---

We continue to offer these Zoom talks, free not only to members but anyone with an interest.  All we ask in return is, if you enjoy the talk we now have a "Donate" button on our Website, in the section About the Society, either £2.50 or £5.00. 

---

 

Join Testament as he pieces together the life of Robert Rose the self-titled “Bard of Colour”, a black poet living in Manchester 200 years ago. Rose was part of the Sun Inn Group of poets alongside Samuel Bamford, John Critchely Prince and Isabella Banks. Testament is currently writing a play about Robert Rose. Testament is a rapper, poet, playwright and world record holding beatboxer. Testament  was writer in residence at The Royal Exchange Theatre in 2019 and is currently host of BBC Radio 4’s The Adverb.”

“The Bard of Colour” Who was Robert Rose?

Acclaimed playwright, rapper,, poet and beatboxer Testament shares his creative and historical journey exploring Robert Rose, the 19th-century self-titled “Bard of Colour” whose voice once rang through the streets of Manchester. Despite his work being scattered through journals, newspapers and aborted attempts at self-publication - Rose’s fan’s included luminaries such as Charles Dickens, Countess Blessington and William Harrison Ainsworth. In this event, Testament shares his search for the truth about Rose, and his story has impacted him leading him to make a BBC Radio 4 documentary and is now shaping the development of a new play.  

---

The Together Trust, Together Trust Centre, Schools Hill, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 1JE

The Together Trust is a Charity based in Cheadle which delivers care, support and education services across the North-West. Services include caring homes and education for young people with disabilities and complex needs along with a fostering service and therapy services for families. Community services are also run for adults with disabilities or complex health needs.

The Charity has evolved multiple times from small beginnings in January 1870 on Quay Street, Manchester when a homeless shelter was first opened for 12 boys over the age of 10. The Charity's name too has evolved through the years notably including 'Manchester and Salford Boys and Girls Refuges and Homes' and 'the Boys and Girls Welfare Society'.  The services offered for children grew quickly from 1870 and within the Charity's first 50 years they ran numerous homes across a wide age range, emigration services to Canada, campaigning work to improve the lives of children, employment and training opportunities, convalescent homes, summer camps, a 24-hour shelter, a remand home and a home for children with disabilities. From 1920 most services were re-located from Manchester and Salford to Cheadle. Children's homes continued to be run from the Cheadle site before moving to smaller family homes in the community, following which specialist education services were provided on site, evolving to include post 16 education and adult day services in the local area. As Records and Archives Officer for the Trust I hope to provide an overview of the Trust's 155 year history and use the records from the early half of the Charity's history to explore some of the services offered and the young people who used them. 

---