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You can visit loads of the UK’s best culture and heritage sites for FREE this autumn

'Heritage Open Days' is back by popular demand for its 30th anniversary this autumn.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 10th June 2024

The UK’s largest festival of history and culture is returning later this year, and there’s thousands of free events on the lineup.

Following what was a smash-hit success, both here in Greater Manchester and nationwide, when it was here last year and over the three decades prior, the National Trust‘s ‘Heritage Open Days’ are back by popular demand in a couple of months time, and means loads of top attractions in the UK will be open to visit for free from this autumn.

‘Heritage Open Days’ are run by thousands of local organisations and volunteers, and they’re all about bringing people together to celebrate their culture, community, and history.

From historic houses, factories, and museums, to music halls, formal gardens, and graveyards, countless of places and spaces across the country will be open to the public again from this September, all without having to spend a penny.

‘Heritage Open Days’ is back by popular demand later this year / Credit: Paul Harris & Chris Lacey (via HODs)

Not only that, but thousands of other intriguing events, activities, and fun new experiences are on the lineup too, all centred around this year’s theme, ‘Routes – Networks – Connections‘.

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You can expect workshops, talks, hidden spaces, walks, family-friendly activities, and so much more.

Just a some of the experiences Brits can make the most of during this year’s 10-day festival include the chance to explore the history of Joseph Whitwell through the paths and waterways at Hollybush Conservation Centre in Leeds, with a self-guided tour celebrating his legacy in Yorkshire as the world’s largest forced rhubarb producer, and even the unique opportunity of going behind the scenes of helicopter emergency medical services at the East Anglian Air Ambulance base to discover how every second counts when saving lives.

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How about discovering “a castle that’s not a castle, on an island that’s not an island”?

Well, you can do just that by venturing across the causeway to The Holy Island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland to discover the magic of Lindisfarne Castle – with a garden designed by Gertrude Jekyll blooming with summer flowers, 19th-century industrial lime kilns, and shoreline walks.

“The scale and diversity of Heritage Open Days is just incredible,” explained Liam Montgomery, who is the Marketing & Projects Manager at Heritage Open Days.

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There’ll be thousands of free events and activities to get involved with across the UK / Credit: Paul Harris (via HODs)

“Every year, thousands of passionate people help visitors to make doorstep discoveries and connect with history and heritage in every part of England.

“This year though, it will be extra special, as we will celebrate three decades-worth of stories and all the brilliant people and places that have made it, and continue to make it, all possible.”

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‘Heritage Open Days’ will be running from 6-15 September this year, and you can find out more about this brilliant UK-wide event here.

Featured Image – Paul Harris (via HODs)

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Chester Zoo’s sellout 10k charity run returns this summer with three new routes

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Chester Zoo Run For Nature

Chester Zoo has announced that its popular Run For Nature is back again this summer, and this year, there’s three new routes to run.

The UK’s biggest charity zoo saw success with similar sold-out events in 2023 and 2024, and is now looking for 2,500 runners to sign up for one of the North West’s most unique athletic experiences when it returns later this year – with all funds raised from the popular event going towards efforts to protect highly-endangered giraffes in Africa.

Participants will this year take on a brand-new route winding through more of the zoo than ever before, and enjoying glimpses of elephants, lemurs, and other incredible species along the way, before heading out into the picturesque Cheshire countryside.

Chester Zoo is inviting runners of all abilities to take part this year, as there’s a new 5km run added to the usual 10km route, and even a one-mile ‘Zoom’ fun run for kids aged four-15.

With only 2,500 places up for grabs, organisers say the event is expected to sell out quickly, just like it has the past two years, as runners race to support a very special cause.

All proceeds from this year’s Run For Nature in September will go directly towards protecting Nubian giraffes in East Africa – a species which has seen drastic population declines in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching and conflict with humans.

Chester Zoo Run For Nature
Chester Zoo’s sellout 10k charity run is returning this summer with three new routes / Credit: Chester Zoo

Runners will receive a wooden medal at the finish line and free entry to the zoo for the remainder of the day, so they can relax and celebrate their achievement among 30,000 amazing animals.

If that didn’t all sound brilliant enough as it is, top fundraisers from the day will also be in with a chance of winning some exciting prizes too, including annual zoo memberships, animal adoptions, and even special behind-the-scenes zoo experiences.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing back Run For Nature for a third incredible year,” explained Sarah Jones, who is the Fundraising Lead at Chester Zoo.

