Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are making a return to the UK this month, and they’ll be paying a visit to Manchester today.
Marking the first time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been back in the UK since they attended the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations back in early June, the pair are to return to the country for a series of official charity events from this month, and that includes a stop-off right here in Manchester city centre.
A spokesperson for the couple said they are “delighted” to be visiting in early September.
The Duke and Duchess will also be meeting with a group of Summit delegates doing outstanding work on gender equality 💙
They will visiting “several charities close to their hearts” during their European trip, and will most-notably be attending the One Young World Summit at The Bridgewater Hall today (5 September) – which is bringing together young leaders from more than 190 countries.
The Duke and Duchess will also meet with a group of delegates working on gender equality.
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One Young World is a global charity that develops young leaders who are taking action to solve the world’s biggest challenges, and the annual Summit sees 2,000 people from every country and sector gather to “inspire and empower” them to build “a fairer and more sustainable world”.
Following their One Young World Summit appearance, Prince Harry and Meghan will then be attending the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 One Year to Go event in Germany.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are visiting Manchester today as part of UK return / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Sussexes stepped down as senior royals in January 2020, and now live in California.
The couple’s return to the UK this month comes after they kept a low-profile at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June – which was their first royal engagement together since stepping down – and opted to watch the Trooping the Colour parade in London from a window, and not take part in the carriage procession.
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Join us tomorrow as we welcome young leaders from around the globe to #Manchester for the landmark event of the year.
Before that, they visited the Queen in April on their way to the Invictus Games in the Netherlands.
Prince Harry was last reported to be in the UK in the previous July, according to BBC News, while Meghan was not thought to have been in the country since 2020.
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
5th September 2022 
