Fun in the sun on the Moss

Residents of the Moss Estate were treated to a street party at Sanders Square as part of the launch of a programme called ‘Delivering Differently in Macclesfield’.

The event was hosted by the Moss Rose Partnership – a community organisation which aims to improve health and wellbeing in Macclesfield. A range of organisations and local groups provided entertainment and refreshments, all with a healthy theme.

Families enjoyed making fresh fruit smoothies by pedalling ‘smoothie bikes’, where vigorous pedalling activates a blender to produce a delicious fruit drink.

The Cheshire East school meals service provided tasters of their menus in local schools, using organic produce to produce healthy bowls of Quorn stir-fry.

Ash Grove Children’s Centre offered fresh fruit and a number of activities, including encouraging young children to dive into large bowls of jelly and cooked spaghetti and get thoroughly messy.

The ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ project offered healthy cooking tips and recipe cards as well as packets of salad seeds for growing in gardens or pots.

Cre8 – a local project for children and families – hosted a range of live music showcasing the many talents of young people from the estate.

Other activities on offer included badge-making, dance, sports as well as support and advice from Life Links Cheshire East and the Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, while the Cheshire fire and police services entertained children with opportunities to climb on their vehicles and try the controls.

Simon Sandford of Healthbox, one of the organisations involved with the project, said: The day was a terrific success with a really impressive level of community engagement which demonstrates just how powerful partnership working can be.

“We are delighted to team up with Cheshire East Council on this project and hope to have many more successful days like this”.

The event was supported by Macclesfield MP David Rutley, as well as ward councillors from Cheshire East and Macclesfield Town Council.

The ‘Delivering Differently in Macclesfield’ programme is a year-long project taking place on the Moss, Weston, Hurdsfield and Upton Priory Estates in the town.

Each estate has a multi-agency partnership which steers the programme. The Moss Rose Partnership is open to all providers of services on the Moss Estate as well as local residents who want to have a say in the way their services are delivered.

If you would like to be involved with this project or have an idea for an event where you live, please contact: Daniel.coyne@cheshireeast.gov.uk