A little lad who lost his sight due to a brain tumour has been given a “special” day-out at his local Asda store he regularly visits.
10-year-old Jacob – who sadly lost his sight when he was just 10 months old following a brain tumour – is known as a “little gem” to those who work at the Asda branch in Swinton, and is always chatting to his favourite colleagues when he goes into the store that’s just around the corner from his house twice a week with his mum Emma.
Rachel Howarth, the store’s ambient section manager who organised the visit, says everyone at the branch is so fond of Jacob – which is why staff decided to organise a special visit for him.
They wanted to treat him to a day he’ll never forget.
After promising Jacob that she’d get him his own Asda uniform for Christmas, Rachel not only decided to arrange this for him, but also to have his own lanyard and name badge, and give him the chance to go on the checkouts and speak over the tannoy too.
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“He’s such a lovely character and everyone knows him in the store,” Rachel explained.
“For Christmas, I promised to get him his own Asda uniform so he could wear it and come and join us and he was so happy with it, so Iarranged for him to come in when I was on a late shift and he had a go on checkouts.
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“He enjoyed the fuss and the chocolates he took home.”
Rachel also explained that although battling a brain tumour may have caused Jacob to lose his sight, this “does not stop this young man”, and that every time he goes into the store, he’s sure to tell staff all about what he’s been up to.
Staff arranged for Jacob to have his own lanyard and name badge, and the chance to go on the checkouts too / Credit: Asda
“He recently completed 10 lengths of the swimming pool at school and he plays the piano too – his disability certainly doesn’t stop him,” Rachel concluded.
Jacob’s mum Emma said she couldn’t thank the team at Asda Swinton enough for their kindness towards her son, adding: “I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone there as they have been absolutely brilliant and I couldn’t ask anymore from them.
“He loves going in and he wants to work there when he gets older.
Jacob visits the Asda Swinton store just around the corner from his house twice a week with his mum Emma / Credit: Asda
“He’s got an incredible memory and knows the colleagues by their voices – and he knows all their phone extension numbers too – so he had a great time on the checkouts as he loves scanning and going on the tannoy.
“People don’t believe me at first when I tell them that he can’t see, as he loves playing the piano and he’s just started playing the guitar more seriously and he’s very good at that too.
These three Greater Manchester Wilko stores are reopening as Poundlands this weekend
Emily Sergeant
The first 10 Wilko stores to start new lives as Poundlands are reopening this weekend, and three of them are in Greater Manchester.
We all know by now that it’s been a turbulent couple of weeks for Wilko after it entered administration earlier last month, but after it was sadly announced back on 11 September that all of the retailer’s outlets across the UK would be forced to close, leaving around 12,500 jobs at risk, a glimmer of hope was offered.
And that glimmer of hope was that several dozen stores had been saved.
Only, they wouldn’t be remaining under the Wilko name, as they’d be reopening as another popular bargain retailer instead, and that’s because Pepco Group – the company which owns Poundland in the UK – managed to strike a deal with Wilko administrators PwC to take control of up to 71 store leases.
With lease assignments expected to be completed in the coming weeks, according to Pepco, this meant that the some 71 stores would join Poundland’s existing 800-plus UK outlets before 2023 is out.
Six Greater Manchester Wilko stores are set to reopen as Poundlands / Credit: Poundland | Wilko
Pepco Group published the full list of stores set for conversion earlier this month, and also confirmed it would be offering employment some of Wilko’s former employees – with it being good news for six Greater Manchester sites.
Altrincham, Bolton, Eccles, Sale, Leigh, and Stockport were confirmed to be the region’s towns set to get themselves a new Poundland, and Poundland added that it intends to convert the stores over to its brand “as soon as is practical”.
It turns out that window of practicality has arrived this weekend for three of those confirmed sites.
Among the 10 former Wilko branches across the UK that are set to start a new chapter and begin lives as Poundlands this weekend are sites at The Peel Centre in Stockport, The Mall in Eccles, and on Lord Street in Leigh.
Poundland is convert the stores over to its brand “as soon as is practical” / Credit: Poundland
It’s expected that dates for the new round of Poundland conversions will be announced in due course, as will news from PwC about the other deals it has struck for the Wilko name to live on.
You may remember that administrators had previously struck a deal for fellow discount chain B&M to buy 51 other Wilko stores, while another high street chain, The Range, had also confirmed a last-minute deal to buy Wilko’s brand last month.
The Range has bought Wilko’s website and intellectual property, so shoppers can expect to see Wilko own-brand items appear in The Range stores nationwide very soon.
Featured Image – Poundland
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Iconic Sycamore Gap tree renamed ‘Sycamore Stump’ after heartbreaking vandalism
Daisy Jackson
Someone has already changed the name of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree to ‘Sycamore Stump’ after it was felled in what’s believed to be an act of vandalism.
The famous tree was believed to be about 300 years old and was made famous when it appeared in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
It’s one of the most photographed trees in the world (Rockefeller’s Christmas tree might just edge that one) and has stood on Hadrian’s Wall for centuries.
But overnight on Wednesday, this world-famous tree was felled, leaving just a small stump behind.
Someone has already changed its name on Google Maps from Sycamore Gap to Sycamore Stump, echoing the public outcry over the tree’s disappearance.
The National Trust said on Thursday: “We are shocked and desperately saddened to learn that the famous Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s Wall has been felled overnight, in what appears to be an act of vandalism.
“We know just how much this iconic tree is loved locally, nationally and by everyone who has visited.
“We are working with our partners to understand what has happened and what can be done. The incident has also been reported to the police.”
We are shocked and desperately saddened to learn that the famous Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian's Wall has been felled overnight, in what appears to be an act of vandalism.
We know just how much this iconic tree is loved locally, nationally and by everyone who has visited.
Police have now confirmed that a 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.
Supt Kevin Waring of Northumbria police said: “This is a world-renowned landmark and the events of today have caused significant shock, sadness and anger throughout the local community and beyond.
“An investigation was immediately launched following this vandalism, and this afternoon we have arrested one suspect in connection with our inquiries.
“Given our investigation remains at a very early stage, we are keeping an open mind. I am appealing to the public for information to assist us – if you have seen or heard anything suspicious that may be of interest to us, please let us know.”
I find myself weeping over the destruction of the Sycamore Gap Tree. As a child I loved Hadrian’s Wall more than any other relic of our past. Now, when you search “Sycamore Gap” you get “Sycamore Stump”. Feels like a symbol of our crumbling world. pic.twitter.com/bpe2idQuvH
Emily Sergeant -
4th April 2022 
