| Residents will come together at Rochdale Town Hall on October 16 for a Festival of Remembrance to pay tribute to members of the Armed Forces community.
The evening, organised by Rochdale Borough Council in partnership with the local veterans’ community, will recognise the service and sacrifice of Armed Forces personnel past and present. There will be music performed by military bands, an act of remembrance, historic war stories, and the chance for people to come together to reflect and reminisce. Guests will include the Mayor of Rochdale, Members of Parliament, councillors and dignitaries from across the Armed Forces. Any money raised at the event will go towards the Mayor of Rochdale’s charities for 2026/27. The charities are: –
Mayor of Rochdale, councillor Faisal Rana, said: “This will be a special evening as the Armed Forces community unites to pay its respect to the brave women and men for their service and sacrifice. It is sure to be a moving and memorable night in the stunning setting of the Great Hall at Rochdale Town Hall. “We last held a Festival of Remembrance in 2019, so this will be a poignant occasion as we bring together the Armed Forces family under one roof. As a veteran, I understand the importance of recognising the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces, as well as the council’s ongoing support for our military personnel.” Tickets for the Festival of Remembrance are £15, which includes a pie and pea supper. Tickets can be purchased at www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/ |
Armed Forces community to be honoured at Festival of Remembrance
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From tradition to innovation: EU organic food and drink arrives at ExCeL London
LONDON, UK. September 10th, 2026 – European organic food and drink will be in the spotlight at this year’s Natural & Organic Food Show, where trade visitors can sample a broad selection of products from across the EU at ExCeL London on 16–17 September 2026.
The EU’s More Than Only Food & Drink campaign will host stand NF151, featuring 40 products sourced from all 27 EU Member States. The showcase spans wine and spirits, fruit and vegetables, bakery, confectionery, meat and dairy, including 37 organic products and a selection with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status.
Recognised as a leading UK trade event for the natural, organic and sustainable products sector, the show brings together retailers, buyers, distributors, wholesalers and food industry professionals. The campaign stand will give visitors the opportunity to taste products from across the European Union while learning more about their origins, production methods and commercial potential.
A packed programme of tastings
Across the two-day event, visitors can enjoy three general sampling sessions each day, plus two specialist tastings hosted by expert advisors. Patrick McGuigan will lead a cheese tasting with pairings, while fresh produce consultant Kelly Shields will focus on fruit and vegetables.
The general sampling sessions will feature a selection of products from different EU countries and categories, including meat, dairy, beer, wines and spirits, bakery and confectionery. The specialist tastings will offer more curated selections, with the advisors sharing their expertise and helping visitors explore provenance, production techniques and product quality.
Among the products available to discover will be:
- Organic cheeses, including Comté PDO from France, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO from Italy, Halloumi PDO from Cyprus and Queso Manchego PDO from Spain.
- Organic wines and spirits, including Melnik PDO wine from Bulgaria, Douro PDO red wine from Portugal, single-vineyard Xynisteri PDO from Cyprus and Polish Vodka PGI.
- Organic Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil PGI from Austria, showcasing a distinctive regional ingredient with a protected connection to its place of production.
- Organic traditional European charcuterie, ranging from Prosciutto di Parma PDO and Spanish chorizo to Greek apaki and Croatian kulen.
- Organic bakery products, including Swedish sourdough rye bread, German pumpernickel and Dutch Gouda cheese biscuits.
- Distinctive fruit, vegetable and store-cupboard products, such as Estonian wild blueberry powder, Hungarian sweet paprika, Romanian pear juice and Slovakian rosehip and sea buckthorn tea.
Explore European cheese with Patrick McGuigan
Award-winning cheese writer and educator Patrick McGuigan will join the campaign stand to lead guided tastings and explore the breadth of European cheesemaking with visitors.
Speaking about the show, he said: “The most exciting thing about European cheese is that there is always a story behind the flavour. Comté PDO, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, Halloumi PDO and Queso Manchego PDO are all shaped by their local landscapes, raw materials and generations of cheesemaking expertise, yet each offers a completely different tasting experience.
“The guided tastings will give visitors the chance to explore these differences firsthand and understand what organic production and protected status mean in practice. For buyers, that combination of distinctive flavour, authentic provenance and a story that can be clearly communicated is particularly compelling.”
