Disappointing Metro Shuttle Service in Manchester

As a resident of Castlefield, my family and I had been relying on the Free bus (metro shuttle) no. 2 when we need to go to city centre or Northern Quarter. However lately it no longer pass Castlefield. Not just that, the route for all three metro shuttle have been very uncertain and changing so often that we no longer able to use them at all.

We are very disappointed with this.

In the email below I made a complaint to tfgm for the uncertain route and the very rude attitude by the drivers when we tried to clarify. 

I do feel very disappointed and let down as the metro shuttle used to be part of our pride in manchester - we told our friends and relatives that this great city has free buses to take people around and that the people of Manchester are friendly and helpful. Well it's no longer the case, when people ask the bus driver they received rude snort with no answer.

Thank you and kind regards,

Adeline Cooke

Begin forwarded message:

From: adeline 
Date: 26 June 2017 at 16:20:26 BST
To: customer.relations@tfgm.com
Subject: Complaints about Metro shuttle

I am very disappointed and angry by two metro shuttles no. 2 today who despite of us waiting for a long time on the exact sign of a bus stop, they refused to stop. Twice today on Deansgante - one on spinningfield stop the other on the barton arcade one.

A week ago I went on the metro shuttle from Piccadilly Station confused because it did not follow the route published on its own wall. When i asked the driver, he was very rude and refused to explain the route.

Yesterday my husband had the same experience trying to clarify the real current route with a metro shuttle driver in piccadilly station but he received a rude non-answer. The other driver he asked said that they do not stop at certain places anymore such as salford central due to management's dispute with salford station management. 

These are very very unprofessional, disappointing ang embarassing for the city of manchester. With lots of visitors coming to manchester, if our bus drivers as rude, unhelpful and unprofessional, we are no better than a third world nation!

I hope tfgm and the council will consider having a consistent bus route ang hiring polite and helpful drivers in the very near future.

Regards,

Adeline Cooke
-----------

Manchester, 23rd May 2017

Yesterday, Manchester experienced one of the worst attacks since 9/11 and London 7/7. As singer Ariana Grande was wrapping up her concert, a young man detonated an improvised explosive device killing himself and 22 others, injuring 59 people. Among the victims are children and teenagers, first time concert goers.

We mourn. We condemn. We shed tears. Children should not die in such a tragedy. Murderers should not target children. But the reality is, it happened. Children died. Murdered, targeted by terrorist. Children also died when schools and hospitals destroyed by misiles.

We condemn the terrorist causing yesterday's carnage. We should also condemn our involvements in other countries' wars. We should condemn the fact that we cling on nuclear weapon for 'defense'. 

The thing is, human beings are capable of doing the worst things and the best things. All nations have murdered babies and innocents in the name of whatever - from colonialism, religion, freedom, the opposite of freedom, for money and for idealism. They are still murder and they are still wrong. 

But at the same time, people from all nations have also done the most unthinkable kindness. 

Yesterday we saw the solidarity of taxi drivers in Manchester taking survivors home for free, the generousity of the locals offering rooms. The heroism of parents and strangers saving other kids.

We are a unique species as we literally make and break this planet and each other. We are pests who are destroying Planet Earth. But we are also the saviours and the only hope this planet has.

Jeremy Keeling of Monkey World said, "I have my views on right and wrong, but preaching morality is fraught with problems" ("Jeremy & Amy", 2010, p.217). So true. Who are we to claim higher moral ground when we produce the most lethal weapons and sell them to any one who can afford them? Who are we to say others are evil when we look away from other children death just because they are not in our country? 

The thing is, murder and violence are wrong. Love and kindness are right. Someone said this over 2000 years ago and died on a rugged cross for it. He said, "turn and offer your other cheek if someone slap you." When will human ever learn?

I guess the only moral of this sad story is: "always do the best our heart can guide us. Be kind and gentle. Always believe in Love and act based on Love." 

Peace and God bless us all ❤️ 

Manchester, 23 May 2017

https://youtu.be/MjHodRB24hs 

 

Merry Christmas!

It's been a very busy December, but I'm so happy to share these with the best son in the world Jack Bara and my lovely husband Andy. On Christmas Eve Andy came to midnight mass with me. 

 

Exchanging presents was made extra special by Jack's very lovely handmade Xmas card. I love our meaningful and useful presents to each other (see the photos, I got important books and chocolate Bailey's!). 

Then Andy and I went to Cornerstone Day Centre for a quick Christmas greetings. 

Saying Merry Christmas to the homeless and the volunteers, abd sharing hugs with people who have nowhere else to go is very meaningful. We felt so warm watching the happiness in the face of a young man who got a simple present of a singing biscuit tin. We chat with a young Polish man who wanted to open a streetfood soup cart (and he's been working 12hrs a day to save up for his dream!). The best part is that he's going to do a 'soup-portive' programme where people can buy soup for the next homeless person who pass. Aaaww...

After Cornerstone, it's time for our own Christmas lunch. Operation Christmas Lunch began! (See our timetable?) 

Then of course we had to watch the Queen's speech, which I think is really inspiring! The Queen talked about of "small acts of goodness" and "ordinary people doing extraordinary things".

Our Christmas lunch is delicious and filling. We thanked each other for cooking, for washing up, and for being together this Christmas. It was a short and hectic day as I had to rush to work in the evening, but it was Christmas, the day of the mother and child, and the step father who took his painful role with love and patience. It's also the birthday of The First Revolutionary who taught us to love the poor and the marginalised. Today was our family's best day of 2016! 

Merry Christmas... ❤🎄❤

Greenpeace campaign to save Indonesian rainforest from the greedy Unilever

I feel like I should do more than just posing, sending messages to Unilever bosses (their addresses can be found in Greenpeace website) and stop buying Unilever products. Because the victims there are not just the orangutans but the real "orang" (human beings)! How many villages destroyed to cater for our obsession of silky soaps?

Plus palm oil plantation would use all the top soil and destroy the land. I am no expert on biology, but I understand that our soil can only cater for a certain amount of plants and it needs rotation between different plants. Monocultural way of planting is horrible. Why can't we ever learn from the native tribes in rainforests all over the worl on how to conserve and not being greedy?


This picture is taken by Greenpeace campaign in Manchester, April 2008 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stopdove/2449863740/). More pictures of people supporting Greenpeace in protest against Dove destroying the reainforest can be found in http://www.flickr.com/photos/stopdove/2449863740/



And this is Greepeace's message:
"The people in this photo have joined Greenpeace's campaign to convince Dove that they should stop destroying rainforests for palm oil and help protect endangered species like orang-utans - so can you. Palm oil - one of the ingredients in Dove soap - is devastating the rainforests of Indonesia as they're torn down to make room for huge oil palm plantations. In fact, these rainforests are being destroyed faster than any other in the world largely because of the demand for this oil, putting rare animals such as Sumatran tigers, Javan rhinoceroses and orang-utans in even greater danger. This destruction also releases massive amounts of greenhouse gases which are accelerating climate change. Unilever, the company that makes Dove, needs to clean up their act. Make sure they see this photo by clicking 'send to a friend' below and sending it to Patrick Cescau, Group Chief Executive of Unilever at patrick.cescau@unilever.com, then find out what else you can do at www.greenpeace.org.uk/dove."