The ’Package For Val’ campaign was first trialled at Manchester Central Library last year, but after having been found to have helped “countless” women and girls who sadly endure period poverty across the city-region, it’s now expanded to 18 other libraries in Manchester – including those in Newton Heath, Gorton, and Withington.
The initiative sets out to actively-address the lack of access to menstrual products that many in Greater Manchester are unfortunately facing amid the cost of living crisis.
The package contains two sanitary towels in a “discrete” paper bag, and is supplied to anyone who asks for a ’Package for Val’ at the library counter.
ADVERTISEMENT
Posters are now on display in public loos across the region to raise awareness of the scheme.
The wider rollout of the scheme comes after a representative survey of 1,000 young women and girls aged 14-21 by charity organisation Plan International found that one in seven have struggled to afford period products at some point in their lives, and even more shockingly, one in 10 cannot afford sanitary protection on a regular basis either.
ADVERTISEMENT
Being funded on a pilot basis by the Council’s Department of Public Health, the rollout of the scheme follows in the footsteps of the much-needed efforts to provide products for free made by several major supermarkets, chemists, and other venues across the UK.
It’s part of a campaign launched by Manchester City Council on International Women’s Day / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Women and girls in our city are struggling to afford the basic need and dignity of accessing menstrual products,” commented Councillor Adele Douglas, who is the Deputy Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure at Manchester City Council, as the campaign was launched on IWD last Friday.
“The ‘Package for Val’ campaign in libraries means we can now help women and girls experience what is natural part of life without shame or embarrassment.
“Launching this on International Women’s Day gives us all a chance to not only remember the incredible strides of young women in Mancunian history, but also to begin breaking down stigma and creating open conversation about what period poverty really means for young women and girls.”
A young woman from Manchester who was told she only had a short time to live is now cancer free after a UK-first transplant.
Bianca Perea, a 32-year-old trainee lawyer who lives in Wigan, was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer – which is the most advanced kind – back in November 2021 when she was just 29, after only feeling a bit constipated and bloated, but otherwise having no other major symptoms.
After she was referred to her local hospital to have emergency bloods and a stool sample taken, followed by a colonoscopy and a biopsy, these investigations sadly revealed that she had bowel cancer, which had spread to all eight segments of her liver.
According to Cancer Research, only one in 10 people with advanced bowel cancer will survive for five years or more after their diagnosis.
32-year-old Bianca Perea is the first person in the UK to have a liver transplant for advanced bowel cancer.
The transplant, along with her previous treatment – targeted therapy, chemotherapy and bowel surgery – means she is now cancer free.
But after becoming a patient at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, a specialist cancer centre in Manchester, Bianca is now miraculously cancer free thanks to becoming the first person in the UK to have a liver transplant for advanced bowel cancer, along with other previous treatments included targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.
Bianca was referred to The Christie’s local treatment centre in Wigan in early December 2021 where she had 37 rounds of a targeted drug called panitumumab, and chemotherapy over two and a half years.
According to The Christie, she had an “excellent response” to the treatment, with the tumour shrinking enough so that she could have an operation to remove the part of the bowel where it was.
A Manchester woman is now cancer free after a groundbreaking UK-first transplant / Credit: The Christie NHS
However scans showed she still had tumours in her liver which couldn’t be operated on, and so she was then referred to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as she was found to be a suitable candidate for a transplant.
Before being added to the transplant list, Bianca had to be doing well on treatment for two years, and she hit this milestone in December 2023.
She was subsequently added to the list in February 2024, and had her operation this past summer.
Bianca Perea, one of our patients, is the first person in the UK to have a liver transplant for advanced bowel cancer. She's now cancer free.
Despite all the odds, the surgery was successful, meaning she is now cancer free and the teams at Leeds and The Christie are “hopeful” that the cancer won’t return too.
“Within four weeks of going under the knife, I was able to drive and walk the family dogs, it was really quite incredible,” Bianca said.
“To go from being told I’d only have a short time to live to now being cancer free is the greatest gift. I’ve been given a second chance at life and I’m going to grab it with both hands. I am so grateful to the family who agreed to donate their loved one’s liver.”