Expert insights into EU Fresh Produce with Kelly Shields
Kelly Shields, fresh produce policy expert and industry consultant, will share her knowledge of the EU fruit and vegetable sector during a dedicated tasting session. She said: “Europe’s fruit and vegetable sector is incredibly diverse, shaped by different climates, landscapes and growing traditions. The tasting will give visitors the opportunity to discover products from across the EU and explore how provenance, organic production and thoughtful processing can create distinctive flavours and formats.
“For buyers, products such as Estonian wild blueberry powder, Hungarian sweet paprika, Romanian pear juice and Slovakian rosehip and sea buckthorn tea demonstrate the potential of fruit and vegetables far beyond the fresh produce aisle. They offer interesting opportunities across retail, foodservice and product development, while giving businesses strong stories to tell around origin, quality and production.”
The campaign stand will also highlight the EU’s approach to organic agriculture, food quality, traceability and sustainable production. Visitors will have the chance to explore the regions represented and learn how producers are combining traditional expertise with innovation and changing approaches to responsible production.
For more information visit enjoy-its-from-europe.campaign.europa.eu.
ENDS
Rural Irish girl who left home at 16 sees life journey captured in new book
Manchester hospitality serves up good offers as Eat Well, Do Good returns next month
Eat Well, Do Good month is returning to Manchester in October with an even bigger programme of restaurants, chefs, bars and events coming together to fund chef-made meals for people facing the hardest of times.
For the second year, the city’s hospitality community is getting behind the campaign, with more businesses on board and more events being announced across the month.
Every pound raised going directly towards chef made meals for those in need including families in temporary accommodation, women in refuge, people relying on food banks and parents staying overnight with their children in hospital.
Since it was first founded in 2020 by chef and restaurateur Mary-Ellen McTague, alongside Kathleen 0’Connor and Gemma Saunders, Eat Well MCR has delivered more than 170,000 chef-made meals to people across Greater Manchester.
The month starts early with support from The Refuge as they celebrate 10 years of The refuge with a party on September 26 from Ghosts of Garage. Tickets are just £2, which pays for a meal for someone in need in Manchester.
From there, the programme runs the full breadth of Manchester’s food and drink scene.
October 5 sees the start of a one day food convention SCRAN, a day gathering chefs, farmers, producers, policy-makers and community leaders to reimagine what’s possible for Manchester’s food economy.
MasterChef winner Gareth Baty will take over The Refuge on October 7 for a very special fundraising dinner. The following night, Northern Quarter favourite Renae hosts an evening of “fund-raving” on October 8, with back-to-back sets from Lil’ Minx & Sarah Sweeney (Eve’s Drop Collective), Chunky & Synna G, and Il Bosco & Metrodome.
Elsewhere across the month, a Negroni Safari will see some of Manchester’s best bartenders put their own spin on the classic cocktail. October 26 brings a packed day of events, with Dishoom dedicating a special breakfast service to Eat Well MCR, Holly Pickles attempting a record-breaking pickle event at Track Brewery for a half-term family crowd, and Stockport hi-fi listening bar Odioba rounding off the day with a one-off supper club, with artist and DJ Stan Chow providing the soundtrack.
The month closes with a dinner beneath the whale at Manchester Museum on November 2, created in collaboration with Gorton Youth Zone and chef Mary-Ellen McTague, Eat Well MCR founder, – a finale that puts young people and the food they’ve helped create, at the very centre of the night.
Running throughout October is the campaign’s city-wide raffle, with prizes donated by local businesses including The Black Friar, Nell’s, Palms Bakers, The Ivy, Proloco, Flight Club, Manchester Bites Food Tours, Sampa and many more, with every ticket helping to fund meals across the city.
The 2026 programme is once again made possible with the support of headline partner Toast, whose backing is helping to expand the campaign’s reach and strengthen participation across Manchester’s hospitality community. Eat Well MCR is also hugely grateful for the continued support of St Pierre, a longstanding supporter of the charity whose generosity helps us deliver chef-made meals and develop our work across Greater Manchester.
