The UK’s first veteran care village is now complete following a massive £12.5m transformation.
Broughton House in Salford has cared for more than 8,000 veterans since it opened its doors to the ex-service community in 1916, and has now been given a new lease of life after the demolition of the original home in 2020.
The newly modernised care village now boasts a sixty-four-bed care home and six retirement apartments with different wings, all designed with the purpose of offering trailblazing provision for the north west’s armed forces community.
The Stoller Wing – named in honour of north west businessman and philanthropist Sir Norman Stoller, who donated £4m to the project – pays homage to Broughton House’s history with a museum telling the stories of former residents, displaying rare war medals and historic memorabilia.
Broughton House
The wing also includes a number of modern facilities, including a gym, a hairdressing and barber’s salon, and a restaurant and bar exclusively for the use of residents.
There is also the Jellicoe Wing – named after World War One hero Viscount Sir John Jellicoe, who opened the original Broughton House building – which has two sixteen-bedroom households.
One household is dedicated to veterans with dementia, while the other focuses on providing welfare support and counselling for ex-service people of all ages living in the local community.
Residents of these apartments can access all the facilities that Broughton House offers, including a wide programme of wellbeing activities and personal support.
Broughton House
Broughton House chief executive Karen Miller said these amenities give residents the chance to be more active and sociable than other traditional care homes offer.
Derrick Corfield, a World War Two veteran and Broughton House resident, said on the new complex: “The new care village is ideal for people like myself who have been living alone, as it puts us back into that bigger family again.
“It’s a place that celebrates our history, and understands the things we have done in our lives and been a part of.
“I’m really enjoying the activities, especially the history club, so it will be nice to welcome more veterans to the new care village.”
Broughton House
Karen Miller added: “Broughton House Veteran Care Village is open to all ex-servicemen and women and their families.
“We have delivered a superb, 21st century care home for veterans with high quality accommodation. There are no shared rooms, and each one has en-suite facilities, TV and telephone points, a nurse call system and fully-adjustable electric beds.
“With our Armed Forces Support Hub and the new apartments, we are now able offer a vital trilogy of services to the region’s veteran community – nursing, residential and dementia care, outreach support and independent living.
“Following our transition, we are actively recruiting staff as we increase the number of residents, in particular nursing and care staff from all backgrounds.”
Kendall Hoopes / Pexels & Patrick Emerson / Flickr
As the temperature has noticeably dropped and winter is well and truly here, an eerie-looking full Beaver Moon will illuminate the foggy night sky tonight.
Tonight (November 27th) will be a full Beaver Moon and this striking vision will be visible in the sky from the late afternoon as evenings are now getting dark much earlier.
This full Moon is extra special as it marks the last one before Christmas and the penultimate of 2023.
This winter full moon’s name is believed to be derived from the time of year when beavers retire to their dens in anticipation of the winter months, as they gather and store their supplies.
Sue Thompson / Flickr
It is also believed some Native American tribes as well as American colonists called the November full moon the Beaver Moon because this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs.
An alternative name for November’s full moon is the Frost Moon, which was also coined by Native Americans – which makes sense as the winter frost begins to set in.
The best time to see tonight’s dazzling display will be just after the Moon rises, while it is still close to the horizon and appears to be much larger than normal.
Dr Baskill, astronomer and lecturer at the University of Sussex, told BBC Science Focus: “You have a second opportunity to admire the full Moon hugging the horizon when it rises in the north-east as the Sun sets later that same day.
Kendall Hoopes / Pexels
“Full Moons always occur when the Moon is on the opposite side of the sky to the Sun, and it is fully illuminated by sunshine – which is where the name ‘full Moon’ originates.”
As the Moon rises above the horizon it may appear larger than normal, although this is just an optical illusion.
However, Dr Baskill promised it would be an ‘impressive sight when it’s low on the horizon’.
The typical northern weather may make the full Beaver Moon less visible in the sky as cloud cover obstructs our view. However, we may still be able to catch a glimpse of this spectacular sight with the odd break here and there.
Patrick Emerson / Flickr
Stargazers across Manchester, parts of Wales and the South West may stand a good chance with clearer skies than London and the South East – as these areas have been told to prepare for wet weather.
Aside from the skies, stargazers will probably want to wrap up warm as they look out at the impressive moon, as temperatures are expected to drop to 5C.
Beaver Moons happen in November, making the next one not until around this time next year – so remember to look up and don’t miss out!
Maccies is making Christmas extra special by putting Paddington soft toys in its Happy Meals and families are delighted.
The cute Christmas collectables are available at McDonald’s restaurants now and are included in Happy Meals to give children a wonderful festive surprise.
Paddington teddies come in a range of 10 different Christmas outfits, while still keeping the bear’s signature blue coat and red hat.
