A local Manchester brewery is giving away free lager and pizza this week to celebrate the launch of its newest beer.
Created in collaboration with local clothing brand Hikerdelic, the new limited edition beer is called GORP, or Good Old Raisins & Peanuts, and is the latest release from the city’s only craft lager brewery.
The newest drop from Manchester Union Lager, if you time it right you can grab a can (and a slice of Nell’s pizza) for free at Common on Edge Street this Wednesday.
All you need to do to get your hands on a freebie is to sign up for a free ticket with Skiddle here, then make sure you’re one of the first fifty people in the queue at 6pm.
There’ll also be a host of merch available, created by Hikerdelic – a relatively young clothing company born out of the ‘sartorial seeds of Proper Magazine’.
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Hikerdelic has already had great success in limited edition collaborations with the likes of Barbour, Novesta, Holubar and Yogi, after transitioning from writing about clothes to making their own.
The new GORP can has been designed by local illustrator Daren Newman. / Image: Supplied
Image: Hikerdelic
Now, they’re teaming up a bit closer to home, combining a love for the outdoors lifestyle with high-quality, well-designed clothing made to last.
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Their motto is where the peak meets the precinct, unifying the two worlds of rambling and raving, and let’s be honest there’s not much that does that better than a beer.
Promising to be the ‘perfect refreshment after a post-trail hike’, in spite of the name the Pilsner-style beer is actually completely free of peanuts.
The can label has been illustrated by Daren Newman, a celebrated locally-based illustrator who also created all of the typography for Hikerdelic’s branding.
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Speaking on the new beer launch, Manchester Union’s Jamie Scahill said: ‘We floated the idea of a beer with Hikerdelic a few years ago when they hosted a party at the brewery so we’re delighted for the world to try it.
“This is the perfect partnership with one of my favourite clothing brands and Manchester’s only craft lager brewery.”
Mark Smith from Hikerdelic added: “After the last couple of years, the importance of real life things has definitely grown.
“With social media we can interact with our followers but a real product enjoyed in real life can’t really be beaten.
“Working with Jamie and Will has been great and we’re looking forward to getting something a little different to our clothing out there.”
Head down to the Hikerdelic and Manchester Union Brewery present GORP Lager Launch Party this Wednesday, 7 September, at Common in Manchester’s Northern Quarter from 6pm – 10pm.
The hillside farm in the Peak District making its own ice cream
Daisy Jackson
Did you know there’s a 300-year-old farm in the Peak District serving up some of the freshest ice cream you’ll ever taste? And yes, you can meet the cows that made it while you’re there.
Welcome to Hope Valley Ice Cream, a family-run gem where things are kept refreshingly simple: happy cows, proper farming, and seriously good ice cream.
Set in the heart of the Peak District countryside, this place is about as wholesome as it gets.
The ice cream is made on-site in the farmhouse, literally just metres from where the dairy herd are out grazing.
You can watch the animals, wander around the farm, and then tuck into a scoop or three perched on a milk pail stool, or a picnic bench (or even a decorative tractor).
Hope Valley Ice Cream has some amazing seasonal ice creams, like lemon curd, elderflower, and blackberry, alongside all the classics and a rather delicious tiramisu.
You can grab a cone, sit down with a coffee (again, made with milk from the nearby cows), or go all in with a freshly-made waffle if you’re feeling fancy.
Takeaway tubs from Hope Valley Ice CreamYou can get a mini pail of ice creamMeet the newborn calves at Hope Valley Ice CreamTuck into your ice cream on a milk pail stoolHope Valley Ice Cream
And if you’re the type who really loves ice cream? You can actually order a full pail of it, with four huge scoops plus whipped cream and sauce.
The farm itself is run by the Marsden family, who’ve been working this land for generations. It shows in everything – they’ve created a place that feels genuinely welcoming, not just another tourist stop.
Beyond the ice cream, you’ve got plenty of reasons to stick around. There are calves (including the newest tiny arrivals), plus donkeys and pigs to say hello to.
Whether you’re heading out on a hike or just fancy a drive into the Peaks, this is one pitstop that’s absolutely worth it – and honestly, it’s worth the trip on its own.
A ‘legacy walk’ in memory of the Joe Thompson is taking place across Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
The ‘Walk With Me for JT’, a.k.a Joe Thompson ‘Legacy Walk’, is back next month, and Greater Mancunians are being encouraged to take part.
Returning this year following his tragic passing last April, the now annual charity walk has already raised thousands for charity and is set for another big turnout.
Joe Thompson, an ex-Rochdale AFC and Bury FC player, sadly died at just 36 following a long battle with lymphoma, having been diagnosed three different times in 12 years.
While the young husband and father of two’s story is a heartbreaking one, it has also become a source of inspiration for so many across the North West and, indeed, across the UK, with people once again gearing up to complete a fundraising walk in his name.
Set to honour him by making the journey from his adopted home of Rochdale all the way to Old Trafford, with Thompson having come through Man United’s youth academy, the 15-mile trek will start at his former club’s Crown Oil Arena and stop at Bury’s Gigg Lane as well as Salford City’s Peninsula Stadium.
First held in 2024 under the ‘Walk With Me for JT’ banner, the initial legacy walk saw the Bath-born footballer and countless others complete 21 miles in an effort to raise money for treatment.
Gone but never forgotten, the charity walk survives not only in the hearts and souls of his family, friends and other people’s lives he touched, but in the community spirit that his struggle and immense bravery in the face of illness helped spur on throughout the region and beyond.
Writing on social media, the Thompson family and the Foundation in his memory said, “Last year, he walked beside us. This year, we walk for him. This isn’t just a walk… It’s a promise. A promise to carry his strength, his belief, his light forward.
For every family facing illness. For everyone experiencing loss or hardship. For anyone who needs hope right now. Every step matters. Every mile has meaning. Whether you’ve walked before or this is your first time. You won’t walk alone.”
Join the annual Joe Thompson legacy walk on Saturday 2nd May 💙
Departing from the Crown Oil Arena, the 15-mile walk will finish at Manchester United's Old Trafford 🏟️
They signed off by adding: “Be part of something bigger. Be part of Joe’s legacy. Be part of the movement. Get a team together, invite your friends, colleagues and family and let’s raise funds to support The Joe Thompson Foundation.”
With the event beginning at 11am on Saturday, 2 May, there have already been numerous sign-ups, and you can expect even more to lace up their shoes and pay tribute to a local hero.
If you want to join in the effort and help do your bit, you can register for the 2026 Joe Thompson Legacy Walk right HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
6th September 2022 
