An online personalised pet gift shop is on a mission to ensure rescue dogs in Greater Manchester have a happy Christmas.
Yappy.com has announced it will be donating toys, warm beds and everyday essentials to a number of local rescue centres in the area, including Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Ramsbottom, and Manchester & Cheshire Dogs’ Home in Harpurhey.
Due to current lockdown restrictions and social distancing guidelines, many animal rescue centres are currently unable to re-home dogs to new owners, meaning that hundreds of dogs in Greater Manchester could remain in shelters this Christmas while they wait for restrictions to be lifted and new owners being permitted to visit them.
In addition to donating a dog toy to each and every dog at the centres in the run up to Christmas, Wythenshawe-based Yappy.com will be playing Santa Paws and offering brand new cosy beds, harnesses, food and water bowls plus other essential items to make life a little easier for the dogs and staff working at the rescue centres.
How brilliant is this?
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John Smith – Founder of Yappy.com – says he’s on a mission to give back to the dedicated rescue centres who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic and spread a little festive ‘yappiness’ to dogs in rescue. He said: “2020 has been a really difficult time for rescue shelters and after hearing that so many dogs might still remain under their care this Christmas,
“[so] as a business, we wanted to give something back and donate a few treats that will make a small difference to the pups who haven’t been rehomed before Christmas due to lockdown restrictions.
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Yappy.com / Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary
“We hope that the toys will help to entertain the remaining dogs a little and that the dog beds make their life a little more comfortable whilst they wait for their new owners to provide them with a happy and safe home in the near future.”
Gemma Atkinson – Actress, Hits Radio presenter and President of Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary – added: “We are pleased Yappy.com have chosen Bleakholt as one of their Christmas charities. Our dogs who are in the kennels over the festive period will love their new toy and cosy bed,
“It will help make a difficult time a little easier for everyone.”
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Karen Weed – General Manager at Bleakholt, which re-homes around 1,300 animals each year including dogs, cats, rabbits, donkeys and horses – said: “Despite being closed to the public for visiting and rehoming appointments, sadly we are still taking in many animals who need a new home and we expect this number to rise in 2021 given the impact of COVID-19 and changes in owners’ individual circumstances.
“In the meantime, Bleakholt is still accepting applications to adopt the animals in our care and we are working hard to arrange new homes for the 60 dogs under our wing when lockdown restrictions lift.
“Sadly, some of these are still likely to be with us over Christmas but with the support of our incredible volunteers and kind donations, we will ensure that they all receive a few Christmas treats. We’re always so grateful for the donations we receive and even more so at Christmas and during this second lockdown period.
“Despite our two shops being closed, our online shop is open offering a range of gifts, cards, hoodies, toys and treats at affordable prices whilst helping to fund the work that we do.”
Bleakholt Animal SanctuaryManchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home
Joanne Barrow – Spokesperson for Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home – added: “This year has been a challenging year for everyone [and] I want to thank all our staff, volunteers and supporters for everything they have done and going over and above in helping us to help the dogs in our care.
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“Donations like this help us keep the dogs enriched and entertained in kennels and it really boost the staff morale to know there are others looking to help the dogs in our care.”
To make an application for one of the animals at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, you can visit the website to fill out the application form here, and the animal sponsorship scheme is also available online offering the chance to sponsor a dog, cat, horse or donkey for £25 a year.
You can enquire about adopting a dog from Manchester and Cheshire Dog’s Home here.
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This Manchester hotel has a Bonfire Night ‘escape’ package for pets to help keep them calm
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most luxurious hotels is transforming into the ultimate pet refuge again over the firework season.
Bonfire Night is loved across the UK for the spectacular firework displays and all the festive-themed activities that go along with it, but the November annual event isn’t so fun for our four-legged friends, as fireworks can be frightening to pets due to loud bangs, flashing lights, and the unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives.
With multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays too, pets are rarely able to pinpoint where the booming explosions are coming from, only making it more terrifying for them.