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“We’ve now doubled the distance runners spend inside the zoo, so they’ll pass by even more iconic animals, [making it] a really special experience you won’t get anywhere else.”

Run For Nature is back at Chester Zoo this Sunday 21 September, and you can find out more and sign up to take part here.

Featured Image – Chester Zoo

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Olly Murs at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia Olly Murs Co-op Live Manchester gig times

The ‘Troublemaker’ himself Olly Murs is ready to cause some more chaos, and this time he’s returning to Manchester with throwback boyband, Blue.

X Factor and British star Olly Murs is embarking on his latest UK arena tour, which feels more like lads on tour with a helping hand from UK boyband, Blue.

Back in the late noughties, it was hard to escape the blazer-wearing, trilby-wearing popstar as he was dropping back-to-back bangers like ‘Heart Skips a Beat’ and doo-wop inspired ‘Dance With Me Tonight’.

Now, this cheeky chappy is embarking on the ’15 Years Of Hits – Live 2025′ tour, where he’ll be belting out all those classics as well as some more recent tunes too.

Olly Murs is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester this week.
Olly Murs is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester this week.
Credit: Marcos Moreno via Wikimedia Commons

Olly Murs UK tour dates

  • Thu 8 May – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Fri 9 May – Leeds, UK – first direct arena
  • Sat 10 May – Sheffield, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Mon 12 May – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Tue 13 May – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Thu 15 May – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
  • Fri 16 May – Birmingham, UK – bp pulse live
  • Sat 17 May – London, UK – The O2 Arena
  • Sun 18 May – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley
  • Thu 22 May – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
  • Fri 23 May – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
  • Sat 24 May – Birmingham, UK – bp pulse live
  • Sun 25 May – London, UK – The O2 Arena

Are there tickets left for Olly Murs’ Co-op Live gig?

There are just a few tickets left for Olly Murs at Co-op Live, so make sure you bag yours before your ‘Heart Skips a Beat’.

To see a range of tickets and prices in all sections of this impressive new entertainment venue, Co-op Live, tickets can be found HERE.

Plus, even if you miss out on the Co-op Live, we wouldn’t worry too much, because the British popstar is also coming to AO Arena later this month near the end of his tour with tickets HERE.

Olly Murs 2025 tour – ’15 Years Of Hits’ setlist

This Essex chap might have a solid setlist which he follows night in and night out, but he’s no stranger to being a bit ‘Unpredictable’ – I mean, he’s bringing a flamethrower on stage…

No, seriously, LOOK:

After being on our screens and airwaves for almost two decades, it’s no surprise that this setlist is lengthy, totalling at just over 20 songs, give or take the 80s medley weaved into the mix.

Who doesn’t love a bit of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ paired alongside Murs’ stacked setlist?

  • Troublemaker
  • Right Place Right Time
  • Please Don’t Let Me Go
  • Thinking of Me
  • Oh My Goodness
  • Heart Skips a Beat
  • Kiss Me
  • Army of Two
  • Hand on Heart
  • Up
  • Die of a Broken Heart / I Found Her / Dancing on Cars / I Hate You When You’re Drunk (Marry Me Medley)
  • Seasons
  • You Don’t Know Love
  • I’m Your Man / Never Gonna Give You Up / Livin’ On a Prayer / Beat It / Careless Whisper / I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) / I’m So Excited (80s Medley)
  • Dear Darlin’
  • Years & Years
  • Never Been Better
  • Wrapped Up
  • Save Me
  • Dance With Me Tonight

What are the stage times for Olly Murs in Manchester?

Olly Murs sporting his usual blazer and top-hat style back in 2013.
Olly Murs sporting his usual blazer and top-hat style back in 2013.

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning concertgoers can be ‘Wrapped Up’ in the Essex popstar’s hits without having to worry about getting home too late. It’s a school night after all!

Doors for Olly Murs’ ‘15 Years Of Hits – Live 2025’ are scheduled for 6:30pm, with a kick-off time of 7:30pm and support from 2000s UK boyband, Blue.

The BRIT Award winners, Eurovision-performing and one-time chart toppers, are back together once again and about to take us back to pop school as we re-learn the words to boyband textbook classics, including ‘All Rise’, Best in Me’, ‘Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word’ and more.

How to get to Co-op Live

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, fortunately, it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre; they run until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.

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Getting there by car and parking

If you’re driving, there are limited parking spaces available at the venue but these must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are also designated drop-off areas.

The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.

Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:

  • Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
  • Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
  • Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

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  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.

For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Mark Hayman/ Edward Cooke/Marcos Moreno (supplied)

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