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Millions of new King Charles £1 coins have officially entered UK circulation

Big day.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 20th August 2024

The public are being told to keep an eye out for “a piece of history”, as the first King Charles £1 coins have officially entered UK circulation.

After the designs for the new coins were revealed back in October 2023, a total of 2.975 million £1s have now been issued to UK Post Offices and banks from today, and are currently in the process of making their way into tills nationwide.

Each of the eight UK coins feature a new design, all of which apparently highlight King Charles III‘s “passion for conservation”.

The £1 coin features a tribute to British bees.

According to the Royal Mint, the bee symbol has been chosen to represent the fact that there’s more than 250 species of bee currently existing in Britain, including bumblebees, mason bees, and mining bees, and to show just what a pivotal role these “industrious insects” play in pollinating plants and fruiting trees.  

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And not only can bees be found all over the country, commonly in gardens, parks, woods, orchards, and meadows, but now they can also be found on the reverse of the UK £1 coin.

The Hazel Dormouse, Puffin, and Red Squirrel are just a couple of the other species which feature on the other seven coins – which have all been created with the support of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). 

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Millions of new King Charles £1 coins have officially entered circulation in the UK / Credit: The Royal Mint

Rebecca Morgan, who is the Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint, the country’s official coin maker is “honoured” to confirm the new £1 has now entered circulation.

“We know there’ll be a buzz of excitement amongst collectors and the public to get this special piece of history in their change,” she added. “We hope the designs across all denominations spark important conversations about the conservation of these important species.”

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Commemorative sets of the new coins are also available from The Royal Mint’s website, if you’re keen to collect them all, and will set you back £34.

Featured Image – The Royal Mint

News

Manchester City to commemorate Sir Howard Bernstein ahead of Arsenal game this weekend

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester City dedicating Arsenal game to Howard Bernstein before kick-off

Manchester City have announced that they will be dedicating their upcoming Premier League fixture to the late, great Sir Howard Bernstein.

The former Manchester City Council chief executive and influential native passed away earlier this year following a “period of illness” at the age of 71.

With tributes flooding in from all over the world of local business, music, sport and more, his passing was described as “a huge loss to all 10 boroughs”.

As a lifelong Blue, the club also joined the region as a whole in paying their respects to the revered local figure – who is credited with helping stabilise Greater Manchester‘s economy and helping usher in the city’s modern era – but now they will be observing a special commemoration this weekend.

As detailed in a statement on the club site, City wrote: “During this tenure [on the City Council], the city of Manchester enjoyed an incredible resurgence both economically and culturally following the decline of former manufacturing industries.

“One of his greatest achievements as Chief Executive was bringing the enormously successful Commonwealth Games to Manchester in 2002, using sports-led regeneration to breathe new life into Manchester, which in doing so, paved the way for Manchester City’s move to the then City of Manchester Stadium (now known as the Etihad Stadium), from Maine Road.

“Before kick-off, a dedication to Sir Howard’s life will be read, followed by a minute’s applause, providing our players and fans with an opportunity to pay their respects to a lifelong Man City fan who dedicated his life to the city of Manchester.”

As is often custom with gestures of remembrance, City players and manager Pep Guardiola will also be wearing black armbands for the duration of the match.

Bernstein was knighted back in 2003, and deputy lieutenant for Greater Manchester by 2017, his list of recognitions is almost as long as his contributions to the county.

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Even once he retired from the Council after more than 40 years of unwavering service, he still fulfilled key roles for Manchester-based organisations. He was even made an honorary president of both Man City and Lancashire Cricket Club – the lattermost title he held for a decade.

If the word legend truly does get thrown around too much, this is one of the cases where it doesn’t even come close to summing up the impact the loyal local servant had on the home he loved so much.

The Blues kick-off against title-rivals Arsenal at 4:30pm on Sunday, 22 September and when his name and image come up on the big screen at the Etihad, the supporters are sure to be in full voice.

Meanwhile, in-house, club captain Rodri is one of several professional footballers once again calling for a review of the increasingly congested fixture list as concerns are once again being raised over the number of games players are expected to play per season.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — EG Focus (via Flickr/Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group

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Official fundraiser set up to create a mural in memory of late The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke

Danny Jones Danny Jones The Smiths drummer Mike Joyce sets up fundraiser for Andy Rourke mural

A fundraiser has finally been set up to create a lasting mural in memory of The Smiths’ late bassist Andy Rourke in Manchester city centre.

Plans were first floated by bandmate Mike Joyce earlier this year following Rourke’s death in May 2023 and with an official charity page now set up, The Smiths drummer has unveiled the plans to create the massive mural in collaboration with local street artist Akse P19.

Manc graffiti and portrait specialist Akse is already famously known for creating the now-restored Ian Curtis mural plastered on the side of the Star and Garter and soon the Joy Division legend will have a new neighbour not too far away in the Northern Quarter.

Set to take pride of place on the recently refurbished Wheatsheaf pub on Oak Street – just behind another much-loved boozer and small gig venue, Gullivers – the mural will be entirely crowdfunded and also raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Action charity.

Joyce said in a statement: “Thanks to this Crowdfunder, fans of Andy and The Smiths can contribute to a permanent memorial in his and the band’s hometown of Manchester, but also increase awareness of this debilitating disease and raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Action.”

“The mural will not only serve as a permanent tribute to Andy’s legacy as a brilliant musician but also as a memory of the funniest, sweetest lad I had the pleasure of knowing. Many thanks, Mike.”

The Andy Rourke mural will be based on an image of The Smiths bass player by photographer Nalinee Darmrong, who has given the project her full blessing. The iconic snap was taken at Caird Hall in Dundee during the band’s 1985.1985/1986 UK/USA tour.

Speaking in a separate post on his own social media, PR for Akse and others contributing to the project added: “Delighted to finally share that after many months of planning, there is an official CrowdFunder running now…

“Your donations will go directly towards the creation of this artwork. We are offering limited editions of 100 x A4 prints for people who pledge £50 and 30 x A3 prints for people who pledge £100.”

Signed by both the artist and Joyce, these funds will also go directly towards the organisation that funds both treatment and research for the condition that Rourke suffered a long battle with before passing away aged just 59.

the smiths murals manchester
L-R: Rourke, Morrissey, Johnny Marr and Mike Joyce (Credit – Picyrl/Wikimedia Commons)

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As the fundraiser reads: “As part of the legendary Mancunian foursome, Rourke created a soundscape which changed the course of music for not just a generation, but for popular culture the world over.

“Andy’s unique style, combining funk rhythms and driving urgency, form the very aural framework for The Smiths’ songbook. His self-effacing sense of humour and laid-back personality often belayed the indisputable impact of his creative genius. 

“Why a mural? With fans the world over often revealing that The Smiths played a significant role in their lives, it seems appropriate that Rourke’s legacy be celebrated in a creative way in his home city of Manchester, which can be viewed for decades to come.”

Set to be unveiled in November, the mural is just the latest testament to a Manc music legend in this city that has been graced by so many over the decades. The fundraiser has already amassed over £11,300 in donations but you can still donate or buy your own special print HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Nalinee Darmrong Photography/Johnny Marr (via Instagram)

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