A local yoga teacher has set up a brand-new support group for Greater Manchester mums and it’s just bloody lovely.
This super wholesome community-based initiative has been created by yoga instructor, Toni Marie, who has her own studio and is now expanding on her existing well-being work with dedicated help for mothers from all over the area.
Setting up at The Snug Coffee House in Atherton, Wigan – a wheelchair-friendly, pram-friendly space as well as breast and bottle-friendly – the support group runs each week and has already proved popular among those living nearby.
But what exactly does it involve? Well, let us enlighten you.
Credit: Supplied
First things first, the new group is called ‘Mums for Mums’ and most importantly is completely free for any mothers to attend every Wednesday at 12 noon.
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As for what attending parents can expect from the group, they offer free support for new mums, including educational visits from local midwives and health visitors.
Experienced mums will also be on hand to offer time, support and advice; plus, it’s also just a great place to make new friends, help your baby socialise and feel a little less lonely in the early days of motherhood.
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As a mum herself, Toni knows it’s the little things that go a long way too: for instance, if you’ve given birth within the last six weeks and had a C-section, a free taxi will be provided for you (within 4 miles). Just mums looking after each other, so lovely.
With barre, pilates and more on offer at her studio, many mums even find themselves hopping from the support group to baby yoga. Adorable.
After a difficult journey into motherhood herself, Toni decided to take on training to carry out pregnancy or ‘bump’ yoga, and then ‘baby and me’ yoga to try and help where she can and create a safe space (and some lovely, much-needed stretches) for both mums-to-be, first-time mothers and more.
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Having seen the everyday struggles many mums face, especially in that first month or so, she knew how important this could be for many new mums.
Despite only beginning back in September, it’s already evident what a profound impact these sessions have on many parents, not to mention watching both friendships and a wider community blossom, she’s more focused than ever on developing these support group sessions.
Toni is able to put on these support sessions thanks to funding from the regional community foundation, Forever Manchester, a much-loved charity that raises money to fund and support local activity across the 10 boroughs.
Better still, all you have to do if you’re interested is just turn up. So if you’re a new mother looking for a few more people to lean on mid-week, give Mums for Mums a try.
LEGO-loving little Mancs can now compete against the world to become a ‘Mini Master Model Builder’
Emily Sergeant
Little Mancs who love LEGO can now enter a worldwide competition and battle it out to become a ‘Mini Master Model Builder’.
Is your child a LEGO super fan? Do they reckon they could build impressive LEGO creations in their sleep? Well, if they’re feeling brave enough and are ready to put their skills to the test, then you’ll want to take them down to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester, as the hunt is one for a talented youngster to be crowned the UK’s newest ‘Mini Master Model Builder’.
Young LEGO fans will have the chance to let their imaginations run wild in a “bricktastic” competition, by building the most epic creation entirely out of LEGO bricks in an attempt to take home the coveted title.
Participants are invited to “demonstrate their imagination and creativity” by constructing something extraordinary that will leave the judges in awe – with the judges particularly interested in an array of building techniques and a strong creative flare, so entrants should “think outside the box” and let their personality and interests shine through.
Little Mancs who love LEGO can now compete to become a ‘Mini Master Model Builder’ / Credit: Supplied
Finalists will be chosen by the LEGOLAND Master Model Builders and Playmakers.
Each Discovery Centre in Manchester and Birmingham will then crown its own ‘Mini Master Model Builder’, and the winners will work with the local Master Model Builder to create their final models, which will then compete in the global final.
Winners will be given the unique opportunity of having their creation displayed at the iconic LEGO House in Denmark, plus a prize of £100 to spend in the LEGOLAND store, and a Local Annual Pass for them and their family too.
Up to the challenge then? All hopeful Mini Master Model Builders will need to get themselves down to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester at Trafford Palazzo – which is next to the Trafford Centre – any weekend up until the start of February.
Entry into the competition is included in the price of one standard admission ticket to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester.
All entries must be made by those under the age of 18, and only one entry per person can be made.
To find out more about the competition and how to enter, check out the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester website here.
Featured Image – Supplied
Kids & Family
You can now receive the UK’s ‘first-ever’ same-day sperm MOT for free right here in Manchester
Danny Jones
For any bloke who’s ever wondered about their fertility and considering grabbing a quick test, you can now get what’s being called a quick sperm ‘MOT’ right here in Manchester– and it’s free.
As well as the obvious importance of regular sexual health checks, many people understandably worry about their virility as they get older and there’s no harm in just giving yourself that piece of mind.
That’s why one Manchester-based sperm and egg bank is expanding its already wide range of services to offer quick and easy tests to locals.
We’re all adults here: if your car’s MOT is considered an essential check, then why not take a little look under the hood to see how your little swimmers are getting on?
Credit: Cryos International (supplied)
Cryos International, located over at Rutherford House on Manchester Science Park, is a quick and confidential clinic that specialises in sexual wellness and reproductive health.
The industry-leading sperm and egg bank remains at the forefront when it comes to various different areas of the sector but now they’re taking one field even further by offering men aged 18-45 an unprecedented level of service.
While sperm tests and egg checks are nothing new, Cryos are the UK clinic to offer rapid detailed analysis that will see your results returned to you the same day.
Better yet, this initiative is completely free of charge and provides a non-diagnostic assessment of key sperm quality criteria, including sperm count and how effectively the sperm moves.
It’s part of Cryos’ commitment to demystifying male reproductive health and demonstrating how lifestyle factors can impact male fertility, while at the same time breaking the stigma around sperm donation, and helping more people on their journey to parenthood.
The launch comes at a time of unprecedented demand for fertility services in the UK, with births from sperm donation tripling since the turn of the millennium.
Sadly, donor numbers here in Britain have hit an all-time low and similar struggles are being seen all over Europe even despite the growing population.
To combat this, the UK government has actually increased its standard compensation fee by £10 as of October 2024, rising to £45 a pop.
Of course, your sperm needs to be in good health before you can donate, not to the obvious benefits for couples trying to conceive and, as lab Manager Samantha Duffy-Olive explains, even “simple lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on sperm quality.”
With that in mind, Manc males are being encouraged to make the most of this free semen test and in addition to the analysis service, they will also offer helpful advice that could make a real difference to improve your reproductive health. You can book HERE.
This isn’t the first time we’ve clocked Cryos pioneering the sperm donation and sexual health space…
Danny Jones -
25th October 2024 
