We Built This City: Greater Manchester

“I've learned you need to appreciate things you've created and not be afraid to celebrate them at every opportunity.”Manchester legend Clint Boon has spent five decades at the heart of the city’s music scene, and now he’s put it all down on paper in his new book, The Manchester Chronicles: True Tales of Music Madness and Mayhem.This conversation was recorded live at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel as a special We Built This City podcast event celebrating the book’s launch.Clint is a Manc and a creator to his core. He sits down with Lisa to talk about where that spark came from, how punk's arrival in the city in the 70s changed his view of the world, and about the cultural landmark Manchester has become.The book is undeniably funny, and you’ll hear Clint share some unbelievable stories. There's an unlikely link to one of the most famous names in pop history via a furniture business, an offer from Tony Wilson that would change everything and some advice from Shaun Ryder that’s best taken with a pinch of salt.Clint and Lisa cover what makes Manchester such fertile ground for creativity, the sense of community that has kept its artists together. And why, when so many others left Manchester, did he stay?--------------------Your host, Lisa Morton, started PR company Roland Dransfield in 1996, one month after the fateful IRA bomb that tore apart the city centre. From that point, the business and its team members have been involved in helping to support the creation of Modern Manchester – across regeneration, business, charity, leisure and hospitality, sport and culture.To celebrate the 30 years that Roland Dransfield has spent creating these bonds, Lisa has gathered together 100 Mancs on this podcast; she’s continuing to talk to some of her Greater Mancunian ‘family’ and will be exploring how they have created their own purposeful relationships with the best place in the world.Connect with Clint:Via InstagramBuy Clint’s Book Go to a book eventConnect with Lisa and Roland Dransfield:Via our websiteOn InstagramOn X Thanks to our partners on this episode of We Built This City, Car Finance 247. You can visit CarFinance247.co.uk or follow Car Finance 247 on LinkedIn to find out more about them.

"Our job is to create as many opportunities as possible."Jo Walby is the CEO of Mustard Tree, the Manchester charity fighting poverty and homelessness. Every month, more than 11,000 people walk through its doors and the charity provides food, clothes and furniture for those who need it. It also offers training, work placements and a route into a home.Jo's personal story has shaped her work. She was born in Manchester, adopted as a baby and moved house five times before she turned 18. She grew up wanting to belong and for her, Manchester is the place that feels more like home.Jo built a high flying career in recruitment and IT, then motherhood and a serious mental crisis changed everything. After Jo recovered, she spotted a job advert at the Big Life Group asking for people with lived experience of mental illness. She applied, and was able to bring her whole self to work for the first time. The CEO role at Mustard Tree followed.Host Lisa Morton hears how Jo’s ideas around "industrial kindness" and dignity drive the charity. They discuss the asylum crisis and Andy Burnham's pledge to end rough sleeping, as well as what you can do to help tackle homelessness, even in the smallest of ways. You’ll hear why a simple "you all right?" to someone on the streets can be the first step in rebuilding their hope.This episode includes discussion of mental health and suicide. In the UK, call Samaritans free on 116 123. In the US or Canada, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on 988. In Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can find helplines in other countries at Find A Helpline.Your host, Lisa Morton, started PR company Roland Dransfield in 1996, one month after the fateful IRA bomb that tore apart the city centre. From that point, the business, and its team members, have been involved in helping to support the creation of Modern Manchester – across regeneration, business, charity, leisure and hospitality, sport and culture.To celebrate the 30 years that Roland Dransfield has spent creating these bonds, Lisa is gathering together some of her Greater Mancunian 'family' and will be exploring how they have created their own purposeful relationships with the best place in the world.Connect with Lisa and Roland Dransfield:Via our websiteOn InstagramConnect with Mustard Tree:Via their website (mustardtree.org.uk)Thanks to our partners on this episode of We Built This City, Car Finance 247. You can visit CarFinance247.co.uk or follow Car Finance 247 on LinkedIn to find out more about them.