This is why, after becoming a huge success following its launch last year, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in the heart of the city centre has brought back its special ‘Bonfire Night Escape’ escape package, turning the already pet-friendly hotel into a firework-free sanctuary.
The hotel‘s year-round ‘PAWfect Stay’ package includes any dog staying at no extra cost, plus a pet tuckbox, a guide to the best dog-friendly places in the city, and a toy waiting for them in the room, but this fireworks season, pet owners will also get a luxury hamper including Pet Remedy’s ‘Party Season Survival Kit’
The kit comes together with a range of fast-acting products to help immediately in stressful situations such as fireworks, and includes calming spray, a plug diffuser, and some calming wipes too.
On top of that, dog owners can also take advantage of the hotel’s Music Concierge service, which allows guests to request a record player and vinyls to be placed in the room ahead of check in – with lots of classical and relaxing music records available to distract anxious pets from the noise of Bonfire Night celebrations.
Kimpton Clocktower Hotel has a Bonfire Night ‘escape’ package to help keep pets calm / Credit: Elisha Terada (via Unsplash)
The award-winning The Refuge Bar and Restaurant inside the hotel also offers a menu of carefully-curated dog treats throughout the week, as well as doggy Sunday roasts all Sunday.
David Lockhart, who is the General Manager at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, said he likes to think of the hotel as a “home-away-from-home for our guests”.
“Our top priority is making sure everyone is feeling safe and comfortable,” he added. “We can’t wait to welcome our November guests and help them care for their four-legged family members, giving them everything they need.”
The Bonfire Night Escape package at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is available to book from Friday 1 November, subject to availability, and you can request the package via the hotel concierge or by emailing [email protected] to book.
Scissor Sisters confirm reunion after more than a decade ahead of massive Manchester gig
Danny Jones
Still a firm cult favourite from the 2000s, Scissor Sisters are officially back and are bringing a special reunion tour to Manchester and the UK and Ireland at large.
The American outfit were one of the biggest and most well-known pop groups on this side of the Atlantic during their heyday, notching three BRIT Awards and two number-one albums.
Starting out in New York, like many bands in an oversaturated music market, they ended up proving to be much more popular here in Britain than they ever did in the US, not to mention becoming real icons among the LGBTQ+ community.
And now, over a decade later, the Scissor Sisters are set to repay the likes of Manchester, Leeds, London and more with a series of comeback shows, including one at Co-op Live arena – a gig which the venue has already teased earlier this week.
Confirming the reunion on social media on Thursday, 10 October, the band said: “Exciting news, for the first time in over a decade, we will come together again, live next May across the UK and Ireland.
“And for the first time ever, our debut album Scissor Sisters will be performed in full in celebration of its 20th anniversary – alongside all the other Scissor hits from along the way… See you very soon. Jake, Babydaddy, Del.”
Long-time fans were quick to notice that there was no mention of fellow founding member Ana Matronic nor former drummer Randy Real; the band themselves told BBC that the current lineup following their indefinite hiatus is by no means a way of replacing anyone but does give them a chance “to get some people on stage and ask some friends to do fun things.”
Frontman Shears’ 2023 Cabaret co-star, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, was also teased with a possible appearance on the Scissor Sisters reunion tour. Either way, they’ve promised a “little bit of chaos, anarchy” and an “‘anything can happen’ energy again.”
It’s been 12 whole years since we last saw them out on the road, so it’s only fitting that they give us a dozen UK/IE dates, starting at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena before bringing the comeback party down the home stretch in Dublin.
Scissor Sisters are set to stun the Manchester crowd with their Co-op Live debut on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, with special guest support from Alison Goldfrapp of the iconic electronic music duo, and we truly really can’t wait to roll back the years with them.
Pre-sale goes live on Wednesday, 6 November at 10am which you can access via their website and general admission tickets will be available from the same time the following Friday, 8 November.
We can’t wait to hear all the favourites – ‘Filthy/Gorgeous’, ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin”, ‘Take Your Mama’ and more – but, until then, the announcements coming out of Manchester’s biggest new music venue just don’t stop…
Emily Sergeant -
27th November 2020 
