Vernon Kay has spent the day volunteering at a brand new mass COVID-19 vaccination centre in his hometown of Bolton.
The TV presenter and recent I’m A Celebrity star assumed the role of a marshal at the Hootons Pharmacy site at Bolton Wanderers’ home stadium for the day last week, helping some of the borough’s most vulnerable residents get their jabs by taking the temperature of those arriving, and directing them to where they should be.
Hootons Pharmacy – part of the Whittle Pharmacies group and based in Horwich, Bolton – is one of several pharmacy-operated sites in Greater Manchester.
It is currently vaccinating the over 70s by appointment only via the national booking system.
Vernon has described his volunteering stint – which was part of The Sun newspaper’s Jab’s Army volunteering campaign – as “an amazing experience”, and has taken to social media to encourage others to get involved.
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He told Good Morning Britain: “The experience as a whole was really, really special.
“It was amazing watching all these people arrive, having dealt with three lockdowns, the moment they left after having their vaccination you could tell that there was light at the end of the tunnel for them [and] they felt like a weight had been lifted of their shoulders”.
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Dr Helen Wall – Senior Responsible Officer for the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Bolton, and Clinical Director of Commissioning at Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group – said: “It really doesn’t matter who or where you are, meeting a fellow Boltonian is like catching up with family.
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“Vernon took to volunteering like a duck to water.
“He had all the trademarks of a great volunteer – empathy, humour, compassion, and a genuine interest in the programme.”
Vernon added: “Helen has done a phenomenal job of rolling out the vaccine in the Bolton area.
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“What I learnt was in these vaccination centres in Bolton, it’s 55% medical staff and 45% volunteers [and] the volunteers I spent time with were loving the fact that they were helping out and doing something to get the vaccine out.”
He also emphasises that “if you are willing to volunteer then please do, it will really cheer you up knowing that you helped others”.
You can find more information about volunteering in Greater Manchester here.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
9th February 2021 
