The people of East Manchester have come together to shower a “much-loved” care home resident with hundreds of cards and gifts to help celebrate her 100th birthday this past weekend.
Marjorie Burke marked her 100th year on Sunday 4th April.
For many of us, the prospect of making it to 100 really does seem like a lifetime away, but for “big character” Marjorie – a resident at Averill House Care Home in Newton Heath, which offers residential memory and nursing memory care for those living with dementia – this milestone age was only around the corner when her carers decided to appeal to the public for a helping hand last month.
To help celebrate Marjorie’s special day in the most special way, Averill House’s team of dedicated Wellbeing Coordinators asked members of the local community to send her cards in the hopes of receiving 100 cards for her 100th birthday.
“All of our staff really want to make this a special occasion,” Jodie Yates told us last month.
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“It’s not every day you turn 100, [and] this is why we’re asking for 100 birthday cards – one for every year of her life in celebration of this milestone”.
And what a celebration it was.
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Averill House Care Home / Jodie Yates
After word of the public appeal began to successfully circulate around Greater Manchester on social media, not only did people rush to send Marjorie over 200 handwritten birthday cards, but many local primary schools, residents and businesses also pulled out all the stops to make sure it was a day she’ll never forget.
“She started her celebrations with us singing happy birthday and by opening her cards at 9am,” Jodie Yates – Wellbeing Coordinator at Averill House – told us, as she relived the special day.
“Marjorie was so overwhelmed and kept saying ‘are all these cards and present for me?’.
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“We had roughly over 200 cards sent and are still receiving them, along with hampers from local supermarkets, over 70 afternoon teas, and gifts from local schools including St Herbert’s RC Primary School in Chadderton, St John’s C of E Primary School in Failsworth, South Failsworth Primary School and more”.
After a special birthday breakfast, Jodie explained that the team lead Marjorie into the home’s gardens to take the COVID-safe celebrations up a notch.
Jodie continued: “A local lady and her friends who all have 1940s war vehicles and full uniforms from the war era kindly offered to drive up to the home and they presented Marjorie with a beautiful bunch of flowers.
“She had a sit on the bike and there was also an impromptu dance to ‘We’ll Meet Again'”.
Averill House Care Home / Jodie YatesParties to Perfection NWE
Now that lockdown restrictions permit it, members of Marjorie’s “loving family” then visited the home to wish her a socially-distanced happy birthday and to sing-along to ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ – which Jodie admits was “very emotional”.
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They also all watched on as she opened her 100th birthday card from Queen Elizabeth II.
After a whole host of celebrations “fit for a queen”, the day then drew to a close after Marjorie was joined by her fellow Averill House residents, alongside staff members, for afternoon tea and a glass of bubbly inside a purpose-built and specially-decorated dome – “kindly donated for free” by East Manchester-based events company, Parties to Perfection NWE – which was installed in the garden.
“Marjorie said it was best day she had ever had”.
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Vintage fashion sale to pop up in Greater Manchester with all proceeds going to charity
Emily Sergeant
A sustainable vintage fashion shop and kilo sale is popping up in a Greater Manchester town in a couple of days time.
And all the proceeds will go to a very-worthy charity.
Merely weeks after the UK’s largest vintage market descended on the iconic Victoria Baths in Manchester city centre, another sustainable fashion event will be popping up in one of the region’s popular shopping centres for the month.
British Heart Foundation will be hosting a brand-new pop-up shop and vintage kilo sale, where you can buy clothing and other goods at a fixed price per kilogram, in Stretford town centre.
Opening its doors this Saturday (5 April), the charity will be taking over the vacant unit that’s next door to JD Sports to provide the Stretford community with a charity shop filled with all sorts of vintage goods and thrifty finds.
Visitors will be able to sift through shelves stacked with major brands at bargain prices, making it the perfect way to sustainably stock up on wardrobe staples and revamp ready for spring.
A vintage fashion sale is popping up in a Greater Manchester town centre with all proceeds going to charity / Credit: Supplied
All proceeds from the pop-up shop will go directly to the British Heart Foundation, helping to fund vital research into cures and treatments for heart and circulatory diseases, so whether you’re a fashion lover, an avid bargain hunter, or you simply just want to support a good cause, you know where to head on down to.
Running right through until 19 April, this venture is set to be a massively-valuable new addition to Stretford town centre.
The British Heart Foundation pop-up store will be open on Mondays – Saturdays from 10am-4pm, and on Sundays from 10am-3:30pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Jack Grealish dedicates first league goal in 16 months to late brother on anniversary of his death
Danny Jones
Manchester City star Jack Grealish held back the tears following his first Premier League goal in more than 16 months, but not in relief after breaking the duck, because it came on a very emotional day for him and his family.
The Man City and England midfielder opened the scoring in the Blues’ 2-0 win against Leicester City on Wednesday night, bringing an end to his goal drought after a total of 473 days.
But what made it even more special is that the game happened to coincide with the anniversary of his late brother Keelan’s death.
Speaking in his post-match interview after picking up the man of the match award, Grealish was in a noticeably quieter mood than his usual charismatic self before revealing that the day marked the 25th anniversary of his younger sibling’s death.
Jack Grealish dedicates his goal to his late brother on the 25th anniversary of his death ❤️ pic.twitter.com/u3toaqZSuR
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 2, 2025
The 29-year-old went on to reveal that the date coincided with Keelan’s passing and acknowledged that it’s “hard on the family but [I’m] happy to score”.
His mum and dad, Karen and Kevin, were up in the stands; it doesn’t need explaining why scoring in that particular moment was so special for all of them.
Clearly stirred by addressing what was a bittersweet occasion, he signed off by adding, “To score and to win was brilliant.”
Keelan Daniel Grealish was just nine months old when he tragically passed away from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) back in 2000 – ‘Super Jack’ was just four at the time.
Paying tribute on social media after the game, the comments below his post were filled with love and support.
Besides the goal itself, the former Aston Villa star was keen to reiterate that he was never brought to the club to score bags of goals and “has a lot more to offer” than just hitting the back of the net.
Touching on his Grealish’s game and the tribute to Keelan during his post-match duties, manager Pep Guardiola went on to add: “Jack is an incredible human being; in terms of gestures and for the other people, he’s incredibly generous.
“I didn’t know that [it was the anniversary of his brother’s death]. I can’t imagine how tough it could be for mum, dad, sister, and all the family. It’s good on this day to remember him, I’m pretty sure they remember every single day.”
A lovely moment from a much-loved character around the Eithad Stadium as well as up and down the country. Rest in peace, Keelan.
You can watch the highlights from the game down below:
Three more points on the board for City and a big moment for the Brummy-born midfielder.