A popular Festive Winter Fair is set to return to an iconic Manchester venue to kick off the Christmas season.
With the nights drawing in, the temperatures dropping by the day, and the shops and supermarkets already getting filled up with lots of festive food and gifts, it won’t be long before Manchester becomes a Christmas city once again – especially as the world-famous Manchester Christmas Markets are set to return in early November.
But for those keen to escape the hustle and bustle of the main Markets, and soak up all the festive spirit on a smaller scale instead, then Victoria Baths has just what you’re after.
Ready to transform the beautiful Grade II-listed building into a cultural Christmas hub for the day, and all set to encapsulate the “very best traditions of Christmas shopping”, Victoria Baths has confirmed that its much-loved Festive Winter Fair will be making an exciting return for 2024.
This is a chance to get your Christmas shopping done and dusted, all while supporting small independent businesses at the same time.
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Happening on the first day of December under the famous glass roofs of Victoria Baths’ pool hall, with the stunning building set to be decked-out to look its seasonal best, you can expect to find a wide range of Christmas gift ideas from Manchester’s finest makers, crafters, and creators.
Visitors will be able to browse and shop from a carefully-curated selection of 50 stalls that feature art, decorations, ceramics, clothing, glassware, jewellery, and so much more.
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A popular Festive Winter Market is returning to Victoria Baths to kick off the Christmas season / Credit: Supplied
The venue’s popular Tea Room will also be open and serving a selection of sweet and savoury snacks on the day too, as well as traditional mulled wine and mince pies, while local choirs will be adding to the atmosphere with renditions of everyone’s favourite Christmas carols, so it really is the perfect way to start the most festive month of all.
Not only that, but in the spirit of seasonal goodwill, Victoria Baths will also be a Christmas collection point for those wanting to donate a gift or food items to local charities.
Unwrapped gifts will be collected on behalf of Trafford Domestic Abuse Services this year, while and non-perishable food items will be collected for Manchester Central Foodbank.
The Festive Winter Fair will take over Victoria Baths for 2024 on Sunday 1 December from 11am-4pm, with tickets now on sale and starting from as little as £4 each, while under 18s go free.
Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff
Daisy Jackson
If you’re not a handy person, when something breaks, the temptation is often to abandon or bin it straight away.
But that’s just not how we’re gonna do it here in Greater Manchester any more, with the return of the annual Repair Week to help you learn valuable repair skills and save money at the same time.
Whether it’s tinkering with your bicycle, fixing up your small tech items, or having your furniture re-varnished and upcycled, there are so many places and people who are on a mission to help you fall back in love with your belongings.
There are even workshops to help you put flat-pack furniture together.
Taking place between 3 and 9 March, Repair Week will be the chance to learn skills, fix your stuff, gain repair confidence and find local fixers.
Events throughout the week (and beyond) will be hosted by community groups, businesses and plenty more.
You can sharpen knives, fix zips, and un-wobble chairs with a little hand from local repair heroes.
JillyGDesign Jewellery in Heaton Moor will fix up your sentimental and special jewellery items, while Rag Revival will help you turn unusable textiles into new creations with basic sewing skills.
There are repair cafes popping up all over Greater Manchester where you can take your belongings.
Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff. Credit: Supplied
Repair Week will highlight schemes like the Manchester Library of Things, where you can borrow the tools and equipment you need for those repair jobs at home.
During the week you’ll also be able to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the incredible Renew Hub, the UK’s biggest reuse hub, where donated items are brought back to life.
Similarly, you’ll be able to get inside the textile recycling centre run by homelessness charity Emmaus Bolton, where you can choose your own fabric from the scrap store and turn it into a very handy draught excluder to keep costs down and your heat in.
Recycle for Greater Manchester’s Repair Week will take place between 3 and 9 March, with workshops, events and resources to help you revive your belongings.
Lulu, from Burnley, was rushed to hospital but sadly passed away from her injuries on Saturday 22 February.
The devastating incident has now seen a 36-year-old man arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving – he remains in police custody. He had initially fled the scene.
Little Lulu was visiting Manchester with her parents for a family day out when the collision occurred.
Her heartbroken family have now issued a tribute to her.
They said: “Louisa (Lulu) was the sweetest, kindest, and most generous little girl. She was full of creativity and joy, and she absolutely loved going to nursery every day.
“Her absence has left a devastating void in our family – she was our only child, our whole world.
“We were simply enjoying a happy family day out in Manchester when this unimaginable tragedy struck. In an instant, our lives were shattered beyond repair.
“The pain of losing her is unbearable, and we miss her more than words can ever express.”
The scene of the crash on SaturdayLouisa ‘Lulu’ PalmisanoThe family of girl, 3, killed in tram and van collision in Manchester pay heartbreaking tribute to her. Credit: GMP
Detective Sergeant Andrew Page, of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “The family are being supported by specialist officers and have requested that the public and press respect their privacy at this time.
“We have arrested a suspect and have brought him into custody.
“This is still an active investigation, and we are looking for anyone who has any information regarding the case to come forward to get in touch with us. Please contact police on 0161 856 4741 quoting the log number 1086 of 22/02/25.
“Alternatively, details can be shared on our LiveChat function on our website www.gmp.police.uk or via the independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Emily Sergeant -
17th October 2024 