‘Creating nurture for people who’ve never had it”What happens when education is built around people instead of qualifications?Introducing Manchester’s dreamer who’s creating a movement that is changing the educational system not just in this city region, but across the world.Anthony Thompson is the founder of Navigators, who are creating vocational learning programmes that are opening doors for young people across Greater Manchester, creating pathways to employment, independence, and a stronger sense of purpose.Anthony shares the personal and professional experiences that led him to build places where young people are nurtured, plus the reason why he can still reel off Manchester city centre postcodes from memory.Lisa and Anthony discuss the power of community, the value of taking chances on people, and why creating lasting change often starts with someone simply believing in you. They also reflect on the meaning of legacy, the courage to think differently, and what it will take to ensure every young person in Greater Manchester has the opportunity to flourish.--------------------Your host, Lisa Morton, started PR company Roland Dransfield in 1996, one month after the fateful IRA bomb that tore apart the city centre. From that point, the business and its team members have been involved in helping to support the creation of Modern Manchester – across regeneration, business, charity, leisure and hospitality, sport and culture.To celebrate the 30 years that Roland Dransfield has spent creating these bonds, Lisa is gathering together some of her Greater Mancunian ‘family’ and will be exploring how they have created their own purposeful relationships with the best place in the world.Connect with Anthony and NavigatorsVia their websiteOn LinkedInOn InstagramConnect with Lisa and Roland Dransfield:Via our websiteOn InstagramOn X Thanks to our partners on this episode of We Built This City, Car Finance 247. You can visit CarFinance247.co.uk or follow Car Finance 247 on LinkedIn to find out more about them.

“ I'm interested in people's stories. I want to know where they've come from. I want to know what they're up to, what makes them tick.”Meet Gareth Shenton, the Manc who’ll always welcome you to his table and creates atmospheres you want to be a part of.Gareth is Operations Director at Shenton Group, which means he steers the ship across their buildings in Manchester City centre, including the former Freemasons Hall, now Manchester Hall, Shenton Group's 100-year-old Grade II-listed event space.This episode is a lesson in how to welcome people the Manc way and create events that live long in the memory. You'll hear Gareth and Lisa recount the We Built This City: Big Manc Chippy Tea event in February this year, which Gareth and the team at Manchester Hall made very special, serving 100 Mancs their favourite chippy order.So, when you're the life of the party, what are the values and beliefs that help you recharge and keep it real?And hear how Gareth came to join the cast of The Real Housewives of Cheshire for Series 20, coming to ITV very soon, and find out what's already causing drama--------------------Your host, Lisa Morton, started PR company Roland Dransfield in 1996, one month after the fateful IRA bomb that tore apart the city centre. From that point, the business and its team members have been involved in helping to support the creation of Modern Manchester – across regeneration, business, charity, leisure and hospitality, sport and culture.To celebrate the 30 years that Roland Dransfield has spent creating these bonds, Lisa is gathering together some of her Greater Mancunian ‘family’ and will be exploring how they have created their own purposeful relationships with the best place in the world.Connect with Gareth & Manchester HallVia InstagramVia LinkedInVia the Manchester Hall WebsiteConnect with Lisa and Roland Dransfield:Via our websiteOn InstagramOn X FKA TwitterThanks to our partners on this episode of We Built This City, Car Finance 247. You can visit CarFinance247.co.uk or follow Car Finance 247 on LinkedIn to find out more about them.

The best networks aren’t built by asking; they’re built by giving.We Built This City host Lisa Morton was invited to be a guest on another great Manchester podcast, Blooming North, and you can hear that conversation in this episode.Lisa joined 'Coach to the North' Lisa Hughes on the most recent episode of the Blooming North podcast. Together they explored the idea of creating your own "Manchester Bank Account", the invisible wealth generated through generosity, consistency and showing up for others long before you need anything in return.You’ll hear them discuss that reputations are built over decades rather than days, and why the strongest professional relationships are made through countless small deposits; like making introductions, celebrating others and always doing what you say you’ll do.Lisa shares her lessons from building Roland Dransfield, the power of playing the long game, and why your reputation walks into a room before you do.The Blooming North Podcast is proudly sponsored by MX Location Experts, the global OOH agency of Miroma Group, helping brands connect with audiences in the moments and locations that matter.Listen to Blooming North hereFind out more about the Bloom North Network Via their websiteVia Instagram Connect with Lisa and Roland Dransfieldlinkedin.com/in/lisamortonrdprwww.rdpr.co.ukConnect with Lisa Hughes, Founder and Director of Lisa Hughes Coaching.linkedin.com/in/lisahughescoachingInsta@LisaHughesCoachingwww.LisaHughesCoaching.comBlooming North Producers:1word productionswww.1wordproductions.co.ukBlooming North studio space:Colony workspaceshttps://colonyco.work/office-space-northern-quarter