Prince William and Kate Middleton opened the city’s public memorial dedicated to the victims and families of the Manchester Attack yesterday.
Just weeks ahead of the fifth anniversary of the tragic event that shook the nation to its very core, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Manchester city centre yesterday afternoon to officially declare the new Glade of Light memorial – which was first unveiled back at the start of January – open to the public.
The Duke of Cambridge said in a moving speech that “as someone who lives with his own grief”, it is important that the 22 people who lost their lives are not forgotten.
He also called Manchester an “extraordinary place”.
William and Kate attended a short service, before walking around the memorial, where the duchess laid flowers.
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Relatives of the 22 victims were also said to have cried as a choir sang Halo by Beyonce.
There is comfort in remembering.
In acknowledging that, while taken horribly soon, they lived. They changed our lives. They were loved, and they are loved.
It is why memorials such as the Glade of Light are so important. Why Catherine and I so wanted to be here today. pic.twitter.com/e14xAUzWSt
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 10, 2022
The Glade of Light has been created next to the Manchester Cathedral as a living memorial.
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The peaceful garden space is centred around a Hawthorn tree, which will burst into white blooms every year at around the time of the anniversary in May.
A white marble ‘halo’ which is engraved with the names of the 22 people who lost their lives in the attack on 22 May 2017 is the memorial’s centrepiece, and the families of each of the victims have been able to place memory capsules filled with mementos and messages inside the striking halo design.
Prince William said in his speech yesterday: “For Catherine and I, it is very important that we are with you here today.
“To remember the 22 lives so brutally taken, to acknowledge the hundreds of lives that were irrevocably changed, and to pay tribute to the resilience of this great city. I remember only too well the shock and grief on the faces of those I met when I visited Manchester in the days following the atrocity.
“Five years on, I know that the pain and the trauma felt by many has not gone away.”
He added that as someone “who lives with his own grief”, he also knows that “what often matters most to the bereaved is that those we have lost are not forgotten.”
“There is comfort in remembering. In acknowledging that, while taken horribly soon, they lived.
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“They changed our lives.
“They were loved, and they are loved. It is why memorials such as the Glade of Light are so important. Why Catherine and I so wanted to be amongst you today.”
Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics is returning to Manchester later this year
Thomas Melia
DJ and radio presenter Pete Tong MBE is making his way back to Manchester with a whole host of guests ready to help you dance the night away.
Known for his live radio shows such as the ‘Essential Mix’ on BBC Radio 1, Tong is bringing back his widely successful Ibiza Classics club night to Manchester with an equally impressive roster of guests.
The ‘Ibiza Classics’ concept originated and debuted back in 2015 with Tong and co. taking on Royal Albert Hall as part of BBC Radio 1’s Proms schedule, paying homage to the island’s infectious anthems.
Since then, the English DJ has built a music event bigger than he could have ever imagined, and this year it’s celebrating a milestone 10-year anniversary tour heading out across the country.
Pete Tong, Jules Buckley and The Essential Orchestra are bringing Ibiza Classics to AO Arena in Manchester.
Some of Tong’s notable releases include ‘Where’s The Music Gone’ and ‘Apocolypse’, alongside some very respectable dance music artists. He delighted the crowd with this event back in 2023 when he brought Ibiza to Aintree Racecourse.
Other tracks to his name include ‘You Got The Love’ and ‘Time’, both collaborations with Jules Buckley, one of the famous faces you’ll get to see on this special Ibiza Classics tour.
Alongside being a frequent feature on Tong’s hits, Buckley is a well-renowned composer who has worked with the likes of Florence and The Machine, Dizzee Rascal, Arctic Monkeys and more.
Pete Tong and Jules Buckley won’t be fronting AO Arena alone either, as they’re also bringing along another familiar group who are often credited alongside the duo, The Essential Orchestra.
This night is expected to be filled with pure dance hits, and based on recent shows, there might even be appearances from even more musical talents and special guests.
He even invited American-English vocalist Vula, known for hits like ‘Turn Me On (Dr. Love)’, onto the stage, who performed a rendition of Tong’s classic track ‘Good Life’.
Pete Tong, Jules Buckley and The Essential Orchestra are bringing Ibiza Classics to AO Arena on Saturday 6 December with tickets already on sale HERE.
Featured Images – Ash Youd/Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)/BBC/radio1interactive (via Flickr)
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One in five northerners reverts back to smoking following the disposable vape ban
Emily Sergeant
A shocking new study has claimed that one in five vapers in the North West have reverted back to smoking following the disposable vape ban.
With the ban on single-use disposable vapes now in full force across the UK after taking effect from 1 June, one in five (16%) North West residents who used to vape have hinted that they’ll now go back to smoking cigarettes, according to some eye-opening new research by the life insurance experts at Confused.com.
While the study did reassuringly find that that more than a third (34%) of survey respondents planned to quit vaping after the ban, this doesn’t tell the full story.
Worryingly, more people than not say they plan to keep vaping, with 21% claiming the ban on disposables will actually encourage them to switch to refillable vapes instead, rather than give up all together.
One in five northerners plans to revert back to smoking following the disposable vape ban / Credit: Pxhere
According to Confused.com’s latest data, there has been a 44% increase in the number of people declaring they smoke or vape on their life insurance policy since 2019, but if these survey results are anything to go by, we can expect these figures to be higher in the years to come.
Almost a third of North West vapers (27%) said they started between the ages of 18-25.
Around one in 10 (4%) said they were under 18 when they started vaping, and then at the other end o the spectrum, a third (33%) apparently started at 41 or older.
The single-use vape ban came into force across the UK on 1 June 2025 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Despite the more concerning findings, Confused.com is choosing to look on the more positive side of things, with Tom Vaughan, who is one of the life insurance experts at Confused.com, commenting: “It’s refreshing to see that many people who vape are using the ban as a springboard to try to quit for good, particularly with the financial and health implications of maintaining the habit.
“We’ve had a significant increase in smokers’ policies for life insurance, which are extremely important for family security and future prospects.
“So when applying for life insurance, it’s important that smokers or vapers declare their habit, as it could impact policies due to the long-term health impact.”
Emily Sergeant -
11th May 2022 
