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Woman sent 600 cards from across the world after her 100th birthday party was cancelled

Jean Cricthon sadly had her plans put on hold due to COVID-19, but said it was a day she would "never forget".

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th December 2020
Jean Cricthon / Complete Care West Yorkshire

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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Unexpected Manchester city centre street named ‘one of the most polluted’ in the UK

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

A new fieldwork study has revealed the worst air polluted city centre streets in the UK, and a popular Manchester thoroughfare has been named one of the worst.

Except, it’s really not the street you’d expect it to be.

For some bizarre reason, despite the fact it’s a pedestrianised commercial shopping street in the heart of Manchester city centre, Market Street has been named one of the most polluted streets in the country.

Recordings were taken at high streets in the 25 largest towns and cities in the country over a two-week period, and the results found that 76% are exceeding the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended annual level of air pollution, The Hoot reports.

The study enlisted a planning consultancy to collect samples using an air quality monitoring device at 11am on either a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday to ensure as much comparability as possible between the locations.

Market Street has been named one of the ‘most polluted’ streets in the UK / David Dixon (via Geograph)

The study comes after a poll of 2,000 adults found that 36% have concerns over the health of the community due to air pollution, or the health of their family (26%) or themselves (25%).

Speaking on the shocking findings from the new study, Sam Clarke, who is the chief vehicle officer at the sustainable energy business, said: “With millions set to hit the high street this festive period, we wanted to look at the state of the nation’s air quality in the locations people will be doing most of their Christmas shopping.

“It’s shocking to see that so many were above the World Health Organisation’s annual recommendations for air pollution, and that one in 10 shoppers are even planning on foregoing the highstreets altogether due to air quality.”

20 streets in the UK were over the recommended World Health Organisation recommended levels of 5 µg/m3).

The Most-Polluted Streets in the UK

  1. Stoke-On-Trent (Parliament Street) – 11.7
  2. Newcastle (Northumberland Street) – 11.5
  3. Leicester (Gallowtree Gate) – 11.2
  4. Coventry (West Orchards Way) – 11.1
  5. Hull (Jameston Street) – 10.7
  6. Bradford (Broadway) – 10.6
  7. Southampton (Above Bar Street) – 8.8
  8. Nottingham (High Street) – 7.7
  9. Luton (George Street) – 7.6
  10. Manchester (Market Street) – 7.6
  11. Northampton (Abington Street) – 7.3
  12. Birmingham New Street – 7.3
  13. Liverpool (Church Street) – 7.1
  14. Derby (St Peter’s Street) – 6.9
  15. London (Oxford Street) – 6.8
  16. Sheffield (Fargate) – 6.3
  17. Brighton (Western Road) – 5.6
  18. Leeds (Briggate) – 5.3
  19. Portsmouth (Commercial Road) – 5.1

“If we’re to reach the World Health Organisation’s annual target of 5 µg/m3 of PM2.5 in our air, collectively we need to change our behaviours,” Sam Clarke added.

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“With vehicle emissions being a key contributor, anything we can do to travel more greenly, from walking more to cycling, and including electric vehicles, is a very valuable set forward to improve the air we breathe daily.”

Featured Image – Matt Taylor (via Flickr)

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A TV special celebrating the life of Caroline Aherne is airing this Christmas

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A TV special celebrating the “unique life and talent” of Caroline Aherne is set to air on BBC Two this Christmas Day.

There’s absolutely no denying that Caroline Aherne is a true Manc icon.

Although born in London to Irish parents, she moved to Manchester at the age of two, was raised in Wythenshawe, went to school in West Didsbury, and kick-started her illustrious and hugely-influential career on the city’s comedy circuit by performing as a collection of characters, all before developing the iconic ‘Mrs Merton’.

Aherne developed her Mrs Merton character with Frank Sidebottom for his show on Piccadilly Radio, where she worked as a receptionist. 

She made a number of television appearances as the hilarious character, before rising to prominence in 1994 with the mock chat show The Mrs Merton Show, where she was known for asking celebrity guests a series of outrageous fake questions – the most-memorable example being to the wife of magician Paul Daniels, Debbie McGee, asking: “So, what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?”.

A TV special celebrating the life of Caroline Aherne is airing on BBC Two this Christmas Day / Credit: BBC

Aside from the Mrs Merton character, Aherne was known for appearing on BBC comedy sketch programme, The Fast Show, and then cemented her place in the heart of us Mancunians when she co-wrote and starred as Denise in beloved Manchester-based sitcom, The Royle Family.

The Royle Family ran for three series from 1998 to 2000, and was a largely stereotypical portrayal of working-class family life at the turn of the millennium, with almost all of the episodes taking place in the Royles’ telly-centric living room and showing the hilarious conversations they’d have.

Both before and after her sad death in July 2016, Caroline amassed a loyal fanbase, so it’s only right that we properly celebrate her legacy, right? Well that’s exactly what BBC Two is doing this Christmas Day from 9pm, with the airing of a brand-new TV special, as well as lots of other programmes dedicated to the late legend and all she is loved for.

The 80-minute documentary is described by the BBC as being a “celebration of the unique life and talent of Caroline Aherne”.

Titled Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy, it will feature unseen photographs and contributions from a cast of her lifelong friends – including Steve Coogan, Jon Thompson, Craig Cash, and producer Andy Harries.

The 80-minute special is titled Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy / Credit: ITV

Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy will air on BBC Two at 10:25pm on Christmas Day (25 December), and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer shortly after.

This new TV special also follows BBC Two’s re-run of The Royle Family’s classic Christmas episode – which is titled ‘Christmas With The Royle Family’, and first aired back in December 1999 – a little earlier in the evening at 9:15pm.

It’ll also be on after a 15-minute long moment of reflection from Ricky Tomlinson at 9pm too.

According to the BBC, Ricky – who, of course, is most famous for his role as the Royle Family’s patriarch, Jim Royle – will sit back in his iconic chair and take a fond look back at the much-loved comedy series, sharing his memories and experiences working with Caroline Aherne.

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And, if all that wasn’t brilliant enough as it is, you can also catch an episode of both The Mrs Merton Show and The Fast Show on the big day too.

Sounds right up our street.

Featured Image – BBC

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