Featured Image – The Christie NHS
News
Manchester club to host fundraising night in memory of young DJ who passed away
A Manchester city centre nightclub is set to host a fundraising memorial gig in honour of local DJ, Noxxic, who sadly died in a traffic collision late last year.
The aspiring drum and bass artist was cycling along Albion Way near the roundabout linking the M602 and A57 Regent Road when he collided with the HGV. Despite the best efforts of paramedics and emergency at the scene, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mourned not only by his family and countless friends but also by the Manchester music scene and local clubbing community at large, Kable Club on New Wakefield Street is now set to host a memorial night for charity as a tribute to the talent “gone far too soon”.
Set up with the help of friend, collaborator and DnB peer, Max Clarke, the fundraising memorial night is taking place this month and will aim to not only honour Lewis and the Simpson family but also remember and celebrate his life the way he would have wanted: with music and a good time.
The Warrington-based artist and producer, who goes by ‘Clarkey‘, regularly played b2b sets with the 25-year-old over the years, including charity livestream performances to raise money for the homeless during the festive period. Noxxic was also a proud and well-known mental health advocate.
As well as the likes of Hedex, Sota and J Bookey paying tribute online following the tragedy, Clarkey and Noxxic’s ‘Blckhry – Bite’ remix was played on BBC Radio 1’s Drum & Bass Show with Charlie T, as well as ‘Tribute Get Lit Mix’ including all of his tunes featuring n 1Xtra’s Rave Show.
Manchester-based promoters, music label and all-round D’n’B brand, Hit & Run, said: “Really is such a shock to hear about the tragic and untimely passing of Lew Simpson aka Noxxic.”
The post continues: “He was a near-permanent fixture at the night and across the scene in the city – he lived and breathed D&B and his passion and dedication not just for production and DJing but also the community of this city is something [we] truly admired about the man.”
“He’d made such great strides in his career these last few years so seems so very unfair that he’s been taken from us at such a young age – he had so much more to give.
So many people we know and care about will be hurting too too much right now – I know you will all make him proud and honour his legacy and friendship. Such very sad news.”
Clarkey himself shared a touching video of the pair playing together to rapturous applause:
Writing a lengthy statement underneath the charity event page on Skiddle, Clarkey wrote: “On 17 January, we come together to celebrate the life, passion, and legacy of Lew Simpson, known to many as Noxxic, a true champion of the jump-up drum and bass community.
“With a heart that beat for the wicked sounds of the genre he loved so deeply, Lew was more than just a fan; he was an advocate, a believer and an inspiration to everyone who shared his love for the music. This historic night in Manchester promises to be an unforgettable tribute to Noxxic, featuring a lineup of monumental talent.
“From the legends who have defined jump-up over the past few years to the rising stars pushing it to even new boundaries, each artist on the bill represents everything Lew cherished about this incredibly unifying genre.
“Together, we’ll create a night that embodies the energy, spirit and passion he brought to the scene. This night is about more than music, it’s about making a difference to people’s lives like Lew strived to do. All proceeds from this event will go to Mind, a charity dedicated to mental health support, advocacy, and awareness.
“As a serious champion for mental health, Lew’s commitment to the well-being of others continues through this deeply meaningful cause. Come witness jump-up drum and bass in its purest form, as we honour Noxxic with the kind of night he could only have dreamed about: one filled with love, community and some of the finest music.”
Kable aren’t the only ones who have helped pay tribute with a club night in his name either, with London outfit North Base also dedicated their ‘& Friends’ show to the much-loved artist this past December.
Noxxic was a real up-and-comer on the scene.Manc DJs Kormz and Clarkey with Noxxic (right).Credit: Noxxic/Clarkey (via Facebook)
As mentioned, the proceeds from the show will go towards Mind (a charity close to Lewis’ heart) and are priced at just £11.25 including the booking fee. Alternatively, fans who can’t make the date can still make a total Noxxic donation of £6 to help do their bit.
ADVERTISEMENT
With the lineup for the memorial gig night now out – not to mention two special guests still yet to be announced – Clarkey, Kormz, North Base and many more will be giving fans a lively albeit emotional night to remember.
Clarkey signed off by simply adding, “Let’s come together to celebrate his life and legacy in the most fitting way possible!”
You can grab your tickets HERE. Rest in peace, Noxxic.