Blood donors in Manchester and surrounding areas are being urged to keep donating as normal if they are fit and healthy.
Giving blood is classed as essential travel and both Manchester Donor Centres will stay open with appointments remaining as normal. NHS Blood and Transplant is issuing a reminder of the exemption to donors as the strictest Covid-19 restrictions are put into place across the UK.
Peter Baughan, Head of Blood Donation for the North at NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We have seen a fantastic response from blood donors so far in the pandemic and blood stocks have remained good.
“With these updated Covid-19 measures coming into effect in the community, it’s important for anyone in the area who has an upcoming appointment to donate blood to please stick to it if you can, as blood donation remains essential for NHS and patient care and is exempt from travel restrictions.
“Blood saves lives and donating is something you can do to help the NHS at this time. Extra safety measures are in place on session and our doors are very much open.”
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Liverpool Donor Centre Dale Street. Staff highlighting the measures being taken to keep everyone safe from Coronavirus.
Picture by Gareth Jones
Both Manchester donor centre’s appointment fill rates for the next four weeks currently average around 30% full. New and existing donors are encouraged to book appointments now to ensure there is enough blood available to supply hospitals in the coming weeks and months.
Extra appointments have been made available in Manchester and elsewhere to help meet the rising demand for blood from hospitals over the coming weeks as elective surgery continues to resume.
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Since the Covid-19 outbreak, extra safety measures have been introduced across all blood donation sessions. All donors are triaged with a temperature check on arrival as an additional measure to protect staff and donors. If a donor has a temperature of 37.5 or above – which is a Covid-19 risk factor – they will not be able to donate or enter the session.
The NHS state: “When entering, hand gels and hand washing facilities are available, donors are spaced apart and staff are doing extra cleaning. Staff are wearing face masks and donors are required to wear a face covering and keep it on throughout their time on session, removing it only for refreshments.
“Please follow all relevant Government transport guidance when making a journey into, within or out of any affected areas, and it is a requirement to wear a face covering on public transport and in taxis.”
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Around 5,000 units of blood need to be collected by the NHS each day.
Blood is used for treating trauma, cancer, blood diseases, bleeds in childbirth, and much more. Each donation can save up to three lives.Manchester has two permanent blood donor centres:
Book appointments and check the latest guidance on Covid-19 and giving blood by calling 0300 123 23 23, downloading the NHS Give Blood app, or visiting the website blood.co.uk.
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Man charged and named after two attempted rapes in Rochdale parks just hours apart
Emily Sergeant
A man has been charged after two attempted rapes took place in two Rochdale parks merely hours apart from each other.
He has also been publicly named as Harvey Symes, from Milnrow in Rochdale.
The 23-year-old black British national has been charged with two counts of attempted rape and threats to kill, and is due to appear at in Manchester and Salford Magistrates court today (27 July), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.
Symes was arrested and then subsequently charged after police received a report that a woman had been sexually assaulted in Rochdale’s Broadfield Park, by a man unknown to her, at around 6:15am on Saturday 25 July.
A second report was then made at 8:38am concerning the sexual assault of a woman in Milnrow Memorial Park – again with the victim reporting being attacked by a man she did not know.
Both victims provided GMP with a similar description of the suspect, leading police to believe the attacks were linked.
Investigation officers began their search for a black male believed to have been wearing a three piece suit or smart black clothes and a dark coat, and also carrying a briefcase, and as part of ongoing enquiries, they identified CCTV footage of a man matching the description in the Coco Lounge in Rochdale town centre – with the man leaving the venue at around 5am.
While Symes has now been arrested, charged, and publicly named, police are still appealing for anyone with information, and CCTV, dashcam, doorbell, or mobile phone footage from the Rochdale town centre, Broadfield Park, or Milnrow Memorial Park areas in the early hours of Saturday morning, to come forward.
Anyone with information should contact GMP on 101, quoting incident number 679 and 880 of 25/07/2026, or report it via the LiveChat service online.
Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Drama Call opening first-ever flagship shop in Manchester
Danny Jones
Streetwear superstars Drama Call are opening their new flagship store and first-ever permanent site in Manchester city centre this weekend.
Expect massive queues and lots turning up wearing the increasingly recognisable starry logo.
Already a much-loved brand not just here in 0161 but across the nation at large, the native independent business turned street-style favourites and UK fashion phenomenon are no strangers to HUGE pop-ups in their hometown.
However, they’ve never had a mainstay location anywhere in the country, let alone Greater Manchester – well, until now, that is…
Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Debuting in the Northern Quarter this Sunday, the venue located on Tib Street will effectively serve as Drama Call‘s new HQ.
The local label has done everything from popping up vans with Manc rapper Aitch to collaborating with Man United for multiple limited edition collections, so it only felt like a matter of time before they’d make a big brick-and-mortar splash in our fair city.
Most notably, they’re also taking over the same unit as the Sheep Shop, a former skate shop and legendary urban clothing tastemaker of the 90s; they were one of the first places in Britain to stock famous names like Stüssy, Supreme, Carhartt, The North Face and many more.
With that in mind, it feels only fitting that they carry on the trendsetting tradition from the same premises, and just spitting distance from the likes of Note, as well.
And that’s not all, either: before the full launch, they’ll also be holding an exclusive cash-only shirt swap event, where a limited number of certain collector’s items will be sold for as little as £10.
Other things to note are the additions of signed vinyls by homegrown artists such as the aforementioned Aitch and even The Smiths.
In fact, the store will also feature strictly Mancunian exclusives, too.
Everything from polo shirts and tees to branded mugs, matchboxes and other accessories will be available in-store only.
NQ is bound to be buzzing across launch weekend, with doors officially opening to the public on Sunday, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see people camping outside the front well ahead of time.
What a moment the Manc shopping scene is having right now.
The Manc -
6th November 2020 
