Project Halcyon Distillery is well and truly up there with our favourite new openings in Manchester city centre and after having enjoyed many unique visits already, the speakeasy-style bar is now offering up yet another interesting drinking experience: their ‘Still Room Sessions’.
There’s a lot to it and we’ll get to all that in due course but, put in simplest terms, it’s kind of a bit like if the TV show Drunk History and a tasting event had a baby. Sold.
Still Room Sessions are Project Halycon‘s brand new monthly interactive workshop experience which will be typically held around the second Sunday of every month.
Each month, a member of their award-winning bartending team — and trust us, they really are worthy of the recognition — will cover a completely new topic as they take guests through a guided talk on various aspects of the history and ongoing drinking culture behind drinking.
Credit: Project Halcyon Distillery
Now, before any of jump the gun and say ‘I don’t want a history lesson, I want a drink’, let us stop you right there; each session revolves around tasting various different cocktails and spirits for the bar’s incredible drinks selection, as well as specials that they create for events like this.
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Tickets to one of Project Halcyon’s Still Room Sessions include a drink upon arrival, at least two cocktails during the sessions and a spirit tasting. Oh yes, you might have some trouble concentrating by the end but god knows you won’t be even more interested with a few drinks down you.
Also, it is worth reiterating that the subject matter the guys will be covering is genuinely interesting stuff, not just if you’re a history buff but a fan of drinking in general. In fact, we can personally vouch for that.
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After going along to their first session in September, simply entitled, ‘A Century Later’ — an exploration of the effects of the infamous American prohibition 100 years on, its lasting impact on today’s drinking culture, bartending style, as well as how the whole idea of a speakeasy bar came about — we were hooked inside the first five minutes.
After being presented with a refreshing G and T on arrival, we were welcomed into the still room for our first couple of drinks, which came in the form of their irresistible Bees Knees cocktail (created exclusively for this first event) as well as a taste of their house gin. Strong start — literally.
Then, as we prepared for the second 30-minute segment of knowledge and knocking back a few, everyone received an Apple Blossom cocktail along with a taste of Calvados as a nod to both gin and the distilled type of cider being two of the most bootlegged spirits ever.
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Finally, to tie things off, the last 10 minutes saw them open up the floor for a more casual discussion and Q&A of sorts, with people asking everything from ‘why do people shake instead of stir for certain cocktails?’ (that one’s for you, Mr Bond) to tips on how to make a proper drink at home.
Oh, and did we mention that everyone got 33% off their bill for the rest of the night? Oh yes, all 12 of us stayed behind to enjoy a few more drinks afterwards. We could hardly turn an offer like that down.
Their second session kicks off this weekend next week on Sunday, 8 October, with ‘The Journey of Juniper‘, which will see the staff talk about the world of gins and its illustrious history.
Starting all the way back with Dutch genever and the bathtub gin craze of 18th century London, to newer, more modern style expressions, including their very own, made on sight in the back of house, guests won’t just be sat listening, they’ll also be taught how to make the perfect martini at home.
We’ve always believed in the importance of education…
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We think this is a really exciting opportunity for guests to learn and interact with Halcyon’s already rich, culturally-infused drinking space. Each event is limited to just a dozen tickets, so these talks and tasting sessions really are exclusive. You can secure your place on the next one HERE.
adidas and JD are giving away FREE Nell’s pizza with a Manchester Marathon medal
Daisy Jackson
Manchester Marathon finishers will be able to reward themselves with free Nell’s pizza this weekend, thanks to a collaboration with adidas and JD.
The sportswear giants will be teaming up with one of the city’s top pizza spots to hand out the ultimate post-race reward at Kampus this Sunday.
It’s all to celebrate the launch of the new adidas EVO SL ATRs, a shoe that’s built with running miles in mind.
