Town Anywhere - Manchester

“Town Anywhere is an extraordinary exercise. It invites us to step into the future, to reimagine and rebuild the world, and then inhabit it. One of the most magical things I’ve ever been a part of.” Rob Hopkins, Transition Network.

You are invited to join us at ‘Town Anywhere Manchester’: a large-scale, participatory, visioning experience - bringing together those who live, work or have an interest in the future of Manchester as a place where everyone can advocate for themselves, their friends, family and community when it comes to their health and care.

Open your imagination, collaborate with people from different communities, and spark ideas for projects and approaches to bring about real change.

Key details

• Monday 3rd November 2025
• St Thomas Centre - Ardwick Green North - see below for directions and accessibility
• 10.00am for 10.30 am prompt start, finishing 5pm.
• The event is FREE but booking is essential

SIGN UP below and we'll see you there!

PLEASE NOTE: It’s an all day experience, not a drop in event. If a full day is too much, why not join us on 4 November instead for Explore Town Anywhere: Manchester?

People with lived experience of feeling unheard

We are particularly keen for people to attend who have lived experience of feeling or being unheard when it comes to their own health and care. This could include people from communities who are less likely to be believed, less likely to speak up, more likely to have decisions made for them and those more likely to have had poor experiences previously.

To ensure a balance between people who have lived experience of being marginalised in this way, and of others, there are two types of ticket. Please only choose the ticket type that represents who you are. If the ticket type you are looking for is already full, please consider joining the Explore Town Anywhere: Manchester event on 4 November instead, or join the waiting list.

Want to know what to expect?

This is not a meeting, nor is it a workshop, it's something entirely different.

Together we will travel into the future and imagine what it will be like to live there. We will work individually and in groups to share stories and build a vision of what the future could be like. We will use basic materials to create 3D models of the structures that could exist. We will use these different activities to identify steps we can take in the here and now to make that future possible.

There will be a mixture of short, timed exercises and longer creative opportunities.

No previous experience or expertise is required - just a willingness to explore and collaborate.

TAKE A MOMENT TO WATCH THIS SHORT FILM (6 mins) of a Town Anywhere in Hull in 2023, giving a flavour of the process and participants’ experience of it.

Event accessibility

We recognise that this event may not be accessible to everyone, but there are plenty of opportunities to share your views and participate in the project in other ways.

Firstly, we are keen to make this event as accessible to as many people as we can. If you have specific needs , please do get in touch beforehand so we can chat through how we could enable you to take part comfortably.

Secondly, for anyone who might find the experience overwhelming, overstimulating or too long, there is also an opportunity to attend a shorter event on Tuesday 4 November where we are much more able to tailor the experience to individual needs - to enable you to participate and provide your insight in a different way.

Thirdly, for anyone who cannot attend in person, there are also opportunities to share your ideas and contribute to the Manchester Advocacy Alliance project in other ways. We will also be holding a virtual event to enable you to share your ideas over video, and provide a way for you to contribute in writing, imagery or spoken word in your own time. Please get in touch to find out more.

Getting there and venue accessibility

The St Thomas Centre is a 10-15 minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly and on the bus route for bus numbers 192, 201, 202, 203 and 205.

For more information on getting there: https://stthomascentre.org.uk/find-us/

The venue is designed to be as accessible as possible despite being an older building. To check if it is suitable for you: https://stthomascentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/STC-Access-Statement.pdf

Food and drink

Refreshments will be available throughout the day. Vegetarian lunch will be provided. We will also have celebratory treat in the afternoon!

Most dietary restrictions can be catered for, please let us know in advance if you require gluten free, vegan or have other specific dietary needs.