It’s not a cocky or off-putting confidence, necessarily, it’s just the kind of confidence that gives them the guts to move through the world with their head held high – and now, a recent survey has proved what we know to be true when it comes to one particularly important aspect of daily life… DIY.
DIY is a skill that needs to be fine-tuned and perfected over time, and it turns out Mancs have got that covered better than the rest of the UK.
The ‘Home Truths’ study by power tool specialist Black + Decker – which polled thousands of Brits on their household habits to reveal who are the handiest when it comes to ‘doing it yourself’ – found that just over half (51%) of those who responded in Manchester said they think they’re better than average person at DIY, while 40% say they’re determined to work out how to do every repair themselves.
One in 10 reckon they’re just as good as a tradesperson, and a surprising 9% of Mancs even said they would consider themselves DIY ‘experts’.
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Mancs have been named some of the ‘best’ in the UK when it comes to DIY / Credit: Black + Decker
Again, one in 10 Mancs said they feel comfortable using all household DIY equipment – with 86% claiming they can handle a drill with ease, 75% can operate a jigsaw, and 64% would be un-phased when using a handsaw.
Overall, of those polled across the UK, 50% said that doing home repairs and improvements gives them a great sense of achievement, and 62% feel motivated to do so without hired help in order to save money, while a further 38% said they actually enjoy it.
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The enjoyment of it all – and, of course, knowing that practice makes perfect – is probably why one in five (19.1%) Mancs admitted to getting involved with DIY projects at least every couple of months, and a further 13% said they complete a DIY task fortnightly, 18% claiming to have taken on a new DIY challenge every day for the last year.
One in 10 Mancs reckon they’re just as good at DIY as a tradesperson / Credit: Malte Luk (via Pexels)
In terms of tasks people wouldn’t get a tradesperson to help with, 80% of those polled would never get help when putting up a shelf, 74% are confident they can unblock a drain alone, and 55% would find a way to fix a leaky tap.
“After a decorating boom in lockdown, it’s great to see that the passion for home improvements and home projects has remained the same for people of Manchester,” Tim Winstanley, the Senior Brand Manager at Black + Decker commented on the survey’s findings.
Vintage fashion sale to pop up in Greater Manchester with all proceeds going to charity
Emily Sergeant
A sustainable vintage fashion shop and kilo sale is popping up in a Greater Manchester town in a couple of days time.
And all the proceeds will go to a very-worthy charity.
Merely weeks after the UK’s largest vintage market descended on the iconic Victoria Baths in Manchester city centre, another sustainable fashion event will be popping up in one of the region’s popular shopping centres for the month.
British Heart Foundation will be hosting a brand-new pop-up shop and vintage kilo sale, where you can buy clothing and other goods at a fixed price per kilogram, in Stretford town centre.
Opening its doors this Saturday (5 April), the charity will be taking over the vacant unit that’s next door to JD Sports to provide the Stretford community with a charity shop filled with all sorts of vintage goods and thrifty finds.
Visitors will be able to sift through shelves stacked with major brands at bargain prices, making it the perfect way to sustainably stock up on wardrobe staples and revamp ready for spring.
A vintage fashion sale is popping up in a Greater Manchester town centre with all proceeds going to charity / Credit: Supplied
All proceeds from the pop-up shop will go directly to the British Heart Foundation, helping to fund vital research into cures and treatments for heart and circulatory diseases, so whether you’re a fashion lover, an avid bargain hunter, or you simply just want to support a good cause, you know where to head on down to.
Running right through until 19 April, this venture is set to be a massively-valuable new addition to Stretford town centre.
The British Heart Foundation pop-up store will be open on Mondays – Saturdays from 10am-4pm, and on Sundays from 10am-3:30pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Jack Grealish dedicates first league goal in 16 months to late brother on anniversary of his death
Danny Jones
Manchester City star Jack Grealish held back the tears following his first Premier League goal in more than 16 months, but not in relief after breaking the duck, because it came on a very emotional day for him and his family.
The Man City and England midfielder opened the scoring in the Blues’ 2-0 win against Leicester City on Wednesday night, bringing an end to his goal drought after a total of 473 days.
But what made it even more special is that the game happened to coincide with the anniversary of his late brother Keelan’s death.
Speaking in his post-match interview after picking up the man of the match award, Grealish was in a noticeably quieter mood than his usual charismatic self before revealing that the day marked the 25th anniversary of his younger sibling’s death.
Jack Grealish dedicates his goal to his late brother on the 25th anniversary of his death ❤️ pic.twitter.com/u3toaqZSuR
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 2, 2025
The 29-year-old went on to reveal that the date coincided with Keelan’s passing and acknowledged that it’s “hard on the family but [I’m] happy to score”.
His mum and dad, Karen and Kevin, were up in the stands; it doesn’t need explaining why scoring in that particular moment was so special for all of them.
Clearly stirred by addressing what was a bittersweet occasion, he signed off by adding, “To score and to win was brilliant.”
Keelan Daniel Grealish was just nine months old when he tragically passed away from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) back in 2000 – ‘Super Jack’ was just four at the time.
Paying tribute on social media after the game, the comments below his post were filled with love and support.
Besides the goal itself, the former Aston Villa star was keen to reiterate that he was never brought to the club to score bags of goals and “has a lot more to offer” than just hitting the back of the net.
Touching on his Grealish’s game and the tribute to Keelan during his post-match duties, manager Pep Guardiola went on to add: “Jack is an incredible human being; in terms of gestures and for the other people, he’s incredibly generous.
“I didn’t know that [it was the anniversary of his brother’s death]. I can’t imagine how tough it could be for mum, dad, sister, and all the family. It’s good on this day to remember him, I’m pretty sure they remember every single day.”
A lovely moment from a much-loved character around the Eithad Stadium as well as up and down the country. Rest in peace, Keelan.
You can watch the highlights from the game down below:
Three more points on the board for City and a big moment for the Brummy-born midfielder.
Emily Sergeant -
26th October 2023 
