More than 300 people made their contribution to Salford centenary celebrations by gathering at Swinton Civic Centre to form a giant shape of 100, making a memorable photo on a fantastic day of enjoyment.
Salfordians of all ages and from all walks of life were joined by council members and staff to create the landmark image.
Helen Briscoe, who works for the Salford City Council, had a big role in setting it all up.
She said: “The main focus of ours has been to reflect the whole of the city of Salford and make sure everyone is included, which is our number one priority, so that everyone feels a part of it because at the end of the day it’s their city, and the turnout today has been outstanding.”
The crowd on the lawn were also treated to a surprise musical performance from the Fat Cat brass band, set up by local organisation Walk The Plank. Creative producer Liz Pugh was delighted with the successful performance and discussed the power of music in shaping the city.
She said: “In this City, part of our legacy is the musical traditions of the past. There is a huge amount of talent in Salford today, and there is music-making happening all over Salford in the modern day, including in schools and community centres.
“So much talent has come forward and it is brilliant to see music connect the city so well and it was great to be able to organise the surprise performance today to put a smile on people’s faces.”
Director of culture at Salford City Council, Darren Grice added: “We have been thinking about this event for over a year now, with Salford turning 100. We knew we wanted to do something really special for the city and we have seen bands in Tesco’s, in school and we have just had about 300 people on the lawns of the civic, so it’s something we are really proud that our creative team has been able to execute it so well.”
Skai Townsend, who works as a project manager for the council, urged everyone to celebrate Salford 100.
“It is so important to us that everyone feels a part of the celebration. That includes people who work at Tesco as well as the council. We hope to continue to include as many people as we can throughout the year with these events.”
Chief executive of Salford CVS, Alison Page, said: “We have been taking out Centenary signs to charities and community groups across the city alongside a thank you letter from the city mayor to help recognise their fantastic work in Salford.
“It’s really important as there are so many community groups and volunteers in our sector. They give so much to the city of Salford, 365 days a year and it is really important to recognise their contribution collectively to this city and to be part of the celebrations.”
