Want to test your Alan Partridge knowledge? Now’s your time to shine, with a massive quiz night dedicated to the parody comedy character.
Coming to Manchester on 2 February, the event has been put on for a very good cause, raising money for Young Lives vs Cancer.
The charity fundraiser will be written by Neil Gibbons, the co-writer of the iconic Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.
Freight Island is set to transform into a hub full of laughter and giggles as it proudly presents the Alan Partridge Charity Quiz.
The event promises not only an entertaining night but also the chance to win a selection of prizes, including Alan memorabilia, so if you’re a hardcore fan this is definitely not something you want to miss.
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Better still, all the donations raised from tickets and a raffle will support such an amazing cause, which will make a difference for children battling cancer.
An Alan Partridge quiz night is coming to Manchester. Credit: Publicity picture
The inspiration behind this charitable endeavour is the courageous journey of Joe, the son of Andy Jane, a friend of Freight Island.
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Andy has shared the heart-wrenching story of Joe’s battle with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and shed light on the impact that charities like Young Lives vs Cancer have for people like Joe.
He said: “Our son Joseph was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2020, aged four years old. Sadly, after two and a half years of treatment whilst in remission, he relapsed.
“Our lives were left shattered. It’s hard even to find words to express the mental anguish our family faced through this time and its lasting effect.
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“We waited months to see if Joe could find an eligible donor, as his only chance of recovery was a bone marrow transplant. Thankfully one was found, and with another six months in an isolation ward, we have got him home again.
“The worry and hospital visits never go away, but charities like this support families and help kids understand that it isn’t their fault and that it’s ok to be scared.”
This event aims to raise awareness about the challenges families face when a child is diagnosed with cancer.
The Alan Partridge Charity Quiz will be written by the legendary Neil Gibbons – one half of the Gibbons brothers, the duo best known for working on several Alan Partridge projects as well as Veep and The Witchfinder.
Every ticket purchased and every donation given ensures that Young Lives vs Cancer can continue its vital mission to stand alongside families, offering support and facing the challenges of childhood cancer together.
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It will take place at Freight Island from 7.30pm on Friday 2 February, and is 18+ only. Grab your tickets here.
So come along, grab a drink and get your Partridge heads on. Aha!
Manchester’s legendary Dragon Parade returns next month to celebrate Chinese New Year 2026
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s legendary Dragon Parade will make its way through the city centre once again next month.
As Manchester gets ready to celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 – which officially begins on Tuesday 17 February and runs through to Tuesday 3 March – and mark the ‘Year of the Horse’, the iconic Dragon Parade will be making its grand return to the streets of our city centre, and bringing a spectacular show of colour and light along with it.
In case you’re unfamiliar with what the Dragon Parade is all about, it’s the focal point of the city’s annual Lunar New Year celebrations – and it’s a real spectacle, to say the least.
The parade is known for attracting thousands of visitors from all across the region each year.
Manchester’s legendary Dragon Parade returns next month to celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 / Credit: Chinese NY Manchester (via X)
Celebrations officially kick off on Saturday 14 February this year, and as the headline of the festivities, the popular parade is set to take place the day after (Sunday 15 February).
Once again, organisers are expecting visitors in their thousands to turn out and watch as the famous 175ft Chinese dragon weaves its way through the city’s main shopping streets.
Official timings and plans for the parade are yet to be announced by the Council, but if previous years are anything to go by, it’ll likely kick off from around midday, starting on the junction of Oxford Street and George Street, and then make its way along Portland Street before concluding in Chinatown for a final performance on Princess Street.
Chinese New Year festivities will take place over a full weekend / Credit: Chinese NY Manchester (via X)
There’ll also be even more cultural celebrations and activities to get involved with throughout Lunar New Year over in Manchester’s popular Chinatown – with live stage performances, traditional lion and dragon dances, and loads of stalls serving up tasty and authentic street food.
And to top it all off, we’ll also soon see the return of Manchester’s famous traditional red lanterns dotted up above all around town too, adding colour to dark winter days.
As always, this year’s celebrations have been organised by the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM), in partnership with Manchester Business Improvement District (BID) and Manchester City Council.
Featured Image – Chinese NY Manchester (via X) / CityCo
What's On
Chester Zoo announces new spring date for its popular running event to help UK wildlife
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo has announced that its popular Run For Nature is back again this year, and this time, there’s a new spring edition.
The UK’s biggest charity zoo seen success with this event in the past few years, with thousands of runners signing up for one of the North West’s most unique athletic experiences and all funds raised going towards efforts to protect highly-endangered giraffes in Africa.
This year though, the much-loved event’s focus brings conservation ‘a little closer to home’ and will protect some of the UK’s most threatened species instead – with all funds helping to safeguard hedgehogs, kingfishers, otters, harvest mice, and more.
It comes as the UK is currently considered one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth.
Participants will first get to wind through the zoo and enjoy glimpses of elephants, lemurs, and other incredible species along the way, before heading out into the picturesque Cheshire countryside.
Adults can choose from a 10K or 5K route, while younger runners are invited to take part in a one-mile ‘Zoom’ race, open to children aged four-15, which takes place entirely within the zoo’s incredible 130-acre grounds.
All runners will receive free entry to the zoo for the rest of the day as part of their registration, along with a 25% discount for friends and family who come along to show support.
Chester Zoo’s popular 10K charity run is returns with a new spring date / Credit: Chester Zoo
Lorraine Jubb, who is the Fundraising Lead at Chester Zoo, called the Run For Nature a ‘really special event’.
“In previous years, runners have already supported conservation efforts for Asian elephants, Eastern black rhinos and Northern giraffe,” she explained. This springtime though, we’re turning our attention much closer to home in the UK, and to the wildlife we share our gardens, parks and countryside with.
“With one in six species now at risk of extinction in the UK, every runner will be playing a vital role in helping us protect animals and supporting our growing nature recovery work across right across Cheshire.
Isabella Norrison -
25th January 2024 
