News
eBay sellers flogging off Hidden Disability lanyards so people can ‘get out’ of wearing a mask
Disgusting.
eBay auctioneers are selling hidden disability lanyards so that buyers can avoid wearing mask.
The Sunflower Lanyard was originally introduced in 2016 to allow workers to recognise those who require extra assistance in public spaces.
Since March, the beginning of lockdown, the Hidden Disabilities scheme has been printing a ‘facemask exempt’ card for those who are not able to wear a mask due to a physical or mental impairment.
The mask exempt cards and lanyards are officially given out by charities or can be bought directly from the Hidden Disabilities website.
You do not need a doctor’s note to purchase one, although the scheme does list those who should be included in the scheme.
Priced at just 55p, the website firmly states ‘this item is not for resale.’ However, greedy eBay sellers are flogging the lanyards online to those who don’t want to wear a face covering.
With 438 listings on eBay, some sellers are asking for as much as £23 for the unofficial version of the lanyard, with discounted offers such as buy two get one free or price reduction for multiple buys.
Concerns arise as a big part of the people using the lanyards are able-bodied people who are buying them simply because they don’t want to wear a face covering.
One Twitter user wrote: “People who aren’t medically exempt and simply don’t want to wear a mask are getting the lanyards, that’s the problem.”
A second added: “Unfortunately many people are abusing this Lanyard as a way to avoid wearing a mask.”
Another said: The abuse of it [the lanyard] by those who wish to push an anti-mask (and frankly, anti-science) agenda is worrying.”
A spokesperson for Hidden Disabilities told Fabulous Digital: “We are aware that sadly, some people are abusing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard Scheme by reselling our lanyards and other wearables at inflated prices for profit on sites such as Ebay and Amazon.
The charity confirmed that they do have a verified retailer on eBay and that they are monitoring the reselling of the badges and lanyards.
They added: “It is worth noting that there are a number of official resellers that are charities reselling our products on these sites. To be an official reseller you would have been issued with a certification badge, so please keep an eye out for these as they are legitimately doing so.”
We’re pleased to announce that Proper Manchester is rebranding as Finest City Guides.
As part of this change, the Proper Manchester brand, including its social media channels, will transition to the Finest City Guides name.
This is a rebrand of the existing platform rather than a new or unrelated business. The same team behind Proper Manchester will continue to operate Finest City Guides as we develop the platform under its new identity.
Previous name: Proper Manchester
New name: Finest City Guides
Our social channels and other brand assets will be updated to reflect the Finest City Guides name as part of this transition.
More from Finest City Guides coming soon.
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.
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