Handwritten notes penned by a stranger on the other side of the world have been appearing on the streets of Manchester, giving a heartwarming lift to eagle-eyed locals in need of a few kind words.
The letters, all titled ‘Dear Stranger,’ are brimming with kindness and positivity and have been bringing a smile to the faces of passers-by in the city centre over the past few weeks.
Written by author and adopted Manc Jay Ventress, to date the campaign has spread across the globe with letters appearing in the UK, Belgium, Australia, and the United States of America.
His letter writing campaign first began as a coping mechanism at the start of the pandemic, because, as he says himself, “at the time everything felt dark, I was a Brit trapped in Australia, so to brighten up my life I began writing little letters to make a stranger smile to make me smile.”
Three years on, they have been spotted in both Manchester and Leeds – with one person in Manchester even taking the time to post a letter back in response.
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Image: Jay the Author
Image: The Manc Group
Jay’s letter, which has been taped to a box on Stevenson Square, advises its readers: “When life turns cold, that’s life’s brutal gift to remind you to open your eyes to the hidden beauty of the world. To grab that hidden beauty and gift it to another stranger who might feel down.”
“If you’re stuck in a job you hate, failing school, lost and lonely living in a big city, it’s the little memories in your day that stand out and make you smile for a second.
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“Moments like a stranger smiling at you, somebody opening the door for you, or finding a little letter of encouragement to remind you how special you are.”
The full letter reads: ‘Dear Stranger, sometimes when life feels tough, when everything feels painful, cold, that’s when you wake up.
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“You desperately search everywhere and anywhere for a slither of hope. Like right now, look at you!
“You found my secret letter! You’re more observant than most!
“I started writing my letters in Australia, during the pandemic, because at the time everything felt dark, I was a Brit trapped in Australia, so to brighten up my life I began writing little letters to make a stranger smile to make me smile.
“If you’re stuck in a job you hate, failing school, lost nd lonely living in a big city, it’s the little memories in your day that stand out and make you smile for a second.
“Moments like a stranger smiling at you, somebody opening the door for you, or finding a little letter of encouragement to remind you how special you are. When life turns cold, that’s life’s brutal gift to remind you to open your eyes to the hidden beauty of the world. To grab that hidden beauty and gift it to another stranger who might feel down.
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“Like you are doing now, if you choose to open your eyes too see, you’ll find so much beauty and if you gift that beauty to another soul, I assure you, life will reward you too.
In response to Jay’s letter, at least one local person has taken it upon themselves to write back to thank him for his efforts.
In a post shared to Jay’s Instagram of different responses from around the world, one like-minded Manc wrote: “Hi! I hope you are well! I saw your note in Manchester today, and I just wanted to share how touching I found it.
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“As someone who as also struggled in the past, I keep a long notes list in my phone of ‘moments of unsaid love’ that I witness to remind myself of how much around us goes unnoticed.
“It was so lovely to read something from someone likeminded, and I saw your note just when I needed to be reminded myself. Thank you again, I hope you have a lovely day Jay!”
The 26-year-old letter writer originally hails from Yorkshire, but moved to Manchester as a teenager and worked in the city before deciding to travel the world four years ago.
Huge sale on Manchester theatre tickets launches, with shows from £11.70
Daisy Jackson
Theatre ticket prices have been slashed in a huge flash sale in Manchester, with big discounts on some of the world’s most famous shows.
Fans will be able to see iconic musicals, plays, and ballets from as little as £11.70, thanks to the ATG Tickets Summer Saver sale.
The theatre ticket platform’s sale has seen tickets reduced by up to 25% for productions performing at both the Palace Theatre and the Opera House Manchester.
Shows taking part in this year’s summer sale include Matilda The Musical, Annie, Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, Back to the Future The Musical, and even Magic Mike Live.
Theatre shows included in the flash sale in Manchester include smash-hit musical Jersey Boys, which returns to Palace Theatre this September.
ATG Tickets has lowered prices for the musical, which features the greatest hits of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, to as low as £11.70.
Tickets for Jersey Boys range from £12.08 to £54.45 in the flash sale, with excellent availability at the time of writing.
Also included in the Manchester sale is Trainspotting the Musical, where tickets are as low as £14.99.