McDonald’s
The collection includes the iconic bear wearing a Christmas elf hat, a Christmas jumper, reindeer ears, a Santa hat, wearing a Christmas tree and more.
Each soft toy comes with Paddington’s message, ‘Please look after this bear. Thank you’.
Guess you’ll just have to keep eating Happy Meals to make sure you collect all the festive Paddington bears! Fans can even hang the tiny toys on their Christmas tree as they come with a small hanging loop.
McDonald’s
There’s also two different Paddington books to be found inside the playful cardboard box meals – First Snow and The Christmas Wish.
And children can find Paddington puzzles and colouring pictures inside their box meals to keep them entertained.
The mini plush Paddington toys and books are now in all Happy Meals until January 3rd, 2024.
McDonald’s
Families are already absolutely in love with the new range and many flocked to a post of the bears in a Facebook group, where they shared their delight in the comments.
The post has already raked in hundreds of likes and thousands of comments.
One shopper said: “Perfect excuse to get a McDonald’s.” Another agreed: “As if I need an excuse for a McDonald’s.” As others fans simply said, ‘need them all’.
Paddington released a range of bears for McDonald’s Happy Meals last summer which included him as a dancer, a magician, an astronaut and more. They proved a huge hit with the kids and it looks like the Christmas range is spreading just as much excitement, if not more!
Viewers watching the latest series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! are feeling confused after Nella Rose chose to ‘agree to disagree’ with Nigel Farage but ‘fell out’ with Fred Sirieix.
YouTuber Nella Rose was at the centre of another heated argument in the camp on Wednesday evening (November 22nd), but this time it was with Nigel Farage.
In the previous episode, the 26-year-old had a ‘falling out’ with First Dates’ Fred Sirieix after he pointed out their age difference and commented that he ‘could be her dad’.
Rose took offence to the comment as her dad passed away four years ago. Since the misunderstanding, Rose had refused to eat food Sirieix cooked for the camp.
ITV
In last night’s episode, Rose confronted Farage about his stance on immigration – as they stood around the bath – and after an intense debate, they ‘agreed to disagree’, leaving viewers completely puzzled.
Rose said to Farage that she ‘wanted to get everything out in the open’, asking: “Apparently you’re anti-immigrants?” Farage responded by saying ‘Who told you that?’ to which Rose replied: “The internet.”
The pair went on to have a discussion about why certain ethnicities may not like him, with Farage telling Rose that she’d be ‘surprised’ by the amount of people that actually do like him.
Then Rose asked: “So everyone hates you for no reason? Not that everyone hates you, that was so bad. Sorry.”
ITV
Farage said: “You can disagree with somebody, but to chuck around accusations the way they’ve been chucked around is grossly unfair. Anti-immigrant, right?
“No, no, all I’ve said is we cannot go on with the numbers coming to Britain that are coming.”
The pair had a debate about Britain’s rising population and its increasing number of immigrants, with Nigel remarking that growing numbers were a ‘good thing, unless you want a GP appointment’.
Rose pointed out the underfunding of the NHS, as she responded: “You’re not getting an appointment because the NHS is lacking funding.”
ITV
The social media personality also pointed out how many immigrants go on to work for the NHS, saying: “I bet you anything if every single immigrant or from immigrant descent was to leave the UK, all your doctors, go… most of your doctors are Asian right? Most of your nurses are African women, right?”
She continued: “You want us gone, that’s all I understood.” Farage interrupted to say: “Stop it. Stop it. That’s not… Nella, you’re not listening to a single word I’m saying. You’re not.”
Then Rose cooled down the heated argument by saying: “It’s okay for us to disagree on this.”
Farage said: “We can agree to disagree, if you listen.” To which Rose added: “I am listening.”
ITV
Viewers were left baffled as to how Rose could ‘agree to disagree’ with Farage but still hold a grudge against Sireieix.
However, she dismissed talk of a divide and denied there was ‘a situation’ between the pair, saying: “I don’t feel any kind of way. He’s over there, I’m over here. Everyone just does their own thing.”
I’m A Celeb fans took to the internet to voice their confusion, as one asked: “After yesterdays episode I just cannot watch or listen to Nella anymore… how can she be so vile to Fred over nothing but she’s ‘cool’ with Nigel after that debate that she wouldn’t even listen to #ImACeleb.”
ITV
Another said: “”Hang on… Nella has a go at Fred for saying his age, but Nigel can argue about immigrants at her and she will agree to disagree?”
Meanwhile, a third commented: “Nella can agree to disagree with NIGEL FARAGE BUT NOT FRED??”
And a fourth agreed: “Oh stuff off Nella if you can talk to Nigel Farage, you can talk to Fred ffs #ImACeleb”.