Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have made a generous donation to Royal Bolton Hospital in honour of a Wrexham player’s “miracle” baby boy.
Wrexham AFC midfielder, James Jones, and his partner, Chloe, are currently in the process of raising thousands of pounds for Royal Bolton Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), alongside a number of other charitable organisations, in a bid to say a worthy thank you to the neonatal nurses who provided life-saving care for their little boy, Jude.
James and Chloe set up the GoFundMe page after Jude was born 15 weeks prematurely back in November 2022, and went on to spend 122 days in hospital.
Jude was born at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, and weighed just 1lb 4oz when he came into the world.
Shortly after the birth, Chloe experienced pre-eclampsia – which is a condition causing high blood pressure – as well as the life-threatening pregnancy condition known as Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome, which led to her having two seizures and multiple organ failure.
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Jude was born weighing just 1lb 4oz, but he is now “absolutely thriving” / Credit: Bolton NHS | James & Chloe Jones (via Instagram)
Following this series of complications, Jude was so poorly that he needed a transfer to Bolton‘s NICU within just hours of being born.
After spending countless days “praying” their little boy would survive, and on several occasions even believing that he wouldn’t, one-year-old Jude is now beating all the odds, smashing every milestone, and said to be “absolutely thriving”.
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Chloe and James have continuously thanked all of the doctors, nurses, and midwives for the care the family received throughout Jude’s journey, but as the couple felt that words couldn’t really do their gratitude justice, they decided to set up a dedicated fundraiser to raise money for the intensive care units at both Wrexham Maelor and Royal Bolton Hospital (adult and neonatal), as well as neonatal family support charity, Spoons.
With a target of £20,000 set, donations to the fundraiser have been flooding in from far and wide since it was set up.
But no donation has been more generous than that from Wrexham AFC’s famous co-owners, actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who have pledged a whopping £10,000 to the very-worthy causes.
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“We cannot thank the nurses, doctors and consultants enough for saving me and Jude,” Chloe commented as the fundraiser passed the £10,000 mark.
“The work they do day in, day out is amazing. There really are no words for how much it means to us.
“Jude is our whole world. He is beating all odds and is absolutely thriving. He is smashing every milestone and is the happiest little boy. Jude has chronic lung disease and an adrenal insufficiency as a result of his extreme prematurity and needing courses of steroids whilst in hospital [but] despite his difficult start, he is dealing with everything incredibly well.
Wrexham AFC co-owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, have donated £10,000 to the family’s GoFundMe / Credit: Chloe Jones (via Instagram) | Patrick McElhenney / FX
“We are so proud of him for being so strong and brave through absolutely everything he’s had to endure.
“It’s an honour to be his parents, and we love every second of it.”
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Speaking on the success of the fundraiser – which has now clocked-up more than £17,000 and counting – Cath Bainbridge, who is the Matron for Neonatal Services at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The family overcame so much during their stay with us at Royal Bolton Hospital and it’s wonderful to learn that Jude is doing so well.
“We’re really touched that Chloe and James have chosen to raise money for our unit, and their funds will go such a long way in helping so many families in Bolton and beyond.”
BBC Introducing LIVE is back with events across the North for grassroots music artists
Emily Sergeant
BBC Introducing’s flagship live event will return with a huge lineup of activities for aspiring musicians and music creators this autumn.
To celebrate and champion undiscovered talent across the country, BBC Introducing LIVE will include an array of live performances, immersive workshops, educational panels, and networking opportunities for grassroots artists, DJs, and music creators, all at the start of their careers.
Introducing LIVE will head across the UK, including hosting four special gigs in Leeds and a songwriting camp in Manchester.
The BBC Introducing Songwriting Camp is an invite-only event offering an ‘unparalleled’ experience for artists and creatives to develop skills and collaborate with industry professionals in a real music studio.
