Manchester City Council has announced that its ‘JabCab’ service is returning this winter to provide free taxi rides for residents who need to get to and from their COVID vaccination appointments.
You may remember that earlier this year, a similar scheme was set up that helped hundreds of people travel to vaccination centres in Moss Side and Bellevue, and now it’s back to aid with the continued roll-out of the booster jab programme before the arrival of Christmas.
All Mancunians are entitled to a free taxi ride to get to the range of vaccination centres across Manchester.
Manchester City Council says that the service has been expanded due to the need to support people who cannot walk to vaccination sites, who cannot drive, or who cannot get there via public transport either.
Local Manchester-based taxi firm, Street Cars, will be offering the free service, with residents only needing to call 0161 228 7878 to book a car.
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The following vaccination sites are eligable:
The Grange Community Resource Centre
Irish World Heritage Centre
Jain Community Centre
Newton Heath Health Centre
Plant Hill Clinic
Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre
The Vallance Centre
People should book a vaccination or booster appointment in advance, or check ahead and choose a vaccination centre which is taking walk ups.
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Use the reference term ‘ManchesterJabCab’ with taxi firm Street Cars when ordering.
Street Cars will need your address, the vaccine centre you will be attending, and the number of passengers who will be travelling.
Local Manchester-based taxi firm, Street Cars, will be offering the free service / Credit: Facebook (Street Cars)
Speaking about the importance of the ManchesterJabCab initiative, David Regan – Manchester’s Director of Public Health – said: “Providing fair and easy access to the Covid jab for people in Manchester has been one of the cornerstones of the vaccination programme.
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“This winter we are doing everything we can to get people vaccinated and the ManchesterJabCab is just one tool at our disposal to protect as many people as we can.
“The first week of the expanded booster programme was a huge success, with more than 44,000 booster jabs given in the space of the week [but] the challenge now will be to sustain that and keep people coming in during the Christmas run up.
“We also want to encourage people to get their first dose as it’s never too late to get vaccinated.
“Vaccinations remain the best line of defence against serious illness if you develop Covid and I would ask anyone who’s not yet booked in to take up this opportunity and protect themselves and their loved ones this Christmas.”
A FREE family-friendly lantern parade is returning to Altrincham this Christmas
Thomas Melia
There’s a family-friendly lantern parade making its way back to Altrincham town centre this Christmas and it’s completely free.
If you thought the Christmas season couldn’t get any better, you were wrong, as now you can have your very own Rapunzel moment as Altrincham welcomes the return of its lantern parade.
Before these dazzling paper creations light up this Greater Manchester town, there will be a very exciting Nativity Trail spread across various locations starting at Stamford Square.
Not only this, you can also expect a range of family-friendlyactivities running throughout the day featuring everything from live music and storytelling.
And if you’re after getting stuck in yourself rather than just watching from the sidelines, there’ll be lantern making workshops taking place on the day.
Although these classes will be free for all to enjoy, any families looking at attending will still need to book a ticket to create and design their own lantern at at OYEZ Arts in Altrincham Town Hall.
Previous lantern parades that have been held in Altrincham have seen lots of exciting and fun festive surprises with live donkeys trotting through the town last year.
The event itself encourages parade-goers to gather in Goose Green from 4pm before the official walk and lighting takes place from 4.45pm.
This illuminated walk includes a full Nativity cast, local schoolchildren, lantern puppets alongside a live soundtrack courtesy of Sale District Scout and Guide Band.
With the lantern parade finishing in Stamford Square and expected to last just under one hour, there will be a live Nativity performance happening at 5.30pm.
Mandy White, Director of Altrincham BID, said: “The Lantern Parade and Nativity Journey truly capture the spirit of Christmas in Altrincham. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, explore the town and celebrate the festive season.”
Altrincham’s Lantern Parade and Nativity Journey returns on Saturday 13 December from 12pm with lantern lighting at 4pm onwards – all events and further info. HERE.
Featured Images – Supplied (via Altrincham BID)
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‘Disgraceful’ Manchester sex offender jailed after messaging several young girls under 16
Emily Sergeant
A sex offender from Manchester has been charged with 35 offences, including messaging several young girls while on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
William Howarth, from the Miles Platting area of Manchester, appeared at Manchester Crown Court this week where he was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison – with a further six years on licence.
The 23-year-old’s sentencing follows an investigation by Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT) after Howarth was found to be in possession of an unregistered mobile phone in a visit from his offender manager in 2023.
Howarth was subject to routine checks due to him being an already-registered sex offender managed by GMP through a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and it was here where he had to register his mobile device and hand it over to his offender manager from our Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) during home visits.
After Howarth’s phone was seized by police, forensic analysis revealed a number of messages were sent to several young girls under the age 16.
#JAILED | On Thursday at Manchester Crown Court, William Howarth (28/7/2002), of Miles Platting, was sentenced to 15 years & 8 months with a further 6 years on licence – after previously pleading guilty to the 35 offences involving messaging young girls pic.twitter.com/HrYKCVay2l
An investigation was immediately launched, and with the help of police forces across the country, GMP managed to trace the children Howarth had been in communication with – who ‘bravely’ agreed to give their accounts.
Police say Howarth displayed ‘controlling’ behaviour over the children he had been in contact with, not allowing them to refuse his requests.
When the children attempted to make a stand and refuse to send further images to him, Howarth would threaten them by stating if they didn’t do as he asked, he would post their images online.
In a hearing at Manchester Crown Court last week (10 November 2025), Howarth pleaded guilty to the following 35 offences – including 11 counts of breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and possession and making of indecent images of children.
Speaking following Howarth’s sentencing, Detective Constable Joshua Cresswell, from GMP’s Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT), commented: “I’d like to thank the brave child victims in supporting our investigating through agreeing to give us their harrowing accounts of how Howarth came in contact with them.
“Howarth is a disgraceful predator and belongs behind bars away from causing further harm to children.”
Emily Sergeant -
23rd December 2021 
