Manchester, England
By: Panjot Chahal
Manchester
If I could live anywhere, I would choose Manchester, England. Manchester is a major city in the northwest of England with a rich industrial heritage. The local authority is Manchester City Council. A pound is $1.85 in Canadian money.
Population
The population of Manchester is 514,417. Manchester is in, an urban area, Greater Manchester which has a population of £2.55 million. Manchester is a very diverse city. There are many immigrants that choose to go to Manchester. More than 200 languages are spoken in Manchester. Many different foods can be found in Manchester because of the different people coming from all around the world.
Weather and Natural Climate
The average temperature in Manchester, England is 94°C (48.9°F). The afternoons get a little cool in Manchester. Nights in Manchester are really chilly. It's sunny 22.6% of daylight hours and 77.4% of daylight hours spent with clouds in the sky. On average, 1071 hours of sunshine is found per year in Manchester. Also, approximately 810 mm (31.9 in) of rainfall happens per year. The driest weather is in February. The wettest weather is in August. The warmest month is August and the coolest month is January. The weather in Manchester is a little unpredictable.
Education
Manchester has a schooling system that is divided into four levels:
- Early years: Ages 3-4
- Primary education: Ages 4-11
- Secondary education: Ages 11-18
- Tertiary education: Ages 18+
Government-funded schools in Manchester are free to British citizens and immigrants legally residing in the country. Manchester has a number of excellent academically selective schools. Manchester has over 170 primary and high schools. Manchester has some of the greatest universities. It has the University of Manchester which was the Sunday Times "University of the Year" in 2006. The University of Manchester has 38 430 students. This university is a large research university situated in Manchester, England and is a public university formed in 2004. In addition, Manchester has the Manchester Metropolitan University. There are many places to get a degree in or around Manchester. Manchester has the biggest student population due to students going to schools, universities, and specialist colleges in Manchester. The best 5 schools in Manchester are: Willbraham Primary School, Northenden Community School, St. Willibrord's RC Primary School, St. Anne's RC Primary School, and St. John's Primary School. These schools performed top 5% nationally. Manchester University offers many scholarships and grants. The awards arrange from 1000-17000 based upon criteria. The cost of living and studying in Manchester going to Manchester University is £39 420.
Food and Drinks
Manchester has a Food and Drink Festival every year. People from all around the world go to Manchester for the festival. There is a lot of variety in foods and drinks found in Manchester due to immigrants from different countries. One of the best places to get dessert is Bonbon Chocolate Workshop. Food and drinks aren't very expensive in Manchester. Many stores found in Canada are also in Manchester such as Starbucks. There is fresh and clean water found in Manchester.
The Cost of Living
The cost of living in Manchester isn't very high. On average, groceries cost £73.76. If you were to eat out at McDonalds, you would pay approximately £5.00. Everyday necessities are basically the same price as things bough from Brampton, Canada. For example: 1L of milk costs £0.92, 1kg of apples costs £1.84, 1kg of oranges costs £1.50, and 1.5L of water costs £0.82 etc. Basic utilities monthly cost: Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, and Garbage) for apartments costs £114.29, Internet (6 Mbps, Unlimited Data, and Cable/ADSL) costs £16.00. A house costs £128, 562 and a flat's for £133, 085.
Health and Safety
The national emergency numbers needed in Manchester are 999 and 112. The police, ambulance, and fire trucks arrive in 8 minutes. Manchester is a safe place for visitors. There's no harm on the streets but you don't want to be out at midnight. In order for you to be safe, you shouldn't display any jewelry. You should keep wallets, purses, and cameras in a pocket. You should avoid confrontation at any cost and don't go out alone. Manchester is one of the safest cities in the United Kingdom. The city centre has a huge CCTV network.
Health Services and Pollution
Health is taken very seriously as it should in Manchester. Manchester has a great hospital for any disease, treatment, illness, and surgery etc. The name of the hospital is North Manchester General Hospital. Health Services are provided to patients of all ages. Some services provided are:
- Skilled Nursing
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech/Language Pathology
- Medical Social Work
- Home Healthy Aide
- Homemaker
Manchester has safe air. The air quality has drastically improved. The winter levels of smoke and sulphur dioxide have been reduced by more than 95%. The Clean Air Act helped the air become cleaner.
Transportation
There are many different types of transportation found in Manchester such as:
- Metrolink
- Air
- Trains
- Buses
- Cycling
- On foot
One litre of gasoline costs £1.17. A brand new car costs £15,000.00. A monthly pass for the subway costs £60.00. A ticket one way on a bus costs £2.70. There is a lot of motorway found in Manchester. The metro shuttle is free and works on 3 routes. Buses are used commonly by citizens of Manchester. There are 2 main bus stations (Shudehill and Piccadilly Gardens). There is a major airport called Manchester Airport.
Places of Interest
Manchester is a beautiful city in which many awesome things reside. There is the famous Museum of Science and Industry, John Ryland's Library, National Football Museum, Old Trafford, Manchester Museum, Wheel of Manchester, and Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden.
Personal Connection
I've always wanted to go to Manchester, England because the home field of Manchester United is located there. I can meet professional soccer players if I go to Old Trafford.