What's On
This Manchester meditation event is helping boost mental wellbeing during lockdown
Meditation can reduces stress, frustration, depression and pain while increasing happiness
Manchester Let’s Meditate is a new online community event and fundraising initiative, and it’s open to everyone to help support people during these difficult times of lockdown.
It’s set to take place over seven days, starting Monday February 8th, and was created and developed by Forever Manchester supporter, Liane Grimshaw – a local small business owner who found meditation helped to overcome her own depression and anxiety.
Forever Manchester is a charity that raises money to fund and support community activity across Greater Manchester. They believe that connected communities make stronger, happier communities, and love to promote any activity that brings people together.
We all know of the increased stresses and strains of these uncertain times and more people are suffering with stress, anxiety, sleep problems, and generally worrying about the future.
Most of us are stuck at home, working from home while juggling added pressures of childcare and isolation from our loved ones.
As such, you’re not alone if you find yourself struggling with negative thoughts and feelings.
But when everything seems out of our control and the uncertainty seems unbearable, there are tools which can help you cope, like meditation, an act which enables us to slow down, let our mind unwind and our body let go of stress.
There’s lots of benefits to meditation, including:
- Calms your busy mind and helps you find a greater sense of peace
- Reduces stress, frustration, depression and pain while increasing happiness
- Heightens levels of acceptance and compassion
- Develops strength and confidence to deal with anything life throws at you
- Helps you learn how to let go of the things that no longer serve you
- Improves both the quantity and quality of your sleep
- Improves personal relationships
- Gives you greater control over emotional reactions to people and situations
- Reduces the physical and mental symptoms of stress and anxiety
- Improves memory, focus and concentration
- Helps you become more present and less distracted
- Helps you develop a greater sense of enjoyment in life
Liane, the host and curator of Manchester Let’s Meditate, said: “I lead a busy life with many challenges, and I can honestly say that meditation has saved my mind and improved my experience of life.
“I am bringing many outstanding teachers, who have given their time and energy for free to support this event.”
Vicky Procter, Assistant Marketing Manager at Forever Manchester, added: “Manchester Let’s Meditate encapsulates the essence of what fundraising for Forever Manchester is all about – helping local people do extraordinary things together.
“It’s a tough time for everyone and Manchester Let’s Meditate is all about developing skills to improve our mental wellbeing, learn about mindfulness and generally bring our community together for something positive albeit online. We encourage everyone to book a session and donate however much or little as you can.”
So whether you’re already an expert in meditation or simply wanting to try something new for 2021, Manchester Let’s Meditate is the perfect event to learn skills for both body and mind to last a lifetime, all while raising money for Forever Manchester to fund and support our local communities across Greater Manchester.
Meditation is a skill anyone can develop and it’s a way of training the mind, exactly like you train your body in the gym – the more you do it, the greater the benefits you will enjoy.
Meditation costs nothing, can be done anywhere, by anyone, with no special equipment needed. You don’t have to be religious or into spirituality and science has proved its beneficial effect on our health, both physically and mentally.
You can find more info, view sessions, book online and make a donation by visiting the website here.
What's On
Hawksmoor creates ultimate steak sandwich for huge Manchester barbecue event
Can’t wait for this!
Live From The Grill is returning in 2024 for a third year, bringing with it next level barbecue food, drinks, live music and DJs.
Deansgate Square will once again host a weekend of BBQs from some of Manchester’s best restaurants, including Hawksmoor, who will be serving up the ultimate steak sandwich.
Also serving up some top scran will be Knight’s Caribbean BBQ, Japanese robata by Kitten, Food Sorcery Cookery School, and Chit ‘n’ Chaat with Indian street food.
Manchester’s Finest Group
Plus, there’s £3.50 pints all day and other drinks deals exclusively for Manchester’s Finest subscribers – so make sure you get signed up.
