News
Funerals and hospital appointments cancelled because of Queen’s funeral
‘To cancel funerals is definitely a step too far. Are feelings and emotions permitted for one family only?’
‘Thousands’ of funerals and hospital appointments have been cancelled as the nation comes to a standstill to mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth.
Her Majesty’s funeral – set to take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday September 19th – marks a nationwide bank holiday, giving workers up and down the country the day off to remember the long-serving monarch.
However, it has emerged today that a number of funeral services have also been cancelled or postponed to honour the Queen’s burial, as have ‘thousands’ of NHS hospital appointments and surgeries.
A woman rang into LBC this morning to share that her mother’s funeral, originally scheduled to take place on Monday, had been postponed because of the Queen’s burial.
She explained that the flowers, the service cars and the wake had all been arranged and paid for, and that relatives were even flying in from the US to be there for the service.
People have been taking to Twitter to slam the decision to cancel or postpone funeral services as ‘absurd’ and ‘despicable’.
One person commented: “Why should the scheduled funerals of the dearly departed be cancelled because the Queen died? Her life isn’t more worthy than theirs.
“Why’s the Govt & King Charles III allowing this? It’s why I say the Monarchy symbolises entrenched inequalities.”
Another noted: “To cancel a funeral/funerals is definitely a step too far. [Are] feelings and emotions permitted for one family only?”
Additionally, openDemocracy has reported that NHS trusts have postponed ‘thousands’ of ‘non-urgent’ procedures and appointments as a result of the national mourning period.
These cancellations include replacement surgeries, eye surgeries, maternity checks and even cancer treatments.
Many patients had been waiting months for surgery, only to have it cancelled a week beforehand. In a letter to one patient, the NHS blamed ‘unforeseen circumstances’.
The decision to cancel appointments comes as hospital waiting lists hit an all-time high, with almost 6.8 million people waiting for appointments at the end of July.
Astonishingly, more than 377,000 of these patients had been waiting for more than a year.
NHS data also shows that nearly 40% of cancer patients had their treatment delayed beyond the two-month maximum.
Announcing the decision to cancel appointments on Monday, NHS bosses at one trust said that if any doctors were ‘willing to operate’ they would be ‘supported’.
A doctor at one trust told openDemocracy: “I imagine most of the doctors would be happy to just ignore the bank holiday, but we are totally reliant on a huge team of people paid minimum wage and treated like s**t like porters and cleaners, and I imagine they will take a bank holiday if offered – as I would in their position.”
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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