In fact, despite being native to the county, there hadn’t actually been any residing in Cheshire for over 400 years before last year, as the species became extinct in the 16th century as a result of continuous hunting for their fur and meat.
This is why the release of the pair of these endangered animals into Hatchmere Nature Reserve was such a big deal for the county.
The Eurasian beavers – one male and one female – have been released in Cheshire to help benefit the local surroundings as part of a five-year land management project that hopes to create natural flood defences and improve biodiversity at the site.
And now that they’ve both settled in, the Cheshire Wildlife Trust has launched an exciting competition.
The Trust is challenging local schools and members of the public to “get your thinking caps on” and suggest some “interesting and creative” names for the pair of beavers.
Kev Feeney – Hatchmere Living Landscape Officer and leader of the beaver project – said: “We’ve had such a great response to our beaver project so far.
“It’s great to see people really taking an interest in them and excited to see how they’re settling in.
“Our cameras are catching some amazing footage and we’re really able to see their individual personalities shining through. The female is very nosey and spends most of the night dragging material to add to their lodge [and] the male is always on patrol of their home, walking with purpose and regularly stopping to sniff the air.
“We can’t wait to hear what creative names people come up with [and] we’re so glad people can continue being part of bringing beavers back to Cheshire”.
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust has said that as the beavers adapt to their surroundings, they will create a new and improved landscape by removing some trees to allow sunlight to reinvigorate the woodland floor, building dams to hold back water on the site, and filter polluted sediments from flowing into a nearby lake, making new space for insects, invertebrates and fish.
But all of this costs money.
It’s been revealed that Wildlife Trust supporters from across the region have raised just over half of the £85,000 required to support the project, but £42,000 is still needed to look after the beavers and monitor the effect they are having on Hatchmere’s wetlands.
So while entry to the naming competition is free, people are encouraged to be part of bringing beavers back to Cheshire by making a donation alongside their entry where possible.
How can I enter the competition?
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust is looking for names for both beavers, one male and one female.
The closing date for entries is Wednesday 31st March, and the winning names will be announced on Wednesday 7th April – which also happens to be International Beaver Day.
As previously mentioned, entry to the competitions is free but all donations made will fund regular health checks for the animals, surveying for new wildlife the beavers are bringing back, more cameras to capture all the exciting beaver behaviour and training for volunteers to help look after the pair.
You can submit your name suggestions and make any donations via the Cheshire Wildlife Trust website here.
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Pep Guardiola hints at when Manchester City fans can expect to see their latest arrival
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has given supporters a rough timeline as to when they can expect to see their new signing, or at least their latest arrival, make his first appearance.
The Blues wrapped up the January transfer window with four major signings: their new attacking number seven, Omar Marmoush (who has already bagged a hattrick on his home debut) promising defensive duo, Abdukodir Khusanov and Brazilian Vitor Reis, as well as their ‘mini-Rodri’, Nico Gonzalez.
However, the club has had another late arrival who was technically signed back at the start of last year but who has spent for the last 12 months or so loaned back to his previous parent club, River Plate in Argentina, waiting to make the move over to the Etihad Stadium – and now he’s here in Manchester.
Speaking on his touchdown in 0161, Pep said Claudio Echeverri won’t be thrown into first-team action straight away but did give a rough estimate as to when City fans could expect him to get involved. You can see him discussing the integration plan in his post-match press conference following the Spurs win.
The mention was only brief but there’s still plenty of reason for Man City fans to be excited by the late January signing.
“Yeah, he [Claudio Echeverri] is going to start to train and mainly will be for the end of the season, maybe the [Club] World Cup and as soon as possible [that] he arrives he can adapt quick for the future.”
As mentioned, the 19-year-old Argentinian attacking midfielder from Resistencia officially put pen to paper with CFG back in January 2024 and was quickly dubbed ‘the next Messi’.
Now, although the football world is often quick to jump the gun with these things and he isn’t the first and certainly won’t be last to be slapped with this premature title, he’s done more to back up these claims since then than he has rubbish them.
Starring at the 2025 Under-20 South American Championships, netting six goals in nine games to finish the tournament as the second highest scorer thanks to notable braces against Brazil and Uruguay as the young Argentine’s finished as runners up.
He also notched 48 senior appearances for River Plate thus far, netting four goals and grabbing eight assists in that time, not to mention having already captained his national team at the 2023 Under 17s World Cup, where he scored another five.
Safe to say there’s plenty of talent to be tapped in this lad.
Once again, Echeverri won’t go straight into the senior set-up for a little while yet, barring a major injury crisis, but he’ll be a more than exciting addition to the City Football Academy and for future first-team lineups for years to come.
Who knows, maybe he’ll be included in an FA Cup matchday squad? Nevertheless, you can expect him to not just come of the bench but hopefully show what he can do at the Club World Cup this summer.
City‘s first fixture as reigning champions of the competition will be against Moroccan side Wydad AC on 18 June 2025.
You can watch Echeverri’s first full interview as a Man City player down below:
The new Man City signing is excited to be finally be part of the club 13 months on from agreeing his contract.
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.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd March 2021 
