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Adults without A-Levels in England to be offered free college courses

It'll be funded by the £2.5bn National Skills Fund in England.

The Manc The Manc - 29th September 2020
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Adults in England who are currently without A-Level qualifications are to be offered the opportunity to enrol on a college course for free.

It comes as part of a package of measures which are believed set to be unveiled by Downing Street and Prime Minister Boris Johnson today amid fears of a sharp spike in unemployment as a result of the economic struggles from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

From April 2021, those who do not have A-Levels or equivalent qualifications will be able to study a college course in England paid for via the £2.5bn National Skills Fund.

They will also be given the opportunity to study at a time and location that suits them.

The National Skills Fund is designed to help create conditions for people to upskill at any stage of their life.

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At present, the government pays for a first A-Level equivalent qualifications up to the age of 23, but this is set to be extended to all ages for courses deemed to have “skills valued by employers”, according to Downing Street.

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The Prime Minister is expected to say: “As the Chancellor has said, we cannot, alas, save every job [but] what we can do is give people the skills to find and create new and better jobs.

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“So my message today is that at every stage of your life, this government will help you get the skills you need.”

He is set to add: “We’re transforming the foundations of the skills system so that everyone has the chance to train and retrain.”

It’s also believed that higher education loans will also be made more flexible, in a move the government says will allow people to space out their study by splitting it into segments, transfer credits between colleges and universities, and enable more part-time learning.

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Number 10 has confirmed that a full list of the available courses will be announced next month.

This announcement comes after Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak unveiled his Winter Economy Plan 2020 last week to help protect jobs over the coming months following a surge in positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.

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Manchester has been named one of the most ‘caring’ cities in the UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A new study has revealed the cities which are deemed to be the most ‘caring’ in the UK, and Manchester features proudly on the list.

Because of course it does.

In case you missed it, last week, our city was awarded the not-so-coveted title of the UK’s rudest city, which, it’s fair to say, definitely got Mancs talking, and had a lot of people in denial too, as they just couldn’t seem to wrap their heads around the bold claims.

But now, we’ve got a new title that brushes those claims of rudeness right under the carpet… and that’s because Manchester has also been named one of the most ‘caring’ cities in the UK.

Now, that sounds more like the Manchester we know and love, right?

From donating blood, to volunteering for charity and helping out with neighbourhood tasks, there’s so many ways to lend a hand and support your local community – but which UK cities are the best at this? Ultimately, which UK cities are the most caring? Well, in a bid to answer this question, the life insurance team over at Compare the Market has analysed 30 of the country’s most populated cities to determine which of them are the most ‘community-minded’.

Manchester has been named one of the most ‘caring’ cities in the UK / Credit: iStockPhoto

The research study has taken into account a wide range of factors – with everything from recycling habits, the amount of fly-tipping incidents, and crime levels, to the number of charities, blood drives, and community centres in each city considered.

Manchester has found itself firmly within the top five, claiming the third spot on the list, largely thanks to having the highest number of charities per 10,000 people of any location in the whole study (52), which equates to an impressive 2,063 in total – with 31 of these dedicated to animals.

Top 10 most ‘caring’ cities in the UK

  1. Leeds
  2. Bradford
  3. Manchester
  4. Milton Keynes
  5. Wolverhampton
  6. Reading
  7. Bristol
  8. Hull
  9. Cardiff
  10. Coventry

There’s also plenty of opportunities to give blood here in Manchester too, with nine blood donation centres dotted around the city, as well as 51 community centres for anyone looking for a supportive space, or for somewhere that might offer activities or volunteer projects to get involved with.

The North features heavily within the top 10, with the Yorkshire cities Bradford and Hull also finding themselves on the list, and the title of the UK’s most ‘caring’ city also being awarded to the ever-popular Yorkshire city of Leeds.

Read more:

What do we think to this then? Rudest city what? After all, we know us Mancs are a caring bunch… but it’s always nice to have a study prove it.

Keep being ace, Manchester.

Featured Image – Matthew Waring (via Unsplash)

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Eurovision 2024 final to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest is to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester next month.

Following the success of the first-ever live streams of Europe’s biggest party onto the big screen when it was held on British soil in Liverpool last year, cinemas up and down the UK are set to come together once again to celebrate 2024’s edition of the major night in the music calendar by hosting the ultimate viewing events.

The epic Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final on Saturday 11 May will be broadcast live on BBC One, and streamed into more than 100 cinemas nationwide – including several in Greater Manchester.

Hosted by CinemaLive, the live stream events will allow Eurovision fans to gather under one roof and be “united by music” to share in the unbeatable experience of celebrating the brightest and boldest music party of the year on the big screen.

Eurovision 2024 final to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester / Credit: Cinema Live | Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)

You may remember that Sweden is hosting Eurovision this year, following the Scandinavian country’s well-deserved victory at the 2023 contest with the song ‘Tattoo’ performed by Loreen.

But thanks to these live stream events, you won’t need to make the trip to Malmö to get in on the action, as you’ll just need to nip down to your nearest participating cinema instead.

Not only will the long-awaited final of the show be streamed live onto the big screen in 5.1 surround sound, but fans are invited to bring their Eurovision parties from the front room to the cinema instead, as organisers say fancy dress is “heavily encouraged” as are enthusiastic sing-alongs too.

Speaking ahead of the event next month, John Travers from distributors CinemaLive, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the BBC to bring Eurovision’s grand final live into cinemas across the UK for the second year in a row.

“We want audiences to enjoy themselves, so come along in groups, get your fancy dress on, and join together to enjoy this incredible occasion on the big screen”.

Tickets are now live and available to book at your local cinema here.

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Some of the participating Greater Manchester cinemas include Vue Manchester Printworks, Everymans in Manchester city centre and Altrincham, The Light in Stockport, and Cineworld in Didsbury, among others.

Featured Image – Nick Robinson (via BBC)

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