The “biggest balls in the UK” projected onto a Manchester billboard have stopped people travelling in and out of the city centre in their tracks today.
You may have read the title and clocked the date, but we promise this isn’t an April Fool.
The first day of April may be more widely-known as the international day of the prank or practical joke, but crucially, it also signals the beginning of Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, and to mark the occasion, one dedicated charity organisation has projected the biggest balls in the UK on the side of Manchester’s flagship billboard as part of its #TalkingBollocks campaign.
The aim of the striking billboard is to not only raise awareness of testicular cancer – which is the most common cancer in men aged 15-45 – but also to encourage people to get into the habit of “checking their balls every month” to spot the signs early.
The billboard’s arrival in Manchester is the work of the Robin Cancer Trust, which was founded by 32-year-old Toby Freeman after he tragically lost his brother Robin to testicular cancer at age just 24.
— The Robin Cancer Trust (@RCTcharity) April 1, 2022
2,400 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer every year in the UK, which is more than six people per day, and sadly, it’s also on the rise too, with cases increasing by more than a quarter since the early 1990’s.
However, it’s also one of the most curable forms of cancer, and, if caught early, is 98% curable, which is why monthly self-checks are so important.
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The Robin Cancer Trust therefore created the #TalkingBollocks campaign to get men talking about their balls, as by starting conversations through the campaign, they can break down the stigma.
The “biggest balls in the UK” have been projected onto a billboard in Manchester city centre / Credit: The Robin Cancer Trust
Speaking on the instalment of the billboard in Manchester, Toby Freeman – Founder & CEO of The Robin Cancer Trust – says: “Spreading awareness of testicular cancer in the most creative ways has always been our priority, so more people can see and act on our messages.
“After seeing previous national campaigns on the billboard in Manchester I was obsessed with getting a pair of balls on there to encourage people to check their own.
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“So we made it happen.”
For more information, support and how to get involved with the #TalkingBalls campaign, you can visit The Robin Cancer Trust website here.
Featured Image – The Robin Cancer Trust
News
How will the Government’s new digital ID alternative for alcohol sales work?
Emily Sergeant
All licensed venues across England and Wales now have the choice to introduce digital proof of age for alcohol sales alongside physical.
Instead of having to hand over physical ID that contains personal information, such as names and home addresses, customers now have the choice to simply provide confirmation that they are 18 or over on their phone – helping to better protect privacy and personal safety in the process.
This means that, no matter whether you’re buying a drink at your favourite pub, heading to a festival, or enjoying a night out at a concert, you won’t need to worry if you’ve left your ID at home.
According to the Government, this new change will benefit businesses greatly too, as certified digital services are able to check that an ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it much easier than the alternative can, which therefore helps to reduce the risk of any fake or borrowed IDs going undetected.
Well, according to the Government, it could be as simple as a customer showing a QR code for staff to scan, or tapping their phone against a compatible reader, where staff will then receive a clear confirmation on their device that the customer has passed the age check.
This change follows a 2024 Government consultation where it was reported that 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock reiterated that ‘it will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt [digital ID]’ and that physical ID will ‘still remain a valid way’ for customers to prove their age.
“This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out,” she concluded.
Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
News
Manchester to host G20 Summit in 2027 with more than a dozen world leaders descending on the city
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been confirmed as the host city for the G20 Summit next year.
It was already announced back in November last year that the G20 Summit would be coming to the UK in 2027, and plans were apparently already being discussed to host it in Manchester even before Andy Burnham became Prime Minister and Number 10 North was set up.
But now, ahead of this year’s leaders’ summit being held in Miami in December, it has been confirmed that the G20 Summit will arrive in Manchester in November 2027.
Manchester is said to have been picked to host the leaders’ summit because of its ‘cultural heritage’.
Bringing together 19 of the world’s largest economies and two major multilateral bodies – the European Union and the African union – G20 members who will be invited to attend the summit next year make up 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population as a whole.
Manchester has been confirmed to host the G20 Summit in 2027 / Credit: 10 Downing Street | Paul Kagame (Flickr)
G20 members are also some of the UK’s closest economic partners, the Government insists.
17 of the UK’s top 20 global export markets attend the summit, as do 18 of the UK’s top 20 sources of foreign direct investment.
The presidency of the G20 is currently held by the US but will pass to the UK after the leaders’ summit hosted by the president at his Trump National Doral Miami golf resort in December.
The 2027 summit will be held at Manchester Central, it has been confirmed, and other locations across the UK will also host other G20 events as part of the year-long presidency, but these are yet to be announced.
Emily Sergeant -
1st April 2022 