Mary-Ellen McTague, co-founder of Eat Well MCR, said: “We are completely blown away by the support that has come from the Manchester hospitality community. Eat Well, Do Good Month has become such an important part of the Manchester food and drink calendar, and seeing it return for a second year with even more businesses and events involved is really special.
What started as an idea to bring the hospitality community together around good food and a good cause has grown into something much bigger, with restaurants, bars, chefs and businesses across the city all finding their own ways to get involved. The need is still huge, but so is the appetite from our hospitality community to help. We can’t wait to see everyone come together again this October and, most importantly, turn all that support into more meals for people who really need them.”
Eat Well MCR is still welcoming venues to take part. Restaurants, bars, cafés, delis and hospitality businesses across Greater Manchester can register their interest or find out more by contacting [email protected].
Structural Repairs celebrates national success with Best Large Business win
Structural Repairs has been named Best Large Business at the National Entrepreneur Awards 2026, recognising the company’s continued expansion, growing technical capabilities and the work of its team across the specialist structural repair sector.
The award was presented to Structural Repairs CEO Roger Line by Alex Horne at the Entrepreneurs’ Circle National Convention, held at the ICC Birmingham.
The Best Large Business category recognises established companies with annual turnover of more than £1 million that demonstrate strong and consistent growth, operational performance, clear competitive positioning and a defined strategy for the future.
Roger said the award reflects the work of the company’s wider team as Structural Repairs continues to expand its capabilities and the scale of projects it undertakes.
He said: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive the Best Large Business award. It is recognition of how far Structural Repairs has come and, importantly, of the people behind that progress.
“We have worked hard to build a business that can take on increasingly complex structural challenges while maintaining the technical standards and practical approach that our clients expect.
“I’d like to thank everyone at Structural Repairs for their contribution, as well as Entrepreneurs’ Circle and its CEO, Nigel Botterill, for the recognition and for putting on a fantastic event.”
Structural Repairs operates across the UK and further afield, delivering specialist structural investigation, repair, strengthening and rehabilitation services across infrastructure, industrial facilities, buildings and other critical assets.
Its work includes technically demanding environments such as highways, marine and coastal infrastructure, industrial sites and the wider built environment.
Roger said the company’s growth has been accompanied by continued investment in specialist engineering capabilities.
He said: “The market is changing and the structures we work on are becoming increasingly complex. Ageing infrastructure, asset deterioration and the need to extend the life of existing structures all require a very different level of technical expertise.
“Our focus has been on building those capabilities while keeping the business practical, responsive and focused on delivering solutions that work in the real world.
“Winning this award gives us confidence that we are heading in the right direction, but we see it as a milestone rather than a finishing point. There is a lot more we want to achieve.”
The national award comes during a significant period of development for the business, which is also a finalist in the Doncaster Business Awards 2026.
The company has been expanding its technical capabilities and developing a new facility in Doncaster, supporting its continued growth and the delivery of increasingly complex structural repair and rehabilitation projects.
Roger said the combination of national and regional recognition was particularly significant for the business.
“It is particularly pleasing to see the business recognised at both a national and local level.
“Doncaster is an important part of our story and our new development and manufacturing facility represents a major investment in the future of Structural Repairs.
“We are proud of what we have achieved so far, but our focus remains firmly on what comes next, continuing to grow the team, develop our technical expertise and help clients extend the life and performance of some of the UK’s most important structures and infrastructure.”
Roger was also shortlisted for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2026 at the National Entrepreneur Awards.
He said the recognition provided further encouragement as the business enters its next phase of growth.
“Being shortlisted for Entrepreneur of the Year alongside winning Best Large Business makes it a particularly memorable year.
“Ultimately, awards are a reflection of the people and the work behind a business. For me, the biggest satisfaction is seeing Structural Repairs continue to develop and knowing that we are building something with long-term value for our clients, our people and the wider industry.”
Dreams, Destiny and Romance Meet in Tracey Bergsma’s Debut Novel
MILTON KEYNES, UK. September 9th, 2026 – A new romantic fantasy from first-time author Tracey Bergsma invites readers into the emotional world of Emily, a young woman searching for answers while navigating grief, anxiety and the uncertainty of where she belongs. Through Emily’s Eyes combines romance and fantasy with elements of mystery, inspired by Bergsma’s personal journey and her enduring fascination with imaginative worlds.
