Young people across Manchester celebrated the official opening of the city’s newest charity HideOut Youth Zone last week.
Located in Belle Vue, HideOut Youth Zone is a brand-new youth charity which has been set up to provide young Mancunians with somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to, and it opened its doors on Saturday 26th September.
Following months of isolation – which has taken its toll on young people’s physical and mental wellbeing – the Youth Zone will play a key role in supporting young people for years to come.
Open to young people aged 8-19, and up to 25 for those with additional needs, the Youth Zone provides members with access to an indoor climbing wall, four-court sports hall, fully equipped gym, 3G all-weather pitch, music room with recording suite, training kitchen, dance studio, health and well-being room, arts and crafts area and much more.
All of these fantastic facilities are available for just 50p per visit too.
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The £6.6million state-of-the-art youth facility – which is based on the successful OnSide Youth Zones model and will be the 14th Youth Zone in the national OnSide Network since the charity began in 2008 – was originally due to open in Spring 2020, however due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, plans for a spring opening were put on hold.
The HideOut Youth Zone was declared officially open in a ribbon cutting ceremony last week.
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The ceremony was conducted by Capital Donor Fred Done, representatives from Manchester City Council and young people from across the community.
Guests in attendance at the ceremony also heard from, Alex Kennedy, 16 – who is one of the young people involved in the development group that created the Youth Zone – as she shared a touching speech about her involvement with the charity.
“I’ve been part of the development group working on this Youth Zone for over a year now.
It’s amazing to see all our hard work has turned into a fantastic building which will help to support and encourage young people.”
Alex Kennedy
Fred Done – Capital Donor at HideOut Youth Zone – added:
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“I am fortunate that I am in a position to help set up this centre which officially opened today.
I’m from a working class background not so far away in Salford and know how important it is that young people get a chance to better their lives.
My message to youngsters in East Manchester is come on down and enjoy this fantastic centre that’s right at the heart of your community.“
In order to provide essential youth work support to young people, the team at HideOut Youth Zone has implemented new safety measures that are in-line with guidance from the government, Public Health England, the NHS, Health and Safety Executive, the National Youth Agency and wider stakeholders including Manchester City Council.
The COVID-19 safety measures in place at HideOut include capacity management, social distancing and hygiene stations throughout the building.
Initially, the Youth Zone will limit the number of young people able to attend and all members will take part in activities in bubbles of no more than 15. As restrictions ease and guidance allows, the Youth Zone will then implement an open offer, which enables young people to turn up and take part in as many of the 20+ activities on offer each evening.
Without restrictions on capacity, HidOut Youth Zones across the country can typically welcome up to 250 young people every evening.
Adam Farricker – Chief Executive at HideOut Youth Zone – said:
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“Although it is not the opening we had originally planned, we are proud to be welcoming young people into the building and provide much-needed support for many young people during this challenging time.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to HideOut’s supporters and funders for turning this dream into a reality for young Mancunians.
Today marks the start of a very exciting journey for the City’s young people.”
HideOut Youth Zone will now be open throughout the week, with different sessions for juniors (8-12) and seniors (13-19 and up to 25 for those with additional needs).
Annual membership costs £5, and then members pay just 50p per visit.
You can find out more information and book activities via the HideOut Youth Zone website here.
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Sir Ian McKellen pays emotional tribute to long-time friend and fellow northern actor Sir Patrick Stewart
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has paid an emotional tribute to his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Patrick Stewart, following his death.
Sir Patrick Stewart – who was born and bred in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, and is best-known for his theatre work alongside an illustrious 60-year screen career, taking on prominent roles in franchises such as Star Trek and X-Men – sadly passed away at the age of 86, with his death being announced publicly yesterday evening (29 October).
And now, his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Ian McKellen, has paid tribute.
Sir Patrick and Sir Ian shared the stage together countless times over their decades-long careers, but also famously starred alongside each other in the X-Men franchise, and subsequent Marvel movies, as Charles Xavier/Professor X and Magneto.
The tribute, shared across Sir Ian’s social media platforms, reads: “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.
“We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions.
“My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in ‘Star Trek’. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”
“Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did, for not just his devoted Trekkies, but film and theatre audiences who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes (‘X-Men’ of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.
“America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin.
“But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.”
Sir Patrick Stewart’s farewell performance will be in Avengers: Doomsday, which is being released in UK cinemas on 18 December 2026
Featured Image – Gage Skidmore (via Flickr)
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Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets this Bonfire Night
Emily Sergeant
Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks season.
Bonfire Night may be loved by us humans for the spectacular firework displays and all the festive-themed activities that come along with it… but sadly, the November holiday isn’t quite so fun for our four-legged friends.
Loud bangs, flashing lights, and unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives are just some of the reasons why fireworks are frightening to pets.
Not only that, but with multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays across this time of year, pets are rarely able to pinpoint when and where the booming explosions are coming from, therefore creating even more anxiety around this time of year.
Classic FM will play calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks / Credit: DESIGNECOLOGIST (via Unsplash)
Which is why, for the ninth year running now, Classic FM is once again teaming up with the RSPCA for two Pet Classics programmes packed with ‘the most soothing and comforting classical music’.
The music has been handpicked to help calm and settle any anxious pets.
A survey by the RSPCA revealed that almost two-thirds (63%) of animal owners reported their pet was distressed during fireworks season, and that playing relaxing music was the most common way (36%) to help calm or prepare their animal.
Presenters Dan Walker, Aled Jones, and Dawn O’Porter will each host a night of the specially created programme to help keep the nation’s pets calm through the whizzes and bangs.
Dan will present the first programme on Bonfire Night itself (Thursday 5 November), and then as celebrations continue throughout the weekend, Aled will be on hand to bring some peace to Friday 6 November, and Dawn picks up the baton on Saturday 7 November.
Emily Sergeant -
29th September 2020 
