COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 2nd December 2022

COVID-19 Coronavirus and other virus UK and World News Update 2nd December 2022

World COVID Statistics: 648,755,570 reported cases and 6,643,011 losses of life.

"What's clear is that this is an unusually early flu season, a fact that's well illustrated by this graph. The flu hospitalizations are unusually high for this time of year, but they aren't heading for the stratosphere, like the very bad 2017-18 flu season. At least, not yet."

Helen Branswell, lead writer for Infectious Diseases at STAT News, talking about Flu in the USA. The early arrival of flu is a pattern which is repeating around the Northern Hemisphere, including in the UK. Is it just early, or is it a portent of doom? Get your flu jab if you're eligible. Flu + COVID together = double your chance of being hospitalised or dying. 

"One third of our members in the ambulance service believe that they have been involved in a delay that has led to a patient dying, so this isn't a situation where this is a service that runs perfectly well. This is a service that's dying on its feet, and our members are actually standing up and the public of Britain should support them. This is a matter of a life or death situation. They don't want to strike, they do their job because they want to save lives."

Andy Prendergast, GMB (general workers union) National Secretary on Sky News. 

Review Visit: Silcock's Winter Wonderland Manchester (at EventCity until 2nd January 2022).

This week family festive extravaganza Silcock’s Winter Wonderland opened for the 2021/22 Christmas season at EventCity in Manchester, and we were lucky enough to be invited along as guests to review...

Silcock's Winter Wonderland is organised by Kingpin Events, who are back in charge after a 3 year break, and EventCity is an ideal location, right beside the M60, 3,000 free car parking spaces outside, and with tram and bus links nearby... 

The building itself is massive, with high ceilings and plenty of space for over 50 rides and attractions under 1 roof.  EventCity is right beside the Trafford Centre, so it's also handy if other people in your party would also like to go shopping...

Hannah The Spanner And The Polar Bears Children's Story Book Review

Hannah The Spanner And The Polar Bears is a Christmas story book set on Christmas Eve, and it's the 7th in the Hannah The Spanner series written and illustrated by Stuart Simmonds and Bill Greenhead.

Hannah has some zany adventures and this tale features one of them, and it's definitely not the sort of thing that usually happens on Christmas Eve...

The Hannah The Spanner books are big, bold and colourful, which is kind of like Hannah herself. This is a longer 64 page story, which starts with a boring trip to the superstore and a surprise wink from a polar bear soft toy. We see him again, and he's even more animated.

As with all of the best Christmas stories, someone needs help, and it's up to Hannah to provide it. The reindeer are out of action after eating some dodgy pork pies over Kent, and the polar bears are needed to save Christmas! Will they manage?

Cockfields Farm Christmas Experience Review (Press Visit)

Cockfields Farm is in Oldham, about 15 minutes drive from J22 of the M60. I've never been before, but I'd heard that their Christmas activity is something really special, and this year the North Pole themed grotto is bigger and better than ever before. We were invited along to review - and collect our special passports to travel to the land of snow and see Santa.

As we arrived the boys were given their 'passports' and a special token for the Build-A-Bear later. They had them filled out in seconds. Inside are spaces for you to collect stamps as you take part in the different activities. It was great because it made sure we didn't miss anything.

We started the morning with a light breakfast - and I was ecstatic to see there was a choice of bacon, sausages or veggie sausages.

Chill Factorᵉ Santa's Grotto And Snow Park Review

My boys are 9 and 11, and I really wasn't going to take them to see Santa this year, but they had tried to convince me you are never too old, and then we were invited by Chill Factorᵉ to review this year's Santa's Grotto and Snow Park experience.

I couldn't be more pleased that I said yes because even with 25 years as a parent. I think this was my favourite ever visit to see Santa..

intu Trafford Centre Christmas! Toy Parade plus Alpine Village And Grotto review

Last Saturday we were guests of intu Trafford Centre to be among the first to experience their Christmas attractions - and to catch the 2nd ever Christmas Toy Parade. We all had an excellent day out and it really did put us into a festive mood.

Our day started super early for a Saturday, long before the shops in the centre opened. It gave me a chance to take photos before everyone arrived though - so bear that in mind when photos look empty of people - it was only 8.30am!

We were repaid for our early start with a breakfast of saucy beans and truffle mushrooms, sausage and bacon for breakfast (the Gentleman from Leon hovering over the table was utterly lovely - as was his food!). We then got to meet some of the stars getting ready for the parade later in the day.

Santa's Polar Expedition Grotto at The Trafford Centre Review

Yesterday we went to Barton Square at intu Trafford Centre in Manchester, to visit this year's Christmas Santa's grotto. For 2016 the grotto has been turned into The Polar Expedition, and Santa is accompanied by lots of friendly Eskimo Elves.

My 6 and 8 year old boys are at the cusp of understanding, but are both firm friends with Santa this year at least...

We were a staggering 90 minutes late. My partner was called into work, so we ended up tight on time, but then the pre-lunchtime traffic was horrific, we were stuck in a jam for over an hour and our 8 year old was car sick. Christmas has started...

Thankfully it can be very beautiful...