And there’ll be a chance to grab an exclusive t-shirt too, and have your official marathon finish time branded on-site.
adidas and JD are giving away FREE Nell’s pizza with a Manchester Marathon medal / Credit: Supplied
As well as a free slice of Nell’s famous New York-style pizza and a drink, Manchester Marathon finishers will be able to enter into a range of giveaways, with prizes including the EVO SL ART, adidas merch, and range of other prizes.
And you’ll be recovering with a slice in hand and a live DJ keeping the post-race energy high
All you need to do is show your Manchester Marathon medal at Nell’s at Kampus, to grab your free slice, and check out adidas and JD’s latest drop.
Friends and family are encouraged to join too – after all, all runners know a marathon isn’t possible without that support crew.
There are also a bunch of giveaways and more to look forward to / Credit: Supplied
Pizza slices will be handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis, so make sure your sprint to Nell’s is your fastest yet.
Thankfully, the adidas EVO SL’s are built for speed…
adidas x JD x Nell’s – Manchester Marathon event
Taking place on Sunday 19 April, from 12pm to 8pm
Free pizza slice and a drink when you show your Manchester Marathon medal (while stocks last)
Exclusive merch and great prize giveaways from adidas and JD
Plus photo moments, live DJs, and more
Find it at The Bungalow, Kampus, M1 3GL (next to Nell’s)
Parents in Greater Manchester say friendship is one of school’s most valuable lessons
Daisy Jackson
Some of the most valuable lessons that children learn in school are friendship and confidence, Greater Manchester parents have revealed.
It’s been revealed thanks to new research conducted by the Department for Education.
The data has found that 82% of local parents believe school has improved their child’s confidence, with a similar number (79%) believing that the social skills developed at school have also positively influenced behavior at home.
Parents also say that making friends is one of school’s most valuable lessons, with more than four in five (83%) saying that child’s school friendships extend beyond the classroom. This is helping to boost confidence and a sense of belonging for young people.
Reflecting on their own early years, more than two thirds (69%) of parents in Greater Manchester said their school years were the best years of their lives, and two thirds (66%) are still in touch with friends from school.
The Department for Education has found that 88% of parents believe children learn valuable social skills at school, well beyond traditional subjects and education.
The top five lessons gained at school are, according to parents, making friends (52%), confidence (50%), teamwork (48%), respect (42%) and problem solving (40%).
But school absence can really impact a child’s opportunity to learn and develop these social skills and life lessons, making the transition from school to the rest of life more difficult.
Which is why five high-performing schools in Greater Manchester have been selected by the Department for Education to run Attendance and Behaviour hubs.
Parents in Greater Manchester say friendship is one of school’s most valuable lessons
These are networks of schools that will share effective practice on attendance and behavior through collaboration, supporting thousands of children and families by working with other schools in the area to identify absence early, build strong routines, and create positive environments.
It’s hoped that this support-first approach will help schools to understand the barriers that stop children from attending school, and put plans in place to help overcome them.
The five local schools running Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will be among 93 hub schools nationally, which have capacity to support more than 3000 schools each year.
Kersty, a local parent in Greater Manchester, said: ”My daughter really struggled with anxiety and wasn’t able to go to school for a while.
“We got in touch with our local council attendance support team who were so supportive and they directed me to an attendance course to help support my child’s return to school.
“We take things one day at a time and she’s now starting to settle into the school routine, speak to other children, and make friends.
“From my experience, I’ve found that school is about a lot more than just classes, it’s where children gain important social skills. They learn how to make friends, sort out the little fallouts, and feel like they’re part of something.”
Other curriculum reforms coming into action from September 2028 will include an expanded curriculum with more focus on areas like arts, sport, digital skills and financial literacy.
Children will have more regular opportunities for enrichment activities like sport, arts, outdoor learning and community activities.
Schools will also provide clearer information about progress, behaviour and at-home support for parents, plus will identify learning or wellbeing issues to provide earlier support for children who struggle.
And mainstream schools will improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) so more pupils can succeed alongside their peers.
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To find out more about the hubs and the government’s wider reforms to support belonging at school, head HERE.
Danny Jones -
4th October 2023 
