Co-op is offering shoppers £10 discounts to say ‘thank you’ for their cooperation during the recent cyber attack disruption.
Last month, the supermarket retailer’s stock was massively affected due to what was described as ‘malicious attempts by hackers to access [its] systems’, leaving shelves of stores across the UK bare, and payments by shoppers disrupted.
The company called it a ‘highly complex situation’, and also confirmed that hackers stole personal data – including members’ names and contact details.
The Co-op was just one business to be hit by cyber attacks this year, with other major ones affecting several other retailers like Marks & Spencer and Harrods.
Co-op is offering shoppers £10 discounts as a ‘thank you’ following its cyber attack / Credit: Co-op (via Flickr)
Now that Co-op’s 2,300 food stores nationwide have successfully returned to usual trading, the retailer wants to show gratitude to its 6.5 million members who supported the business while the attack was taking place.
To say ‘thank you’, Co-op is offering its members a 25% discount on a £40 shop, meaning they can get £10 off their purchases.
“I’m very proud that, thanks to the work of our colleagues, we are very near to making a full and complete recovery from the recent cyberattack on our Co-op,” commented Co-op’s Managing Director of Food, Matt Hood, “and I’m delighted to see our stores looking back to normal and being able to serve our shoppers and communities.
“We are so grateful to our member owners for their support and patience with us during what was a very difficult time.
“I hope this gesture of appreciation goes a little way to showing them our thanks, with more value rewards to come over the summer.”
The 25% offer runs from today (Wednesday 18 June) right through to 24 June at all Co-op stores across the UK, and it can only be used by members one time.
The incredible plans to build floating walkways over Manchester’s waterways
Daisy Jackson
A major project that will deliver a 100-mile-plus network connecting Manchester’s parks, squares and waterways has been unveiled – and it includes impressive floating walkways.
The first steps for the CyanLines mega project have been unveiled today, including the first four routes which will link the likes of Mayfield Park, New Islington Marina, Castlefield Viaduct and Kampus.
The ambitious plans will also link lesser-known pocket parks, canal tow paths, and pedestrianised walkways, and will incorporate new planned outdoor spaces such as the Science Museum courtyard and the former Central Retail Park.
One particularly eye-catching proposal will be a new floating walkway across the middle of the River Irwell, complete with a canoe dock and storage area.
The plans will adapt to Manchester’s ever-expanding cityscape and will link up new and existing developments, providing green walking and cycling routes around town.
Manchester and Salford City Councils have already worked together and secured funding from the National Trust, Natural England, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Nature Towns and Cities programme.
There are four CyanLines pilot routes – the first being a 5km ‘Irk Valley Explorer’ that will link Chethams Library and the Glade of Light memorial, Angel Meadows, the under-development City River Park, and the Barney’s Steps made famous by LS Lowry, ending with a view of the city skyline.
Then there’s the Mayfield, New Islington and Ancoats Loop, which will connect together Mayfield Park, the Ashton Canal, the Central Retail Park which is being transformed into a campus for the UK Government, New Islington Marina, Ancoats Green, and all the way down to leafy Kampus.
How the River Irwell could look with the CyanLines routes in placeHow the River Irwell looks currently
CL3, otherwise known as the ‘Walking the knowledge corridor’, incorporates significant landmarks like the Emmeline Pankhurst statue, our historic canal network, the Palace Theatre, Symphony Gardens, the universities, Manchester Museum, and Whitworth Art Gallery.
And the final of the four pilot routes is the CL4, focused around the almighty Castlefield Viaduct but also joining the Bridgewater Canal into Salford and the Irwell River Park, as well as the gardens around Chapel Street, Greengate Park, and the River Irwell itself.
Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester is on a mission to make our city greener, investing in new parks and green spaces including the likes of Mayfield, Ancoats Green and the Castlefield Viaduct, in addition to our work to celebrate and open up our rivers and canals. We are a city with exciting, and transformational plans for the future. .
“But there’s more that we can do together. CyanLines is a bold new initiative over the next decade to imagine and create over 100 miles of connected parks, green spaces and waterfronts.
“This is just the start of CyanLines and I urge residents, business owners, community groups and leaders to join us on this very exciting journey to truly transform our city.”
Tom Bloxham MBE CBE, CyanLines project co-founder and chair, Urban Splash and founding Chair Manchester International Festival (MIF) and Factory International said that the same ambition that grew MIF will be applied to CyanLines.
