A Chadderton couple who overcame a number of hurdles have proved that nothing gets in the way of true love by finally tying the knot in a special service at a local hospice.
Donna Friar and Mark Davis marked their big day at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice in Royton.
The pair have been together for 11 years – five of which they have been engaged after they met in their local pub, the Colliers Arms – and they became a happy couple thanks to the keen matchmaking skills of both their friends.
The hospice managed to organise the couple’s ceremony within 72 hours to make their wedding dreams come true after various obstacles, including a last-minute postponement, got in the way.
Donna thought she’d ticked all the boxes when she’d arranged to marry Mark Davis – who has been receiving pain management at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice – but when she first turned up for her big day, which she’d planned with the registrar that very morning, she was told that Mark was on strong pain relief, was not fit enough for the ceremony, and that he would prefer to wait to properly mark the occasion the following week.
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Understandably emotional and disappointed, thinking “he didn’t want to marry me”, Donna walked away ready to plan the day again.
Second time round though, she had another worry that the latest local lockdown restrictions would mean they would have to choose between family and friends to keep it to the rule of six, however with help from the hospice staff who contacted Oldham Council, they confirmed that current COVID-19 regulations for weddings state that 20 people are able to attend, as long as it was outside and social distancing measures were observed.
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All that prior disappointment soon changed when the couple finally married just a few days later surrounded by their close family and friends.
Those unable to attend the service also watched via a live stream link monitored by staff nurse, Chloe.
Dr Kershaw’s Hospice
Speaking about the service, Donna said: “It was such a magical day. Words can’t even describe the feeling, we can’t thank all the staff at Dr Kershaw’s enough for organising it for us and making it so special.”
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Mark added that the staff at the hospice had been fantastic in their care for him: “I’ve been looked after so well since being here. The staff at Kershaw’s have been brilliant and have bent over backwards to help me and to make our day so special,”
Hospice Nurse Beth – who has been caring for Mark – said: “Mark and Donna’s wedding day was a true example of what Dr Kershaw’s is all about, making patient’s wishes come true no matter how big or small.
“It was amazing to see how many people came together to pull off their special day, from the nurses and doctors, to the events team, maintenance team, florist, bakery and even our very own Dr Kershaw’s shop who kindly lent our nurses fascinators so staff could look the part.
“I was privileged to be able to get so involved and to make it a day Mark and Donna could cherish forever, especially after being engaged for five years”.
From everyone here at The Manc, we wish Donna and Mark a lifetime of happiness.
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More than half of Brits agree that dating apps should let you filter by height
A new survey has revealed that more than half of Brits agree that dating apps should let you filter people by height.
There’s no two ways about it, to some people, size matters… and by ‘size’ we mean height.
If you haven’t heard the news or seen the ongoing discourse on social media yet, dating app Tinder caused a bit of a stir when it announced last week that it would be starting to let its users filter their potential matches by height – which many have been quick to brand as ‘disadvantaging’ for those who are considered.
More than half of Brits agree that dating apps should let you filter by height / Credit: Good Faces Agency (via Unsplash)
Despite this, it seems men and women are both in agreement, as a new YouGov survey has revealed that 56% of men and 55% of women think that dating apps should allow people to decide what heights are suitable for them.
In fact, the number of men (23%) disagreeing with this is actually slightly lower than the number of women (29%), even though it’s seen as more of a disadvantage to men.
While height has been the big talking point in recent days, there’s also a couple of other factors included in the YouGov survey, and it’s these that appear to have divided the public more in their responses.
Should dating apps let users filter by height? Most women say yes – and so do most men
Women: 55% say yes Men: 56% yes
Women who have ever used dating apps: 67% yes Men who have ever used dating apps: 62% yes
Just over half (51%) of men who responded to the survey support allowing dating app users to filter by how heavy their potential partner is, while this figure falls to just 36% among women, and among the younger age group of 18-29 year olds, 68% of women say they are opposed to it.
Men in that age group are also the most likely to be against weight filtering too, coming in at a 38% opposition, but nevertheless, 51% of young men still do tend to think it’s a legitimate metric for choosing potential partners.
When it comes to other attributes, the public tend to say that dating apps should allow users to filter people by their education level at 48%, but not by their income, which only 29% see as appropriate.
Featured Image – Boris Ivas (via Pexels)
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Kyle Walker set to leave Manchester City on a free transfer with at least two clubs monitoring
Kyle Walker looks to be leaving Manchester City after the best part of eight years and could be set to join another Premier League clubif reports are to be believed.
The long-serving Man City and England defender has been at the Etihad Stadium throughout the most successful spell, but has gradually fallen out of favour with Pep Guardiola of late.
Walker regularly played more than 30 games per campaign under the Catalan coach for seven years, but was ultimately loaned out to AC Milan for the remainder of the 2024/25 season, where he made just over a dozen appearances.
Despite being one of the first names on the team sheet for the longest time, the Sheffield-born full-back has grown to become somewhat of a divisive figure among the fan base. As a result, he is now preparing to find a new club with his contract expiring this summer, and Everton is said to be interested.
🚨🔵 Kyle Walker (35) is seen as a potential signing for Everton this summer, reports @mcgrathmike/@TeleFootball! 🏴
This transfer update comes from Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath, who writes that the Merseyside club have identified Walker as a possibility, with David Moyes looking to recruit additions to his backline.
According to McGrath, “Kyle Walker [is] seen as a potential signing for Everton this summer with David Moyes looking at signing a right-back”, adding that the departure of former Aston Villa and Manchester United player, Ashley Young, as well as Jack O’Brien’s ability to play central makes it a viable option.
Were he to be picked up by the often struggling top-flight team, the 35-year-old would be yet another senior appointment to bolster the defensive ranks, effectively replacing Young (38).
The Toffees have flirted with the relegation zone in recent times, but with previously popular manager Moyes having returned to the club and now set to begin a maiden chapter at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium on Bramley Moore Dock, the first division veteran and serial winner could be a key signing.
Walker asked to leave the club back in January, securing his loan spell in Serie A shortly after, but as he is soon set to leave permanently as a free agent, he could prove a good bit of business for Everton.
🗞️Kyle Walker would cost a nominal or potentially no fee, while Everton also have interest in soon to be free agents Kenny Tete, Vladimir Coufal and Kyle Walker-Peters
Other suitors are said to include Fenerbahçe SK, with a number of European players entering the latter stages of their career opting for a switch to the Turkish league.
However, with still plenty of strength, pace and experience in a number of defensive positions, Walker will no doubt favour his chances remaining in the ever-competitive and fast-paced Premier League.
What about you, Blues – will you be sad to see him go?
Emily Sergeant -
18th September 2020 
