Manchester's OKasional cafe has returned. The temporary squatted social centre project has occupied a disused old people's home in Fallowfield, South Manchester. For three weeks the space will provide vegan lunch, dinner, workshops, events, gigs, parties, a library and more.

For an up-to-date programme of events see the OK Cafe website.

As reported in the Manchester Mule, the Cafe opens at a time when the Coalition government is proposing new legislation to make trespass a criminal offence.

One Cafe organiser explained, "The café physically stages a protest against government plans to criminalise squatting, the effects of which ripple out much further than just outlawing projects like the OK Café. The proposed legislation will impact the most vulnerable in our society - the homeless.  

Crisis, the homelessness charity stated this year that around 39 per cent of all homeless people have used squatting at some point to stay off the streets.

The former nursing home building has been disused since 2007. Workshops so far have included:

- book bloc
- screen printing
- feminism and class
- acrobatic and circus skills
- acordian music
- squatting
- housing coops
- cooking

Squatters from Amsterdam will hold an event this Friday discussing the recent legislation to ban squatting in the Netherlands.

For more information on the proposed new trespass laws see: http://www.squashcampaign.org/

Finally,  Jeffrey Lewis is rumoured to be playing the OK Cafe later tonight (Tuesday 24th Oct).