Salford City Council has announced that a road in the borough is to be named in honour of late international aid worker Alan Henning.
Salford Western Gateway – the one-mile dual carriageway which connects the A57 Liverpool Road in Salford and Trafford Way to the east of the M60 in Trafford – is part of Port Salford on Manchester Ship Canal and is soon set to become Alan Henning Way.
The Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett said it was chosen as a link to Mr Henning’s global aid work.
Alan Henning – a heroic taxi driver from Eccles – was delivering aid in Syria when he was tragically killed by Islamic State militants in 2014.
He will now be honoured in his hometown after hundreds of people signed a petition last year calling for a permanent tribute to “Salford’s finest son”.
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Salford councillors agreed to name a road in Eccles after Alan last July.
Mr Dennett said that once the road is in public ownership, it will be “an honour” to name it in tribute to Alan. He said: “Port Salford is the first inland UK port and distribution hub which is served by short sea shipping, using the Manchester Ship Canal, rail and roads linking it to the motorway network,”
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“The new road was chosen for several reasons.
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“It is a vital, international distribution link and an essential part of the Port Salford scheme. As the port continues to grow, Alan Henning Way will become an even more important gateway to Salford. There is so much of Alan in that – a man who was a vital part of humanitarian aid missions and a man willing to give up his home comforts to travel internationally to distribute goods to families and children in desperate need.
“It will be an honour to see his name on the signs so that his bravery and kindness are never forgotten.”
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Barbara Keeley – MP for Worsley and Eccles – paid tribute to Alan and added that she was delighted with the decision. She said: “Alan was a local hero and local people wanted a tribute to him, knowing that he had given his life taking aid to children and families in need in Syria.
“It is right that the city of Salford is naming a road after Alan and people in Salford and across the UK will be pleased with this tribute to his compassion and generous spirit.”
Councillor Shamina August from the Eccles ward added: “Alan touched the lives of so many people. Thousands of people across the city spoke out and said they wanted a way to make sure Alan was never forgotten as a true son of Salford.
“This road will make sure we remember that the world would be a better place, if we all showed the same Spirit of Salford as Alan did.”
Salford City Council has confirmed it is working with the developer Peel Holdings to complete the final process of adoption and the road will be formally named in the near future.
You can find more information via the Salford City Council website here.
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Stockport County’s Christmas dinner in a cup returns for 2025 as part of new festive food range
Danny Jones
We can’t believe it’s rolled around again already, but with the festive period well underway and the big day just a few weeks away, Stockport County have brought back their viral ‘Xmas dinner in a cup’for 2025.
Better still, the County Courtyard has seen some new Christmas specials added to its food menu, too.
The local football club are absolutely flying in League One at the moment, having spent plenty of time at the top of the table already and still well and truly contesting those promotion/play-off spots.
If you’re a Stopfordian, that’s plenty of cause for celebration right there, but with the Christmas dinner in a cup also up for grabs once more, the holiday season literally couldn’t taste any better right now.
For those who’ve never seen it before, it’s exactly what it says on the tin – well, cup: a little Sunday dinner in a County-branded takeaway coffee cup, complete with a healthy pour of gravy and pretty much all the trimmings you could hope for.
Yes, including sprouts, because all of you who still don’t touch them need to grow up already.
Currently priced at just £4.50, not only does it contain virtually all the major food groups (barring the customary matchday pints, of course), it might just be one of the healthiest and best value-for-money bits of footy scran around – certainly in Greater Manchester, anyway.
But, as mentioned, that’s not all this year; Stockport are also serving up the new festive hot dog and even a ‘leftover Christmas curry’ in a bowl, which might even be more warming on a cold night at Edgeley Park than the Xmas dinner in a cup or clinging onto a flask of Bovril.
Anyone else craving that curry with a cheeky bit of bubble and squeak now?
It’s also worth noting that you’ll only be able to get one of those on Boxing Day, by the way, when the Hatters host Lincoln City in the league.
As for the rest of it, County fans can get their hands on this seasonal scran for the first time this year at the weekend when Dave Challinor’s side take on Barnsley at 12:30pm, and two of the three specials will then be served at home every game over the holiday period.
Speaking of random Christmas food creations, there’s another limited-time-only and potentially divisive example that we’ll also be sampling this December…
Aldi has launched the world’s first lickable pigs in blankets wrapping paper… for some reason
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has launched its latest Christmas creation, and this one’s arguably wackier than anything else it’s brought out before.
There’s absolutely no denying that pigs in blankets are a staple of festive feasting, with millions of the little delicacies consumed throughout the UK each Christmas, but have you ever wished you could turn the taste of those pigs in blankets into a lickable wrapping paper to wrap all this year’s gifts in? Yeah probably not… Aldi‘s made it though.
It’s anticipated that more than 561 million pigs in blankets are going to be eaten over the festive period, new research has found, which is an average of 10 per person.
But if you just can’t bare to leave the taste of pigs in blankets behind, Aldi’s new wrapping paper is set to give shoppers a fun and tasty twist when it comes to gift-giving.
The limited-edition wrapping paper is inspired by Aldi’s very-own range of pigs in blankets, and is described as capturing the smoky, savoury flavour and smell of the festive treat, with stickers that peel back to reveal a truly unique ‘lickable’ experience.
Aldi has launched the world’s first lickable pigs in blankets wrapping paper / Credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Wire (via Aldi UK)
Not only does the novelty wrapping paper taste and smells like pigs in blankets, it also looks the part on presents too with its pastel pink design, festive holly, and snowflake patterns.
“Pigs in Blankets are a highlight of the festive season… so we wanted to create something special to celebrate the Christmas classic,” commented Julie Ashfield, who is the Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, as the new creation launches.
“This unique, lickable wrapping paper is the perfect way to spread extra joy on Christmas Day.”
Want to get your hands on it then? Unfortunately, it won’t be as simple as popping to your nearest Aldi store and picking up a roll, as with a creation as unique as this, there’s only going to be limited stock and a special shopper competition to win it.
To be in with a chance of winning, you simply need to email [email protected] with your full name before the deadline at 11:59pm on 1 December.