📶 £2 Tacos, Free Street Party and Community Spotlight

Make Tracks is happening this Saturday on Chapel Street and it sounds like a good way to spend the afternoon.

It is a free festival celebrating the completion of the new walking and cycling route connecting Salford to Manchester city centre.

The programme they've put together is quite entertaining, and from 1pm to 5pm, Sacred Trinity Church and New Bailey will be taken over with live performances from Manchester School of Samba, Flat Iron Choir and Dhol drummers.

There is also a roller disco at the New Bailey arch with DJ Meme Gold, Bhangracise sessions, line dancing with Red Rodeo Club and a main stage hosted by Sam Buttery outside Sacred Trinity.

If you fancy getting on a bike, Manchester Bikes will have cargo and accessible bikes to try, there are guided rides along the new route with Bee Pedal Ready and free bike repairs from Dr Bike. Creative workshops, seed bomb making, temporary tattoos and even puppy portraits from a professional PhoDOGrapher are all on too.

Then from 5:30pm the whole celebration moves to The Anglesey pub for free acoustic sets until 8pm.

📍Chapel Street, Salford
Sat 19 September
Sacred Trinity Church & New Bailey 1pm - 5pm
The Anglesey 5.30pm - 8pm

Click here to find out more. It's a full day with loads of free fun things to do, go enjoy it!

Salford City Council has approved plans to build 144 new affordable homes on Robert Hall Street in Ordsall. The construction contract has been awarded to Seddon Construction and is valued at £40 million, with the full scheme costing £46.25 million.

The homes will be a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership — everything from one and two bedroom apartments to two, three and four bedroom family homes. All built to high energy efficiency standards to keep bills low for the people living in them.

Through this development, Seddon Construction has committed to creating local jobs and apprenticeships, supporting schools in the area, spending within the local supply chain and putting £30,000 into a community fund for the Ordsall Forum. For residents in Ordsall and surrounding areas, the impact goes well beyond a new set of front doors.

Construction is expected to start later this year. This is definitely a genuine step forward for affordable housing in Salford.

If you have never been to Maracas, let me tell you about it.

This Latin American cantina brings the food, the drinks and the energy of Latin America to Manchester.

The food menu is built around fresh, homemade dishes inspired by the culinary traditions of Latin America. The drinks list is just as good with a wide selection of Latin American cocktails and classics you already know.

And every Wednesday, tacos are £2. Yes, £2. That alone is a reason to go. And if you want to make a proper night of it, Friday salsa nights and Saturday fiestas turn the place into a beautiful night out.

A few items worth trying:

Maracas has two dining areas, and the vibe is always warm, lively and fun from the moment you walk in. Click here to check out their full menu and plan your visit!

You might already know him as the Manchester Drummer, and after what he just pulled off, I had to feature him on this week's community spotlight.

Aaron Youd is from Salford, and he has spent twenty years performing across the UK. In that time he has sadly lost 6 fellow musicians to suicide which became the reason behind him taking up this challenge.

Last week, Aaron completed the Three Peaks challenge, climbing England’s Scafell Pike, Scotland’s Ben Nevis and Wales’ Snowdon with a full 50kg drum kit strapped to his back and performing at the top of two of them.

This challenge is also to raise money for Mandem Meetup, a charity that supports men's mental health and encourages men to talk openly about how they are feeling. Something Aaron clearly believes in deeply.

"This was never just about climbing three mountains," he said. "I wanted to do something that would get people talking about men's mental health. If one person sees what I have done and feels able to talk to someone, ask for help or check in on a mate, then every step and every beat was worth it."

Aaron is close to hitting his £3,500 fundraising target on GoFundMe. If this story has moved you please click here to donate and support this cause. Every bit helps.

A pint might help, but you’ll have to rely on your brain for this one… Can you work out which Salford boozer we’re looking for? 🍺

Click here to play