The family of the young boy who is believed to have died after being struck by lightning on a football field in Blackpool earlier this week have posted a heartfelt tribute.
It was revealed during the touching tribute that nine-year-old was an organ donor.
In a post on Facebook, Matt Banks – the father of Jordan Banks, who sadly died on Tuesday following a tragic incident in Blackpool during adverse weather conditions – shared a series of previously-unseen family photos and said his son’s “kindness has meant that three other children may be able to live”.
“He always told us he wanted to be able to help other people if he could so was a donor and has donated which we know will be what he wanted,” Mr Banks added.
Mr Banks went on to describe Jordan as the “most amazing” person with the “biggest heart”.
“If I ever could have asked for a perfect child, that was Jordan,” he added.
“He always made sure he looked trendy and liked his outfit. His favourite t-shirt was his Cobra Kai top, as he was obsessed with Cobra Kai.”
“Not only have I lost my little boy, I have lost my little best mate”.
BBC News
It was known that before he died, Jordan – who was a loyal fan of Liverpool FC – was raising money for mental health services in honour of his uncle who took his own life in 2018, and successfully managed to raise a whopping £2,500 in total by running 30 miles in 10 days.
His efforts attracted the attention of his hero, Liverpool footballer James Milner, who sent him a video congratulating him on his “incredible” work, and said: “Just remember you never walk alone, all the boys are behind you… well done bud you should be very proud”.
Lancashire Police also told of how Jordan left sweets on police cars to help cheer officers up during lockdown earlier this year.
Since news of the tragic incident emerged on Tuesday, a number of poignant tributes have made by members of the local Blackpool community, and messages have been pouring in on social media from all across the UK.
Jordan’s friends have paid tribute with flowers and gifts left at the scene of the incident.
Blackpool Tower was also lit up red and a tweet from the staff at the landmark said: “Yesterday, our community lost one of its brightest lights, so this evening we stand alongside Jordan Banks family, friends and our community to remember a remarkable young man. #LiverpoolFC.”
Tonight, the Blackpool Tower is lit up in red. Yesterday our community lost one of it's brightest lights, so this evening we stand alongside Jordan Banks family, friends and our community to remember a remarkable young man. #LiverpoolFC ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/XoGTV7EYG1
Liverpool FC has made a number of tributes to Jordan on social media, first in an initial tweet on Wednesday which read: “The thoughts of everybody at Liverpool Football Club are with Jordan’s family and friends.
“Rest in peace, Jordan Banks.”
In a follow-up tribute tweet ahead of the club’s Premier League clash with Manchester United, Liverpool FC said: “You’ll Never Walk Alone, Jordan Banks. Nicknamed ‘mini-Milner’ by his coaches, Jordan was a brilliant person, as well as a passionate footballer.
“We’re all thinking of his loved ones tonight”.
The thoughts of everybody at Liverpool Football Club are with Jordan's family and friends ❤️
Nicknamed ‘mini-Milner’ by his coaches, Jordan was a brilliant person, as well as a passionate footballer. We’re all thinking of his loved ones tonight ❤️
Ahead of Thursday’s match, Liverpool players also wore shirts with “Jordan 7” on the back in tribute to the nine-year-old, and James Milner later dedicated Liverpool’s victory to the youngster.
He tweeted with a series of heart emojis: “A big win for Jordan.”
A GoFundMe page set up for Jordan’s family has already raised nearly £75,000.
News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
The Manc -
14th May 2021 
