Information for people new to Manchester
Local information

Bank holidays

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There are 8 public holidays a year in the UK. These holidays are called Bank holidays. Schools, offices and post offices are closed as well as banks though some businesses and many shops remain open.

UK bank holidays are:

Christmas Day and Boxing day (25^th and 26^th December)

New Years Day (1^st January)

Good Friday and Easter Monday (dates change each year but fall in late March or April)

May Day (the 1^st Monday after 1^st of May)

Spring Bank Holiday (date changes each year but is a Monday in May or June)

August Bank Holiday (the last Monday in August)

The biggest festival is Christmas which is celebrated on 25^th and 26^th December each year. Although Christmas is a religious festival it is celebrated all over the UK by religious and non-religious people alike. Many people take time off to enjoy themselves and to visit family and friends. Many people also take great pleasure in decorating their houses and in sending cards and gifts. Celebrations are often combined with New Year which takes place on 31^st December and 1^st January. Many people have parties on New Years Eve and there are often street celebrations and fireworks in big towns and cities.

Over the whole Christmas and new year period there are large numbers of celebrations and parties, some of which may be free. Town and city centres are usually decorated with lights and the shops make a special effort to decorate their windows for the Christmas period. The new "Christmas market" which is held in Albert square and St Anne's square in Manchester City Centre is worth a visit and has a pleasant atmosphere.

Easter is the other major festival in the British Calendar. The celebrations take place over a long weekend in March or April (Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday). Easter is a Christian Festival and some people attend special church services at this time of year. Many other people take advantage of the long weekend to visit family and friends, giving chocolate eggs as gifts.

Other Festivals

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Other traditional British Festivals include:

Halloween (31^st October). Some people have parties and dress up as witches, ghosts and other scary creatures. In recent years the American tradition of "Trick or Treat" has become more popular in Britain. Children dress up in costumes and knock on doors asking for a "trick or treat". Some people give out sweets and even money to these children but it is not obligatory!

Bonfire Night (5^th November). Bonfire night is celebrated with big fires and firework displays. Like any other city Manchester has several free firework events either on Bonfire night itself or around this time of year. Many people also celebrate in a smaller way with a fire and /or fireworks in their garden.

Burns Night (26^th January). Scottish people celebrate burns night often with parties, dancing and special food.

St Patrick's Day (March 17^th). Irish people celebrate St Patricks Day usually usually with quite a lot of good natured drinking and partying.

Manchester has a multi-cultural population and so many other cultural and religious festivals are seen across the city. Ramadan and especially Eid  are celebrated by Manchester's Muslim communities and there are also Hindu, Sikh and Jewish Festivals.

Celebrations for the Chinese New Year take place in and around Chinatown in the City Centre in January or February each year (the date for the Chinese New Year moves), with the spectacular dragon parade at the heart of the event. Ask at your local library, look for posters in and around the shops and restaurants In Chinatown or look on the internet for more details. (http://www.chinatown-online.co.uk).

The Manchester Mela is a celebration of Asian culture and food which takes place in Manchester every summer and attracts visitors from across the region. Ask at your local library, look out for posters (especially in the Rusholme area) or look on the internet for details. (http://www.asiancommunity.net/events_melas.htm).

The Caribbean Carnival is another well-established cultural event which takes place in the Summer in Alexandra Park. The date of the carnival and performers taking part can be obtained from the library, from posters around the city or from the internet (http://www.manchestercarnival.com).

Festival Europa is another new cultural festival which takes place over the Spring Bank Holiday weeked (end May or June). Events include a flower market, European food and drink market, street theatre and performing arts. Most events are free. More information can be obtained from the library or from the City Council's website. (http://www.manchester.gov.uk/visitorcentre/events/europa/).

In 2004 Manchester City Council is launching a new festival, African Explosion, which aims to promote African Culture through music and dance. There will also be food, information stalls and other cultural displays.Hopefully this will become a regular event. For more information look on the internet. (http://www.manchester.gov.uk/visitorcentre/events/african/).

