An endurance runner from Wigan is planning to run a total of 75 miles in laps around the DW Stadium to shine a light on male mental health.
Aaron Woodward, from Newtown in Wigan, has impressively already taken on two other long distance running challenges this year – running two marathons in two days and going 53 miles along the canal from Wigan to Leeds – despite never having previously run further than a half marathon, and has so far raised over £2,000 for charity.
His next challenge is set to be his most ambitious yet.
The 28-year-old has announced that he is heading to the DW Stadium, home of Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic – which entered into administration in July – for his next fundraiser.
Starting at 5am on Saturday 3rd October, Aaron will run 75 miles around the wall of the stadium.
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This is approximately 200 laps.
Speaking to Wigan Today about his motivations for the fundraiser, Aaron said: “I’ve decided to put my town in the spotlight this time and also show my support to Wigan Athletic during the tough times they’re going through regarding the administration.
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DW Stadium
“But as usual, I am mainly doing it for male mental health,
“I think doing it around DW Stadium, which hosts both Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic, where a majority of the fan base are male, is a great way to shine light on male mental health and raise as much awareness as possible.”
Funds raised from this challenge will go towards supporting mental health charity CALM.
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Aaron has chosen to support the charity after trying to take his own life earlier this year – spending six weeks in hospital and being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder – and also in memory of his sister Tracy, who was just 36 when she died by suicide in 2015.
He is also keen to get the community involved too.
“I am encouraging people from my local area to join me for a few laps, even if it’s just one lap, just to shine a light on what I am doing.”
You can support Aaron and CALM by donating to his JustGiving page here.
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If you are struggling with your mental health, please do not suffer in silence – Find some of the best resources and support available in Manchester here.
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Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.
The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.
Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.
Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.
Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied
According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.
Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.
There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.
“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.
“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”
The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Iconic Manc movie 24 Hour Party People is set to return to cinemas for its anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most iconic movies is set to return to the big screen next month.
Remastered in 4K and returning to UK cinemas to mark 24 years since its original release, Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 biographical comedy drama film, 24 Hour Party People, tells the story of Manchester‘s popular music community from 1976 to 1992 – specifically about Factory Records‘ founder Tony Wilson.
The film begins with the punk rock era of the late 1970s, before moving through the 1980s into the rave and DJ culture, and of course, the ‘Madchester‘ scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The narrative largely follows the career of Tony Wilson, played by Middleton-born actor Steve Coogan, while also covering the careers of the major Factory Records artists – especially Joy Division and New Order, as well as A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays.
If you haven’t seen 24 Hour Party People before, it’s a dramatisation based on a combination of real events, rumours, and urban legends, as the film is sure to make clear.
Coogan is joined by a cast by a mixture of big names and, at the time, rising stars like Paddy Considine, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, John Thomson, and even Peter Kay, alongside cameos from other figures connected to the Manchester music scene.
Before it returns to cinemas, the film will first open music and media festival/conference, Beyond The Music, at MediaCity in Salford on 6 October.
The screening at the festival will also be followed by a Q&A with Coogan, Winterbottom, and producer Andrew Eaton.
24 Hour Party People will then be re-released in UK cinemas from 9 October, and you can check your local cinema for screening times and book tickets online now.
Emily Sergeant -
25th September 2020 
