St Ann’s Hospice has launched a new public appeal to raise the remaining £2 million needed for a new hospice building to “transform end of life care” for Greater Manchester residents.
The hospice group has today launched the ‘Build It Together’ appeal, and is urging local people to come together to help raise the final £2 million needed to build its “ambitious” £21.5 million flagship new hospice in Heald Green, Stockport – which it says will be a leading facility for end of life care in the UK.
The current hospice building is more than 150 years old, and St Ann’s says it is “outdated” and no longer fit for purpose” due to limited air-flow, small rooms with limited natural light, and narrow corridors.
The plans for the new “bright and airy” purpose-built modern facility would see it built on land adjacent to the current site, and the hospice says its “desperately needed”.
If new hospice isn’t built, palliative services in the area may be forced to close.
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“We’re hoping that the public will get behind the campaign so building work can start later in the year,” the hospice said in its appeal statement.
What a morning! Thank you to everyone who has been sharing news of our appeal, and to everyone who has donated too.
We need to raise £2million to build the new St Ann's. If you're able to support, please donate now at https://t.co/1vwKxWmOIB
Plans for the new £21.5 million hospice building include a 27-bed inpatient unit – including 21 en-suite bedrooms with access to private outdoor terraces – modern outpatient and day therapy services, dedicated bereavement and family support spaces, offices, a café that’s also open to the public, landscaped gardens, and improved car parking.
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It will also be home to the only non-university immersive healthcare training suite in the area, with integrated technology and the capacity to simulate real life scenarios.
This will allow experts from across St Ann’s to share their specialist knowledge with other organisations, and help drive excellence in palliative and end of life care both locally and nationally.
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St Ann’s Hospice has launched a public funding appeal to raise the £2 million needed to provide end of life care in Greater Manchester / Credit: St
“In Greater Manchester we’re used to doing things differently and leading the way,” explained Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive at St Ann’s Hospice.
“We’re proud that we provide world-class hospice care from right here in this amazing city, and as the needs of patients change, we need to evolve too to make sure we can continue to give them the truly personalised care that they deserve – but we simply can’t continue to care for local people in our current building.
“It is no longer fit for purpose and we’re in real danger of having to close services in the near future if we don’t complete this project.”
A new £21.5 million purpose-built modern hospice facility would be built on land adjacent to the current site / Credit: St Ann’s Hospice
She added that the hospice knows £2 million is “a big ask” for the community.
“But that same community has always been here for us – we never take that for granted, and we’re proud to have such deep roots in the areas we serve across Greater Manchester,” she concluded.
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You can make donations to St Ann’s Hospice here, or text LETSBUILDIT to 70085 to give £20 now, and also call 0161 498 3631 to speak to a member of the team.
Featured Image – St Ann’s Hospice
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Two teens arrested after stabbing of 14-year-old boy in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
Two teenagers have been arrested following the stabbing of a 14-year-old boy in Manchester city centre over the weekend.
In case you need bringing up to speed first, at around 3:15pm this past Saturday afternoon (17 October 2026), officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of a stabbing on the ninth floor of the Arndale carpark in Manchester city centre.
Emergency services attended the scene, and a 14-year-old boy was taken to hospital with injuries consistent with a stab wound.
Thankfully, the victim’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life changing, but an investigation and enquiries are ongoing.
Police conceded that this will ‘understandably’ cause concern in the community, but has assured the public that they believe this to be an ‘isolated incident.
And now, it has been confirmed that two teenage boys, also aged 14, were arrested on Sunday night (18 October) on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, and tat this time, they are currently in custody for questioning.
“We’d like to thank the local community for their support during our investigation as well as the passersby who helped the victim following this incident,” commented Detective Inspector Sean McFadden, of GMP’s City of Manchester district.
“Your quick-thinking undoubtedly saved the victim from potentially life-threatening injuries.
“We appreciate that incidents of this nature can cause concern and we’d like to reassure the public that we understand this was an isolated incident and there is no wider threat to the community.
“Officers worked quickly and arrested two juveniles on Sunday, and they currently remain in custody for questioning.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting log 2050 of 17/10/2026, or via the LiveChat function. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
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UK Government announces £100 fines for ‘antisocial behaviour’ on public transport
Emily Sergeant
The Government has today announced plans to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport.
In a bid to crackdown on loud music, littering, vaping, and other threatening behaviour on buses and trains, guidance was issued by the Government today for local authorities to prosecute and even issue fines of up to £100.
For many, playing audio out loud on public transport – also known as ‘loudcasting’ – has become one of modern life’s most irritating parts of the daily commute, but now, a new national campaign is aiming to encourage rail passengers, in particular, to ‘share the carriage, not the noise’ to improve the journey experience for all.
This will include reminders of the rules in place on the rail network and, if a passenger refuses to stop when asked by authorised rail staff, they can be removed from the train at the next station or face fines up to £1,000.
On buses, however, the powers for authorities were already made possible by the Bus Services Act 2025, meaning all local transport authorities in England are able to set and enforce their own rules.
Authorised officers – including transport safety officers and the police – will be responsible for enforcement, rather than bus drivers themselves, and they will be tasked with a three-step approach to deal with incidents. They will need to:
Engage with the person
Explain the rules and their impact on other passengers
Take enforcement action if they refuse to comply
“We’ve all been on the train when someone starts blasting music or videos from their phone,” commented Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
“It gets on your nerves and can quickly spoil the journey, so we’re launching a nationwide campaign reminding passengers to use headphones on trains. On top of that, we’re giving local leaders new powers to tackle loud music, vaping and littering on buses.
“It’s a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us.”
Ben Plowden, Chief Executive at the Campaign for Better Transport, added: “Antisocial behaviour is not just irritating, it can be a real deterrent to people using public transport – especially people with different accessibility requirements.
“If these new powers are properly and visibly enforced, they should help everyone feel safe and comfortable on public transport and enjoy the ride.”
Emily Sergeant -
28th June 2022 
