Against all odds, the dying man's friends have raised more than £18,000 to fly him via helicopter to the iconic music festival.
Nigel Stonehouse aged 58, a former bricklayer from Hartlepool, was tragically diagnosed with kidney cancer mid-may.
Having bought a general admission ticket to the festival in 2019, he expected to be able to attend in full health. Unfortunately this wasn't the case, and he was told that he was too unwell to travel to the Somerset festival which starts this Thursday, 23 June.
But thanks to his friends and their monumental fundraiser, he will now be travelling to the festival via helicopter with a medical team by his side.
Having heard of Nigel's love for the festival which he has been attending for over 40 years, the care team at North Tees Hospital encouraged Mr Stonehouse's friends to hire a helicopter for the trip as he will be unable to enter via general admission.
Image: Maria Beggs
The friends were quoted £12,000 and so set up a GoFundMe named 'Get Nige to Glasto', in an attempt to raise the money and get Nigel to his beloved festival, even if it were for just a few hours.
Just 48 hours later the money was raised and the transport arranged. Support was received by Glastonbury veteran and DJ, Fatboy Slim, who urged others to help out.
"Folks. I’ve been contacted by the friend of a terminally ill man who wants to go to Glasto 1 last time. He’s so poorly with cancer they’re going to have to fly him in by air ambulance. If you’d join me in helping Nige’s dying wish then pls donate here", the DJ tweeted.
Image: Glastonbury Festival
The total raised currently stands at more than £18,000 with over 800 people donating to the worthy cause.
Lizzie Begs, close friend of Nigel has said "The last 48 hours have been an absolute whirlwind, we are all completely overwhelmed by the kindness we have been shown, in true Glastonbury spirit!"
"Nige has been utterly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for him, it has given him such a boost and he cannot wait to be on site and hopefully thank some of you personally. He hopes to shake the hand of the absolute legend Fatboy Slim himself for shining a light on this campaign. It means the world."
Image: Glastonbury Festival
The generosity and kindness that the Glastonbury community have shown toward Nigel perfectly represents what the festival is all about. It has been confirmed that if Mr Stonehouse is unfortunately too unwell to attend, then the money will be donated to the Glastonbury charities in his name.
Loads of famous films are heading back to cinemas across the UK this spring to celebrate their milestone anniversaries.
From coming of age classics, to legendary romcoms, action films, psychological thrillers, and more, Vue has announced that it’s bringing a roster of much-loved film favourites back to the big screen over the next couple of months.
Kicking things off this weekend (12 April) is the 40th anniversary screening of Stand by Me, a beloved coming of age gem which follows four boys who decide to go see the body of a boy that has died in their rural hometown, while also returning to the big screen is 80s classic, Top Gun, as well as a re-release of the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, for a limited run.
A trio of classic female-led comedies will also be returning as part of the season.
Loads of famous films are coming back to UK cinemas to celebrate their anniversaries / Credit: Universal Pictures | Columbia Pictures
Beginning with everyone’s favourite diarist in Bridget Jones’s Diary – starring Renée Zellweger in the titular role – which returns for its 25th anniversary from 17 April.
Also celebrating 25 years since its initial release is the ultimate sorority-queen-turned-lawyer caper Legally Blonde starring Reese Witherspoon, returning 22 May, and an epic ensemble cast – including Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Rose Byrne – in Bridesmaids, which is returning 15 years after its initial release.
The iconic thriller The Silence of the Lambs returns from 24 April, and other highlights include the anniversary releases of the riotous comedy The Birdcage, the cult fantasy adventure Highlander, and the feel-good family favourite Space Jam.
Tickets for all the films are now available to book at Vue Cinemas now.
“At Vue, we know there’s nothing quite like experiencing a great film on the big screen,” commented Mike Anton, who is the General Manager of Vue Manchester Printworks, ahead of the films’ re-releases.
“This anniversary season gives audiences the chance to revisit some of their all-time favourites the way they were meant to be seen, on the big screen, while also introducing these iconic titles to a new generation of film fans.”
Tickets start from just £4.99 when booked online, with some of the later films on the roster only becoming able to book closer to the time, so keep your eyes peeled.
For more information and to book tickets, visit myvue.com.
Popular Channel 4 series The Dog House is looking for people from Yorkshire to adopt rescue dogs
Emily Sergeant
Could you give a rescue dog a second chance in life? Now’s your chance.
The next series of hit Channel 4 show The Dog House is currently in the works, with producers on the lookout for people willing to give rescue dogs a forever home, and people from Yorkshire are being encouraged to apply.
Since first hitting our screens back in 2019, the award-winning series – which is currently in partnership with Woodgreen Pets Charity – has captured the hearts of viewers across the UK, sharing emotional stories of rescue dogs and the people hoping to give them a forever home.
Viewers get to watch incredible journeys of rescue dogs finding their perfect match.
Image: Channel 4
But the show demonstrates that it’s not just the dogs who are being rescued, many of their new owners also find their lives transformed in the process.
“Once again, we’ll be following the expert team of dog-matchers, meeting this year’s rescue dogs, and of course, getting to the know the amazing people who are looking to offer them a lifelong home,” a casting call for The Dog House reads on the Channel 4 website.
“We’re looking for people who are considering taking the incredible step of welcoming a rescue dog into their lives and are happy to share their reasons for doing so.
“If that’s you, then we’d love to get you know you.”
Does this sound like you then? Channel 4 is keen to hear the reasons why you may be looking for a new canine companion, so anyone who fancies applying for the show is asked to fill out an application form online.