A woman who sadly had her 100th birthday party plans put on hold said it was a day she would “never forget” after she was surprised with more than 600 cards.
Jean Cricthon – from Wakefield in Yorkshire – was left in tears after carers brought bags full of birthday cards, flowers and chocolates from senders all over the world for her 100th birthday after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic meant she couldn’t celebrate as originally planned.
She had originally planned to invite family and friends around for a big party.
But luckily, her carers – who visit Jean four times a week at her home where she still lives alone – decided to post a card appeal on social media to mark the special day.
Just a day after posting the appeal online, the carers received their first card and they didn’t stop coming for two weeks, to the point they lost count after 600. Children from local primary schools sent her hand drawn letters, while a chef sent her her favourite meal – roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and trifle for dessert.
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Carers described the heartwarming moment surprising Jean – who marked her 100th birthday on 12th December – which saw her welling up as she opened and read every single wish she received.
Speaking on the surprise, Jean said: “I can’t believe there are so many kind people,
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It’s a day to remember and a day I will never forget and I wish I could say thank you to every single person. I have to thank Sarah and the carers who have put this together for me [and] I would like to thank all the children who went through the trouble of making beautiful cards.
“It will take me a long time to forget this, it’s been a very happy day for me and one I shall never forget.”
Jean Cricthon / Complete Care West Yorkshire
The kind gesture was organised by carers from Complete Care West Yorkshire, who posted the appeal on Facebook on 1st December asking for people to send in cards and it quickly snowballed into something “absolutely amazing”.
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They said Jean was the “loveliest woman” who deserved “this, and more”.
Jodie Bedford – Team Leader at Complete Care West Yorkshire – said they were overwhelmed by how many cards and flowers were sent in each day, adding: “We had people being so lovely from all over the world sending in cards, gifts, and well wishes – it was really overwhelming, but it’s nothing less than what Jean deserved in the incredible life she lived,
“She is such a strong willed, funny, and just lovely woman and she deserves this and more.
“She had something planned with her family, but obviously with COVID they had to be cancelled, and we thought she’d been through so much in her life it would be wrong not to be celebrated.
“We were getting cards and flowers every day – it was incredible.
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“She just had a room full of biscuits, chocolates, a restaurant sent her favourite meal which roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and trifle dessert.
“It was just a lovely day.”
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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 -
18th December 2020 