Then, on Saturday 28 November, BBC Introducing will host four showcases across Leeds, celebrating some of the best new music from across the UK – with independent music venues The Wardrobe, Belgrave Music Hall, and Oporto all taking part.
While up in Sunderland, following the success of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend there earlier this year, a special takeover event will take place at The Fire Station – with a day of panels, workshops, open mics, and an industry feedback centre planned, all designed to support and inspire the next generation of musicians and music industry professionals.
Other northern cities hosting events during this year’s programme are Gateshead, and major music city Liverpool.
Many successful artists, including the North’s very-own Sam Fender, as well as big names like Ed Sheeran, Raye, Olivia Dean, and Loyle Carner, all began their careers with support from BBC Introducing.
“Championing and nurturing artists and creatives is at heart of everything BBC Introducing does, and so I’m excited that Introducing LIVE will be returning in November for our biggest year yet,” commented Kelly Betts, who is the Editor of BBC Introducing.
“BBC Introducing will be at events, panels, and gigs across the UK giving emerging talent the opportunity to learn from industry experts, make music and connect with fellow artists.
“Music has the power to unite, inspire, and shape our culture and BBC Introducing’s flagship event will help some of the UK’s rising stars on their journey to achieve this.”
Featured Image – Rahul Kukreja (via Unsplash)
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Manchester Airport releases list of its 10 fastest-growing holiday hotspots – including ‘Maldives of Europe’
Emily Sergeant
Holiday season is well underway, and now Manchester Airport has released a list of its 10 fastest-growing beach destinations.
Want to visit somewhere new? Destinations in Portugal, Greece, and Croatia are among the 10 fastest-growing summer holiday hotspots on Manchester Airport’s route network.
Following the completion of the £1.3bn Terminal 2 transformation, and a major project to redevelop Terminal 3 also now in the works, the airport is expecting a record summer season this year, which is why, with a couple of weeks left, a list of the top 10 fastest-growing destinations has been revealed, so if you’re short of some travel inspiration, this is it.
Sunseekers’ favourites are all expected to see extra visitors from Manchester this summer, but other lesser-known destinations are seeing an even greater surge in popularity – with the number of people travelling there this summer versus last summer set to double (or even triple) in some cases.
Manchester Airport has released a list of its 10 fastest-growing holiday destinations / Credit: Marie Volkert | Northleg Official (via Unsplash)
These destinations are spread across the Mediterranean, and all offer a rich blend of sun, sea, sand, history, culture, and foodie delights.
As you’d expect, there are a number of Spanish spots on the list, including the emerging Canary Islands favourite of La Palma, Jerez de la Frontera near the historic city of Cadiz, and the popular Valencia.
Elsewhere, you’ll also find the major cities of Marseille in France, Porto in Portugal, and Verona in Italy on the list, but if you’re keen to visit somewhere a little more off the beaten track, why not try and trip to Zadar in Croatia or Preveza in Greece, which both appear to be growing in popularity.
One of the real stand-out gems on the list though has to be what is dubbed the ‘Maldives of Europe’.
Holiday season is well underway at Manchester Airport / Credit: Ivan Shimko (via Unsplash)
Albania’s capital Tirana is not only a great candidate for a city break, but it’s also the starting point for intrepid explorers seeking out the stunning beaches on the Albanian Riviera – which have become famous on social media over the past couple of years, and have drawn comparisons to the bucket list destination of the Maldives.
“Sometimes, a destination will go viral on social media or see a spike in demand as adventurous travellers discover it,” explained Stephen Turner, who is the Chief Commercial Officer at Manchester Airport. “And we then see that translate into airlines adding extra flights or flying larger aircraft to those destinations to meet that demand.
“We keep our finger on the pulse to analyse these trends and we work with our airline partners to ensure that if a particular destination is in vogue, or emerging as a new favourite, you can get there from Manchester.”
See the full list of stunning destinations and get booking your next trip here.
Emily Sergeant -
4th June 2024 
