It was sadly announced earlier this week that Cat Cafe Manchester was to permanently close the doors of its Northern Quarter premises “due to COVID-19”.
The chain’s Manchester branch became the latest business to close in the wake of the ongoing pandemic.
Confirming its closure on social media on Monday, Cat Cafe Manchester said: “We are truly heartbroken to announce this news, however due to COVID-19, Cat Cafe Manchester will be closing its doors.
“It has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, [though] as it stands we simply cannot afford to continue in our current unit [but] we hope to relaunch in a new premises once the pandemic is over, so please continue to bear with us through this very difficult time.”
The cafe was founded by sisters Ellie and Sarah Close in 2016, with a mission to “give you a new perspective” and “encourage the people of Britain’s greatest cities to be more cat”.
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Before its closure, visitors paid to enter the cafe and spend time with its feline residents – who lounge around on a plethora of cushions and cat climbing frames – and was also popular with passers-by too, who could often be seen cat-watching through the floor to ceiling windows.
And it’s those very feline fans who have set up a fundraising page in the hopes of raising £5,000 to support the much-loved venue in its future endeavours.
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The GoFundMe fundraiser has been organised by frequent Cat Cafe Manchester visitor Lindsay Cooke.
“I know that money is tight at the moment with many people furloughed or out of work but anything that people can spare would help so much.” Lindsay explained.
“Many people will say “well it’s just a cafe why should we donate?”,
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“[But] it’s not just a cafe with cats, they staff offer various film nights and times for autistic people to visit, as well as quiz evenings and other fun things.”
Lindsay continued: “For me, the closure of this happy place is upsetting as I am an autistic adult who is also disabled [and] this was my place to relax and be happy after a stressful day at work.
“I don’t know where I will go if this place closes as I need routine to keep me grounded.
“This place means the world to me and many others.”
Mental health and autism was always important to Cat Cafe Manchester.
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“We had a lot of people with autism that used to come with carers and all sorts of things we used to do.” Owner Sarah Close explained to the MEN.
“One of the reasons we set the cafe up was because we think that cats can help with people’s mental health.”
Ellie and Sarah said they are “truly heartbroken” to say goodbye to the venue, but hope to reopen in a new unit once COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed, with Ellie adding: “It is really sweet that customers are fundraising to help save the cafe.
“We didn’t expect it at all.
“It’s such a difficult time financially for everybody, so it’s lovely to see people really want a cat cafe to stay in Manchester [and] as you can see from the responses, we have become a really loved venue in Manchester over the last four years.
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“Any money that is raised is incredibly appreciated by myself and Sarah.
“It will help us be able to relaunch in a new unit once the pandemic is over, along with hopefully providing job security for our wonderful staff.”
A young lad is walking all the way from Manchester to Ibiza for a truly tear-jerking cause
Danny Jones
We recently came across the story of a young man who has set himself the task of walking all the way from Manchester to Ibiza in an effort to raise money for a truly tear-jerking charitable cause.
In case you haven’t heard of him already, the legend responsible behind this is Henry Oscar Moores, a 21-year-old from Macclesfield in Cheshire who is essentially completing a marathon every single day to complete his voyage from rainy 0161 to sunny Spain.
Nearly halfway into his epic trek already, the youngster has been battling plenty of obstacles, not least heavy rain – and that was just here in Greater Manchester…
Going live each day as thousands of followers tune in to support his latest steps, his real-world journey has sparked a wholesome new community online and we’ve got nothing but the utmost respect.
It’s set to take him around 60 days in total, all being well, but what exactly is Henry Moores doing all this for? Or rather who?
Well, the answer is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, as the ‘Henry Walk’ from Manchester to Ibiza is all in aid of the Tony Hudgell Foundation, a charity set up in honour of the now nine-year-old boy of the same name and the youngest ever Pride of Britain winner.
Hudgell was sadly the victim of horrific child abuse ever since he was a toddler, so much so that he had to have both of his legs amputated as a result of the treatment. In 2020, when he was still just five, Tony set out to raise £500 by walking 10k in his prosthetic legs. He ended up amassing £1.8m. Incredible.
With a non-profit officially registered in his name since 2021, the organisation aims to provide support to children affected by physical, emotional or psychological abuse. His story also helped usher in Tony’s Law. Now taking over the reins, Henry is pounding the pavement on his behalf – and smashing it.
He’s even been given an added incentive by Ibiza’s Ocean Beach owner, Wayne Lineker.
Promising to help Henry finish the walk if he makes it all the way to his final 30k leg in Ibiza Town to the famous club – he’s already polished off the 507km from Manchester to Portsmouth and is currently chipping away at the 1818km stint from Caen in France to Denia – Lineker and the likes of radio DJ Charlie Sloth have been backing the effort since day one.
Describing Tony as an inspirational young figure “who captures hearts with his bravery, optimism, and infectious smile”, even despite his daily struggle and constant treatment, we can’t overstate the admiration we have for both of them. He’s already smashed his initial £20k and just keeps going.
“We really appreciate any donations; we know times are tough. Don’t hesitate if you can’t donate; continue to share and support us in any other way. Thanks to everyone for the past couple of weeks; it’s been insane.” You can do your bit by donating HERE or to Tony Hudgell’s operation fund directly.
Featured Images — Henry Moores (via Instagram)/JustGiving
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Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK, and it’s joined by two other Greater Manchester towns in the top 10.
Talk about a not-so-coveted title, right?
From damp flats to poorly-ventilated houses, the battle against mould seems to be constant for many UK residents, and while Awaab’s Law – which was named in memory of Rochdale toddler, Awaab Ishak, and introduced back in 2023 – was brought in to tackle this very problem, by mandating faster response times from social housing landlords for dealing with damp-related issues, the problem still continues for homeowners and tenants alike despite this new legislation.
And now, some new research by thermal imaging experts at Tester has revealed where the ‘mouldiest’ places to live in the UK are.
Tester measured the average monthly search volume for various mould-related terms over the past 12 months – including ‘mould removal cost’, and ‘black mould removal’ – to figure out where the mouldiest places in the country are, and devise a top 10 list.
Bolton takes the title of the UK’s mouldiest place, according to the new research, with an average monthly search volume for mould-related terms of 945 per 100,000 people, and ‘magic mould’ being the most-searched term as residents seem eager to find a simple solution to their ever-growing mould problems.
Top 10 ‘mouldiest’ places in the UK
Bolton
Croydon
Manchester
Bath
Bristol
Lincoln
Bournemouth
Norwich
Stockport
Wakefield
Manchester places third on the list, with an average monthly search volume of 922 per 100,000 people, and Stockport also features in the less-than-ideal top 10 at number nine.
Croydon in London claims the runner-up spot on the list, while Bath and Bristol round out the top five alongside Manchester, and Lincoln, Norwich, and Wakefield are some of the other areas to make up the top 10.
A spokesperson for Tester admitted that the surge in searches for mould-related terms in the UK is “worrying to say the least”.
Speaking on the findings from the team’s new research, they continued in a statement: “The study shows that UK residents are actively seeking out mould removal solutions, pointing to a wider problem of mould and mildew growth in homes not being properly dealt with, either by landlords or homeowners themselves.”