Bury has been handed the prestigious Town of Culture accolade and a taste of what’s in store was offered at a glittering launch event. DANIEL HOPKINS went along to learn more.

A SERIES of events will take place this year to mark Bury’s title as Greater Manchester’s first Town of Culture.

Details of the events - and a huge £150,000 investment - were unveiled to a packed-out audience at The Met on Tuesday.

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The cash will be pumped into local schemes with residents in Bury having the opportunity to suggest where a portion of the funding is allocated.

An integral part of the year’s events will be “Happy”, a programme of arts inspired by the late Victoria Wood.

‘Happy’ is all about people being able to experience for themselves the kind of work Victoria made, including comedy writing, standup, songwriting and performance.

The programme will also feature a talent development scheme for performing and visual arts, which will bring together mentors and allow people to give new skills a go.

From January to July it will encourage individuals and families to work with professionals and get involved in music, writing, drama and more.

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This includes a weekend events for the Happy festival from May 15 to May 17- close to Victoria Wood’s birthday, where the community can gather for workshops, receive help from professionals and broaden their skills.

The focus will be on happiness and will culminate in a summer ‘Happy Proms’.

The outdoor event in July will be an amalgamation of all the work developed across the six-months and could include anything from musical performances from some one who was taught how to play in a workshop, or a reading from a script written by a budding comedian.

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During Tuesday’s launch event Bury Choral Society–– one of the country’s longest established–– performed to the crowds and Steven Taylor, a Ramsbottom based poet, recited a poem to commemorate the accolade. Pete Gibson, a Prestwich-based actor who grew up in Walshaw, presented The Rise and Fall of the King of Crumpsall, which was originally showcased in Manchester and has gone on tour and to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Councillor David Jones, Leader of Bury Council, said: “We’re still in the planning stage–– we have loads of ambition and ideas. I’d love to see events taking place on and around the East Lancs Railway––imagine having some sort of concert on the platform with a steam train going past or even on the steam train. The possibilities are endless.”

Of the £150,000, a significant portion has been raised by the Victoria Wood Foundation, while a large amount has also come from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

While around two-thirds is going to the Happy events, the final third is still up for grabs.

On the night, forms were handed out for locals to suggest events, groups and activities that should be celebrated. New ideas were also welcomed and feedback forms were handed out.

One of the first announcements made was that Bury had been reaccredited with Purple Flag status. The title recognises town and city centres that meet or surpass the standards of excellence in managing the evening and night time economy.

Bury is the first Borough in Greater Manchester to be awarded it and is the only place to have held it consistently since 2014.

Lynne Ridsdale, deputy chief executive at Bury Council, said: “The launch is celebrating the bid we put in which is around performing and visual arts. It was a bid we submitted in conjunction with the Victoria Wood Foundation, who sponsored some of it.

“We want to use this to celebrate the best of Bury, our heritage, the many community groups we’ve got, the geographical communities and the communities of interest to really tell Bury’s story.”