This incredible new youth centre is everything Manchester’s inner-city needs
Founded and funded by local businessman and BetFred owner Fred Done, HideOut was originally scheduled to open its doors this March, with the red ribbon-cutting pushed back due to the ongoing pandemic.
Acharity focused on protecting and empowering young people in Greater Manchester is opening a huge new community centre in Gorton.
Designed for everyone aged 8-19 regardless of background – the new £6.6m facility is providing mini Mancunians with a safe space to socialise and discover their talents; aiming to tackle child poverty and homelessness, obesity, and gang culture in the process.
Focused on giving youngsters “somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to”, HideOut is packed out with exercise space.
Alongside an indoor climbing wall, 3G kick pitch, skate park, four court sports hall, fully-equipped gym, dance and drama studio, and martial arts gym, the centre also offers space for youngsters to flex their creative muscles with a media room, recording studio and arts and crafts studio.
Alongside recreational fun, organisers will be operating employability workshops to help youngsters kickstart the careers of their dreams, aided by the state-of-the-art training kitchen and employability suite.
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This incredible Youth Zone will ultimately help to create dozens of new jobs and volunteer opportunities; whilst strengthening the wider Manchester community as a whole.
Founded and funded by local businessman and BetFred owner Fred Done, HideOut was originally scheduled to open its doors this March, with the red ribbon-cutting pushed back due to the ongoing pandemic.
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The facility is planning to welcome the first wave of youngsters later this year as restrictions continue to ease.
But in the meantime, they need your help.
A fundraising campaign has been launched called ‘The Thousand‘ – which will help HideOut raise vital money for running costs and specialist equipment/resources.
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Manchester City Council has pledged its support for the centre, but significant financial backing is still required to ensure HideOut can continue to operate, grow and expand.
Learn more about how you can help become one of The Thousand and ensure HideOut cements its place as an essential, vibrant hub of the Manchester youth community on their website.
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One million UK adults who have never smoked before are now vaping, new stats reveal
Emily Sergeant
More than a million UK adults who claim to have never smoked cigarettes are now vaping.
According to alarming new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), relating to people aged 16 and over, around 2.8 million men (11.3%) and 2.1 million women (8.2%) are thought to be smokers in the UK… but more than a million people, who have never smoked before, have now made the decision to start vaping instead.
People in the 25 to 34 age group were found to be the most likely to vape, according to the data, overtaking those aged 16 to 24, as it was the only age group to see a rise in e-cigarette usage.
Daily or occasional vaping is still higher than the proportion of people smoking cigarettes too, the ONS revealed, at 5.4 million, or 9.9%, versus 4.8 million (8.7%).
One million UK adults who have never smoked are now vaping / Credit: Lil Artsy (via Pexels) | Pxhere
“Fewer than one in 10 adults now smoke,” commented David Mais, from the ONS.
“This is the lowest proportion on record and continues the long-term decline in smoking. [But] at the same time, e-cigarette use remains more common than smoking and has followed an overall upward trend since 2020.
“E-cigarette users are also getting older, with those aged 25 to 34 now overtaking 16 to 24-year-olds as the age group most likely to use them.
“This may reflect existing users getting older, growing popularity among this age group, or a combination of both.”
Overall, the prevalence of smoking dropped in all four UK nations between 2024 and 2025.
Featured Image – Elsa Olofsson (via Unsplash)
News
Three Manchester motorways named in UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’
Emily Sergeant
Three motorways in and around Manchester have been named the ‘most challenging’ in the UK.
As part of MoneySuperMarket’s new Great British Motorway Report, new research has found that one in three UK motorists find motorway driving ‘stressful’ – despite more than 70 billion miles being travelled on Britain’s motorways each year.
From delays and congestion to high traffic levels, there are a number of factors that can contribute to driver stress levels.
But are some motorways more challenging for drivers than others? According to the data, yes. And three of the top 10 worst motorways in the UK are in and around Greater Manchester.
To find out which are the most challenging, MoneySuperMarket analysed everything from collision rates and roadworks, to lane closures and driver feedback in order to reveal the top 10.
Manchester is home to three of the UK’s top 10 most challenging motorways – the M602, M62, and M60, the latter of which took the top spot on the list.
Three Manchester motorways have been named in the UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’ / Credit: pxfuel
Encircling Greater Manchester and linking many of the region’s motorways, the M60 recorded the lowest overall score in the index.
Despite handling significant volumes of traffic, the M60 experienced some of the highest average delays, at 15.58 seconds per vehicle per mile, and alongside this, it saw 34 collisions in the past year alone. But despite these challenges, the M60 remains an essential route for regional connectivity, and often cannot be bypassed.
“If you’re feeling anxious, allow extra time for your journey so you don’t feel pressured to rush or make last-minute decisions,” commented Alicia Hempsted at MoneySuperMarket.
“Plan your route in advance, including where you’ll stop for breaks, as regular rest stops can help you stay alert and reduce stress on longer trips, and if you’re travelling alone, consider sharing your route with someone you trust if it helps you feel more comfortable.”
The Manc -
6th July 2020 
