Free things to do in Manchester this weekend ft. Repair Café + more

Australian Public Schools Symphony Orchestra at Stoller Hall
Our first pick of free things to in Manchester this weekend is a concert from Australia’s New South Wales Public Schools Symphony Orchestra and Choir. They performed a free show at Manchester Cathedral on Thursday, and on Friday they’re coming to Stoller Hall, for an evening of classical and modern compositions performed by the continent’s brightest and best. See our full preview for more information.
Fri 19 Jan, The Stoller Hall, Hunts Bank, Manchester, M3 1DA. Tel: 0333 130 0967, 7.30pm, www.stollerhall.com

Repair Café at Stitched Up (pictured)
You know that one item of clothing you’ve got shoved at the back of your wardrobe? The one with the big tear that needs stitching? Well this Saturday morning you can get it fixed for free at Stitched Up, a crafting co-operative tucked away down an alley on Wilbraham Road in Chorlton. Between 10am and midday, the crew will be available to help mend clothing, furniture, bikes and even electronics. The aim of the event is not just to fix it up for you, but to empower you with the skills to fix your own stuff. Slots are available to book on the day up until 11.30am.
Sat 20 Jan, Stitched Up, 527B Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 0UF. 10am – 12pm, www.facebook.com

Stephen McGann at Irish World Heritage Centre
Actor and writer Stephen McGann comes to the Irish World Heritage Centre – the heart of Manchester’s Irish community – this Saturday to give a talk about his new book Flesh & Blood: A History of My Family in Seven Maladies, in which he traces his family’s ancestry from the port of Liverpool through to the famine-ravaged Ireland of the 1850s. Joining him in conversation is Manchester University genealogist Dr Jerome de Groot, to talk about the content of the book, the McGann  family history and maybe a little bit about his career (McGann is currently acting in Call the Midwife).
Sat 20 Jan, Irish World Heritage Centre, 1 Irish Town Way, Manchester, M8 0AE. 3pm – 4.30pm, www.eventbrite.com

Banner Changeover at the People’s History Museum
The People’s History Museum’s Gallery Two is host to a fantastic rotating collection of political banners and protest art, and this weekend is the changeover period, marking your first opportunity to see the new crop of banners acquired by the museum. Past exhibitions have included a wide range of banners from unions, societies and other political organisations, including historical banners such as one from the world’s oldest trade union, the Liverpool Tinplate Workers. The new banners will be on display until January 2019.
Sat 20 Jan, People’s History Museum, Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER. Tel: 0161 838 9190, 10am – 5pm, www.phm.org.uk