Through Emily’s Eyes follows Emily, a young woman struggling with loss, anxiety and a feeling that she does not quite belong in the world around her.
Seeking an escape from the pressures of everyday life, Emily retreats into her dreams, where she encounters a mysterious guardian who is powerful, fiercely loyal and deeply protective, giving her the feeling of finally being truly seen, loved and protected from the monsters created by her fears. As the story unfolds, however, the boundary separating Emily’s dream world from her everyday existence starts to fade.
Emily is eventually forced to face hidden truths about herself while discovering extraordinary abilities she never realised she had. Along the way, she must learn to embrace the qualities she once considered weaknesses and find the courage needed to confront the future.
Blending romance, fantasy and mystery, Through Emily’s Eyes explores grief, healing, resilience and the desire to find somewhere, or someone, to belong.
For Tracey, the book has its roots in a difficult period of her own life.
Raised on a farm surrounded by horses and other animals, she developed a strong connection with nature and an active imagination from an early age. Although she had always been interested in writing, it was the experience of losing someone close to her that prompted her to begin turning her ideas into stories.
Writing became a way of processing difficult emotions and provided an escape during a challenging time.
Her influences include romantic films and stories as well as fantasy, combining the emotional aspects of relationships with imagined worlds.
Tracey said: “I wanted to write a story about love, but also about finding strength within yourself. Emily has to learn that the things she sees as weaknesses can actually become the things that help her move forward. She dreamed of her guardian, but destiny made him real.”
The resulting story centres on the idea that dreams can sometimes reveal more about a person than they initially realise, while questioning what happens when those dreams begin to influence reality.
Through Emily’s Eyes is intended for readers of romantic fantasy and stories centred on love, imagination and personal transformation.
The book has been designed by White Magic Studios, known for supporting imaginative and engaging works in literature through professional book cover design and book layout services. The release is published by Maple Publishers, a UK-based publishing company dedicated to promoting compelling literary works.
How Local Service Businesses Can Generate More Leads
Turn your website into a lead-generation tool
- What services the company provides
- Which areas it covers
- Whether it looks reputable
- How quickly it can respond
- How to contact someone
This is why effective web design for tradespeople needs to go beyond attractive colours and photographs.
Phone numbers should be clearly visible. Mobile users should be able to call without searching through menus. Quote forms should be simple, and important trust signals such as reviews, guarantees and accreditations should appear throughout the website.
Service pages matter as well.
Be visible when customers are ready to buy
There is a considerable difference between somebody seeing a plumbing company on social media and somebody searching Google for “emergency plumber near me”.
The second person has an immediate problem and is actively looking for someone to solve it.
These high-intent searches are particularly valuable for drainage and plumbing companies because many jobs are time-sensitive.
Local SEO can help a business appear for these searches through a combination of its website and Google Business Profile.
Rather than attempting to rank one homepage for every service and every town, businesses can create individual pages around the services and locations they genuinely cover.
A drainage company covering Kent, for example, could have separate information for drain unblocking, CCTV inspections and repairs, alongside relevant local pages.
Any Drains Direct Ltd. provides a useful example. The company operates across Kent and promotes specific features customers are likely to care about when dealing with a drainage emergency, including 24-hour response, guaranteed work and no hidden fees.
Build trust before asking for the enquiry
If three drainage companies appear in a customer’s search results, the customer still has to decide which one to call.
This is where trust becomes one of the biggest factors in lead generation.
These details address the questions a customer is likely to have before making a call: Can you fix my problem? Can you get here quickly? What happens if something goes wrong afterwards?
Local businesses should think about their own website in the same way.
Rather than asking, “Does our website look good?”, ask, “Does our website give somebody enough confidence to contact us?”
Get more from Google Business Profile
A well-maintained Google Business Profile should contain accurate contact information, appropriate services, recent photographs and – importantly – a steady stream of genuine customer reviews.
Reviews influence more than reputation.
Someone looking for an emergency plumber at 9pm may be comparing several businesses within minutes. A company with plenty of recent feedback and clear responses to customers is likely to feel much safer than one with an abandoned profile.
Businesses should therefore make asking for reviews part of their normal process.
The ideal time is often shortly after a successful job, while the positive experience is still fresh in the customer’s mind.
