In news you simply love to see, an Altrincham grandma not only completed her second Trafford 10k in two years this past weekend, she also managed to beat her personal best — all on her birthday!
Running for Greater Manchester charity St Ann’s Hospice along with 20 members of her family, Alty nan Barbara Thackray managed to complete the popular 10k running challenge in 85 minutes, nearly a whole two minutes quicker than she did last year at her hometown Altrincham 10k.
To make the occasion even more wonderful, Barbara just so happened to be running on her 85th birthday and was met at the finish line with plenty of cheers and a cake at the ready.
Have to say, the fact it was everyone’s favourite Colin the Caterpillar makes this story even better.
Congratulations to Barbara Thackray who completed Trafford 10k on her 85th birthday, to raise funds for our #BuildItTogether new hospice appeal. 🙌🎂
Barbara only started running when she turned 77 and has steadily been smashing PBs left right and centre ever since. Go on, Barbs!
She now runs around 12 miles every week and is a big proponent of ‘you’re only as old as you feel’. Speaking to BBC’s North West Tonight in 2022, she said that running for a cause “enables us to keep our body going” and has only increased her mileage since lockdown.
The 85-year-old raised a whopping £1,325 with her latest feat on Sunday, 5 March and has raised well over £20,000 with her runs over the past few years. She has been raising money for the organisation for over a decade now, doing so after her late sister Audrey became a patient at the hospice.
She told Altrincham Today: “This race is always special to me as my family come from across the country to run with me and some crossed the finish line with me too!”
They say you're as young as you feel!
Meet 84-year-old Barbara Thackray from Greater Manchester. She runs more than 12 miles every week and has been raising money for St Ann’s Hospice at the weekend. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/H56jjGfwIq
The Altrincham grandma has been inspiring others, senior or otherwise, to keep moving and do their bit.
Although she has kept fit all her life, whether it be walking or otherwise, she says that running has changed her life by giving her a new purpose and spreading plenty of happiness along the way.
She went on to reinforce just how important the charity has been for her family. “My sister’s death was much better due to St Ann’s Hospice, they’ll do whatever they can for their patient to have the best quality death they possibly can have – and that’s worth supporting,” said Barbara.
As for her message to anyone of a similar age who might be considering taking up running, she simply advises to “begin gently and listen to your body.”
You can still donate to Barbara’s fundraiser or help St Ann’s Hospice in their mission to support those who are 18 and above and affected by life-limiting illnesses, as well as their loved ones and carers HERE.
Drinks prices for Manchester Oasis gigs announced – and you’ll be pleasantly surprised
Daisy Jackson
The prices of drinks at Heaton Park for the five huge Manchester Oasis shows have been released in advance.
With the Gallagher brothers reuniting on stage in their hometown for the first time this weekend (and then again next week), it’s a huge moment for our city.
Those lucky enough to snag tickets have already forked out a small fortune to witness this moment in history (still scarred from the dynamic pricing debacle).
And most of us were probably bracing to spend another small fortune on beers at the Oasis Manchester gigs.
But you might be pleasantly surprised at the drinks prices up at Heaton Park for Oasis Live ’25.
It’s now been confirmed that pints of lager and cider will be just £6.50.
Before you turn your nose up, remember that pints at our two arenas – the AO Arena and Co-op Live are now sitting around the £9 mark.
Prices for other drinks, like wine and spirits, we’ll have to wait until Friday to see.
Heaton Park will also be the home of the ‘largest beer garden’ and the longest bars in the city for the Oasis reunion.
With a major heatwave predicted for the first shows, fans are being encouraged to stay hydrated (on WATER, not beer, please).
Ticket-holders will be allowed to bring a sealed bottle of water up to 500ml in with you, but it must be collapsible plastic.
Solid plastic and metal containers will be rejected on safety grounds.
There’s a free water point on site where you can fill up your bottles again.
Oasis will perform at Heaton Park in Manchester on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July.
Dates announced as resident doctors prepare to stage strikes this month
Emily Sergeant
Resident doctors in England have voted to stage strike action over pay, and the dates for the industrial action have now been confirmed.
The British Medical Association (BMA) says doctors have ‘spoken clearly’ after the results of a vote published today revealed that 90% of resident doctors have voted in favour of a potential return to industrial action.
It comes after the ballot – which ran from 27 May until 7 July – saw a turnout of 55% members, with almost 30,000 (29,741) votes cast.
26,766 of those votes endorsed the use of strike action as part of efforts to restore pay, while just under 3,000 voted against it.
The result means that resident doctors have now secured a fresh mandate to stage industrial action when they choose from now until January 2026.
BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs, Melissa Ryan and Ross Nieuwoudt, said that, while no doctor took the possibility of striking lightly, a clear majority of members felt that they had ‘no other choice’ given the ongoing failures to restore pay.
They added that Health Secretary Wes Streeting has the power to ‘make the right decision’ on pay, and urged the Government to return to negotiations ‘as soon as possible’.
It’s now been confirmed that resident doctors will stage a full walk out from 7am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.
These upcoming strikes come after resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors, until 2024 – in England participated in an unprecedented 11 rounds of strike action after negotiations with the previous Conservative Government over restoring pay repeatedly stalled.
“Doctors have spoken and spoken clearly – they won’t accept that they are worth a fifth less than they were in 2008,” the committee co-chairs said. “Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong.
“Doctors don’t take industrial action lightly, but they know it is preferable to watching their profession wither away.
“The next move is the Government’s – will it repeat the mistakes of its predecessor? Or will it do the right thing and negotiate a path to full pay restoration and the restoration of doctors’ confidence in our profession’s future?”