Dame Deborah James has inspired Andrex, M&S, and more retailers to add bowel cancer symptoms to packs of toilet roll.
Leading toilet roll manufacturer Andrex, and retail giant M&S are two of the first companies to partner with charity Bowel Cancer UK as part of the #GetOnARoll campaign, and in doing so, have both committed to adding the symptoms of bowel cancer and lifesaving information to millions of toilet roll packages stocked on shelves across the UK.
The two companies have also made significant donations to the leading bowel cancer charity – with Andrex pledging a £65,000 donation, and M&S committing a £50,000 sum.
Both Andrex and M&S have been inspired to make the change to packaging by journalist, podcast host, and campaigner, Dame Deborah James – better known as the Bowel Babe – who was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer back in 2016, which she has since announced is terminal.
Almost half of adults in the UK can’t name a single symptom of bowel cancer. Get behind our new campaign today and ask your supermarket to add them to their loo roll packaging and help save lives: https://t.co/NmjBdWTaeHpic.twitter.com/sxCQY40lwl
Since receiving the tragic news that her cancer was terminal, and setting up the BowelBabe Fund, Dame Deborah has gone on to raise a whopping £6.7 million and counting for Cancer Research UK to raise awareness and “fund clinical trials and research into personalised medicine for cancer patients”.
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She has also been using her final days to support Bowel Cancer UK’s campaign, and encourage other supermarkets and retailers to follow in the footsteps of Andrex and M&S.
“It’s the start of things to come,” Dame Deborah said on Instagram.
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“I think we should do a big shoutout to other companies now saying ‘Come on! Where’s your signs and symptoms?’
“We need like actual information signposted on those loo rolls [and] I’m hoping that lots of the other big brands will now go yeah, hang on, this makes massive sense – this is what we need to be doing and I can’t wait to see that happen.”
Deborah James was presented with a Damehood for services to charity by Prince William last month / Credit: Deborah James (via Instagram)
Bowel Cancer UK says it launched the groundbreaking #GetOnARoll campaign as almost half of adults in the UK can’t name a single symptom of bowel cancer, despite it being the fourth most common cancer, and it says that knowing the symptoms, and acting on them, means that bowel cancer can be diagnosed earlier when it is more treatable and curable.
Fewer than 40% of people are diagnosed with bowel cancer at the earliest stages, and the charity says “we can change this and ultimately save more lives”.
📣 We’re calling for every supermarket to put our signs and symptoms where people need to see them most – on their loo roll packaging.
The charity added: “Changes in bowel habit and blood in your poo are two bowel cancer symptoms that happen while you’re on the toilet so that’s why we’re calling on supermarkets to put symptoms on their own brand loo roll packaging – where people need to see them most.
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“We urgently need to get supermarkets to follow suit.”
You can find out more about the Bowel Cancer UK #GetOnARoll campaign here.
‘Hairy men’ needed to play soldiers in returning major fantasy TV series
Thomas Melia
A huge TV series has issued an urgent casting call for, very specifically, ‘hairy men’ to play soldiers.
The exact show hasn’t been named in the casting call, but it’s definitely a major returning fantasy, and is reportedly House of the Dragon, the hit Game of Thrones spin-off.
This big on demand show is set to start filming in just two months’ time, meaning anyone considering shouldn’t wait to apply.
There are a list of key characteristics candidates should have if hoping for this role, including a great work ethic and a professional attitude, something all Mancs like to think we have.
The job description states that no prior acting experience is required, one of the only other things you need to be good at is waking up early (well that’s me out).
Most importantly, headhunters are looking for individuals to take on that have one big factor in common… lots of hair.
On the official website where you can submit your headshots and photos, you will find a mood board filled with ranging hairstyles that fit the desired look the show is going for.
Just one example of a long-haired man who fits the criteria for the returning series.Another similar hair style choice to the guide from the casting call.Credit via Unsplash
Most of the pictures on the site range from long curly locks to big bushy beards – it’s a shame Santa will be back in the North Pole by now.
All candidates must have grown-out hair, ‘overgrown scruff to longer beards’, this means no short, back and sides, or any ‘modern fades’ as stated by the casting team.
If the rumours are true and this turns out to be a shoot for House Of The Dragon, it would be great to see even more Northern talent feature in this show.
It wasn’t too long ago that fans and Mancs alike realised that actor Olivia Cooke, who plays Lady Alicent Hightower, was a local lass herself, born not too far away in Oldham.
One final and important note is that anyone who is likely to apply must make sure they’re 18+ and have a right to work in the UK.
Filming will take place across North Wales and the South East from March onwards, with rate of pay roughly £140-£300+ per day (depending on hours worked).
To apply for a chance to feature in the returning major fantasy series, you can do so by visiting the site HERE.
Greater Manchester set to be battered by ‘impactful’ heavy rain and wind this week
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester is set to be battered by some heavy rain and wind this week, according to the Met Office.
While things have seemed surprisingly more settled for the time of year over the last week or so, with clearer skies and chilly winter mornings being fairly commonplace, all that will change very soon, as the Met Office has forecasted that the UK is set to be battered by some ‘impactful’ heavy rain and strong winds as the week goes on.
Low pressure systems will bring a more ‘unsettled’ spell of weather, with a severe weather warning for wind issued for certain parts of the UK.
Today is expected to be filled with grey skies and light rain here in Greater Manchester, with cloud covering much of the rest of the country, and other outbreaks of rain elsewhere, whereas on Wednesday, the focus of rain will shift to southern England instead.
The weather looks set to turn more unsettled during the forthcoming week 🌧️ 🌬️
Thursday is where it’s set to take the biggest downturn though, as a front bringing heavy rain moves eastwards through the day, and it’s us here in North West England that are expected to see the highest accumulations too, with 20-30mm could falling over the hills, and some hill snow even possible over the Scottish mountains too.
A deep area of low pressure will also have ‘deepened rapidly’ by Thursday, bringing ‘strengthening winds’ to western parts of the UK along with it overnight, followed by more heavy rainfall.
Greater Manchester is set to be battered by ‘impactful’ heavy rain and wind this week / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“A very deep area of low pressure will bring a very unsettled, potentially disruptive, spell of weather to the UK through Friday and into Saturday,” explained Chris Almond, who is the Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist.
“Winds will begin to strengthen on Thursday night, with the peak gusts forecast through Friday in Northern Ireland and western Scotland. The wind will also be accompanied by heavy rain bringing some unpleasant conditions to end the week.
“We have issued a Yellow weather warning for wind, and with several days before the impactful weather, the forecast details are likely to be fine-tuned during the week, so stay tuned to your local forecast and keep up to date with Met Office warnings.”
Emily Sergeant -
22nd June 2022 