There are numerous events held in Manchester to celebrate Refugee Week (June). Events include theatre, film, talks, cultural activities, workshops, music, dance etc.

Contact Manchester Refugee Support Network, MARIM or Refugee Action for further details.

Clock Changes

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Every year all the clocks in the UK are put forward by one hour at midnight on the last Saturday in March to make "British Summer Time", and are put back one hour at midnight on the last Saturday in October (to make "Greenwich Mean Time".

The British Weather

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The British weather is very changeable and is a favourite topic of conversation for a lot of people. You can see the weather forecast at the end of the TV news programme or you can listen to it on local and national radio stations, it isn't always very accurate!

There are four seasons in the British year; Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Spring is roughly the months of March, April and May. The days start to be warmer and longer with an average temperature of about 12 C (though it can be much colder or much warmer than this!).

Summer is June, July and August. It is the warmest time of year with the most daylight hours. Temperatures rarely rise above 27 C and there can still be rainy and windy days.

Autumn covers September, October and November. The weather gets cooler and daylight hours become gradually shorter. It is usually wet and windy.

Winter, the coldest season of the year, usually comes in December, January and February.  There is often some snow or sleet (mixed rain and snow) and temperatures can be below freezing. It gets dark early and the evenings are long.

Because of the wide range of weather types and temperatures that we experience in the UK you may find that you need a larger range of clothes, coats and shoes than you would need in your home country. Umberellas, boots, shoes and seasonal clothes can be bought inexpensively at Primark or from the large supermarkets like ASDA and TESCO as well as in high street shops.

Warm second hand clothes and extra winter bedding can sometimes be obtained at a small cost at Mustard Tree or Gorton Oasis. See the section on shopping for more information.

Using a Public Telephone

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There are public telephones in streets, stations, hotels, cafes, pubs and shopping centres. To pay for a call you need cash (coins) or a BT phone-card, which can be bought from a newsagent or grocery store. Instructions on how to make a call are written on the telephone handset. If you are making a call using cash try to have small coins available (10p or 20p pieces) as the boxes will not give change from a part used coin.

It is also possible to buy phone cards to make international calls. Most of these cards are good value and can be used either from a home telephone or from a public telephone. Check at newsagents in Longsight, Rusholme, Cheetham Hill and the City Centre to find out which cards can be used to call your home country.

Help from the operator

If you are having trouble getting through to a particular telephone number you can call the operator (dial 100 for UK operator, 155 for the international operator). Calls to the operator are free of charge.

If you do not have the phone number that you need you can call directory enquiries (dial 118 118 for UK Directory Enquiries, 153 for international directory enquiries). A charge is made for directory enquiries services.

Places of Worship

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There are many different places of worship in Manchester, too many to be able to list them all here. This section contains a selection of places of different denominations and religions: to find a place close to the area where you are living, contact the people below and ask for more information. If your religion or denomination is not represented in the list below, contact the Citizens Advice Bureau or the Central Library for help in finding a place. Refugee community organisations, which can be contacted through Refugee Action or Manchester Refugee Support Network, may also be able to help you to find a place of worship.

Contact details

Contact Details

Citizens Advice Bureau, Swan Buildings, 20 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JW

Tel: 0870 126 4626

Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10.00am - 4.00 pm

Manchester Central Library: St Peter's Square, Manchester, M2 5PD

Tel: 0161 234 1900

Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 10.00am - 8.00pm, Friday-Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm

Manchester Refugee Support Network, St James Centre, 95a Princess Road, Moss side, M14 4TH

Tel: 0161 226 6134

Opening Hours: Monday -Wednesday 10.00am - 1.00pm

MARIM (Multi-agency for Refugees in Manchester), Claremont House, Rolls Crescent, Hulme, Manchester,  

Tel: 0161 868 0857

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Refugee Action: Dale House, 35 Dale Street, Manchester, M1 2HF

Tel: 0161 233 1200

Drop-in times: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10.00am -1.00pm and 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Client advice line: 0800 917 2719 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 2.00pm - 4.30pm

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