Sponsored
Your dog deserves this.
All dog-owners know how important our four-legged family members are, and want to make sure they’re well taken care of in both their waking hours and their resting ones.
Whether your dog’s a pampered couch potato or a mud-loving explorer, it’s important that they have a bed that will support their joints while they sleep, ready for the next adventure.
Ivy and Duke is a small family-run business, fully based here in Manchester, that’s created a whole range of genuinely gorgeous dog beds that you’ll be proud to have on display in your home.
The Vasco memory foam beds have excellent orthopaedic qualities to look after growing puppies and older dogs alike.
The stylish fabric beds come with a removable cover that can be washed at a 30 degrees and line dried, or there’s even the option to order beds made from a waterproof fabric, so if your dog’s a fan of a spontaneous dunk in a pond, you can just wipe or hose down their bed.
All Ivy and Duke beds come with a waterproof inner liner, to protect the memory foam from any accidents.
The high-quality materials used are sourced from within the region, and every step of the journey from manufacturing to fulfilment to customer services are handled locally too.
Can’t find a bed that suits your dog’s exact size? The local brand offers a bespoke sizing service to find one that fits just right.
Designed to be comfortable, practical, durable and stylish, Ivy and Duke’s beds come in a range of colourways and fabrics that look beautiful and can withstand even the most energetic of dogs.
You can even have your pet’s name embroidered onto any pillow, blanket or even Christmas stocking.
Ivy and Duke have now opened a factory showroom in Failsworth where you can take your dog to test out and choose their own new bed.
Read more: The magical Manchester park that’s basically Disneyland for dogs
After all, if we humans take our time shopping for the perfect mattress, why can’t we extend the same to our pets?
The showroom is located at Unit 7, Castle Industrial Estate and is open Monday to Thursday, from 10am to 3pm – bookings are recommended to avoid clashing with other visiting dogs.
Ivy and Duke are offering 15% off their entire website until 28 November at midnight, with a free pillow on all orders over £100.
Browse the full range at ivyandduke.co.uk.
Featured image: Ivy and Duke
Sponsored
Lightopia Manchester slashes tickets by 25% ahead of Christmas
Daisy Jackson
Lightopia Manchester is offering a big discount on tickets to say Merry Christmas to Mancs this year.
The huge lantern festival, which has turned Heaton Park into a glowing wonderland filled, is offering 25% off tickets.
Those who snap up Lightopia tickets this week will be able to see the 2km light trail for less – and tick off those last tricky Christmas gifts for loved ones.
This year’s festival has been a brand new trail called A Christmas Story, which includes giant presents, baubles, and a huge water show at the Heaton Park boating lake.
The trail follows the story of new beginnings and the circle of life.
Beginning at the ‘Guardian Gate’, visitors are transported into a winter wonderland decorated by a blanket of shooting stars with the ‘Essence of Light’ display, before following the winding mystical path to the ‘Mythical Forrest’ – a Christmas realm that suitably celebrates the festive season.
The ‘Secret Flower Garden’ lights up the natural greenery of the park with a collection of glowing fauna wrapped around the branches above and the grass below, and then, in a display that festival organisers say is curated especially for younger guests called the ‘Book of Rebirth’, little Mancs can unlock their imagination with friendly animated animals.
The kid’s zone will also feature interactive musical tiles for everyone to interact and play with.
The vibrant ‘Ying Yang’ display and ‘Tranquility Arch’ – which is home to colourful swans and butterflies – are some of the other displays to catch this year.
Read more
And then there’s the main event – The Phoenix – a five-minute A/V show.
There’s also festive dining under the heated canopy and Christmas Market-style stalls around the festival grounds, plus funfair rides.
Lightopia will run in Manchester until Monday 2 January, closing only on Christmas Day.
You can get 25% off tickets using the code LIGHT25 at the checkout – book your tickets here now.
Featured image: Lightopia
Sponsored
You can now take the kids to see the immersive Banksy art exhibition at MediaCity for FREE
Emily Sergeant
Looking for something to do with the kids that’ll keep them educated and entertained before they go back to school next term?
With the rising cost of living crisis sadly continuing to make its impact felt nationwide, and with the festive season being a time that most of us feel our finances stretching more than usual, it’s fair to say that finding different ways to keep the little ones occupied while still sticking to a budget can be quite a tricky task.
Thankfully, there’s currently a world-renowned art exhibition happening right here in Greater Manchester, and for a limited-time-only, kids can visit for free.
Having taken over the 1,200 sq metre Piazza space in the heart MediaCityUK, the Art of Banksy has been celebrating the work of one of the world’s most famous artists since it opened at the end of October, and before the event waves goodbye to the North West on Sunday 8 January 2023, kids will get the chance to take a look around free of charge.
Presented in partnership with HOME, the Art of Banksy features 145 authenticated Banksy works from 2002 to 2017 – ranging from prints, and canvases, to limited-edition pieces, unique works, and fascinating ephemera.
They are all on display in a way that’s just not possible in a museum or gallery.
One of the standout pieces that visitors have been flocking far and wide to see is an extremely rare Banksy piece titled Leopard and Barcode, which has been donated to the exhibition by his ex-girlfriend, and hadn’t been publicly seen for more than a decade prior to this.
The piece was originally sprayed onto the side of a house near Bristol, but after being saved from demolition work by a local architect, it had spent years wrapped in a blanket under a spare bed.
The Art of Banksy has been showing visitors how art has the power to affect social change, inspire the public, and lay bare the undercurrents of social issues – with those who’ve already headed down to the exhibition saying it’s an “unmissable experience for culture lovers” or anyone who’s keen to learn a bit more about the artist.
Fancy it then?
All children under 16 can visit Art of Banksy at MediaCityUK for free with a paying adult before it closes on Sunday 8 January 2023.
Read more:
Adult tickets will set you back just £19.50, with a range of concessions and VIP options available, and with advanced booking required, you can get your hands them either online at artofbanksy.co.uk or over the phone on 0343 208 1838.
Featured Image – Supplied
