-raising activities and the fund now stands at £25,000. This money is held in a high interest account and it is anticipated it will yield more than £1,200 this year, which will be used to support specific projects aimed at raising standards of achievement in Manchester schools. The more capital we can invest the greater income this will earn.

Thus, in addition to adding to the capital through fund raising, we would like to invite our members and others to lend us money to invest as well. 

We're looking for people who are prepared to lend (in units of £100) for a one year period. The lent sum would be returned at the end of the year or re-lent for a further year.  You get your money back, and the interest would be used to support specific projects. 

Your money is safe, you resist the temptation to spend it for a year or more, and it's being used purposefully. It doesn't get much better than that!

Please contact us if you would be interested in supporting this development.

Annual fund-raising day

Saturday 5^th July 2008

Are you very fit and up for

a Challenge?

Canoe 9 miles along Ulleswater and

climb 3000ft up Helvelyn - all in one day!

(& raise £75 in sponsorship)

Or, if you want something a little gentler - join a walk led by

Reg Kingston (£10 pp).

Or, take part in a family adventure activity (children must be over 8 years old).

Saturday evening buffet (£10) and overnight accommodation available (£15).

For more information and booking forms,

contact Kath on 0161 285 6460 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Did you know that Dave Rogers will be retiring this August?

We can't let him go without a big party (Saturday 30^th  August) so if you want to come along and wish him a happy retirement  contact Kath for details & booking form.

FoGH Annual General Meeting.

at the

Lancashire County Cricket Club

Thursday 16^th October 2008

To hear young people's accounts of their achievements and adventures supported by funding from Friends of Ghyll Head

Didsbury Beer Festival

21^st - 22^nd November at St Catherine's Centre.  FoGH will be one of the financial beneficiaries.

Saturday 5^th July 2008 &

Sunday 6^th July 2007

Put this in your diary now!   Events are being planned and further details will be in the next newsletter.     Contact Kath for further information:  0161 285 6460

at  7.45pm

This is our 3^rd quiz and if the first two were anything to judge by, it will be a great night out - lots of laughs and lots of prizes!

Quiz master Les Jones (07824 364 602) will be providing his usual inimitable repartee and, of course, there will be a raffle.   Even if you're not a quiz fiend, you'll have an enjoyable night out.

Put together a team of 6, or make up a team on the night.  £5 per person. 

Bar available.

   Chorlton Irish Centre, High Lane.

                  update on decisions.

1) GH to be self-financing (from next year) and located (in management terms) within the Traded Services section of the Children's Services department.   A fund is to be set up with the intention of providing subsidies for pupils to meet the difference between the current fees and the new fees (and also to subsidise fees at other centres used by schools). 

A lot of work is needed to come up with a feasible system to put this theory into practice.  Watch this space!

2) GH to be made into a Charitable Trust rather than run as a City Council service.  This is only an in-principle decision at present and a consultant is to be engaged to work with Council lawyers and accountants to work out the feasibility of this and to develop a robust business plan.

The GH Management Committee and the FoGH EC members are not happy with the above proposals, but on the positive side, 4 members of the management committee are now part of a small group (with the newly-appointed Head of Traded Services and a rep from the MIP team) working on the details, so hopefully will have opportunities to modify the proposals.  Or at least make sure that the implications of the detailed proposals are made clear to the Councillors before final decisions are taken.

3) An outdoor education strategy is to be developed. 

We all welcome this and have argued that this should be in place before any of the above decisions are taken.  The person who will take the lead on this has not yet been appointed (expected by the end of March).

There is a new document online in the FOGH documents section, published by the English Outdoor Council that is looking for people to help support  awareness of the governments recent Outdoor Manifesto for out of classroom learning.

Please download and distribute as this gives Manchester a strong case for providing residential outdoor education.

The Friends of Ghyll Head will be holding a quiz night at the Irish Club, High Lane, Chorlton on the 23rd March. Entry is £5 . Teams should consist of no more than six people. The quiz will start at 8pm.

Quizmaster for the night will be the venerable Les Jones.

Last years quiz was a great success, as always the money raised will go to help funding projects for young people at the centre.

Contact Les Jones on 0161 881 9503 to book a table.

Can we create a Young Friends of Ghyll Head?

The Friends Of Ghyll Head are holding a Ceilidh on Saturday the 4th of November at St. Catherine's Social Centre, School Lane, Didsbury.

The popular band "Bandiera Rossa" will be providing the music.

Tickets on the door -£6 (£3 unwaged) or £5 (£3 unw) if bought in advance. Contact Roger for tickets on 434 0723.