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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Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
9th February 2021 
