Manchester People - Issue 39, Summer 2009

Mancunians are a famously resilient bunch. Our city's residents have shown how well they respond to challenging circumstances.

But while Manchester is arguably better placed to bounce back than many other cities, there's no doubt that the recession is having a real impact on us.

That's why Manchester City Council and its partners are working harder than ever to find new ways to help residents and businesses cope with the economic downturn.

Our Helping Hands website and guides aim to raise awareness of the huge amount of services, support and advice available for residents and businesses alike. The campaign is based around five themes: finding and succeeding in jobs; money and debt issues; keeping a roof over your head and managing bills; business worries and free stuff. The web address for people to visit to find out more is www.manchester.gov.uk/helpinghands where a wealth of information, tips and useful numbers are gathered in one place.

Helping Hands is there to help any resident who needs information to weather the recession. If you have lost or face losing your job, are having difficulty with mortgage repayments, or are simply parents looking for free things you and your children can do at the weekend, Helping Hands can - as the name suggests - assist and provide real tips and advice.

It also aims to help businesses both large and small to deal with the effects of the recession and get ready for an upturn (see page 2 for more details).

Inside this issue of Manchester People you'll find more details about the Helping Hands campaign, some great advice and ideas for free fun.

Council Leader Sir Richard Leese said: "We know that residents and businesses in Manchester are facing real challenges because of the current economic situation. The positive thing is that there is a huge amount of support and expertise in place that people can draw on.

"The Helping Hands initiative brings that together under one banner. It will hopefully encourage and inspire people to seize new opportunities, as well as assist and reassure those struggling with the effects of the recession."

Look out for printed Helping Hands guides for small businesses and dealing with debt and money issues, coming soon.