Save The Children's Families and Schools Together (FAST) programme is a project that supports parents to improve their children's learning and development at home. I went to photograph a FAST session and graduation at a primary school in Oldham .

Chorlton water park looked beautiful in the winter sun and frost this morning so I joined press photographers up and down the country in doing a few weather pics .

The Bishop of Manchester Nigel McCulloch leads his final service at Manchester Cathedral . He is retiring after nearly ten years in the position .

As a kid Danger Mouse was essential viewing so it was a real pleasure to meet it's co-creator Brian Cosgrove .

Brian is making a return to television animation - read all about it here... http://tinyurl.com/bmnaj62

Moss Side Fire Station Gym where fire fighters give up hours of their own time to coach kids from the area

A very quick portrait of Bank of England policymaker Martin Weale after he spoke at Manchester University about the economy . In particular , he warned against further quantitative easing and highlighted the plight of young people in a weakened job market . All cheery stuff .

Manchester City FC legend Tony Book pictured at home . A real pleasure to photograph such a nice guy .

Ladies of Liverpool trying out make up at the shiny new Beauty Bazaar , Harvey Nichols .

Sacred Heart Primary School in Liverpool where the timetable includes a chess lesson per week for pupils . The game is seen as a great help in aiding concentration . A number of schools in Britain are adding chess to their curriculum but we're a long way behind Armenia where chess participation is compulsory for pupils

Jo Perruzza pictured at Olympic Gym , Eccles , Salford . Jo took up body building just 18 months ago and recently won the UK Championships and has won a place at the World Body Building Finals in Miami in November. .

Ed Miliband is joined by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to launch the party's Police and Crime Commissioner election campaign in Preston.

Harrogate Autumn Flower Show

It seems like only weeks ago rather than months since I trekked up the M62 to photograph the Harrogate Spring Flower Show ( spring flower blog ). I returned yesterday to photograph the Autumn event .

Ahead of the publishing of the Independent Hillsborough Panel's findings , I photographed Steve Kelly who lost his brother at Hillsborough and Kenny Derbyshire who was at the ground in 1989 and has been haunted by his memories of the day ever since .

read the story here -   http://tinyurl.com/9dhramn

A book of condolence in memory of Winnie Johnson has been opened at St Chrysostom’s Church in Longsight . Winnie suffered a life of heartache after her son Keith Bennett was killed by Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in 1964. Despite Winnie never giving up hope that it would , Keith's body has not been found .

New York Artists Jeff Stark and Todd Chandler have created a drive in cinema out of scrap cars as part of the Abandon Normal Devices arts festival

The Paralympic flame is sparked on top of Snowdon by Scouts and Lord Coe . The Scouts and Lord Coe set off at dawn to scale the peak . I cheated and got the mountain railway train up . Wi-fi at the cafe at the summit meant it was possible to enjoy a cup of tea and send my pictures out from 3500 feet up .

GCSE exam results at Stretford High School . I resisted the urge to line up a group of bright young things and get them to spontaneously leap with joy into the air .