More before-and-after images of the CyanLines pilot plans
He said: “We want to bring the whole city along with us, to help us plan, fund and deliver CyanLines. No idea is too big, too ambitious, too audacious or too small or too straightforward.
“Everyone wants more green space. Everyone wants to be able to walk to the end of Castlefield Viaduct. Everyone wants to be healthier and happier.
“Imagine more species and drifts of plants and wildflowers and allotments in the city centre and being able to walk one or 100 miles of continuous paths linking all our amazing spaces. Together we can make it happen!”
Pete Swift, CyanLines project co-founder and CEO of Planit said: “The first four CyanLines provide so much more than walkable and wheelable connections linking the existing and planned excellent green and blue spaces across the city, to bring us all closer to nature and nature closer to us.
“The routes will be the starting point, or spring board, for a whole plethora of CyanLines projects which will bring new opportunities for nature to thrive and to be enjoyed.
“The ambition for CyanLines does not stop at Manchester and Salford city centres. It will ultimately link up all Greater Manchester’s boroughs to bring our citizens and communities closer to nature and help drive a greener, healthier, and inclusive future. From Dunham Massey in the south, to Northern Roots in Oldham; from Leigh via RHS Bridgewater, Media City on to the foot of the Pennines.”
Mike Innerdale, regional director North of England, National Trust said: “National Trust are firm supporters of CyanLines, not least because its core aim mirrors our own of ensuring more people have access to nature particularly in our towns and cities, and to bring nature to people’s doorsteps wherever they live.
“We recently announced we have secured the majority of the £3 million of funding for the Castlefield Viaduct which will allow us to bring Phase 2 of this iconic sky park project to life, enabling us to create a through route at the heart of the city. We look forward to working with the CyanLines team and other partners as both our projects advance, connecting Castlefield viaduct with the other wonderful spaces in Manchester and Salford city centres.”
Asda is being praised for its revolutionary and affordable new ‘adaptive’ clothing range
Danny Jones
UK supermarket ASDA and its in-house clothing brand, George, are being praised for their affordable new ‘adaptive’ clothing range, which could prove revolutionary for countless Brits.
The new 28-piece collection is aimed at people with additional and complex needs, providing comfortable and carefully designed clothes to suit disabled individuals.
Announced on Monday, 8 September, the new accessibility-driven line of fashion is set to be made available to order online next week.
Speaking via an official press release, qualified medical professional Sarah Phillips (who has been directly involved in the initial adaptive trial herself) has dubbed the upcoming range as nothing short of “a game-changer.”
Phillips, who lives with a neuromuscular disease that requires a feeding tube, catheter, and extensive scans, says ASDA’s adaptive range is “not just designed for people who need it – it’s designed by people who need it, and that’s what sets it apart.”
Noting that the impressive amount of first-hand knowledge pulled from those living with various disabilities is what makes “it far better than anything else available” on the market right now, the revolutionary adaptive range is crucially costed up at a price point in keeping with ASDA‘s values.
For example, the cheapest item starts at just £11 and the most expensive is still only £24.
Most importantly, all of the designs include key features to create as much ease in the wearer’s life as possible, such as hospital-friendly plastic zips, openings for feeding tubes, discreet pockets for stoma bags and more.
This comes after Alex Newman – the husband of late breast cancer campaigner, Nicky Newman, whose story inspired this particular adaptive range – said that struggling to get in and out of clothes was not only a frustrating part of her battle, but that she “found it undignified”.
“She looked for adapted clothing she could wear”, he adds, “but there wasn’t much choice. She bought a jumper from one brand and, while it really helped her, it cost £90 – a huge expense at a time when our finances were already impacted by her leaving her job due to the effects of cancer on her health.”
Nicky sadly passed away on 17 September 2023.
Karl Doyle, Vice President of George Clothing, said in an official statement:“We have worked closely with Nicky, Alex and their network of friends to create this bold adaptive range that we hope has fulfilled Nicky’s wishes.
“We have taken time and passion to really understand the specific needs of each item produced – how we can make them more comfortable, fashionable, affordable and dignified. Today is such a proud moment to see the range launch; we hope it’ll benefit many more people with specific treatment needs.”
The entire ASDA adaptive clothing range drops online-only in full on Monday, 15 September; for now, you can see the full list of all 28 items, find out more information on each, and read more touching tributes about Nicky and the journey behind this disability-friendly clothing revolution HERE.
Congratulations to everyone involved with this inspirational and heartwarming project – you’ve done yourselves, Nicky and countless people living with disabilities SO proud.
Emily Sergeant -
18th June 2025 