Use Google Ads strategically
- Emergency plumbing
- Drain unblocking
- Burst pipes
- Blocked toilets
- Boiler breakdowns
However, simply paying for clicks does not automatically generate leads.
If someone clicks an advert and lands on a slow, confusing homepage with no obvious telephone number, much of that advertising budget can be wasted.
The advert, landing page and customer enquiry process need to work together.
A drainage advert targeting blocked drains, for example, should ideally take the customer to a page specifically about drain unblocking rather than a generic homepage covering ten unrelated services.
Respond to leads quickly
There is another part of lead generation that receives surprisingly little attention: what happens after the enquiry arrives.
A customer with a blocked drain may contact three companies.
The first business to answer the telephone or respond to the enquiry immediately has a major advantage.
Local service businesses should therefore consider systems for missed-call responses, automated enquiry acknowledgements, call tracking and simple customer relationship management.
The purpose is not to remove the human element. It is to make sure genuine enquiries do not disappear because everyone was on-site when the phone rang.
Don’t rely on one source of work
Word of mouth can be excellent. So can Google Ads, SEO, directories or social media.
The risk comes when virtually every enquiry depends on one source.
A stronger local marketing strategy combines several channels.
Ultimately, there is no single trick that will suddenly fill a diary with profitable work.
Local businesses that consistently generate leads tend to get the fundamentals right. They appear when customers are searching, clearly explain what they do, demonstrate that they can be trusted and make taking the next step simple.
John Pemberton announces launch of new book Dusty Springfield, Beyond the Grave and Me
MILTON KEYNES, UK. September 8th, 2026 – Independent author John Pemberton has announced the launch of Dusty Springfield, Beyond the Grave and Me, a deeply personal book exploring the enduring legacy of one of Britain’s most distinctive musical icons and a profound spiritual connection that Pemberton believes transcends the boundaries of life and death.
Blending memoir, personal reflection and spiritual investigation, the book offers readers an intimate and unusual perspective on Dusty Springfield, her music and the continuing influence of her artistic legacy. Through a combination of personal experiences and extraordinary encounters, Pemberton examines a connection that, he says, has continued to resonate long after Springfield’s passing.
Rather than presenting a conventional account of the singer’s life and career, Dusty Springfield, Beyond the Grave and Me takes readers on a journey into questions surrounding spirituality, memory and the possibility of connections that extend beyond the physical realm. The book seeks to explore what can happen when an individual’s influence appears to reach far beyond their lifetime, creating a sense of connection that cannot easily be explained through conventional understanding.
At the heart of the book is Pemberton’s own experience. His decision to write the work was directly inspired by what he describes as a powerful and transcendent spiritual connection with Dusty Springfield herself. That experience became the catalyst for a wider exploration of the mysterious and unseen ties that may connect people with those who have passed away.
For admirers of Springfield’s music, the book provides an opportunity to consider the singer’s legacy from an entirely different perspective. Her artistic impact has endured across generations, and Pemberton’s work explores how that influence can continue to shape people on both an emotional and spiritual level.
The book also reaches beyond music fandom. By examining experiences that challenge conventional explanations, Pemberton invites readers to consider broader questions about consciousness, spirituality and whether meaningful connections can survive beyond physical existence. His approach combines personal storytelling with a willingness to investigate experiences that are often difficult to articulate or explain.
John Pemberton said: “I hope the book will appeal not only to Dusty Springfield fans and music lovers, but also to readers fascinated by spirituality, unexplained experiences and the possibility of connections that transcend time and space. At its core, the book is both a tribute to Springfield’s enduring legacy and an account of an experience that profoundly influenced me.”
For Pemberton, writing the book was also an act of honouring Springfield and preserving a story he felt compelled to share. His journey demonstrates how creative inspiration can emerge from unexpected and deeply personal experiences, transforming an encounter into an opportunity for reflection and exploration.
As an independent author, Pemberton’s work is rooted in personal and spiritual experiences. He is particularly interested in stories that encourage readers to question established assumptions and remain open to possibilities beyond conventional wisdom. Through his writing, he aims to share experiences that provoke thought, encourage curiosity and invite readers to consider perspectives they may not otherwise encounter.
