This company is creating custom-made bespoke dolls for children with hearing difficulties and cleft lips to empower and encourage inclusiveness.
Bright Ears UK is an independent Etsy shop based in Lidlington that specialises in creating a bespoke range of dolls with Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implant Retainers and cleft lips, as well as a selection of other gifts to empower children.
According to Action on Hearing Loss and the NHS, there are around 50,000 children across the country who currently experience hearing difficulties, and a cleft lip is believed to affect one in 700 babies born in the UK.
This is why the work done by Bright Ears UK is so important to creating an inclusive society.
In a post sharing pictures of recent bespoke dolls to Facebook, which has quite-rightly amassed hundreds of interactions, shares and positive comments from members of the public, Clare from Bright Ears UK said: “Here are some of my recent custom orders”.
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“Firstly, we have these amazing cleft lip dolls. Two have been made to be bespoke to the little ones they are going to and the other one is going to a childminder to help her talk to her children about inclusiveness in a positive way.”
“It is incredibly empowering for a child to have a doll that looks just like them.”
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“I’ve seen this first hand from when I gave my daughter her first hearing aid doll back in 2017. The joy on her face was priceless and even now when she sees me making HA dolls, she gets all excited”.
“Each of these cleft dolls have been lovingly handmade by myself and have no rough edges or gaps for tiny fingers to get caught in, as the mouth area has been carefully remoulded.”
“They can be made bespoke to your little one, so they truly have a mini me.”
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“They can also be made with Hearing Aids/ Cochlear Implants, Mic-Key/ PEG feeding tubes, Stomas and NG tubes.”
“If you have a little Princess fan, then they may like these new Hearing Aid Princess dolls [that are] available with hearing aids in your choice of colours [and] the following Princesses are available – Cinderella, Aurora, Tiana, Jasmine, Rapunzel, Snow White, Belle and Ariel.”
Etsy / BrightEarsUK
One supportive Facebook user commented: “Oh my I LOVE these beautiful dolls. Clare, you never fail to amaze me! You are incredible”.
“I wish I had these when I was younger.” wrote another Facebook user.
Another wrote: “Love that they make dolls inclusive for all”.
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“These dolls are wonderful. I’ve just placed an order and can’t wait to see my daughters face when it arrives.” said another.
Bright Ears UK also has thousands of positive reviews left by satisfied customers over the years, is rated as a ‘Top Shop for Gifts’ and is saved as a ‘favourite’ independent maker by over 200 Etsy members, so not only are they doing important work, they’re doing it to an extremely high standard that is well-valued too.
You can find out more about Bright Ears UK on Etsy and Facebook.
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Beyond The Music moves to MediaCity for the first-time ever
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester arts festival and conference Beyond The Music is back for 2026, but this time it will be heading to MediaCity for a Salford debut.
The long weekender is still a relative newcomer when it comes to the Manc events calendar, but it’s quickly gathered plenty of repute not just in the North West but within the industry as a whole.
Holding just its third edition later this year, Beyond The Music ’26 is set to be the most ambitious yet, spread across the three days and promising an impressive lineup both in terms of live performers, but also speakers, industry experts and wider activities.
With MediaCity and dock10 hosting their inaugural Beyond The Music, it’s another big win for the second city, with Sports Personality of the Year sticking over Salford way for the foreseeable future, along with other events like the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Awards moving to the Quayside.
Much of the BBC’s World Cup coverage is also being hosted at their Salfordian studios and main Northern base this summer, too.
Given that so many big annual dates have now made the switch to central Manchester – the BRITs and the MOBOs, just to name two recent examples – you could say it only makes sense to spread things out across the surrounding boroughs and their equally rich heritage.
Not that you should need reminding, but Salford isn’t just part of the region: it’s a city all of its own right that boasts an immense amount of pride over what is nothing short of a sterling musical history.
As for the 2026 Beyond The Music programme, besides both the local artists and more international creatives than ever, there’ll be keynote conversations, industry showcases, and wider networking opportunities for anyone looking to immerse themselves deeper in this world.
You’ll have to wait a little while longer for a full live music lineup, but watch this space…
Mayor Andy Burnham and friends help launch Beyond the Music at MediaCityUK (Credit: Mark Waugh)
Sarah Pearson, Co-founder of Beyond The Music, said in an official statement: “Beyond The Music’s mission is to seize this moment, to come together and drive meaningful and lasting change in the music and content industry.
“It’s undeniable that the impact and importance of music and content are stronger than ever, but this is not reflected in their perceived value.
“The ethical and economic infrastructure of the music and content industries demands urgent attention and bold reform… It is our responsibility to protect creativity in order to ensure it doesn’t just survive but thrives. Things may feel difficult, but they are still possible.”
Mayor Burnham added: “Greater Manchester has always been at the forefront of cultural innovation, and Beyond The Music is a vital opportunity for the sector to come together and address the challenges and opportunities facing music and content creation…
“With its move to MediaCity and a bigger-than-ever programme, Beyond The Music is helping to cement our city region’s place at the centre of the creative economy.”
Taking place between 7-9 October 2026, you can register for early bird tickets right HERE. Roll on an even more extensive festival season than ever.
Sportsbet.io Tour Championship 2026: Manchester welcomes some of snooker’s best
Danny Jones
This Monday marks the start of the World Snooker Tour’s 2026 Sportsbet.io Tour Championship, which is back in Manchester once again– and there are some big names on show.
Returning to our city for a third consecutive time, this year’s Tour Championships began at 1pm, with the likes of world number one Judd Trump playing some of the opening frames against Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen, along with Barry Hawkins taking on 2026 World Open winner, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
These are just the first two opening fixtures in what is set to be an eventful week-long tournament that will span a total of 19 matches, concluding in the final on Sunday, 5 April.
Hosted once again over at Manchester Central, this elite field of in-form players is basically only missing Ronnie O’Sullivan, who the aforementioned Thai tour start beat in last week’s final.
Only the top 12 players from this season’s highly competitive rankings earned a place in the draw, so all pretty much all the greats and the next generation are shooting for the title.
Defending champions John Higgins – a four-time world champion – will be breaking off against Mark Williams on Tuesday, 31 March.
Meanwhile, other names on the schedule of play include World Champion Zhao Xintong, Mark Selby (who Higgins beat in Manchester last year), Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson and Mark Allen.
Put simply, this isn’t just another big sporting event landing in our city centre, but a showcase of some of the very best talent in the discipline.
With tickets starting from just £25, these games are also some of the most affordable premium sports you can enjoy in central Manchester.
Better still, it’s also worth noting that the official Fanzone over in the foyer of the venue is open to all, even without a ticket.
There’s completely free coaching for players of all ages, interactive games, and even the chance to try a proper full-sized professional table – a perfect day out for the Easter school holidays.
The event itself is being aired on Channel 5, but if you’re interested in going along to see the action up close and personal, you can grab your seats right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd July 2020 
