Kids & Family

A Paddington Bear statue has been unveiled in the heart of darkest Manchester

Complete with emergency marmalade sandwich.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th October 2024

An adorable statue of Paddington Bear has been installed in Manchester, inviting passers-by to pull up a seat.

The little likeness to the much-loved animated character is complete with red hat, blue duffle coat and even his emergency marmalade sandwich.

The Paddington Bear statue has been installed as part of the Paddington Visits trail right across the UK and Ireland, celebrating the upcoming release of Paddington in Peru.

The third installment of the heart-warming film series is set for release on 8 November 2024.

The Paddington statue in Manchester has been constructed onto a bench with space beside him to sit with the loveable bear, and will be in situ for at least the next year.

He’s appeared in the middle of Spinningfields at Hardman Square.

Hugh Bonneville, who plays Mr. Brown in the Paddington films, said: “I am thrilled to reveal we are going to be unveiling a number of benches across the UK, all featuring a statue of our beloved bear.

“Ahead of the new film, fans, families and friends can sit down and have a chat with the marmalade loving bear, so watch this space for more information about Paddington…coming to a bench near you!”

In Paddington in Peru, Paddington will return home to the Peruvian jungle to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, now a resident at the Home for Retired Bears.

With The Brown Family and Mrs Bird in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mysterious disappearance plunges them into an unexpected journey from the Amazon rainforest to the mountain peaks of Peru.

Read more: MTV EMAs nominations announced ahead of star-studded Manchester award show

Featured image: The Manc Group

Kids & Family

A giant sandpit and free events have come to Printworks in Manchester this summer

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson A giant sandpit and free events have come to Printworks in Manchester this summer

Printworks in Manchester is on a mission to create low-cost days out this summer, bringing a taste of the seaside and loads of free entertainment to the heart of the city. 

The Summer of Fun will be running daily all the way through August, alongside special events every Thursday. 

Printworks has installed a giant sandpit and deckchairs beneath Europe’s largest digital ceiling, where you can sit back and enjoy beach-themed content beamed onto the 1,000m² ceiling. 

The screens will also show quizzes and games with a live leaderboard for both kids and grown-ups alike. 

Families visiting Printworks this summer can enjoy a budget-friendly day out, taking part in high-energy digital games using just their smartphones, with no app required. 

These games are developed by Manchester-based gaming specialists Piing, and can accommodate up to 100 players at a time. 

Every Thursday between 10am and 4pm, there’ll be free experiences like live DJs, the world’s largest Pac-Man, challenges, and giant games.   

A giant sandpit and free events have come to Printworks in Manchester this summer
A giant sandpit at Printworks
A giant sandpit and free events have come to Printworks in Manchester this summer
The digital ceiling
Credit: Jason Lock Photography

Visitors might have already popped in for soft touch archery, which allows little ones to try the sport safely – but there’s still plenty more to come. 

Venues within Printworks will be getting stuck into the summer fun too, with free face painting every weekend at Treetop Golf, Kids Eat Free at Chiquito, £8 kids’ meals at viral sensation Big Licks, and Mighty Mornings at Vue where cinema tickets for children are just £2.49.

Kristian Brennan, Marketing Manager at Printworks, said: “We know the school holidays can be tough on families – both in terms of time and money – so we’re proud to offer a month of free entertainment for everyone. There’s something for all ages to enjoy without spending a penny.”

Thursday schedule at Printworks

• Thursday 14 August – Giant Games Takeover, with super-sized versions of Jenga, Connect 4 and more.

• Thursday 21 August – Basketball Challenge, where guests can shoot hoops and compete with friends.

• Thursday 28 August – The return of the World’s Largest PAC-MAN, giving visitors the chance to play retro arcade games on a massive scale.

No tickets or bookings are required, but early arrival is recommended – some activities may be subject to capacity.

For more information about Printworks Summer of Fun and its giant sandpit, head HERE. 

Featured image: Jason Lock Photography

Kids & Family

Relaunch date revealed for majorly revamped Altrincham Leisure Centre

Danny Jones Danny Jones Move Altrincham Leisure Centre reopening date confirmed

The opening date for the relaunch of Altrincham Leisure Centre, which recently underwent a serious revamp, has officially been announced.

Yes, Alty Leisure Centre – or rather, ‘move Altrincham’, as it will be known moving forward – is finally set to reopen in full following a significant rebrand and redevelopment.

Works on the local Trafford leisure centre and community hub actually first began way back in January 2023, but now, over two and a half years on from its closure for refurbishment, it’s just weeks away from being reopened to the public.

Now officially relaunching on 26 August, move Altrincham comes three years on from the opening of a fellow fitness facility in the borough, with move Urmston debuting in 2022.

Much like how the pandemic delayed the unveiling of their counterparts, it’s taken quite a while to complete the Altrincham Leisure Centre (ATC) overhaul.

The Urmston venue saw over £7 million pumped into resurrecting the old 1980s building back but in the case of ATC, more than £20m has been invested into this latest project overall.

Featuring a new, bigger and better fitness suite, state-of-the-art swimming pools, ‘The Cove Spa’ post-workout recovery and wellness assessment room; a brand-new purpose-built gymnastics hub, an expanded sports hall, as well as lots more, the place is set to be virtually unrecognisable.

As well as a rejigged changing room set-up, catering to men, women, groups and crucially inclusive, there’ll also be an enticing new cafe, featuring a resident in-house bakery from native artisans, MOST.

They really have put everything you could hope for into this major regeneration.

Local authorities have already dubbed this move Altrincham the “most sustainable sports facility” in the region, ahead of its opening later this month.

Sure to be a busy Alty outlet, Trafford Council has also confirmed that the building will use huge air source heat pumps and solar panels, saving upwards of 400 tonnes of carbon per year, with the remaining electricity imported off the grid pulled from a 100% green, renewable supply.

“More than 8,000 tonnes of carbon will be saved over the lifecycle of the pumps and panels, addressing the Council’s priority of addressing the climate crisis and becoming Carbon Neutral by 2038″, they go on to add.

Fixtures like this have been funded with support from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and the UK government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, with over £2m of funding secured to bring the scheme to life.

Even the ‘purer’ pools will cost less money and water to run, not to mention the bonus of safe storage for bikes, nearby travel links to the Bee Network and EV charging points in the car park.

A long time coming.
Credit: move Altrincham

Speaking on the impending opening date, Cllr Aidan Williams – Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Climate Change – beckoned the reborn leisure centre as a shining example of the borough’s commitment to crucial environmental change.

“move Altrincham is a great example of how we’re setting new standards in Trafford that will help the Council achieve its zero carbon goals and send a powerful message to our communities that we treat climate change seriously and are working hard to create a greener, cleaner future,” says Williams.

Once again, the new and improved Alty Leisure Centre opens its doors on Tuesday, 26 August, and we can’t wait to see what the neighbours make of it.

Read more:

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Featured Images — move Altrincham (via Facebook/Press Shots)

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