The free event is taking place on Saturday August 31st and Sunday September 1st, down at one of the city centre’s most exciting new neighbourhoods, New Jackson.
Both Saturday and Sunday’s day-long parties are free to attend with tickets. Saturday will feature Rinse.FM residents Habitat, DJ G2 & Friends, soulful drum and bass from Rare Groove, and Manchester’s longest-running club night, Funkademia.
Manchester’s Finest Group
Sunday is curated by Gigpig and is all about the bands, including rising jazz superstar Kemani Anderson, electro-soul singer Yemi Bolatiwa, 60s and 70s-inspired blues duo Corduroy Moustache, singer-songwriters Ruby J and Grace Kelly, as well as a set from DJ Lenny.
Live From The Grill 2024 is happening at Deansgate Square, New Jackson, M15 4TN, from 12pm till 8pm both days.
Tickets are free, grab them here.
What's On
Manchester’s biggest after work drinks with FREE pints happening this week
Get yourself down!
What promises to be Manchester’s biggest after work drinks is happening this week, and you can head down for a pint on us.
Manchester’s Finest is serving up complimentary drinks at a secret location in town, and you’re invited to enjoy an after work drink on the house.
This is in collaboration with the new ChinChin app, which helps you organise nights out with your mates.
Manchester’s Finest Group
The massive after work social is happening this week, on Thursday August 15th.
Simply head to the secret location from 5.30pm to enjoy one of 400 pints being given away – choose from Amstel, Inch’s cider or a soft drink.
The fastest and easiest way to make plans with friends, download the ChinChin app to find out where to head and join in the fun.
Manchester’s Finest Group
To secure your invite (and free pint), create your ChinChin account, click the link to let us know you’re coming, and head to the secret spot – which will be revealed on the app.
And if that’s not enough, ChinChin will also throw in £5 Uber credit for attendees to safely get home too – redeem it when you first check-in on ChinChin.
Please drink responsibly.
What's On
The North’s best street food is coming to Manchester this weekend
The best street food is coming to Manchester
The British Street Food Awards Northern heats are coming to Freight Island this weekend, bringing with it some of the region’s best street food.
Part of the largest street food competition in the world, the free event arrives in the city this summer this weekend, August 17th and 18th.
The Northern champion will be selected by a panel of judges: Matty White, known for his work on Manchester’s Finest and Steph’s Packed Lunch, Luke Payne, chef at The Pack Horse in Hayfield, and British Street Food Awards founder and food journalist Richard Johnson.
Hello Oriental
The participating traders have now been released, along with their taster dishes which are all available at £6.50, as well as an additional ‘killer dish’.
You can sample Caribbean food from Back-a-yard Jamaican, Baldy’s artisan pies, Burgerism, Colombo Street’s Sri Lankan street food, and Asian fusion from Fuku, and Hello Oriental.
There’s Greek classics from Mega Gyros, Mia’s Arepas, Pattersons fried chicken, Indian street food from Payal, Rio-Mex’s fusion of Brazilian and Mexican street food, and BBQ from Smoking Coal.
British Street Food Awards
Don’t miss traditional Malaysian cuisine from Syiok-Lah, That Ziki’s Greek street food with a modern twist, and Zapp, who are bringing traditional Polish street food.
Past winners of the prestigious award include MEATliquor, Wingmans and BAO. The winner of this year’s competition will head to London for the UK finals in September.
And in even better news, you can head down yourself and try all of the North’s best street food over the weekend.
Colombo Street
You can also have your say in the People’s Choice award, with the winners of both announced on August 18th.
The awards coincide with Freight’s summer of top tier – and free – music programming too, with Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip headlining Sunday’s line-up, alongside the Body Heat DJs.
Grab your free tickets here.
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Hawksmoor creates ultimate steak sandwich for huge Manchester barbecue event
Manchester’s biggest after work drinks with FREE pints happening this week
The North’s best street food is coming to Manchester this weekend
