Fancy taking a freezing cold dip all in the name of raising funds for a worthy cause in just a few weeks time?
In case you hadn’t heard, last month, one of Manchester‘s most iconic and longest-standing charities, We Love MCR Charity, launched its latest fundraising mission and is gearing up to hearts racing with an exhilarating cold water immersion dip in Sale Water Park near Valentine’s Day next month.
And there’s still time to stick your name down and give it a go.
Daredevils Mancs taking part will be raising funds for the 25-year-old charity’s work supporting ambitious communities and young people across our region.
This isn’t the first time We Love MCR Charity has turned heads and raised eyebrows with its fundraising missions as of late, as over the last 18 months, the charity has hosted a firewalk in St. Peter’s Square, and persuaded 104 brave souls to complete Manchester’s longest-ever abseil off a 22-storey tower block.
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Next up in the series of ‘mind-over-matter’ challenges, those brave enough to take part will plunge themselves into the water at Sale Water Park, wearing anything but a wetsuit, and during the time of year when freshwater is at its coldest at around 3°C.
Want a proper challenge to start off 2023? 🤔
Join fellow daredevils in our sponsored dip in Sale Water Park this February, led by Wim-Hof trained cold-water immersion experts, all raising funds for We Love MCR Charity! ❤️❄️
Don’t worry though, you won’t be left alone, as the challenge will be delivered by Jane McCormick of Open Swim UK – who is accredited in cold-water immersion training by world-renowned expert Wim Hof, whose name you may have heard of quite a lot recently thanks to his popularisation of ice water swimming and the benefits it can provide.
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Full training in breathwork and controlling the body’s response to cold water will be provided by Jane for all participants at the lake side ahead of the challenge.
While the daring dip will undoubtedly be the main event on the big day – which is sponsored by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, with all event costs covered – there’ll also be entertainment and refreshments will also be available for dippers plus their friends and family who come to cheer them on.
Music will be provided by DJs and Manchester-based artist Ceeow.
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You can still sign up to ‘take the plunge’ in a freezing charity challenge next month / Credit: WLMC
A good handful of people have already signed-up to take part in the challenge, and one of those brave individuals is Julie.
“I have found a huge benefit to my mental health since cold water dipping, so the opportunity to do something I love which benefits me, to then benefit We Love MCR through fundraising, was a no brainer really,” Julie explained ahead of the challenge next month.
“Plus doing it with others is always a huge thrill and buzz.”
The We Love MCR Charity Valentine’s Dip is taking place on Saturday 18 February.
Limited to just 150 places, the event fee is just £10, and dippers are asked to raise a minimum of £150 in sponsorship, so if you fancy it, you can head on over to the We Love MCR Charity website to find more on the event and to learn about the positive work the charity undertakes across Manchester.
Trafford Centre to host FREE family science weekend with robots, dinosaurs, experiments, and more
Emily Sergeant
A new science festival is coming to Manchester next month, and little ones can meet robots, dinosaurs, and more.
Families are invited to enjoy a free fun-filled weekend full of different interactive and hands-on science activities, as FunLab takes over the Trafford Centre early next month to mark the launch of British Science Week – which runs from Friday 6 through to Sunday 15 March.
The weekend-long celebration is hosted by the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester.
You can expect robots, dinosaurs, experiments, and interactive activities to be brought to life for visitors of all ages, and for completely free of charge.
In the dedicated dinosaur zone, you can step back in time with spectacular displays and meet real-life palaeontologists who will reveal fascinating secrets of the prehistoric world, as well as get the chance to handle genuine fossils, find out how scientists understand ancient life, and take as many selfies as possible.
FunLab takes over the Trafford Centre early next month / Credit: Supplied
Over in the robot zone, this is where you’ll get to discover smart robots that move, react, and perform crowd‑pleasing tricks, while young engineers test their skills, control mini‑bots, and learn how robotics keeps people safe.
There’ll also be a flight simulator – suitable for children aged seven and above – where you can soar into the science of flight and take the controls in an exciting experience, before exploring how aircraft design, weather, and environments affect flight.
Families can also enjoy a wide mix of creative, sensory, and scientific fun in the dedicated experiments zone too.
There’ll be robots, dinosaurs, and loads of interactive experiments to try out / Credit: Alex Kondratiev (via Pexels)
“We’re thrilled to welcome FunLab to the centre and provide families with an unforgettable experience,” commented Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at the Trafford Centre. “From robot dogs to giant dinosaurs, there’s something to amaze everyone.”
A spokesperson for The University of Manchester added: “We are proud to showcase our world‑leading researchers directly to the community.
“Our scientists, engineers and students are passionate about sharing their work, and events like FunLab we want to show young people and their families that that science is exciting, creative and truly for everyone.”
FunLab takes over the Trafford Centre on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March, and you can find out more information here.
Featured Image – Mikhail Nilov (via Pexels)
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New stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House to arrive in Manchester this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
A brand-new stage adaptation of a bestselling horror novel and TV series is coming to Manchester this Halloween.
Following the critically acclaimed Netflix hit series that introduced a new generation to the eerie masterpiece, author Shirley Jackson’s famous The Haunting of Hill House is being turned into a brand-new stage adaptation later this year, and will be taking to one of Manchester’s most iconic stages at the spookiest season of all.
Written by Olivier and BAFTA award-winner Stef Smith, and directed by Martin Constantine, the new production is set to conjure the iconic supernatural thriller on stage.
It will be making its world premiere with a UK tour this autumn, stopping off in several major towns and cities along the way.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story, The Haunting of Hill House follows a group of daring investigators who take on the mystery of Hill House, before their curiosity quickly descends into fear.
A new stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House is coming to Manchester this Halloween / Credit: Supplied
“The Haunting of Hill House is one of the greatest supernatural novels of the last hundred years and to have the chance to adapt it for the stage is a true privilege,” explained writer Stef Smith, as the UK tour was announced this week.
“I find Shirley Jackson’s world intoxicating, thrilling and gut-wrenching.
“I believe there is something so deeply theatrical at the heart of Hill House. From the spooky, to the surreal, through heartache and hope. I hope that our cast of characters will take the audience along for a ride quite unlike anything else. Above all we will examine that the biggest horrors are usually human.”
The brand-new stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House will arrive in Manchester and take to the stage at Manchester Palace Theatre from Tuesday 27 October right through to Halloween itself (Saturday 31 October 2026).
Emily Sergeant -
13th January 2023 
