In fact, despite being native to the county, there hadn’t actually been any residing in Cheshire for over 400 years before last year, as the species became extinct in the 16th century as a result of continuous hunting for their fur and meat.
This is why the release of the pair of these endangered animals into Hatchmere Nature Reserve was such a big deal for the county.
The Eurasian beavers – one male and one female – have been released in Cheshire to help benefit the local surroundings as part of a five-year land management project that hopes to create natural flood defences and improve biodiversity at the site.
And now that they’ve both settled in, the Cheshire Wildlife Trust has launched an exciting competition.
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The Trust is challenging local schools and members of the public to “get your thinking caps on” and suggest some “interesting and creative” names for the pair of beavers.
Kev Feeney – Hatchmere Living Landscape Officer and leader of the beaver project – said: “We’ve had such a great response to our beaver project so far.
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“It’s great to see people really taking an interest in them and excited to see how they’re settling in.
“Our cameras are catching some amazing footage and we’re really able to see their individual personalities shining through. The female is very nosey and spends most of the night dragging material to add to their lodge [and] the male is always on patrol of their home, walking with purpose and regularly stopping to sniff the air.
“We can’t wait to hear what creative names people come up with [and] we’re so glad people can continue being part of bringing beavers back to Cheshire”.
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The Cheshire Wildlife Trust has said that as the beavers adapt to their surroundings, they will create a new and improved landscape by removing some trees to allow sunlight to reinvigorate the woodland floor, building dams to hold back water on the site, and filter polluted sediments from flowing into a nearby lake, making new space for insects, invertebrates and fish.
But all of this costs money.
It’s been revealed that Wildlife Trust supporters from across the region have raised just over half of the £85,000 required to support the project, but £42,000 is still needed to look after the beavers and monitor the effect they are having on Hatchmere’s wetlands.
So while entry to the naming competition is free, people are encouraged to be part of bringing beavers back to Cheshire by making a donation alongside their entry where possible.
How can I enter the competition?
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust is looking for names for both beavers, one male and one female.
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The closing date for entries is Wednesday 31st March, and the winning names will be announced on Wednesday 7th April – which also happens to be International Beaver Day.
As previously mentioned, entry to the competitions is free but all donations made will fund regular health checks for the animals, surveying for new wildlife the beavers are bringing back, more cameras to capture all the exciting beaver behaviour and training for volunteers to help look after the pair.
You can submit your name suggestions and make any donations via the Cheshire Wildlife Trust website here.
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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.
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…