Theatre tickets
A chance to win tickets to see 'Allo Allo' at the Lowry's Quay Theatre.
FIND OUT MORESee How They Run
Win tickets for the hilarious festive farce, See How They Run, at the Royal Exchange.
FIND OUT MOREChampagne afternoon
The Calico Cafe Bar is offering one reader a free Champagne Afternoon Tea for two, worth £45.
FIND OUT MOREAspiring entrepreneur?
Chartered Accountants Lucas Reis are offering an hour's free business consultation.
FIND OUT MOREThis is a women's world
Manchester has never been short of inspirational women. From novelist Elizabeth Gaskell to leading women's rights activist Emmeline Pankhurst, the city has been home to some truly great ladies. To mark International Women's Day, we proudly present some of Manchester's most distinguished women today.
The Supermodel
Mancunian Karen Elson was 16 when she was discovered by a local modelling scout, kicking off a career that would make her one of the world's most striking fashion sensations. The 28-year-old beauty with the trademark red hair has walked the runways of top fashion designers including Marc Jacobs, Moschino and Roberto Cavalli, and appeared in international advertising campaigns for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Versace, Dior, Gucci, Prada and Yves Saint Laurent.
Her face has adorned the covers of fashion magazines around the world, but there is more to the tall redhead than her good looks. Elson, aka Mrs Jack White, is also an acclaimed singer, currently performing with the New York City-based collaborative cabaret troupe The Citizens Band.
The Fashionista
Vicky Lewis is the founder of the Vicky Martin fashion label. Established in the heart of Manchester during the height of the 80s clubbing scene to make glam eveningwear, Vicky Martin quickly built a celebrity clientele, from Michelle Heaton to Ashanti.
Renowned for its luxurious fabrics and sexy lines, the label now has stores in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Glasgow. Despite Vicky Martin's massive success, Lewis still designs and produces all her garments in house from her Manchester-based workshop.
The Business Woman
Nicola Shindler is the woman behind the TV production company that gave the world the groundbreaking Queer As Folk and Clocking Off among other hits. Shindler founded Red Production Company in 1998 and soon earned a reputation as the country's trendiest TV maker.
Her talent and business acumen have helped her thrive in an increasingly tough industry and landed her on the region's rich list. Beneath the glamour Shindler is a pretty regular Mancunian gal who lives in leafy south Manchester with her husband and two children.
The TV Presenter
Judy Finnigan is one half of television's golden couple Richard and Judy. The celebrated TV presenter was born and raised in Manchester, where she started her career as a researcher for Granada before becoming Anglia Television's first female reporter in 1974.
But it was only when she started presenting Granada's magazine-style show 'This Morning' with her husband Richard Madeley in 1988 that she became a household name. The show's 13-year run ended in 2001 when the couple moved over to Channel 4, where they continue to talk up a storm in Richard & Judy.
The Pop Star
Sarah Harding is one fifth of chart-topping pop group Girls Aloud. The 25-year-old Mancunian worked as a waitress and barmaid before entering a TV talent-search show in 2002 that changed her life. Harding was selected to be a member of Girls Aloud in ITV's Popstars:The Rivals, and she has been making headlines ever since.
The most recent media frenzy around her has been sparked by Harding's high-profile contract with Ultimo, which has made her the lingerie brand's new celebrity face.
The Comedy Queen
Victoria Wood is Britain's funniest woman of all time. The Prestwich-born comedienne and writer has had a glorious career spanning over three decades and still counting. She has written and starred in sketches, plays and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy is legendary.
From 'Victoria Wood as Seen on TV' to the sitcom 'Dinnerladies' and her latest work 'Acorn Antiques: The Musical', Wood has proved to be one of British comedy's greatest assets - and she has countless awards, including an OBE, to prove it. She has recently been voted the funniest comedienne of all time by readers of Readers' Digest.
The Soap Star
Samia Smith is one of the country's hottest soap stars. The 24-year-old Mancunian has been in showbiz since she was a child - modelling for catalogues at six and making her TV debut at 11 in the TV series 'Cracker'. But it was thanks to her role as kennel maid-turned-saucy minx Maria Sutherland in Coronation Street that the young actress rocketed to stardom and became a household name.
A regular fixture on magazines' 'sexiest women' lists, she is happily married to property developer Matthew Smith.
The Regeneration Guru
Felicity Goodey enjoyed a high-profile career as a BBC reporter before discovering a passion for regeneration in her adopted home Manchester. She won national awards for her work as the BBC's industrial correspondent, but gave up broadcasting to become one of the first board members of the North West Development Agency - in a bid to do something about the decline of northern industrial cities rather than simply report on it.
Over the years, she has become one of the region's most powerful regeneration forces. Last year, she scored a massive triumph for Salford when she led the winning bid for the BBC's £400 million move North. She is now the chief executive of the hugely ambitious mediacity:uk and chair of the Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company.
The Grande Dame oF The Arts
Julia Fawcett is the chief executive of The Lowry. Born in Salford, Fawcett was on the management team of Granada Studios in Manchester before she was recruited to spearhead Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh - which, under her leadership, soon became one of the most successful science-based millennium projects in the UK.
The renowned business leader returned to her hometown in 2002 to succeed Stephen Hetherington as chief executive of The Lowry, which sits at the heart of the regenerated Salford Quays.
Fawcett has thrived on the challenge of expanding the business, making it commercially successful while staying true to its cultural integrity. The result is a hugely popular, award-winning arts and entertainment centre that draws visitors from far and wide.
The Photographer
Karen McBride is one of Manchester's most prominent rock 'n' roll photographers - a true virtuoso with a penchant for capturing the unexpected. During her remarkable 20-year career she has photographed Scissor Sisters, Robbie Williams, Oasis and Coldplay among many others bands. Her clients include big name artists, record labels and music venues, and her work can be seen in countless publications.
But despite her success, she has been known to lend her skills to some of the city's unsigned artists, giving them a helping hand on their way to stardom. Her passion for promoting artists makes her one of the most influential figures in Manchester's music scene.
