A new pop-up shop that “promotes positivity” has arrived a Cheshire Oaks as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Mental Health Awareness Week – which is this year being marked from Monday 9 – Sunday 15 May – was started by the Mental Health Foundation 21 years ago now, and it has grown to become one of the biggest awareness weeks across the UK and globally, with the charity continuing to set the theme, organise, and host the week each year.
This year, the chosen theme is loneliness.
The Mental Health Foundation says that one in four adults feel lonely some or all of the time, which is why it’s looking to raise awareness of the impact of loneliness on our mental health, and look at the practical steps we can take to address it.
To help shine a worthy light on Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 and to mark its importance, visitors to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet this week will be able to spot the return of local business pop-up, Be+Positive (BEPO), at the centre for a limited time only.
It’s the second time Cheshire Oaks has invited BEPO to trade within the centre, and following the success of last year’s pop-up, the designer outlet says it is “thrilled” to lend platform to the growing local business once again and offer visitors the opportunity to shop sustainable and low carbon footprint clothing, as well as find out more about the mental health awareness mission behind the brand.
If you’re unfamiliar with BEPO, it was launched by a collective of artists across the North West region and strives to publicly fight the stigma surrounding mental health.
It does this all while promoting a positive attitude to those interacting with its creations.
The BEPO pop-up shop has opened at Cheshire Oaks for Mental Health Awareness Week / Credit: Cheshire Oaks
BEPO will be open to visitors at Cheshire Oaks on Monday 9 – Friday 13 May from 9am-8pm, Saturday 14 May from 9am-9pm, and Sunday 15 May from 10am-6pm.
“Last year’s pop-up was an incredible opportunity for us to meet guests to the centre face to face and show them what our brand is all about,” explained Ben Taylor, an NHS Maintenance Support worker who founded BEPO.
“It’s given us the opportunity to grow our business, and we are so happy to be able to come to the centre once again and welcome guests into our new pop-up location.”
BEPO strives to publicly fight the stigma surrounding mental health / Credit: Cheshire Oaks
BEPO is not the only partnership Cheshire Oaks will be working with to mark Mental Health Awareness Week this year either, as Flynn’s Port in the Storm – the designer outlet’s resident charity partner for 2022 – will also be present at the pop-up store until Tuesday 10 May to meet the public and raise awareness about its mental health support services, specifically highlighting its specialised referral and counselling sessions and working alongside BEPO to help combat negative attitudes towards asking for help when it comes to your mental and emotional wellbeing.
The BEPO pop-up shop is also working together other efforts made by Cheshire Oaks to promote good mental health, including the newly-installed ‘friendship bench’, which the centre hopes will offer those needing someone to talk to the opportunity to connect with others in their community, and also a number of ‘positivity posters’ across the leisure village.
These posters feature some inspiring and empowering quotes, which Cheshire Oaks says encourages people to adopt “a more optimistic mindset” while walking around the centre.
The newly-installed ‘friendship bench’ hopes to offer those needing someone to talk to the opportunity to connect / Credit: Cheshire Oaks
Speaking on the centre’s efforts to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2022, Kenny Murray – General Manager at Cheshire Oaks – said: “Making sure our centre is a safe space that encourages our guests to look after their mental wellbeing is a top priority for us, which is why we felt compelled to partner with BEPO and our 2022 charity partners, Flynn’s Port in the Storm, to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week.
“By hosting this pop-up store in our centre, we are hoping more guests are going to feel empowered to open up about their wellbeing, and seek those resources that could help with their situation.”
You can find out more about the BEPO pop-up and Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 on the Cheshire Oaks website here.
Featured Image – Cheshire Oaks
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Scare City returns to abandoned North West theme park for another year of terror this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
Scare City will be back in the North West once again this Halloween with its spine-chilling immersive horror experience.
After having firmly cemented itself as the region‘s favourite horror event for the past five years running, Scare City has announced that it’s getting ready for ‘another year of terror’ over in Lancashire, and although it may be the middle of summer right now and spooky season is some time off, tickets are currently on sale.
