A Manchester-based charity aiming to “fight food poverty and loneliness” will continue to provide free takeaway meals to people in need in during lockdown.
And this week, it’s also launching a ‘Cook & Collect’ and takeaway service too.
FoodCycle – a national charity which, under normal circumstances, has volunteers who take surplus food and turn it into nutritious community meals, with the aim of reducing food waste, food poverty and tackling social isolation – found that during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 68% of its guests across the country worry that they can’t afford to live and rely on FoodCycle’s weekly meals alone.
Research also showed that 80% of FoodCycle guests who attended with children said they have skipped meals this year because they could not afford or access food, and 75% also admitted that they experienced loneliness.
This is why – as vital service providing food and conversation to thousands of people every week across the country – FoodCycle projects can still legally operate and remain open.
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As with other takeaway services, and with additional COVID-19 policies and procedures already in place, under the new regulations for England’s third national lockdown, FoodCycle can continue to provide much-needed food to local communities.
Speaking on the decision to keep services running, Mary McGrath MBE – CEO of FoodCycle says: “Our number one priority will always be the safety and welfare of our guests and volunteers and we will continue to work with our teams, volunteers and venues to maintain our high standards and keep everyone as safe as possible while delivering this vital service to vulnerable people across the country.”
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Under the new national lockdown restrictions, FoodCycle guests can continue to collect nutritious food for themselves and their households, and those unable to visit their local FoodCycle project due to self-isolating or shielding can ask a friend, neighbour or family member to collect on their behalf legally under the “reasonable excuse” category.
Those who fall under the category of critically vulnerable, or have been told to shield can also access extra provision through NHS Responders as part of the Check-in and Chat service.
Created in April 2020 in reaction to the first national lockdown, Foodcycle’s Check-in and Chat service is also open and is helping to combat the rising issue of social isolation during the pandemic by having volunteers call guests for a weekly natter.
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A FoodCycle guest who has made good use of the service said: “It makes me very happy that FoodCycle are still looking out for people and caring for the community during this time.”
FoodCycle Manchester is currently operating its new project from The Inspire Centre in Levenshulme, and is also due to launch its weekly ‘Cook & Collect’ service on 14th January from 7.30pm – 8.30pm too.
You can find more information from the FoodCycle website here.
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Everything inside the Sephora VIP goodie bags worth more than £1,000
Daisy Jackson
Sephora opening in Manchester has been causing a bit of a stir, with more than 2,000 people queueing up this week to try and nab a free goodie bag.
And while the presents being handed out to the public are pretty impressive, it’s nothing compared to the VIP goodie bags given out at the store’s official launch on Wednesday.
A number of celebrities, influencers, press and other special guests were invited to have a sneak peek of the huge new shop at the Trafford Centre before its official opening to the public.
At the glittering celebration, VIPs were given a glimpse at the huge range of products on offer inside Sephora’s first UK store outside of London.
Those in attendance included actor and TV presenter actor Katie Mcglynn, TV personality Caroline Thomas, actress Alex Fletcher and radio one presenter Natalie O’Leary, Real Housewives of Cheshire, Love Island personalities, and professional footballer Courtney Duffus.
Special guests of Sephora were then sent home with the goodie bag to end all goodie bags, stuffed full of full-sized cult products.
And having totted up the value of everything inside, we can confirm that each goodie bag is worth more than a grand (£1092.93, to be exact). Wowsers.
Viral products inside include Makeup By Mario lipstick, Olaplex, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Glossier You perfume, and MorrocanOil hair treatments.
There are also TikTok sensations like the Dr Jart Tiger Grass treatment, which comes out of its tub green but magically turns beige on the skin, cancelling out redness.
And Tarte’s take on the revolutionary tubing mascara, which comes off your lashes with only water and a wipe, was also chucked in.
The most high-value items in the Sephora goodie bags were an Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream worth £64, Caudalie’s brightening serum at £52, and a Neom candle for £38.
Mancs can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ Channel 4 dating show
Emily Sergeant
Those who consider themselves to be pretty unlucky-in-love can now apply to take part in one of the most “unique” dating shows on TV.
Following the undoubted success of the first series – which has been airing on E4 for the past couple of weeks now, before concluding last Thursday (9 May) – Channel 4 has now put out a nationwide casting call for people to take part in the next series of its newest dating game show, Love Triangle.
And the show’s producers are calling on singletons from Greater Manchester to stick an application in.
Mancs can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ TV dating show / Credit: Channel 4
Unfamiliar with Love Triangle?
Based off the US and Australian programmes of the same name, the UK version is a so-called “supersized” take on the show, and it seeks to “turn everything you know about dating on its head”.
In what is a first of its kind for UK television, the brand-new relationship format asks six courageous singles to reject all the conventions and pitfalls of modern app-based dating in favour of a “radical” new approach.
Channel 4 is currently casting across the UK for the next series of Love Triangle / Credit: Channel 4
The six contestants will first choose a love match from two potential suitors.
One match embodies each single’s usual wants, type, and desires, while the other reflects their deeper and more “fulfilling” romantic needs.
After choosing one of the suitors to date, the other will then make a “shocking surprise return” to form a love triangle, and then, after dating and living with both suitors, each single faces a choice – they must pick one of their matches to “pursue lasting love”.
The casting call for contestants on the Channel 4 website reads: “In this unique relationship series reflecting dating in the real world, unlucky-in-love singles are matched with two potential partners, who each tick different boxes of their wants and needs, in the hopes of finding long-lasting love.”
To apply for the show, you just need to be 18 years of age or older, a resident of the UK, and crucially, single and “looking for love”.