A local mum is planning to buy a new home that will “transform the life” of her disabled daughter after winning the lottery.
Trawling through Rightmove with no luck had become a daily occurrence for Nichola Galley.
The 43-year-old, from Dukinfield in Tameside, had been checking the property website every day for over four years after local Council bosses refused planning permission to adapt their family home to suit the needs of her severely disabled daughter Ava.
Ava has a genetic condition that has continually perplexed medical professionals, and is considered to be so rare that it doesn’t even have a name.
The 13-year-old was born with the condition, and it has left her non-verbal, unable to walk without the assistance of others, and needing to be tube fed – but despite all in her way, the miracle teen has defied all the odds.
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Dukinfield mum wins the lottery and ‘a new life’ for disabled daughter / Credit: Supplied
“Ava’s condition is so rare it doesn’t have a name,” Nichola explained.
“Most pregnancies either miscarry or are stillborn, and doctors didn’t expect her to still be with us at this age, but she likes to keep us all on our toes.”
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Nichola – who works at a local supermarket cafe, and is also Ava’s full-time carer after giving up her career in design when her daughter was born – and her Creative Director husband Paul, 47, had to turn part of their downstairs dining room into a bedroom for Ava as she got older, as their current home is no longer suitable for her needs.
She's full-time carer to her daughter Ava, who has a disability, so this money means her family can now move to a more accessible house that will transform Ava's life ❤️👏 pic.twitter.com/8IxbMC6vDo
“Ava is getting older and bigger so we need a downstairs bedroom, a wet room, and open plan living so she can move around safely,” Nichola continued, “Hopefully it won’t come to it, but we might need hoists to lift her and everything that comes with that too.
“We don’t actually want to move.
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“We did apply for planning permission to have a downstairs wet room bathroom for Ava, but it was denied.”
Nichola Galley has won £55,555 on the People’s Postcode Lottery / Credit: People’s Postcode Lottery
But now, Nichola has won a life-changing £55,555 as part of the People’s Postcode Lottery’s ‘Millionaire Street’, along with a handful of her neighbours, and it means the family can move from their unsuitable semi to a new home that will “transform the life” of Ava.
“I can’t believe we’ve won that amount of money. It’s going to be so useful that it’s hard not to get emotional”.
Featured Image – People’s Postcode Lottery
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Asda launches red shopping baskets in stores to help singles meet the love of their life
Emily Sergeant
Asda has decided to launch red baskets in stores to help single shoppers meet the love of their life.
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that dating in the modern world isn’t easy, right?
According to new Asda research, 94% of Brits say modern-day dating is hard to navigate, but what’s also clear is that face-to-face interactions still hold a special place – with a resounding 87% of people saying it’s better to meet someone in real life than on a dating app.
In fact, 77% of singles saying they’re not currently active on a dating app at all, and to top it all off, 64% say they fancy someone at their local supermarket.
So, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner now, Asda has decided to take matters into its own hands by placing special red baskets in select stores, giving singles a simple way to signal they’re open to a chat while picking up bread, browsing the bakery, or grabbing a few treats.
Unfortunately for us Mancs, the baskets will only appear in Leicester, Liverpool, and Glasgow, as this is where the research revealed people are most actively looking for love.
While the supermarket admits there’s no one ‘right’ way to meet someone, its research does suggest that 62% of couples who met face-to-face describe themselves as being ‘extremely happy’, compared with 51% of those who met online.
And that sense of connection goes beyond romance too, as among those couples who met in real life, 71% of them say they ‘trust their partner 100%’, while 66% describe their relationship as a ‘deep friendship’.
“We know people are craving real-life connections, but we also know our customers are busy and don’t always have the time to put themselves out there,” a spokesperson for Asda admitted.
“That’s why we’re turning the weekly shop into the ultimate meet-cute. These red baskets are a fun, light-hearted way to help people connect while they’re already doing their everyday shop – a simple, playful nudge to start a chat and maybe even spark a little romance.”
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Manchester’s popular board game festival returns this month with hundreds of games to play
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s popular board came festival is set to return later this month, with hundreds of games free to play.
Manchester Board Game Festival is set to kick off 2026 in style, returning for the first festival of the year with a full weekend of board games, role-playing games, indie traders, and community-led fun in the heart of the city.
The festival features a huge board game library, giving fans access to hundreds of games to try out across the weekend – with ‘Library Bees’ on-hand to help people find games, learn the rules, or jump into sessions with other players.
There’ll also be bookable sessions, like RPGs and Blood on The Clocktower, and seminars to take part in over the three-day event.
Manchester’s popular board game festival returns this month with hundreds of games to play / Credit: MBGF (via Facebook)
As well as gaming, visitors can browse the festival’s popular Geek Fayre too, open on the Saturday and Sunday of the event, which showcases indie traders, artists, and tabletop creators from across the UK. From games and accessories, to artwork and geeky gifts, it’s a chance to support small businesses all while discovering something new.
Running from Friday 27 February through to Sunday 1 March, this opening weekend festival marks the start of five events planned throughout 2026.
Events are designed to bring together players of all experience levels for three days of tabletop gaming and social play.
“There’s something really special about the first festival of the year,” commented festival organiser, James Oxley.
“People are excited, they’re ready to play, and there’s a real buzz in the room. Manchester Board Game Festival has always been about bringing people together through games, and we can’t wait to see everyone back in the halls enjoying themselves.
“Whether attendees come for a single afternoon or the full weekend, the focus is on playing at your own pace, meeting new people, and enjoying games in a relaxed and friendly setting.”
Further festivals will follow throughout 2026, including themed Halloween and Christmas editions later in the year, so keep your eyes peeled, but until then, February’s event marks the first chance for players to roll some dice, discover new favourites, and start the year with a table full of games.
Manchester Board Game Festival takes place from Friday 27 February through to Sunday 1 March at Sachas Hotel in the Northern Quarter, with tickets starting from just £13.
Emily Sergeant -
26th June 2023 