One summer is over, the nights draw in, and the temperatures begin to drop, Scare City will be taking over the grounds of the abandoned Camelot Theme Park once again from this September, just as it has done for the past four years following the success of its initial 2020 launch as a drive-in cinema.
This year’s event is set to feature a selection of terrifying zones.
Scare City returns to an abandoned North West theme park for another year of terror this Halloween / Credit: Jason Roberts (Supplied)
The abandoned theme park will be transformed into a sprawling post-apocalyptic nightmare, featuring new immersive experiences.
Some of the new zones include desolate woodland ‘The Hollow’, and the ‘Puppet Master’, a toy maker’s workshop where innocent toys hide deep dark secrets, as well as the return of a number of familiar spooky spots like ‘The Slaughter House’ and ‘Carnivalley’.
The frightening Abyss is also set to return as ‘Abyss 2.0′, where thrill-seekers’ bravery will be put to the test in claustrophobic darkness, all while they’re unsure of what, or who, might be within reach.
Don’t worry though, if you need a bit of a break from all the terror, then once you’ve made it halfway around the attraction, you’ll arrive at the aptly-named the ‘Resurrection Zone’, so you can take a moment to fuel up on the feast of food and drink freshly-prepared by on-site vendors, all ready for the second half of the harrowing Halloween spectacular.
Scare City 2025 will take over Camelot Theme Park, in Charnock Richard near Chorley in Lancashire, from Thursday 25 September and run until mid-November.
Tickets are now available to book at £29.50 for standard entry, or £44.50 for the ‘Gold Entry’ (both plus a booking fee), which allows you to fast-track queues at the main entrance and at all zones, if you just can’t wait any longer to be scared.
Get your hands on tickets via the Scare City website here.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Manchester Arndale is hosting FREE workshops to help you ‘rework, restyle, and recycle’ your wardrobe
Emily Sergeant
Is your wardrobe feeling a little bland? Need to make some changes, but your bank account isn’t quite on the same wavelength? This event is here to help.
Those looking for some new ways to get creative with their style and put a spin on the clothes they already have are invited to head down to Manchester Arndale this weekend, as the Reimagine Your Fashion event is set to be a fun hands-on weekend celebrating personal style, smart choices, and sustainable ideas.
Whether you’re into upcycling, love yourself a styling session, or you just fancy doing something different in the city this summer, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into this weekend.
You can expect creative workshops, curated fashion rails, live styling tips, and a chance to give your pre-loved clothes a second life.
Oh, and did we mention it’s all free to take part in? Perfect.
There’s a collection of free ‘REWORK’ workshops taking place over the two-day event on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July, where you can learn how to turn old into gold – from patchwork denim makeovers, to scrunchie making, custom tote design, and loads more.
There’s no need to be a sewing pro either, as the workshops are beginner-friendly and designed to be relaxed and creative with all tools provided, so all you have to do is bring along the clothing items you want to upcycle.
Manchester Arndale is hosting free workshops to help you ‘rework, restyle, and recycle’ your wardrobe this weekend / Credit: Priscilla Du Preez | Ashley Diane Worsham (via Unsplash)
At the ‘RESTYLE’ sessions, Rosie, who is the stylist behind Manchester Arndale’s summer campaign, will break down this season’s biggest trends and show you how to style what’s in store now, as well as being on-hand for styling tips and outfit advice.
And finally, there’ll also be a ‘RECYCLE’ station and drop-off point where you pass on your clean pre-loved clothes to two brilliant local charities doing vital work right here in Manchester – MASH, which supports women involved in sex work and those facing homelessness or gender-based violence, and Mustard Tree which works to tackle poverty across Greater Manchester.
“Your clothes could be someone else’s fresh start,” a spokesperson for Manchester Arndale said ahead of the event.
Reimagine Your Fashion is taking place at Exchange Court in Manchester Arndale on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July running from 12pm, and you can find out more information and the times of the free workshops online here.
Emily Sergeant -
9th May 2022 
