As excitement builds for Christmas in Preston, local businesses and organisations are announcing festive events, such as the Friends of Winckley Square’s upcoming concert.

Also, this week came the fantastic news that Preston has been awarded ‘Champion City’ status under the Queen’s Green Canopy scheme.

Here are five other stories you may have missed.

Preston boy celebrates ninth birthday with hair-cutting fundraiser

A nine-year-old Preston boy who cut his hair for charity has raised £800 for two worthy causes.

Toby Parkinson had his long hair cut, the first since he was a toddler, on his ninth birthday in front of over 200 people at a dance competition.

The money raised will be split between Destination Florida, which takes unwell children from the North West to Florida, including trips to Disney World, and Lancashire Teaching Hospital Charity’s Children’s Appeal.

Read the full story here

Young Preston artists in new song with Mic Righteous after impressing UK rap star

Six young Preston artists are featuring on a new song with UK rap star Mic Righteous after impressing him with their music skills.

The track was recorded at Soundskills in Brookfield during a young person’s urban music project called Urban Influence, which was funded via the Arts Council.

The six-month project, designed for local artists aged 25 and under, was run by Jamie O’Connor, Daniel Squires and Liam Blake.

Read the full story here

Ashton mental health service lands award for eating disorder programme

Mental health service Breathe Therapies has won an award for a programme that helps people with eating disorders.

The Ashton-on-Ribble service won the 2021 Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) Health and Wellbeing Awards, held at the East Wintergarden Hotel in London on 21 October.

They were nominated and won the Healthier Lifestyles award for their Footsteps Eating Disorder Recovery Programme.

Read the full story here

Grimsargh’s Loving Yarns reach 53 metres in ‘Giant Friendship Blanket’ challenge 

Grimsargh’s Loving Yarns community group has reached a milestone in their efforts to create a Giant Friendship Blanket.

The group have now reached 53m squared with their handmade blanket but are encouraging other yarn crafters, knitting or crochet, to add granny squares and blankets to see how large they can make it.

They hold their monthly meetings on the second Tuesday each month at Grimsargh Village Hall, with the next arranged for 14th December from 11am till 1pm.

Read the full story here

Family to take part in St Catherine’s Santa Dash in honour of mum who ‘brought love, happiness and positivity to everyone she met’ 

The children of a ‘one in a million’ mum are set to raise funds for St Catherine’s hospital in her memory.

Specialist care given by St Catherine’s meant that Rachel Pearson was free from pain and could make special memories with her husband Ian, daughter Claudia and son Henry at her home in Preston, helping her family plan for their futures.

Rachel, a personal tutor at Runshaw College who ‘put everyone before herself’ was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2020.

Read the full story here

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