A fundraiser set up in the memory of Graeme Park‘s late teenage son has seen over £25,000 in donations made to charity.
Back in March, the former Hacienda DJ shared the devastating news on social media that his “true warrior” son Oliver had passed away at the age of 18 after a year-long battle with a rare blood cancer known as sarcoma, and thousands of messages of love and support flooded in from fans and famous names in the Greater Manchestermusic and entertainment community.
The 59-year-old described his son as a “kind, loving, and beautiful soul” in an emotional tribute.
Graeme said Oliver “fought so hard until the very end”, but was sadly taken “far too soon” when he “had so much more love to offer to this world”.
Graeme Park’s son Oliver passed away in March 2023 / Credit: Graeme Park (via Instagram)
The Park family said they were “heartbroken” to have lost a son, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend, but took the time to thank everyone “from the bottom of our hearts” for their “wonderful and valued support”.
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They also confirmed back in March that they had made the decision to set up a JustGiving page in Oliver’s memory for Sarcoma UK – a national charity that funds vital research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer, and campaigns for better treatments.
Now, coming up to two months since Oliver’s passing, Graeme has revealed that more than £25,000 in donations has been raised for the charity.
Speaking to presenter Anna Jameson yesterday on the loss of his son, and the funds raised in the late teenager’s memory, Graeme explained: “You can’t imagine it because you don’t think you’re ever going to have to experience the situation.
“You really read about people who lose a child, and you think it must be awful, and then it happens to you.
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“It’s just the worst… and it’s still very raw.”
Graeme insisted that despite how raw it is, he does still “want to talk about [Oliver’s passing]” because “sarcoma is very rare and often misdiagnosed, and on average it takes two years to get the correct diagnosis, and by then it’s too late”.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Oliver and his twin brother, Ben / Credit: Graeme Park (via JustGiving)
Graeme said the public’s response to the fundraiser has been “amazing”.
“Someone ran the Paris Marathon, someone ran the London Marathon, other people have put little events on, so the total is now £25,303, which is incredible.”
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He said the amount raised for the charity so far has taken his family completely by surprise, adding that: “I thought when we set it up ‘we’ll probably get five or six grand [but] there’s been a few big donations, as well as lots of small donations.”
Donations haven’t just been made via the JustGiving page either, as Graeme said people have even been coming up to him at gigs.
We were saddened to hear of Oliver's death. Our sincere condolences to @graemepark and his loved ones.
As Teenage and Young Adults Cancer Awareness Month starts on Sat, we are driven more than ever to raise awareness of this awful cancer that affects too many younger people. https://t.co/VrOnsvzyGA
“I’ve done a few gigs, because I’m trying to get back to normal because I do think doing what I do, playing music, and just meeting people and seeing people kind of gives you strength, and everyone has been so supportive.
“People have come up to me, I did a Hacienda night in Leeds, and people were coming up and saying ‘look, I’m no good on the internet, here’s five pounds, here’s 10 pounds, add it to the fund’.
If you’d like to support, help, or donate in memory of Oliver, you can do so here.
Featured Image – Graeme Park (via Instagram)
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Manchester’s newest hotel launches massive recruitment drive with 100+ jobs available
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s newest hotels has launched a massive recruitment drive with more than 100 jobs available to locals.
The Medlock, Manchester’s bold new 401-bedroom hotel – which is born from a partnership between Manchester City Football Club and Radisson Hotel Group, and is set to open later this year in the autumn – is looking for new team members across a wide range of areas, including front of house, housekeeping, engineering, and reservations.
To welcome these new team members onboard, the hotel has now launched a massive recruitment drive with dozens of roles available to local people.
Individuals who bring ‘authenticity, pride, and personality’ to everything they do are encouraged to apply for the roles – which go live early next week (Monday 27 April).
Aimed at boosting employment within the local community, vacancies span front-of-house, housekeeping, engineering and reservations.
The recruitment drive – delivered in partnership with Total People – is being lead by Valor Hospitality, the hotel’s operator chosen for its global expertise and people-first approach to hospitality, and will be offering tailored training programmes that are designed to make careers in hospitality accessible to Manchester residents.
Vocational qualifications across a range of skills will help individuals build confidence and step into rewarding roles in the industry, and it also means prior experience is not entirely necessary.
More than 100 roles will be available to local people / Credit: Supplied
General Manager Richard Pearson says the recruitment drive is a ‘unique opportunity to be part of an exciting partnership’.
“This is a milestone we’ve been eagerly anticipating, building the team that will bring The Medlock to life,” he added. “We’re looking for people who carry the spirit of Manchester with them, people who are proud of where they’re from and passionate about creating something special together.”
As mentioned, all job adverts will go live next Monday (27 April) so hopefuls can get their applications submitted here.
This’ll then be followed by invite-only open days for shortlisted candidates in mid May.
Featured Image – Supplied
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UK passes bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking in ‘historic’ moment
Emily Sergeant
In what is described as being a ‘historic moment’, the UK has now passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco products.
It’s been a long time coming, but the final draft of the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill completed its journey through the Houses of Commons and Lords yesterday (21 April 2026), and is now on its way to receiving royal assent to officially become the law.
For those unfamiliar, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop people who were born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever taking up smoking.
It will also give Government ministers new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products – including their flavours and packaging, which make them more appealing to younger generations.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has hailed the bill’s passing as a ‘historic moment for the nation’s health’ on the road to creating a smoke-free generation.
The UK has passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking / Credit: Lil Artsy (via Pexels)
“Children in the UK will be part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm,” Mr Streeting said after the bill was passed this week.
“Prevention is better than cure. This reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier Britain.”
The ban on purchasing tobacco products for those born after 2008 was first mooted by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Government a number of years back, but was eventually shelved ahead of the 2024 General Election, and then revived again by Labour when they took power.
The bill’s passing parliament has been welcomed by charities and campaign groups – most notably Cancer Research UK.
“This is a historic achievement that will shield our children from the devastating grip of tobacco addiction and help to put an end to cancers caused by smoking,” concluded Michelle Mitchell, who is the Chief Executive Officer at Cancer Research.
Emily Sergeant -
12th May 2023 
