A father who was paralysed in the Manchester Arena attack has set a £1 million fundraising target for a very worthy cause as he prepares to scale Mount Kilimanjaro.
Bolton-born football agent Martin Hibbert – who was the closest casualty to the bomb blast to survive – suffered 22 shrapnel wounds and was left paralysed from the waist down when he and his teenage daughter were among the hundreds injured in the terror attack following an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on 22nd May 2017.
But now, to show his true fighting spirit, and, in his own words, to “turn an appalling act of terror into a force for greater good”, Martin is aiming to scale 19,308ft to the top of Africa’s highest mountain in an epic expedition this July.
Martin credits his recovery to support from the association and the dedicated care he received by staff at Salford Royal Hospital, and so, as a fitting tribute to the people who “changed [his] life” and “put [him] back together”, he will take on the challenge alongside his friend Stuart Wildman – a consultant nurse who cared for him from the very beginning in the Major Trauma Unit at Salford Royal.
Now a wheelchair user, Martin will ride a custom-built handbike for the challenge, which he said he was inspired to do after learning that only one in three people with spinal cord injuries receive treatment at specialist centres.
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Since his recovery, Martin has worked with the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) as a trustee to offer “hope, confidence and practical skills” to other people paralysed by spinal cord injury.
He is using the climb to send a message of optimism and inclusivity for life after injury.
Martin is preparing to scale Mount Kilimanjaro to raise £1 million for Spinal Injuries Association / Credit: SIA / Cloud Force Marketing / Sam Manton
Martin told ITV Granada ahead of his expedition that he wants to “start a revolution to change people’s perceptions of what it means to be disabled”, adding: “I want everyone to have the care and support they need, helping everyone to lead the life they want and being fully involved in the decisions that shape their experiences.”
“Disabled people have to climb their own mountains every day, so I’ve decided to climb a real one,” he concluded.
Speaking ahead of Martin’s challenge this year, Nik Hartley OBE – Chief Executive of the Spinal Injuries Association – said: “Martin is a football-loving family man whose life changed unexpectedly and forever one night in Manchester.
“With grit and determination, he has rebuilt his life and is now supporting other injured people.
“Too often disabled people are seen as second-class citizens, but Martin’s incredible climb is a powerful statement of why achieving one’s goals should not be defined by disability.”
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Martin will ride a custom-built handbike for the challenge / Credit: SIA / Cloud Force Marketing / Sam Manton
Keen to show your support to Martin? All donations towards Martin’s target of raising £1 million for the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) can be made via his official JustGiving page here.
Featured Image – SIA / Cloud Force Marketing / Sam Manton
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Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers
Emily Sergeant
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ for autistic and neurodiverse customers shopping in its stores across the UK.
Supermarket shopping isn’t always the most pleasant or manageable of experiences for everyone, especially for those who are autistic or neurodivergent – with bright lights, loud sounds, strong smells, and crowds of people making it a rather overwhelming and overstimulating atmosphere.
This is why Morrisons has decided to collaborate with the National Autistic Society to introduce dedicated ‘Sensory Support Boxes’ at its stores nationwide, as a way to both mark World Autism Acceptance Month, and help autistic and neurodivergent customers have the positive shopping experience they deserve.
These boxes have been carefully-developed in consultation with the National Autistic Society to ensure they include the most helpful items.
A range of toys like fidget balls, spinners, and squish mats can all be found inside the boxes – which will be eventually be available in all 500 Morrisons supermarkets by May – to help encourage calmness and focus.
All that customers wishing to access the items need to do is simply speak to a colleague at the customer service kiosk of their local Morrisons store.
More than one in 100 people are autistic, and there are 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers / Credit: Morrisons
Speaking on the decision to introduce the Sensory Support Boxes into UK stores, Joseph Clark-Bland, who is the Community Manager at Morrisons, said: “It’s a priority for us to ensure all Morrisons customers feel welcomed and understood.
“We’re proud to be leading the way in creating a more inclusive shopping environment for autistic people, their families and all neurodivergent people across the UK.
“World Autism Acceptance Month has been a key moment for Morrisons for many years, and we look forward to supporting even more customers via our new Sensory Boxes.”
The introduction of the Sensory Support Boxes comes after Morrisons first trialled a ‘Quieter Hour’ in some of its stores back in 2018, before rolling it out nationwide in 2024 due to its success and positive feedback.
Featured Image – Morrisons
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Greater Manchester cinemas to screen family-favourite films for just £2.50 this spring
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester cinemas will be screening family-favourite films, and some new releases, all throughout this upcoming spring holidays.
The best bit? Prices start from a massively-affordable £2.50 a ticket.
With Easter right around the corner, and schools across Greater Manchester set to be on their spring holidays in a couple of weeks time, parents and carers will likely be looking for ways to keep the kids entertained while schools are out.
But now it’s time to take care of those film lovers… and also those keen to plan budget-friendly events that also take into account the classic Manchester April showers.
Cinema chain Vue has announced its lineup of family blockbusters showing at venues across Greater Manchester this spring – including Printworks, Lowry, Bolton, Altrincham, and Bury.
Arriving in time for the school holidays, A Minecraft Movie welcomes fans to their favourite cubic wonderland, while the whole family can instead transport themselves into Disney’s reimagining of the 1937 classic Snow White if they’d prefer.
Also returning to the big screen are childhood classics like Wallace & Gromit: Curse of The Were-Rabbit, 20 years after its original release, and the beloved Babe, to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary.
Greater Manchester cinemas will be screening family-favourite films for just £2.50 this spring / Credit: Disney | Aardman Animations
And as part of Vue’s ‘Mighty Mornings’ offering, film fans can enjoy pre-releases of family-friendly flicks like Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Moana 2 every day throughout half term, all from just £2.49 per ticket when booked online.
“A trip to Vue this Easter break is the perfect opportunity for families to immerse themselves in the magic of their favourite big screen characters,” commented Rob Lea, who is the Head of Screen Content at Vue UK & Ireland.
Emily Sergeant -
13th January 2022 