30 years on from the film that changed everything, and following its successful world premiere run in London’s West End, Trainspotting The Musical performs at the Palace Theatre this November.
Burlesque The Musical is included in the theatre tickets saleBack to the Future The Musical in Manchester also has tickets on sale
Next up for Manchester is Burlesque The Musical, which returns to the city for a run of shows at Opera House Manchester next January.
Tickets for Burlesque The Musical, a powerhouse show with songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren, are priced from just £11.70 in the ATG Summer Saver.
And finally, Back To The Future The Musical returns to Manchester in Summer 2027, with a good handful of tickets now available from just £14.89.
The multi award-winning musical – based off the beloved 1985 film of the same name – had its world premiere in Manchester back in 2020 but the run was cut short by Covid. Now it’s heading back out on a UK tour.
You can see all the theatre shows included in the ATG Summer Saver tickets sale HERE.
Beat-Herder Festival 2026 – the wonderfully weird festival we can’t stop coming back to
Emily Johnson
Another weekend done in the magical, mystical world that is Beat-Herder.
For one weekend every year, a farm in Clitheroe transforms into what the organisers describe as “a place full of beats and barminess” – and honestly, they couldn’t have summed it up any better.
Big enough to keep you discovering something new all weekend, yet small enough that you’ll keep bumping into the same friendly faces, Beat-Herder strikes the balance perfectly.
Every corner has something different going on, every stage has its own personality, and every sound system is absolutely dialled in.
Where else can you go for a swim, get a tattoo, pop into church, visit Paris and dance until sunrise? No, we’re not describing a chaotic stag-do… we’re talking about Beat-Herder.
Every stage deserves a mention, but a few really stood out this year.
Julie’s Barn, a.k.a. ‘Gay Paris’, remains one of the festival’s best-kept secrets. Hidden away in the woods, it’s worth every wrong turn trying to find it.
A glowing dancefloor, disco balls hanging from the trees and a crowd that somehow never seems to leave. We even stumbled across a secret ‘Samurai Breaks SSBB’ set that had the place bouncing all the way through until sunrise.
Credit: The Manc Group
Over at Stumblefunk At The Factory, Breakage delivered one of the sets of the weekend. The bass rattled the roof, the crowd never stopped moving, and the whole place felt like it was about to lift off.
It’s also home to one of Beat-Herder’s many weird little surprises, with hidden missions and the chance to spy on other festival-goers. If you know, you know.
The Garage is another annual favourite. DJs squeezed into the front seat of a car while everyone else danced on the bonnet of old scrapped cars, bouncing to the bass that rattled from White Noise Audio’s soundsystem. It’s those ridiculous little details that make this festival unlike anywhere else.
Then there’s Beat-Herder’s Got Talent, which has become a non-negotiable part of our weekend. The winner earns a slot on the main stage, so every act gives it everything. This year’s line-up featured everything from incredible harmonica performances and live bands to rap duos.
But one contestant completely stole the show.
She walked on stage, admitted she wasn’t sure her talent was quite as impressive as everyone else’s, and the crowd fell silent. No instrument. No backing track. You could hear a pin drop. What on earth was this contestant about to do? And then she proceeded to fit her entire fist in her mouth.
If that doesn’t sum up Beat-Herder, we’re not sure what does. The wonderful woman didn’t win the contest unfortunately, but let’s hope she can get booked for next year, ey?
One of this year’s new additions was The Dub Tub, which quickly became one of our favourite discoveries. Artists like Woody Cook swapped high-energy sets for slower, dub-inspired sessions, creating the perfect place to reset before diving back into the madness.
Oh, and of course, in true Beat-Herder fashion, the DJs were performing in a bathtub, of course.
And speaking of madness… all the classics are still there. The famous tunnel leading to hidden stages, the weird and wonderful walkabout performers, the random discoveries you’ll never find on a map, the hidden swimming pool, fancy dress costumes, and the constant feeling that you’re about to stumble across something completely unexpected.
Massive credit has to go to everyone behind the scenes. From the organisers to the volunteers and crew, everything runs incredibly smoothly, despite how wonderfully chaotic it all feels. Beat-Herder, you’ve done it again; roll on 2027.
Georgina Pellant -
9th June 2023 
