News
Brothers campaign to legalise assisted dying after mum forced to spend £10k to end ‘suffering’
Glenys Porter made the decision to end her life at a clinic in Switzerland after suffering from Huntington’s disease
Two brothers from Southport have joined a campaign to legalise assisted dying in the UK after their mum chose to end her life in a Swiss clinic.
In March 2012, Andrew and Peter Squires travelled to Switzerland with their sixty-seven-year-old mum, Glenys Porter, so she could die with the help of doctors at Dignitas, an assisted dying clinic.
Former jeweller Glenys had spent the final ten years of her life in the advanced stages of Huntington’s disease, a neurological disorder which leaves sufferers unable to walk, talk or swallow unaided.
The mother-of-two had attempted to take her own life on a number of occasions as a result of the debilitating illness before making the decision to travel to Switzerland, where assisted dying is legal.
The trip cost her in the region of £10,000.
In an op-ed for campaign organisation Dignity in Dying, Andrew wrote of his mum’s experience: “Over a prolonged period of time, Mum had lost a great deal of her independence.
“She had become a member of Dignitas, and had decided if her terminal illness became too much to bear she would want to travel to Switzerland to end her life.
“Completely of sound mind with regards to travelling to Dignitas, she was very determined to see it through to the end, and go with dignity.
“Some people are against assisted dying, and it will be debated for some time yet, but the question is this: is it fair and moral to prevent any person of sound mind, with a terminal disease, to choose to end their suffering at a time and place that they want to?
“This is a basic human right, for us all.”
Andrew continued: “The trip to Dignitas was a sad time for everyone in our family but my brother and I went with mum to support her in her final days – we would never have let her die alone.
“We both love and miss our mum terribly and both know she would have wished to die in her own home had it been possible.
“The law in the UK and other countries needs to be changed – my brother and I support such a change in the law to allow people of sound mind to make an informed choice to end their suffering in their own home.”
In the UK, it is not illegal for people to travel to Dignitas clinics in order to access assisted dying, but if they travel with a loved one that person could face criminal proceedings upon their return to the UK and risk up to fourteen years in prison.
Andrew has since urged those who support the legalisation of assisted dying to sign Dignity in Dying’s petition, which calls upon the government to hold a debate on assisted dying.
The petition reads: “Dying people in the UK should not have to suffer unbearably against their wishes in their final days and weeks of life. Without assisted dying, some people will die without adequate pain relief, symptom control or dignity.
“People should not be forced to take drastic measures or travel to another country to end their own life; they should have the option of dying at home, on their own terms, just as dying people do in New Zealand and parts of Australia and the USA, as well as several countries in Europe.”
You can read more about the petition and sign it for yourself here.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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