And Chapel Street Park – nestled in the Manchester suburb of Levenshulme, surrounded by terraced housing and flats, most of which don’t have gardens of their own – is one of the oldest green spaces the city can boast, and while there’s no denying it serves the community well, the local group Friends of Chapel Street Park have some grand plans for the former bowling green that’s in desperate need of some restoration.
They aim to transform the space into a sunshine-inspired community garden, with areas dedicated to vegetable growing, wildlife and wellbeing.
But they need our help to win a £5,000 grant that will aid in making their dreams a reality.
The grant they’re looking to get their hands on comes courtesy of family food company Higgidy Pies, which is pledging three figures of £5,000 to “add some life to unloved spaces somewhere in the UK by creating veg gardens and awarding them to the local community”, and Chapel Street Park has made the shortlist – the only space in the North West to do so.
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As well as community growing spaces for vegetables and herbs, there are also plans for an orchard, edible hedgerows, and habitats for wildlife and pondlife at Chapel Street Park.
Detailing the transformation they’re hoping to pull off if they manage to secure the grant, Lizzie Meade – chair of Friends of Chapel Street Park – said: “The Old Bowling Green in Chapel Street Park has been derelict for several years,”
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“Local residents have taken it on and are planning to transform it back into a really active community space that will also be a huge benefit to wildlife.
“The COVID lockdowns have made many of us appreciate local green spaces all the more, and this is the perfect opportunity to restore the space and enjoy it for years to come.
“The grant would really help to make these plans a reality.
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“We are especially keen to get some kind of shelter so that volunteers can enjoy the space all year round and have a place to socialise, as this is one of the many ways the project can benefit wellbeing, which is something we all need.”
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The winners will be announced on 25th January.
You can cast your vote for Chapel Street Park in the Seeds of Joy competition via the Higgidy website here, and you can keep up to date with the park and community via its Facebook group.
Chapel Street Park, Chapel Street, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 3GH.
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Aldi has launched the world’s first lickable pigs in blankets wrapping paper… for some reason
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has launched its latest Christmas creation, and this one’s arguably wackier than anything else it’s brought out before.
There’s absolutely no denying that pigs in blankets are a staple of festive feasting, with millions of the little delicacies consumed throughout the UK each Christmas, but have you ever wished you could turn the taste of those pigs in blankets into a lickable wrapping paper to wrap all this year’s gifts in? Yeah probably not… Aldi‘s made it though.
It’s anticipated that more than 561 million pigs in blankets are going to be eaten over the festive period, new research has found, which is an average of 10 per person.
But if you just can’t bare to leave the taste of pigs in blankets behind, Aldi’s new wrapping paper is set to give shoppers a fun and tasty twist when it comes to gift-giving.
The limited-edition wrapping paper is inspired by Aldi’s very-own range of pigs in blankets, and is described as capturing the smoky, savoury flavour and smell of the festive treat, with stickers that peel back to reveal a truly unique ‘lickable’ experience.
Aldi has launched the world’s first lickable pigs in blankets wrapping paper / Credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Wire (via Aldi UK)
Not only does the novelty wrapping paper taste and smells like pigs in blankets, it also looks the part on presents too with its pastel pink design, festive holly, and snowflake patterns.
“Pigs in Blankets are a highlight of the festive season… so we wanted to create something special to celebrate the Christmas classic,” commented Julie Ashfield, who is the Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, as the new creation launches.
“This unique, lickable wrapping paper is the perfect way to spread extra joy on Christmas Day.”
Want to get your hands on it then? Unfortunately, it won’t be as simple as popping to your nearest Aldi store and picking up a roll, as with a creation as unique as this, there’s only going to be limited stock and a special shopper competition to win it.
To be in with a chance of winning, you simply need to email [email protected] with your full name before the deadline at 11:59pm on 1 December.
If you’re a lucky winner, you’ll be notified via email by 12 December, just in time to get wrapping gifts for the big day.
Featured Image – Simon Jacobs (via Aldi UK)
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Oasis and adidas drop yet more new merch in the Live ’25 collection
Danny Jones
The Oasis and adidas love affair isn’t over just yet; it isn’t going anywhere, as the legendary Manc band group and global sports apparel franchise are releasing another batch of merch as part of the smash-hit Live ’25 collection.
After shirts, shoes, jackets and bucket hats galore sold out all over the world, adidas is now toasting not only the end of the reunion world tour but “the year that was Oasis” with a second drop in the already iconic crossover.
If you passed through Manchester at all during their Heaton Park homecoming run, you will have no doubt seen countless examples of the ‘adidas Originals x Oasis’ football shirt collaboration alone, not to mention several other bits of fashion in the official Live ’25 fashion line.
Now, just in time for Christmas, there’s a whole new set being introduced into the range of casual wear.
Simply titled ‘Oasis Live ‘25 Drop 2’, the latest additions to the adidas Originals collection are releasing next month and, obviously, will be sold in stores and online.
While the pop-up stores that opened up here in the city centre all over have now shut up shop, Greater Manchester’s adidas locations on Market Street – which turned into an Oasis fan paradise this past summer – and Pear Mill in Stockport will still be stocking the various bits of Britpop clobber.
Although the most recent items will be exclusively available domestically for now, they will be rolled out overseas in 2026.
Considering how quickly most of it sold out last time, you can guarantee most of the options to fly off the shelves just as fast here in the UK.
Honestly, we’ve only just managed to get our hands on the standard black ‘jacquard jersey’.
As you can see, a good chunk of the second drop is that same footy shirt in different colours and other tees in different lengths/variations.
Scheduled to launch on Friday, 12 December, the ‘Oasis x adidas Originals Live ‘25 Drop 2’ will go on sale at 9am sharpish, so you’d best get ready for a scrap in that digital queue.
Naturally, fans, fashionistas and collectors can expect virtually identical costs for the majority of pieces (and buying in-person will obviously help keep the cost down), though it does look like some price points have been adjusted.
As for the Live ’25 tour itself, now that the dust has settled on the ‘Oasis Mania‘ take two, Liam himself has taken to social media to express his gratitude in the most Gallagher way possible…
Emily Sergeant -
12th January 2021 
