A COMMUNITY has defended itself against a TV programme starring the Duchess of York which they claim misrepresents them as typical of broken Britain.
Up to 200 residents of Northern Moor met in Wythenshawe Park waving placards in protest ahead of a ITV1 documentary called The Duchess On The Estate, shown last night.
The issue was then discussed in a public meeting where the residents and local workers expressed anger and bewilderment that their community was portrayed so negatively.
Over 10 days Sarah Ferguson gave up her luxurious Manhattan apartment for a bed and breakfast in Northern Moor.
The programme shows the Duchess uncovering problems of crime, drugs and a lack of community spirit - what the programme makers describe as 'broken Britain'.
But Bernard Caine, who appeared in the programme, said producers had 'sold the community down the river'. "I am disgusted," said Bernard, 67, who has lived in the area for 60 years.
True spirit
"These TV people have come here with their own agenda. They haven't shown the true spirit of the community."
The Duchess has defended the programme in an exclusive interview with the MEN's Ian Wylie.
Duchess talks about life on the estate
Michelle Hampson, 44, a volunteer at Northern Moor Community Group said producers Spun Gold had their own agenda: "We met with them but they didn't want to know about the good stuff.
"They have chosen to interview the easily exploited."
Teaching assistant Pat Cooper, 63, of Northolt Road, said the film crew would have seen a 'different world' if they had been up at 7am and spoke to residents on their way to work and school.
"These producers blurred the edges between Shameless and a real working class area," she said.
One angry woman chanted "We're Northern Moor, not Northern Poor."
Health care worker Sean Hayes, 28, said he was horrified his home was being portrayed as a deprived, crime-infested area. "It's ridiculous. The programme is very poorly researched. The producers have found a safe area for the Duchess to study and portrayed it as something far worse.
Strengthen
"It has taken places like Hulme and Moss Side 20 years to recover from the problems it had with gun crime, now they are trying to say it is Northern Moor."
Paul Goggins, MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, and Manchester councillor Glynn Evans were in Wythenshawe Park offering the community their support.
"The show of community spirit today is tremendous and I've no doubt this attack on the community will only strengthen it," Mr Goggins said.
In the second part of the programme, televised next week, the Duchess recruits a 'mum's army' to transform a council owned building on Sale Road into a community centre.
During filming a gun was fired at the building and resulted in the police closing down the project for a week. The centre has now secured funding for the next three years.
Producers and the Duchess were invited to the public meeting but declined.
The Duchess has defended the programme in an exclusive interview with the MEN's Ian Wylie.
Duchess talks about life on the estate
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
BDZ, UK (18/08/2009 at 18:04)
zoomer, The Moon (18/08/2009 at 18:23)
umpire 2, Salford M7 4HT (18/08/2009 at 18:28)
I have recently worked in the area, we saw youths breaking into cars, causing damage, when we rang the police, they were amazed that someone had bothered about it because of the backlash.
Manchester is suffering with other area's but some of these areas are now standing up to these thugs and getting things tidied up and ignoring the threats and so on.....
PW, Manchester (18/08/2009 at 18:35)
Angry Mike, Middleton (18/08/2009 at 18:49)
jsac1984 (18/08/2009 at 19:41)
People need to grow up and realise that trouble is rife everywhere. Living in a glass house and all that , people need to take a look at themselves
Malc, oldham (18/08/2009 at 20:42)
schgittor (18/08/2009 at 20:50)
J.Hall, Tameside (18/08/2009 at 21:45)
Don`t be led by those with political agenda`s,thats how they stay in control.
Pippa, Manchester (18/08/2009 at 21:48)
trueblue, manchester (18/08/2009 at 21:53)
Yet Northern Moor is no worse than Blackley,Miles Platting,Withington,Openshaw, or any other blighted District of Manchester . As for Salford-well let's not go there ,no I really mean lets not go there.
Pale faced hoodies dragging along their bull terrier symbolise the worst of our society at the same time as we see the same lads in uniform purposeful and proud fighting in Afghanistan.
So -some form of structured ,disciplined routine is needed to replace boredom,booze and drugs.
schgittor (18/08/2009 at 21:59)
England has finished
Mike, Manchester (18/08/2009 at 22:10)
bootty (18/08/2009 at 22:18)
minnie royle (18/08/2009 at 22:28)
anz babe (18/08/2009 at 22:37)
people who slate the area on here are from Salford and Middleton haha nuff said.
the crime is everywhere, i have never felt threatened living in NM, I think the documentary has exaggerated the crime etc to try and grab tv ratings. I have seen and know a lot of people in North Manchester who would love to live round here even after the tv show just now! they said its nothing compared to where they live!
A few closed shops due to the recession and a few hoodies, and they kept showing the same street. what about the other areas or were they too quiet and tidy to show?
Thanks Fergie-not
zoomer, The Moon (18/08/2009 at 22:39)
Edward Ellis (18/08/2009 at 23:18)
The Duchess has been extremely nieve in involving herself in this programme with first having lived in the area for a considerable amount of time in order to make an informed judgement.
As an eariler post stated the programme makers Spun Gold, now known as Spun lies! had their own agenda, they choose to speak with easily exploited people & sold down the river people such as Bernard Caine who works tirelessly for the local community.
ITV take note Northern Moor is not broken!
Any chance of TV documentary about trash television?
From one very proud private!!! Northen Moor resident
mike the red (18/08/2009 at 23:23)
Ex Pat Manc living in Wales
ENGINEER, Heywood (18/08/2009 at 23:25)
It has got so bad, but not according to the figures churned out that crime is falling, well not on these estates it is not.
IT is the constant anti social behavior that blights these places and I see it everyday and night these kids, youths of both sexes just wandering aimlessly up and down the streets, that don;t seem to have a brain that can make them do something contructive with their lives.
What is needed is more police on the streets at all hours of the day patrolling them but because they are funded by council tax which is not paid willingly by anyone that does pay, and these scroungers who don't pay a penny into the pot. Well the Police SHOULD be paid not by council Tax but from Central Goverment they seem to have enough money to send abroad to povery stricken coountries, perhaps a good cause, but what really gets up ones nose is the Billions paid out to the banks where this could be used to fund more police.
aAlso at night where are most police, in the town centres struggleing to cope with all the drunken idiots where the estates where most of the real trouble is are totally devoid of any police so it is no wonder these scum terrorise decent honest people.
This rant could go on and on but I will finish there tired fingers.
Lells, Altrincham (18/08/2009 at 23:54)
Playing The Race Card (19/08/2009 at 01:22)
Tony Colemans Barman, Manchester 19 lost in Oz (19/08/2009 at 04:39)
bubbob, manchester (19/08/2009 at 07:00)
Its the residents (not all of them) who cause the problems, so dont get on the moral highground when it is exposed as an area containing bone idle, drunk teenages who hang around outside derelict shops at night intimidating people with the excuse 'theres nothing to do round here'-get a job, take some responsibility and help yourself rather than being lazy and waiting for the benefits gravy train to pass so you can jump on it so we can support you even more.
Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (19/08/2009 at 07:21)