Dozens of pubs around Cheshire, the North West and even further afield are coming together to help a terminally ill woman achieve her dream of pulling a total of 100 pints in 100 different pubs.
Caitlin Shaw has been battling with multiple health issues since birth, including life-limiting heart and lung conditions, Klippel-Feil syndrome and a disability called kyphoscoliosis which causes severe curvature of the spine.
Sadly, back in March, the family were informed there was nothing more doctors could do to fight off the deterioration of her heart and she was placed on end-of-life care after signing a DNR.
Following the tragic news, Caitlin was told to make the most of her remaining time and create as many special memories as possible and has been working through her bucket list ever since: one of which was to pull a pint in 100 different pubs and she’s been doing just that.
Credit: Sam Jane MacVicar/Caitlin’s wishes (via Facebook)
According to her mother, Sam Jane MacVicar, the 21-year-old has “always wanted to be a barmaid since she was very young” and wasted no time in getting started on her mission to get behind as many bars as she can.
Pubs and bars around the likes of Wilmslow, Disley, Knutsford; Macclesfield, Congleton and more across Cheshire have answered the call to help Caitlin, as well as various other places around the North West.
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You’re all legends, every single one of you.
There are literally dozens of pubs putting their names forward to help Caitlin cross this off her bucket list.
A private group has also been set up called ‘Caitlin’s wishes’ where more than 1,4000 different members are helping her and the same goes for her GoFundMe page, where people are doing everything from helping send her to live shows and her favourite places around the UK to doing wing-walks in her name.
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Thanks to people’s charitable efforts, the fundraiser has already reached over £17,700 and she should soon be able to live her dream of taking a cruise to Spain, among many others.
If any pubs or bars around want to get involved, you simply need to get in touch via Facebook — it would be lovely to see the Greater Manchester area helping out their neighbours down the road — and you can do your bit by donating to HERE. Let’s do it for Caitlin.
Featured Image — Sam Jane MacVicar/The Throstles Nest (via Facebook)
News
Significant disruption in Manchester city centre as water pours down Portland Street
Daisy Jackson
A burst water main in Manchester city centre is causing ‘significant disruption’ today, with Piccadilly Gardens and Portland Street both closed.
Water can be seen pouring down Portland Street with a large crack visible in the road’s surface.
As a result of the leak, Bee Network buses are having to be rerouted and a huge number of routes are disrupted.
Piccadilly Gardens – the city’s main hub for bus connections – has been closed until repair work on the burst pipe is complete.
TfGM said: “A water leak on Portland Street is causing significant disruption in the city centre.
“Portland Street and Piccadilly Gardens will be closed until further notice while work takes to repair the pipe.
“This is affecting bus services using Portland Street and Piccadilly Gardens.”
Bus routes affected are: 15, 18, 30, 33, 38, 41, 42, 42A, 42B, 42C, 43, 50, 85, 85A, 86, 101, 103, 111, 142, 143, 191, 197, 250, 255, 256, 263, Free bus 1 and Free bus 2.
The burst water main on Portland StreetBoth Portland Street and Piccadilly Gardens are closed
A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused by a burst water main on Portland Street.
“Customer water supplies have not been affected, and our teams are on site working to isolate the damaged main and complete repairs as quickly as possible.
“We are working closely with the police, TfGM and the council to manage disruption and reopen the road as soon as possible.”
Manchester GPs can now ‘prescribe’ cost of living support to residents
Emily Sergeant
GPs are now able to offer prescription-style support with the cost of living to residents in Manchester.
It’s no secret that the cost of living crisis has, unfortunately, been continuing to make itself known across the country for the past couple of years, and despite recent Government intervention in the form of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s series of ‘everyday fixes’, it sadly doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
But now it’s been revealed that Greater Manchester residents can be ‘prescribed’ cost of living support when they visit their local GP.
For patients who patients need help with bills, debts, benefits, or affording food, GPs can now provide them with details of Manchester’s free cost of living advice line.
That means that, for anyone whose mental or physical health is being affected by financial worries, GPs can simply tear a page that contains all the details they need for the advice line from a block that looks like a prescription pad, and hand it to the patient.
Alternatively, the GP can also ‘refer’ the patient straight into the service online in a similar way to making a referral to a specialist or consultant.
Manchester GPs can now ‘prescribe’ cost of living support to residents / Credit: Towfiqu Barbhuiya | Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
Once a resident makes contact with the free cost of living advice line – which started back in October 2022, and has helped thousands of people since – they can receive a wide range of advice on issues like energy costs and rent, to help with getting online, and so much more.
The Council also says that recent figures show there is an increasing number of calls or requests around help with rent or benefits and support with food or foodbanks, which is why it has chosen to introduce this ‘innovate’ move.
“We don’t want anyone to feel like they are becoming lost under competing financial pressures, worries about putting food on the table, or keeping a roof over their heads,” commented Cllr Tracey Rawlins, who is the Deputy Leader at Manchester City Council.
“We really want to help before worries become a problem,” she added. “The team on the advice line keep all information in confidence and they want to help.”
Danny Jones -
29th June 2023 
