If staying active was one of your goals for the new year, then luckily, Joe Wicks is coming over to our city to give us a helping hand with that, as he’s got a brand-new fitness experience called MOVE Manchester that’s taking over Aviva Studios, home of Factory International, this weekend.
Kicking off on Friday 26, and running until Sunday 28 January, this three-day immersive experience includes a range of sessions that are fit for all ages and abilities, coached by some of the best in the business.
You’ll first be able to get your weekend off to a flying start the MOVE Manchester community hub.
Here, you can get involved with a range of events and activities, completely free of charge – including ice baths with ice bath experts, Brass Monkey, cooking and wellness sessions, a giant hopscotch obstacle course, quick HIIT workout sessions, and a self-care lounge.
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Not only that, but lululemon will also be hosting a pop-up shop and personalisation station, so you can get your fitness gear looking fresh for 2024.
Joe Wicks’ new fitness experience ‘MOVE Manchester’ is taking over Aviva Studios next week / Credit: Supplied
Saturday and Sunday kick off with a 40-minute high-energy workout, and afterwards, you can get to know The Body Coach himself with a Q&A. Then, once you’ve got your blood pumping, you’ll be able to slow things down with a restorative flow and stretch yoga class, accompanied by a wonderful violin and cello duo.
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Fitness experts like Joe Wicks will always tell you that rest and recovery are equally as important as physical activity itself, which is why wellness-conscious Jasmine Hemsley will be on hand to help you utilise your senses in a calming session using crystal alchemy singing bowls that provide the ultimate lullaby to unwind.
Of course, Joe will be hosting a number of his famous ‘PE With Joe’ high-energy workouts for the whole family in the Warehouse, also followed by a Q&A, so little Mancs will want to make sure they have their questions ready.
Arguably the showstopper of the weekend will be ‘Joe’s HIIT Party’, which is a high-tempo blast that will leave you feeling fitter, stronger, and happier than when you walked through the door – but this isn’t your standard body pump-style class, as it features a live DJ that’s guaranteed to get you moving and singing along.
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“My goal is to show people that fitness can be fun, and to inspire everyone to keep moving in 2024 to boost their physical and mental health,” Joe commented ahead of next week’s event.
“This event is going to be really special and like nothing I’ve ever done before”.
Tickets are still on sale and you can grab them from as little as £10 per class / Credit: Supplied
MOVE Manchester will take place in the Warehouse, an enormous 5,000-capacity space inside the state-of-the-art Aviva Studios, that feels almost like entering a colosseum. It’s taller than four double-decker buses, the length of a jumbo jet and set to be bouncing for MOVE Manchester when Joe Wicks is in the house.
If you’re looking for a full action-packed day though, then you can buy a day pass priced at £90, where you’ll be able to participate in two sessions, receive a signed copy of Joe’s latest book, ‘Feel Good in 15’, the opportunity to experience an ice bath with Brass Monkey, and get a one-year subscription to The Body Coach App.
MOVE Manchester is happening down at Aviva Studios this Friday 26 – Sunday 28 January, and you can find out more and grab tickets here.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Thanks to Terminal 2’s major upgrade, now holidays really do start at Manchester Airport
Danny Jones
It’s a phrase that’s almost as old as air travel itself, but luckily, Manchester Airport are well and truly getting your holidays started early, courtesy of the new and improved Terminal 2.
T2‘s massive upgrade technically finished in 2025, but with other bits debuting already this year and even more to come in 2026, Manchester’s biggest terminal is a more fully-fledged travel hub than ever.
Complete everything from the essentials and a healthy supply of food and drink, to lots of luxuries and plenty of ways to unwind and kill time between both before and after flights, you can feel extra smug about getting to the airport early.
As part of their latest ‘Terminal Explorer’ campaign, we recently paid a visit to see just how much fun we could get up to in and around T2. Spoilers: quite a lot.
With a little help from their wayfinding screens dotted around the various areas, from the World Duty Free section and ever-growing internal shopping district, to all the bars and restaurants that have opened since the big refurb, we took ourselves on a very fun day out.
And that was without even having an actual holiday booked to look forward to, so just imagine how good it must feel to top all this off with a real trip away.
In fact, you don’t even need to think that hard about it; roughly 80% of all passengers heading in and out of Manchester Airport now come through T2, and with the experience improving all the time, they’re seeing a serious uptick in visitors and their time spent enjoying some leisure before their getaway.
From additions like the LEGO store to keep the kids entertained, as well as numerous places to grab a brew, a bite, or even your first adult beverage of the holiday, it’s up to you how you choose to explore – they’ve just given you plenty of options.
There’s no bigger testament to the latest hospitality offerings in Terminal 2 than the recently opened Great Northern Market, which brings a rather big taste of the Mackie Mayor vibe to Manchester Airport.
A VERY comfortable place to wind down any wait times before you fly.
You’ll be blown away by the amount of choice on offer in here – we certainly were – and, of course, the multi-vendor culinary destination epicentre is just one of many fantastic food and drink offerings now boasted by the T2 ‘2.0.’
For instance, we could happily spend most of the time before our next hypothetical flight just chilling in the super stylish Fever-Tree Bar, which includes a wonderful range of breakfast and light bites, charcuterie boards, small plates, sandwiches and so on – plus a cocktail menu perfect for any occasion.
Put simply, you’ve now been given all the tools and means to turn downtime of almost any duration into an excuse to explore Manchester Airport at its best; in fact, scratch that: it’s an opportunity to go for a wander and make the most of it – and it’s one you don’t want to waste.
Whether it’s stocking up pre-flight or kicking back with your first drink of many, don’t just be another person sitting watching the departures board, be a terminal explorer.
Sensory-friendly Northern Lights to illuminate Printworks’ digital ceiling to mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week
Emily Sergeant
This week marks the start of Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
Approximately 15-20% of the population has a neurological difference, according to the most recent statistics, and Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16-20 March 2026) highlighting the importance of championing, raising awareness of, and accommodating neurodiverse people.
And Printworks is marking the occasion in its own special way, with a series of new initiatives designed to create a more ‘inclusive’ and ‘sensory-friendly’ environment.
You may already know that the popular indoor entertainment complex in the heart of Manchester city centre is home to more than a dozen bars, restaurants, and leisure activities – including one of the largest IMAX screens on the continent – and Europe’s largest digital ceiling too, of course, but this week’s experience is unlike anything the venue has welcomed before.
Throughout the week, Printworks will be transforming its digital ceiling with calming Northern Lights and constellations which have been specifically designed to create a relaxed, sensory-friendly atmosphere for visitors with additional sensory needs.
Northern Lights to illuminate Printworks’ digital ceiling to mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week / Credit: Supplied
As part of a long-term commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, Printworks is also introducing a weekly sensory-friendly hour every Sunday too, where lighting throughout the venue will be dimmed, and music and SFX volumes reduced for a reduced-stimulus environment.
200 free sensory packs – which can be collected at Vue cinema – with a pair of ear defenders and sensory-friendly toys, designed to support visitors who may benefit from sensory tools while enjoying the venue, are also on offer throughout the course of the week.
On top of this, there’s also a range of autism-friendly cinema screenings taking place on the last Sunday of every month at 10:30am.
An additional autism-friendly screening will be taking place with a showing of Hoppers this Sunday 22 March at 10:30am, with tickets now available from Vue’s website.
“Neurodiversity Celebration Week is an important time for brands and venues to recognise and support the diverse ways visitors and audiences experience the world,” commented Dan Davis, who is the General Manager at Printworks.
Harry Quick -
22nd January 2024 