When he is not writing, Pemberton enjoys sharing compelling stories that challenge conventional thinking and open minds to the unexplained.
With Dusty Springfield, Beyond the Grave and Me, John Pemberton brings together music, memoir and spirituality in an unusual exploration of an enduring artistic legacy and an extraordinary personal experience. For readers prepared to look beyond the familiar and consider the possibility of connections that continue after death, the book offers a thought-provoking journey into the unexplained and a deeply personal tribute to Dusty Springfield.
Swindon’s Clay Soil Could Be Behind More Driveway Damage Than Homeowners Realise
SWINDON, 8 September 2026 – The heavy clay beneath much of Swindon could be playing a bigger role in damaged driveways than many homeowners realise. Local installer RPS Resin Driveways says the town’s changing ground conditions can contribute to cracked concrete, sinking block paving and deteriorating tarmac. The company has released free homeowner guides explaining how Swindon’s soil affects driveways, how much replacement work can cost and which local planning requirements need to be considered.
The timing is deliberate. Autumn is when the clay beneath the town begins absorbing moisture again following the summer’s drier conditions, making existing cracks, movement and dips particularly noticeable.
“People assume a cracked driveway means someone did a bad job,” said James, who runs RPS Resin Driveways. “Sometimes that’s true. But in Swindon the ground itself is the problem. The clay under Stratton, Walcot, Toothill, Freshbrook and most of the newer estates swells when it’s wet and shrinks when it’s dry, and it does that every single year. A rigid slab of concrete has no way to cope with that.”
Clay shrinkage is the most common cause of subsidence claims in the UK. Houses are built on foundations designed to deal with it. Driveways are not. They sit a few inches into the ground, right in the layer that moves.
What a driveway on clay actually needs
According to the company, the material chosen for the visible driveway is only part of the equation. Its guidance on resin bound driveways in Swindon recommends between 100 and 150mm of compacted, permeable stone beneath the finished surface. This allows rainwater to drain away instead of remaining against the clay and contributing to further movement.
“The quote that’s a thousand pounds cheaper is nearly always cheaper because the sub-base is thinner or missing,” James said. “You won’t see the difference on the day it’s finished. You’ll see it two winters later. Any installer quoting in this town should be able to tell you exactly how deep they’re digging and what they’re putting back in. If they can’t, walk away.”
The firm has completed more than 800 resin installations throughout Swindon and surrounding Wiltshire towns. It offers a 10-year workmanship guarantee and a separate 15-year guarantee covering the resin system.
Three rules that catch Swindon homeowners out
The company’s guides also explain the permissions homeowners may need before work begins. James says paperwork can cause more delays than the weather.
Since October 2008, homeowners who pave more than five square metres of front garden with an impermeable surface have needed planning permission. Permeable options, including resin bound stone installed over a free-draining base, are exempt. Homes within Swindon’s conservation areas, including parts of Old Town and the Railway Village, may still require consent.
Changing the kerb is a separate matter and requires its own application. Swindon Borough Council charges £203 for a residential vehicle crossing licence. The fee is not refunded if an application is refused. The driveway must also measure at least five metres from the rear of the pavement to the property and 2.5 metres in width before the council will consider the application. Kerbs on the public highway can only be altered by an appropriately licensed contractor.
Resin bound surfacing also has weather limitations. It cannot be installed during rain or when the ground is close to freezing. Homeowners wanting their driveway completed before Christmas therefore need to arrange the work by around mid-autumn.
What it costs
The company’s published guide prices put resin bound surfacing at approximately £100 to £300 per square metre. For most Swindon properties, total costs generally fall between £2,500 and £12,000 once preparation and groundwork are included.
The existing driveway can make a significant difference to the final bill. A solid concrete base may sometimes provide a suitable foundation for an overlay, whereas a failed block paved driveway sitting on wet clay can require complete excavation and reconstruction. The company’s resin driveway cost guide provides further figures based on driveway dimensions and existing surfaces.
“Honestly, I’d rather someone read the guides and got a fair job from a competitor than paid us without understanding what they were buying,” James said. “The town has enough driveways that failed inside five years. We’d like fewer of them.”
Homeowners can request a free site survey and written quotation through the RPS Resin Driveways website or by calling 01793 939296.
