Thousands of cinema tickets are being given away for free all across the UK next month, and you can get your hands on them now.
As part of Escapes – a project supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) and National Lottery funding giving everyone the opportunity to “enjoy the big screen experience” and “discover independent cinema” – tens of thousands of cinema tickets are now up for grabs across the UK for completely free of charge.
The ultimate aim of the Escapes project is to “bring new audiences” to the cinema , whether you’re someone who always prioritises a trip to the cinema, someone who treasures a visit but only on a special occasion, or someone who’s just keen to discover more.
There is a slight catch though… these tickets are only to see one particular film .
Credit: Sony Pictures Classics
But as far as free tickets to cinema go, let’s just say you could do a whole lot worse than taking a trip to see the the new heartwarming drama-comedy The Penguin Lessons on Monday 17 March, before it gets its wider release to the public.
The Penguin Lessons – which is inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who takes up a teaching post in Argentina in 1976 – tells the story of Tom, played by Steve Coogan, who arrives expecting an easy ride, however he quickly finds himself in a divided nation with a class of unteachable students.
After rescuing a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, Tom’s life is turned upside-down, leading to unexpected friendships and profound life lessons.
Credit: Sony Pictures Classics
From the director of the Full Monty and the writer of Philomena, and also featuring a performance from Jonathan Pryce, the film promises to be both “humorous and heartfelt” by combining comedy and drama, and is ideal for film-lovers looking for a story that will bring all the feels this March.
This is the second year Escapes is offering free cinema tickets, after already making a huge impact with more than 65,000 tickets claimed in 2024 alone.
All showings of The Penguin Lessons will be screened with descriptive subtitles.
Escapes is partnering with leading cinema chains, as well as independent venues across the UK throughout 2025.
If a touching comedy-drama about a penguin doesn’t really sound like something up your street though, not to worry, as The Penguin Lesson is only the first film on the lineup in 2025, as Escapes is set to announce a range of other new films to preview all throughout the year.
Fancy it then?
You can find out more about Escapes, find out which cinemas are participating, and grab your free ticket to see The Penguin Lessons on Monday 17 March here.
The Wombats aren’t just still going strong - they’re getting better. And honestly? Long may they reign.
The Wombats absolutely tore the roof off the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night, Wednesday 26 March and what a night it was.
From the second they hit the stage it wasn’t just a gig, it was a full-blown indie-pop spectacle, packed with infectious energy, nostalgia, and a whole lot of dancing.
They kicked things off with “Moving to New York,” and honestly? The crowd was in from the first note.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Matthew Murphy’s unmistakable vocals rang through the arena and suddenly, thousands of people were screaming every lyric like it was 2007 all over again. It was one of those moments where you could just feel how much this band still means to people.
Despite the massive venue, The Wombats somehow made it feel intimate. The lights? Pure chaos in the best way - vibrant, colourful, and totally in sync with the band’s wild, bouncy sound.
Murphy’s cheeky banter between songs made it feel less like a polished arena show and more like a jam session with a few thousand of your closest mates.
Setlist-wise, they nailed it. “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Greek Tragedy” had the whole place losing it, while the stripped-down version of “Techno Fan” gave everyone a minute to breathe (and maybe get a little emotional).
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Those quieter moments just made the high-energy choruses hit even harder. It was a rollercoaster - in the best way possible.
Then came the encore. If you thought the crowd was loud before, “Kill the Director” took things to another level. Pure, chaotic indie bliss. The kind of moment you don’t want to end.
Here’s the thing about The Wombats: some might say their older songs hit harder than their newer stuff, but is that just nostalgia talking? Or maybe it’s a generational thing?
Either way, they proved they’re still one of the most exciting live bands out there. They’ve still got the hooks, the humour, and the ability to turn a massive arena into a sweaty, euphoric singalong.
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
Danny Jones
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Emily Sergeant -
28th February 2025 
